Chai Style Home: Baron’s Life & Home Read Like a Best Seller
Kira and Jimmy Baron combined households, children and dogs to arrive at the home where they were married by the backyard pool.
After 37 years with the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and now with the AJT, , Jaffe’s focus is lifestyle, art, dining, fashion, and community events with emphasis on Jewish movers and shakers.
When single father Jimmy Baron asked single mother Kira Karlin to “meet him at the pool,” he meant it. On June 10, 2021, Atlanta Jewish Times (“Two Realtors Find Their Bashert”) touted their swimming pool/cabana wedding.
Now in domestic bliss in Sandy Springs, the couple has a nurturing home focused on family, memorabilia and yiddishkeit. The home designed to be lived in is a blend of Kira’s Russian roots and Jimmy’ s energy and a career in radio and on the big screen.
A relaxed Kira said, “Jimmy never learned the art of purging, so we have his childhood piano, items from his parents’ 1970s kitchen, a painting from his old bedroom, a 104-year-old Victrola, travel trinkets, and a wall of celebrity photos from his radio career. Plus, there’s a display case of autographed memorabilia in the living room, which I argued should be in the basement, but lost that debate.”
With an elaborate ketubah and formal dining place setting in deference to hostages still in captivity, the Barons have unique mezuzot on every door frame; and then there’s Jimmy’s personal messages from Bill Clinton, Alan Alda, to Peter Max and Jimmy Stewart, whom he met driving a limo in LA, and Springsteen.
Marcia: How did you renovate the house, opening up spaces and making room for both families?
Kira: The prior owners did most of the heavy lifting. They raised ceilings, opened up walls, put in a pool, expanded the basement to include a theatre and guest suite. We added a bedroom and reconfigured a bathroom along with some landscaping. Our three boys have different interests, and the layout offers space for everyone to do their own thing.
Marcia: Explain the dining table place setting …
Jimmy: After 10/7, we set a full Shabbos table setting that remains on our dining room table every day as a reminder of the hostages. It’s one of the first things you see when entering our home; and we hope to be able to remove it very soon.
Marcia: How would you describe your home decor?
Jimmy: We’re fairly eclectic without a specific style, but our home is filled with meaningful items and things of sentiment. Kira’s family moved from Russia in the 1980s with few possessions, but we do have two vintage scarlet chairs from her childhood home in Leningrad and various Russian items we picked up traveling there in 2021 before the war started. There is also original Eskimo art, and pieces from Thailand.
We love the unique mezuzahs on every door frame, as well as displaying many family pictures.
I’ve also had a diverse career path and enjoy reminiscing about the journey. I moved to California in 1979 to be an actor; and my first role was in “M*A*S*H*”. The script, signed by Alan Alda, along with my $208 paycheck, hangs in our basement.
Marcia: You also had roles in “Risky Business,” “Quincy,” and “The Facts of Life.” How did you land here from Chicago and arrive at being a top DJ at 99X?
Jimmy: In 1993, I was working at a radio station in Chicago when I was offered the chance to produce the new morning show on 99X here. My off-air role shifted to on-air as it became clear that Steve Barnes, Leslie Fram, and I had great chemistry.
The experiences and people we encountered in my 13 incredible years at 99X were beyond anything I could have imagined. I’m still humbled when people say how “The Morning X” shaped their high school or college years (although my teenage son is usually mortified).
Marcia: You and Jimmy are realtors with Keller Williams. How do you work together and what are you telling your clients about the Atlanta market?
Kira: We’re a team, but generally each have our own clients and collaborate when needed. Right now, with low inventory, managing expectations is key. Buyers need patience and flexibility, viewing their first home as a stepping stone, not their “forever” home. Sellers should price updated, well-maintained homes right, as buyers are wary of big projects unless reflected in the price.
Marcia: Describe your Friday night dinners.
Kira: Shabbat dinners are the highlight of our week; we especially love hosting our boys and their friends. Typically, 8-10 guests. Homemade challah and matzo ball soup are staples, with chicken, and sometimes steak skewers or cabbage rolls, if I’m feeling inspired.
Marcia: How do you use the pool?
Kira: We love our pool and spend a lot of time there over the summer. We don’t winterize it because we love the view from the kitchen window year-round. Water is aesthetically more appealing to us than a dirty green tarp!
Marcia: What was it like being president of Congregation Beth Tefillah?
Jimmy: I served during COVID, which had its challenges but was very rewarding. I always felt my sense of humor helped manage frustrations, especially when decisions about masking and social distancing didn’t always sit well with every member. I don’t drive on Shabbos, so it’s great to live a few blocks from shul.
Marcia: How crazy are you about Bruce Springsteen? You’ve seen him 70 times? You know all the lyrics?
Jimmy: I’ve followed Bruce for 40 years. There’s simply nothing that moves me emotionally like his music and live concerts … and Kira, thankfully, gets that. For reasons I can’t put into words, his music reaches into my soul. I certainly know the lyrics to the few dozen that mean the most to me. And, yes, I’m hoarse after most shows.
Marcia: Last word …
Kira: If Jimmy was in charge of decorating, there’d be a ping pong table in the living room, and our ketubah would be replaced by a “Born to Run” album cover.
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