Simply Buckhead September/October 2011

FREE

SEPTEMBER/ OCTOBER 2011

Issue #06

OFF THE

FIELD (AND IN YOUR BACKYARD) FROM NYO TO

LOVETT TO THE PROS,

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEWS WITH BUCKHEAD’S

FOOTBALL STARS Pig Out

On the area’s best barbecue

Treasure hunting in Miami Circle

Professional linebacker Takeo Spikes at home in his Buckhead condo.

“We found a bank that appreciates our new approach to the burger business.”

When my business partner, Barry Mills, and I began our quest to reinvent the burger, we knew we had a recipe for success when Richard Blais joined us as our creative director. The next step was to find a bank that believed in us. Georgia Commerce Bank CEO Mark Tipton and I knew each other from college, and we had served on the board of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Atlanta together, so I gave him a call. The bank’s staff helped us open our first location, then our second and now our new location in Buckhead.

They have been easy to work with and extremely helpful in launching our business. What’s next on the menu?

A growth strategy that our bank will help us serve up. Dedication and innovation in banking — that’s an appetizing concept.

RichaRd Blais Flip Creative Director

— Ron Stewart, co-founder of Flip

Ron stewaRt Flip Co-Founder

Visit our Newest Location in Buckhead!

Buckhead • Cumberland • Marietta gacommercebank.com

(404) 240-5000

Marvin Cosgray

Managing Director, Private Banking

LeeHester Rhodes

Senior Vice President, Branch Manager

Commercial Loans • Construction Loans • Lines of Credit • Remote Deposit Capture • Courier Services for Deposit Pickup • Commercial Checking and Money Market • Cash Management • Full Line of

2970 Peachtree Rd., NW, Suite 100 • Atlanta, GA 30305

Personal Products and Services • Internet Banking • Safe Deposit Boxes

Who Needs a Faster, Smarter Brain?

...Who Doesn’t?

“It seemed like we had hours of homework every night between Parker’s normal homework and the school work he never finished. It was taking everything I had to try to do it with him, so I decided to take him to a tutor. The tutoring hours kept adding up and adding up. Finally, we found LearningRx! After his initial assessment, we saw he had several brain skill weaknesses.

No wonder he was struggling! After seeing and experiencing the brain games at LearningRx, we knew Parker would definitely have improvement in the classroom. Sure enough by the end of the year, homework was taking less than an hour each night! What was possibly even more amazing to see was his improvement on the football field and baseball field. Since his brain was slower than most of the other kids his age, he used to be the last one to get directions. After a few weeks of training, we started to notice that he was more responsive on the field and didn’t seem to be in his own world all the time. When baseball season came around, we took him to a swinging coach. His coach said that he had never seen a kid take corrections so fast.

I couldn’t believe he was talking about my child! He was never considered “fast” at anything before!” -M.H.; Atlanta, GA “Tabitha took the SAT for the first time about a month ago. We just got her scores back. On the Reading and Math portions, she earned a 650 on each section, for a total of 1300 on the "old SAT" portion. On the writing portion she earned a 620. (Tabitha got that question about reality TV that has made the news - a bad question for a kid who doesn't watch TV). Anyway, she earned a grand total of 1920 for the first time! We were thrilled! She only made an 1100 on the PSAT, so this improvement is huge!There was a large amount of reading comprehension on the SAT, and Tabitha says she wouldn't have even been able to complete those sections before brain training at LearningRx Atlanta-Buckhead!” -Glynn Banks; Atlanta, GA

LearningRx Atlanta-Buckhead 5252 Roswell Road, Suite 100 | Atlanta, Georgia 30342

404-25-BRAIN(27246) | www.learningrx.com/atlanta-buckhead

4

September/October 2011 | Simply Buckhead

S I M P LY BUC K H E A D ® | S E P T E M B E R / O C T O B E R 2 0 1 1

Mark J. Mrosla and Stephani Oller at One Star Ranch. Sara Hanna Photography - www.SaraHanna.com

Contents /// COVER STORY

/// DEPARTMENTS

43

BUCKHEAD PLAYERS OFF THE FIELD For a look at football through a Buckhead lens, meet five players at different levels of this sport.

9 LETTERS 11 SIMPLY NOW 17 SIMPLY STYLISH

/// FEATURES

14

18

27

32

MYSTERIOUS BERMUDA Five things about this pink sandcovered island that might surprise you

OLD PASSION, NEW CAREER Painting parties give Karen Johnston new ways to share her talents

ANTIQUING IN BUCKHEAD Buckhead’s antique dealers have something for everyone “in the neighborhood” CUE THE ’CUE Surveying two of Buckhead’s pitmasters

25 SIMPLY ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT 31 SIMPLY DELICIOUS 51 SIMPLY HAPPENING

“I get all the family-friendly choices of what would be a suburban neighborhood, and R. Thomas is across the street.”

— Alliance Theatre Artistic Director Susan Booth, talking about her Buckhead neighborhood

September/October 2011 | Simply Buckhead

5

We buy, sell and trade quality sports and fitness equipment.

PROUD SPONSOR OF NYO SPORTS, BUCKHEAD BASEBALL & ATLANTA YOUTH LACROSSE

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2011 | ISSUE #06 P.O. Box 11633, Atlanta, GA 30355 www.simplybuckhead.com For advertising rates call: 404-538-9895

Play It Again Sports - Buckhead 4279 Roswell Rd (Next to Publix) Atlanta 30342 404-257-0229 www.PlayItAgainSportsBuckhead.com Your neighborhood sporting goods store.

/// BEHIND THE COVER

Publisher Joanne Hayes Editor-In-Chief Allison Weiss Entrekin Creative Director Omar Vega Account Executives Selena C. Bridges Elise K. Colcord

Tyler Hayes, Takeo Spikes and Joanne Hayes

2 Zipline Tours

(2 & 3 hours)

18 Hole Disc Golf Course 4 Stage Geocache Teepee & Rustic Campsites

(770) 869-7272 www.northgeorgiacanopytours.com

SMITHWORKS IRON & DESIGN

With the end of the NFL lockout, we realized just how blessed we were to be able to shoot Takeo Spikes at home in Buckhead just hours before he signed with San Diego—the calls to him had begun at 7 a.m. that day. Reading sports blogs later that night, I chuckled when one writer referred to Takeo’s “nasty demeanor,” which rings true on the field, but was so far from what we saw in this humble, talented and classy man who was so grateful to have a career in the NFL. His “on the field” leadership is admired, but his “off the field” role as “Dad” to a beautiful daughter impressed my son and me more than anything. I’m sure you’ll enjoy our cover story and the accompanying photos as much as we enjoyed putting it together.

–Joanne Hayes

Contributing Writers Giannina Smith Bedford Katie Kelly Bell Jessie Bove Wendell Brock H.M. Cauley Jennifer Bradley Franklin Michelle Hiskey Elsa Simcik Margaret Watters Contributing Photographers Renee Brock Sara Hanna Caroline Petters Omar Vega Josh D. Weiss Graphic Designers Grayce E. Clark Leslie Haugen Copy Editor Ellen Glass Editorial Assistants Aerial Freeman Whitney Hensler

Cover photo: Caroline Petters

We welcome all contributions, but we assume no responsibility for unsolicited material. No portion of this publication can be reproduced in whole or in part without prior written permission.

Copyright © 2011 by Simply Buckhead®. All rights reserved. Printed by Walton Press, Inc. Distributed by Distributech, Network Communications, Inc., and Distribution Services Group.

Simply Buckhead® is a member of the Buckhead Business Association and the Georgia Restaurant Association.

CUSTOM ARTISTIC BLACKSMITHING FOR Your HOME & GARDEN www.smithworksiron.com 404.534.2330

6

September/October 2011 | Simply Buckhead

Simply Buckhead®

ON L I N E

Read Simply Buckhead online at www.SimplyBuckhead.com/tour.html with click-through capability facebook.com “Like” or “Friend” us at Simply Buckhead Magazine

TAKE A BITE OUT OF CHILDHOOD Dine out September 18–24, 2011 during Share Our Strength’s Dine Out HUNGER For No Kid Hungry™.

Twitter

Dine out September 19–25 during Our struggle More than 17 million children inShare America Strength’s Great American Dine Out® and you’ll be with hunger. Together, we can change that. helping Share Our Strength® end childhood hunger inThousands America. of restaurants nationwide are offering

Facebook

twitter.com/SimplyBuckhead Follow us @simplybuckhead

///Proud sponsor of:

creative Dine Out For No Kid Hungry promotions Nearly 1 out of 4 kids in America struggles with in September*. Find participating restaurants at hunger. Dine out September 19–25 during Share Our DineOutForNoKidHungry.org.

Strength’s Great American Dine Out and you’ll be helping end childhood hunger in America.

The more you dine out, the closer we come to making sure no child in America ever goes hungry.

DineOutForNoKidHungry.org.

Find participating restaurants at GreatAmericanDineOut.org

*Funds raised support Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry® Campaign to end childhood hunger in America by 2015. Learn more at Strength.org.

SOME OF THE PARTICIPATING RESTAURANTS Parkers on Ponce A Steakhouse (Decatur, GA) www.parkersonponce.com Joe’s Crabshack (6 locations) www.joescrabshack.com Marlow’s Tavern (6 locations) www.marlowstavern.com Aqua Blue (Roswell, GA) www.aquablueatl.com Corner Bakery Café (3 locations) www.cornerbakery.com Boston Market (9 locations) www.bostonmarket.com McAlister’s Deli (4 locations) www.mcalistersdeli.com Village Tavern (Alpharetta location) www.villagetavern.com

Piedmont Park

Summer Arts & Crafts September/October 2011 | Simply Buckhead

7

lOOk GOOD. feel GOOD. TakE a hiNT FRoM a GoLDEN RETRiEvER: LookiNG GooD MakES YoU FEEL GooD. YoU kNow whaT happENS whEN YoU GET YoUR GoLDEN aLL SpiFFED Up… ShE FEELS GooD, ShE SMiLES, hER EYES SpaRkLE aND ShE haS a BoUNCE iN hER STEp. iT’S EvEN TRUE wiTh oUR BoYS. So TRUST US, iT wiLL BE TRUE FoR YoU Too. aND, iF YoU aREN’T iNTo jUST ThiNkiNG aBoUT YoURSELF, ThiNk aBoUT YoUR FRiENDS who woULD BENEFiT FRoM a woo GiFT CaRD. aND, ThE BEST FEEL GooD? YoU wiLL hELp a GoLDEN oRphaN FiND a NEw hoME. 10% of all proceeds benefits adopt a Golden atlanta

WeDNeSDAY, OCTOber 5Th 4 pM to 8 pM Goldentinis and Hors d’oeuvres PeAChTree bATTle ShOPPING CeNTer 2339-a peachtree rd. ne, atlanta, Ga 30305 404.477.5000

Featured brands include Bobbi Brown, Trish McEvoy, Laura Mercier, Darphin, Frederick Fekkai, Fresh, Natura Bisse, La Bella Donna, Moroccanoil, Skinceuticals, Dermalogica, Caudalie, Revive, Smashbox and Yves St Laurent.

You give your dog personal attention. Isn’t it time you paid some personal attention to yourself? Do it.

Not only will you look good but you will feel good knowing you are helping a golden or two.

If you’re unable to make the event, please call WOO Cosmetics at 404.477.5000 that day and order a gift card.

Mention AGA and 10% of your gift card amount will go to benefit AGA. Don’t forget the holidays are approaching and gift cards are the perfect present.

8

September/October 2011 | Simply Buckhead

S I M P LY BUC K H E A D ® | S E P T E M B E R / O C T O B E R 2 0 1 1

Letters You can’t imagine how excited and pleased I am to turn the pages of your beautiful and interesting magazine and see the picture and lovely article about my acting group. I am confident that we will have new members by September.

Wendell Brock’s flattering writeup could not have been better. I mailed copies to my out-of-town children and surprised my close friends with your pretty magazine. You will have even more readers and we will have new actors. Thank you more than I can say.

—Margie Avery, The Phoenix Players I have been a huge fan of Starfish Restaurant since I stumbled upon it several years ago. I had been searching for a great sushi restaurant here in Atlanta for many, many years and could not find one that met my combined expectations for price, quality, cleanliness and creativity. I was beginning to think I was asking for too much from a sushi restaurant in Atlanta until I found Starfish. Therefore, I thoroughly enjoyed and agreed with your article, “The Oscar for Best Sushi,” in the July/August 2011 issue of Simply Buckhead.

—Michael Rovinsky, Integrity Consulting Group, Inc. I’m sorry that I am so late in thanking you for the profile of me in Simply Buckhead. Please don’t think that I didn’t appreciate it. I thought it was very well done and I appreciate very much the exposure it gave me and my classes.

I enjoyed sharing it with friends, colleagues, and with my students. Thank you, belatedly.

— Philip Carpenter, Chastain Arts Center I can’t wait to see the new issue. The magazine is already so beautiful. I am amazed at how you’ve managed to top yourself with each printing.

—Yedidah Glass, Frolic Canine Services

FROM OUR “TWEET”HEARTS! Follow us @SimplyBuckhead Love the new issue!! Great tips on entertaining!!

—rosinaatlanta Can’t wait to read the new issue!

—DinnerPartyP Great styling in the Simply Buckhead piece, @ginnybranch! It was fun to offer tips for planning an outdoor “English Garden Party.”

—ashleybaber You have a great publication.

—dorothymac Just picked up a few hard copies of this month’s Simply Buckhead—so exciting to see it all in print! Thanks for featuring me, Simply Buckhead!

—KatMalone July/August issue looks great!

Can’t wait to pick up one!

—Danielle3PL Awesome niche publication. If you’re in Buckhead, you NEED to advertise here. Affordable, with the right demographic!

—therarejem

The new issue is amazing! Our featured walker Barbara Rogers is thrilled and will be sharing your magazine with everyone she knows! As will we!

—Kimberly Goff, It’s the Journey, Inc. Great article + pics. Nice work.

—Alex Brounstein, Grindhouse Killer Burgers

/// LETTER BOX ///

Tell us what you think! Send your comments, compliments and criticisms to editor@simplybuckhead.com. All letters will be considered for publication and may be edited for length and clarity.

/// EDITOR’S LETTER

I

f a stranger from another planet were to spy on Buckhead one weekend this fall, here’s what he might report back to his fellow aliens:

“Humans in Buckhead like to gather in rooms with big electronic display screens and watch armored men fight over a small brown treasure. We are not sure what this treasure is, but it seems to inspire shouts of joy, fits of rage and even occasional tears.

While watching this battle, humans drink foamy golden beverages and eat meat that smells of smoke. We are fairly certain this is a religious act of some sort.”

The alien would be right.

Indeed, Buckhead—like the rest of the South—is downright fanatical about football. But unlike many other areas in the region, Buckhead has big-name players in the sport who live in homes and condos all over its landscape. Want proof ?

In this issue of Simply Buckhead, we talk with Takeo Spikes, the Pro Bowler who lives in a condo just a stone’s throw from his favorite gym, The Forum Athletic Club. And we chat with Warrick Dunn, the NFL legend-turned-owner who has kept his townhome on Lenox Road since his running back days with the Falcons. But we don’t stop there. From an NYO linebacker to a Lovett tight end to a Georgia Tech running back, we talk with players on the rise who call Buckhead home, asking them where we can find them in our neighborhood when they’re not on the field. It’s a fun read—especially for game-time commercial breaks.

Also in this issue, we pay homage to the South’s other religion—barbecue. Food writer Wendell Brock explores two of Buckhead’s smoky institutions: One Star Ranch and PigN-Chik. If his piece (and photographer Sara Hanna’s food shots) don’t start your mouth watering, you’re clearly not a Southerner.

So enjoy this issue, eat plenty of pulled pork and watch an obscene amount of football this fall. After all, we wouldn’t want to bore our extraterrestrial spies.

Allison Weiss Entrekin editor@simplybuckhead.com

September/October 2011 | Simply Buckhead

9

Green • Kitchens • Baths • Interiors • Additions • Basements • Porches • Decks 10

Beautiful, Sustainable & Affordable Remodeling

Atlanta’s full-service design and remodeling firm, for over 20 years • Award-winning indoor and outdoor remodeling for projects of all sizes • Serving Buckhead, Dunwoody, Sandy Springs, and Brookhaven • Showroom – Fully-outfitted Indoor Living and Outdoor Living Showroom • Outstanding customer experience • Fully licensed and insured Rick Goldstein, Co-Owner, Licensed Architect, Green Certified Professional

[770] 670-6022 www.MosaicGroupAtlanta.com

September/October 2011 | Simply Buckhead

E V E N T S | T R AV E L | L O C A L S A L U T E

Simply Now

Travel

“Bermuda boasts more golf courses per square mile than anywhere on earth.”

Turn to Page 14

The 16th hole of Bermuda’s Port Royal golf course, often called “The Hole from Hell” because of its difficulty. Photo courtesy Bermuda Department of Tourism September/October 2011 | Simply Buckhead

11

CreAtiVe FinAnCinG Specializing in Jumbo, Conventional, FHA & VA financing

CHeryl CArter 4 0 4 . 7 0 2 . 74 44 Atlanta, Georgia | ccarter@loansouth.com | loansouth.com

GA license #688851 BankSouth Mortgage Company, llC d/b/a loanSouth Mortgage NMLS #217866

Create YOUR Perfect Outdoor Living Experience...

Outdoor Kitchens • Stone Fireplaces • Stone Decks • Walls • Pools • Walkways • Fountains • Landscapes

770-385-7708

Monday – Friday 8 am to 5 pm

www.fieldstonecenter.com 10575 Old Atlanta Hwy, Covington, GA 30014 12

September/October 2011 | Simply Buckhead

Fieldstone Center, Inc.

Everything in building with stone

S IMP LY N OW E VE NTS

/// FREE EVENT ///

Buckhead Bellyache Bike Ride

A laughter yoga class shows that sometimes, life may actually be all fun. Celeste Greene

/// FEATURED EVENT /// LAUGHTER YOGA ATLANTA AT AK CROSSFIT September 15 and October 20 764 Miami Circle, Suites 201-206 Atlanta 30324 678.596.6979 www.laughteryogaatlanta. com

Laugh it off

Laughter Yoga Atlanta offers free stress relief If you’ve ever walked down the hallway to AK Crossfit in Miami Circle, you’ve no doubt seen the signs pointing you toward the “Laughter Yoga” class housed in the same space. If you’ve been curious as to what that is, you’re not alone. On a recent afternoon, a couple noticed Celeste Greene’s Laughter Yoga zip-up and asked her what in the world the class was all about. “It’s a concept where anyone can laugh for no reason at all, for an extended period of time,” replied Greene, the class’s founder.

“You’re simulating laughter as exercise.” Indeed, studies show that the benefits of laughing are numerous, including better sleep and reduced stress, even if that chuckle isn’t genuine.

“So wait, you’re basically faking your body out?”

Greene, still unfazed, nodded her head, swaying her silver “laugh” earrings and crinkling her eyes in a smile. “Basically.”

Greene, a former improv actor, discovered the concept of laughter yoga while Googling during a

stressful period in her career. “I laugh way more now than I did when I was doing comedy, which is kind of ironic … I mean, who would have thought?” she says.

Greene leads the free class of five to 20 people through a series of laughter-inducing exercises for anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour, depending on the size of the group. And the results are real— studies (and some of Greene’s laughers) say that the benefits include a boosted immune system and lower blood pressure. As an added bonus, you burn 50 calories for every 15 minutes of laughter. Greene says there’s no yoga mat required, and while you don’t have to attend in full workout gear, first-timers should be prepared to sweat—the exercises will get you moving. “Be ready for anything and let yourself go,” Greene says. “This is a time to reclaim the playground and let all that adult muck go and have fun for an hour. You can have the stress back if you’d like it at the end.” Adults and kids ages 4 and up are invited to Greene’s classes September 15 and October 20 at 7:30 p.m. — Margaret Watters

Enjoy the sights, sounds and smells of Buckhead by bike with Atlanta Cycling’s Buckhead Bellyache Bike Ride (so named because the long route passes through a tough section of hills). Taking place Thursday evenings, the free ride departs at 6:30 p.m. in September and 6 p.m. in October from The Cathedral of St. Philip on Peachtree Road. The painted route travels between 14 and 24 miles, with the longer ride crossing the Chattahoochee River on Paces Ferry Road and looping through Vinings before returning to the church. Don Dennard, principal of commercial real estate firm Baker Dennard & Goetz Inc., has taken part in the Bellyache ride for four years. As a Buckhead resident, he says he enjoys seeing his neighborhood from a different perspective. “When you are out in the wind it is much more relaxing and things go by a little bit slower … you’re just going to see things you normally don’t see in a car,” he says.

Attracting between 30 and 40 biking enthusiasts each week, the ride is open to cyclists of all levels.

One of the best parts of the event, Dennard adds, is that it concludes with dinner at a Buckhead eatery— often Fellini’s Pizza, which is right across the street from the Cathedral. “We do that pretty much anytime, rain or shine. If we get there and it’s raining, we throw the bikes back in the car and go eat.”

— Giannina Smith Bedford

THE CATHEDRAL OF ST. PHILIP Thursday evenings 2744 Peachtree Rd. NW Atlanta 30305 770.952.7731 www.atlantacycling.com

September/October 2011 | Simply Buckhead

13

S IMP LY N OW T RAVE L

Since Bermuda is completely encircled by coral reefs, the Gibbs Hill Lighthouse is a lifeline to incoming ships, ensuring that they don’t find a place among the more than 400 wrecks just off the coast. Photos courtesy Bermuda Department of Tourism

Mysterious Bermuda Five things about this pink sand-covered island that might surprise you

By Jennifer Bradley Franklin

Bermuda is known for many things—its affinity for Dark ’n’ Stormy cocktails, its long Bermuda shorts and its association with the infamous Bermuda Triangle. But so much about this tiny (only 21 square miles) island remains a mystery. Here are five surprising things you likely didn’t know about Bermuda:

1

It’s not in the Caribbean.

In a quick poll of 10 friends, only one could accurately tell me where Bermuda is. Turns out, it’s not in the Caribbean as most people assume.

Instead, Bermuda is squarely in the Atlantic, about 570 miles east of Cape Hatteras, N.C. As of this summer, both AirTran and Delta offer direct flights from Atlanta to Bermuda, so it’s possible to be there in about three hours.

Plus, the airport sits right on the water, so you’ll be gazing at the azure ocean almost immediately upon landing.

14

2

Golf is pretty much the national sport.

Bermuda boasts more golf courses per square mile than anywhere on earth. One of the island’s celebrated courses, Port Royal, currently hosts one of golf ’s most prestigious events, the PGA Grand Slam. Winners from the year’s Masters, U.S. Open, British Open and PGA Championship converge on the island to play 36 holes and see who gets bragging rights for the next year.

3

Less is more.

While most countries boast that their landmarks are the largest this or that, Bermuda is proud of having the world’s smallest working drawbridge.

Originally constructed with a hand crank in 1620, the gap of Somerset Bridge in Sandys Parish is only 18 inches—just large enough to allow the sail of a small vessel to pass.

4

Bermudians love their churches.

With a blend of Anglicans, Catholics and Protestants, Bermuda is a very religious little island, with more churches

September/October 2011 | Simply Buckhead

Saint Peter’s Church is a historic house of worship located in Saint George, Bermuda.

per square mile than anywhere in the world. In fact, Saint Peter’s Church in historic Saint George is the oldest church in continuous use in the Western Hemisphere.

5

It’s a wreck diver’s heaven.

Bermuda is the only island in the world that’s completely encircled by shipwrecks. Its natural coral reef barrier makes it almost impossible for large ships to get close to land without wrecking, a fact that has helped keep Bermuda protected over the years.

The more than 400 wrecks just off the

coast make for jaw-dropping snorkeling and scuba diving. One of the most eerie sights off the island is the Vixen, her bow jutting out of the Atlantic and her hull almost completely intact underwater.

The Buckhead Coalition is currently hosting an official delegation from Bermuda as part of Buckhead’s ‘Sister Communities’ relationship with Bermuda.

Department of Tourism www.gotobermuda.com.

S IMP LY N OW

Local Salute

By Margaret Watters

Care to click Photographer Deana Levine combines her passions for photography and philanthropy Local photographer Deana Levine helps the community by doing one of the things she loves most—taking beautiful photos of children and families. When she’s not doing her regular work in her Decatur studio, you can find her snapping for Decatur nonprofits Hagar House and The Frazer Center.

At Hagar House, an emergency night shelter for women and children, Levine volunteers her time catching beautiful family moments. Levine then welcomes the women and kids into her studio with a morning breakfast and full photo session. She then gives each family a framed, ready-forthe-mantel portrait. She says that during a time of transition, having photos of your family taken is often the last thing on your mind, but it’s a meaningful gift she can give. “It says, ‘This time wasn’t so easy, but our family was still together,’” Levine says.

Meanwhile, at The Frazer Center, Levine clicks candids of both adults and preschoolers. The Frazer Center is an inclusive community for adults and children with special needs; Levine began working with the center about five years ago. She waits patiently to capture each child in a playground setting in artistic black and white, and she likes to snap adults using their unique

See a need, fill a need Ampucamp offers support for kids and adults with limb losses

Photographer Deana Levine has been snapping for Atlanta nonprofits for almost five years. Deana Levine

skills for community projects. “There’s something everyone can do,” Levine says. “My real purpose is to show them as individuals and capture them doing something compelling and meaningful to them.”

Levine says that working with these organizations is never a chore—it’s the highlight of her week. The best advice she can give on how to help these organizations is to use your personal talent because that’s how you’ll enjoy volunteering most. “The best part of giving back is giving somebody something you love,” Levine says. “Get involved with something you personally love because that will give you the most joy.”

Buckhead resident Brian Johnston, founder of Ampucamp, will be the first to tell you that sometimes when you’re faced with a problem, the only solution is the one you create yourself. He knows what he’s talking about—when his son Brennan was 5, he had his leg amputated after a fractured femur took a turn for the worse because of an improperly applied cast. Brian took Brennan to physical therapy, and while they were there, the therapist told Brennan about a camp where he could go to play with kids just like him.

Brennan was ecstatic and Brian was relieved they had found some support, but there was one problem: The camp was only open to kids ages 8 and up. Brian looked at his son and knew he couldn’t wait three years.

“He was in his Robots (the Disney animated film) phase at the time, so I asked him, ‘Brennan, remember what Bigweld says to Timmy?’”

Brian says. “Brennan replied, ‘That

1,035 miles short Buckhead’s Station 21 firefighters bike to Manhattan to honor September 11 victims It’s 1,035 miles from Atlanta to New York City, and the first 469 ascend 45,000 feet. No one’s used the word “easy” to describe what Buckhead’s Station 21 firefighters have planned to honor September 11th’s first responders, but as the guys will quickly tell you, there was never a question about whether they were going to do it. “If it ain’t hard, it ain’t worth doing,” rider and firefighter Robert Cotrell says.

Fellow rider and firefighter Sgt. Michael Palmeri has a friend who has

won stages of the Tour de France, and when Palmeri told this friend what he had planned, the Frenchman gawked.

“He said, ‘Chapeau!’ (French for “Hats off !”)” Palmeri says. “Even over there, they don’t do the back-to-back days of climbing that we’re doing.”

Palmeri can take half the credit for the idea; it sparked during a conversation he had with Sgt. Rodney Deese over the station’s kitchen table. Before long, it had snowballed into an event with 15 riders, sponsors and an event

Local firefighters take off the training wheels to honor the 10th anniversary of the September 11th attacks. Kendall Craig, The

Buckhead Alliance

website. The group leaves Atlanta August 26 and arrives in New York September 11, riding as many as 100 miles a day (follow their progress at www.freedomride2011.com). They’ve trained for months, both individually and as teams, and say they aren’t

Brian Johnston’s Ampucamp has helped 75 adults and children in the Atlanta area with networking and support as they adjust to limb loss. Brian Johnston

you can shine no matter what you’re made of.’”

From there, an idea bloomed for Brian and his family. They established Ampucamp, a nonprofit dedicated to providing support, encouragement and resources to anyone personally affected by or caring for someone with limb loss. Brian hosts quarterly events for kids and adults of all ages and welcomes both amputees and their families and friends.

“We wanted to have everyone at the events because limb loss impacts the entire family,” Brian says. At the events, everyone starts together and then usually breaks off into groups to share their specific experiences and advice. Past events have included a day at the Georgia Tech indoor pool and water slide and riding at Chastain Horse Park.

Brian says it’s important for parents to support each other because after a child’s limb loss, it’s easy to become overprotective and you don’t want to handicap them further.

“People are capable of a lot more than we think or they think,” Brian says. “We just need to give them an environment where they can get back to what they love.”

intimidated by the Herculean task ahead. “I’m not dreading any of it,” Deese says. “It’s going to be a challenge, but it’s going to be a good ride because we’re all buddies.” And the pain? “We’ll all be in pain together,” he shrugs.

To these firefighters, their mission has personal significance. “We lost 343 firefighters when the two towers fell,” Captain Stephen Hill says. “Firefighting is a brotherhood.”

So what will these amazing firefighters do when they finally arrive in the Big Apple? “We plan on going to the Trade Centers,” Palmeri says. “Pizza. Bagels. Recovery.”

“Beer. B-E-E-R,” Deese interrupts.

“Did you get that?”

September/October 2011 | Simply Buckhead

15

SI MPLY NOW EVENTS

The first “Nooktoberfest” at The Little Nook kicks off at 11 a.m. October 15.

Jacqulin Bennett Phillips

/// FAMILY-FRIENDLY ///

Fall fun at The Little Nook We thought it would never come—it’s finally cooling off and feels like fall. On October 15, gather up the fam and head to The Little Nook to celebrate from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Known for its beautiful birthday parties and fun playtimes, The Little Nook’s first “Nooktoberfest” will feature face painting, a haystack maze, pumpkin painting, games, a “friendly” haunted house and season-appropriate refreshments like apple cider. Give everyone an excuse to play dress-up a couple of weeks early and come in your Halloween costumes. Tickets are $8 a child (parents are free) and available at the center.

— Margaret Watters

16

September/October 2011 | Simply Buckhead

THE LITTLE NOOK October 15 530 E. Paces Ferry Road Atlanta 30305 404.846.2232 www.thelittlenook.net

H O M E | FA S H I O N | W E L L N E S S

Simply Stylish

Be a Kid Again

“This Buckhead workout is basically hard-core P.E.” — ‘Child’s play.’ Page 21

Missi Wolf coaches clients at Buckhead’s BLAST900.

September/October 2011 | Simply Buckhead

17

S IMP LY STY LIS H HOM E

Antiquing in Buckhead From centuries-old furniture to trendy vintage accessories, Buckhead’s antique dealers have something for everyone “in the neighborhood.”

By Giannina Smith Bedford

BELVEDERE

Stylish mid-20th century furniture and decorations grace the floor of Belvedere, where owner Julia-Carr Bayler stocks items from her travels all over the world. “I buy things that I love and I buy pieces with a great profile that I can reimagine or transform and give them new life,” she COOL FIND: says. In busi- Vintage ness for 12 chandelier years, Bay- from Argentina ler moved refinished with aquaB e l v e d e r e marine beads (1940s).

Price: $5,800. to Miami Circle from the West Side two years ago. www.belvedereinc.com

They moved the business to Miami Circle in 1984, expanding to include English and French country furniture and English majolica pottery. After Barlow retired in 1991, Dearing’s two daughters joined the business; together the trio changed the store name to Dearing Antiques in 1994. Today, the shop remains true to its roots, continuing to sell American vintage wicker. “We try to have a lot in the shop, as it is so easy for designers to place in any home, whether a modern or older design is used,” Dearing says. www.dearingantiques.com

DEARING ANTIQUES

In 1977, Gail Dearing started her business out of her basement with partner Jeanne Barlow, selling vintage wicker furniture picked up on New England back roads. Soon after, the duo opened Heirloom Wicker inside a shop COOL FIND: Majolica plates from England called Atlanta Heirlooms (1900-1925). Price: $350. on Shadowlawn Avenue.

18

I

n each issue of Simply Buckhead, I have the pleasure of bringing you into the private home of a Buckhead resident for the “Simply Stylish” home feature. This month, I’m taking you on a journey of discovery to see where some of these savvy homeowners pick up their most treasured art pieces and antiques. With so many fabulous Buckhead antique stores located in places like Miami Circle and Bennett Street, I’m happy to say I didn’t have to travel far. While I am not a refined antiques aficionado, my newlywed status has given me a new appreciation for filling a home with heirloom pieces that can be passed down through generations. As I searched for special items that can turn my house into a stylish home, I am happy to say these one-of-a-kind merchants did not disappoint.

September/October 2011 | Simply Buckhead

COOL FIND: Porcelain over terra cotta vases from Spain. Price: $1,800 for the pair.

FOXGLOVES ANTIQUES & GALLERIES

Founded in a tiny cottage in Buckhead in 2000, Foxgloves Antiques moved to Miami Circle in 2003. Boasting an impressive 15,000-square-foot space, it offers items from more than a dozen international dealers who bring in French, English, Italian and Swedish items, among others. Roam the vast collections to discover everything from art and handmade jewelry to preserved floral arrangements. “Our specialty is offering a large selection of exceptional pieces—Foxgloves is truly one-stop shopping for busy designers and homeowners,” says owner Claudia Wyatt. www.foxgloveantiques.com

GRYPHON ANTIQUES

COOL FIND: Gold wood mirror carved by the Carvers Guild (1920s or 1930s).

Price: $2,650.

Walk into Gryphon Antiques and you’ll find a neverending room stuffed with historic treasures—from a neon Marlboro sign to a traditional grandfather clock. Owner David Cooper was one of the early arrivers on Miami Circle (he opened the shop in 1986), and he travels to New York and Pennsylvania to find unique items. He also often buys inventory from walk-ins. “We buy anything

ping, I am always looking for items that are unusual and of great quality.” A part of the interiors business for more than 30 years, Tribble has been on Miami Circle since 1984. www.jtribbleantiques.com

that we can make money on,” Cooper says. Although Gryphon doesn’t specialize in a particular type of antique, much of the inventory is European and American furniture and accessories. “We have a lot of repeat business and our prices aren’t exorbitant. We work with people on deals,” he says. www.gryphonantiques.com

LISA THOMPSON & ASSOCIATES, INC.

INTERIORS MARKET

Interiors Market’s 10,000-squarefoot showroom highlights the finds of nearly 40 antique dealers, including names like Bill Cook of Vermilion Design.

Operating on Bennett Street for COOL FIND: French oyster 18 years, the wareserving dish house-like shop (circa 1890). mixes a variety of Price: $130. decorative accessories and lighting with furniture sourced from around the globe. Items include everything from an early 19th-century Japanese screen to a French tea caddy. Although the majority of the store’s business comes from designers, manager Milton Roberts says they also see several out-of-town clients and are open to the public. www.interiorsmarket.com

JOSEPH KONRAD ANTIQUES

Joseph Konrad houses English and European antiques as well as an array of custom lamps. It was one of the first showrooms to move to Miami Circle in the early 1980s, says shop co-owner Channing Mercer, who purchased the store with Lloyd Chapman in 1997.

(The business was founded under the name Arthur Cobb in 1950, then be-

COOL FIND: Bamboo hall stand from England (circa 1870). Price: $1,150.

came Joseph Konrad in 1977.) “Over the years, we have established a loyal network of dealers in England, France and Italy, so the majority of our inventory is purchased from them,” Channing says. www.josephkonrad.com

The English country ambiance in Lisa Thompson & Associates Inc. takes its influence from owner Lisa Thompson’s childhood in the Piedmont area of North Carolina. From antiques to lighting to accessories, much of the inventory is classic traditional and stresses a casual design style. “We do love mixing old with new, and we are all about it being comfortable and livable,” Thompson says.

Though she has suppliers throughout the country, much of Thompson’s inventory comes from the Northeast and Midwest. Serving the interior design community since 1988, the Miami Circle showroom opened in 1990 and has undergone several expansions and relocations. www.lisathompson.net

J. TRIBBLE ANTIQUES

Specializing in custom kitchens and bathrooms, J. Tribble Antiques on Miami Circle also stocks one-of-a-kind art deco and African antiques. Its sink bases and cabinets are made in the United States and the two-level showroom is adorned with art and ornate mirrors, many of which are imported from Hungary, Italy and England. “I select all merchandise, usually in person,” says owner John Tribble, COOL FIND: Walnut-veneer who studied at art deco server Sotheby’s Instifrom Hungary tute in London. (circa 1920).

“When shopPrice: $7,500.

COOL FIND: Reproduction of an antique hanging lantern. Price: $445.

COOL FIND: Anglo-Indian revival handmade inlaid bone chair purchased from a Georgia estate (circa 1920). Price: $995.

broad and changes constantly,” says Janet Williams, marketing director. www.peachtreebattleantiques.com

THE GABLES ANTIQUES

In 1978, Suzanne Cox opened The Gables Antiques in a house across from Bones Restaurant in Buckhead.

Ten years later, she moved to Miami Circle and has been there ever since.

“We’ve evolved over that time in response to what our customers want,” Cox says. Showcasing 18th- and 19thcentury country French furniture and accessories, Gables also highlights antique Chinese porcelain and items from England. Its 9,000-square-foot showroom is decorated in antique tapestries, mirrors, artifacts and more. “I do all the buying myself … I go over every few months and travel to different parts of France or wherever and go through thousands and thousands of items to pick the pieces that I think our customers would like the best,” Cox says. “We are looking for pieces that are not only beautiful to look at, but possibly have a story behind them.” www.thegablesantiques.com

Photos by Giannina Smith Bedford

PEACHTREE BATTLE ANTIQUES & INTERIORS

Peachtree Battle Antiques & Interiors opened Jan. 1 in a charming building built in 1904—one of the last surviving brick storefronts on Peachtree Road. Owned by Robert Ahlers of 14th Street Antiques Market and Black Bear Antiques in Ellijay, the shop features a mix of antiques— from sterling silver and porcelain to art and lighting—as well as trendy décor picked up by 65 dealers who source items from around the world.

“They are among the best dealers in the Southeast, so our stock is varied,

COOL FIND: Napoleon III silk embroidered travel pouch from France (1800s).

Price: $1,400.

Continued >>

September/October 2011 | Simply Buckhead

19

SI MPLY STYLI SH H OME

Continued from page 19

THE LAMP SHOPPE

Known for its services in antique lighting restoration, rewiring and chandelier refurbishing, The Lamp Shoppe can also convert European lighting systems for use in America.

“Bring it in and we convert it. We are always up for challenges,” says shop co-owner Stephen Cobb. Situated on Miami Circle for nearly seven years, the shop also retails rare antique lamps and U.S.-made custom shades. Acquiring much of its inventory through local pickers, COOL FIND: Postage scale lamp from Maine with original custom shade (1920s or 1930s). Price: $895.

Cobb says he always keeps an eye out for rare pieces. “Finer lamps are what we are looking for,” he says. www.miamicircleshops.info

THE NICHOLSON GALLERY

Offering a mix of 19th-century European furniture with contemporary and mid-century industrial pieces, The Nicholson Gallery also showcases accessories and paintings from local artists. Although the shop has been on Miami Circle for seven years, owner Martha Nicholson has been in the business for more than two decades. She says she gets much of her inventory in Europe: “I just pick what I like. We are very eclectic and have anything from antiques to repurposed pieces, to vintage, to industrial, to modern, to traditional—you name it.” www.thenicholsongallery.com COOL FIND: Green vintage bistro chairs from Europe (1920s or 1930s).

Price: $250 each.

Three others to check out •

•

•

20

September/October 2011 | Simply Buckhead

Angora Rug Couture: The walls of this Miami Circle shop are draped in Turkish rugs of various colors and sizes. It retails reproductions of late 19th- and early 20th-century Oushak rugs, which are handmade in Turkey using vegetable dyes and handspun Angora wool. www.angorarug.com Fabulous Things Ltd.: Though it began by specializing in hand-painted pillows, Fabulous Things has grown to offer one-of-a-kind home furnishings. In its showroom on Bennett Street, patrons can examine everything from antiques to handcrafted artwork. www.bennettstreets.com/fabulous-things.php My French Chateau: Lee Scott, a designer with an eye for French style, chooses the inventory at this shop on Miami Circle. From French antiques and impressionistic paintings to provincial accessories and historical textiles, you can find it here. www.myfrenchchateau.com

S IMP LY STY LIS H W E L L N E SS

Child’s play Buckhead workouts that don’t feel like work Blast off

By Jennifer Bradley Franklin

R

emember being a kid, when running around, dancing and hula hooping was just plain fun? As adults, we tend to think of working out as a chore and measure physical activity by calories burned.

Here, Simply Buckhead explores nearby exercise classes that will have you feeling like a kid again.

Pure joy Children seem to have endless energy, constantly dancing and skipping for the sheer thrill of moving around, never realizing what great exercise it is. Buckhead’s Pure Barre studio is helping clients get that same workout while having a blast jamming to oldschool Michael Jackson and current pop tunes. Each 55-minute class ($26 for a single class, packages available) is targeted toward developing strength and endurance, but without bulk. Each area of the body—arms, core, seat, legs—is worked with isometric exercises and then immediately stretched.

All of the steps are described in “normal” terms, so no dance background is required. Pure Barre makes the bold claim that students will see results within just 10 classes, and owner Sarah Moats recommends three classes per week to jump-start progress. She says, “Best of all, each class is slightly different and set to a mix of current music, so you will hardly notice how much your muscles are burning and shaking!”

Rebecca DeShon teaches hula hooping as an exercise, helping clients burn up to 100 calories per 10 minutes. Tim Pattison

n Pure Barre Buckhead

3145 Peachtree Rd. NE Atlanta 30305 404.550.8542 www.purebarre.com

Hooping it up Hula-hooping was the perfect childhood activity—challenging, fun and competitive. Now, it’s a certifiable workout. Local hula-hoop guru Rebecca DeShon started hooping three years ago and is a Hoopnotica-certified instructor, which means she’s allowed to teach this pastime as an exercise. And what an exercise it is: Turns out, the act of swinging your hips back and forth while keeping a hoop up around your waist can burn up to 100 calories per ten minutes, whittle your

For most kids, P.E. is their favorite class of the day, a welcome reprieve from more academic endeavors. Now Buckhead resident Missi Wolf is bringing P.E. to adults—with transformative results. A few years ago, when Wolf ’s scales tipped at 206 pounds, she knew she had to do something drastic to get her health back on track. Fast forward to 2008: Wolf lost 100 pounds and BLAST900 was born.

BLAST stands for Balanced Levels of Aerobic and Strength Training, and the hour-long class ($28 for a single clas, purportedly able to burn up to 900 calories) includes short intervals of whole-body strength training alternating with time on the treadmill tailored for runners, joggers and walkers—basically hard-core P.E. “After my success, I wanted to find a way to bring the benefits of health and fitness to the greater Atlanta community,” Wolf says. “BLAST evolved through my own personal journey.” No two classes are just alike, but the format ensures you’ll always get 30 minutes each of cardio and strength training. You’ll even feel a bit pampered, as there’s an attendant ready to make sure you have a fresh towel and a full bottle of water throughout the entire workout.

n Hoop Essence at Pera Dance

Make like it’s dance class at Buckhead’s Pure Barre. Pure Barre

1015-B Collier Rd. NW Atlanta 30318

core and improve your coordination.

DeShon explains, “It’s also a mental workout. A lot of people compare it to yoga, since it requires a similar level of concentration. It’s a healthy obsession.” Each class ($12 for a drop-in) is set to an energetic playlist that includes pop, classic rock and hip-hop, and each student uses one of DeShon’s pretty, lightweight, handcrafted hoops.

404.431.8876 www.hoopessence.com n Blast 900

56 E Andrews Dr. NW, Ste. 11 Atlanta 30305 404.841.5430 www.blast900.com It’s P.E. all over again at BLAST900.

September/October 2011 | Simply Buckhead

21

Dazzling Smiles

®

770-993-9217 Located in the heart of buckhead

Michaela McKenzie, DDS American sterling flatware Replace missing pieces Add place settings Over 1,200 new & used patterns • Large selection of sterling holloware & gifts • Bridal Registry

Free Custom Bleach Trays ($350 value) or Free Cosmetic Veneer consultation

with comprehensive exam, periodontal charting, regular cleaning and full mouth x-rays for

only $290.00

Atlanta’s premier source for fine sterling silver

404.261.4009 / 800.270.4009 3164 Peachtree Rd, NE Atlanta, GA 30305 sterlingsilver@beverlybremer.com www.beverlybremer.com

We buy sterling silver.

Careful appraisal for maximum value.

Have that Dazzling smile you’ve always dreamed of!

Two Play Dates... One Smart Place to PLAY! DazzlingSmiles_4th.indd

#1 e t a D Play Through

th

ber 18 Septem

1

Play Da Opens O

www.childrensmuseumatlanta.org 22

September/October 2011 | Simply Buckhead

9/1/10

te #2

ctober 1

st

7:15:45 A

S IMP LY STY LIS H FAS HION

Style secrets Local fashion experts share tips for looking great and keeping your closet current

By Elsa K. Simcik

W

e all know that behind every gorgeous celebrity is a savvy stylist. But you don’t have to be an actress or reality star to utilize the services of a fashion pro. We found some right here in Atlanta, all ready to help you shop, dress and revamp your wardrobe. We chatted with three “image consultants” to find out how even us regular folks can look our best. We also asked them to weigh in on Buckhead’s hottest fall trends.

Thom Milkovic

Anne Almasy

Allison Shirreffs

Where the pros go The image consultants share their favorite places to shop in Buckhead.

Lauren Lefevre

Drew Sisselman

Kris Woodard

n Less is more: “The less you have in your closet, the more you’ll feel like you have. As long as everything fits you well and everything is in line with your current style, you’ll feel like you have more outfit options, which will make it easier to get dressed.”

n The importance of unmentionables: “The single biggest thing that can make or break a woman’s outfit is probably undergarments—mostly the bra.” Sisselman insists that his female clients spend about $300 on bras that fit at Intimacy at Phipps Plaza before spending a dime with him.

n Fashion faux pas: Ill-fitting clothes, says Woodard. For instance, if a man’s suit jacket is too tight, it pulls across the back. If it’s too big in the chest, “you look like you borrowed your dad’s suit.” If a woman tries on a shirt and there is visible gaping between the buttonholes, “then this is not the size for you.”

But if it’s too large, it can actually add pounds to her appearance. “The key to fit is being patient, choosing carefully, and being open to having alterations done.”

Edit by Lauren www.editbylauren.com

n Behind closet doors: “Everyone has items that they bought on a whim or haven’t worn in years that they don’t know how to mix and match.” During a wardrobe consultation, Lefevre takes pieces like these and tries to create 10 to 20 new outfits out of clothes the client already has. n Sorting through styles: “If something doesn’t make you feel your best, go ahead and get rid of it.”

n Shopping tips: At the mall, just like at the grocery store, stick to your list. “Don’t buy anything, no matter how good a deal it is, if you don’t really need it.”

n Buckhead trends: “I see a lot of people taking a casual jeans and Tshirt outfit and dressing it up with jewelry and a pair of heels.”

Drew Sisselman Image Consulting www.drewsisselman.com

n Men’s must-haves: Sisselman says men need to step up their style quotient with a fashion-forward or at least current shoe wardrobe. “Ask any woman, and she’ll tell you that if a guy has on really bad shoes, he’s invisible.” n Quality over quantity: “Buy the quality stuff. Don’t buy the stuff that’s not quality just because it’s on sale.”

n Buckhead trends: Sisselman says for fall we’ll see lots of trench coat-style jackets on women, as well as fitted dresses. Men will be spotted in 1960s looks with sleek suits and thinner-notched lapels.

Kris Cole Image Consulting www.kriscole.com

n Wardrobe revamping: “Don’t be afraid to add color.” But start gradually, she advises, with colored accessories, a handbag, shoes or a top.

n Closet staples: In Woodard’s opinion, everyone needs a white button-up shirt and a great structured blazer or sports coat. But don’t forget your feet. Woodard also suggests “a comfy espadrille, a super-cute flat for ladies or slip-on for men, and a sexy pump.”

n Buckhead trends: According to Woodard, the trends in Buckhead are similar to trends in other fashionforward cities. She sees bright color blocking, retro 1950s and 1960s silhouettes and high-waisted pants.

Sage: “I like Sage for fun, affordable, trendy items,” Woodard says. Lefevre agrees: “Their stuff is unique and they have a mix of price points.” 37D West Paces Ferry Road, www.sageclothing. com Ann Fontaine: Sisselman loves the store’s classic button-up white blouse. “It’s wonderful to create an outfit around. I don’t care if a client only buys one.” In Phipps Plaza, www.annefontaine.com Emerlyn and Ester: It’s a “fabulous new boutique that has superexclusive lines and designers. They even have a consignment area upstairs,” Woodard says. 3209 Paces Ferry Place NW, Suite 7, www.emerlynandester.com Nordstrom: Lefevre spends a lot of time at this popular department store because “their customer service hands-down is the best.” In Phipps Plaza, www.nordstrom.com Jeffrey: This boutique, which only has two locations—the other one is in New York—is where Sisselman finds great shoes for his clients. In Phipps Plaza, www.jeffreynewyork.com

September/October 2011 | Simply Buckhead

23

Coming up next ®

Adapted and Directed by Michael Haverty

© Center for Puppetry Arts

Your Personal Sanctuary is Just Steps Away.

at the

Now through Sep 18 It’s not easy being different. Just ask the Ugly Duckling, a newly hatched bird who sets off to explore the wonders of the pond and ends up finding his true self.

By Dragon Art Studio of Portland, OR

Sept 21 - Oct 2 Ancient Chinese stories of compassion, consideration, and the greatest ping pong match of all time are told through beautiful imagery and surprising effects.

Courtesy of Dragon Art Studio

Courtesy of Teatro SEA

By Teatro SEA of Puerto Rico and NY ual Bilingction: Produ h and Spanisglish En

Oct 5 - 16

When Martina discovers a penny and buys a tin of face powder, suddenly everyone wants to marry her! This Latino rock ’n’ roll musical will have you laughing and singing along.

Ccourtesy of Frogtown Mountain Puppeteers

The Headless Horseman of

Sleepy Hollow

By Frogtown Mountain Puppeteers of Bar Harbor, ME

Oct 18 - 30

Call Today for Your Complimentary Backyard Consultation North Atlanta’s new Home to Hot Spring Spas

770.932.9061

In this comedic version of the classic Washington Irving tale, schoolteacher Ichabod Crane helps the Headless Horseman find a new head and a spookier image!

404.873.3391 • www.puppet.org 1404 Spring Street NW, Atlanta, GA 30309

Limited FREE Parking • MARTA Accessible

Advance purchase is highly recommended.

3480 Financial Center Way, Buford GA 30519

www.georgiaspacompany.com

24

September/October 2011 | Simply Buckhead

Season supported in part by: Fulton County Arts Council, Georgia Council for the Arts, National Endowment for the Arts, City of Atlanta Office of Cultural Affairs

Family Series supported in part by:

A RT V I E W | O N S TA G E | L I T E R A RY

Simply Arts&Entertainment Onstage

“I think Brookwood Hills is the coolest place on earth.”

— Susan Booth, artistic director of the Alliance Theatre, “It’s Heavenly!” Page 26

Susan Booth at the Alliance Theatre. Greg Mooney September/October 2011 | Simply Buckhead

25

S IMP LY A & E ON STAGE

“It’s heavenly!”

Alliance Theatre director livin’ in Brookwood Hills and lovin’ it

By Wendell Brock

NEXT UP: “INTO THE WOODS”

en years ago, a chill, smart Chicagoan came to town to run the Alliance Theatre. Susan Booth had never lived outside the Midwest, didn’t know Atlanta very well and was on a serious mandate to produce exciting new work that would put the Woodruff Arts Center playhouse on the national map. And then a funny thing happened—something that seems to surprise her even now.

This consummate urban dweller from the Windy City fell in love with her adopted hometown—its balmy summers, green-canopied, kid-friendly neighborhoods and endless retailtherapy options. And the Alliance artistic director became a self-professed “annoying zealot” for her Buckhead neighborhood. “I think Brookwood Hills is the coolest place on earth,” says Booth, who lives in the community with her husband, Max Leventhal, and their 7-year-old daughter, Moira, with whom she shares a passion for malls and mani-pedis. Booth marvels that her ’hood is like a small town and a big city all in one. “It’s not an either/or scenario,” she says. “I get all the family-friendly choices of what would be a suburban neighborhood, and R. Thomas is across the street.”

Oh, yeah. We should probably mention that Booth has found professional fulfillment in Atlanta, too. In a single, briskly paced decade, she’s built powerful connections with Atlanta playwrights Pearl Cleage and Janece Shaffer; established the theater’s nationally acclaimed Kendeda Graduate Playwriting Competition; and brought home the Alliance’s Tony Award for sustained excellence in regional theater. For her 10th anniversary season, she will direct Stephen Sondheim’s “Into the Woods” (Aug. 31-Oct. 2, 2011) and the world premiere of the Stephen King/John Mellencamp musical, “Ghost Brothers of Darkland County” (April 4-May 13, 2012). We recently checked in with Booth in her Woodruff office as Moira attended her first-ever Alliance theater camp downstairs. Both had impeccable pedicures.

Alliance Theatre 1280 Peachtree St. NE Atlanta 30309

T

26

404.733.5000 www.alliancetheatre.org

Alliance Theatre Artistic Director Susan Booth with the theater’s Tony Award for sustained excellence in regional theater.

Greg Mooney

What are some of the highlights of your first 10 years?

A recent one: “August: Osage County” was joyful, truly joyful. [She directed Tracy Letts’ Pulitzer Prize winner as her 2010-2011 season finale, with a cast of Atlanta all-stars.] …. I don’t remember which year, but there was this moment when all of the sudden this National Playwriting Competition started to bake and we realized, “This is real. This is permanent. This is in our DNA.” And that was huge.

What else?

Working with Pearl Cleage. Here’s somebody I had always respected, I was hugely enamored of. On our first project together [Cleage’s “The Nacirema Society Requests the Honor of Your Presence at a Celebration of Their First One Hundred Years”], we were in Montgomery, Ala., and my father died in the middle of the process. … With anybody else by my side, I could look at that project and think, “That was a hard time.” But it was a pretty glorious adventure. I had to leave rehearsals for a few days, and Pearl just seamlessly stepped in. And I’m just totally screwed if she decides to become a director, because she’s really good.

September/October 2011 | Simply Buckhead

You’ve said you wanted to do “Into the Woods” for your daughter. Tell us why.

My kid shares me with my job in a unique way. I travel a lot. I often work weekends. I often have days that start early and go late. And don’t get me wrong: I’m dead lucky. I love my job.

But what I do for a living sometimes takes me way from my kid, and I wanted to give my daughter a present.

The first time you hear “Children Will Listen” [a cautionary song for parents from the fairy-tale inspired musical] and really pay attention to the lyrics as a parent, it moves you on a completely different level. And I think “parent” is a big term. I think there are genetic parents; I think there are mentor parents. But anybody who has had a young person dependent upon them and has screwed it up at all listens to that song and listens to the lessons of this piece of theater. Everything you do is watched by the next generation.

Every behavior, every utterance has impact. That’s terrifying! There’s such responsibility there, and we take it way too lightly.

Can we talk about Buckhead?

It’s heavenly; it really is. I love that I can live in an intown neighborhood that is so family-centric and kidfriendly. Where you hang out on your back deck and you shout out to the person next door on their back deck.

Our 4th of July tradition involves all the kids in our neighborhood decorating their bikes and scooters and we do a parade.

I think the best piece of performance art that Atlanta has to offer is the Peachtree Road Race. I love the fact that you get this kind of running tour of Atlanta’s neighborhoods as you go. You have the folks right up at the

These are a few of her favorite things (Writer’s note: After Booth rattled off her Buckhead best list, her husband, Max Leventhal, walked in and echoed her sentiments to the letter.)

For romance: Woodfire Grill. Susan: “One of my great socializing date nights with Max is sitting at the bar of the Woodfire Grill. We take the iPad and play Scrabble.”

For the family: Houston’s. (Susan: “Our guilty pleasure.”) And Ted’s Montana Grill.

(Susan: “We spend a lot of Sunday nights there.”)

For entertaining: Buckhead Diner. Max: “We took Tim Rice there, and he loved it.”

Susan: “We took Twyla Tharp.”

For jewelry: Topaz Gallery of Buckhead.

“Very dangerous,” says Susan, fondling a pair of Louise Norrell handcrafted gold earrings with bronze freshwater pearls.

“These were a gift that I just bought for myself.” Max: “You don’t even ask the prices. You fall in love with the stuff, and then you figure out, ‘Can I do this or not?’”

For clothes: Susan: “If I am feeling decadent, like I am going to spend some serious money on clothes, I go into Tootsies.”

For community arts: Trinity Presbyterian Church. Susan: “It’s a Presbyterian church with this deep, deep commitment to the arts. I mean, Norman Mackenzie [director of the world-famous Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Chorus] is their music director; you don’t get better than that.”

start—I guess the Buckhead epicenter.

And then you get the Garden Hills folks. Then you get the Peachtree Battle folks. Then you get the Brookwood Hills folks. Then you start moving into Midtown. It’s like a religious experience running that race.

S IMP LY A & E A RT VIE W

Old passion, new career Painting parties give Karen Johnston new ways to share her talents with Buckhead residents

By H.M. Cauley

A

rt has long been touted as a therapeutic and relaxing activity, but it’s one that many people don’t consider doing because they’re just not that good at it. Karen Johnston is changing that mindset.

The former kitchen and bath designer with an artistic background has moved on from recreating home interiors to reshaping the way people approach art. At her Van Gogh 2 Go parties, she guides novices through a no-pressure process of creating a personal work of art in one sitting.

“People come out, have an enjoyable experience and then have something they can take home and put on their walls,” Johnston says. “I never make anybody do anything they don’t want to. And everybody’s piece turns out

differently.”

Johnston or404.819.0123 ganizes the paint www.vangoghparties on de2go.com mand in any location and spreads the word about her services through local organizations such as the Buckhead Business Association and Young Bucks.

Dunwoody resident Debra Lang heard about a class through friends and signed up for a session where she created a personal “masterpiece” in a few hours.

“It looked even better after two glasses of wine,” Lang says with a laugh. “I didn’t know anyone there when we started, but it didn’t matter; we were soon commenting on each other’s work. I had such a good time, and my friends were so impressed that VAN GOGH 2 GO

now they want to do it, too.”

Each class costs about $35 per person, and Johnston provides all the supplies while the hosts furnish the wine and food. Participants do the rest, from selecting the painting they all want to work on to mixing the paints.

Johnston then leads them through the process step by step, offering plenty of one-on-one instruction and encouragement. In the course of a few hours, aspiring artists of all ages and talent levels create their own canvas works of art.

“In this economy, people won’t spend a lot of money on art, but they will spend smaller amounts on entertainment,” says Johnston. “And after one of my parties, they go home with something they’ve done themselves.”

Johnston’s idea for a traveling art class took off earlier this year, when a

friend arranged for her to host a party with members of her Sunday school class from Peachtree Presbyterian. Fifteen would-be Van Goghs gathered at a local wine store and had such a blast that word soon spread, and Johnston was in demand.

Van Gogh 2 Go has given Johnston, a UGA graphic design grad with a lifelong passion for painting, the chance to share her creative talents with people who may have never picked up a brush. But at the same time, she’s committed to making her classes a relaxing social experience as well.

“In this society, with everyone sitting behind their computers, there’s such a need to socialize and have fun with other people,” she says. “It’s all about having a good time and feeling proud about what they’ve done.”

Above: Artist Karen Johnston (center) gives tips to Dunwoody North Driving Club party painters Shannon Alexander Mothershed (left) and Kirsten Fitzgerald (right).

Left: Students at a Total Wine Dunwoody party earlier this year.

September/October 2011 | Simply Buckhead

27

SIMPLY STYLISH

www.vespermann-coopergallery.com

www.thenicholsongallery.com

The Lamp Shoppe

www.nottinghamantiques.com

www.thegablesantiques.com

28

September/October 2011 | Simply Buckhead

www.foxgloveantiques.com blog.foxgloveantiques.com

www.specialtytile.com

Dearing Antiques

William Word Fine Antiques

www.dearingantiques.com

www.williamwordantiques.com

My French Chateau www.lisathompson.net

www.myfrenchchateau.com www.frenchchateau.blogspot.com

www.angorarug.com

DESIGN. SHOP. EAT. IT’S ALL HERE. September/October 2011 | Simply Buckhead

29

S IMP LY NOW LI TERARY

The gift of reading

SKINCARE

A number of Buckhead residents give their time to Literacy Volunteers of Atlanta

Basic literacy student Nannie Sue Birk and her tutor, Buckhead resident Perry Mitchell.

By H.M. Cauley

J

any Brown is part of an organization she wishes didn’t have to exist. For 14 years, the account vice president of UBS Financial Services in Buckhead has served with Decatur-based Literacy Volunteers of Atlanta, a metro-wide nonprofit that recently marked 25 years of teaching adults to read. “My grandmother, who recently passed away, was a reading teacher for 40 years, and she taught me to read at an early age,” Brown recalls. “It’s always been a part of my life.

I cannot imagine not being able to fall asleep at night with a good book or to sit down with a magazine. I want to share that same pleasure with people who can’t.”

Brown is one of approximately 600 volunteers across the city who work in classrooms and one-on-one settings with about 800 adults to improve their reading skills. But they don’t just stop there; the group also leads free English sessions for non-native speakers and citizenship studies.

“We’re teaching reading from the level you teach a small child,” explains Executive Director Victoria Kingsland. “It’s the way we all learned to 30

September/October 2011 | Simply Buckhead

LITERACY VOLUNTEERS OF ATLANTA 246 Sycamore St., Ste. 110 Decatur 30030 404.377.READ www.lvama.org

read, using phonetics and rhyming.”

It’s a tough job, Kingsland notes, but one that doesn’t require a certain skill set. “Some of our best teachers have never taught a day in their lives,” she says. “They come in with passion and commitment to help adult learners.”

When Buckhead native Perry Mitchell retired five years ago from his job as creative director of an Atlanta firm, he signed on to be a literacy tutor. He says he thought he would be opening the door for others to fall in love with literary classics, but he found he was actually creating even more fundamental opportunities. “Imagine not being able to read a street address or the label on a medicine bottle, or to go to the store and not know what’s on sale and what isn’t—that’s the stuff you really teach,” he says. “If a student came and told me they just read Huckleberry Finn, I’d die of happiness, but the reward is teaching someone

not to be afraid to open their mail because they can’t read it.”

The need for volunteers continues to grow. It’s not unusual to have 30 students in a class with a waiting list, Kingsland says. While most of the meetings are held in the group’s Decatur offices, Kingsland is always looking for new locations to serve the city’s low-literacy population, and volunteers are welcome to set up tutoring sessions in local libraries or churches.

“About 27 percent of the metropolitan population—one-third—is lowliterate,” says Brown. “Our target, the people we teach, read at a fifth-grade level or below. I want to put us out of business, but at the same time, I’m glad, after 25 years, we’re still doing what we do. There’s still a tremendous need.”

You can help Becoming a literacy volunteer doesn’t require teaching or tutoring experience. The organization’s staff offers training, teaching materials and support. Tutors can arrange one-on-one sessions with students at times that fit their schedules and at locations close to their homes.

R E V I E W | F O O D I E J O U R NA L | W I N E | TA S T E M A K E R | R E S TAU R A N T S

Simply Delicious Restaurant Review

“I’m sated.

I’m saucesplashed.

I need a moist towelette and a nap.”

— Wendell Brock, “Cue the ’cue” Page 32

Left: One Star Ranch baby-back ribs with corn on the cob and baked beans; right: The Pig-N-Chik pulled-pork plate with mac and cheese and slaw.

Sara Hanna Photography - www.SaraHanna.com

September/October 2011 | Simply Buckhead

31

S IMP LY D EL I C IOUS RE VIE W

Cue the ’cue Surveying two of Buckhead’s pitmasters

By Wendell Brock

L Top: onion rings with Lone Star beer; middle: Baby-back ribs with corn on the cob and baked beans; bottom: One Star Ranch has a full bar covered with old car tags.

Photos by Sara Hanna Photography www.SaraHanna.com

ONE STAR RANCH 25 Irby Avenue NW Atlanta 30305 404.233.7644 www.onestarranch.com Bottom line: Neighborhood gem with a delightful atmosphere.

32

September/October 2011 | Simply Buckhead

ike an old-fashioned country pig pull with all the fixins’, Atlanta has become a sauced-up embarrassment of riches in the barbecue department.

From north to south, we are a pot-bellied sprawl of destination pit stops. Fox Bros Bar-B-Q has put some meat on the bones of skinny Little Five Points. Swallow at the Hollow has given Roswell a little twang. Buckhead, on the other hand, has plenty of fine-dining flash but not a whole lot of barbecue sizzle. Still, I am not one to be deterred from a good barbecue fix, so I recently strapped on my bib and took my smoke-sniffing snout on a tour of the ’hood. Happily, I rooted up a couple of joints that gave me something to squeal about: One Star Ranch, a Texas-style rib shack in central Buckhead, has a killer atmosphere, fun vibe and tasty vittles. Pig-N-Chik, up Roswell Road in the Fountain Oaks Shopping Center, serves up definitive, Southern-style pig. Both One Star and Pig-N-Chik are casual, family-friendly places; both do brisk business at lunch, serve the same menu all day and lure you in with the seductive smell of smoke. But the two do have some differences. Here’s my ’cue card: One Star Ranch

According to owner Frank Bonk, the smokers at this 25-year-old Irby Avenue institution puff day and night.

And when I drive up to his venerated dive in the heart of Buckhead, I believe him with every bit of my ’cue-loving soul. Before I can park, the sweet,

heavenly aroma of long-cooked meat has invaded my tightly sealed, airconditioned car. No wonder this place has such longevity. Blow that kind of smoke up a neighborhood’s skirt, and it will notice.

Bonk is often on hand to greet you at the front counter, where you can pick

up a validated parking slip for the lot across the street. Once you’ve returned to the restaurant, take a long whiff of that heady smoke and survey this authentic community hole, formerly known as the Rib Ranch. (The name changed in 2003 to differentiate the restaurant from Rib Ranch in Marietta, Bonk says.) Every imaginable inch of space, from the seven-stool bar to the sunny dining room off to the side, is covered with old car tags. You can’t fake this kind of atmosphere, Pardner.

You have to wait for it to be textured by time—kind of like the crusty char of long-cooked meat.

One Star is a reference to the Lone Star State (not the Michelin Guide) and Texas ’cue. Bonk says the brownsugar-and-ketchup-laced sauce is the recipe of his wife’s grandfather, who hailed from Texas. He’s right proud of the beef ribs, too. “We are the only place who does that cut in the Southeast,” he says of the elbow-to-wrist, Jurassic-size gnaw sticks. At $22.99 per order (including two sides), we decided to hold off on that indulgence but had a nice sampling of turkey, brisket and pork ribs. Now I like my brisket sliced to order, in long strips streaked with fat—central Texas style.

Here, it’s chopped and served without sauce. Honestly, it didn’t taste all that different from the meat on the chopped pork sandwich, which probably deserves better than a bland hamburger bun. The sauced pork ribs were passable and chewy but not falling-off-the-bone tender. A better bet might be the flavorful smoked turkey. My dining companion was crazy about the sweet, tangy, long-cooked baked beans and the heaping pile of fried onion rings (more like slivers, actually). Heavily spiked with salt and seasonings, they are just the thing to polish off with an ice-cold beer.

We like the laidback vibe of this place and the chatty, friendly servers.

There’s live blues on Friday and Saturday nights, and we’d love to come back, sit at the fabulous bar and sip a Texas ’rita or two. In the glare and gleam of Buckhead, it’s refreshing to find good grub and a little grit.

Pig-N-Chik, Roswell Road location

Co-owner Jim Graddy tells me he learned the art of the pit on his granddaddy’s pig farm in Manchester, Ga. Graddy remembers cooking whole hogs all night long over hot coals, and when I tear into his pulled-pork sandwich—a delicious pile of pink, smoke-

tinged meat between two thick slabs of white bread—I believe him with every beat of my piggy little heart. Graddy has proudly transported his family’s traditions to his casual Southern ’cue counter. Celebrating 10 years this November, Pig-N-Chik is a relative newcomer compared to One Star Ranch, but it has earned its place in the city’s barbecue hall of fame. (Graddy and his business partner, Bill Marrack, own a second Pig-N-Chik in Chamblee and just opened a third in the old Dusty’s Barbecue spot at Briarcliff and Clifton, near Emory.)

Hidden on the extreme left end of Fountain Oaks Shopping Center and wholly lacking in pretense, Pig-NChik has none of One Star’s classicdive décor; it has more of a suburban, Sandy Springs feel. There’s counter service only, plastic tablecloths, a few padded booths (and many more that are not), and an entire wall of Georgia Bulldog and Georgia Tech memorabilia.

And man, is the food good. Graddy can’t dig a pit in the ground or use the whole hog like his granddaddy did (too unwieldy and wasteful). But he cooks his meat nice and slow over hickory wood, and the smoke teases you before you enter the front door.

The pulled pork (shoulder butt) is definitive and needs little else, though you have three sauces to choose from: a thick, sweet and perfectly balanced ketchup-based concoction; a perky and acidic mustard-doused affair; and a North Carolina-style, vinegar-based solution with a red, gently fiery kick.

(These latter two have lots of spicy sediment, so give them a shake.) Dress that sammy up with some sides, and you’re in Southern barbecue heaven.

The fresh-tasting coleslaw (with just a little mayo) and excellent new potato salad are just the things to cut the richness of the succulent pork. Some other tasty go-withs are fried okra, long-cooked collards, mac and cheese and Brunswick stew. The smoky chicken and cold slices of turkey are also delicious, and you may also have wings, salads and nachos with ’cue.

No cocktails or wine are served, but you can order a cold one. And here’s a neighborhood-y touch that we love: Pig-N-Chik delivers to the area, including Buckhead, a service concept that Graddy traces back to his younger days at Domino’s Pizza.

Perhaps Buckhead isn’t such a barbecue wasteland after all. I’m sated.

I’m sauce-splashed. I need a moist towelette and a nap.

Top: Pork ribs with mac and cheese and slaw; middle: Redneck Nachos (fries smothered in cheddar cheese and topped with chunks of pork and BBQ sauce); bottom: The only booze you’ll find at Pig-N-Chik is beer.

PIG-N-CHIK 4920 Roswell Road, #45A Atlanta 30342 404.255.6368 www.pignchik.net (Also at 5071 Peachtree Industrial Boulevard and 1815 Briarcliff Road) Bottom line: They know their ’cue.

September/October 2011 | Simply Buckhead

33

From start to finish,

Sharp Mountain Vineyards wines are truly hand-crafted in the old-world fashion.

404.816.0603 3365 piedmont rd www.farmburger.net

770.735.1210

AWARD WINNING CUISINE. UNPARALLELED SERVICE.

Owned by: Ron & Jody Rathgeb

110 Rathgeb Trail, Jasper, GA 30143

ATLANTA FISH MARKET® SEAFOOD

sharpmountainvineyards.com

BISTRO NIKO® NEIGHBORHOOD FRENCH BISTRO

Enjoy Davio’s Northern Italian Steakhouse for specials and happenings all week long!

Stop by Mondays through Thursdays from 5:00 – 9:00 p.m. for half-priced appetizers from the bar menu and drink specials!

Indulge in Davio’s Executive Lunch, featuring a two-course menu for $14, Mondays through Saturdays from 11:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

BLUEPOINTE â„¢ ASIAN FUSION & SUSHI

BUCKHEAD DINER® NEW AMERICAN

CHOPS® LOBSTER BAR® PRIME STEAKS AND SEAFOOD

CORNER CAFÉ® EUROPEAN STYLE CAFÉ & BAKERY

KYMA â„¢ GREEK SEAFOOD

NAVA® SOUTHWESTERN PHOTO BY CORYOGRAPHIX PHOTOGRAPHY

PRICCI® CONTEMPORARY ITALIAN

VENI VIDI VICI® CLASSIC ITALIAN

103 WEST® PRIVATE EVENTS AND CATERING

for reservations call 404.237.2060 or visit www.buckheadrestaurants.com PHIPPS PLAZA, 3500 PEACHTREE RD, NE ATLANTA, GA 30326 :: PHONE: 404.844.4810

WWW.DAVIOS.COM/ATL

34

September/October 2011 | Simply Buckhead

S IMP LY D EL I C IOUS

Foodie Journal | Culinary News & Notes

By Jennifer Bradley Franklin

Dinner, a go-go

Let them eat pie!

The Pie Shop in Buckhead sells whole pies for $30 each.

M

ims Bledsoe likes things that don’t necessarily go together; that’s why the 27-year-old Atlanta native wanted an occupation that was feminine, traditional, nostalgic and totally novel. With these directives in mind, Pie Shop was born.

Bledsoe, a 10th-generation Atlantan, was pursuing a graduate degree in philosophy at the University of Georgia when she realized that she would rather work with her hands than sit behind a computer. She grew up around cookbooks by Julia Child and Atlanta’s Edna Lewis and watched as her stillliving 92-year-old grandmother fried pies, to the delight of her family.

When Bledsoe secured a commercial kitchen in Decatur in the summer of 2010, orders for pies of every variety began to pour in. Of her new Buckhead space—a combination kitchen and retail space with a small farm table where guests can enjoy their purchases—she says, “I’ve been excited to provide something that there’s clearly a market for. We’re staying busy.”

Flavors change every Tuesday based on the freshest ingredients available, and Bledsoe uses local produce when possible. Some recent flavors include

How many times do you leave work starving, only to realize there’s nothing in the fridge? If the constant flow of business at Morningside’s Casseroles is any indication, it’s a common predicament. Hunter Hanger (his real name, which he claims proves that his parents didn’t like him much) and his friendsturned-business partners Betsy McKay and John Brown offer ready-to-go trays of house-cooked dishes like chicken and biscuits, baked ziti with beef, eggplant parmesan, chicken divan, shrimp and grits and more. The list changes with the seasons (but always includes vegan and vegetarian options), with a focus on fresh herbs and low-sodium preparations. If you’re in a rush, call ahead and the staff will have your selection piping hot and ready to serve.

One thing that will always be on the Casseroles menu? Cobbler. “Our place was once a cobbler shop, and apparently the cobbler still haunts our space—we hear him all the time,” Hanger explains. “Out of respect to him, we will always have a seasonal cobbler on our menu.”

1393 N. Highland Ave., Ste. 4 (behind and underneath Rosebud) Atlanta 30306 404.228.3260 www.casserolesatlanta.com

Sweet Sonya PIE SHOP 3210 Roswell Rd. NW, Ste. E (around back) Atlanta 30305 404.841.4512 www.the-pie-shop.com

peach, blackberry, cherry-pear and banana cream, and there’s even a savory pie each week. (The day Simply Buckhead visited, the shop featured a savory summer squash pie with crispy cracker crust.) In the fall, look for pumpkin, apple (with tart apples from Mercier Orchards in Blue Ridge) and sweet potato, among other seasonal flavors.

Bledsoe and her team of bakers are happy to make something custom upon request, with 24 hours notice.

One Buckhead family brought in a bushel of fresh blueberries from their farm, which Pie Shop turned into blueberry pies for the family to pick up the next day. Slices are $4.60 and whole pies start at $30, and if you eat in the store, you’ll be offered either fresh, heavy cream or ice cream alongside your treat.

No doubt, life is sweet at Pie Shop.

If you’ve lived in Atlanta any length of time, you’ve heard of Chef Sonya Jones’ Sweet Auburn Bread Company and of the time then-President Bill Clinton sampled her famous sweet potato cheesecake, declaring it “really

good!” Now, Chef Sonya shares her culinary expertise and recipes in a beautifully photographed (and aptly named) cookbook, Sweet Auburn Desserts, available in September. Intrepid home cooks will get Chef Sonya’s secrets to making her signature treats like Blackberry Jam Jellyroll Cake, Peanut Butter Pound Cake, Raspberry Cream Pie, Naked Hummingbird Muffins and more.

Want an audience with the master baker-turned-author herself? Chef Sonya appears weekly at the Peachtree Road Farmers Market in Buckhead (www.peachtreeroadfarmersmarket. com), selling her baked goods each Saturday.

Get smashed It seems every time we turn around, another burger joint pops up in Buckhead.

Local places like Farm Burger (with its hyped new chef, Dan Latham), Grindhouse and Flip Burger go head to head, jostling for the attention of Atlanta’s taste buds. And now there’s another contender in town.

The first of 20 planned Atlanta Smashburgers opened in July on Sidney Marcus Boulevard, and it will no doubt win local fans with its neverfrozen Angus ground beef, hand-spun Häagen-Dazs milkshakes and freshly cut rosemary-garlic fries. The quickservice restaurant gets its curious name because each patty is rolled into a ball and “smashed” on the flat-top grill, and they’ve already included a nod to their new home city with the Atlanta Burger—a smashed patty topped with peach BBQ sauce, grilled jalapeños and Vidalia onion slaw.

2625 Piedmont Rd. Atlanta 30324 404.237.2374 www.smashburger.com

The BBQ, Bacon and Cheddar Burger at Smashburger: a burger topped with BBQ sauce, applewood smoked bacon, cheddar cheese and haystack onions on an egg bun.

September/October 2011 | Simply Buckhead

35

INDOOR ROCK CLIMBING! Whether you are a kid or just

ted Voanta’s l At Best!

a kid at heart, everyone loves to climb at Atlanta Rocks!

teAM BuILDING MeMBeRshIps DAILy RAtes sChOOLs GROups ®

pARtIes CLAsses

Want to try rock climbing, but don’t know how to get started? Check out Atlanta Rocks! Intown. With

CAMps

climate-controlled, year-round recreation and classes daily, climbers of all skill levels are welcome to join the fun. Located downtown, we have something for everyone, and no experience is necessary.

Winner!

AtLANtA ROCKs! INtOwN 1019 COLLIeR RD Nw, ste A, AtLANtA, GA 30318 404-351-3009 / www.AtLANtAROCKs.COM

36

September/October 2011 | Simply Buckhead

S IMP LY D EL IC IOUS W IN E FE ATURE

Of great import Alex Walters brings hard-to-find wines to the shelves of select local shops

By Katie Kelly Bell

I

’ve known Alex (formal name: Alejandro) Walters for years. He’s a rather incongruous combination of English and Argentinean—tall, Spanish-speaking, with English manners. And he’s a veritable salad bar of interests. When introducing him, I can never decide if I should mention the BA in architecture, PhD in economics from MIT, his Argentine heritage or that he’s owner of Austral Wine Merchants and imports some really amazing wine.

These days the wine importing overshadows the rest; his current portfolio of roughly 60 wines represents Italy, Portugal, Spain, Argentina and Chile.

All of his wines are crafted from small, privately owned wineries and sold at select merchants who specialize in hand-selling wines to customers, including Ansley Wine Merchants, Decatur Package and Mac’s Beer and Wine. “I like to keep the number of retailers I work with small in order to stay on top of what they need,” Walters says.

But what makes his portfolio especially unique is his Winery2U Program. Rather than just offer retailers a taste of his wines in the back storeroom, Walters invites them on his buying junkets. “When I travel

with my retailers, they often jump at wines I wouldn’t risk buying (based on my perceptions of demand),” Walters says. “But these guys know their market intimately and relish opportunities to offer something special to customers.” In fact, Walters observes, “bringing them with me on buying trips has resulted in a slew of new, unexpected wines to the Atlanta market.”

Right now Walters is most excited about his Spanish portfolio, where he sees the greatest values. “The Spanish have really cut back on their own wine consumption, so we are enjoying the consequences of their surplus,” he says.

He has been scouring the hills of Catalunya for delicious bargains, Southern Tuscany for riper-style Sangiovese, Chile for a value Pinot Noir and Argentina for luscious Malbecs. His research has netted a few surprises, such as Vermut Falset, a Catalunyan vermouth crafted by a 120-year-old winery (retail price: $18), and L’Equilibrista, a $25 rich, layered Priorat-style blend of Grenache, Carignan and Syrah that drinks like a $50 Napa Cabernet.

Walters’ nose for good value wines continues to impress me; just this summer he unveiled a lip-smacking delicious Qua Tempranillo Rosé box wine ($19.99 for three liters). Indeed, the wines he uncovers are as colorful and surprising as the man himself.

Alex Walters at Cellar 56 in Buckhead. Sara Hanna Photography - www.SaraHanna.com

Walters’ 2 Top Picks Now

1

Herbis Verdejo Viura 2009, $10: Verdejo from Rueda is the “in” white in Madrid restaurants and bars this summer, and this is a step up from your mass-produced Verdejo, with great intensity and flavors of passionfruit.

Fontallada Cava NV, $11: A lovely upgrade from the commercial mass-produced Cavas, this one received a gold medal from The Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America during their 2011 Tasting.

3

Humilitat 2008, $20: This authentic Priorat is a blend of Grenache and Carignan from some of the coolest areas of Priorat, and offers tremendous complexity and length for the money.

4

Casa Viva Pinot Noir 2010, $9: This Pinot Noir hails from Chile’s Casablanca Valley, close to the ocean, an ideal viticultural area for growing whites and delicate grapes like Pinot Noir. Loads of flavor for the money.

5

Divus Monastrell 2008, $20: Loaded with beautiful fruit, velvety and balanced, this is just a fabulous wine.

Buy Austral Wines at Ansley Wine Merchant’s, Decatur Package, and Mac’s Beer and Wine.

September/October 2011 | Simply Buckhead

37

SS RDS

U

R

L I NN H D O RE E LD C E

O

G

O W

R

Join us November 5 & 6, 2011 For the 3rd annual

Chastain Park Arts Festival

Chastain Park 4469 Stella Drive, Atlanta, Georgia 30327 (located by the Chastain Park Amphitheater : on Park Drive)

www.chastainparkar tsfestival.com 38

September/October 2011 | Simply Buckhead

DESIGN BY: BON KUMSAITONG

Saturday: 10am - 6pm Sunday: 11am - 5pm

S IMP LY D EL I C IOUS TAST E MA KER

By Wendell Brock

D

ale Donchey, a skinny guy with a wide grin and nerd glasses, stands behind the bar of an Emory Village coffee shop called Steady Hand Pour, conducting what looks like a chemistry experiment. His double-cylinder Chemex beaker holds a clean, white-paper filter filled with freshly ground coffee. Donchey lifts a $200, triple-walled, Japanese-made pour kettle over the waiting vessel, and a slow steady stream of hot water fills the cone. The coffee that drips into the bottom half of the carafe is the liquid endgame of Donchey’s quest for the perfect cup of Joe, a journey that has taken him from Atlanta to Australia and back again.

Since early this year, Donchey and his Steady Hand business partners, Jordan Chambers and Jamie Pair, have elevated the pedestrian coffee business to heady new heights. Every cup, hot or cold, is made to order, using intricate glassware and, occasionally, a tiny burner with an open flame. Yes, there’s espresso coffee, too, along with sipping chocolates, teas and AeroPress iced coffee. But one thing you don’t find here is pre-made coffee sitting stagnant in urns. It’s just not their thing.

Talking with the same geeky intensity that connoisseurs apply to wine, chocolate and beer, Donchey can be found behind this counter most days.

Chambers runs the mobile side of the business, Rattletrap ATL Street Coffee, out of a vintage ’82 Volkswagen van that the entrepreneurs bought off eBay for $4,000. Pair works in the film industry but can occasionally be spotted behind the bar or on the van.

After working at Method and Octane coffee in the same Emory Village storefront that houses Steady Hand, Donchey and Jordan traveled to Brisbane, Australia, last year to tweak their coffee knowledge with the world-famous Wolff Coffee Roasters. Returning to Atlanta, they rolled out Rattletrap in November. Soon afterward, they were offered the chance to take over Octane’s Emory location; after an extensive renovation, Steady Hand Pour House, which looks like a pub on the outside, opened Feb. 2.

But the quirky Rattletrap van remains a part of their identity. Serving espresso drinks and original chilled inventions like the Mexican Cocktail (espresso, Mexican Coca-Cola and vanilla) or Herbes de Provence Lemon-

Coffee chemists Java geeks search for the perfect cup

Dale Donchey is one of the three co-owners of Steady Hand Pour House, located in Emory Village. Renee Brock

ade, the van is part of the city’s lively street food scene that includes taco trucks, portable popsicles and Belgian fry-mongers. (You may chart Rattletrap’s treks on Facebook and Twitter, but if you want the fancy glassware service, you’ll have to visit Steady Hand.)

On a recent Monday afternoon, Chambers parks the Rattletrap van behind the brick-and-mortar building and takes over the bar for Donchey,

who huddles over a glass of iced coffee with jittery enthusiasm. Showmanship, Donchey admits, is part of the allure of their business. Once you’ve grabbed a caffeine seeker’s attention, he says, you can educate the initiate on the pleasures of a handcrafted cup.

“Chemex is flashy,” Donchey says. “It has a ‘look’ to it. Like it or not, you can catch someone’s eye. Then you can talk to them and actually teach them something.” A nice perk.

Even more over-the-top is the socalled siphon method, by which a tiny flame is used to ignite coffee magic within a pair of twin glass globes. “The siphon is double-chambered, but the brewing happens in the top portion,” Donchey explains. “Clean water is heated from the bottom into the top.

Coffee is added and brewed. Then the heat is removed and the final liquor is left in the bottom.” The process, invented in 1830s Berlin and popular into the mid-20th century, brings to mind what Sigmund Freud might have experienced if he frequented a Viennese coffee den. “You just have this really hot, deep rich coffee that has a lot of body to it,” Donchey says, “because you just pulled out a lot more oils.”

Do these sophisticated sips come at a cost? “Most of our coffees are based on actual market price. So if you think about when you go to a seafood restaurant and they say, ‘based on market price,’ that’s basically what we do,” Donchey says. Though coffee beans are at peak prices worldwide, Steady Hand maintains a $2.25 bargain cup, while a top-market beverage can cost $5.50.

Whether they’re poking their heads out of the van or chatting up a Steady Hand customer about the heady grace notes of a particular cup, this barista trio wants to engage the community in the pleasures of the bean. “We want to be like ‘Cheers,’ with tons of personality,” says Donchey of the hit TV show about a Boston bar. (Based on their hipster style, we might have guessed “Flight of the Conchords.”) “Yes, the drinks are great, and they are delicious, because that’s what we care about and that’s why we are doing this. But at the same time, we want conversations. We want to make friends with everybody that walks through that door.”

STEADY HAND POUR HOUSE 1593 North Decatur Rd. Atlanta 30307 404.687.5177 On Twitter: @steadyhand_atl RATTLETRAP ATL STREET COFFEE Look for the vintage Volkswagen van outside Sugar-Coated Radical (680 Drewry St.) on Sundays; at the Woodruff Arts Center (1280 Peachtree St.) on Mondays and at other Atlanta Street Food Coalition events. The best way to find them is on Twitter: @rattletrap_atl.

September/October 2011 | Simply Buckhead

39

S IM P LY DELI CI O US

Featured Restaurants | A sampling of great eats in and around Buckhead

By Jessie Bove SKINCARE n Fellini’s Pizza 2809 Peachtree Road Atlanta 30305 404.266.0082 www.fellinisatlanta.com Fellini’s Pizza consistently sits near the top of Atlanta’s lists of best pizza places, and with numerous locations across the city—including one in Buckhead— it’s both convenient and delicious. You can choose from a plethora of toppings, from Italian sausage, pepperoni and meatballs, to onions, fresh garlic, green peppers, feta cheese, spinach, broccoli, pineapple and more. We must admit, we’re slightly partial to Fellini’s mouthwatering white pizza, boasting mozzarella cheese, fresh garlic, oregano and ricotta cheese. You can also pick up salads and calzones to mix it up. Order by the slice or take home an entire pie to feed the family—just be sure to call ahead for carryout so you don’t have to wait.

Spotlight n Aria 490 East Paces Ferry Road Atlanta 30305 404.233.7673 www.aria-atl.com Some might argue that Aria is the quintessential fine-dining experience in Atlanta. Co-Owner and Head Chef Gerry Klaskala’s avant-garde take on upscale American cuisine offers a nightly changing menu that is full of intriguing twists and consistently excellent favorites. Whether you’re visiting Aria for the first time or for a repeat special occasion trip, signature dishes like the warm lobster cocktail and the Zinfandel-braised beef short ribs are sure to please. The restaurant even boasts its own dedicated pastry chef, Kathryn King, whose cult favorites include the Cross Creek Tangerine Panna Cotta and the Warm Chocolate Cheesecake. (If your mouth’s not watering yet, we think you don’t have a pulse.) Dining at Aria is truly a tour of culinary delights, with scrumptious offerings that will make you want to order one of everything on the menu. Now, how will you convince your significant other that a random Friday night totally counts as a special occasion? If you figure it out, please let us know!

n HAVEN 1441 Dresden Drive, Suite 160 Atlanta 30319 404.969.0700 www.havenrestaurant.com Located at the corner of Dresden and Appalachee Drives, HAVEN is an upscale urban eatery with a sexy atmosphere brought on by soft amber lighting and dark rustic woods. The restaurant is led by Chef Stephen Herman, who whips up modern American cuisine from his open kitchen, where diners can catch a glimpse of the action.

Wine lovers will be hypnotized by HAVEN’s Wine Library Wall, which spans floor to ceiling, showcasing red wines sourced from top vineyards across the country. The seasonal menu offers a selection of small plates, appetizers, salads and entrées, featuring creative comfort foods like grilled Berkshire pork, and applewood-smoked bacon grits and Parmesan tater tots as sides.

The restaurant also serves brunch on Sundays from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. n Terra Terroir Grille & Wine Patio 3974 Peachtree Road Atlanta 30319 404.841.1032 www.terragrille.com Head to Terra Terroir for true wining and dining—emphasis on the wining.

The restaurant offers an impressive wine list full of gems like the Dusky Goose pinot noir, plus a surprisingly affordable range of menu options. Enjoy delicious entrées like the key lime-chipotle shrimp with stone-ground grits,

40

September/October 2011 | Simply Buckhead

Lobster salad at Aria. George Sanchez

buffalo meatloaf with red pepper coulis or the vermentino-splashed sea bass, and wash it all down with a decadent glass of Aia Vecchia “Langone” sangiovese. Terra Terroir is known for hosting a litany of wine dinners and other special events, which you can learn about and make reservations for on their website. And despite its location in a strip mall on Peachtree Road (don’t let that fast-food joint out front scare you away), the restaurant actually boasts one of the most picturesque patios in Atlanta out back.

n Annie’s Thai Castle 3195 Roswell Road NW Atlanta 30305 404.264.9546 www.anniesthaicastle.com It’s not always easy to find a good Thai restaurant when you’re craving one, so put this Buckhead gem on your radar.

Annie’s Thai Castle, located off Roswell Road, is open for lunch Tuesday through Friday, and for dinner Tuesday through Sunday (closed on Mondays).

Stop by for lunch and sample tasty appetizers like chicken satay or a basil roll, and follow it up with ginger pork or chicken curry. Or make a dinner visit and start with the soft shell crab or the shrimp coconut soup. Then feast on

one of the entrées, like basil squid or chicken masaman with avocado. And there’s always the trusty fried rice if you aren’t feeling adventurous. n Davio’s Northern Italian Steakhouse 3500 Peachtree Road NE (Phipps Plaza) Atlanta 30326 404.844.4810 www.davios.com/atl/index.php Tucked into Phipps Plaza, Davio’s Northern Italian Steakhouse offers a nice respite after a long day of shopping, featuring hearty classic dishes and new Italian twists. The menu has a dizzying array of selections, which means that you’ll be hard-pressed not to find something you’ll like. Even better: There’s a gluten-free lunch and dinner menu to make dining out easy for the whole family. The restaurant also offers a wallet-friendly Sunday Family Dinner option, where dishes are served family-style—and it costs only $20 per adult and $10 for children ages 12 and under. n Food 101 4969 Roswell Road Atlanta 30342 404.497.9700 www.food101atlanta.com What’s not to love about Food 101?

Focusing on farm-to-table, cuttingedge Southern cuisine, as well as longtime favorites, the restaurant offers a schooling in American classics with a neighborhood twist. Located close to Chastain Park, Food 101 is a great spot to dine before a concert; you can also catch up with friends over its renowned brunch on Sunday mornings. On the dinner menu, don’t miss the ahi tuna tostadas appetizer, which could also work as a light entrée if you combine it with a side item. Executive Chef Justin Keith will make you feel warm and fuzzy with classics like Georgia wild shrimp and grits and the buttermilk fried chicken, but he’ll keep you on your toes with blackened fish tacos and the roasted leg of lamb sandwich. n Truffles Café 3345 Lenox Road NE Atlanta 30326 404.364.9050 www.trufflescafe.com Hilton Head, S.C.’s gourmet Truffles Café now has a Buckhead outpost near Lenox Square Mall—perfect for grabbing a quick bite mid-shopping or a breather from the office. The menu has plenty to offer, including staples like

soups, salads and sandwiches, as well as specialty dishes like the black bean burger or crab cakes. The café also features some 35 wines by the glass and specialty cocktails for those looking for a more potent treat. For dessert, don’t miss the chocolate peanut butter pie! n La Grotta Ristorante Italiano 2637 Peachtree Road NE Atlanta 30305 404.231.1368 www.lagrottaatlanta.com Overlooking a Buckhead garden, La Grotta Ristorante Italiano will pamper you with its warm, intimate ambiance.

The fine-dining establishment, led by Chef and Co-Owner Antonio Abizanda, boasts a menu brimming with classic Italian fare and other delicious creations—think risotto, veal and seafood specialties, plus an irresistible potato and fresh herb gnocchi. If you’re craving an Italian dish that’s not on the menu, simply ask or call ahead with your request and La Grotta will do its best to please you. The restaurant encourages elegant attire and requests that you don’t take phone calls while dining there—so no one will ruin your romantic date night yapping away on his cell! We love it! n Cantina Taqueria & Tequila Bar 3280 Peachtree Road NW Terminus 100, Ste. 150 Atlanta 30305 404.892.9292 www.h2sr.com/cantina If you’re ready for a night of mingling and noshing on scrumptious Mexican faves like chips and guacamole, then check out Cantina Taqueria & Tequila Bar, which is located in the Terminus building. The restaurant has a hip, lively bar scene and offers up satisfying dishes like Mexican pizzas, tacos, enchiladas and quesadillas. Grab a group of super-ravenous friends and tackle “The Whole Chihuahua,” a five-pound burrito filled with roasted pork or chipotle chicken, queso gringo, lettuce, salsa verde, rice, frijoles, guacamole and sour cream. Olé! n MoSaiC 3097 Maple Drive Atlanta 30305 404.846.5722 www.mosaicatl.com With fall weather just around the corner, take advantage of the cooler temps by dining al fresco on the patio at neighborhood bistro MoSaiC. Serv-

ing modern American cuisine, the restaurant also features interior dining rooms (curse that Atlanta rain!) inside the renovated cottage. The seasonal menu is constantly changing, so you’ll never tire of the same options. Oenophiles should check out MoSaiC’s $15 wine tasting on Wednesdays (from 6 to 8 p.m.), which lets you sample three wines and complimentary appetizers.

Or stop by for half-priced bottles of wine on Tuesdays and Thursdays. You had us at “wine.” n Horseradish Grill 4320 Powers Ferry Road Atlanta 30342 404.255.7277 www.horseradishgrill.com Lately, we’re loving Horseradish Grill for brunch. Nothing starts a Sunday off right like the restaurant’s fresh blueberry pancakes or the buttermilk biscuits with sausage gravy. But don’t let that stop you from trying out Horseradish Grill for lunch or dinner. The restaurant, which is located across from lovely Chastain Park, will tantalize you with entrées like the blackened redfish, the horseradish-crusted grouper and its famous skillet fried chicken. n 10 Degrees South 4183 Roswell Road NE Atlanta 30342 404.705.8870 www.10degreessouth.com

Cape Town and deluxe safari lodges, offers up delicious meals that meld the flavors of French, Portuguese, German, Malaysian, Dutch, Indian and Mediterranean cuisines. Perfect for a date night, 10 Degrees South exudes a warm, seductive ambiance and has a sexy bar and outdoor patio. Choose from menu options that include small plates like the Bobotie spring rolls and lollipop lamb chops, as well as salads and traditional main course items like chicken curry and prawns. While you’re there, truly immerse yourself in the experience and try one of the South African wines. n Corner Café 3070 Piedmont Road Atlanta 30305 404.240.1978 www.buckheadrestaurants.com/cornercafe The Buckhead institution that is Corner Café has earned itself a mark as a goto brunch spot, thanks to such yummy offerings as the jumbo lump crab cakes Benedict and the overstuffed French crêpe, among other delicious items. If you can’t make it for brunch, the café also serves up lunch items like salads, soups and sandwiches—but make sure you save room for Corner Café’s bakedon-site pastries (or snag one on-the-go from the adjoining bakery the next time you need a mid-afternoon pickme-up).

If you’ve ever driven by South African restaurant 10 Degrees South on Roswell Road, you’ve probably been a bit curious as to what’s inside. (After all, it kind of looks like a fancy restaurant housed inside a medical building.)

Let your curiosity get the best of you and check this place out. The familyowned restaurant, which is inspired by

New! Delivery on Thursday & Friday nights, as well as Saturday and Sunday from 11a.m. to close

Feed the Whole Family! $20 Family Night Full Pan of Pizza, Endless Salad & Sodas for 4 people Mondays & Wednesdays, after 5p.m.

$22 Nonna’s Dinner Endless Pasta, Salad & Sodas for 4 people All Day, Every Sunday Pizza•Pasta•Soup•Beer•Wine•Gelato•Desserts•Specialty Coffee

2770 Lenox Rd. in Buckhead • 404-228-2013 www.pizzeriaventi-atlanta.com September/October 2011 | Simply Buckhead

41

The Best Community Event — In Sandy Springs — September 17, 9am-7pm & 18, 11am-5pm • 2011

DY

SPRI NG S

SAN

Award Winning

Car Show • Juried Artist's Market Live, Local Entertainment Business & Civic Expo • Kiwanis Pet Parade Sandy Springs Lightning 10K & 5K Saint Joseph’s Health & Wellness Area Whole Food’s Gourmet Market Children's Park • Optech Monette Food Court Teen Territory • GA Chip Program Honey of Sandy Springs Contest Heritage Education • Silent Auction

Phone: 404-851-9111 • Email: info@sandyspringsfestival.com • Web: www.sandyspringsfestival.com 42

September/October 2011 | Simply Buckhead

S I M P LY BUC K H E A D ® | S E P T E M B E R / O C T O B E R 2 0 1 1

Cover Story Buckhead’s not just a place to congregate and celebrate the sport that has been compared to a religion in the South. Buckhead is home to football players at every level.

Turn to Page 44

Lovett football player Brooks Schoen at Sam Ash Music Store near Vinings. He’s in an alternative rock band with six of his high-school friends. Josh D. Weiss, www.joshdweiss.com September/October 2011 | Simply Buckhead

43

S IMP LY B UC K HE A D COVE R STO RY TAKEO SPIKES Age: 34

BUCKHEAD

PLAYERS OFF THE FIELD

By Michelle Hiskey

E

very weekend in the fall, Buckhead fills with football fans searching for widescreen TVs and cold beverages, and local bars and taverns brim with a fervor that’s reminiscent of attending the games in person.

But Buckhead’s not just a place to congregate and celebrate the sport that has been compared to a religion in the South.

Buckhead is home to football players at every level. Retired Falcons star (and now team part-owner) Warrick Dunn has a townhome on Lenox Road. San Diego Chargers inside linebacker Takeo Spikes has a condo in Buckhead.

While the NFL is business, the game is personal over at Chastain Park. There, the Northside Youth Organization (NYO) has been churning out the city’s youngest gridiron heroes since 1951. From the time boys join the PeeWees at age 7 to

44

September/October 2011 | Simply Buckhead

the day they graduate from the “Bigs” league at 13, they compete with names and colors borrowed from professional, college and local high school teams.

From youth football, players move on to several programs like the North Atlanta High School Warriors, coached by former Miami Dolphins running back Stanley J. Pritchett. The Pace Academy Knights are up-and-comers, heading into their fourth season this fall. The longest local rivalry plays out again on Oct. 28, when the Lovett Lions travel to take on the Westminster Wildcats. Some of the stars of these games may move on to play at the collegiate level, as did Georgia Tech running back Preston Lyons, who grew up on West Paces Ferry Road.

For a look at football through a Buckhead lens, meet five players at different levels of this sport.

Team: San Diego Chargers Position: Inside linebacker How long have you played football?

I’ve played since elementary school.

Being from Sandersville, there wasn’t a lot to do, so it was either be bored and get in trouble or play ball. My agent, Todd France of France AllPro Athlete Management (located in Buckhead), has been my biggest help in my career. He began as my neighbor, then became my friend, then my agent. He has been the most influential person who has given me insight on the business aspect of football and life.

TAKEO SPIKES Charging on but never leaving Buckhead behind

For Takeo Spikes, about 130 miles separate his condo in Buckhead from his hometown of Sandersville, located in the heart of the kaolin chalk mines of east Georgia. In Japanese, his first name means “Great Warrior,” and in the NFL, that’s what the 6-foot-2, 240-pound defender has become.

In 1998, the former Auburn star expected to be drafted by the Atlanta Falcons, but instead he has played in Cincinnati, Buffalo, Philadelphia, San Francisco and San Diego. During his San Francisco days, the two-time Pro Bowler made more than 1,000 tackles and 15 interceptions and won the team’s award for being the most courageous and inspirational defensive player.

Throughout the journey, Spikes has always made Atlanta his home. A typical tweet @TakeoSpikes51: “All is good in the ATL.” What do you like most about living in Buckhead?

Convenience. Buckhead is close to everything the city has to offer. At the end of the day, Buckhead is central, so when you’re in Buckhead, everyone has to come to you.

During football season, where do you like to go in Buckhead–if you have time?

I’m not here a lot during the season.

However, when I am home, I enjoy hanging at my friend Carlos Emmons’ spot, Wet Willie’s, next to the Lindbergh MARTA station. After the season, you can find me at Philips Arena, supporting the Atlanta Hawks.

If someone is looking for you in Buckhead, where are they most likely to find you?

Hanging with my 8-year-old daughter Jakai at Phipps Plaza. Her name means “beautiful flower” in Japanese.

What is your favorite Buckhead…

Restaurant? Aja, Prime, Shout or any restaurant in the Here to Serve Restaurant Group! (Shout-out to David Abes and Sari Bernstein.)

Park? Chastain Park.

Takeo Spikes and his daughter Jakai at home in their Buckhead condo.

Hidden gem? There are a few little spots, but I’m gonna keep those to myself or they wouldn’t be hidden anymore!

Gym? The Forum.

Caroline Petters

Continued >> September/October 2011 | Simply Buckhead

45

S IMP LY B UC K HE A D COVE R STO RY

WARRICK DUNN

Continuing his legendary work from Buckhead Warrick Dunn can trace his Buckhead roots to 2002, when he signed with the Atlanta Falcons. Through his years as the team’s star running back, his return to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and his retirement, Dunn has kept his townhome on Lenox Road.

Today, as part owner of the Falcons, Dunn has even greater ties to the area; not only does he spend more time here now than when he was on the field, his Warrick Dunn Family Foundation is based nearby on Howell Mill Road.

Dunn’s strong sense of home has driven his charitable work, which primarily involves building homes for needy single parents. He says he’ll continue working to make a big difference in the lives of single parents in Atlanta and beyond.

What made you settle in Buckhead?

The central location; it’s not far from the airport and it has easy access to everywhere in the city. It was a good commute to the Falcons complex in Flowery Branch—about 35 to 40 minutes and always against traffic. If it were with traffic, Buckhead would have been my worst move ever!

I also live in Florida sometimes, but there I’ve moved several times. Atlanta’s been my main home, and I’ve always been in the same spot.

Also, I’m the oldest of six. My sister and brother, Summer Smothers and Brison Smothers, live in Cobb County, so I have family here, too.

Are you planning on building any homes in Atlanta soon?

We recently did our 104th and 105th homes, and one was in Atlanta. We also did our 100th here and had President Carter, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and Arthur Blank out to support us.

Going into our 15th year, we are building homes in the other cities where I played—my hometown of Baton Rouge, Tallahassee, Tampa Bay—but Atlanta is a major city for us. We’ve built homes near the Georgia Dome, Turner Field and farther outside the city.

We’ve helped mostly single mothers and two single fathers. A lot of hard-

What is your favorite Buckhead…

46

Through his Warrick Dunn Family Foundation, Dunn builds homes for low-income single parents.

Nathan Bolster, Bolster Photography

working, low-income people want a fresh start, and I can relate to that because I grew up that way. My mother, Betty Smothers, was a single mom and police officer who dreamed of home ownership but was shot and killed before that dream could come true. Now her dream is being lived out through other people like her.

How did your friendship with Arthur Blank influence your foundation?

Both he and I have passion for helping people and doing good work in the community. He looked at what I had been doing with Home for the Holidays and what I wanted to do. I relied on his tutelage to grow and navigate through Atlanta. I was forced to grow up when I moved here, because in Atlanta, if you don’t grab the bull by the horns, you get left behind. It’s full steam ahead here.

Arthur truly believed in what I was doing and I was happy to be a part of what he was doing with the Falcons and in the community of Atlanta. He cared about the city and wanted players to get involved in giving back. He was very instrumental in teaching me to constantly give back. He was able to give me a platform, and the relationship was very beneficial to both of us.

I feel like I’m just now scratching the

Restaurant? I’m always at Houston’s.

They are consistent at providing good food. I like the rainbow trout, and there’s nothing like the spinach dip. Plus it’s right down the street from our foundation’s office. If

September/October 2011 | Simply Buckhead

surface of what can be done.

How do you make your own home in Buckhead reflect who you are?

I try to make it warm, cozy and friendly for anyone to come over. They feel safe and they feel the warmth when they walk in. My home has warm colors, like Georgia orange—a peachyorange—and browns and yellows. It’s a not a place where you can’t touch this or that. It’s very simple and oldfashioned. I don’t have a lot of pictures, but there’s one of my mom in the living room that anyone who comes over sees. She tried to make our home like that too, even though all we ever did was rent.

What motivates you to stay active in foundation work?

I know what I’ve been through. I have a good life, a blessed life. I want to help others help themselves. I saw how my mom opened up her home, and when you see that, it starts to get embedded in you, to want to give back. That fire still burns for me.

My favorite website is based here: www.warrickdunnfoundation.org. If anyone wants to get involved with us, they can contact us there. You can follow us on Twitter @wd-ff or @warrickdunn.

someone’s looking for me in Buckhead, they can usually find me there.

Store? I’m a big fan of Bloomingdale’s. I also love Cole Haan. I’m in there at least every six months.

Hidden gem? I play golf, and there’s the historic Bobby Jones Golf Course. It’s good and convenient. It’s short, but it’s a great place to get out and play.

Warrick Dunn Age: 36 Team: Atlanta Falcons Position: Former star running back, now minority partner in the Falcons ownership group

Brooks Schoen Age: 17 Team: Lovett School Lions Position: Tight end/linebacker

Brooks Schoen tries out a guitar at Sam Ash Music Store. Josh D. Weiss, www.joshdweiss.com

BROOKS SCHOEN

Fanning the flames of a Buckhead rivalry Brooks Schoen (pronounced “Shane”) is a multi-sport athlete who may have his best shot at college baseball. But this time of year, the Lovett Lions count on this 6-foot-3, 200-pound senior on both offense (as a tight end) and defense (as a linebacker). Schoen lives for the chance to play archrival Westminster, and his team has been gaining on the Wildcats.

What do you like most about living in Buckhead?

I’ve lived here my whole life. I was born at Piedmont Hospital. There is a sense of community in Buckhead like there isn’t anywhere else. It’s easy to get together with my friends at West Paces, our name for the shopping center at West Paces and Northside Drive, where Publix and OK Cafe are. I just love it.

Where do you play?

Conley-Oakley Field, right on the Chattahoochee. We call it the Riverbank.

What motivates you to play?

The main thing is picturing playing Westminster and beating them. When I think about football, that’s what I think about. We lost the last two years, and last year was sort of a heartbreaker, so hopefully this year we’ll change that.

How long have you played football?

I’ve been playing at Lovett since seventh grade, and at NYO for two years before that. My brother Mack is seven years older, and watching him play quarterback, I wanted to be just like him. He stopped playing after ninth grade, but I grew faster than he did.

He’s who made me want to play.

What is your favorite Buckhead…

Restaurant? OK Cafe. It’s dineresque, you could say. The food is kind of country. I usually order the country-fried steak and mashed potatoes.

During football season, where do you like to go in Buckhead—if you have time?

A lot of times we go to Steak ’n Shake after a game and hang out at West Paces, about a five-minute drive from my house. I usually get a triple cheeseburger, fries and a cookies-’n-cream milkshake.

Store? Sam Ash Music Store. I play guitar, both acoustic and electric. I have an alternative rock band with six other friends from Lovett. Three are on the football team. We don’t have a name yet.

Park? Chastain is very close to my house. We like to go there and play Home Run Derby or just hang out.

I’ve been to a few concerts, which

Any favorite post-game celebrations?

On occasion, I go to a Buckhead house of a friend and celebrate. We play pingpong, watch TV, swim or whatever’s available.

Where do you go to clear your head/relax?

Usually just my house. I like to play with my dog, Bud, a chocolate Lab who’s about 8.

If someone is looking for you in Buckhead, where are they most likely to find you?

West Paces, because it’s convenient and a great place to hang out with my friends.

What do you like the most about Buckhead? What makes it different than other parts of town?

I love the community here and the people. It’s where all my friends live.

It’s easy to see them and have fun. And there’s a lot to do.

is something I wish I could do more often.

Hidden gem? Morris Brandon Elementary School has a field where we play football in the fall and spring. I spent two years there before starting Lovett in second grade. It’s a great place to play pickup when the weather’s cooler.

Anything else? Frankie Allen Park will always be one of my favorite places in the world. I played Buckhead Baseball there from the moment I could walk until I was 12 and started NYO football. I have a lot of memories there.

Continued >> September/October 2011 | Simply Buckhead

47

S IMP LY B UC K HE A D COVE R STO RY

PRESTON LYONS

Choosing kickoffs over Chastain concerts When Preston Lyons traveled with his Georgia Tech teammates to Kansas last September, part of him wished he was home. After all, the trip meant he couldn’t use his tickets to the Avett Brothers at Chastain Park. “I was very upset about it, definitely,” Lyons says, but on the NCAA Division I level, football is a job that requires sacrificing what other college students take for granted.

Where do you play?

Historic Grant Field at Bobby Dodd Stadium.

How long have you played football?

I started at NYO when I was 11, in fifth grade, at Christ the King Elementary. It was my excuse to hit people and not get in trouble.

Did anyone in Buckhead help your football career?

NYO definitely made me really want to play. People take it really seriously and the little kids come to watch the big kids.

What motivates you to play?

I really love the game. It sounds cliché, but I even love the hard aspects—running, waking up for early camps, spring football.

Playing in front of 65,000 people and for your teammates.

Preston Lyons Age: 23 Team: Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets Position: B-back (running back)

During football season, where do you like to go in Buckhead—if you have time?

My favorite restaurant is the OK Cafe. I do the takeaway a lot.

Pero’s Pizza is really good.

If someone is looking for you in Buckhead, where are they most likely to find you?

At my parents’ house (on West Paces Ferry Road). I love to see my dogs. Belle is a black Lab, and Riley is a little white West Highland terrier. It’s nice to get away from the downtown hustle and bustle and relax and let my mom, Joanne, baby me a bit.

That consists of me sleeping in and her being sweet enough to make chocolate-chip pancakes.

What do you like the most about Buckhead?

Oh sheesh, I’ve got to go with family. But a close second is location. It’s a cool spot with an urban feel, but not concrete and stoplights like the rest of Atlanta. You don’t have to deal with 30 minutes of traffic like people who live in Alpharetta. You can get to any spot in Atlanta from here, and there’s a cozy feel and more privacy.

What is your favorite Buckhead…

Restaurant? Maggiano’s. They give you all the food you could possibly eat.

Store? I love to go to Phipps for the movie theater and the mall there is nice. Cool restaurants too.

Park? Chastain. I have a lot of history there. I played basketball and football and I’ve seen a few concerts, like Bob Dylan, Counting Crows and OAR.

Courtesy Georgia Tech Athletic Association

48

Hidden gem? When I was a little kid, we’d go to an old plantation around Paces Ferry, where there are 2 or 3 acres. We’d play paintball there.

September/October 2011 | Simply Buckhead

Tucker Witmer and his dad Steve at Three Dollar Cafe. Josh D. Weiss, www.joshdweiss.com

TUCKER WITMER

Keeping football in the family Tucker Witmer, a seventh grader at Sutton Middle School, plays for an NYO youth team coached by his father, Steve, at Chastain Park. More than baseball or any other sport, football has become their favorite venue for making memories. Son and dad have a ritual after playing a home game: They usually go out to eat at Buckhead’s Three Dollar Cafe.

Where do you play football?

NYO (Chastain Park).

How long have you played football?

I started playing when I was 7 years old. This fall will be my sixth year. My older brother and other friends played, and that’s how I got interested. My dad has been my coach for five of my six seasons at NYO. What do you like most about living in Buckhead?

The people. I go to school and church with the kids that I play football with. So when I’m at school, I talk to my friends about NYO and what teams are good or not. My whole circle is in Buckhead.

What motivates you to play?

I like to play the game and win. It is a fun sport.

During football season, where do you like to go in Buckhead—if you have time? Any favorite postgame celebrations?

My dad and I go out to eat after every game. We usually go with the other coaches. Most of the time we go to Three Dollar Cafe. When I am not playing I like to go to NYO to watch the other games during the week.

If someone is looking for you in Buckhead, where are they most likely to find you?

At NYO, either playing or watching my friends play.

What do you like the most about Buckhead? What makes it different than other parts of town?

I have plenty of friends in Buckhead. It’s where I live, go to school, go to church at Buckhead Church, and play my sports.

Tucker Witmer Age: 12 Team: NYO (Northside Youth Organization) Jets Position: Linebacker, running back

What is your favorite Buckhead…

Restaurant? Jalisco’s.

I order the cheese dip with no jalapeños. I love the corn tortilla chips.

I also get two chicken soft-shell tacos with no lettuce. There’s a Baskin-Robbins next door, so 50 percent of the time we go there afterward.

Store? Dick’s Sporting Goods. I always look at the shoes. I’m a size 9.

Whichever sport is in season, they have all the gear we need. My brother and I also like to look at the team jerseys from the Falcons and Georgia Tech.

Hidden gem? Chastain Park. There are always tons of people using it, especially when the weather is nice. You have NYO and all of their youth sports leagues, plus tennis, running, golf, horse stables and the amphitheatre.

Mon-Fri: 12pm-6pm Sat: 11am-6pm Sun: 12:30pm-6pm

www.GeorgiaWine.com

100% Rabun County grown & produced wines

Visit the historic Nacoochee and Sautee Valleys to sample our 100% Georgia wines

Tour de la Cave Saturday, September 10, 24, October 1, 8, 15, 22 & 29, 12 Noon to 2:30 p.m.

Join winemaker Joe Smith for a tour of Georgia's only wine cave followed by barrel sampling of future Yonah Mountain Vineyards vintages. The Tour de la Cave gives you the opportunity to visit Yonah Mountain Vineyards, a privately held 197 acre estate located near Cleveland.

Afterwards, you'll convene at the tasting room in Sautee-Nacoochee for a full tasting led by Joe and Tina. Tour de la Cave & Barrel Sampling is $25.00 per person which includes the Yonah Mountain Vineyards glass.

Contact the tasting room to pre-pay and reserve your spot, 706-8785522, info@yonahmountainvineyards.com.

On these same dates, please enjoy Wine Song at our Pavilion from 6 – 9 p.m. Please visit our website for more details at www.yonahmount ainvineyards.com.

Located at Nacoochee Crossing at the junction of Georgia Highways 17 & 255 98 Nacoochee Way Sautee-Nacoochee, GA

706-878-1056

info@sauteenacoocheevineyards.com www.sauteenacoocheevineyards.com

Vineyards & Winery

Producing award-winning Georgia wines since 1983 Open 7 Days a Week

7025 S. Main Street (GA Hwy. 75) Helen, GA

770-983-1973

www.habershamwinery.com

2. Cavender Creek Vineyards

7. Sautee Nacoochee Vineyards

3. Frogtown Cellars

8. Tiger Mountain Vineyards

4. Blackstock Vineyards

9. Persimmon Creek Winery

Tiger • 706.782.4777

Clayton • 706.212.7380

Blairsville

76

66

Hiawassee

515

d nR mo sim Per

76

Young Harris

197

8 Tiger

356

348

Suches

441

Turners Corner 60

Cavender Creek Rd .

19

Rd e in M r e pp 115 Co

52

60 19

115 ng Lo 400

ch an Br

Rd

52

115

52

Map not to scale.

129

Cleveland

Town Creek Rd.

2

52

Dahlonega 9

4

rc hu kC ree C n Tow

19

6

17

75

Ad air Mi ll R d

hR d.

3

19 Bus

7

Da mascus Ch urch R d

60

19 Bus

ALT 75

.

.

Rd ey idl

1

Clarkesville

129

ge Point Dr Rid

19

FROGTOWN

225

5

19

R

WINE COMPETITION

ALT 75

129

60

9

197

Helen 180

129

Judge’s Choice!

2010 Indy Int’l Wine Competition Traminette - Gold Medal winner Genesis - Silver Medal winner 2454-B Highway 17 Sautee-Nacoochee, GA

www.facebook.com/yonahmountainvineyards www.twitter.com/YMVineyards

706-878-5522

info@yonahmountainvineyards.com www.yonahmountainvineyards.com

Vineyard Luncheon Buffet: Sunday, 12:30pm & 2:30pm Reservations required

Vineyard Cafe: Thu - Sat: 12pm-3pm Reservations required

Clayton

17 75

180

SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE

180 Wolf Mountain Trail Dahlonega, GA

Old H wy 4 41

76

www.tigerwine.com

No reservation required

706-867-9682

Young Harris • 706.379.1236

10

706-782-4777

Saturday & Sunday, 2pm

www.wolfmountainvineyards.com

10. Crane Creek Vineyards

Helen • 706.878.9463 19

Georgia’s First Gold Medal in San Francisco & Los Angeles

Sautee • 706.878.1056

5. Habersham Winery

2592 Old Highway 441 Tiger, GA

Winemaker’s Tour:

Sautee • 706.878.5522

Dahlonega • 706.219.2789

Sun-Fri: 1pm-5pm | Sat: 11am-6pm

No reservation required

6. Yonah Mountain Vineyards

Dahlonega • 706.865.0687

Tasting Room open 7 days a week

Thu - Sun: 12pm-5pm

1. Wolf Mountain Vineyards Dahlonega • 770.823.9255

2010 Silver Medal winner.

Wine Tastings:

Vineyards and Wineries

Dahlonega • 706.867.9862

2010 Gold Medal winner

San Francisco Int’l Wine Competition

Mon-Thu: 12pm-5pm Fri: 12pm-6pm Sat: 11am-6pm Sun: 12:30pm-6pm

Mon-Sat: 10am-6pm Sun: 12:30pm-6pm

The Winegrowers Association of Georgia is a non-profit corporation organized to promote and market Georgia wines, to improve the market environment for Georgia wines, to increase public awareness of Georgia wines, and to facilitate research in Georgia viticultural and vinfication techniques to improve Georgia wines.

Try our Petit Manseng Jefferson Cup Invitational

441

115

Winner of 7 medals at the 2011 San Diego International Wine Competition!

Silver: NV Compulsion Silver: 2008 Touché Gold: 2008 Bravado Gold: NV Disclosure Gold: 2009 Inclination Gold: 2009 Marsanne Gold: 2009 Vineaux Blanc

Winery tasting room hours: Mon-Fri: 12pm-5pm Sat: 12pm-6pm Sun: 12:30pm-5pm

Panini Lunches served Friday, Saturday & Sunday Check for Wine Taster Dinners & Brunches at www.frogtownwine.com 706-865-0687 700 Ridge Point Drive Dahlonega, GA

September/October 2011 | Simply Buckhead

49

Shop our online boutique WWW.ThePeTSeT.cOM

PA I D A DV E R T I S E M E N T

P E T PAG E

Buckhead Boutique, Grooming, Boarding, Daycare 2480 Briarcliff Road Atlanta, GA 30329 404.633.8755 MIdTOWN Boutique, Grooming, Boarding, Daycare 976 Piedmont Avenue Atlanta, GA 30309 404.294.6668

Premium Products for Your Pet Sandy Springs’ Best Kept Secret Full Service Hospital Friendly Expert Staff Dog & Cat Vaccinations Medicine & Surgery Radiology & Ultrasound Boarding & Grooming

DR. RIVA WOLKOW

216 E. BELLE ISLE ROAD ATLANTA, GA 30342

By Giannina Smith Bedford NEW CLIENTS!

Off first visit services

50

September/October 2011 | Simply Buckhead

After more than two decades, The Pet Set continues to offer topnotch service to Atlanta’s four-legged friends.

After working for a pet distributor and manufacturer in Tampa, Fla., Bob Fawcett decided to return to his hometown of Atlanta and open a pet shop. Starting Georgia Pets in Marietta and Dunwoody in the 1980s, he added The Pet Set soon after, buying it off the courthouse steps in a bankruptcy case. Twenty-five years later, The Pet Set is going strong with two locations, one at 2480 Briarcliff Road and the other at 976 Piedmont Avenue.

Fawcett transformed what was once a failing business into one of the first Atlanta pet boutiques to be featured by the New York Times, CNN and The Wall Street Journal. He is also responsible for launching one of the city’s first ‘doggie daycares.’

“My latest venture is a prototype of our upcoming release of the franchise of The Pet Set at Piedmont Park, specifi-

cally geared for urban home dwellers in markets across the country,” he says “I am still tweaking this and am hoping for a launch into other markets next year.”

Specializing in new-to-market pet items, all-natural foods and treats for both dogs and cats, The Pet Set prides itself on offering quality products at a reasonable price. Trained groomers and bathers are also on hand to make pooches look their best and the Briarcliff location offers boarding and daycare. “We offer boarding and daycare on more of a personal level, with no mass amounts of animals so we can give the one-on-one attention most pet owners desire,” Fawcett says. “Think private school for your pet.”

Targeting animal lovers searching for the highestquality goods and care for their four-legged baby, The Pet Set’s owner considers himself part of the animal-loving crowd. “Currently I am owned by a minischnauzer named Diego who is always at one of the stores. He is 3 years old,” he says.

For more information, visit www. thepetset.com.

S I M P LY BU Z Z | S I M P LY C H A R I TA B L E | S I M P LY S C E N E

Simply Happening Spotlight Chastain Park Arts Festival November 5-6 Chastain Park 4469 Stella Drive Atlanta 30327 404.845.0793 www.chastainparkartsfestival.com

Support the arts and enjoy the outdoors at the Chastain Park Arts Festival, a two-day event showcasing nearly 200 artists in

the largest public park in Fulton County. Aimed at supporting local Georgia artists, the festival will also showcase regional and national participants, from painters and photographers to sculptors and glass blowers.

Drawing nearly 30,000 visitors in 2010, the artsy event is organized by the Atlanta Foundation for Public Spaces LLC and will benefit a local charity or scholarship that will be named prior to the event.

“This is a fine arts festival as opposed to all of our other events, which are basically arts and handcrafts, so it stands out,” says Patrick Dennis, festival director.

Along with art, the festivities will include food, beverages and hands-on arts activities. The free event takes place from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday.

The Chastain Park Arts Festival emphasizes the works of Georgia’s fine artists. Chieu Lee Photography September/October 2011 | Simply Buckhead

51

S IMP LY HA PP E N ING

Simply Buzz | Events, exhibits, galas and more

By Giannina Smith Bedford Irish Sessions at Fadó Monday nights Fadó Irish Pub and Restaurant 273 Buckhead Avenue Atlanta 30305 404.841.0066 www.fadoirishpub.com

You don’t have to travel across the seas to hear some Irish tunes. Get a taste o’ the Irish right in Buckhead during Fadó Irish Pub and Restaurant’s Irish Sessions.

Taking place Monday nights, this event gathers Atlanta’s premier Irish musicians for an evening of culture and music.

Starting at 8 p.m., Fadó comes alive with music and dancing while the pints of Guinness flow.

Eclipse di Luna Wine Tasting First and third Tuesday of the month (Sept. 6 and 20; Oct. 4 and 18) Eclipse di Luna 764 Miami Circle Atlanta 30324 404.846.0449 www.eclipsediluna.com

Can’t wait until Friday for happy hour? Stop by Eclipse di Luna, a hidden gem on Miami Circle, for a lively wine tasting the first and third Tuesday of the month. For $10 a person, patrons enjoy tastings of three whites and three reds in a low-lit, lively atmosphere adorned with candles and colorful artwork.

As part of the event, participants can munch on scrumptious hors d’oeuvres prepared by the chef, ranging from finger foods to Spanish specialties. Attracting between 25 and 50 people, the wine tasting takes place from 6 to 7 p.m., but you may want to stay after to enjoy additional tapas and live music, which kicks off at 7:30 p.m.

“Tasting Notes” at The St. Regis Atlanta Wednesday nights The Wine Room at The St. Regis Atlanta 88 West Paces Ferry Road Atlanta 30305 404.563.7900 www.stregisatlanta.com/wineroom

Now you have another reason to love hump day—wine

52

at The St. Regis Atlanta.

Unwind after a long day of work in the Buckhead hotel’s elegant Wine Room and let Sommelier Harry Constantinescu take you on a grapethemed journey of various regions and wine varietals.

Gather around the mahogany marble-topped sommelier counter to listen and taste, or wander outdoors to the Southern-style patio. “Tasting Notes” takes place every Wednesday from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. and wine flights are presented with three tasting pours for $20. Valet parking is complimentary.

Big Peach Sizzler 10K September 5 Chamblee MARTA Station 5200 New Peachtree Road Chamblee 30341 404.816.8488 www.bigpeachrunningco.com

Pound the pavement in celebration of Labor Day at one of Buckhead’s fastest races. Starting at the Chamblee MARTA Station at 7:30 a.m., the race speeds down Peachtree Road into Buckhead, turning right at Piedmont Road and Lenox Road and finishing at Buckhead Station shopping center. Supporting the Cystic Fibrosis community in Georgia, The Big Peach Sizzler 10K rewards participants with a Saucony technical fabric shirt. Entry fees range from $20 to $30.

Learn to Brew Your Own Beer September 10 Oakhurst Community Garden 435 Oakview Road Decatur 30030 404.371.1920 www.folksybrews. com

Sample craft brews and learn the basics of brewing your own beer at the Oakhurst Community Garden in Decatur. From 2 to 4:30 p.m., brewing teacher and speaker Mike Lorey will teach aspiring

September/October 2011 | Simply Buckhead

brew masters how to create unique homemade beers using locally grown ingredients, including medicinal herbs and spices. Brewers of all levels are welcome and no prior experience is needed.

Admission is $35 for Garden members and $40 for nonmembers.

Mansion on Peachtree Movies in the Garden September 16 and October 21 The Mansion on Peachtree, A Rosewood Hotel and Residence 3376 Peachtree Road NE Atlanta 30326 404.995.7545 www.rwmansiononpeachtree. com

Turn your movie night into a classy affair at The Mansion on Peachtree’s Movies in the Garden. Unwind in the elegance of a blooming English green space below the towering hotel and residences while sipping on signature cocktails and gourmet fare. There is no need to spread out a blanket, as seats are provided for guests. The outdoor film series features the 1959 classic North by Northwest on Sept. 16 and suspenseful horror film The Birds on Oct. 21. Arrive for the pre-screening reception at 7 p.m., followed by the start of the selected film at 8 p.m. Open to everyone 21 years of age and older, tickets are $40 each and include two drinks, hors d’oeuvres and parking. Reservations are required.

Sandy Springs Festival September 17-18 Sandy Springs Festival 6075 Sandy Springs Circle Sandy Springs 30328 404.851.9111 www.sandyspringsfestival.com

Now in its 26th year, the Sandy Springs Festival will delight with live entertainment and art. A pet parade will also take place, with four-legged friends vying for the chance to go home with the title

of “Best Pet.” Kicking off with the Sandy Springs Lightning 10K and 5K at 7:30 a.m., the festival activity will take place from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday. Held at Heritage Green, festival admission is $5 for adults, $2 for youth and free for children ages 5 and younger.

Atlanta 2-Day Walk for Breast Cancer September 24-25 It’s The Journey, Inc. The Atlanta 2-Day Walk for Breast Cancer 180 Allen Road, Suite 201 South Atlanta 30328 404.531.4111 www.2daywalk.org

Don your pink laces and take to the streets (or support on the sidelines) during this 30-mile event that has raised more than $7.5 million and awarded 146 grants to breast-cancer organizations in Georgia. Divided into a 20-mile walk on Saturday (including a few miles in Buckhead!) and 10-mile walk on Sunday, this year’s event kicks off in Downtown Atlanta and celebrates the 2-Day’s ninth anniversary.

The flagship event of It’s The Journey Inc., the walk funds breast-cancer programs that provide awareness, education, diagnosis, treatment and more.

AIDS Walk Atlanta and 5K Run October 16 Piedmont Park 14th Street and Piedmont Road 404.876.WALK www.aidswalkatlanta.com

The largest AIDS-related fundraising event in the Southeast, AIDS Walk Atlanta and 5K Run commemorates 21 years in 2011. Taking place from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. in Piedmont Park, the route begins on 10th Street and ends in the park along Lake Clara Meer. Registration for runners is $25 until Oct. 15 and $40 day of the walk/run.

The event benefits organizations that provide programs and services to men, women

and children infected with or affected by HIV/AIDS. 10th Annual Taste of Atlanta October 22-23 Taste of Atlanta Technology Square (Spring Street and 5th) Atlanta 30339 404.875.4434 www.tasteofatlanta.com

Sample the fare of Atlanta’s best restaurants at the 10th Annual Taste of Atlanta. Droves of foodies are expected to descend on the streets of Tech Square in Midtown as chefs offer demos on three live cooking stages and tastes of unique food creations. Highlights also include wine, beer and cocktail tastings as well as seminars.

Bring the family along to the Family Food Zone Cooking Stage, where a Top Chef Kids Competition lets little ones in on the action. General admission tickets are $25 in advance and $35 at the door; VIP tickets are $75 in advance and $85 at the event.

Goblins in the Garden October 23 Atlanta Botanical Garden 1345 Piedmont Avenue NE Atlanta 30309 404.876.5859 www.atlantabotanicalgarden.org

Gather the little goblins for a Halloween-themed day at the Atlanta Botanical Garden.

Taking place from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., the ghoulish event will feature games, pony and train rides and a costume parade kicking off at 3 p.m.

While you’re there, explore Scarecrows in the Garden, featuring more than 100 unique creations handcrafted by organizations, individuals and schools. Non-member garden admission is $18.95 for adults, $12.95 for children ages 3 to 12 and free for children under 3.

S IMP LY HA PP E N ING C HA RITAB LE

T

o celebrate the final performance of the Atlanta Chamber Players’ Soiree Series, Buckhead residents Michael and Kristy Robison welcomed 75 guests for a concert in their lush backyard. Leading members of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra performed, including Chamber Leader Paula Peace, who debuted the Robison’s 1925 Steinway Grand Model M. Money raised through subscriptions to the Soiree Series helps fund free educational concerts throughout the year. For more information and a concert calendar, visit www.atlantachamberplayers.com.

Photos by Omar Vega

Hosts Michael and Kristy Robison moments before the performance.

June Mosley and Kathy Johnson

Emilu Bailes and Gerald Robison

Steven and Lynn Steindel

Angelyn and Neal Chandler

Carolyn Katzen and Tris Parslow Kathy and Stuart Kamille

Mose and Teri Bond

Catherine Lynn and Richard Deane of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra’s Atlanta Chamber Players

September/October 2011 | Simply Buckhead

53

S IMP LY HA PP E N ING S IM P LY SCENE

Full steam ahead Coffee is science at Steady Hand Pour House.

Photo by Renee Brock

54

September/October 2011 | Simply Buckhead

Fe a t u re d Pa c ka g e s Al l Se a s o n L o n g

Girls Just Wanna Have Wine Girls Just Wanna Have Wine

Escape overnight with the girls and enjoy a day filled with pampering massages, spa lunch and a winery tour & tasting.

Sparty

A Spa-Party is the perfect blend of party, renewal & relaxation. Gather the girls and catch up on the gossip with a glass of bubbly and relaxing spa treatments.

Tipsy Canvas

An overnight package with an evening in the Château Art Gallery sipping wine and painting your own personal masterpiece with a skilled artist.

Wine Tasting Experience

An overnight package geared towards the avid wine enthusiast. Spend an evening with our Winemaker K aren Van Der Vort, and learn how to understand the aspects which influence the flavor of wine.

Dining Under the Stars

Delight your taste buds with an international culinary journey, dining al fresco under the stars surrounded by lush vineyards.

The Mysterious Art of Fragrance

A couples package to experience the secret art of making fragrance, revealed to you by a master parfumeur.

ZOOMA Women’s Race Series

Run or walk with your girl friends for charity, to encourage one another, or just for fun! www.zoomarun.com

To B o o k Yo u r N ex t G i r l s G e t away C a l l 678-425-0900 x 41 Vi s i t w w w. ch a t e a u e l a n . c o m fo r c o m p l e t e d e t a i l s.

I-85 Exit 126, 30 Minutes North of the Perimeter

www. the v i l l age v e ts . c om

Dr. Megan Stewart & Dr. Amy Mathews

For vaccines and services. Does not include medications or other merchandise. Offer is good for one pet only in each household. Offer is transferable and need not be presented for discount. Terms subject to change at practice discretion. Contact our offices for additional details.

CONVENIENT LOCATIONS:

404.844.4824 3404 Northside Parkway NW Atlanta, GA 30327 Monday - Friday: 7am- 7pm Saturday: 8am- 2pm

Decatur 24 hour hospital at 217 North McDonough Street 404-371-0111 Stone Mountain at 1227 Rockbridge Road, Suite 300 770-717-1650