Augusta, GA May 2024

Happy Mother's Day!

Welcome to our much-anticipated "Ladies Issue" of Augusta City Lifestyle! In this edition, we celebrate the multifaceted essence of womanhood through captivating stories and inspiring features.

Dive into the world of fashion with an exclusive spotlight on Bodylicious Couture, a brand that epitomizes versatility and uniqueness in clothing. Discover their innovative designs and how they redefine style for the modern woman.

Our cover story features the remarkable Elleana Garcia, crowned as Miss Augusta 2024. She opens up about her mission to raise awareness about alcohol addiction, sharing her personal journey and the impactful initiatives she's leading.

For the culinary enthusiasts, we delve into the art of bread-making, exploring timeless recipes and techniques that elevate the humble loaf into a culinary masterpiece. Whether you're a seasoned baker or a novice, these insights will inspire your next baking adventure.

Unleash your creativity with a guide to crafting stunning DIY duo-tone earrings. Learn how to blend colors and textures to create accessories that reflect your unique style and personality.

With each article carefully curated to empower, inspire, and entertain, the "Ladies Issue" is a celebration of women's resilience, creativity, and boundless potential.

Thank you for joining us on this journey of discovery and empowerment. We hope you enjoy every page of this issue as much as we enjoyed bringing it to life.

May 2024

PUBLISHER

Jana Morris | jana.morris@citylifestyle.com

EDITORIAL COORDINATOR

Bailey Hall | bailey.hall@citylifestyle.com

ADMINISTRATIVE DIRECTOR

Daniel Morris

PUBLISHER ASSISTANT

Michelle Parnell | michelle.parnell@citylifestyle.com

INTERN

Daria Terry

SENIOR ACCOUNT MANAGER

Steve Candler | steve.candler@citylifestyle.com

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Angela Broockerd, Bailey Hall, Michelle W. Parnell, Nicolette Martin

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

Augusta Metro Chamber of Commerce, Cole Watkins Tours, Davis Hallisy, Flowers on Broad, Janie Jones, Matt Boyd Photography, Nicolette Martin

Corporate Team

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Steven Schowengerdt

CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Matthew Perry

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF HR Janeane Thompson

TECHNICAL DIRECTOR Josh Klein

AD DESIGNER Matthew Endersbe

LAYOUT DESIGNER Kelsey Ragain

Learn how to start your own publication at citylifestyle.com/franchise.

BAILEY HALL, EDITOR @CITYLIFESTYLEAUGUSTA

Bodylicious Couture

Meet Miss Augusta

Handmade — Breaking Bread

Flowers on Broad 10-Year Anniversary

Join us in congratulating Flowers on Broad on their 10-Year anniversary! Located at 1030 Greene St. Augusta, GA 30901, visit Flowers on Broad and stock up on all their gorgeous bouquets to celebrate the spring season and all your upcoming special occasions!

Visit the Wild Donkeys on Stallings Island

Embark on a wild kayak adventure with Cole Watkins Tours' Stallings Island expedition! Encounter diverse wildlife, from charming donkeys to playful otters and majestic hawks. This immersive experience offers the chance to feed donkeys while marveling at nature's beauty. Keep your eyes peeled for turtles and osprey, adding to the excitement of this unforgettable journey. Call 706840-0433 to reserve your spot for this unforgettable wildlife encounter!

Photography by Flowers on Broad

Photography by Cole Watkins Tours

Augusta’s Women’s History Celebration: Honoring Local Female Pioneers

In Celebration of Women’s History Month, the Chamber’s Women In Business Committee wanted to celebrate the women who shaped Augusta’s history during their March luncheon. With help from Visit Augusta, Augusta Museum of History, Augusta University, Lucy Craft Laney Museum of Black History, and Augusta Canal National Heritage Area, notable Augustan females were brought to life in front of a sold out crowd of over 200 guests.

Photography by Augusta Metro Chamber of Commerce

OBAfter hearing women talk for years about the struggles of having to go home at the end of the workday to change clothes before heading out for a fun evening, Augusta native Jennifer Love decided it was time to do something about the dilemma and founded Bodylicious Couture.

DYLICIOUSCOUTURE

LOCAL DESIGNER JENNIFER LOVE CREATES VERSATILE PIECES TO EMPOWER AND EQUIP WOMEN TO EASILY TRANSITION FROM WORK TO FUN

ARTICLE BY MICHELLE W. PARNELL

“I realized I needed to come up with a brand that gives women the freedom and the opportunity to change their look in seconds,” explains Jennifer. “I started looking around and noticing that what other brands were not giving their customers was freedom and versatility.”

Her first collection, Passport to Freedom, focused on giving women the freedom to easily transition pieces from office to evening attire. Since then, she has built upon that concept with additional lines, adding pops of color and new styles with each collection.

“Whether you are going from work, out to drinks with coworkers, friends, a girls’ night, or with your husband, you can literally transform your outfit and have a whole new look in seconds,” says Jennifer. “Each of my pieces, especially the tops, pants, and skirts, give you several different looks.”

The Travel Skirt and J Love Dress are perfect examples of pieces that easily transform into new looks. “The reason it's called Travel is because it travels from a perfect skirt that you can wear to work and then you can zip off part of it and it turns into a mini skirt,” she says. “The J Love dress is a three-in-one dress that zips off and turns into a crop top and a skirt. So, after a great day at work, when you leave and are getting ready to go out for cocktails, you just zip it off and now you have a whole new look.”

Jennifer strives to design classic, seasonless pieces that can be worn throughout the year, are timeless, and are made from high-quality fabrics and materials. She also hopes that wearing her clothing will encourage and empower women to love their bodies. “Whether you’re a size two or you’re a size twenty-two, women always seem to be insecure about our bodies,” she says. “I like the ability to help women build their confidence because I just want women to love who they are. When people ask women what they are wearing, I want them to confidently answer that they are wearing Bodylicious Couture.”

As a female business owner, Jennifer appreciates the opportunity to support other women in business and currently partners with a woman owned manufacturer. “She is a young lady like me starting out,” says Jennifer. “It’s really nice to work with someone who is also building a business.”

To check out Jennifer’s collections and place a pre-order for pieces, visit www.bodylicious couture.com. Also, follow @thebodyliciouscouture on Facebook and Instagram.

ARTICLE BY BAILEY HALL | PHOTOGRAPHY BY DAVIS HALLISY

Augusta Meet Miss

READ ABOUT ELLEANA GARCIA AND HOW SHE'S HELPING THE COMMUNITY AS MISS AUGUSTA 2024

Miss Augusta 2024, Elleana Garcia, was raised in the CSRA and graduated from Richmond County Technical Career Magnet School. She is currently a freshman at Kennesaw State University and pursuing a degree in Hospitality Management. “During high school, I was really involved in the Augusta community. I completed the Students2Work program through the Augusta Metro Chamber of Commerce, and in my senior year, I was chosen out

“I view my platform as an umbrella for the many different ways that alcohol addiction can affect people’s lives. I want to have a broad spectrum of people who I can help the most and my plan is to spread my platform to all age levels.”

of 5,000 applicants across the country to be one of the 300 student leaders for Bank of America. I got to intern with the Golden Harvest Food Bank and go to Washington, DC to represent Augusta. I then went to a leadership conference with all of the other students. We spent that day on Capitol Hill and that experience really pushed me out of my comfort zone and helped prepare me to be Miss Augusta,” she shares.

Elleana’s platform as Miss Augusta is Alcohol Awareness - Prevail, Prevent, and Protect. “I view my platform as an umbrella for the many different ways that alcohol addiction can affect people’s lives. I want to have a broad spectrum of people who I can help the most and my plan is to spread my platform to all age levels. I’m currently working on getting into schools and having age appropriate discussions with the students.”

Elleana’s passion for bringing awareness to alcohol addiction is inspired by her mother, who is now two years sober. “Addiction is becoming less of a taboo to talk about. It’s the perfect platform for me, and I’m exactly where I need to be.”

Mark your calendars for May 9th, as Elleana invites you to Tea with Intention, a fundraising luncheon benefiting the National Association for Children of Addiction. This event will be at Sugar Magnolias and to RSVP, email Elleana at  elleana.k.garcia@gmail.com. To stay up to date on what Elleana is doing in the community, follow her on Facebook at Miss Augusta and Instagram at @MissAugustaGeorgia and @Elleana.Garcia.

DIY Duotone Statement Earrings

SUPPLIES:

• 2 half-circle stamping blanks

• 2 large gold bars

• 2 medium gold bars

• 2 ear wires

• Jump rings, assorted sizes

• Embroidery thread

• Metal punch

• Bent nose forceps

• Needle nose pliers

STEPS:

1.

2. 3. 4. 5.

Use both your bent nose forceps and needle nose pliers to secure each end of the jump ring. Gently twist the jump ring to open the gap, and place the jump ring through the holes in the pieces you are connecting. When securely through both pieces, gently twist the jump ring in the opposite direction to close the gap and secure the pieces.

Make sure to have all of your materials gathered before starting the project for easy assembly.

Take your half-circle stamping blanks, large gold bars and medium gold bars and arrange them in the order you want your earrings to flow. You can see how we arranged ours, but consider switching up the placement of each item for varying earring styles.

Mark where each of the holes line up on the individual pieces. These spots are where you’ll be creating holes with the metal punch to connect each item with jump rings.

Once you have your spots marked, carefully and precisely punch holes in your individual pieces. Once all of your holes are punched, connect each piece with the desired size of jump ring.

For an added touch, punch extra holes in the bottom piece and finish off with knotted embroidery thread for a bohemian tassel effect.

ARTICLE

HANDMADE

BREAKING BREAD

BY ANGELA BROOCKERD | PHOTOGRAPHY BY JANIE JONES

BEVERAGE

Making homemade bread is coming back, and while the convenience of buying a pre-made loaf is readily available, there is nothing like the taste of a warm, homemade loaf right out of the oven. These easy-to-follow recipes are exploding with flavor and are simple to make.

LEMON ALMOND LOAF

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 ½ cups flour

• ½ teaspoon salt

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• 1 cup sugar

• 1 tablespoon lemon zest

• ¾ cup milk

• ½ cup vegetable oil

• 2 eggs

• 1 teaspoon lemon juice

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1 teaspoon almond extract

LEMON GLAZE ICING:

• 1 cup powdered sugar

• 2 teaspoons lemon juice

• 1 teaspoon almond extract

• 2 tablespoons sliced almonds

INSTRUCTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 350° F. In a large bowl, combine flour, salt and baking powder. In a separate bowl, combine sugar and lemon zest and lightly mix. Stir in flour mixture and set aside. In a separate bowl, mix oil, eggs, lemon juice, vanilla and almond extract. Gradually add the wet mixture to the dry ingredients and stir. Pour batter into a greased loaf pan and bake for 1 hour. Cool for 15 minutes and then carefully remove from the pan. Next, make the lemon glaze by combining all of the icing ingredients and whisk until smooth. Drizzle glaze all over the loaf and sprinkle with almond slices. Enjoy!

SOURDOUGH BREAD

For an added health benefit, try this probiotic-rich sourdough bread known for being easy to digest and a healthier gut-friendly option. To make sourdough bread, you will need a starter which can take anywhere from 7-14 days. To make your own, mix flour and water together in a jar and feed the starter each day until ready. There are many sourdough starter recipes online.

SOURDOUGH STARTER INGREDIENTS:

• 2 teaspoons sourdough starter

• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

• 5 teaspoons water

DOUGH INGREDIENTS:

• ¼ cup active sourdough starter

• 2 teaspoons salt

• 4 cups flour

INSTRUCTIONS:

Twelve hours before you plan to mix the dough, add the ingredients to make ¼ cup of active sourdough starter. Stir and cover and let the starter rise. The starter is ready when it has doubled in size and there are bubbles on the surface and sides.

To make the dough, add ¼ cup sourdough starter and 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons of water and stir. Next, add 4 cups plus 2 tablespoons of flour and 2 teaspoons of salt. Use a spatula to work the ingredients together until there are no more dry ingredients in the bowl. Wet your hand with a little water to prevent sticking, and pick up the dough on one side of the bowl and stretch it up and over itself. Turn the bowl a quarter turn and repeat this step until you have turned the bowl a full circle. Cover the bowl and let the dough sit for 30 minutes. Repeat the folding process one more time. Cover the bowl and let the dough rise on your counter for 8-10 hours.

Next, on a lightly floured surface, shape the dough into a ball by pulling the dough into the middle of itself. Turn the ball over so the seam is down. Use your hands to gently pull and cup the dough until it forms a tight skin. Place the dough on parchment paper and transfer the paper and dough to a medium sized bowl. Cover the bowl and let it rise for 2 hours.

Preheat the oven to 450°F. Score the top of dough with a sharp knife. Use the parchment paper to lift the dough up and transfer to a dutch oven. Place the lid on and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the lid and bake for an additional 30 minutes or until golden brown.

MAY 4TH

Augusta Handmade Fair

The Doris Building

The Augusta Handmade Fair is a semi-annual fundraiser held by Redemption Church. This event will showcase art, home decor, pottery, bath & body, gifts, and more. Net proceeds benefit The Redemption Church Missions Fund, which provides funding to Sojourn Uganda, local non-profit organizations serving the community, and partner missionaries serving with the C&MA.

MAY 12TH

Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day from the Augusta City Lifestyle team! We would like to say thank you to all the amazing moms in our community!

MAY 17TH - 18TH

Augusta Coin Club Spring Show

Columbia County Exhibition Center

The Augusta Coin Club 2024 Spring Show will be at the Columbia County Exhibition Center from May 17th through the 18th. There will be gold, silver, tokens, medals, jewelry, collectibles, and more. Admission is free.

MAY 18TH

Thunder Over Evans

Evans Towne Center Park

Thunder Over Evans is the CSRA's free public celebration of Armed Forces Day. Enjoy an evening of music, an extreme fireworks show, and a tribute to those who serve. It will take place at the Evans Towne Center Park on May 18th and the gates open at 5:30pm.

MAY 19TH

Movies at the Miller: The Lego Movie

Miller Theater

Bring your family for a free showing of The Lego Movie at the Miller Theater! Admission is free but you will need a ticket to enter. Tickets are available at the Miller Theater box office. Movie starts at 4pm.

MAY 23RD

CSRA Business Networking Event

Elks Lodge

Calling all local business owners! Join us and JT Realty Group on May 23rd at 5:30pm at the Elks Lodge for our CSRA Business Networking Event. Dinner will be provided and booths are available for a $25 donation to the Elks Lodge. Remember to bring plenty of business cards to pass out!