UPDATED! Five things to do on the Marietta Square

Photo: Jennifer Brett

Credit: Jennifer Brett

Credit: Jennifer Brett

Photo: Jennifer Brett

UPDATED! See bonus coverage below

The Marietta Square boasts a variety of great restaurants including Taqueria Tsunami and Australian Bakery Cafe (go on Tuesdays and check out the bluegrass musicians who show up to entertain diners on the sidewalk outside); The Butcher The Baker, with its superb cocktail program; and family favorite Marietta Pizza Company.

Dee-lish. Photo: Jennifer Brett

Credit: Jennifer Brett

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Credit: Jennifer Brett

Enticing specialty shops include the delectable Sugarplum Visions, the well-curated Marietta Wine Market and fashionable Dakotas Boutique. Get your stretch on at Be Yoga and keep your 'do done right at Lenny's Hair Salon. Here are five more ideas to get the most out of your Square sally.

Shop for locally sourced delicacies at the weekly Farmers Market, 9 a.m. to noon Saturdays April through December and noon to 3 p.m. Sundays May through October. Admission is free of course and so is parking. Don't try to park on the Square itself, though, as one street is shut for the market and that causes a bit of a spillover on the other streets. There's free parking in the courthouse parking deck and just behind the Square, next to the Starbucks, on Mill Street. See this link for details.

Photo: Jennifer Brett

Credit: Jennifer Brett

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Credit: Jennifer Brett

PAST COVERAGE

How a guy from New Jersey became the pot pie man of Marietta

Sugar Cakes in Marietta: Ladylike food without the fuss

Watch a movie being filmed, maybe. The historic Square, with its range of architecture styles, historic buildings including the Earl Smith Strand Theatre and the Marietta-Cobb Museum of Art and signature fountain in the center of Glover Park, is a favorite among filmmakers. Projects that have set up shop there in recent years include "Selma," "Bessie," "The Watsons Go to Birmingham," "The Watch" and "Dumb and Dumber 2."

The Marietta Square is a frequent filming spot. Photo: Jennifer Brett

Credit: Jennifer Brett

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Credit: Jennifer Brett

Jeff Daniels and Jim Carrey drove this Zamboni down the street along the Marietta Square during a scene in "Dumb and Dumber 2." Photo: Jennifer Brett

Credit: Jennifer Brett

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Credit: Jennifer Brett

See a vintage movie in a vintage movie theater. There's no better place to enjoy a retro flick than the restored Earl Smith Strand Theatre. The Strand also hosts live theatrical and musical productions, concerts and other events. It's also a great place to host a private party! See the web site for coming attractions and details on booking it for your next bash.

Photo: Jennifer Brett

Credit: Jennifer Brett

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Credit: Jennifer Brett

Celebrate our nation's independence and salute our veterans. The Marietta Square and its surroundings are great places for July 4 festivities. The city shoots off the fireworks from the parking lot of Marietta First United Methodist Church right across the street. Get there early to stake out your real estate!

The annual Veterans Day parade, shown below, salutes our country's history.

Photo: Jennifer Brett

Credit: Jennifer Brett

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Credit: Jennifer Brett

Celebrate the seasons and feast at festivals. The Square launched its first holiday season ice rink last year.  The annual Scarecrows on the Square is always good for some kitschy fun. Taste of Marietta always draws a hungry crowd.

Boo! Photo: Jennifer Brett

Credit: Jennifer Brett

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Credit: Jennifer Brett

Yum! Photo: Jennifer Brett

Credit: Jennifer Brett

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Credit: Jennifer Brett

UPDATE! A reader asked for a few more tips so here you go. I do live right off the Square so I know of what I speak. (BTW I don't do retail reviews as a rule; this little list is part of a larger bit of coverage of area communities. I volunteered for Mayretta since it's my town).

Mike Whittle. You will love him AND his floral arranging skills! Photo: Jennifer Brett

Credit: Jennifer Brett

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Credit: Jennifer Brett

OK: If you need flowers, go see my friend K. Mike Whittle on Church Street. He does gorgeous work and is a great guy. http://www.kmikewhittledesigns.com/

If you need alterations done go see my sweet beloved Ms Gerri at South Park Tailors. No matter what she will say, "Have you lost weight?" And she does great work. It is amazing how she sees you coming and she just knows where your jacket or dress is, no matter how many other jobs she is juggling. http://www.yelp.com/biz/south-park-tailors-marietta

Paul's Pot Pies at Traveling Fare = DEEEELISH. I served two of them for Christmas Eve dinner. http://paulspotpies.com/

House of Lu has a great new look and revamped menu. I love going there. http://www.houseoflu.com/

My husband loves the Australian Bakery Cafe. I'm not really one for meat pies so I'm a bad judge but he loves them. http://www.australianbakerycafe.com/

Doodlebugz, Lizards and Lollipopz and Rhinos and Rhinestonez are all THE CUTEST stores. They're owned by my friend Stacie who I met through Junior League. She's beyond awesome. https://www.facebook.com/shopdoodlebugz/

When it's time to check out you might as well have a guy with good taste in whiskey laying you out. James "Chopdaddy" Southerland, center, is the guy to know when it's time to go.

Credit: Jennifer Brett

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Credit: Jennifer Brett

And if someone you love goes to meet Jesus call my friend James Chopdaddy Southerland (yep that's what we call him) at Mays Ward Dobbins funeral home.

Sounds morose but guess what: life is a terminal condition. 100% of us have it. http://www.mayeswarddobbins.com/