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Author Betsy Riley

  • Betsy Riley

    Executive Editor

    The editor of Atlanta’s former shelter magazine, Atlanta Magazine’s HOME, she specializes in lifestyle topics such as home and garden, education, healthcare, real estate, travel, and shopping. She also writes occasional narrative features. On the broadcast front, she is a regular contributor to local NPR affiliate WABE’s “Weekend Preview” segments. Before joining the editorial staff ten years ago, Riley was a freelance editor for the magazine for another ten years. During that time, she wrote many features and edited the magazine’s monthly “Atlanta Life” section. She has also written for other regional and national magazines, including O (Oprah’s magazine), Ladies Home Journal, Town & Country, Parenting, and Southern Living. With former Atlanta magazine art director Elaine Hightower, Riley is the author of the award-winning Our Family Meeting Book. She began her career as a medical journalist, eventually becoming publisher of national award-winning newsletters produced by a division of Medical Economics. A graduate of Wake Forest University, she and her husband Mark have lived in Atlanta since 1980. They have two college-age sons.

Collier Heights awarded Local Historic District status

The move should preserve the groundbreaking African American neighborhood

At long last, Collier Heights—a West Atlanta neighborhood built by and for African Americans—has been designated as a Local Historic District by the City of Atlanta, the mayor's office announced today. Read More

Has Atlanta embraced modernism? A recap of our panel discussion

Last night I talked with some of Atlanta's leading experts on contemporary art, design, and architecture. During our "Atlanta Embraces Modernism" panel discussion, they weighed in on whether the city reflects a modern spirit. Read More

The Retro Fun of Westminster Inc. Toys

Kitsch niche

Today’s third graders may turn up their noses at any toy that doesn’t contain a microchip, but fortunately for Atlanta-based Westminster Inc., their parents have no such scruples. Apparently whoopee cushions and potato guns are timeless. Read More

Badge Girls

After 100 Years, today's Girl Scouts are much more than cookies and camping

My apologies to our dining critic, Bill Addison, whose office is next to mine, but my longtime family recipe for chicken ratatouille involves opening lots of cans. That is, it did until recently, when I “earned” my Locavore Girl Scout badge. I couldn’t resist testing the new badges when I heard that the Girl Scouts had overhauled their entire program for the first time since 1987. Gone are awards like Food, Fibers & Farming, and Looking Your Best, which included hosting a color party to determine your most flattering palette. New are activities like Cross-Training, Screenwriter, and Geocacher. Thanks to the Locavore requirement that I cook a favorite dish with locally grown foods, I’m now addicted to the Marietta Square Farmers Market. Who knew parsley had flavor? If I were still in middle school, I’d take a stab at the Science of Happiness. Read More

Green Power

The story of superstar Girl Scout Morgan Coffey

Almost 80 percent of female business owners, 70 percent of female legislators, and all female astronauts used to be Girl Scouts. That’s fairly compelling evidence that scouting teaches young women to dream big. Want more? Consider Morgan Coffey, a junior at Oglethorpe University. Read More