Home Living in North Georgia Magazine

January | 2017

Singer, actress, Atlanta native Lera Lynn comes home

Take a break from it all at NaMestoy Farm PLUS: Getting fit the right way, healthy chicken salad and pioneers of Southern theater

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homemagazinenorthgeorgia.com

January 2017 Travel & Leisure 8

Tucked away on 14 acres outside of Cumming is a retreat fit for ... a monk. Get spiritually cleansed at the cozy digs of NaMestoy Farm.

Get to Know 13

Southern women donned whatever necessary during the 19th century to make it in the theater. Local author Robin Warren should know: she wrote the book on it.

15

Health & Fitness

20

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Gyms across America will see a boom in those trying to achieve their New Year’s resolutions. And many emergency rooms will see those who didn’t know what they were doing.

17

Feeling overwhelmed by social media? Make 2017 the year to unplug for the sake of your health.

Home & Garden 18

Interior designer Allison Havill Todd tells how to warm up and brighten our homes during the dreary winter months.

4 January 2017 HOME Living In North Georgia

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homemagazinenorthgeorgia.com

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Food & Drink 20

Back Porch Oyster Bar in Dahlonega is honored by Explore Georgia’s “100 Plates Locals Love” for its Gorgonzola Shrimp Linguine.

22

Add a little spice to chicken salad with a healthy and flavorful take on an old favorite.

Arts & Culture 24

28 32 17

Artist Lera Lynn comes back to Atlanta for one-night only show. She shares her thoughts on success, her role on HBO’s “True Detective,” and her latest album.

28

With his eyes — and ears — set on a career in music, Flowery Branch’s Logan Souther is conducting his way to the top, starting with the Gainesville Sinfonietta.

Charitable Living

On the Cover Singer/songwriter, and sometimes actress, Lera Lynn opens up about her childhood, her recent tour and misconceptions about success.

Photo courtesy Lera Lynn/Sands Foley Entertainment

30

A man the community has always seen as a “valuable resource,” Jim Mathis Jr., has retired from North Georgia Community Foundation, but not philanthropy.

Inside Every Issue 6 32 34

From the Editor In the Community Events Calendar

HOME Living

In North Georgia

January 2017 5

From the Editor Editor/Designer Michelle Boaen Jameson General Manager Norman Baggs Advertising Sales Leah Nelson HOME Magazine, a division of: The Times Gainesville, GA A Morris Multimedia Inc. property 345 Green St. | Gainesville, GA 30501 | 770-718-3421

www.homemagazinenorthgeorgia.com

Here’s to a healthy 2017 When I was three years old, I pushed a chair up to our aquarium to pet the goldfish in an apparently “Lennie Small” kind of way. My mother said she got to me just as I was squeezing the life out of that poor creature.

I was thinking of that fish while sitting in the ER after Christmas dinner. It seems I had an anaphylactic reaction to the white wine. My throat began to close, my face swelled up and my eyes felt as though they were going to pop out, much like that goldfish.

Going to the emergency room was not how I wanted to end 2016 and certainly not how I want to head into the new year. I truly hope 2017 will be a year of better health for everyone. Many of us will make resolutions to do something about our habits, but like psychological warfare, only a few will follow through to the end. Whether you are trying to be more spiritual, more fit or just a better person, my advice is don’t go it alone.

After all, misery loves company! But seriously, here’s to a better self in the year ahead. I can drink to that ... but I’ll skip the wine.

M

J

ichelle ameson

Michelle Boaen Jameson editor@homemagazinenorthgeorgia.com

Find us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter @HomeMagazine NGA

6 January 2017 HOME Living In North Georgia

July| August 2015

Little Big Town’s Kim Schlapman

Cornelia’s country star shares her new cookbook and fondest memories

Manuscripts, artwork, photography, inquiries and submitted materials are welcome. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by an information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from Morris Multimedia Inc. Although every precaution is taken to ensure accuracy of published materials, Morris Multimedia cannot be held responsible for opinions expressed or facts supplied by its authors. HOME: Living in North Georgia reserves the right to refuse advertisements for any reason. Acceptance of advertising does not mean or imply the services or product is endorsed or recommended by HOME: Living in North Georgia.

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TRAVEL & LEISURE

Travel & Leisure

8 January 2017 HOME Living In North Georgia

TRAVEL & LEISURE

Enjoy your stay

at NaMestoy Story by Bekah Porter | Photography by Scott Rogers The deer were here, nibbling on nascent green shoots and binging on the bushes. The bees and the butterflies came, too, flitting and floating, while birds and squirrels gently warred over who got to perch in the branches that bend across the babbling brook.

A quick jaunt around NaMestoy Farm reveals nothing but serenity and solitude. A sense of calm descends in these woods, and peace permeates every inch of the acreage.

It’s exactly what Nancy Amestoy and her husband, Martin, dreamed of when they planned for their retirement.

They envisioned intimate walks in the woods, nights spent staring at the stars, and moments of meditation with the breeze wafting through their windows.

And in 2011, they finally had it. They had their dream — a 14acre property with a flowing creek, rolling pastures, a barn and a 11,000-square-foot house.

“We were so happy,” Nancy said. “So happy.”

Inside the spacious home at NaMestoy Farm, which provides space for both personal and group retreats. The retreat is located inside 14 acres of natural wooded area.

HOME Living

In North Georgia

January 2017 9

TRAVEL & LEISURE

“I certainly think that wellness is mental, physical and spiritual.”

The couple moved into their new life at the beginning of May that year. A week and a half later, Martin was dead.

In the five years since Nancy’s husband died in a biking accident, the 70-year-old Cumming resident has chosen to focus on life outside her grief. She admits that it would have been easy to fall into despair and retreat into herself. It even might have been preferable on some level to leave the haven that she and her husband hadn’t even had time to make their own. Rather, the former school teacher chose joy, seeking a life of spiritual well-being, and she built a community of like-minded spiritual folk to fill the void left by her husband.

“It was all so overwhelming,” Nancy said when asked how she felt when she got the news that Martin had been killed on Stone Mountain. “I really couldn’t even think. I was just in shock. I just kept thinking about what had happened — that he had been biking, that there was a walkathon, that sawhorses were put up without notice, 10 January 2017 HOME Living In North Georgia

that he swerved to miss them, that his back wheel got caught, and that it was all over in that moment.”

She recites this information now with the practice of one who has shared her story often.

“He was the type of guy who would have lived to be 105,” she said.

“He was active. He was training for a long-distance ride. It just goes to show that life is out of our control. It just goes to show that life has a way of happening.”

Nancy could be bitter. She knows that. But she says it’s not in her nature. And in the weeks after Martin’s passing, she sought comfort from the property her husband chose to be their home.

“Here I was with this estate, and it really was too big for me, and I didn’t know what I was going to do,” she said.

“But I knew I needed to get my mind in the right place.”

She turned to her lifelong companion — meditation.

“I got into that silent stillness,

Nancy Amestoy owns NaMestoy Farm in Cumming, which takes its name from the two generations of Amestoys with the emphasis on the “N” for the Nancy and for “M” the Martins. It also contains the sacred name Nameste, which means “the divinity in me recognizes the divinity in you.”

where thoughts and feelings emerge, and I got direction that way, and I took one little step at a time, reaching out to people and connecting,” she said.

One such connection changed her entire life path. As Nancy managed her mourning, a friend contacted her, asking if Nancy would be willing to host a Tibetan Buddhist monk who practices the energy healing known as Reiki.

Something about the opportunity sparked a familiar passion in Nancy.

“As long as I can remember, I’ve been one to try to build communities.

In every house I’ve ever been in, I’ve brought in groups of people, whether it be a meditation group or a reading group,” she said. “What can I say? I’m a groupie.”

She knew practically nothing about Tibetan Buddhist monks, she said, and

TRAVEL & LEISURE

NaMestoy Farm in Cumming has a large house for personal or group retreat use with community rooms, large dining area or more intimate bedrooms and private baths.

Music concerts, cancer symposiums, meditation groups, writing workshops, Reiki workshops, Tibetan bowl circles and more have taken place at NaMestoy. The retreat offers a quiet solitude sought by creative types looking to work on new projects. It also hosts like-minded spiritual communities.

HOME Living

In North Georgia

January 2017 11

TRAVEL & LEISURE

ers have stayed there she knew even less about when they wanted to work hosting one who had a folwithout distraction. And lowing of Reiki patients, people have come when but she wanted this new they seek wellness, both house to be a place for on a spiritual and physical groups, too, as that desire level. to build community had “I certainly think been her and Martin’s plan that wellness is mental, all along. physical and spiritual,” “I knew Martin Nancy said. “It’s not just would’ve loved it,” Nancy one aspect. It’s all of those said. “When we were things.” doing our estate planMartin had that balning, we always talked ance, according to Nancy. about leaving a legacy that “He was physically would help people.” well,” she said. “He was a So Nancy opened her runner and then a biker, doors to the monk, and and he was physically fit. she agreed to open her But, like I said before, life doors to his followers, happens, and being physieven though she worried cally healthy isn’t neceswhether they would apsarily enough. We’re not pear. going to be in our bodies “But on that first day, for eternity, but there is a the place was packed,” she part of us that is going to said. “People were looking live for eternity, so where for something other than do we want to invest most the traditional conservaNaMestoy Farm in Cumming features a spacious house that is open as a of our time?” tive approach to spiritualserene retreat for personal or group use. Furnishings accent the retreat’s For this reason, Nancy ity, and from that group of relaxing and minimalist calming effect. says that she will keep her people who showed up on symposiums, meditation groups, health, incorporating quality foods and that first day, we’ve bonded as a comwriting workshops, Reiki workshops, regular exercise into her daily routines. munity of healers and seekers of truth Tibetan bowl circles — when people But the rest of her time, she’ll spend in and higher consciousness.” need a peaceful place to share their meditation, in nature, and in welcomIt’s not a business. It’s far from that. creativity and positivity, they can unite ing the people Martin would’ve loved Rather, Nancy says, NaMestoy Farms is on Nancy’s property. to call his community if he’d had the just her home, and she enjoys welcom“My life has always been about chance. ing people who are seeking that same loving people, ” she said.

“In fact, I’ d say “To gaze at the moon, to listen to sense of community. that my life’s mantra has been that I the birds, to walk out into the trees that “I’m just a person who is creating want to make life more wonderful for are alive and have been standing a lot opportunities for people to get togetheveryone I come into contact with, and longer than we’ve been here? And then er,” she said. “Anyone who is longing (this property) has helped me do that. to share that? That’s enough to bring to have that feeling of home can come It’s become a place that people can call me joy. That’s enough to make me well. here.” home.”

And I know Martin would be proud,” That has resulted in numerous Musicians have stayed there when she said. gatherings that Nancy said she never they wanted to compose music. Writanticipated. Music concerts, cancer 12 January 2017 HOME Living In North Georgia

GET TO KNOW

Get to know Author Robin Warren draws back the curtain on Southern actresses New book highlights trailblazing women of the 19th century Story by Pamela A. Keene Habersham County resident Robin Warren knew she had to go further than the dissertation she submitted to earn her Ph.D. from the University of Georgia in 2005. After all, she’d focused on a little-known group of trailblazers from the 19th century: independent women who gained notoriety breaking into the world of the stage theater.

“These women deserved to be read about and known to the public, because for their time they were indeed in uncharted territory for females,” says Robin, whose “Women on Southern Stages, 1800-1865” is shining the spotlight on a handful of Southern actresses from 200 years ago. “In many cases, they were wealthy, sophisticated entrepreneurs, but they were never accepted in society by the landed gentry.

They broke the barriers of race, gender and socio-economics when it wasn’t the thing to do.”

Earning her undergraduate degree from Agnes Scott in Decatur, and then her masters from the University of Georgia, the Jacksonville, Florida, native went into the work world, married husband Wally and taught for several

Left: Belle Boyd was a Civil War spy who became an actress after the war. She inverted a traditionally male role during the war and was called “La Belle Rebelle.”

She was from an elite Virginia family and imprisoned many times during the war. She died penniless in 1900. Image courtesy Brady-Handy Collection, Prints and Photographs Division, Library of Congress.

Right: Actress Adah Isaacs Menken was born in New Orleans in 1835. She was very flamboyant and quite risque. Menken was most famous for playing the part of Mazeppa in an equestrian drama by the same name. She actually rode a horse on stage and wore the skimpy outfit in which she is pictured here. Images courtesy of Billy Rose Theatre Division, New York Public Library.

years before setting her eyes on a Ph.D. “It took me seven years as a non-traditional student to complete, but it has been an amazing journey.”

Her daughter Phoebe was born shortly after she completed her dissertation. She set aside the book idea for a half-dozen years. “Then I realized that I didn’t want these stories to sit on a shelf, so I went back to it four years ago after Phoebe got a little bit older. I

found a good publisher — McFarland Press in North Carolina — and they have been a huge help throughout the process.”

As for publishing a book, she applied the same discipline required to earn an advanced degree while working full time as an English teacher.

Robin set up a dedicated writing space in her home and started a new routine of rising early, exercising then spendHOME Living

In North Georgia

January 2017 13

GET TO KNOW

ing time in her home office.

“Someone told me that you needed to require yourself to turn out at least two pages every single day, no matter how bad they might be,” she says. “And, of course I did a great deal of additional research, searching archives and finding out everything I could about them.”

As Robin began to write, she says many of the women became like friends. “Some of them were very wealthy, but extremely independent. Some owned slaves but they weren’t plantation mistresses. They truly blurred the lines from the image we have of women in the Antebellum South.”

She says they performed all kinds of female roles, from exotic ethnicities using soot to color their skin to showing off the female anatomy almost to

Celebrating Over

Years of Service 1983-2015

14 January 2017 HOME Living In North Georgia

the point of ruining their reputaAuthor Robin Warren in her home office. tions. “In some ways, they were the forerunners of burlesque, which rose in the 1870s and 1880s, because of their ‘leg show,’ but burlesque was quickly taken over by men who objectified women.”

Among her favorites? New Orleans’ Adah Isaacs Menken and Julia Dean Hayne, the daughwas so admirable and so strong.” ter of a theater family “Women on Southern Stages, who began her stage career at age 13.

1800-1865: Performance, Gender and Later she married a Charleston docIdentity in a Golden Age of American tor who soon revealed his true abusive nature. “On her own while on a tour of Theater” is available at www.mcfarland books.com or through Amazon. The mining camps out West, she got a divorce from him — something unspeak- 280-page book includes more than two dozen historic photographs from the able at the time. She even got custody of their children,” Robin says. “She later time. remarried but died in childbirth. She

HEALTH & FITNESS

Health & Fitness Hit the gym in 2017 ... safely Story by Bekah Porter | Photography by Scott Rogers

If you’re seeking a reason to skip the traditional New Year’s rush to the gym, you need look no further than Google.

Type in “exercise injuries,” and within seconds, you’ll be inundated with statistics that’ll scare you right away from that stepping machine.

If such organizations as the Centers for Disease Control and the American Medical Association can be believed, then nearly half

a million Americans are injured each year using exercise equipment and emergency rooms across the United States treat an average

of 10,000 people daily for acute traumas stemming from sports or exercise.

Remind us why, exactly, the treadmill is so tempting?

Oh, yeah, those nagging little conditions known as diabetes, cancer, depression, heart disease, muscular atrophy, brittle bones, organ malfunctions, and a bazillion and one other things that exercise is known to improve or prevent.

Max Kane Fitness manager Brandon Conner and coach Trice Sweet do pull ups at the Gainesville gym as they get their Crossfit workout in for the day.

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HEALTH & FITNESS

Gil Brown, right, Trice Sweet, and Brandon Conner use the rowing machines as part of a crossfit workout at Max Kane Fitness in Gainesville.

So, to the gym we go. But isn’t there some way to end up being a success story rather than a medical stat? Turns out, there is, says Jeremy Warner. According to the owner of Max Kane Health and Fitness in Gainesville, as well as other medical professionals and organizations, the best way to get healthy this year is to ease into it.

“Most people want a quick fix, so they’ll lean toward gimmicks,” he said, “but you need consistency more than you need anything else.”

Here’s how you can achieve your optimal health without the bruises, breaks and medical bills that could otherwise haunt your efforts: • Focus on food. “It all starts with nutrition,” Warner said. “Dial in on what you eat, starting with the quality of the food. It’s all about quality over quantity.” He recommends whole, natural foods not “made in a factory somewhere” or “altered.” He suggests a diet filled with lean meats, lots of vegetables, some fruits, nuts or seeds, and 16 January 2017 HOME Living In North Georgia

a little bit of starches.

• Technique, technique, technique. Gym equipment can be intimidating, as can asking for help in a new environment. But don’t let that get to you, Warner said. Ask your gym’s staff for a tutorial on how to use the equipment. “If you have no knowledge of proper technique, then you should seek out advice or avoid (the exercise),” he said. “If you choose to steam ahead and come up with your own idea of what a squat is and throw yourself into it and get hurt, was it the squat that hurt you or your interpretation?” By hiring a personal trainer or attending a fundamentals program, you learn how to safely enjoy new exercise methods.

• Prepare yourself for the movement. We’ve all heard that we should stretch, and while this is a good rule in general, Warner suggests taking that one step farther. “Movement preparation is vital,” he said. “So, let’s go with the squat example again. Let’s say I know I’m going to be doing squats in

my workout. That means I know I’m going to be utilizing my legs. So, I need to warm up my legs. I need to get the stiffness out of them before I perform that task of squatting. So, I can do some leg swings. I can jog in place. I need to focus on range of motion in those legs.”

• Take a break. If something hurts, stop. While this should go without saying, people seem to ignore this basic advice. Don’t push yourself farther than your body can handle, and be willing to take a step back and rest when your body needs it.

• Protect yourself. If you are playing a sport in a recreation league or with friends, gear up. Shin guards, mouthpieces, helmets ... they’re all there for your safety. And don’t be lured into thinking, “Oh, this is just me tossing a ball around with friends.”

Plenty of injuries happen even when playing a friendly game. “You don’t have to be playing competitively to be hurt,” Warner said. “I’ve been in the military for 15 years, and I’ve seen more people get hurt in the military shooting hoops with friends than anything else.”

• Consider more efficient movements. Warner is a big believer in weight training, as it helps condition muscles and doesn’t place a body unaccustomed to exercise in a position where it needs to pivot, as it would in, say, that game of hoops. “Everyone can benefit from free weights,” he said.

“Actually, the research shows that it has the lowest injury rate by far of any activity. Even tennis and swimming has a higher injury rate.”

• Hydrate. More and more studies show that drinking water helps keep the body limber, and a limber body helps.

HEALTH & FITNESS

Make a resolution to take a break from social media The Internet and social media have revolutionized the way people spend their time. In the not-so-distant past, the sharing of information took considerable time.

But now the instant a thought pops into a person’s head, it can immediately be broadcast and shared with the world.

According to the marketing and media resource Brandwatch, there were 2.3 billion active social media users as of 2015, and those users averaged 5.54 social media accounts apiece. A new social user is added every 12 seconds. Facebook says it adds 500,000 new users every day and six new profiles every second.

In addition, 500 million people visit Twitter each month. Social media and Internet usage has become pervasive, so much so that some people have become addicted to it.

Cornell Information Science has even published research that looked at the difficulty some people have in quitting Facebook and other social networks. Professed “social media addicts” have described the need for social media as being as strong as a cigarette craving.

Some people use social media at the expense of sleep, work and family. But even those who can control their social media habits may want to cut back on their usage, and the following are a handful of ways to do just that. n Start cleaning out friend and follow lists. It won’t be social suicide if you begin streamlining your social media feeds.

Go through friend lists or who you are following and cut out the people with whom you do not regularly converse. Keep it to only the people with whom you care to

remain updated. n Think before you “tweet,” “post” or “snap.” Spend a few minutes really considering if the information you plan to share is worth sharing. Chances are you can reserve social media use for a more important purpose than sharing another photo of your lunch.

And although everyone is entitled to his or her opinions, before commenting consider if a comment has the potential to ignite an argument or lead to a lengthy discussion you don’t have the time or the desire to get involved with. n Schedule social media time. Instead of routinely checking your phone or tablet for social media updates, set up a time once or twice per day to check in. This way you control how and when you use the information. Similarly, turn off notifications so that you will not be tempted to look at your mobile device each time a tone is sounded. n Keep some things a mystery. Do not share locations or provide updates on vacations or travel plans in real time. This can be a security issue. Always exercise caution regarding the information you share. Making use of the privacy settings available to you may help you achieve your goal of reducing time spent on social media. n Live in the moment. Put down phones and experience situations as they happen, rather than through a screen.

Cutting down on social media usage or using platforms more intelligently are common resolutions. A little diligence can make it possible to break the cycle of constant use.

HOME Living

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January 2017 17

HOME & GARDEN

Home & Garden How to warm up your interior décor during the colder winter months Do you sometimes feel a little down after all of the holiday parties, celebrating and visiting with family and friends are over?

Along with taking down the Christmas tree and decorations comes the cold, dreary winter weather. What can you do to keep the blues at bay? Here are 5 ideas to warm up your home until spring arrives: 1. Lighting — A well-lit home feels inviting and warm. Especially this time of year when the daylight hours are short, it is important to consider appropriate lighting for each of the areas of your home.

I prefer to set some lamps on timers so that they are on to welcome me home on a cold, dark evening. Add table lamps and floor lamps to make a room more appealing and provide adequate light for reading. With all of the new energy efficient bulbs available today, you don’t have to worry about being impractical. Place an accent lamp on a book shelf or in a dark corner. Consider adding dimmer switches to overhead fixtures so you can control the intensity of light.

2. Fresh Flowers — Spoil yourself with some fresh cut stems or live greenery! Nothing brings a breath of life to a drab wintry day better than elements of nature. Fresh flowers can be purchased year round at many different locations.

Take advantage of this, and keep some arrangements around your home.

3. Area Rugs — If your home is covered with hardwood and tile flooring, this can feel rather cold and austere in the winter months. Room-size area rugs in your family room, bedroom and dining room create a welcoming feel and provide warmth and softness underfoot. An area rug can be a very important element to “anchoring” a room’s décor and color scheme as well.

4. Window Treatments — Shades, shutters and other “hard” window treatments can offer varying degrees of insulating protection for chilly drafts. Also consider adding the more decorative “soft” window treatments made of fabrics, 18 January 2017 HOME Living In North Georgia

such as floor to ceiling drapery panels to gently frame a window, absorb sound, and complete a room. Custom window treatments are an important design element for completing a room. Bare windows can feel cold and uninviting.

5. Color — Add some fresh pops of your favorite color throughout your home. This can be accomplished by introducing accent pillows, artwork, a decorative throw blanket or other quirky accessories. Particularly if you lean toward a neutral color scheme, it is important to add some color accents to keep your interiors feeling fresh and alive.

6. What’s Ahead — The 2017 Pantone Color of the Year is a hue called “Greenery.” Look for this bright, fresh springlike color in the coming months to make quite an entrance.

This color evokes feelings of freshness, vitality, health and nature. It’s not too early to think about adding some accents of this color in your home. One of the best ways to create an inviting interior environment is to add elements of nature.

These are just a handful of quick ideas you can implement to help you create a home you “love to live!” I hope you find your home to be a welcoming winter haven.

Love Where You Live!

Allison Havill Todd is President and Director of Design of Alpharetta-based AHT Interiors, www.ahtinteriors.com.

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FOOD & DRINK

Food & Drink Back Porch Oyster Bar’s Gorgonzola Shrimp Linguine makes ‘100 Plates’

F

Story and photography for HOME Magazine

rom the fishing decor on the walls to the beach music and fresh seafood, it would be easy to forget Back Porch Oyster Bar is nestled among the mountains on the square in Dahlonega.

And that is exactly what restaurant owners Lee and Trish Creef want.

Their goal is to make customers feel like they’re eating at a beachside fish bar without having to travel to the beach.

Since 2002, they’ve gained recognition for their coastal-

20 January 2017 HOME Living In North Georgia

Back Porch Oyster Bar Hours: 11:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday, 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Friday and Saturday Address: 19 N. Chestatee St., Dahlonega Phone number: 706 864-8623 Online: backporchoysterbar.net

FOOD & DRINK

inspired dishes. Their Gorgonzola shrimp linguine was featured recently on Explore Georgia’s list of “100 Plates Locals Love.”

“The Gorgonzola shrimp is awesome,” said Paul Hoffman, owner of Paul Thomas Chocolates on the square in Dahlonega. “The combination of the shrimp and the pasta works great for me. You get a lot of shrimp, the Gorgonzola is really excellent. It’s very unique. ” Hoffman said he has been dining at Back Porch Oyster for eight years and gets the Gorgonzola shrimp often, sometimes substituting penne pasta for the linguine. The dish is one of the most popular items on the menu, according to restaurant bar owner Lee Creef.

“It’s a really flavorful dish,” chef Gil Yazzie said. “I like it a lot, because the Gorgonzola gives it this nutty flavor and aroma that’s really nice.”

The shrimp is served over linguine with a savory sauce of Gorgonzola cheese, Marsala wine, lobster broth and rosemary with tomato and spinach. Yazzie said the dish is simple, but requires precision in preparation to ensure the cream sauce doesn’t separate.

Lee and Trish Creef opened the restaurant after their search for a fresh fish eatery ended in disappointment. They said they could only find catfish in area restaurants.

The couple moved to Dahlonega from the Outer Banks of North Carolina to be near Trish’s sister. They worked in real estate and housing and had no previous experience in the restaurant industry, but wanted to bring their family recipes from the coast to Dahlonega.

“We came here 14 years ago and there wasn’t any place to eat seafood,” Lee said. “So we decided to play with

The Back Porch Oyster Bar’s Gorgonzola Shrimp Linguine was recently featured on Explore Georgia’s list of “100 Plates Locals Love.” The dish is one of the most popular items on the Dahlonega restaurant’s menu.

this idea and we just keep expanding.

We get people in this restaurant from all over the world.”

Lee said the restaurant quickly became a success and continues to grow by 20 percent each year. He said he has served guests from as far away as Alaska and China and even has a regular diner from Australia. In fact, he said he has more tourists as customers than locals. He said diners discover the place through travel blogs or by word of mouth.

And the proof of this adorns the restaurant. The walls are lined with photographs of customers wearing Back Porch T-shirts all over the world.

Trish can name almost every location where people have sent photos from, including Indonesia and Antarctica.

“It’s all word of mouth,” she said.

“Everybody that comes in loves what we do.”

Trish and Lee said the menu reflects

the flavors they grew up with in North Carolina when they lived off seafood from their offshore fishing boat.

“My wife and I grew up on the coast,” Lee said. “All these dishes are real, lowcountry seafood dishes that we’ve had in our family for years.”

Trish devised the dishes along with their son, Jason Davenport, who once worked as the restaurant’s chef.

In addition to the Gorgonzola Shrimp Linguine, Lee said other popular dishes include their Chilean sea bass, shrimp and grits and surf and turf combos. He said his goal with the menu is to do something no one else in town is doing.

“When people eat here, I want them to feel like they’re someplace else, like they’re on vacation at the beach,” Lee said. “We just try to make sure that people have an experience here that they can’t find anywhere else.”

HOME Living

In North Georgia

January 2017 21

FOOD & DRINK

Start the year off on a health kick Chicken and Curried Cauliflower Salad Sandwiches pack a punch A new year marks a great time to turn over a new leaf. While many people resolve to be healthier in a new year, those who aren't fond of making resolutions can still make an effort to adopt a healthier lifestyle.

Adopting a healthier diet is a great way to improve overall health. And while it's often assumed that a healthy diet is one void of taste, the following recipe for "Chicken and Curried Cauliflower Salad Sandwiches" from Joy Manning and Tara Mataraza Desmond's "Almost Meatless: Recipes That Are Better for Your Health and the Planet" (Ten Speed Press) turns such a notion on its head.

Chicken and Curried Cauliflower Salad Sandwiches Serves 4 to 6 1 medium head cauliflower, chopped into 2-inch pieces (about 6 cups) 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon canola oil 1 teaspoon hot curry powder Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 1-pound bone-in, skin-on chicken breast 1 egg yolk 11/2 teaspoons white wine vinegar 1/8 teaspoon salt 3 grinds black pepper 1/4 teaspoon mustard 1/2 cup canola oil 2 scallions, white and green 22 January 2017 HOME Living In North Georgia

FOOD & DRINK

parts, sliced very thin 1/2 teaspoon hot curry powder 2 tablespoons grated onion 1/3 cup salted roasted cashews, coarsely chopped 1/3 cup golden raisins Toasted slices rye, pumpernickel or other brown bread Mayonnaise To prepare the cauliflower and chicken, arrange 2 racks in the oven and preheat to 400 F. Toss the cauliflower with the 1 tablespoon of oil, curry powder and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a bowl, and arrange in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet or in a glass baking dish.

Put the chicken in a roasting pan or on a rimmed baking sheet, brush with the remaining 1 teaspoon of oil and season with salt and pepper. Transfer both to the oven, one on each rack. Roast the cauliflower for 20 minutes.

Remove from the oven and let cool. Let the chicken roast for an additional 10 to 15 minutes (30 to 35 minutes total), until a meat thermometer registers 160 F. Remove from the oven and cool.

To make the mayonnaise, whisk the egg yolk with the vinegar, salt, pepper, and mustard in a bowl. When well combined, begin adding the oil very slowly, a few drops at a time, until about a quarter of the oil has formed a smooth emulsion with the yolk.

Add the remaining oil in a slow, steady stream, whisking constantly. To this half-cup of basic mayo, add the scallions, curry powder and the grated onion.

Taste for seasoning and adjust as needed, and refrigerate until ready to use.

To prepare and serve the salad, when the chicken is cool, remove and discard the skin, cut the meat from the bone, and dice it into 1/2-inch pieces.

Give the cauliflower a rough chop so the pieces are no more than 1/2 inch. In a large bowl, combine the chicken, cauliflower, mayo, cashews, and raisins and toss until well mixed.

Taste for seasoning, adding more salt, pepper or curry if you like. Scoop the salad onto toasted bread and enjoy.

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ARTS & CULTURE

Arts & Culture

Photos courtesy Lera Lynn/Sands Foley Entertainment

Creepy, lovely Artist Lera Lynn talks “True Detective,” surf noir and her latest album Story by Bekah Porter The camera pans across the top of the dreary city, which seems to sag under fog and despair.

A weathered man appears, awash in a grey cloud of ashy smoke from his cigarette. His misery pulsates on the screen, as if it’s a living thing, consuming him puff by puff. A voice cuts through his gloom, and the man turns toward the sound, fixated on the haunting image across the bar. A woman is sitting on a stool, cowering over a guitar, microphone pressed to her mouth, track marks snaking up her arms and circles blotting out the skin beneath her sad eyes.

24 January 2017 HOME Living In North Georgia

ARTS & CULTURE

Melancholy radiates from the nameless singer, the mournful lyrics of “This is my least favorite life” conveying the thoughts of the man smoking in the booth.

It’d be easy to associate singersongwriter Lera Lynn with the role of the dead-eyed musician whom critics say stole the show at the second season of the widely-acclaimed TV show “True Detective.”

But to yoke the Atlanta and Athens girl turned Nashville resident with only sad songs is to have never listened to her extensive anthology, which is much more nuanced and uplifting than haunting and maudlin. And to characterize her as cheerless is to ignore her upbeat personality and her numerous reasons to celebrate.

Lynn’s latest album, “Resistor” was recently listed in American Songwriter’s Top 50 Albums of the Year.

Her song “Lying in the Sun” was just featured in a trailer for the new HBO series “The Young Pope.” Amazon just released her holiday song, “Love One Another.” And she has earned positive reviews from Rolling Stone and The New York Times.

Here’s what the former Atlanta resident had to say about her success, her style and the influence her Southern roots have had on her ascending career: Question: You’ve described your music as creepy but lovely, and I’ve read reviews and fan pages that use words like grim and maudlin and unsettling to describe what you do.

Yet you say that darkness is only one aspect of your persona. What’s the complete picture of you as an artist?

Answer: My goal is to move people and to make people feel things, preferably all of the things — happy, sad, excited, turned on, everything. I try

“I have thought so many times that I am completely crazy for doing what I do.” not to limit myself to any one emotional genre. If you listen to Resistor or my previous records, I feel like they explore different territories. It’s not all just one feeling. I think having done “True Detective,” where we wrote music for a character for a specific feeling, I think people attributed that to me.

That’s why I’m saying it’s part of me.

“True Detective” is a part of me. But it’s not all of me.

Q: In the comment section of your music video for “The Only Thing Worth Fighting For,” one listener said that the song had him racing to a window so he could look out at the rain and think about life. What do you want people to feel when they listen to your songs?

A: I want them to feel what I feel when I fall in love with someone’s record. There’s a certain feeling, as if someone has opened a gateway or window for you to see some kind of universal truth. I think that’s what songwriters, at least in my vein, are trying to get at. They’re trying to show you something.

You can’t help but have an emotional connection. It’s so abstract, and I feel pretentious talking about (how people should feel when listening to my music.) But there are records that I fall in love with, where I can just close my eyes and lose myself in their world.

And that’s the whole point of making music. It can be an emotive escape. It can be a call out to say, “Guess what, listener, there other people who feel the way you do.”

Q: What is one of those records for you, that you’ve fallen in love with and fallen into the artist’s world?

A: For me, currently, is a Canadian

artist named Andy Shauf. His latest (record) is called “The Party.” He’s a great lyricist. I love how dry his delivery is. The production is fantastic. He plays all the instruments, and there’s so much control in the playing. And by that, I mean he underplays. He’s subtle and restrained and the songs, they take me places. You can close your eyes and enter a new realm.

Q: You’re a singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. In other words, you’re a true artist. Do you think it’s important to have that classic multidimensional depth? Do you think that depth is lacking in the music industry today?

A: I think everyone has different strengths. Personally, I prefer to consume art that does have that kind of depth, but I can also appreciate art that has a different function, like Beyoncé’s music. That still makes me feel something.

She and Andy are in two different worlds, obviously. I think he real art comes in doing something no one else has done in your own special way and in connecting to yourself and be unique and being able to show your perspective, how you interpret things.

That’s where I think real artistry comes in.

Q: You recently released a seasonal song, “Love One Another,” saying that you were looking for a timeless and universal holiday message. You also said that the song seems more timely now. What prompted that statement?

A: I wrote that song before (Donald) Trump became President-elect. I was on tour when the results from the election came in, and I think everyone HOME Living

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ARTS & CULTURE

in the nation was shocked, whether you’re a Trump supporter or not, by how divided our country is.

I didn’t realize it was to the degree that it is, and I think it’s good that we’ve been shown that, so I started hearing those lyrics a different way. Of course, always, yes, love one another, but it’s easy to forget that as Americans, it’s easy to forget to do so while living our comfortable air-conditioned lives. We need to remember to accept differences.

Without trying to sound too corny, you can do anything with love. You can change anything with love. You can achieve anything through love.

Q: NPR and other reviewers have categorized you as a surf-noir musician. Can you describe what that genre is?

A: Surf-noir comes from Dick Dale, who is the famous surf guitar player. There is, like, a dark ’60s rock vibe kind of underlining everything.

People are always scrambling to find a genre or a way to describe music, and I understand that you have to have a way to say in words what something sounds like, but that’s a real tall order, and I think it can be detrimental. And I’ve also been described as country, so go figure.

Q: How has growing up Southern influenced your identity as a musician?

A: It’s funny. (My family and I) are all from Texas. I was born in Texas but mostly grew up in the Atlanta area, and my parents were always playing classic country and classic rock, like southern rock, like Lynryd Skynryd.

When I went to college, I was exposed to jazz for the first time, and sushi. This whole other world that I didn’t know existed. And I became ashamed of (my country roots) for a 26 January 2017 HOME Living In North Georgia

while, and even of my own songwriting, and I rebelled against that and started looking at jazz.

My creative goal became to be a jazz singer and I dove into that world. I started writing songs that were harmoniously complex. I would perform the songs and notice that nobody was really connecting, which is the biggest and best test for any music, how the audience responds to it. So I went back

them have Colin Farrell in them.

A: Yeah, The Black Rose was definitely my favorite dive bar ever. Of course, it was a set and not a real bar.

I’ve played plenty of those places, and I still do on occasion. They can be great.

The place doesn’t really matter. I mean, obviously playing in a beautiful theater with a great sound system is nice, but if the audience in the dive bar is there in that moment, none of that

to the drawing board, and I realized that I wasn’t being myself.

So I started to write really simple country songs instead, and that got a much better response. It was sort of an experiment for me in forming some sort of identity. I realized that it is, in fact, a really big part of who I am.

Q: You were the singer in a smoky bar in “True Detective,” which begs the question: Have you done a lot of singing in bars and lounges? Which was your favorite? Because not all of

other (stuff) matters. And sometimes I find those in those dive bars are the best audiences. They can be the most engaged.

Q: If I enter your name into Google, I can hardly find a link that doesn’t mention how you stole the show in “True Detective.” How did that opportunity come about, and what role has it played in your career?

Would you describe it as your break?

Or is there another moment that you point to in finding your success?

ARTS & CULTURE

A: I don’t think there’s any one moment or thing that brings success. I’ve been working in music for years, and I’m like, “Oh, we got a feature in Wall Street Journal or a spot on Letterman or a song placed in a TV show.” All of these things add up.

“True Detective” was obviously a pretty monumental thing, and it helped me reach many more people, especially in Europe. But I think success is a culmination of persistence and small breaks. I hate to think that any one moment would define any person’s career.

I feel there are greater things in store yet, but the opportunity came about because T-Bone Burnett was interested in using a song of mine that I had already written and released called “Lying in the Sun.” He wanted to meet and discuss using that song in the show, which, funny enough, we didn’t use after all.

But he invited me to come to L.A. and write with him, and we wrote almost 10 songs, and we recorded them very quickly, and the next thing I knew, I was on the set with Collin Farrell and Vince Vaughn. They’re both really, really nice people, by the way, if you need another reason to like them.

Q: Almost every single review I’ve read of “True Detective’s” second season says that you stole the show? Do you see acting in your future? What role would you love to play?

A: I would love to do more acting.

What role? I don’t know. Any role. I’d play any role. Why not? Although, I am terrified of someone telling me to cry on camera. I’m working on it, though.

Q: You have a lot going on in your life right now. Your latest album, “Resistor,” was listed in American Songwriter’s Top 50 Albums of the Year.

Your song, “Lying in the Sun,” was

What: Lera Lynn in concert with Andrew Combs Where: Terminal West, 887 W. Marietta St. NW C, Atlanta When: 8 p.m., Friday, Jan. 20 Cost: $15-$25 Learn More: www.terminalwestatl.com/event/1388244-lera-lynn-atlanta/ just featured in a trailer for the new HBO series “The Young Pope,” starring Jude Law and Diane Keaton.

If you don’t mind me veering for a second, I recently interviewed a teenager who was achieving some monumental things — most specifically getting honored by Congress for a program she created that has fed thousands of people — and she said that you can’t set out for recognition or achievements or hitting the markers by which your industry marks success. Instead, she said, those are a natural result of truly loving what you do. So with that said, what role does passion play into your many, many successes? And how do you strike a balance between following your passion yet still hoping for success?

A: It’s tough. It’s a daily struggle, especially when you are hoping to support yourself through a creative endeavor, especially because it’s unpredictable, and your success really depends on the opinion of others. Passion really is the only thing that keeps you going. I have thought so many times that I am completely crazy for doing what I do.

But I just feel so compelled to do it. I can’t not do it. I think success is complicated. I think passion is where you start. That’s square one. Then there has to be a great endurance and drive and persistence and support.

I don’t think anyone is successful alone. But it’s a long game. A very long

game. So you have to be patient with yourself and accept the ebbs and flows of success.

Q: What are you hoping for in 2017?

A: World peace? Is that too much?

(Laughs.) Well, I am writing and getting geared up for the next record. And I’m currently producing another record for another artist, and that’s been really fun, and we have more singles coming out.

I don’t think 2017 is going to be as heavy of a touring year. It’s time for me to reset and write and work on the next record.

Q: You went to the University of Georgia and earned a degree in anthropology. Did you always want to be a musician? Or was that degree your way of ensuring that you had a Plan B? A: Yes. It was a Plan B, and I was pressured by my family to do that, and I am very grateful that I received an education. Those are some of my favorite memories. What a luxury to wake up and go learn every day. And that education has been so crucial to me as a person in the world. It helped my mind to expand, which is helpful to a songwriter.

But, yes, it was a Plan B, but I’ve wanted to do music since I was 13, or somewhere around that age. I don’t regret (my education) at all, but I do sometimes wish I had just started music earlier.

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Conducting his life ARTS & CULTURE

Flowery Branch’s Logan Souther follows his musical passion Story by Pamela A. Keene If his first 20 years are any indication, Logan Souther will have a hugely successful career as an orchestral conductor. The 22-year-old piano performance major at Georgia State University set his sights on a becoming a conductor in his mid-teens, and he’s right on track.

He’s an admitted late-comer to classical music, playing the clarinet and bassoon in the Flowery Branch Middle School Band and adding piano studies to his repertoire a couple of years later. “I didn’t grow up around classical music but as early as 12 years old, I knew that classical music was what I wanted to do,” Logan says. “And as I learned more about the real role of a conductor, I saw it as a way to bring all the different fields of music together.”

Logan decided by age 16 that his true career goal was conducting orchestras. As a musician, he competed in AllState and District band contests and as he began to think about college, he chose Georgia State.

About that time, he also found his mentor Michael Palmer, former associate director of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra under the late Robert Shaw.

“I reached out to several conductors within an hour’s drive of Gainesville and Mr. Palmer was one of only two who responded at all,” Logan says. “He called and asked me to come sit in on a rehearsal and that we’d talk afterwards.

After that, we started out meeting one to two times each week and he has been so generous with his time, his guidance and advice. Now, we meet for coffee or lunch. He really has helped me understand the role of a conductor.”

For many laypeople, the conductor is the glamour job, the visible thread that brings the orchestra together. “But that’s not so,” Logan says. “The composer’s role is to have respect for the art of the composer and not project your own personality into the performances. We work to pull the sounds from the orchestra and showcase their work. It’s really a selfless approach.”

Logan didn’t wait until he got older to embark on his 28 January 2017 HOME Living In North Georgia

Photo by Gail Pinckney

conducting career. Two years ago, he established the Gainesville Sinfonietta, a group of professional musicians in North Georgia that presents a classical music concert annually at the church where Logan grew up, Chestnut Mountain Presbyterian Church. So far, the majority of funding for the Sinfonietta has come from the church, although the program is not officially part of the church’s ministries.

“To find musicians, I connected with a person who works like a personnel manager and contracts with professionals,” he says. “We typically have between 22 and 26

ARTS & CULTURE

Photo by Judi Souther

Left: Logan Souther performs Beethoven’s D Major “Pastoral” Sonata during a concert in 2016.

Below and opposite page: Souther conducts the GSU symphony orchestra’s performance of Borodin’s Second Symphony.

Photo by Gail Pinckney

musicians when we perform.” Logan does much of the preparation work on the musical scores, from charting bowing for the strings to clarifying tempos and dynamics.

“We only have two rehearsals before we perform and the first half of each two-and-a-half-hour session is spent working with the strings. Then we add the winds and it all comes together.”

The Sunday afternoon fall concerts have featured works by Mozart and Respighi. An all-Bach program showcased works by J.S. Bach and his son C.P.E. Bach.

Logan says his goal is to start a summer series for the Sinfonietta. He’s also attending Georgia State full time, working toward his master’s degree and looking toward earning his doctorate.

“Right now, our budget is not that big,” he says, “but we’re at the stage of needing a team of about 10 people in Gainesville who can help us with growth and funding.”

Logan says that the church has set up an account to receive and process donations for the Sinfonietta. He also encourages interested people to call him at 678-677-5059 or email logansouther@gmail.com.

NO

W

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The New Signature of Assisted Living & Memory Care has arrived at Hamilton Mill!

Drop in or schedule a private tour today to experience the finest senior living in the area.

3581 Braselton Hwy, Dacula, GA 30019 (770) 999-0421 • www.at-hamiltonmill.com

2016-0114 HM

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CHARITABLE LIVING

Charitable Living Story and photography for HOME Magazine

Jim Mathis: The go-to guy

Jim Mathis Jr. flips through artwork that lined the walls of his office for the past 18 years at the North Georgia Community Foundation.

32 January 2017 HOME Living In North Georgia

A lifetime’s worth of memorabilia, plaques, awards and paintings sat on shelves and hung on the walls of Jim Mathis Jr.’s office at the North Georgia Community Foundation.

His collection now sits in boxes or leans against the walls as he readies for retirement at the end of 2016. He helmed the foundation, which handles funds for nonprofits, as its president and CEO from 1998 until last fall and has served as president emeritus since then.

Mathis’ daughter Kelly Lee knows her dad won’t stay still after his retirement.

“He’s never not working,” she said.

“He’ll find something to get involved in.

He’s not just going to disappear. That’s not his style.”

Mathis, who celebrated his 70th birthday in December, said he is very proud of his time working for the foundation. During his time there, he has seen the earnings grow from $1.5 million to $50 million, with $150 million under management.

“We help people with the money, how to spend it in effective ways,” Mathis said.

When the foundation first opened its doors, it didn’t have much to work with, but the group persevered.

“We were as persistent as could be,” Mathis said. One of his plaques is a quote from Calvin Coolidge on the subject of persistence.

Lee has been there while her father stayed persistent and grew the nonprofit and said she’s often heard from others about her father’s work ethic. She said people often say that he’s the go-to guy for getting things done in a quiet, behind the scenes kind of way.

“He’s a resource the community has always used,” she said.

CHARITABLE LIVING

Part of his legacy will be the foundation’s growth during the time he’s been a part of it.

“He’s taken it from a small business to a much bigger one,” Lee said. “He’s leaving behind a great legacy.”

But that’s not even the start of it, according to Lee. She said Mathis has been involved in everything from education to helping the impoverished.

“You name it, he’s been involved in it somehow,” Lee said.

Mathis also keeps a framed photo on a shelf of his second day working for the foundation back in 1998.

It’s a photo of Mathis receiving a $100,000 check that went toward disaster relief after a tornado hit the area.

Since then, the foundation has controlled more funds for donors.

Mathis said there are approximately 300 funds the foundation has, which range from $1,000 to millions.

“We treat everybody the same,” he said.

Everybody who works in the foundation’s building, from Megan Martin, director of donor engagement, and Margaux Dolenc, foundation associate, got kudos from Mathis on their help throughout his tenure.

“We’ve had really great people over the years,” Mathis said.

During his time, he also led the team that got the foundation to be nationally accredited. Now the foundation is able to say that it gives better returns than any other foundation in

the state.

“The reason is, we don’t mess with (the money),” he said.

The period of his life leading up to the 1996 Olympic Games is another Mathis remembers fondly.

A solitary oar, gifted to him on behalf of the Greater Hall Chamber of Commerce in 1994, is the only object still hanging on the walls of his office. It represents the years Mathis spent working to bring the Olympics to Lake Lani-

er. Mathis’ role started in 1992, when he was asked by the city of Gainesville to compile a book of possible sites and services that might be used in support of the Olympic efforts in Atlanta.

Many tokens of his dedication remain in the office, including the original Olympic torch he carried from the square through the streets of Brenau University now encased and standing in a corner.

He also has framed tickets from the opening and closing ceremonies of the games and a banner with the word welcome written in the five languages that were used.

Mathis acted as chairman on the board for the Gainesville/Hall ’96 Foundation, which helped shape the legacy of the Lake Lanier Olympic Park after the games.

Once the time came for the games to start, he oversaw and recruited more than 2,000 volunteers and helped out in the VIP tent primarily.

The experience left a mark on him personally, but also on the area it now serves.

“Now it brings in 8 (million) to 10 million annually,” Mathis said.

Not only has Mathis been involved in the expansion and revamping of the Lake Lanier Olympic Park, but he also plans to stay involved after he retires.

There will be a museum dedicated to the games and the time since housed at the venue in front of the boathouse. He plans to be involved in the project and has started recruiting a team to help him.

His personality is another contributing factor to his legacy, his daughter said. Lee described him as funny and witty.

“I don’t think people really know that about him,” she said.

When she was growing up, there were times she recalled that were especially funny. Her sister, Katie Dubnik, was a cross country champion in her school days. Lee said her father was so supportive of her sister’s record-breaking times one year that he snuck a jar labeled “wind” in her duffel bag so she could run like the wind.

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IN THE COMMUNITY

in the community

32 January 2017 HOME Living In North Georgia

IN THE COMMUNITY

Northeast Georgia Medical Center Braselton Chapel recognized nationally for stained glass artwork The beautiful stained glass windows featured in The Henry Edward Braselton Chapel at Northeast Georgia Medical Center (NGMC) Braselton have been nationally recognized. The Collaboration of Design and Art (CODA) named the windows as one of the Top 100 projects from around the world for the 2016 CODAawards.

The stained glass windows were the final element to complete the beautiful chapel, which was made possible through a signature gift to The Medical Center Foundation by the family of the late Henry Edward Braselton — who served as mayor of Braselton from 1988 to 2001 and held leadership roles in the town council for more than 40 years.

The windows were meticulously crafted over the course of 18 months by a Kentucky artist, Laura Mentor. As part of the design process, Mentor made it a point to truly get to know the Braselton family, and the resulting chapel windows are Mentor’s interpretation of Henry Edward Braselton’s values: Illumination, Healing, Industry and Stewardship. The windows also reflect the rural life of an agricultural community and celebrate a shared commitment to live as good stewards of the earth.

“The chapel itself was created as a quiet haven for reflection,” said Mentor. “The stained glass windows were inspired by my experiences of walking through the beautiful landscape of this part of Georgia, learning about the history of Braselton and listening to stories that members of the Braselton family shared with me. I hope that my windows will encourage reflection on the stories told within them, and invite you to explore more deeply the region which inspired them.”

The CODAawards celebrate design projects that demonstrate the most successful integration of commissioned art into an interior, architectural or public space. Entries are reviewed by a jury of leaders in the design, architecture and art worlds.

The Henry Edward Braselton Chapel is always open and welcomes patients, their families, staff and the community to experience the beauty of the one-of-a-kind stained glass or attend nondenominational services held on Wednesdays at noon and Sundays at 10 a.m. The interfaith chapel is located along the main corridor of the ground floor at NGMC Braselton.

To learn more about the CODAawards visit www.coda worx.com/awards. For more information about The Henry Edward Braselton Chapel, contact Maggie James, Signature Gifts Officer, at 770-219-8099 or visit www.TheMedicalCenter Foundation.org

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EVENTS CALENDAR

Ongoing Northeast Georgia History Center Family Days 1-4 p.m. Second Sunday of each month through December. Northeast Georgia History Center, 322 Academy St. NE, Gainesville. Free. 770-297-5900, www. negahc.org.

Braselton Farmers Market 3 Seasons Monthly Market, Braselton. 3-6 p.m. every third Friday from Sept. to May. Cotton Gin, Davis St., Braselton. www. downtownbraselton.com Adult coloring club meeting, Braselton.

10:30 a.m. First Thursdays of the month.

Braselton Library, 15 Brassie Lane, Braselton. Free. 706-654-1992.

Builders Club meeting, Braselton. 4:30 p.m. Second and fourth Thursdays of the month. Braselton Library, 15 Brassie Lane, Braselton. Free. 706-654-1992.

Northeast Georgia History Center Forums 7 p.m. Second Tuesday of each month through December. Northeast Georgia History Center, 322 Academy St NE, Gainesville. Theme differs each month.

Admission free for members, $3 for nonmembers. 770-297-5900, www. negahc.org.

Bowen Center for the Arts 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Friday; Noon to 4 p.m. Saturday. New shows monthly. Bowen Center for the Arts, 334 Ga. 9 N, Dawsonville. Free. 706-216-2787, info@dawsonarts.org.

Toastmasters program, improve communication and leadership skills 6 p.m. Mondays. 611 Spring St., Gainesville. Free. 706-265-6710, 2520. toastmastersclubs.org.

American Business Women’s Association 6 p.m. fourth Tuesday each month. Recess Southern Gastro-pub, 118 Bradford St. NE, Gainesville. Dinner, speakers, meeting.

34 January 2017 HOME Living In North Georgia

770-654-9277, abwallcc.org.

The Pilot Club 5:45 p.m. every fourth Thursday. Elk’s Club, 1547 Riverside Drive, Gainesville.

770-532-2528, jlc814@yahoo.com.

The Georgia Art League Noon, third Thursday each month.

Quinlan Visual Arts Center, 514 Green St. NE, Gainesville. Georgiaartleague.org.

Friday sketch Club 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. first Friday of the month. Quinlan Visual Arts Center, 514 Green St. NE, Gainesville. $20.

770-536-2575, info@qvac.org, www. quinlanartscenter.org.

Joints in Motion class, Braselton.

9:30, 11:30 and 2 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays. Northeast Georgia Medical Center Braselton, 1400 River Place, Braselton. Free. www.nghs.com/braseltonevents.

a.m. Northeast Georgia History Center, 322 Academy St. NE, Gainesville. $35. www.negach.org Jan. 10 Lanier Dance line dance lessons. 7-8 p.m.

American Legion, 2343 Riverside Drive, Gainesville. $8 cash. www.lanierdance. com Jan. 12-15 Atlanta Boat Show. 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Jan. 12 and 13; 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Jan. 14; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Jan. 15. Georgia World Congress Center, 280 Northside Drive, NW, Atlanta. $14. www.atlantaboatshow. com Jan 14 Gwen Hughes Jazz Trio. 7:30 p.m. Sautee Nacoochee CommunityCenter, 283 Highway 255 N, Sautee Nacoochee. $18 members, $20 nonmembers, $12 children.

706-878-3300

“Savoring the Square” culinary walking tour, Dahlonega. 19 E. Main St., Dahlonega. $45 per person. 706-482-8795.

Dahlonegawalkingtours@gmail.com or www.savoringthesquare.com.

Jan. 14-15 North Georgia Zoo winter camp. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. North Georgia Zoo, 2912 Paradise Valley Road, Cleveland. $85 full day, $50 half day. 706-348-7279 or www. northgeorgiazoo.com

Healing Strong meetings, Gainesville.

6 p.m. First Tuesdays of the month.

Natural Juice Cafe, 2480 Limestone Parkway, Gainesville. Free. 404-918-9551. holcomb4@bellsouth.net.

Jan. 17 “ARTRAGEOUS” 7:30 p.m., Pearce Auditorium, Brenau University, 202 Boulevard, Gainesville. $35. 770-534-2787 or www.TheArtsCouncil.net

January

Jan. 24 The Last Waltz: 40th Anniversary Tour, Atlanta Symphony Hall, 1280 Peachtree St. NE, Atlanta. 7:30 p.m. $69.50 - $499.50.

Ticketmaster.com or 404-733-5000

Jan. 7 Jordan’s Run for Riverside 5K, 2001 Riverside Drive Gainesville. 9:30 a.m., $20 advance registration, $35 on race day. runsignup.com/jordansrun Through Jan. 8 Lanier Islands Winter Adventure, 11:30 a.m. to close, Lanier Islands, 7000 Lanier Islands Parkway, Buford. $19.99-$35.99. www.lanierislands.com Jan. 10 Lunch with Author Karen White. 11:30

Jan. 26 Humane Society of Jackson County Recognition Night. 6:30 p.m. Jackson Electric Membership Corporation, 850 Commerce Road, Jefferson. Free. hsjc. com/events Jan. 28 Evenings of Intimate Jazz, The Arts Council Smithgall Arts Center, 331 Spring St. SE, Gainesville. 8 p.m. $30. 770-5342787.