Valdosta Magazine Summer 2016

Make the Right Choice

Finding out someone close to you has cancer can be overwhelming, but it’s a journey that you and your loved one do not have to face alone.

At South Georgia Medical Center, the Pearlman Cancer Center provides award-winning services for cancer patients close to home. With expert oncologists and medical professionals nearby, there’s no need to travel far for superior care.

Summer!

Monday - Fridays 10:00am - 7:00pm | Saturday 10:00am - 6:00pm Sunday 1:00pm - 6:00pm|1421 Gornto Rd | Valdosta, GA

THE COVER:

It’s great when things come together as it did for our cover photo shoot. Thanks to Wes Sewell, Keira Moritz and Randy DeCoudres for agreeing to do this on a Sunday evening and for Carter and Sons Produce for opening up to supply the fresh produce. Thanks also to Keira and Dickie Johnson, who allowed us to shoot on their gorgeous property and to Art & Soul for the use of the chandelier. Oh! And, to Samford, Keira and Dickie’s golden retriever who moseyed over to the shoot at just the right time and struck a perfect pose. (Give that dog a bone!)

to

the

& Flavor! that Downtown Valdosta has to offer. Featuring an advertising section, a

Valdosta Magazine readers share their thoughts and travels with us.

Jim Nichols remembers taking his “turn at the crank” of his grandfather’s ice cream churn. Also, ice cream making tips.

Carter

Remembering our neighbors, friends and family.

Valdosta Magazine’s community calendar is THE main source of information on the most important cultural events and community activities for you and your family.

SPECIAL FEATURES

MORE THAN MIREPOIX

Chef Richard Van Hook is sharpening the Culinary Arts Program at Wiregrass Technical College into a cutting-edge experience.

SUPPER CLUBS – MORE THAN A WAY TO SPEND AN EVENING

Meeting for dinner with friends is one thing. Organizing a Supper Club is dinner with friends “on steroids”.

THEY PAVED THE WAYSTAN AND SUE COX

Stan and Sue Cox helped “set the table” for the burgeoning food scene in Valdosta. Now, these trailblazers are looking to the future.

CHEFS

Learn more about Valdosta’s Top Chefs, Keira Moritz and Randy DeCoudres, who have won regional and statewide acclaim for their culinary arts.

Valdosta's Premier Dining Guide.

Computers for home and business need protection against hostage situations.

Dividend investing may be a good strategy for baby boomers as they near retirement.

How

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Connie Riddle, Randy DeCoudres, Keira Moritz, and John Riddle after the photo shoot for the cover of Valdosta Magazine.

EVERYBODY

LOVES TO EAT!

We’re very excited to introduce our first “themed” issue of Valdosta Magazine – The Food Issue. We hope you’ll find it as fun to read as we did publishing it.

This issue has put us in touch with some people in Valdosta that we’ve really enjoyed getting to know. That included Valdosta’s two top chefs, Keira Moritz and Randy DeCoudres, along with Keira’s dog, Samford, featured on the cover.

This is an issue you’ll pick up over and over again for different reasons – the recipes for one. Check out “The Recipe Box”, as well as, favorite recipes from Keira and Randy and tips for making your next churn of homemade ice cream even better.

This is the fourth issue we’ve published and we’re coming upon the one-year anniversary of our purchase of the magazine from the Lastinger family. We continue to honor the legacy of Johnny B. Lastinger, Publisher Emeritus, while we strive to meet the needs of a growing advertiser and subscriber base.

We are grateful to the advertisers who make each issue possible (see the Index of Advertisers for a complete list) and our faithful – and growing – base of readers and subscribers. Also, a special thanks goes to Wes Sewell Photography, photographer to the “rich and famous”, for all of the extra time on this issue.

Now, prepare to indulge in one our most savory issue ever that is guaranteed to make your mouth water. And, then, go out and satisfy your appetite by visiting all of the restaurants featured in “theDISH” – Valdosta’s newest Dining Guide (page 50).

Bon Appétit!

John & Connie Riddle

Editors and Publishers : John F. Riddle & Connie K. Riddle

Showcase Publications, Inc.

Official Photographer: Wes Sewell Photography

Contributing Writers: Bob Goddard

Bubba Highsmith

Sally Kurrie

Tommy Nijem

John F. Riddle

Jim Nichols

Lorna Chitty

Narci Drossos

Nancy Warren

Justin Stephens

Mattia Goddard

Cover Photo: Wes Sewell Photography

Contributing Photographers: Kim Lerstang

Sarah Kathryn Photography

John F. Riddle

Vicki Hughes

Bev Henderson

Mattia Goddard

Rosemary Sirmans

Lydia Hubert

Designers:

Stacey Nichols

Russ Hutto

Nikki Stubbs

Sarah Adams

Advising Consultant: Lamb Lastinger

Publisher Emeritus: Johnny B. Lastinger

Valdosta Magazine is published quarterly by Showcase Publications, Inc. (912)-424-8772 – P.O. Box 391 Jesup, GA 31598 www.showcasepublicationsga.com

Subscription rates in the U.S. are $14.00 annually.

All rights reserved. Copies or reproduction of this publication in whole or in part is strictly prohibited without expressed written authorization from the publisher. Every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained herein. Advertising is subject to omission, errors and other changes without notice. The opinions expressed by the writers are not necessarily those of the publisher.

FROM OUR READERS...

Barbara and Allen Weise-Lehmann at Ayers Rock and at the Opera House with Valdosta Magazine during their travels to New Zealand and Australia.

John and Connie,

We always look forward to the next issue of Valdosta Magazine, it seems they don’t come often enough.

It was a must-pack item to take on our recent 30-day Road Scholar trip through New Zealand and Australia. At our last stop (Cairns), we left our copy in the guest library so other travelers could enjoy what Valdosta has to offer.

Barbara and Allen Weise-Lehmann

Suzanne Lastinger carried Valdosta Magazine along to Honfleur, France, a small village in northwestern France, on her recent trip to Europe.

Letters from our readers are also encouraged and we look forward to receiving them. They can be emailed to: info@showcasepublicationsga.com or mailed to: Showcase Publications, Inc.; P.O. Box 391; Jesup, GA 31598.

We look forward to continuing the tradition of Valdosta Magazine traveling with you. Please take Valdosta Magazine with you on your travels and take a picture and send it to us. Pictures can be emailed to:

info@showcasepublicationsga.com.

Terry Burton and his family made Valdosta Magazine part of their trip to Omaha American Cemetery in Normandy, France on the 72nd anniversary of D-Day on June 6, 2016.

Valdosta Magazine traveled with Anna, Bill, and Mia Meli to Atlantis Resort in Nassau, Bahamas.

COMING SOON

Guardian Bank is pleased to be the first financial institution in the area to offer extended banking hours with cutting edge technology and live customer service representatives.

Using Interactive Teller Machines with live video feed and a Customer Care Center, you will be able to bank with a real person 14 hours a day, 6 days a week.

These new additions are fast, convenient, and personal, and represent our commitment to better serve our customers.

MORE

THAN MIREPOIX

Chef Richard Van Hook is Sharpening the Culinary Arts Program at Wiregrass Technical College Into a Cutting-Edge Experience Where Students are Learning Much More Than Mirepoix

STORY BY LORNA CHITTY | PHOTOS BY LYDIA HUBERT AND ROSEMARY SIRMANS

While many think of Wiregrass Technical College in the context of business, mechanical, or healthcare education, the institution also houses an impressive emerging culinary school. The Culinary Arts Degree program at Wiregrass has been the starting ground for many of the region’s restaurant chefs, with its alumni going on to work in local favorites like Friends, 306 North, Steel Magnolia’s, Covington’s, Kinderlou, and more. The program’s rapid development has been spearheaded by Richard Van Hook, a Thomasville native that moved to Valdosta to pursue a career in the culinary arts.

Van Hook’s own culinary career very easily might not have happened. Starting college before Wiregrass- then Valdosta Technical College- had a culinary program, Van Hook matriculated into Valdosta State unsure what he intended to major in. After transferring to Georgia Military College for a year, he and several fraternity brothers toured the College of Culinary Arts at Johnson & Wales University’s South Carolina campus. Hesitant at first, he was excited by the possibilities that culinary school held and decided to enroll. While taking courses in his second year, Van Hook moved to Greensboro, Georgia to do a paid internship at the Ritz Carlton and associated restaurants. As his time in culinary school was coming to a close, he felt that he was at a crossroads: he was homesick for Thomasville while living in South Carolina, but recently had been offered a job to return to Greensboro.

But when the owner and Chef of a new restaurant, 306 North, called him and offered him the position of sous chef in the new restaurant, his mind was instantly made up. He eventually became the executive chef at 306 North, but the long hours that prevented him from spending time with his two young children pushed him to look for work elsewhere. He left the restaurant business and took a position as a full time instructor at Wiregrass; after two years he was promoted to be the program coordinator, and has been there ever since.

In a relatively short span of time, Van Hook has built the foundation of a professional culinary program: the students wear uniforms, complete prerequisite courses to demonstrate proficiency, and all become ServSafe certified before they can graduate. Van Hook brought the technical and restaurant backgrounds to the program, and redesigned the school’s approach to the statewide curriculum; Van Hook’s classes expose the students to far more than simply the bare requirements, as he views the curriculum as something to always go above and beyond.

The classes in the Wiregrass Culinary Arts Degree Program increase with difficulty as the students progress through. Starting with basics in sanitation, terminology, and career exploration, Van Hook emphasizes the importance of technique and precision early on in the student's’ experience. They start off learning knife skills, specifically the frustrating and monotonous mirepoix technique- a rough chop of onions, carrots, and celery- until they perfect it.

“They will literally cut that for a week, two weeks… however long it takes for them to hold the knife right and get familiar with it,” he describes. Much like how the mirepoix is the base on which many dishes are built, the techniques that Van Hook teaches build upon one another: first students learn to cut vegetables, then they make stocks from those vegetables, they make sauces from those stocks, and finally create meat dishes that pair with those sauces.

Once they pass the beginning classes, students move on to classes in leadership, catering, technology, and cold foods; the final courses offer indepth study of baking and international cuisine. A tradition that signals the culmination of study is the “summer meal”, wherein the students in the Contemporary Cuisine course prepare a three-course meal from international recipes that they’ve studied and customized. The kitchen and meal are set up as they would be in a restaurant, giving the culinary students real-world practice in the environment in which many will soon go on to start careers. The meal is open to all Wiregrass faculty, staff, and

Chef Richard Van Hook toured the College of Culinary Arts at Johnson & Wales on a whim with some fraternity brothers and decided to enroll. While taking courses in his second year, Van Hook took an internship at the Ritz Carlton in Greensboro, Georgia. He later became sous chef at 306 North restaurant when it first opened and eventually became the executive chef. He became a full-time instructor at Wiregrass and now serves as the culinary arts program coordinator.

Van Hook’s teaching philosophy has its roots in his own restaurant background: his interest is held by the high-energy feel of a professional kitchen, and he understands that his students will learn their best with these similar hands-on, proactive activities and lessons.

students for only ten dollars, and the culinary program employs the help of the students in the front of the house management classes to serve, bus tables, and wash dishes to build a holistic experience for both the guests and students alike.

Wiregrass’s culinary program has made great strides in the last decade, seeing a steadily increasing enrollment while many other culinary programs have faced slight declines. Van Hook describes how the students’ interest levels have increased just like the enrollment: students bring in produce they grew at home, add their own creative twist to perfect the assigned recipes, and even meet each other outside of class to cook with one another.

Van Hook appreciates how dynamic the culinary arts are, especially if one is a teacher. “Every day is completely different, and you learn something new every day” he says with a laugh, “Every day there is a new challenge.” Working in a restaurant kitchen may be exciting, but Van Hook finds the opportunity to teach and interact with others the most rewarding and eye-opening. Just like his students, Van Hook relishes the endless nature of the culinary arts: there will always be a new dish or recipe to discover, and every culture holds the secrets of a foreign cuisine. He hopes that the culinary program at Wiregrass can expose students to a world of food outside of what’s commonplace to them. Sparking an interest in cuisine not only leads his students to make healthier, more sustainable choices, but can open the doors to incredible careers or much deeper appreciations of foods and cultures. Van Hook celebrates that the pursuit of knowledge in the culinary arts “can take you anywhere in the world”.

The diversity of the students in the culinary program is its most incredible characteristic: the ages of students range from sixteen and in high school to seventy and in retirement, all brought together by their passion for the culinary arts. (Audrey McCoy, Lauren Miller, Shane Williams, Van Hook, Joseph Fiffie, Mark Baker)

(pronounced “mihr-PWAH” or “meer PWAH”)

How to Make and Use It

The standard mirepoix is a mixture of onions, carrots, and celery sautéed in butter. It’s used as an aromatic, flavorful addition to foods ranging from soups and sauces to braised meats and marinades. Chefs around the world also refer to it as “The Holy Trinity,” and it can be used in so many ways.

Prepare a standard mirepoix by using a 2:1:1 ratio of onions, carrots, and celery. In percentages, that’s 50% onion, 25% carrot, and 25% celery. That’s approx-

imately 1 yellow onion, 1 large carrot and 2 celery sticks. Variation of the ratio creates different flavor variations.

To cook mirepoix, brown the onions and carrots together on medium-high heat (sauté) and then add the celery, cooking until soft. Again, you may choose another method depending on what you’re cooking. Any recipe that uses a mirepoix variation should give you specific instructions. If it doesn’t, assume the standard method.

Scan the QR code to watch an instructional video from the Culinary Institute of America on how to prepare Mirepoix

Valdosta’sSupperClubs

To host a successful Supper Club you must have food and be organized but the most important ingredient is fun!

STORY BY MATTIA GODDARD

Girls on the Grill, Too

MeetPhotography by Wes Sewell Photography

the ladies of Girls on the Grill, Too. A specialty Supper Club at home here in Valdosta. This “girls only” club started in March of 2000 and has been going strong ever since. This group of ladies has their Supper Club down to a science- from custom invitations to a spreadsheet of what to bring.

They meet August through April, recently opting to take the summers off.

Their current calendar is scheduled from this coming August through the end of 2018!

Organization is their secret to 16 years of sharing delicious food and delightful fellowship.

Each hostess knows her month well in advance. They are responsible for choosing the date, and the locations are always their homes. The hostess has the fun of picking a theme for her night and setting up the bar. A particularly enjoyable aspect of their club is that each of their approximately 20 members brings a dish with the recipe copied, for all of the guests. There’s no guessing as to which dish each member is to bring; entrée, dessert, appetizer, vegetable, salad or starch is clearly laid out on the spreadsheet with the calendar.

Over the years, maintenance of the spreadsheet has shifted from member to member. Jill Bright made the most recent calendar and she says it falls to whichever lady has the time!

Pictured Above: Lisa Harp, Sherry Wetherington, Jennifer Carter, Lalee Cregger, and Roni Strickland.

Some of the most interesting invitations from

Want To Start A Supper Club

If you and your friends are interested in starting a Supper Club, take some pointers from these two successful clubs:

• Ask yourself- Would I enjoy having dinner with this person?

• Start with people you know.

• When considering new members, allow them to come twice and then decide if they’d like to join or not.

• Choose how often your group will meet.

• Determine early on where your group will meet. Homes or restaurants?

• Organization, organization, organization! Someone needs to be in charge that can keep track of the club’s details.

• Most importantly from Ms. Barbara- This is a social time and a happy time! Have fun!

the Girls on the Grill, Too archives.

Leslie Parker, Lalee Cregger, Jill Bright, and Lisa Harp were four of the original members of Girls on the Grill, Too.

The longest running Supper Club in town!

Photography by Sarah Kathryn Photography

First founded January 1971, The Supper Club has met continuously ever since.

Approximately 50 members strong, this Club can be seen around town at Valdosta’s finest eateries. They frequent Covington’s, 306 North, Ocean Pond, the Valdosta Country Club and Friends, to name a few. Theirs is an organized club with a fun host-picking method. Their year runs from March to January. In January they gather, usually for brunch, at Covington’s and have their annual end-of-year business meeting. At this meeting, the host’s names are all put in a basket. They draw two names for every month, usually skipping August and February. The two hosts whose names are drawn are then in charge of planning the event. They choose the date, the restaurant, and whether they want to have a brunch or dinner. Together the hosts choose invitations, send them out and work with the restaurant to plan the

menu. A particularly helpful touch is the cost of the meal is on the invitation, so every member knows what to expect.

After 45 years, the face of the Club has, of course, changed. Eleanor Howard is the only original member still in the Club. She still attends the Supper Club with her son and daughter-in-law, Jenny.

Long-time member Barbara Jenkins and her husband, Brantley, provided the photo taken at Langdale Lodge in 1998. Barbara explained that their Club started in hosts’ homes but eventually got too big. Another reason for the venue change, Ms. Barbara noted, is that back when they first started meeting, there were very few places to go out to dinner. What an interesting commentary on our changing times! Today, as evidenced in this issue, Valdosta has many wonderful places to go out to eat.

(above) Langdale Lodge - July 4, 1998: Kay Autrey, Leona Hudson, Dugal Hudson, Wilbur Rountree, Woodie Dennis, Unknown, Jean Rountree, Imogene Dennis, RoLene Little, Howard Holt, Bill Eager, Dottie Eager, Myra Jane Bird, Kathryn Holt, Margaret Langdale, Eleanor Howard, Martie Barnes, Gretchen McCoy, Brantley Jenkins, Barbara Jenkins, Shealy McCoy, Lou Gabard, Elsie Neale, Dottie Mackey, Lillian Miller, Eric Miller, Tot Amon, Ilene Langdale, Harley Langdale

Eleanor Howard, the oldest of the original members of The Supper Club.

Nancy Warren, Barbara Jenkins, Bonnie Rainey.

Steve & Sherrill Lahr, Suzanne & Prentice Taylor, Marian & Barry Belanger.

Jim & Russell Smith, Harriette Demming, Don Drury.

(above) Current members of The Supper Club at a recent dinner.

Protecting Yourself Against a Hostage Situation

By Tommy Nijem

You might wonder why your regional “tech geek” is writing an article about hostage situations. Well, it’s because one of the most common and profitable computer attacks in recent months is called a “ransomware” attack. In general, the victim is tricked into opening an email attachment that appears to come from someone they know. That file attachment might look like a Microsoft Word document or Excel Spreadsheet or another common type of file. When you open this file, you are allowing this ransomware virus to execute and take your files hostage. If you work in a business that has shared files on servers or other computers, they can also be attacked and held hostage.

You will probably not notice anything strange for a little while but eventually you will sit down in front of your computer and you might see a message like this

This means that your commonly used files have been encrypted and cannot be recovered unless you pay these criminals a ransom to get the key to unlock your files. Since the beginning of 2016, NijemTech has seen five such attacks on our customer’s computers. In one case we had no choice but to pay the $500 ransom, in the other cases we were able to use recent backups to recover the files from backups that were made prior to them being encrypted.

How to protect yourself from ransomware attacks

The easiest way to protect against ransomware attacks is to have and follow a reliable data-backup policy. Companies and individuals that do not want to end up as paying victims of ransomware should have their workers conduct real-time incremental backups (which back up file changes every few

minutes). In addition, in case their own backup servers get infected with ransomware, these companies should have offsite cloud backup storage that is protected from ransomware. Companies that are attacked can then restore their data from these backups instead of paying the ransom. Users should also download and install regular updates to software, including third-party plug-ins for web browsers and other systems. These often plug security vulnerabilities that, if left open, provide attackers an easy way in.

Generally, being infected with ransomware has two important messages for an organization. First, it's a sign of vulnerability in a company's entire computer system, which also means that the organization is vulnerable to other types of attacks. It is always better to learn of an intrusion earlier, rather than being compromised for several months.

Second, being infected with ransomware also suggests users are engaging in risky online behavior, such as clicking on unidentified email attachments from unknown senders and following links on disreputable websites. Teaching people about safe internet browsing can dramatically reduce an organization's vulnerability to a ransomware attack.

Where to begin

I’m sure some of you are overwhelmed by the thought of figuring out if your backups are good enough and if you are using the right anti-virus software etc. That’s where NijemTech can help. We can quickly look at your existing defenses and determine if there are holes that need to be filled or weak areas that could be strengthened. Feel free to call us or email help@ nijemtech.com and we will schedule a time to take a look at your systems for you.

Tommy Nijem is owner of NIJEMtech and has spent his entire career in the Information Technology field. He has served some of the largest, most sophisticated companies in the world and now brings his skills and experience to Valdosta and the nearby region. Tommy can be reached at 229-269-4151.

IAN HOBSON

TESSA LARK

Dividend Investing in a Low-Yield Environment

The most visible and most understandable way to judge a stock’s performance is by the rate of growth of its share price. It’s easy to focus only on capital gains, but one often-overlooked aspect of investing is dividends. The potential growth of dividends paid back to shareholders can, over time, be significant.

Employing a strategy combining market growth and reinvested dividends can help you reach your financial goals while potentially minimizing the amount of risk in your portfolio. The stability offered by regular dividends can help balance out the generally more volatile nature of investing in stocks.

What Is a Dividend?

A dividend is a distribution of a corporation’s earnings to its shareholders, typically made on a quarterly basis. Dividends are paid on a per-share basis, so the more shares an investor owns, the greater the dividend he or she will receive.

A company’s dividend payout ratio is the percentage of earnings distributed to shareholders in the form of dividends and is calculated by dividing dividend per share by its earnings per share. The dividend payout ratio offers an indication of how well earnings support the dividend payments. More mature companies tend to have higher dividend payout ratios.

Dividends are one indicator of a company’s health. By issuing a dividend, a company is exhibiting its healthy cash flow and signaling that it believes its growth is sustainable.

Who Issues Dividends?

Many, but certainly not all, companies issue dividends. Companies that are

experiencing rapid growth (growth stocks) generally do not pay dividends, instead choosing to plow their earnings back into their operations with the hopes of eventually rewarding investors through capital appreciation.

Dividend-issuing stocks typically offer less volatility than do growth stocks, because the dividends they pay are based on the company’s profitability, not market perceptions. In a bear market, this can be especially attractive, as dividend-paying companies may continue to provide a return while other growth-oriented stocks are declining. Dividends also help encourage stability in ownership and lower turnover, as investors are more likely to hold onto the stock during difficult times in order to receive the dividend.

Reinvesting Dividends

Investors who receive dividends can do one of two things with the proceeds –take a cash payment or use the money to purchase more shares. Reinvesting allows investors to increase their position without providing additional capital, reducing the cost basis of the investment. Reinvesting also unlocks the power of compounding, a helpful way for investors to build wealth.

What to Look For

In dividend investing, look for stocks that have a track record of consistently increasing their dividends. These are usually strong, stable companies that have self-imposed discipline to continue to perform well and earn a profit year in and year out. Dividends offer a means of keeping a company’s management in check, helping encourage sound, responsible decision-making. Most companies that issue dividends are very reluctant to either decrease or eliminate their dividends, as that sends a negative

By Bob Goddard

message to the investing public which could possibly result in a sell-off of the stock.

Maintaining and increasing dividend payments requires consistent earnings growth. Looking at a company’s earnings growth over time can help you determine if it will consistently offer dividends in the future. However, it should be noted that changes in market conditions or a company’s financial condition may impact the company’s ability to continue to pay dividends, and companies may also choose to discontinue dividend payments.

Dividend investing may be an especially good strategy for baby boomers to adopt as they near retirement. Finding and investing in stocks that not only offer a solid dividend but also increase their dividend payments can help provide retirement income without having to sell off assets. And in order to outpace the rate of inflation, it generally makes sense for retirees to include some equities among their holdings.

For more information on dividend investing, please contact your financial advisor today.

Article provided by Robert A. Goddard III, a Vice President/ Investments with Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated, member SIPC and New York Stock Exchange. He can be reached by calling the firm’s Valdosta office at (229) 293-1125 or by e-mail at goddardr@stifel.com

Go Downtown

Everything’s waiting for you!

Everything’s waiting for you in Downtown Valdosta! This dynamic city is filled with activity amid the many shops, boutiques, restaurants and businesses located downtown. Downtown Valdosta has something for everyone with live theatre, arts, music, dining, event spaces, professional offices and loft apartments.

Downtown Valdosta Restaurant Week 2016

Sample the Restaurant Menus

July 18 – Buy a wristband on the Courthouse Lawn that gets you a taste of Downtown 5 pm - 9 pm

Dine Out Often

July 19 - 23 – 5 days of lunch and dinner. No tickets needed. Just get out and dine!

Ask your Server for the Menu

Ask for the Restaurant Week menu and enjoy a 3-course prix fixe meal.

Share your Adventure

Show us your Restaurant Week meals and share your adventures! #restaurantweekdvld

Follow these simple steps to get the most out of your Restaurant Week experience.

Scan with your QR Reader to enjoy Glee’s version of “Downtown”, a pop song composed by Tony Hatch, and originally recorded by Petula Clark in 1964, that became an international hit. Hatch composed the song on his first visit to New York City. Things will be great when you’re downtown!

Maybe I’ll see you there…

First Friday - July 1 / August 5 / September 2 – 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm

Held on the first Friday of each month. First Friday is an event where singles can get together, business people can relax, and couples can enjoy the charm of Downtown Valdosta. Be sure to visit all Downtown businesses, boutiques, galleries, & restaurants for lively events and unique shopping!

Art Walk - August 5 @ 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm

Combining the love of art and Historic Downtown Valdosta, it is our pleasure to invite you to Art Walk. We will also be featuring a wine tasting experience at participating Art Walk locations. Wrist bands for the wine experience are available at each location for $20 per person with all proceeds going to Downtown beautification projects.

Farm Days

July 9 & 23 / August 20 / September 3 & 17 – 9:00 am – 12:00 pm

Come downtown to find the delicious taste of farm fresh food picked just for you, at Downtown Valdosta Farm Days! The market showcases locally sourced produce, food items, and arts and crafts from surrounding areas. Located around the Historic Courthouse Square. (EBT, CREDIT, and DEBIT accepted)

Taste of Downtown - July 18 @ 5:00 pm – 9:00 pm

Join us for Taste of Downtown, the kickoff event for Downtown Valdosta Restaurant Week! Come to the historic Courthouse Square, 100 West Central Avenue, and buy a wristband. Your wristband is a ticket into all of the Downtown restaurants. At each restaurant you will get a bite and a pour of their signature dish. While you are there, check out their restaurant week menus and plan your weeklong dining adventure! There will be live music on the Courthouse lawn until 9 pm.

Downtown Valdosta Restaurant WeekJuly 19 - 23 @ 11:00 am – 9:00 pm Try Something New Every Day! Follow these simple steps to get the most out of your Restaurant Week experience: Dine Out Often 5 days of lunch and dinner. No tickets needed. Just get out and dine. Ask Your Server for the Menu Ask for the Restaurant Week menu and enjoy a 3-course prix fixe meal. Share Your Adventure Show us your Restaurant Week meals and share your adventures! #restaurantweekdvld

100 Black Men of Valdosta BBQ Cook OffAugust 6 @ 9:00 am – 1:00 pm

Downtown Valdosta has been the site of the 100 Black Men BBQ each August since 1995. Attendees at the cook-off can expect a family-oriented atmosphere, full of food, fun and also laughter. Musical entertainment is also provided.

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Old & New Gifts Bridal & Baby Registr y

Go Downtown

Stanley and Sue Cox are trailblazers that "set the table" for the burgeoning food scene in Valdosta. Now, they're looking to the future.

Stan and Sue in their apartment above their warehouse behind Covington's. "When we built it people said, 'you're moving closer to work', and I said, 'no I'm moving closer home. I've never had a problem getting to work, I've had trouble getting home'."

- Stan Cox

Setting THE table

STORY BY JOHN RIDDLE | PHOTOGRAPHY BY WES SEWELL PHOTOGRAPHY

The food scene in Valdosta has changed dramatically in the past several years. Chic new restaurants with young chefs preparing original fare utilizing fresh, locally-grown vegetables seems to be the “new normal”. But, the “new normal” isn’t as original as it might seem.

You see, before all of them, there were a couple of young restauranteurs who had a vision for the same thing and took a big chance on making their dream a reality. They raised the bar and set a high standard for others to follow. They were trailblazers who “set the table” for the burgeoning food scene in Valdosta. They were catalysts that helped the resurgence of downtown. They are Stanley and Sue Cox.

In 1973, Sheraton was a big name in the hotel business and Stanley Cox’s first job out of college was managing the Sheraton hotel in Valdosta, where the Kinderlou Inn is today. The hotel only had 75 rooms but it had one of the only banquet rooms in Valdosta. However, the restaurant managers were not capitalizing on that. “The restaurant was basically non-existent,” Stanley explained.

But, when the hotel owners asked Stanley if he wanted to run the restaurant – everything changed.

“All we had ever done was eat,” Stanley

said of their relationship with food. “But, the decision to manage the restaurant changed our lives forever.” Sue left her job at a local bank to manage the restaurant. They lived at the hotel for three years; days she remembers fondly. “It was great. The kids would call downstairs for room service and the beds were always made,” she recalled with a laugh.

For Sue, it was a natural fit. She grew up on a farm one of seven children and felt as though she had “been raised in a restaurant”. “I grew up doing it all – milking cows, growing vegetables, ringing chicken’s necks. My Mother baked a cake every single day. Every day was like being in a restaurant,” she explained.

So, Sue put her experience in the kitchen to work in the restaurant and Stanley kept an eye on the books and managed the hotel. Eventually, it paid off.

At that time, the only restaurants on the interstate highways were in hotels. They capitalized on that and began attracting more events in the banquet rooms. Because there was not good access to fresh vegetables, they grew their own. “We had eleven acres behind the hotel and we got Daddy to plant a garden so we could have fresh vegetables in the restaurant,” Sue explained.

“We did better in the banquet and restaurant

“One of the oldest and best is looking forward to being one of the newest and best.”

business than the hotel side of the business,” Stanley explained. That led them to the decision, in 1991, to leave the hotel and began looking for a central location in the community for a restaurant and catering facility.

They quickly focused on Downtown Valdosta which only had an inkling of resurgence then. It was a risky place to stake out ground for a new restaurant. But, they found a spot at 310 Patterson Street - with plenty of parking and close to churches and the Crescent - and opened their first restaurant, Covington’s.

As their business grew, they bought the building next door for storage for their growing rental business. But, in 2006 it was time to grow again. Randy DeCoudres and Rick VanHook had joined them as aspiring young chefs so they converted the storage building into a new restaurant, “306 North”. They added a two-story warehouse behind Covington’s with a second-floor apartment for themselves.

One thing that everyone will agree on is that the Cox’s go to great lengths to satisfy a customer. It is a serious business with them. Like when Sue made eggs benedict for comedian and

actor, Bob Hope, at 2:00 a.m. Or, when they catered 300 dinners and breakfasts aboard Bill Clinton’s campaign plane. “I went all over Valdosta to get enough containers that would fit on the airplane,” Sue recalled. They also catered for President Ronald Reagan.

“We’ve catered to Presidents, Governors, and actors, but every customer is just as important,” Sue emphasized.

Like the time when three local ladies were hosting a women’s luncheon and Sue decided they wanted something special. She and Stan had visited a friend in Florida who knew Marjorie Merriweather Post who built the Mar-a-Lago Estate in Palm Beach. He took Stan and Sue to see it on the same day that Post was hosting a luncheon for astronauts. Sue got the menu which included kiwi – a delicacy hard to come by in those days.

“This is back when kiwi was rare. I told Mr. Joseph at Joseph’s Produce, ‘you’ve got to get me some kiwi’. He had heard of kiwi but never seen one. We reproduced the entire menu Mrs. Post served including kiwi. We bought a carton of 28 kiwis, and it cost $28 for a ladies luncheon in Valdosta,” she deadpanned.

Sue Cox, the “grande dame” of the catering and restaurant business in Valdosta, is looking to the future with plans for continued diversification of their vast catering, rental and restaurant business.

– Sue Cox.

For what success they have enjoyed, they are quick to credit their family of employees. Everybody who works with them is considered part of their family. They feed about 50 employees daily for free. “There are not a lot of perks in small business, so we do what we can,” explained Stanley.

They also believe in giving back to the community through their help in various organizations like the Children’s Advocacy Center, the Valdosta Symphony, Corks and Forks for Wiregrass Technical College and the Cancer Coalition. Sue is also very involved with the Chamber of Commerce.

“Anybody who has a business should be giving back,” Stanley emphasized. Sue added, “That’s our philosophy. It’s the way we do business,” she explained.

So, what’s next for these trailblazers who continue to start their day at 5:00 a.m.? For one, they are looking forward to the continued development in downtown and continue to remain at the center of the “food scene” in Valdosta for the foreseeable future.

They continue to diversify the responsibilities of their vast catering, rental and restaurant business. Their daughter, Amy, who was the manager at 306 North, is now concentrating on proposals, contracts and event planning. And they’ve hired a new general manager for 306 North.

“We’re planning on being here,” Stanley stated. Sue agreed, “One of the oldest and best is looking forward to being one of the newest and best.”

“We work together by not working together” – Stan Cox

Much has been said about husbands and wives working together. Some get along fine. Others do not. No one perfects it. But, Stan and Sue Cox seem to have it down pretty well.

“There is more than one side to every business,” Stan said. They have divided responsibilities. Sue’s in the kitchen more. “I sell it, see that it gets cooked and sometimes cook it,” she explained. Stan admits that she has all the creativity.

Stan’s in the office more. “I procure it and price it out,” Stan said. “I am not a cook,” he added with a grin doing is best Richard Nixon impression. Though Sue added that he scrambles the best eggs – even 400 at one time – and makes great coffee.

A day in the life of Stan and Sue:

4:45 a.m.: Stan rises, makes coffee and brings a cup to Sue.

5:00 a.m.: Sue rises. Works out while Stan meets the delivery trucks.

6:30 a.m.: Sue starts a daily “To Do” list for employees. Makes sure everything is scheduled and often starts cooking.

Lunch: Sue watches over Covington’s. Stan is at 306 North.

Afternoon: Sue plans and schedules catering events. Stan does accounting and quotes for events. Their daughter, Amy, arrives in the afternoon and works the evening shift.

Stan and Sue have hosted some famous guests over the years including Bob Hope who stayed at the Sheraton.

Amy Cox in in the original Covington’s, Stan and Sue’s first restaurant, which opened in January, 1992.

Sue on the set of “As Summer Dies”, a movie filmed at The Cresent starring Betty Davis, Jamie Lee Curtis, and Scott Glenn. Sue provided the floral arrangements and food used in the movie.

An Introduction

to Wine Tasting

BY JUSTIN STEPHENS

How I prefer to taste wine

When tasting wine, the first thing I think about is the environment I taste in. Is there an overbearing odor in the air? Is the glassware conducive to tasting? I don’t want to taste wine in a Pizza Hut with a solo cup (No offense to Pizza Hut)… I need to be able to focus on the wine itself. I also prefer a larger wine glass that allows you to aerate the wine throughout the tasting. The “nose” of a wine, what you smell when putting your nose in the glass after swirling your wine, contributes to what you eventually taste. Swirling your wine helps aerate the wine, releasing a bouquet of flavors. Once I’ve explored what the wine has to offer on the “nose” the real fun begins.

Describing what you taste

Effective communication is essential when tasting wines. The vocabulary you use should be descriptive and relatable to all individuals involved. I’ve learned a lot over the years just by listening to others. It’s sometimes hard to describe what you taste and it may take you hearing it from someone else first. There have been many times I’ve tasted with Randy DeCoudres and he says “I get notes of pear in this one” and I immediately think to myself “Yes! That’s it, Pear!” Wine tasting is an ongoing experience and the more wines you taste the more extensive your vocabulary and palate will become.

The fastest way to learn about wine

When people ask me how I started learning about wine my response is easy … I started drinking wine! Sounds fun and easy right? I learned by drinking wines of the same grape varietals (i.e. pinot noir), but from different regions. This is a great way to learn the different styles that come from different regions around the world. For example, a pinot noir from Willamette Valley Oregon tends to be earthy and acidic, while a pinot noir from Sonoma California can be much more fruit forward with notes of blackberry and cherry. Tasting wines side by side will show you how different wines from the same grape varietals can be. This is a great way to learn about wine, the regions they come from, and the winemakers that create them. The world of wine is a fun place, so get out there and taste. Cheers!

BY NARCI DROSSOS

FJustin Stephens, a graduate of VSU, is the Director of Operations for Manwell Decoudres Restaurant Group. He is a graduate of the ABC Bartending School in 2007. He worked at 306 North from 2007 – 2009 and has been at Friends Grille + Bar since 2009.

riends Bar + Grille occasionally hosts a Wine Tasting for patrons and friends and conducted by Justin Stephens with Chef Randy DeCoudres. Here are some tips they offer for wine tasting.

• Use high-quality glasses, and polish them until sparkling. We use Riedel stemware.

• Have a glass of water (with a little soda in it) on the table too, to cleanse the palate and avoid the “red teeth” that sometimes appear when enjoying red wines. Have water in between different wines or sips.

• Uncork or untwist the wine, and let it breathe. Some like to decant – or pour it into a pitcher, but we like straight out of the bottle.

• As the wine sits, it “opens” – and the flavor changes or develops.

• Aerate. You can use one as you pour, then swirl it around in the glass. Continue aerating/swirling as you drink.

• Get your nose in the glass. It helps to use a big glass, and don’t pour heavily. That way – you can swirl the wine without spilling it, dip your nose in, and smell the roses, or cherries, or pears, or oak, or pepper.

• Keep swirling, but note that the wine’s having “legs” means nothing.

• Many good wines can be purchased inexpensively, but when it comes to chardonnay and pinot noir, there’s no such thing as a good cheap wine. Those are temperamental grapes that need tender harvesting.

• Talk about whites in terms of crispness, dryness, being oaky or not, buttery or not, (do you smell a touch of pears? Herbs?)

• Talk about reds in terms of lightness, assertiveness, darkness, being fruit forward or spicy, (do you smell a raisin box? Wood? The forest floor?)

• Do your research into the basic grape varieties, specific vineyard regions, and winemaking categories.

• Remember, many popular wines are actually blends of grapes.

• When dining out, don’t be shy about asking the chef for recommended pairings with food.

• Drink what you like, but don’t be afraid to try something new!

PHOTO BY NARCI DROSSOS

STORY BY NARCI DROSSOS | PHOTOGRAPHY BY WES SEWELL PHOTOGRAPHY

CHEF STATS

Owner/Chef of Steel Magnolias and the new Birdie’s Market in Downtown Valdosta

• Chef Course - Johnson & Wales UniversityCharleston, SC

• Foodservice Management Degree –Johnson & Wales University - Denver, CO

• Executive Sous Chef Panzano RestaurantDenver, CO

• Kimpton Hotels –Aspen, Portland, San Francisco, Atlanta

• Executive Chef – Pacci Ristorante – Atlanta

Keira Moritz CHEF

FAVORITE DISH

This recipe is a fond memory of those days when my sister and I would ride our horses Cricket and Candy bareback to pick peaches and pears from their backs. My mother would work the garden and we would eat what it produced for the winter. I can remember the leftover grits from breakfast becoming a firm block that we would poke at. She would crumble them into a mix and we’d eat them again. This recipe uses those memories and the things I love from my childhood.

Mention the plans of Keira Moritz, owner and chef of Steel Magnolias at 132 North Patterson, to open her new venture, Birdie’s Market, and anyone downtown will tell you, “If Keira’s doing it, it’s going to be great.” Her downtown neighbors believe in her for a reason. Moritz has been defying expectations and odds for years. It’s not easy to make a restaurant successful anywhere. Moritz, gazing around her charming eatery and bar in Downtown Valdosta, which features three levels and a sparkling open kitchen, dryly observes, “We stabbed our fork in the ground, and we meant to stay.” And stay they have, winning guests over with warm greetings as they enter the door, followed by consistent service and delivery of what she refers to as “clean classic food – southern – but with a flair.” Returning customers have rewarded them with word-of-mouth raves that have led to a line out the door on weekend evenings.

Her journey from leading horse trail rides on a dude ranch in Wyoming to Downtown Valdosta entrepreneur is a fascinating story in itself. Stepping behind the giant stove at the ranch one morning to fry bacon and eggs for 150 riders when the cook didn’t show, Moritz realized that she enjoyed cooking. “After

all,” she explains, “I’ve always loved food, and I like to eat.” She called her parents, local dentist Charles (Randy) Moritz and her mother Debby, to share in her epiphany of going to culinary school. They supported her fully, provided she come home to Valdosta first.

Valdosta soon led to what’s known in the south as the “Holy City” – Charleston, South Carolina. Completing the chef course of study at Johnson & Wales University in Charleston in only a year and a half, while making the dean’s list, Moritz then ventured back west to obtain her foodservice management degree from the Denver, Colorado campus of Johnson & Wales. She remained in Denver to cook alongside Chef Elise Wiggins at Panzano Restaurant, where the work as executive sous chef fostered her love of Italian cuisine. During her tenure there, Panzano received the 2005 Wine Spectator Award of Excellence and was named one of the top five restaurants by the Rocky Mountain News. Moritz continued a career with Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants, which led her to various concepts and venues based in Aspen, Portland, San Francisco, and then Atlanta. In Atlanta, Mortiz opened and led the team at Pacci Ristorante. Pacci, where Moritz honed her Northern Italian dishes along

Steel Magnolia’s Silver Queen Corn and Gayla Grit Cake with Summer Peach-Bacon Salsa

I know we have one chance to treat our guests to an amazing dining experience. All the stars need to align and twinkle.

Kevin Condrey, Sous Chef

Cory Bellant, Sous Chef

Keira Moritz

Mitchell Pitts, Executive Chef - Steel Magnolia's

Hunter Wills, Executive Chef - Birdie's Market

with traditional steakhouse classics, garnered recognition in Esquire Magazine as one of the “Best New Restaurants of 2009.” Numerous awards followed, culminating her confident mastery of the southern menu with flair featured at Steel Magnolias.

Among the myriad of adventures and accolades in food, it was her behind-the-counter experience in San Francisco where Moritz first began to conceptualize what would ultimately bear the title, “Steel Magnolias.” Referring to her accent, a Californian would inquire about her provenance, and then smugly call her a “Georgia Peach”. Though certainly not insulted, something about that soft eponym didn’t appeal to Moritz, who would drawl, matter-of-factly, that perhaps she was a “Steel Magnolia” instead. Indeed! At Steel Magnolias, every step of the work matters: from selecting vegetables straight from the farmer’s market, to the pairings of sweet, savory, and salty with a bit of crunch on the dinner plates. She has strived to take southern cuisine to the next level by reaping the harvests of local farms and artisanal producers with whom she’s aligned. Fresh okra, tomatoes, and corn will find their way into a stew, salad, or risotto. And no one can disrespect

Lanier County milled Gayla’s Grits after tasting Steel Magnolias’ gouda version with blackened Ahi Tuna.

Although Moritz adamantly touts the drive and expertise of her chefs who have earned their positionsHunter Wills, executive chef, who moves to Birdie’s Market in late June, and Mitchell Pitts, executive chef at Steel Magnolias - it’s her with whom many loyal customers will continue to identify their favorite signature dishes. There are those who will always order the duck confit and regulars who didn’t blink an eye when she began to use barbecue pulled pork on the deviled eggs they love. Moritz is enjoying this transitional phase in her career as she hands over the helms (or stoves!) to Wills and Pitts and learns about retail in preparation for Birdie’s Market.

Moritz prizes her guests at the restaurant most of all, appreciating their loyalty in a uniquely businesslike, yet personal, fashion: “I know we have one chance to treat our guests to an amazing dining experience. All the stars need to align and twinkle.” Judging from the 2014, 2015, and 2016 Silver Spoon Awards from Georgia Trend Magazine, Moritz and her staff are succeeding. The eponymous Steel Magnolias is here to stay and grow.

For the Cake:

½ cup cooked Gayla Grits,

1 ear Silver Queen Corn, shucked, silked, and cut off cobb

1 egg

½ cup whole milk

1 cup all-purpose flour

¾ teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste

1 teaspoon white sugar

1 tablespoon olive oil plus 1 tablespoon to cook in

How To Do It:

Cut the kernels off the cob, and set aside. In a medium bowl, beat the egg with the milk and oil. Combine the reserved corn, cooked grits and all dry ingredients and gently stir with a fork. Pour reserved 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a medium sized cast iron skillet and set over medium heat. When the oil is hot, drop large spoonfuls of batter (about 1/4 cup) into the skillet about two inches apart.

Let the fritters cook one to one and a half minutes, or until browned on the bottom and small bubbles have begun to appear on top like

a pancake. Flip the fritter and brown on the other side; serve warm, with summer peach-bacon salsa and Sweetgrass Dairy Asher Blue Cheese Crumbles.

For the Peach-Bacon Salsa:

2 cups fresh peaches chopped

¼ cup cooked, chopped bacon

1 tablespoon chives, finely chopped

½ cup pineapple juice

1 lime, juiced

2 teaspoons honey

½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

2 ounces Sweetgrass Dairy Asher Blue Cheese to crumble for garnish

How to do it:

Combine all ingredients and stir lightly, let sit for one hour refrigerated.

STEEL MAGNOLIA’S SILVER QUEEN CORN AND GAYLA GRIT CAKE WITH SUMMER PEACH-BACON SALSA - SERVES FOUR

CHEF STATS

Executive Chef/General Manager Friends Bar and Grille,

Executive Chef/ Co-Owner The Salty Snapper and Oyster Bar and Woodstack Barbeque Tavern

• Scottsdale Culinary Institute – Arizona

• Line Cook - Sunspot Restaurant – Colorado

• Grill Cook - Tra Vigne St. Helena, CA

• Kitchen ManagerCharleston’s renown 5-star Peninsula Grille

• Food Consultant –Covington’s

• Executive Chef –306 North

• Executive Chef –Two Friends Café

Randy DeCoudresCHEF

Hemingway believed good food and wine make life worth living – if that’s so – then Randy DeCoudres, executive chef/co-owner of Friends Bar and Grille, The Salty Snapper Seafood and Oyster Bar, and Woodstack Barbeque Tavern, has the keys to happiness. Ask DeCoudres about his love of the culinary arts, and he’ll tell you that he can’t remember a time when cooking wasn’t a part of his life. Son of Bill and Terry DeCoudres of Valdosta, he credits his mother and grandmother, both great cooks, with cultivating his love of the kitchen. In fact, his grandfather, C. W. DeCoudres, proprietor of a hotel in Antigua, in the Caribbean, authored a cookbook. Family gatherings naturally centered around the dinner table. Jumping in behind the stove was a natural fit. Laughing, DeCoudres recalls, “I always had a hard time sitting still, so I knew the ‘desk life’ was not for me.” As a young man with a big appetite, he found the early Food Network stars appealing: Iron Chef Japan, Mario Batali, and Emeril LaGasse, as well as PBS’s Julia Child and Justin Wilson.

After enjoying some time at Valdosta State University, DeCoudres went west to graduate from Scottsdale Culinary Institute, now known as Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts, in Arizona. Next was Colorado, at a restaurant called Sunspot in Winter Park. To get to there, he took a chair lift up and back down 2000 feet every day since there was no driving 10,5000 feet up the mountain. One perk? A lot of snow skiing!

Speaking of perks, it was DeCoudres’ next stop, at Tra Vigne in St. Helena, California, near Napa Valley’s wine country where he made the most of the opportunity to learn about wines. As for the kitchen, DeCoudres found his experience intense as well as richly rewarding. As he observes, “This is a rustic Italian restaurant, featuring a wood burning grill and oven, eight different fresh pastas made in-house…we would serve 900 people a day during the busy season.”

Before DeCoudres landed back in Valdosta, he made the most of his return to the east coast, specifically as kitchen manager at Charleston’s renown five-star Peninsula Grille, located in the Planters’ Inn for a couple of years. In Valdosta, he worked as a gourmet food consultant with Covington’s, then helped design 306 North, ultimately working as its executive chef and general manager. He came to Two Friends Café as executive chef and general manager, when soon the opportunity presented itself to found Manwell DeCoudres Restaurant Group with Chris Manwell, co-owning what is now known as Friends Grille and Bar. During the redesign and rebranding of Friends, when it was closed for a month, they continued to pay their staff, and everyone who works there shows appreciation by sharing the growth and success of the enterprise. Some moved on The Salty Snapper, which features a large outdoor bar and live entertainment, and some to Woodstack BBQ Tavern, which offers a large bar with an outside “party barn.”

FAVORITE THINGS

Current cookbook he’s reading:

Root to Leaf by Steven Satterfield.

Favorite kitchen tool:

A Chef that inspires him:

Oysters & Rose Wine:

One of my favorite treats!!

If you have never experienced East coast oysters you haven’t lived!

The farther north the better!

10in Wustoff chefs knife

Chef Frank Stitt, Highlands Bar & Grill. Birmingham, AL

We may do an Asian style dish one day; the next an Italian; the next a dressed-up southern dish inspired by my grandmother.

While each restaurant has its features, Friends continues its tradition of being what DeCoudres calls a “chef-driven, seasonal, anything goes restaurant. We specialize in everything: steaks, seafood, flatbread, pastas.” He continues, “We may do an Asian style dish one day; the next an Italian; the next a dressed-up southern dish inspired by my grandmother.” The bar program is a big part of Friends. As DeCoudres puts it, “We are very passionate about offering not only 20 wines by the glass, but also a reserve wine list, and over 60 bottles” They feature 30 different bourbons, with two-inch ice cubes. And of course, custom cocktails like the “Big Wooly Mammoth” (an homage to Widespread Panic) and the Georgia Collins (a take on the Tom Collins), a gin and soda concoction featuring local peaches.

DeCoudres says he truly enjoys the challenges involved in developing new restaurants that appeal to the palates of hungry diners, and he and the staff make it a goal to offer guests something that perhaps they have never tried before. At The Salty Snapper, they offer traditional fried seafood platters of shrimp, oysters, scallops, catfish and grouper with his grandmother’s hush puppies, cheese grits, and coleslaw. But they also serve lighter fare, like seared tuna, grilled salmon, lobster, and pan-roasted grouper. Of course, there’s crab

cakes too, and an oyster bar which features eight or more different types of oysters. As for the porch, they source music from all over the south east, with many acts coming down from Nashville, Tennessee.

Regarding Woodstack BBQ Tavern, DeCoudres insists that there’s no shortcuts to the best barbeque. They make their own custom rubs for the meat, and they only use local oak wood to cook, in Lang BBQ smokers made in nearby Nahunta, Georgia. Popular items on the menu include “burnt ends”, a classic St. Louis BBQ dish that features the top of the brisket. They even put non-traditional items on the menu like the BBQ burrito, nachos, buttermilk fried catfish with smoked tomato gravy, and smoked Portobello mushrooms with mozzarella and basil pesto.

DeCoudres enjoys working with a variety of local talent: Tyler Siegle (Friends), Dane Boruff and Erik Mackie (Salty Snapper), and Jason Sherman (Woodstack) as well as local ingredients: produce from Baker Farms, pecans from Lanier County as well as olive oil from Shaw farms, and blueberries from Homerville that often end up in Julie Powell’s homemade ice creams. Smiling, he says, “I don’t ever eat the same thing two days in a row!” Cooking and eating - part of living the good life daily.

SIMPLE ROASTED CHICKEN

Ingredients

1 (5 to 6 pound) roasting chicken

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 large bunch fresh thyme, plus 20 sprigs

1 lemon, halved

1 head garlic, cut in half crosswise

Olive oil

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Remove the chicken giblets. Rinse the chicken inside and out. Remove any excess fat and leftover pin feathers and pat the outside dry. Liberally salt and pepper the inside of the chicken. Stuff the cavity with the bunch of thyme, both halves of lemon, and all the garlic. Brush the outside of the chicken with the olive oil and sprinkle again with salt and pepper. Tie the legs together with kitchen string and tuck the wing tips under the body of the chicken. Place chicken in roasting pan.

Roast the chicken for 2 hours, or until the juices run clear when you cut between a leg and thigh. Remove the chicken to a platter and cover with aluminum foil for about 20 minutes. Slice the chicken onto a platter and serve it with a light salad.

AMY REYNOLDS

General Manager 306 North

Amy Reynolds is a 2011 graduate of the Culinary Institute of America in New York. After graduation, Reynolds moved to Vieques, Puerto Rico, to train and work under Chef Eva Bolivar. Reynolds then became the Head Chef/Manager at Paisley Café in Tallahassee, Florida.

Reynolds was born and raised in Thomasville, Georgia, and has working in the restaurant business since she was 14 years old before moving to New York to pursue her culinary degree. Reynolds relocated to Valdosta in April 2016, to be the new General Manager at 306 North.

306 N. Patterson Street

Downtown Valdosta

306 NORTH is a locally owned and operated restaurant in downtown Valdosta. 306 is a blend of Southern sophistication and casual dining. Evening service features white linen table cloths, candlelight, and fresh flowers. Soups made from scratch, fresh salads, sandwiches are the lighter fare at lunch. Big fat cheeseburgers and buttermilk fried pork chops will satisfy heartier appetites. The dinner menu begins with generous size appetizers to compliment your entrée and to share with the table. Entrées range from fresh fish to 16oz ribeye. We feature sterling silver beef, and our tuna is always fresh never frozen. 306 has a full bar, and we offer happy hour every night from 5-7pm.

306 North • (229) 249-5333 306 N. Patterson St. • Valdosta, 31601 • 306north.com

COVINGTON’S DINING & CATERING

is a locally owned and operated restaurant with a full service catering and event planning business. We have been in the food service industry for over thirty years. We are open daily Monday through Saturday. We are here to serve your needs from fresh homemade cinnamon rolls in the morning to our wide selection of casseroles and desserts that you can take home for supper. We serve lunch daily from our diverse menu that is sure to have something for everyone. In addition to our menu, we also offer daily specials to add variety to our restaurant. We can take care of all of the details of your party from start to finish or simply take care of all of the food. From flowers to hors d’oeuvres to desserts and cloths, we take pride in our work and pleasure in serving you. We have a rental business to supplement our catering services. Covington’s Dining and Catering and 306 North Restaurant are both owned and operated by Stan, Sue and Amy Cox.

Covington’s Dining & Catering • (229) 242-2261 310 N. Patterson St. • Valdosta, 31601 • covingtonscatering.com

PHOTOGRAPHY BY WES

SEWELL PHOTOGRAPHY

MITCHELL PITTS

Executive Chef Steel Magnolias

Mitchell Pitts attended Le Cordon Bleu Culinary School in Orlando. Following school, he worked with Chef Clay Miller at Trummer’s on Main in Clifton, Virginia, which provided a working exposure to fine dining. Pitts learned coastal cuisine at The Emerald Grand Resort in Destin as sous chef. Neither restaurant offered him the creative aspect he enjoys now – fusing French, southern, and coastal styles. At Steel Magnolias, he espouses the idea that, “The simpler, the better – using delicious, fresh ingredients makes a good dish.

Pitts, the son of Jamie and Danny Pitts of Valdosta, always had a passion for cooking. His dad owned Port-A-Pit and Southern Caterers and Food Service where he helped his dad and grandmother from a very young age. Pitts adds, “I have fond memories of watching Justin Wilson on television with my dad. His Cajun style sparked my interest, and the more I learned, the more hooked on the idea of becoming a chef I became.” He credits Keira Moritz for giving him the opportunity to develop personal style and showcase his plates.

132 N. Patterson Street Downtown Valdosta

HUNTER WILLS

Executive Chef/ General Manager Birdie’s Market

Hunter Wills, graduate of the culinary arts program at Wiregrass Technical College, will be in charge of Keira Moritz’s latest venture – Birdie’s Market. The artisanal bread and cheese aspect of Birdie’s Market will be a new experience for Valdostans. Wills invites you to come on in for the exciting menu.

Wills was born in Colquitt County but grew up in Valdosta and graduated from Valwood. Wills’s life experiences in both city and country prepared him uniquely for his career as an executive chef (formerly at Steel Magnolias and now at Birdie’s Market).

Fascinated by the delicious repasts served at his family’s gatherings in Colquitt County, Wills yearned to recreate lost recipes. His extended family meets at what’s referred to as the “cook shack” where the expert cooks love to eat and share food, but keep their recipes closely guarded. Known for his ten-layer chocolate cake, Wills laughs, “I doubt they’d let me come without it.” Wills is the son of Sue and Steve Gupton and Allen Wills.

206 N. Valdosta Street Downtown Valdosta

PHOTOGRAPHY BY WES SEWELL PHOTOGRAPHY

JESSIE’S

RESTAURANT & CATERING

(229) 247-4670

205 N Ashley Street

Valdosta, 31601

jessiesvaldosta.com

Jessie’s is a downtown restaurant that serves breakfast, lunch, Sunday brunch, and made- to- order casseroles. We take pride in providing quality fresh food with great service at reasonable prices. Need catering for a special event? Let our full service catering department take care of all your needs, no party is too small or large! From your child’s birthday party to their wedding, we are ready to help you make all your occasions wonderful! Come see us today!

STEEL MAGNOLIAS

(229) 259-0010

132 N. Patterson St. Valdosta, 31601

steelmagnolias.com

At Steel Magnolias, our food base is urban Southern, taking the roots of classic Southern cuisine and showing a new way of looking at them. We serve our fare with an old familiar smile, where our patrons are surprised by a new approach, yet still know the secret handshake. We prepare the best quality ingredients at the freshest possible point and allow them to speak for themselves. We support local farmers and Artisan producers in an effort to become a supporting element in the community and drive our “eat local, be local” philosophy.

SMOK’N PIG BBQ

(229) 245-8227

4228 N. Valdosta Rd. Valdosta, GA 31602

smoknpig.com

It’s our goal at the Smok’n Pig to be that gathering place with a southern tradition and old time Bar-B-Q, freshly prepared country cookin just like grandpa used to do back in the day. So relax, sit back and enjoy.

DINING GUIDE

THE SALTY SNAPPER (229) 506-5544

1405 Gornto Road

Valdosta, 31601

saltysnappervaldosta.com

The Salty Snapper Seafood and Oyster Bar is Valdosta’s in town beach hangout! We specialize in fried seafood platters, seared and sautéed fish, fresh shucked oysters, and the best live music in the area. We also specialize in hand crafted, refreshing cock-tails and seasonal beer and wines that pair great with our fresh seafood!

FRIENDS GRILL & BAR

(229) 242-3282

3338-B Country Club Road

Valdosta, 31601

friendsgrilleandbar.com

Friends Grill and Bar is a chef driven, seasonal restaurant specializing in hand-cut steaks, fresh seafood, pastas, flatbreads, and local seasonal vegetables. We offer over 60 wines, custom cocktails, and craft beers. Our dining room and patio is comfortable and laid back. We are passionate about food, wine, and good times!

WOODSTACK BBQ TAVERN (229) 506-5407

4308 North Valdosta Road

Valdosta, 31601

woodstackbbqtavern.com

“Woodstack BBQ Tavern is Valdosta’s ONLY authentic Southern BBQ. We slow smoke all of our meat over local oak wood with custom made rubs and all sauces and sides are made in-house! The only place in over 100 miles you can get “burnt ends”! We have ice cold craft beer and cock-tails in a friendly and inviting atmosphere. Also, a Party Barn to accommodate large groups, private events and live music!

BIRDIES MARKET & CATERING

(229) 333-9636

206 N. Patterson St. Valdosta, 31601

birdiesmarket.com

Originally the Strand Theater built in 1915, the 100 year old brick walls now give way to Birdies Market & Catering located in the heart of historic Downtown Valdosta. The market menu features extensive cheeses, gourmet foods and wines, with weekly blueplate specials, homemade breads and culinary delights. Birdies Market & Catering is a new look at the general store; if it’s in the home, kitchen or on the table you’re likely to find it here. Our handpicked selections of products are a true celebration of cooking and entertainment.

MAMA JUNE’S

(229) 245-6062

3286 Inner Perimeter Rd. Valdosta, GA 31602 mamajunes.com

Mama June’s, a true Southern Cooking country buffet restaurant, proudly serves South Georgia and North Florida. We offer a wide selection of tasty food, made from only the highest quality products available. Whether you bring your family in for some good quality time together, or gather with your friends for a delicious hearty meal, Mama June’s is the perfect place for you!

AZALEA’S RESTAURANT & LOUNGE (229) 247-9500

1805 W. Hill Avenue Valdosta, 31601

Azalea’s features a delicious menu with regional specialties and the best full hot breakfast in the south. Azalea’s offers you an inviting oasis in which to enjoy a drink or catch the game on our large flat screen TV. After a day of meetings, sightseeing or a day at Wild Adventures, why not enjoy your favorite beverage or cocktail and a delicious meal in Azalea’s at the Holiday Inn while visiting Valdosta? Located in the Holiday Inn Valdosta Conference Center on Highway 84 near I-75.

306 NORTH RESTAURANT (229) 249-5333

306 N. Patterson St. Valdosta, 31601

306north.com

Looking for a wonderful dining experience? Look no further than 306 North Restaurant – a blend of Southern sophistication and casual dining. Soups made from scratch, fresh salads, sandwiches are the lighter fare for lunch. Evening service features white linen table cloths, candlelight, and fresh flowers. The dinner menu begins with generous size appetizers to compliment your entrée and to share with the table. 306 has a full bar and we offer happy hour every night from 5 – 7 pm.

OLE TIMES COUNTRY BUFFET (229) 253-1600

1193 N. St. Augustine Rd. Valdosta, GA 31601 southerncookinginc.com/ oletimes

Ole Times Country Buffet offers a delicious spread of home-cooked style southern food. Our warm and inviting restaurants are proudly serving South Georgia and North Florida with the best ingredients and quality products. Ole Times is the perfect place to gather for lunch or dinner with your family and friends!

WOODEN NICKEL PUB

(229) 242-5842

3269 Inner Perimeter Road

Valdosta

woodennickelpub.com

The Wooden Nickel Pub has been a Valdosta favorite for over 30 years! Come enjoy items that are prepared fresh daily, and a staff that is fast and friendly! Our FAMOUS Camel Riders and Fried Mushrooms can spark any taste bud, while our USDA Certified Angus Beef Burgers will have you coming back again and again. From Pizzas, to Sandwiches, to your favorite Munchies, The Wooden Nickel Pub is the Place to Be!

1193 N. St. Augustine Road

Valdosta, 31601 (229) 253-1600

COVINGTON’S DINING & CATERING

(229) 242-2261

310 N. Patterson St. Valdosta, 31601

covingtonscatering.com

Open daily Monday through Saturday. We are here to serve your needs from fresh homemade cinnamon rolls in the morning to our wide selection of casseroles and desserts that you can take home for supper. We serve lunch daily from our diverse menu that is sure to have something for everyone. In addition to our menu, we also offer daily specials to add variety to our restaurant. Select from casseroles, desserts and more to bring home to your gathering.

4228 N. Valdosta Road

Valdosta, 31602 (229) 245-8227

DINING GUIDE

EMPANADAS & MORE

(229) 245-5355

402 C Northside Drive

Valdosta, 31601

empanadasandmorevaldosta.com

Each day brings home cooked flavors from across the Latin world at Empanadas & More. Choose from a variety of meats, cheeses, vegetables and fruit for your made-to-order empanada or choose from daily specials. Only the freshest ingredients and highest quality meats are used in their Caribbean and Colombian Empanadas, Arepas, Cuban Sandwiches, Tostones and more. Let us cater your next gathering or special event. Open 11:00 am – 6:00 pm Mon. – Fri. Until 4:40 pm on Sat. Closed Sundays.

3286 Inner Perimeter Road

Valdosta, 31602 (229) 245-6062

Whether you bring your family in for some good quality time together, gather with your friends for a hearty meal, or are just looking for a place to enjoy a meal by yourself, one of our restaurants is the place to go.

Protect the Place You Love to Call Home

Your home may be the biggest investment you’ll ever make. Making sure you have the correct amount of coverage is vital in protecting this investment. If you’re serious about protecting your home against loss, here’s some important information to consider when determining how much insurance coverage you need for your home.

How much should you insure your home for?

You’ll need to get an estimate of the replacement cost; we recommend you insure your home at least equal to this amount. Replacement cost is not the same as market value. Market value is what a buyer would pay for the home, including the land, regardless of how much it would cost to rebuild the home. Replacement cost is the rebuilding cost necessary to repair or replace the entire home. Replacement cost estimates should reflect your homes features such as upgraded bathrooms, finished or partially finished basements, custom molding or arched windows and other unique features. These estimates can be done by building contractors or professional replacement cost appraisers.

After you purchase homeowners insurance, what do you do?

You should review your homeowner’s insurance coverage annually. Have you remodeled or improved your home in the last year? Has the inflation rate risen since your last appraisal? What influences building costs in your area? Going over your coverage’s every renewal can protect you

By Bubba Highsmith

from being underinsured and can help you in the long run.

The next time you need to renew your homeowner’s insurance policies, consider taking these steps to help you get the most out of your coverage:

1. Meet with your agent. Your insurance needs change over time. Conducting a home insurance review with your agent at least once each year can help you determine if your coverage options still make sense for your current situation.

2. Ask about discounts. During your annual home insurance review, ask about policy discounts. Before you renew your policy, speak with your agent about discounts that may be available. You may qualify for discounts for alarm systems or higher deductibles. Commonly overlooked discounts include infrequent or safe driver discounts

3. Insure your home for the estimated cost to rebuild rather than the real estate value. State Farm® suggests you select a coverage amount equal to at least 100% of the estimated replacement cost of your home, but the choice is yours. You also should make sure any replacement cost estimate reflects the actual characteristics of your home. Insuring your home for at least 100% of its estimated replacement cost — not the current market value — could give you the means to replace your home entirely in the event of a loss.

Bubba Highsmith, a Valdosta State University Alumni, started with State Farm in 1995 as a Claim Specialist. In 2002 he opened his own agency. Bubba is Series 6 and 63 Securities Licensed and is a Long Term Care Specialist.

Remembering When

You scream, I scream, we all scream, for

ICE CREAM

AICE CREAM TIP: The bowls of most ice cream makers take at least 24 hours to freeze. Get in the habit of storing the bowl of your ice cream maker in the freezer, wrapped tightly in a plastic bag.

ICE CREAM TIP: The “batter” for your ice cream can never be too cold. Pour into an old quart-sized container and chill it in the fridge overnight.

fter 70-plus years, I can still hear my grandfather saying those words, as we all, “took our turn at the crank”. The smooth crank-handle was on the side of our old wooden ice-cream churn. If you’ve never enjoyed America’s favorite dessert fresh from an old (or new) ice-cream churn, you may not grasp the nostalgia of do-it-yourself ice cream. Back in the 1940’s and before, if you wanted ice cream, you either went to your local “soda fountain”, or you churned it.

My personal addiction to ice cream began prebirth at a soda-fountain in the tiny river-town of Helena, AR, during the sweltering summer of 1937, before my August birth. My pregnant mother would walk out of there “with a double-dip cone in each hand”, Dad told me. While there are other creative options, such as using ice-cube trays in your refrigerator freezer, it’s hard to argue with the proven success of the icecream churn. This unique device was invented in 1843 by Nancy M. Johnson, who sold the rights for $200 to a kitchen wholesaler, Mr. William Young. It was a simple-but-effective unit, requiring only crushed ice, rock-salt, and no electricity … just muscle. However, the crucial element for delicious frozen success was the recipe.

I have no idea as to my mother’s or grandmother’s exact ingredients, surely involving Eagle Brand condensed milk, cream, or eggs, or maybe flavorings like vanilla or the like … but for an incomparable treat, the addition of fresh, sliced peaches or strawberries was the deciding key to a successful and rewarding turn at the crank-handle. Even with today’s sacrilegious electric churns, that fact holds true. It was definitely a boon, to have Valdosta located right in the heart of “peach country”. When the crank could no longer be comfortably turned by my dad or a strong 12-year-old, the ice cream was deemed “done”. The metal canister was lifted from the salty ice, and then the interior “paddle” with its wooden blades that had done the churning, was carefully extracted. I never saw fist-fights, but there were often “heated discussions” among as many as six brothers, as to who would get a turn at “licking the paddle”. This memorable recollection most often occurred after a picnic lunch of fried chicken, potato salad, and other fare, on the grassy shore of one of the Twin Lakes, south of town.

I can count on these ten fingers, the number of readers who just might recall the incomparable ice-cream sherbet, orange and pineapple, at Connie Guest’s “Fruit Stand”. I have devoted a portion of my life, trying to discover an even similar sherbet, but I can assure you that it no longer exists. All “sherbet” today is too creamy; not icy, like Connie’s. His frozen icy delicacy, its source, is forever lost in time, just like the incomparable hot-dogs at Vinson’s Drug Store; another story altogether. Connie’s Fruit Stand was located on Ashley Street between Gordon and Adair Streets, next to Oscar Kennon’s Drug Store. Wearing his thick, shaded glasses, I never saw the hard-working Connie or his lovely wife, without a smile. He loved and tolerated us kids.

As for Valdosta’s commercial ice cream suppliers, there were the trucks of the local Foremost Dairy plant. There were 23 Foremost plants in the South in the 1940’s, with home offices in Jacksonville, FL. The Valdosta plant was managed by Nat Breedlove, and James Barfield was in charge of sales. In 1945, Mr.

ICE CREAM TIP: When freezing ice cream, to prevent ice crystals from forming, cover the surface with a layer of plastic wrap or wax paper before closing the container.

Breedlove was transferred to manage their new plant in St. Petersburg, FL. A classic redbrick office building, Foremost was located at the intersection of our street, East Force, and Williams Street. A purchase made there would also result in a complimentary paper cup of vanilla ice-cream. In a time when many homes still used “ice boxes” in lieu of refrigerators, Foremost was also an ice-plant. When the huge, thick slabs ice were rolled out cross the wooden front porch and “scored” for separation by the long row of spaced saw blades, the “ice dust” fell thru the cracks, to where us boys were hidden, and we ate it. We should have “invented” Sno-Cones.

In about 1949, a “new” variety of ice cream came to Valdosta, the Dairy Queen, sporting a cone with a “curl on top”. It was built on Ashley Street, next to Mr. Ware’s Pontiac dealership. The owner was a Mr. Cruikshank, with sons Jimmy and Bobby who became playmates of ours. We first met the boys as we played in the Pontiac dealership as it was being built, where ropes hung from the steel girders. Next door at the unfinished Dairy Queen, Bobby was standing next to a tall electric fan. He reached out to me, saying, “Grab my hand.” I foolishly did, and when I woke up, I was sitting on the wet concrete floor. He’d been touching the running fan, and he was wearing tennis shoes. I was barefoot. I never did that again.

ICE CREAM TIP: Ice cream’s optimal texture doesn’t happen in the machine — it happens in the freezer. Give it a couple of hours to firm up in the freezer after churning.

At your local retailer today, whomever it might be, you can buy innumerable brands of ice cream, at varying prices. But I defy you to find a single maker’s offering that will compare to what we once licked off the old wooden paddle, all those years ago. If you’ve never experienced that culinary pleasure, consider yourself “dessert deprived”.

JIM NICHOLS, a Valdosta native, now lives in Billings, Montana, with wife Trisha. He is a published writer, enjoys hunting, gardening, old cars and road trips. Contact Jim at: jimdawg60@gmail.com

THE RECIPE BOX

Shrimp and Grits

From the Kitchen of Cathy Hanson and Paula Deen

3 Vidalia onions, chopped

2 green peppers, chopped

3 pounds of large shrimp, peeled and deveined Cayenne pepper

Chili power Grits

2 sticks of butter or more

Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Fresh basil or parsley

Sauté onions and peppers in butter until tender. Add shrimp and spices. Cook 3-4 minutes or until shrimp turns pink. Add grits and top with Parmesan cheese and fresh basil and parsley.

Baked Salmon with Lemon/Dill Sauce

From the Kitchen of Lalee Cregger

3 pounds of Salmon

1 bunch spring onions

½ cup + 2 tbl. of mayonnaise

Juice of 1-2 lemons

¾ cup of sour cream

1 fresh clove of garlic, minced

Salt (to taste)

¼ tsp. cayenne pepper

¼ tsp. dry mustard

Fresh dill – 2-3 tbl. Minced

Salmon: Place salmon on broiler pan. Spread thin layer (about 2 tbl) of mayonnaise over top then sprinkle spring onions on top. Bake at 350 degrees until flakey (about 10 – 12 minutes). Serve hot or cold with Dill Sause.

Dill Sauce: Mix remaining mayonnaise, sour cream, lemon juice, garlic, salt, cayenne pepper, dry mustard and fresh dill. Chill 1 hour.

Baked Corn Pudding

From the Kitchen of Sue Cox

2 (10 ounce) packages frozen cut corn, thawed and drained

4 eggs

3 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

2 cups half and half

¼ cup melted butter

Combine all ingredients. Mix well. Pour mixture into a greased 2-quart baking dish. Place baking dish in a large baking pan and fill with 1 inch hot water. Bake, uncovered at 325 degrees for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean.

Yield: 8 servings

Mediterranean Shrimp

From the Kitchen of Missy Stubbs

3 pounds shrimp

2 whole lemons

½ Lawrey’s seasoning salt

½ teaspoon black pepper

½ teaspoon garlic

1 ½ teaspoons oregano

½ cup chopped onion

½ cup diced tomatoes, seeded

1 cup feta cheese, crumbled

½ cup olive oil

Capers, black olives, red pepper, artichoke hearts, optional

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place shrimp in shallow baking dish. Squeeze lemon on shrimp. Add salt, pepper, garlic and oregano. Top with onion, tomatoes, and feta cheese.. Pour olive oil over all. Bake 20-25 minutes until feta is golden brown.

Summer Drink Recipe

From the Kitchen of Justin Stephens

Pimm’s Cup

1 oz. Pimm’s no. 1 liqueur

.5 oz St. George Gin

.25 oz fresh lemon juice

Fill with ginger ale

Serve in a Collins glass and garnish with fresh fruit (I use whatever is in season)

Gayla's Original Recipe

1 Cup Gayla's Grits

1 Tablespoon Butter

4 oz Mozzarella Cheese

Add butter and salt to boiling water. Add Gayla's Grits and boil for 1 minute. Simmer covered for 1 hour. Stir occasionally. Add water as needed for desired consistency. Mix mozzarella and sour cream with grits before serving. Salt to taste.

UNIQUELY VALDOSTA

From March-July and August-December, the two main growing seasons, Carter & Sons grows produce from their 1800 acres in South Lowndes County to sell at the market.

Carter & Sons PRODUCE

THREE GENERATIONS PROVIDING VALDOSTA WITH THE FRESHEST FRUIT AND VEGETABLES

One of my fondest summer memories

Story by Sallie Kurrie

Photography by Vicki Hughes and John F. Riddle

while growing up inValdosta in the 1950’s and 1960’s is the “Butterbean Lady,” who came to our house, as well as other Valdosta homes, several times a month to sell her just-picked and shelled butterbeans, lady finger peas, and acre peas. Announcing herself at the door as the “Butterbean Lady,” she would arrive carrying her white- enameled shelling buckets with a quart-sized tin measuring cup on top of one of the buckets, and dressed in her well-worn apron tied around her waist with a scarf tied around her head to keep the hair out of her eyes while she shelled. Sometimes she had buckets of squash, corn, and okra, but we all looked forward to the peas! They were too hard to shell, according to my mother.

Shannon Wilson, manager of Carter and Sons Produce located on Highway 41 South in Valdosta, may not be called the “Butterbean Lady,” but she clearly has butterbeans and acre peas as well as any other South Georgia produce and hand-cut meat anybody could want in the summertime.

Fiancée of Walt Carter, owner of Carter’s and Sons and fourth-generation local farmer, Shannon has been an integral part of the business for years. Oscar Carter, Walt’s grandfather, rented the building twenty years ago from the State of Georgia. Previously, it housed the State Farmer’s Market, and local farmers rented a stall to sell their produce during the growing seasons. Walt was a senior at Lowndes High School at the time; but since that time, the market has been a family affair. His father, mother, uncle, cousins, as well as Shannon and her family are all involved with the business.

From March-July and August-December, the two main growing seasons, Shannon and Walt grow produce from their 1800 acres in South Lowndes County to sell at the market. Approximately 200 people work the farm during the busy season, planting and packing the many vegetables that appear in the bins at the market. Occasionally, a local farmer will bring in produce from his small garden for them to sell, but mainly they grow their own vegetables for sale. They also hand cut and sell fresh meat daily.

Walt Carter and his fiancée, Shannon Wilson. Shannon is the manager of the Carter & Sons Produce.

That’s a Lot of Peas!

1800: Acres in South Lowndes County where they grow their own produce.

500: Bushels of peas they sell a month.

200: People employed during the busy season.

15: Jellies, jams, preserves and sauces they sell – all made locally.

4: Generations of Carters who have been involved in the business.

2: Main growing seasons from March – July and August – December.

In February 2013, Carter’s opened a satellite market at Five Points in Valdosta. Linda Rowe and Judith Joseph, sister-in-laws, manage the shop that contains almost everything that the main market has, but just does not stock the quantity. The Five Points market has daily specials and markdowns as well as homemade chicken salad and pimento cheese, fresh casseroles, meat, as well as gift items and specialty produce. Both locations sell Mama Gayle’s Kettle Corn, a local delight, and approximately 15 kinds of jellies, jams, preserves, and sauces made by local vendors. Carter’s makes its own BBQ sauce; Gayla’s Grits and Georgia Olive Oil are also offered.

On most days during the summer, a shopper can see and hear the big pea sheller operating at the main market. Carter’s sells approximately 500 bushels of fresh peas a month and offers some frozen. They blanch and freeze other fresh vegetables, which they offer year around. All kinds of squash, bell peppers, cucumbers, okra, watermelons, tomatoes, stringed beans, butterbeans, greens, celery—as well as many other kinds of fruits and vegetables—arrive fresh daily from the farm.

Shannon is excited about her newest project: offering

a daily lunch at the market! “I am hoping to open my lunch venue in the middle of the summer. We will offer fresh vegetables and meats to eat at our little tables with umbrellas, set up like a café, or offer them as takeout meals. We will have a different menu every day. Also, we plan to offer fresh casseroles for shoppers to take home for later.” She is also bringing in a grocery line with condiments, soft drinks, paper plates and napkins, etc.: everything one will need for a cookout. “We will also offer our own bar-be-que!”

Walt has his own project going: He has paired with SUBWAY to provide them with some of the cucumbers and bell peppers they need for their sandwiches and salads. In May, advertisements spotlighting Walt and other local farmers, who are committed to providing the freshest produce to SUBWAY, started airing in Middle and North Georgia and should make their way to South Georgia this summer. “We also enjoy selling our produce to many local restaurants. Fresh is who we are,” according to Shannon.

Open seven days a week, Carter’s and Sons is always ready to offer the public whatever it needs to eat healthy. Walt and Shannon are passionate about what they do, and it shows!

Judith Joseph manages the satellite market at Five Points, with her sister-in-law, Linda Rowe.

Three generations of Carters have been involved in the produce business. Walt’s grandfather, Oscar Carter, rented the former Farmer’s Market on Highway 41 South twenty years ago to start the business.

In Memory

A

Eleanor Ahem - 1924-2016

B

Mary Bennett - 1937-2016

Jae Branch - 1959-2016

Howard Broomberg - 1939-2016

C

Michael Cabral - 1988-2016

Martin Carter - 1936-2016

Leamon Carter - 1949-2016

Annie Chambers - 1948-2016

Martiele Chastain - 1913-2016

Aaron Conger - 1928-2016

D

Anthony DeFilippo - 1961-2016

Jerry Dickson - 1943-2016

Mary Dooley - 1936-2016

Charles Duncan - 1917-2016

Florence Dunman - 1932-2016

E

William Every - 1937-2016

F

Annie Folsom - 1934-2016

Barbara Frampton - 1929-2016

G

Evelyn Gombas - 1936-2016

H

Arlene Hay - 1923-2016

Nadine Hendricks - 1921-2016

James Herndon - 1937-2016

Lois Hicks - 1915-2016

David Himmelreich - 1944-2016

Felton Holland - 1943-2016

Jefferson Hunt - 1928-2016

Michael Hutchinson - 1962-2016

J

Nancy Justice - 1956-2016

L

Hilda Lammons - 1940-2016

James Lane - 1942-2016

M

Lillian Manganaro - 1923-2016

Carolyn Marrs - 1938-2016

Karen Maynard - 1951-2016

Benjamin McClain - 1931-2016

Gale McKenzie - 1949-2016

Shelby Morton - 1993-2016

Sarah Murrell - 1949-2016

N

Charles Nash - 1951-2016

Talley Newmans - 1926-2016

William Nunn - 1944-2016

O

Chloe Okuma - 2016-2016

Clide O’Neil - 1943-2016

Lydia Orenstein - 1940-2016

P

Thomas Parham - 1985-2016

Mary Parker - 1921-2016

Kim Patterson - 1955-2016

Benjamin Perkins - 1933-2016

Eva Pittman - 1938-2016

Catherine Plumly - 1920-2016

R

Sammy Reaves - 1940-2016

Grover Register - 1941-2016

Ted Rodgers - 1944-2016

S

Lisa Sellars - 1970-2016

Martha Sellers - 1926-2016

Phillip Shaw - 1944-2016

Harry Sheaffer - 1975-2016

William Shenton - 2016-2016

Hunter Sherman - 2016-2016

Jonathan Shiver - 2003-2016

Thelma Shockley - 1926-2016

Wilson Smith - 1932-2016

David Sorrell - 1944-2016

Debbie Starling - 1960-2016

Leland Stephenson - 1937-2016

Joseph Stevens - 1993-2016

Myson Stouffer, Sr. - 1923-2016

T

Clifton Taylor - 1934-2016

Blanche Thornton Smith - 1930-2016

Vera Tippens - 1917-2016

W

Teresa Waite - 1956-2016

Richard Washabaugh - 1943-2016

Maureen Weldon - 1957-2016

Charles Whiddon - 1942-2016

Cecilia Whiddon - 1965-2016

Zeda Wilson - 1957-2016

YEugenia Yale - 1929-2016

In

Memory…Information provided by McLane Funeral Services

Business Leaders Advocate for Valdosta in Washington, D.C.

Valdosta-Lowndes County Chamber’s Annual Washington Fly-In

One of the most important aspects of the ValdostaLowndes Chamber of Commerce is advocating for its members every day on the local, state and federal levels. That effort is headed by the Chamber’s Government Affairs Council (GAC) which develops its legislative agenda based on issues and concerns facing local businesses and then advocates on behalf of those businesses to state and federal leaders.

“The Chamber’s advocacy efforts on the local, state and national levels are very important in making certain that the voice of our business community is heard and acted upon,” said Brad Folsom, attorney at Moore, Clarke, DuVall & Rodgers, who serves as Chair of the GAC.

One of the most important aspects of the GAC is their annual “Washington Fly-In”, held April 27 – 29, where members of the GAC meet with federal officials. GAC members participating in the three-day trip were Chamber Chairman of the Board Michael Lee (AmerisBank); Audrey King (Georgia Power); Bruce Allred (Smith Drug Company); Chamber President Myrna Ballard; and Folsom.

“The Washington Fly-In, although on a much larger scale, is just as important to our advocacy efforts as meetings with our local officials. It is clear each year that the items on our agenda strike a chord with our congressional delegation, and we see a response and benefits of our engagement with them,” explained Folsom.

1. Emmitt Nolan, Congressman Carter's Valdosta Area Field Rep.; Brad Folsom; Congressman Buddy Carter; Michael Lee; Audrey King; Myrna Ballard; Clark Thomason, US Chamber of Commerce, Bruce Allred. 2. Folsom; Thomason; King 3.

King; Ballard; Allred; Lee; Folsom. 4. Lee with Congressman Austin Scott with congressional staffer. 5. Thomason with Lee and Ballard 6. King, Folsom and Lee with U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson.

You must get involved to have an impact. – Napoleon Hill, American Author

The group met with military personnel at the Pentagon and Georgia’s federal delegation including U.S. Representatives Earl L. “Buddy” Carter and Austin Scott, and Senators Johnny Isakson and David Perdue, to discuss opposition to the change in Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) income threshold for determination of overtime exemption; support for a consistent, nationwide system for assessing and collecting retail sales tax on Internet purchases; support for reform of the Dodd-Frank Act that created the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau; and continued support for protection of Moody Air Force Base.

“Advocating for Moody is an important part of the Chamber’s mission,” Lee emphasized. “The Chamber is focused on keeping the lines of communication open with our federal delegation to keep them informed, as well as maintain a relationship where we can help influence decisions that are in the best interest of Moody and the region.”

Student Art Exhibition Winners

Each Spring, local high schools organize Student Art Contests. Valdosta Magazine is proud to recognize the first place winners in each category as our way of encouraging these thriving young artists.

"These students not only have a God given talent, but they were never afraid to accept a challenge, and always took the time to help and inspire other students."

- Lynn Vallotton, Valwood Art Teacher

Hope Hathcock

Robbie Evans

Victoria Maxwell

Valwood School

PHOTOGRAPHY BY WES SEWELL PHOTOGRAPHY

Lowndes

Destiny Roe

Sarah Lee

Taylor Elliott

Kristina Galeano

High School

Ashley Mitchell Dawson West

Lauren Vickers

Sara Beth Rountree

Valdosta

High School

Doug Henderson III Memorial Golf Tournament

The 12th Annual Doug Henderson III Memorial Golf Tournament was held April 22, 2016, at Valdosta Country Club. To date, the Doug Henderson III Memorial Fund has presented 179 senior high school students with a $1,000 scholarship and has also contributed over $200,000 to other local organizations. The fund was established in honor of Doug Henderson III, who passed

away in 2003 after being diagnosed with synovial sarcoma, a rare form of soft tissue cancer. Bev Henderson gives a special thank you to the sponsors and individual donors who have participated in the tournament over the past 12 years.

7. Fennis

8. James

Al Armstrong and Richard Dembkowski.

and Phil Mittiga

Bev & Doug Henderson; Standing: Justin Henderson holding Jayce Henderson, Jen Henderson, Megan Henderson holding Jack Henderson and Ashley Henderson holding Charlie Henderson. 10.

Patrick Mitchell, Nick Johnston and Michael Clarke.

1. Bev Henderson and Ashley Mock. 2. Zac Crosby, Brian Conley, Doug Henderson and Mark Clark. 3. Katie Kolisz.

4. Doug & Bev Henderson, Doug III’s parents. 5. Greg Blais, Greg Reid, Dean Boruff and Greg Hunter. 6. Darren Jones, Mark Wombles, Jason Dominy and Cliff Baker.

Miller,

McGahee

9. Seated:

Mika Alakulppi,

Photography by Bev Henderson

Jim Ingram, AIA, NCARB

Spring Into Art Gala seen

Spring Into Art – a phrase that immediately conjures up thoughts of a bountiful display of artwork at the Turner Center in Valdosta, GA in April and May of each year (29 of them, to be exact). How can something that has been so good for so long keep getting better?

And yet … it does! Don Penny, an icon of the Valdosta art community, visited the Center in May, as he is wont to do, and offered a positive critique of the show. His words, “I see the level of quality of the artwork rising.

The 2016 Spring Into Art show was, quite simply, superb. The Spring Into Art season began with the annual Gala opening night that paid tribute the artists, patrons, sponsors and volunteers.

People who think they don’t like art need to visit the Turner Center as often as people who know they do. The diversity and excellence of the 2016 show appealed to every taste.

Photography by Sarah Kathryn Garland

10.

13.

1. Joyce Swindle, Devan Martin, Dana Boruff and Darby Boruff 2. Dr. Hernando and Brooke Moreno 3. Sherry Wetherington, Josh Carter and Jeannette Strickland 4. John Riddle, Cynthia Coates and Connie Riddle 5. Ed and Paula Hutchinson 6. John Riddle, Lamb Lastinger, Connie Riddle and Sandra Belue 7. Bob and Mattia Goddar 8. Sarah and

Brad Soshnik 9. Josh and Jennifer Carter and Jill Bright

Mayor John Gayle 11. Paul Consolini and Darby Boruff 12. Tammy Borders and Dr. Betsy Thacker

Margaret Mittiga, Sherry Wetherington and Bert Tucker 14. Bill Slaughter, Chair of the Lowndes County Commission

Red Carpet seen

The purpose of Red Carpet, in part, is to provide a forum for new Moody AFB officers and senior NCOs to meet business and government leaders; provide a positive and tangible welcome to our area; and to let these patriots know they are a valuable and appreciated part of our community. Sponsorship of these parties is

available to any South Georgia business or individual. The Red Carpet parties are held three times a year at the unique and picturesque Ocean Pond Clubhouse near Lake Park. The parties include a social hour followed by a traditional southern fried chicken dinner.

Photography by Vicki Hughes

1.

2.

and Diana

& Mary Crawford

Sgt. Jean-Guy Fleury and his wife with Col. Norm Dozier 4. Tammy & Todd Leathermon and Michael Jetter 5. Tina Folsom, Lt. Col. Melvin Green, Commander VSU ROTC, Cissy Green and Brad Folsom 6. David Zammit, Amanda Grover, Becky Herndon and Lee McArthur 7.Delroy Mullis and Col. Norm Dozier

Col. Mike Ross, Lucy Greene, Chief Master Sgt. Artie Pearson

Kelch

John

3. Master

www.oliodivita.com

Warren S. Coats

Golf Classic

Valwood Derby & Auction seen

The 44th Annual Derby Day Spring Auction was a huge success. Dressed in their best “Derby” attire, the scores of guests enjoyed bidding on dozens of silent auction items, watching the Kentucky Derby on a live feed, and then settling in for the live auction. The money

raised by the Valwood Parents Association, which put the wonderful event on, goes to help many different causes both for the school and the community.

Photography by Kim Lerstang

1. Shawn & Brianne Kelley and Sarah & Brad Soshnik

2. Steve & Cathy Johnson 3. JD & Kerri Dean and Jason & Shelley Holloway 4. Brian & Pam Griner 5. Suzanne Tyrone and Katherine Trickett 6. Mala Vallotton and Lynn Vallotton 7. Meredith Nuckols, Heather Shaw and Ronda Paoletti 8. Gracie Crane and Sarah Cocke 9. Kristi

Moorman and Jeanna Ganas 10. Angela Burnett and Trina Register 11. Jennifer Norris, Lisa Aguilar, Kerri Dean and Anne McLeod 12. Ava & Tripp Castleberry 13. Jenny Carroll, Maura Respess and Katherine Trickett 14. Jason Tyrone and Fernando Alvarado 15. Dale Crane and Laura Elliott 16. Hannah & Lee Wetherington

VSO Champagne Breakfast seen

The Champagne Breakfast is an annual event presented by the Valdosta Symphony Orchestra Board of Directors with the assistance of the Valdosta Symphony Guild. The event is designed to close the orchestral season in celebratory fashion, with toasts to all the principal players both on stage and off. The Champagne Breakfast is the perfect opportunity for

patrons to gather with musicians and enjoy a review of the year’s accomplishments on stage, as every season presents the audience with increasingly interesting programs.

by John F. Riddle

Photography

Gail Hobgood.

Wayne Evans and Mala Vallotton. 9. Bette Bechtel and Rose Ware. 10. Kristen & Laurel Yu. 11. Jim & Josette Ingram and Partricia & Ole Vigerstol.

Nancy Warren, Dan Coleman, David Cummings, Kay Jennett (Back Row) John Hanson, John Hiers, John Magnasco, Jennifer Lawrence, Fritz Scarborough, Allan Dear and Bob Goddard.

1. Dan & Carolyn Coleman. 2. Nancy Warren and Bob Goddard. 3. John Bennett and Jeani Snyder. 4. Donna & Doug Farwell. 5. Allan Dear, Gloria Boyette, Nancy Warren and Dan Coleman. 6. John & Connie Riddle and Bob and Mattia Goddard. 7. Bonnie Rainey, Marian Belanger and

8. ?,

12. Howard Hsu, Bowen Riddle, Ki Riddle and Tamara Hardesty Hsu. 13. Converse & Jill Bright and Pam & Ferrell Scruggs. 14. Cheryl Oliver, Carla Penny and Robin Thomas. 15. Barbara & Blake Pearce. 16. (Front Row) Gail Hobgood, Carolyn Caoleman, Gloria Boyette,

Where Things What to go to see to do

July

Friday, July 1 –

Sunday, July 17

Peach State Summer Theatre (PSST) offers “Beauty and the Beast,” “Ring of Fire” and “Nice Work If You Can Get It” Presented in rotating repertoire, VSU Fine Arts Building, Sawyer Theatre. Evening performances 7:30; Saturday and some Wednesday matinees 2; Sundays at 3. Beauty: July 3, 6, 10, 14, 16; Ring of Fire: July 1, 6, 7, 9, 13, 16; Nice Work: July 2, 8, 9, 13, 15, 17 - 259.7770 valdosta.edu/psst

Friday, July 1 –

Monday, July 13 Peoples Choice Voting for City of Valdosta’s Annual Photo Contest Photos on display for voting at Turner Center for the Arts, 527 N. Patterson Street 247. ARTS(2787) turnercenter.org or 259.3548 for details See July 18

First Friday, July 1

“First Friday” in Downtown Valdosta Visit Downtown businesses, boutiques, galleries and eateries for lively events and unique shopping. 6-9pm 259.3577 or www. ValdostaMainStreet.com

Saturday, July 2 Emerson Drive & Waterloo Revival Perform at Wild Adventures Show is at

Community Calendar compiled by Nancy DeRuyter Warren

8pm and is included with park admission. Wildadventures.com 219.7080

Sunday, July 3 –

Monday, July 4

Wild Adventures 4th of July Celebration Fireworks at dark both nights. See wildadventures.com for details. 219.7080

Monday, July 4

Independence Day Fireworks

9pm/Dusk Valdosta-Lowndes County Parks and Recreation Authority sponsors; best viewing Mall/Norman Drive area. Check vlpra.com

Tuesday, July 5

Turner Center Offers Children’s Culinary, Etiquette and Pottery Classes Call for availability! Culinary (Brenda Anderson, Sharon Coleman, instructors) and Etiquette (Gabi Garrett, instructor) for ages 8-12, July 11-15, 10am-12:30pm/12:301pm. Pottery for ages 5-10 runs July 12,14,15,19, 21. Julie Smith, instructor. 247ARTS(2787) turnercenter.org

Thursday, July 7

Valdosta City Council Meeting Citizens are invited to participate in their local government, first and third Thursday of each month, at City Hall. 5:30pm 216 E. Central Avenue 259.3500

Saturday, July 9

Tamela Mann Performs at Wild Adventures 219.7080 wildadventures.com 8pm

Monday, July 18

City of Valdosta People’s Choice Photo Contest Awards Reception 5-7pm Free, open to public Turner Center 247.2787 turnercenter.org

Tuesday, July 19

Business After Hours 5-7pm at South Georgia Medical Center. For more information contact Leslie Harris at the ValdostaLowndes Chamber of Commerce 229.247.8100 www.valdostachamber.com

Tuesday, July 19

Taste of Downtown 5-9pm Visit the Courthouse for live music and purchase a wristband entitling you to a taste of signature dishes at downtown restaurants.

Tuesday, July 19 –

Saturday, July 23 Restaurant Week in Downtown Valdosta Kicks off Tuesday with a Taste of Downtown. Enjoy 3-course prefixe meals at downtown eateries and share your Restaurant Week meals and adventures at #restaurantweekdvld valdostamainstreet.com

Thursday, July 21

Saturday, July 9

Downtown Valdosta Farm Days 9am-noon Around the Historic Courthouse Square The market showcases locally sourced produce, food items and arts and crafts from surrounding areas. valdostamainstreet.com 259.3577

Valdosta City Council Meets 5:30pm Valdosta City Hall

Saturday, July 23

Downtown Valdosta Farm Days 9am-noon Around the Historic Courthouse Square valdostamainstreet.com 259.3577

Saturday, July 23

Country Superstar Martina

McBride Performs at Wild Adventures 219.7080 wildadventures.com

Saturday, July 30

Andy Grammer Performs at Wild Adventures 219.7080 wildadventures.com

August

Monday, August 1

Valdosta Symphony Orchestra Season Tickets on Sale! Call 333.2150 or visit valdostasymphony.org

Monday, August 1

Turner Center for the Arts Gallery Opening and Reception 5-7 p.m. Free, open to public. 527 N. Patterson Street 247ARTS(2787) turnercenter.org

Friday, August 5

“First Friday” in Downtown Valdosta 6-9pm

Friday, August 5

Art Walk Downtown Valdosta 5-8pm Visit shops, look at art and enjoy wine tasting at each location with a $20 wrist band.

Friday, August 5

6th Annual Casino Night presented by the Home Builders Association of South Georgia 7-11pm VSU Student Union Ballroom

Saturday, August 6

100 Black Men BBQ Downtown Valdosta Downtown Valdosta has been the site of the BBQ since 1995! Attendees can expect a family-oriented atmosphere, full of great food, fun, laughter, and musical entertainment.

Saturday, August 6

Christian Rock Band Skillet at Wild Adventures 219.7080 wildadventures.com

Thursday, August 11

Valdosta City Council 5:30 p.m. Valdosta City Hall

Thursday, August 18

Business After Hours 5-7pm at In The Game magazine. For more information contact Leslie Harris at the ValdostaLowndes Chamber of Commerce 229.247.8100 www.valdostachamber.com

Thursday, August 18-21, 25-27

Theatre Guild Valdosta Presents “Steel Magnolias” ‘Dosta Playhouse, Downtown Evenings

at 7:30, Sunday at 3; 247.8243 theatreguildvaldosta.com

Saturday, August 20

Downtown Farm Days

Saturday, August 20

Turner Center’s American Soundtrack, Volume IV The Ed Barr Orchestra & local song, dance celebrities perform a celebration of American music. Turnercenter.org 247.2787 Rainwater Conference Center

Thursday, August 25

Valdosta City Council Meets 5:30pm Valdosta City Hall

Monday, August 29

High Cotton Tournament/Girls’ Night Out Turner Center for the Arts 7pm $20 247.2787 turnercenter.org

September

Thursday, September 1 –

Saturday, September 3

Valdosta Fire Department-MDA Fill the Boot Drive www.valdostacity.com/fire

Friday, September 2

“First Friday” in Downtown Valdosta 259.3577, www.valdostamainstreet.com

Continued on next page

Where Things What to go to see to do

Saturday, September 3 Downtown Farm Days 9am-noon

Saturday, September 3 – Monday, September 5

Last Weekend for Splash Island Splash Island closes for the season and reopens in April 2017.

Thursday, September 8 –Friday, September 9 SCORE

Concert Features Dr. Larry Scully Turner Center’s classical music appreciation program features the pianist in a fall recital of lighter classics, 7:30pm Friday. Children’s concert 10:30am Thursday.

Thursday, September 8

Valdosta City Council Meets

Sunday, September 11

9-11 Remembrance Ceremony 8:45am valdostacity.com/fire for details

Friday, September 16 –Sunday, September 18

The 56thAntique Show Benefitting The Crescent Mathis

City Auditorium Friday, Saturday 10am-5pm, Sunday 11am-4pm

Saturday, September 17

Georgia Constitution Day Celebrate our Statehood!

Saturday, September 17

Downtown Valdosta Farm Days

Saturday, September 17

Valdosta Symphony Orchestra Performs Caroline Goulding, violin. Complete program at valdostasymphony.org Season tickets, individual concert tickets: 333.2150 Pre-concert chat with Maestro Howard Hsu, 7:15pm; Concert at 8pm Whitehead Auditorium, VSU.

Thursday, September 22 Valdosta City Council Meets 5:30pm

Friday, September 23

Wild Adventures Bring a Friend Day 2016 season passholders may bring a friend free. Wildadventures.com 219.7080

Friday, September 23 – Saturday, October 29 Terror in the Wild at Wild Adventures Terror runs Friday and Saturday nights with frights all through the park. Included with park admission. Wildadventures.com 219.7080

Saturday, September 24 – Sunday, October 30 Kid-o-Ween Begins Wild Adventures’ daytime family-friendly Halloween event.

Saturdays, Sundays, included with park admission. Wildadventures. com 219.7080

Editor’s Note: To submit items for calendar publication in the Fall Issue of Valdosta Magazine, covering the months of October, November, and December, please email events to Nancy Warren at nandwarren@gmail.com by AUGUST 1, 2016.

Index of Advertisers

306North.com

306 North

ACE Electric

Advanced Dental Care

Ameris Bank

Art & Soul

Artists on Ashley

Astro Exterminators

Azalea's Restaurant & Lounge

Birdies Market & Café

Bishop Cleaners

Blanton & Griffin

Bubba Highsmith State Farm

Carter Group Real Estate

Citizens Community Bank

Coldwell Banker

Colonial Bag

Colony Bank

Colquitt EMC

Commercial Banking Company

Covington's Dining & Catering

Edward Jones

Empanadas & More

ENT Allergy & Associates

First State Bank

Friends Grill & Bar

Guardian Bank

Hogan's Pharmacy

Holiday Inn

Home Builders Assocations

Home Instead Senior Care

Home of 10,000 Picture Frames

Hospice of South Georgia

Jessie's Restaurant & Catering

Johnson Distributors

Kaleidoscope Gallery & Emporium

Langdale Ford

Mama June's

aceelectric.net

adcteam.com

amerisbank.com

artandsoulvaldosta.com

astroexterminators.com

williamshotelgroup.com

birdiesmarket.com

bishopclean.com

blantongriffin.com

bubbahighsmith.com

cartergroupland.com

citizenscommunitybank.net

valdostarealtors.com

colonial-bag.com

colonybank.com colquittemc.com cbcbank.com

covingtonscatering.com edwardjones.com

empanadasandmorevaldosta.com entofsouthgeorgia.com fsbtc.com friendsgrillandbar.com guardianbankonline.com stores.healthmart.com/hoganspharmacy williamshotelgroup.com

hbasg.org homeinstead.com/585 hospiceofsouthgeorgia.org jessiesvaldosta.com

kaleidscopegallery.com

langdaleford.com mamajunes.com

McLane Funeral Services

Miller Hardware

Mockingbird Gifts

NewsTalk 105.9

Nijem Technology

Ole Times Country Buffet

Olio de Vita

Only Options

Perfect Settings

Pets at Peace

Presbyterian Home & Retirement

Community

Renasant Bank

Ron Borders Property Management

Salty Snapper

Sarah Kathryn Photography

Seasons Garden Center

Smokin' Pig

South Georgia Medical Center

Southeast Capital Investment Group, LLC

Southern OB/GYN

Southwest Georgia Bank

Steel Magnolias

Stifel

Studio 8 Design

Talk 92.1

The Flower Gallery

The Medicine Shoppe

The Pool Store

Valdosta Furniture & Mattress

Valdosta Insurance Services

Valdosta Symphony Orchestra

Warren Coats Memorial Golf Tournament

Wes Sewell Photography

Wiregrass Technical College

Wooden Nickel Pub

Woodstack BBQ & Tavern

mclanecares.com millerhardware.com

valdostatoday.com nijemtech.com

southerncookinginc.com/oletimes oliodevita.com

perfectsettingsga.com mclanecares.com phginc.org

renasantbank.com rbpm.us

saltysnappervaldosta.com sarahkathrynphoto.com

millerhardware.com smoknpig.com sgmc.org

secapinv.com southernobgyn.net sgfc.com

steelmagnoliasrestaurant.com stifelvaldosta.com

s8darchitects.com talk921.com theflowergallery medicineshoppe.com

thepoolstore.net

valdostainsurance.com

valdostasymphony.org

wessewellphotography.com wiregrass.edu woodennickelpub.com

woodstackbbqtavern.com

Please thank these advertisers for making this publication possible! Support these businesses and buy local.

Valdosta

John Lastinger Senior Vice President/Investments

Barry Barr Branch Manager Vice President/Investments

Goddard Wealth Advisory Group

Bob Goddard Vice President/Investments

Michelle Taylor Registered Client Service Associate

The Campbell Hutchinson Financial Group

Dick Campbell Senior Vice President/Investments

Paula Hutchinson Senior Vice President/Investments

Heather Ferguson Financial Advisor Associate

Beverly Avera Registered Operations Coordinator

Allie Folsom Client Service Associate

From Left to Right: Allie Folsom, Beverly Avera, Heather Ferguson, Paula Hutchinson, Dick Campbell, Barry Barr, John Lastinger, Michelle Taylor, Bob Goddard.