V3 October 2015

NWGA'S PREMIER FEATURE MAGAZINE / OCTOBER 2015

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OCTOBER2015 10

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Will a new controversy emerge surrounding some of the famous folks we all look up to?

J. BRYANT STEELE says that you can bet on it.

HOLLY LYNCH has been on a journey, and boy does she have a story to tell.

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October is not just about the monsters we know.

Nothing is scarier that domestic violence and the HOSPITALITY HOUSE FOR WOMEN is a safe place to get help in fighting this demon.

The second installment of our annual VFiles series has led us to the CHIEFTAINS MUSEUM. This is a home where things are likely to go bump in the night.

of OTHER LEVEL 30 Owner SCULPTURES JEREMY SMITH explains why he tries to create art that is a cut above the rest.

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There is no need to hit the highway in search of fine dining at its best. CEDAR AND SMOKE’S fresh take on Southern Classics is right in our own backyard.

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V3 takes a trip to our state’s capital for a weekend of pop culture fandom. For DRAGON CON attendees, Halloween came awfully early this year.

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Vote for your favorite restaurants then join us for V3’s 1st annual Taste&Toast event & experience the best food from the best restaurants all over NWGA.

TO VOTE Go to www.v3magazine.com and click on the link for “Taste & Toast”.

Choose one restaurant per category and click the VOTE button at the bottom of each category.

Results in the November 2015 issue of V3 and revealed at our 2015 Taste&Toast Event on November 13th.

Go to v3magazine.com to vote and buy tickets today.

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T Ian Griffin

OWNER+CEO

here are moments in life when things come full circle (queue up the score from “The Lion King”), and I had one of those moments at the opening home game for the Rome High Wolves in early September. My daughter is a freshman and plays clarinet in the extremely impressive Sounds of the Seven Hills marching band, and since I am on hiatus from my weekly duties of calling the game of the week on 95.7 The Ridge FM with my buddy, Matt Davis, Friday nights at Barron Stadium are once again the norm for the Griffin family.

We arrived at the stadium just before kickoff, so seats were limited in most parts

PUBLISHER’S NOTE

of the stadium, but the area behind the student section was suspiciously empty, so we grabbed a spot and settled in. Like so many people in this town, I grew up in this stadium, and a nostalgic feeling hits me just being in the stands. From games played to first dates, a lot of memories come to mind, and our vantage point of the student section helped me recall my state of mind at that age.

It was a “black out” event, so the students were draped in the color from head to toe, complete with body paint in the areas their clothing didn’t cover. While all of them looked alike, it was easy to see that even the social butterflies of the group were in the same situation as the quieter kids on the back row … trying to figure out where they fit in and having a good time while doing so.

Another jolt to the senses was the electric atmosphere in the stadium. It’s been 23 years since Rome Middle and High School first opened their doors, and I happened to start seventh grade that very year. After watching East Rome battle local rivals throughout my childhood, the red and gold team we were rooting for played teams I had never heard of and lacked the tradition of the two schools that merged to form the latter. Our identity had vanished and been replaced by a new and shiny product that just wasn’t the same. It was a tough transition, but we did our best to lay the groundwork for what Rome High would become.

Fast forward to present day and the students currently getting their education at Rome High weren’t even born when East and West Rome High Schools were still standing. They only know those hallowed grounds as Kmart and Walmart.

Being a Wolf is all they have ever known, and the pride surrounding the program is apparent and equal to the days of East and West.

The football team played their tails off, the band peeled the paint of the bleachers (with a special nod to the clarinet section) and even though the visiting team came away with the win, I had the urge to stand tall and lift little Simba high above my head to sound of African drums. Things were as they should be once again …

The Circle of Life was complete.

Hakuna Matata, everyone!

Ian Griffin, Owner

Owner&CEO Ian Griffin

Mag Art & Design Ellie Borromeo

Editorial Manager Oliver Robbins

Contributing Editor Tannika Wester

Writers

J. Bryant Steele, Oliver Robbins, Erin deMesquita, Holly Lynch Corinna Underwood, Louis Spivak

Executive Photographer Derek Bell, MFA 706.936.0407

Contributing Photographers

Christian David Turner Cameron Flaisch

Ad Sales & Client Relations Chris Forino, Diana Davis Morgan

Ad Design & Marketing Concepts Ellie Borromeo, Christian David Turner

Publisher

V3 Publications, LLC

Contact

One West Fourth Avenue Rome, Ga. 30161 Office Phone 706.235.0748 v3publications@gmail.com

Creator

Neal Howard

Dragon Con Photo Contributor

Nikki Rau-Baker [Geek Behind The Lens Photography] is an Atlanta based photographer who is passionate about all things geek from board games to comic books. She has been interested in photography since college and recently launched her own photography business - Geek Behind The Lens Photography. When she's not taking pictures or geeking out over The Lord of The Rings, she likes to spend time with her husband, David and their two cats; Cheese and Crackers. You can find her work online at GeekBehindTheLens.com.

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Cents & Sensibility with J. Bryant Steele W

e run a risk when we entrust our legacy to ourselves. I’m thinking in particular about our penchant for putting faith in monuments and celebrities. I’m thinking, first, about Donald Trump and Ellen Axsom Wilson.

Trump, for decades. has plastered his name on skyscrapers and aircraft; one-upped public officials in speech; showed off for cameras; and currently makes a mockery of civil discourse while seeking the world’s grandest stage. Mrs. Wilson, on the other hand, presided with quiet grace as First Lady during one of our nation’s troubling times; has an oft-visited gravesite in Rome’s historic Myrtle

Lord I was born a

Gamblin’ Man

Hill Cemetery and a prominent portrait in the local library. Just a couple of weeks ago, she was honored with the unveiling of a statue on the Towne Green in downtown Rome.

One went quietly and lives on. The other lives on noisily, but to what good? Does Trump even care about how history will remember him? Ellen Wilson probably didn’t

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give it much thought, and therein lies the distinction.

Kim Davis, the Kentucky court clerk who went to jail rather than issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples, was briefly popular on the evangelical supper circuit, with her theme of “there is a higher power than the United States Supreme Court.” On its surface, that is undoubtedly true, but it’s not as Biblical as she likes to think. And when you go jail for only a handful of days … well, sorry, but Nelson Mandela sort of trumps you in the legacy department.

Bill Cosby, whom we came to think of as, first, a father figure and later a grandfather figure, who did as much to reconcile the races as Jackie Robinson or Nat King Cole before him, is a serial rapist. He didn’t use superior musculature to overwhelm his victims, or his status and power to threaten them into submission – as much as he drugged them out of consciousness. That is rape, and it is heinous. There’s no euphemism for it.

I loved Bill Cosby growing up. I played his comedy albums on my record player almost as much as I played The Beach Boys and The Beatles. I can’t laugh anymore.

Above that record player, with the scent of honeysuckle and the lullaby of a running creek through open windows on summer evenings, hung a portrait of Robert E. Lee, a man that I knew I was supposed to revere for some reason, even though he was on the wrong side of a war I was just learning about.

But he was among our beloved.

Which is why he is the lead Rebel on the carving in the granite outcrop we call Stone Mountain. In the wake of the murders of folks at a church in Charleston, South Carolina,

by an avowed racist, there was renewed vigor and success to remove the Confederate battle flag from government grounds.

Emboldened, some are now calling for the Stone Mountain carving to be sand-blasted into nothingness.

Such cries miss the point. The carving no longer honors the Confederacy; it is more a curiosity, an answer to trivia questions. The mountain itself is no longer a rallying point for the Ku Klux Klan. The great lawn below is instead a popular, multi-racial picnic spot.

That’s more erasure than sand-blasting could ever accomplish.

Let that be its legacy.

BIZ BITS I have to hand it to Georgia Power, and I’m not talking just about the hard-earned dollars I hand over every month for the privilege of electricity. I have said this before: Georgia Power is very good at what it does.

Depending on your mood, you can take that a couple of ways.

While I was writing this column, my power went out, and I only had a few minutes left on my phone’s battery. I called Georgia Power to report the outage, and was impressed with how efficiently the automated response menu recognized my location.

Then, in less than two minutes, I got a text from Georgia Power that began with “a known outage caused by a tree.” Not, “a tree fell onto a power line” or something else understandable. I wound up laughing at the wording “caused by a tree.” It left open the possibility that a tree uprooted itself, walked over to my home, and pulled a plug from a socket…

This development didn’t take long ...

Just three days after luxury automaker Mercedes-Benz announced that it had bought the naming rights to Arthur Blank’s still-onthe-drawing-board playroom for his Atlanta Falcons, the Southeastern Conference announced it would play its highly coveted championship game there through 2026.

Mind-boggling as that is, it does give other states plenty of time to build a more luxurious facility to lure away college football’s jackpot game. I hear there’s plenty of parking in downtown Starkville.

(In the interest of full disclosure I will tell you that 1, I once owned a [used] Mer-

cedes-Benz. I think it was the only clunker that ever rolled off their assembly line; and, 2, I once met Arthur Blank. I rose, extended my hand, and said, “How are you, sir?” Arthur turned to a member of his entourage and said, “Where are MY seats?” I had connections, you see, that even Arthur didn’t know about.)

Forbes magazine just placed the Falcons’ value at $1.67 billion. That’s more than three times what Blank paid ($545 million) for the franchise 13 years ago. The Falcons’ valued ranked 17th on Forbes’ list. First was the Dallas Cowboys at $4 billion.

On the topic of high rollers, the effort to bring legalized gambling to Georgia is gaining traction like never before. Lobbyists from

several casino groups are circling Georgia lawmakers before the General Assembly convenes in January. The casinos’ pitch is that Georgia would reap a financial windfall, a worthwhile risk. But lawmakers have to worry about elections, and you can expect, between Christmas and New Year’s Day, the first rumblings from conservative moralists in opposition to rolling the dice.

J. Bryant Steele has won awards for business reporting, feature writing and opinion columns, and is based in Rome. *The views expressed in this column are those of the writer, and do not represent the opinions of V3 Magazine.

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HOLLY’S HIATUS

TRENDS& TRADITIONS with Holly lynch Holly Lynch is the owner of The Season Events, a full service catering, event planning, and design company located at 250 Broad Street in Rome.

Dear Readers,

I've spent the last few months AWOL. Missing. Absent. I'm sorry. I've been absent from my personal life and from this column because, well, I bought a zoo.

Not really.

In truth, my husband and my business partner and I bought a building to house our little company. We have a new home for our catering kitchen, showrooms, offices and storage rooms. It's like buying a zoo but without cute animals. We bought the building out of foreclosure and brought the building back to life through many (13) weeks of renovations and a fair chunk of investment.

All facts and figures aside, the biggest investment the last few months has been in the form of my (and my partners in this project) spirit. My closest friends are joking lately that they are excited to see my personality come back! Apparently, I developed resting b---- voice in addition to the face!

I admit I've been lost the last few months – lost in paint chips and floor samples and flood insurance and discussions about where the dumpster should go. I've learned more about building codes and health department guidelines than I ever wanted. And in the midst of all that, I lost some fun and spark.

I lost that flicker in my soul that makes me break into song at a moment's notice or smile at random people on the street.

There were other things affecting my summer slump. Changes at church, a lack of vacation (i.e., I haven't seen the ocean in almost a year now), and a strange obsession

with World War I novels all contributed to the Debbie Downer Days. But the renovations on a 3,000+-square-foot building pretty much summed up my summer and managed to suck the life out of it.

So, dear readers, I apologize. But I'm back now and hoping to restore myself to your good graces. While I am certain I observed lots of tends and traditions related to the construction industry, none seemed article-worthy until now, when the literal dust has settled. Here's a little insight into what I've learned: Men who work with their hands in extreme heat every day are the real superheroes in this world. A man named Jamie climbed into the attic of our building to weld (with a super-hot flame) parts of our fire hood. I took his picture I was so impressed with him.

The air conditioning hadn't been hooked up yet and it was August. In Georgia. And he was welding in an attic. He's a superhero. As the summer went along, we did our best to keep ice water and Gatorade available for the men who were working. It wasn't much, but a small gesture to acknowledge just how hot we knew it was working in our space.

Men who work with their hands every day in the heat will like you more (and listen to you more) if you get sweaty working alongside. So we tried. We did our best to put in a bunch of sweat equity hours on parts of the project where we could. My husband certainly wins the award for the most sweat-equity hours. It was hard to balance our time with doing our actual jobs, but worth it to prove that we were willing to work hard to get our project finished on time.

My husband actually deserves his own paragraph. Can we just say "three cheers for marriage" right about now? If not for counting on the strength of my marriage (and a good bit of ice cream), I seriously might have lost my mind during certain days when inspectors and gas companies continually aggravated me. If you are married, please stop reading right now and look at your spouse and thank them for listening to you when you were so angry and frustrated that your words didn't make any sense. Do it now. Go thank your spouse.

Lastly, the summer construction months have reminded me about why I do what I do. I had to explain to lots of people what exactly an event planner does and why we aren't a restaurant but we do cook food. In all those explanations to new neighbors and plumbers and drywall installers, I remember why I love weddings and parties and family celebrations and why I'm excited to get back to it. I'm grateful to a city and community that have embraced this business and helped us grow.

Mostly, I'm grateful to have a certificate of occupancy (who knew how important that would become?) and to have a nice place to work. Walking past flower boxes and turning a key on a door to our new work-home has restored my spirit. I caught myself singing yesterday, for no good reason.

Thank you for giving me the summer off and for letting me come back to you this month. I hope I can continue to entertain.

Sincerely, Holly. *The views expressed in this column are those of the writer, and do not represent the opinions of V3 Magazine.

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SHELTER From The Storm

TEXT ER IN D EMES Q UITA

|

PH OTOS D EREK B EL L

Meet the hard-working hands that are helping families pick up the pieces that were shattered by domestic violence.

L

urking in the casted shadows of corners long overlooked, it thrives in cold, dank silence. To speak of it pushes a lump against the esophagus, and to see it firsthand alters reality and emotion. Rarely does it look exactly like what it is, and so frequently it prevails; rearing its ugly head, striking its vulnerable target.

If you haven’t turned the page on the calendar yet this month, please do so, and when you do, take a moment to take notice that October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM) … and that domestic violence is exactly the evil I speak of.

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DV (or Intimate Partner Violence) is far more prevalent than one may realize; numbers could be strewn across this very page for columns worth of statistics on the frequency with which this injustice occurs.

Think of this: Three out of four Americans know someone who is currently experiencing or has experienced some form of DV. Three out of four of us. This magnitude of malice cannot be comprehended by the reasonable mind, but it doesn’t mean it isn’t happening.

And it doesn’t mean that it’s not unjust.

The Department of Health and Human Services has found that nearly 20 people per

minute are abused by an intimate partner in the United States. 20 victims per minute.

It’s not easy to address, but domestic violence has, unfortunately, shown that it’s not going anywhere anytime soon.

In a world where the ideal doesn’t always prevail and abuse can take on many disguises, agencies like the Hospitality House for Women Inc. must work incessantly to help organize the scattered broken pieces of a victim into the patched, healing whole of a survivor. Since 1978, the HH has worked diligently in the interests of domestic violence victims, standing as Floyd County’s only

emergency and outreach resource for DV victims and their children. Growing from a five-bed shelter at its start, the HH can now house up to 27 women and children for up to 90 days.

Providing a one-on-one relationship with each resident, Family Advocate Belinda Riddle and Women’s Advocate/Shelter Manager Lisa Hatcher are often the first people a victim may speak to upon calling the crisis line or arriving at the shelter. Case planning, goal determination, budget planning and safety planning are all part of the initial intake assessment that Riddle and Hatcher carry out with their residents. With close to two decades of HH service between them, Riddle and Hatcher are diligent in their advocacy, responsible for determining and communicating the necessary resources – whether that be housing, job listings, and social service – or just to talk to someone who will listen.

“It’s a new day every day in here,” says Hatcher. “Even though I’ve been here as long as I have, I still learn something new every day … everybody is different and every situation is different.”

Emergency food, clothing and shelter only scratch the surface of the services offered. In addition to being a strong, stable bolster for their residents, these women are meanwhile advocating in the areas of finances, legalities and social services. It’s important to note, that while the shelter itself is, in fact, reserved for women and children, the HH also advocates and provides safety for male victims.

“I’m not a lawyer,” says Legal Advocate Holly Arendt. “I’m not allowed to give legal advice but I can give general advice and lead them down the path they need to go, which includes immigration, divorce, child custody, and more importantly protective orders.” Arendt is passionate about safety, and to her, a protective order is much more than a piece of paper; it’s a statement of empowerment.

Each of the HH advocates echo the importance of being a patient, attentive listener.

“Whether it’s what they went through or just to talk about how work went that day,” Hatcher explains, “I think that just having that one-on-one with somebody is important, even if you’re just trying to make them laugh.”

Domestic violence advocates are strategists, emotional multi-taskers, mediators, role models and educators. They have to be at their strongest because their residents are sometimes at their weakest. Dire situations

me with no support system; this could be me with children and living in a shelter. And so if you always remember that, you’ll treat people with kindness no matter what their situation is.”

No judgement, no blame.

In fact, “victim blaming” is a widespread issue faced by DV survivors. Questions like, “Did you provoke the abuse?” or “Why don’t you just leave?” fail to hold the perpetrator accountable and, in turn, isolate the victim all over again.

A three-part cycle shows that DV usually begins with charm, a fantastical seduction full of hope and happy I just always try to remember dependence. Then slowly, the abuser that this could be me. This could begins to isolate the victim, pulling be me with no support system; them from their support system, their this could be me with children family and their friends … until finally, and living in a shelter. And so if the abuse begins to introduce itself, only you always remember that, you’ll gaining momentum with time. And this is usually only the beginning. Once a treat people with kindness no victim is psychologically battered, it’s matter what their situation is. much harder to fight back, to realize that they, in fact, do not deserve what’s happening. The cycle of tension, to violence, sociated with domestic violence – how to to reparation and hope may repeat itself an handle mental health, substance abuse average of seven to 12 times before a victim and behavioral health. She says that getting will finally break free of its clutches. to the root of the problem is much more The advocates of the HH work tirelessly important than blaming the external issue, against this vicious cycle, consistently proand when it comes to a situation of domestic viding a support system and always pushing violence, the last thing she and her team will toward empowerment, with the hope that, do is place blame. one day, perhaps agencies like theirs might “I just always try to remember that this become obsolete. could be me,” Riddle says. “This could be and feelings of hopelessness accompany their residents and outreach clients, and it takes a strong soul to hold that weight, if even for a moment; but there is no judgement here.

“Everyone is treated with respect from the front door on no matter what the Roman Record says or what’s happened in their past,” says Executive Director Malinda Kogerma.

Kogerma adds that one of her tallest hurdles has been to communicate to those who aren’t familiar the complexities as-

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“I would love to come to work one day and someone say, ‘Guess what, it’s eradicated. We’re done we get to close the doors,” Arendt smiles.

HH Assistant Director Consuelo Saxton (Nae Nae) says that before she embarked on her career with this domestic violence agency, she didn’t realize the scope of abuse.

After all, DV is more than the infliction of physical pain. Under the ragged umbrella of domestic abuse, along with physical violence, sits verbal, emotional, sexual, psychological and economic injustice. Instilling fear is its driving force and control is its desire.

Domestic violence shows no mercy and never does it discriminate; both men and women fall victim and both homosexual and heterosexual relationships experience it.

The repercussions of DV extend as far as problems with physical, mental, and behavioral health, and the assiduous advocates behind the walls of the HH have their work cut out for them.

“I feel like we’ve done what we’re supposed to do when you see someone transition out on their own or you see somebody work their case plan and they’re just so proud of themselves,” Saxton says. “They’ll thank

you and hug on you and are just so grateful that somebody showed them another way of living. That keeps me motivated to do what I’m doing.”

The word “easy” finds no place in this job description and the advocates have found much inspiration and support in their director. Kogerma’s determination to ensure safety, strengthen her team and maintain a transparent level of communication has moved them to raise their spirits and their standards.

“What I wanted to bring into the Hospitality House is a sense of camaraderie and a very strong sense of teamwork,” explains Kogerma, “where everyone cares about what goes on and takes part in the future of the organization; that everybody has a say or at least has the ability to speak their mind.

And I hope that I’ve been able to do so.”

With 27 years of experience in management and mental health, Kogerma feels safe to say that her team is at its strongest; her advocates support one another and have each been with the HH for at least four years, many with long histories in the area of social service. Each has her own passion for progression and positive change, whether it be

She was there for

you.

in regard to the reentry of convicted felons into society, the process of advocating for immigration, or the integration of more DV and dating violence programs into schools.

The truth is, pages upon pages would be required to mention all that DV entails and all that these women do. For now, it’s important to know what can be done by the rest of us … speak up and speak out against abuse, be aware of and teach your children about healthy relationships, know that the HH is here as a support system for the community and refer someone in need.

The only way to uncover it is to speak. The only way to kill it is to survive. As a community, as friends, as family, the best way to reduce the rage and defeat the destruction of DV is to know how it thrives. Know the warning signs, be aware of the resources and break the silence for a better, safer world. VVV For more information about the Hospitality House, visit www.Hospitality-House.org To keep updated on DVAM community events, visit www.Facebook.com/HospitalityHouseforWomen.If you need help or you have questions about DV, call 706235-4673 (HOPE).

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very small town has one. Whether nestled in a mountain hamlet in the foothills of the Appalachian range or the oak-lined birthplace of southern gentlemen in the Piedmont region, no community is complete without this pillar of history – the lonely white house on the corner. As an elementary student, you heard about the occasional flickering light seen in the upper window. When you entered the middle school jungle, you learned of the animal or apparition, no doubt a relic of the house’s former life, who watched and waited for any foolhardy souls brazen enough to step onto the property long after dusk and well before dawn. Finally, as a high-schooler, perhaps you became one of those foolhardy souls and even suppressed your pent-up terror long enough to knock on the time-worn door before spooking and swearing to your friends you heard a groan from inside.

For Rome, Ga., Chieftains Museum, situated between the historic downtown and the Rome Braves stadium, is the lonely white house on the corner. As with many of these historic hauntings, the house, during the sunshine hours, is harmless, almost invisible, with hundreds passing by each day oblivious to the stories surrounding the two-story structure. Because of its unimposing exterior, the average passerby would never suspect that the home houses a narrative contributing to the current cultural status of the southeastern United States. With the walls of Chieftains Museum having witnessed and overheard over 200 years of local life in Rome, it’s not surprising those sights and sounds from the deceased sometimes cross over to visit the living.

Since assuming the position of executive director of Chieftains Museum in 2013, Heather Shores has been privy to stories of a whisper, a silhouette, or a presence experienced after the sun sets and the moon rises. “People often hear footsteps. They have seen shadows of people. Others have said lights turned on after being turned off,” shares Shores.

“Former employees and directors have said they would find the sink faucet on and running unexplainably in the downstairs office bathroom. Sometimes when you walk down the stairs, you do feel as if someone is behind you.”

However, for Shores, the appeal of Chieftains Museum is historical, not supernatural. Originally built in 1791, the property has been a National Historic Land26

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mark since 1973. Major Ridge, a Cherokee leader and subject of controversial decision-making with his people, moved into the home around 1819, transforming the log cabin into its current shape and style.

In the midst of managing this property bordering the Oostanaula River, a 200-acre working farm, Major Ridge also served as the principal advocate for Cherokee removal from Georgia and relocation to designated territory in Oklahoma. With local hostility growing toward the Cherokee and the resulting state and federal government decision to auction off the tribal property to Caucasian residents, Ridge, along with his supporters, believed accepting the land proposal would ensure their continued prosperity and survival. Ridge’s opinion prevailed and, consequently, the Trail of Tears commenced in 1838.

Although the Ridge family was among those in the devastating exodus, one member of the family, Major Ridge’s daughter, Nancy, died approximately 20 years before the forced relocation. The tragedy of Nancy Ridge, many believe, is the source of the home’s paranormal atmosphere.

“She did die in childbirth in 1819,” explains Shores. “We are not certain if she passed away in the Ridge house, but we have heard she is buried on the property.

Most of the encounters in the house have been with her. People have seen Nancy or heard Nancy in some fashion.”

Although the specifics of her death remain uncertain, the encounters with Nancy Ridge are a regular reminder of memories now lost, shadows of the past.

For Barry Caudle, the lead investigator of Southern Paranormal Investigators, Nancy is undoubtedly the why for the creaking steps, cold shivers and mumbled voices.

“In 2007, Debbie Brown was the program director for the museum. We had heard stories of unexplained activity and we contacted Debbie. She allowed us to come out and investigate the happenings,” Caudle explains. “When we arrived, she showed us several perplexing photographs, including one of a woman who appeared to be holding a child’s hand right out front of the museum.”

Currently a team of seven, Southern Paranormal Investigators approaches any potential haunting with skepticism, always seeking a natural explanation. In keeping with this see it, or hear it to believe it attitude, Caudle says, “I kept hearing these stories about Nancy Ridge but we played

believe she was when she died during childbirth,” Caudle recounts. “I kept telling her, ‘Nancy, we are going to have to leave soon. If you want us to stay we will stay.

Otherwise, we need to go.’ I asked her to knock three times to signal she wanted us to stay, but we never heard the knock.

However, when I went home and played back the audio recording, I could clearly hear a female voice pleading with us, ‘Please, don’t leave.’”

Caudle does not think she is menacing, but instead a lonely soul hoping to share her tragic tale, the agony of her death and the death of her child six months later.

After all, when the unseen and unknown caresses your neck or your arm, no one wants to believe in any sinister motivations.

Because of these and other strange occurrences, Shores says, “I have had some volunteers who say, ‘I don’t want to be there by myself, day or night.’”

We were upstairs, and I looked When considering the accounts of Southern Paranormal Investigaover to one doorway and saw a tors, peculiar stories from former figure standing, watching me – a employees of the museum, and the shadow. When I saw it, I walked unexplained and repeated triggering toward it, but when I got close, it of the museum’s motion sensors after faded away. It didn’t run. It didn’t hours, their hesitation is understandspook. It just ceased to be. able. A dimly lit house with a gloomy history, Chieftains Museum is a portal to the past, natural or not. Maybe the shadows have an outdoor explanation and one doorway and saw a figure standing, perhaps the creaks belong to the 200-yearwatching me, a shadow,” Caudle says. old structure, but it is difficult to silence “When I saw it, I walked toward it, but the mourning lullaby of a young woman. when I got close, it faded away. It didn’t In keeping with the ghostly atmosphere run. It didn’t spook. It just ceased to be.” of the home, Chieftains Museum will host With each of their subsequent twilight a family-friendly Ghost Story Night on trips to this house with white siding, the Halloween with professional storytellers. presence dwelling inside became increas“We can’t guarantee you’ll hear footsteps ingly bold. when you come in,” says Shores, “but we “During the third investigation, we can’t guarantee you won’t.” VVV were upstairs approximately where we it off at first. People said they would see a young woman in a period appropriate dress roaming the museum. They said you could hear her singing lullabies.”

Caudle and his team’s disbelief shifted during their first exploration. “We arrived before sunset and the first thing I noticed was how different the museum felt as soon as the sun went down,” he recalls. “It was as if there was a presence watching every move we were making.”

Not one to be impressed with only a shiver, but nonetheless conscious of the home’s eerie air, Southern Paranormal Investigators pursued a long-term investigation of Chieftains Museum, an endeavor resulting in five visits to date. After their first experience, the strange sensations became unsettling happenings.

“We were upstairs and I looked over to

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Hide the produce and the firewood because nothing is safe from a man on a mission to carve.

TEXT O LIVER ROB B IN S

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PH OTOS D EREK B EL L

any great talents are very young when they realize they were born to fly. The late Michael Jackson, at the tender age of 5, captivated audiences with his musical talent and dance moves that would burn up the stage. Dick Cheney left Yale University due to poor grades, but at 25 years old he used his brilliant political mind to become one of the most powerful Republicans in Washington.

Although these are only two of the many examples of people who find their calling early on, there are rare instances when driven human beings have to leave the cake in the oven a little longer to rise. Rome is lucky to have a gentleman who, at 37 years of age, discovered his passion. Jeremy Smith, owner of Other Level Sculptures, is proof that even though flowers are more abundant in spring, the late bloomers are sometimes the brightest of all.

Now 41, Smith worked the local restaurant circuit for most of his adult life, totaling around 20 years. And since he is a Roman, making friends by tending bar and waiting tables was something that came naturally to him. He is full of charisma, which led him to write stand-up comedy. Whenever there was a chance to perform at local nightspots, he was first on the list of Rome’s funniest comedians.

Still, something wasn’t quite hitting the satisfaction button for him; he knew there was more and just couldn’t put his finger on it. Then, his wife, Amy, asked him to help her out with a task that would ultimately drive his professional life into something more meaningful.

“I always wanted to be a creative person.

That’s why I worked in restaurants, tried to be a musician and performed on many stages as a comedian. But I had to make an honest assessment. First, my face is just too pretty to be taken seriously doing standup,” he laughs.

“So, as I began to make this transition. I started to explore different creative outlets.

In October of 2012, my entire life changed,” he continues. “My wife asked me to carve a pumpkin for her pre-K class. She didn’t say, ‘Hey, Jeremy, do you mind carving this pumpkin for me because you are a wonderfully creative and talented person?’

It was more like, ‘Will you please carve this pumpkin? Because I just don’t have time to get it done.’

“After I carved that pumpkin, there was something I enjoyed so much about the process. I knew this was the direction my life would be taking me.”

Using Google as a road map for his carving, Smith decided to give this task his all. He researched the great pumpkin carvers – the artists who were taking the craft far beyond the triangle eyes and gap-toothed grin we often see on front porches in the fall.

“I researched guys like Ray Villafane and Jon Nell. There is also another artist, who had a lot of how-to videos online; his name is Scott Cummins and his website is called Pumpkin Gutters,” Smith explains. “What I began to notice was that all of these people had art backgrounds. Almost every one of them was an art teacher. These guys really

inspired me to learn the art of carving, but I didn’t know if I would be taken seriously.”

With no formal art training and armed with information gathered online, his next stop was Michael’s to buy a kit for carving.

This $12 clay sculpting-ribbon tool kit would be the start of a great adventure for Smith.

When his first project was completed, he, too, posted his work online. The spark, coming in the form of a request from his bride, ignited in him the fulfillment he’d sought for so very long.

“I was doing things at Blue Fin that would have gotten me fired at any other place on

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planet earth,” Smith laughs as he explains how he started Other Level Sculptures.

“Everyone I talked to there, I told them about my carving. It was almost like finding Jesus.

I just could never stop thinking about it, talking about it and doing it.”

Soon, the urge to venture beyond pumpkins consumed Smith until he was whittling on everything he touched.

“You see, I played this all like a video game! I had reached the first level, which was pumpkin carving,” Smith says with the look of a kid on Christmas in his eyes. “When the pumpkins ran out, I had to get to the next level; I had to carve something. So, I would carve Buddha images out of carrots.

I even carved a parsnip once. Then I wanted something more permanent, so I started using candles.

“The reason I moved to candles,” he continues, “is that all of the fruits and vegetables I was carving would eventually die. It was all ephemeral art. I wanted something that was going to stick around a little longer, so I kind of eased into the water very slowly.”

As soon as he was comfortable moving forward, he purchased a $60 dremel tool and began to create art from wood pieces.

“You’ve got to understand. I was waiting tables and we really needed every penny we made. So, for me to spend $60 on a dremel was a really big step, and it took a lot convincing for my wife to sign on,” he says. “I used it to carve a Buddha out of a Styrofoam block that won first place at the Coosa Valley Fair in 2013. It was the first

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pen, pad and apron for a Husqvarna 445 chain saw with a 16-inch bar. He also added a carving kit that included a 12-inch, dime-tip bar that he could attach to his saw for more detailed work. Then, it was time to search the city in hopes of finding residents who had cut down large trees. He gathered enough wood to get him started and began working on his stockpiled collection of logs.

One of his first wood carvings, a massive tree stump in Maplewood, was shaped into a blooming flower. Owners of the property, Bob and Regina Davis, have landscaped around the piece, which is now an exciting feature in the neighborhood. The Rome News Tribune even featured his work on the front page because of all the attention from passersby. Ironically, this budding artist would call this work “The Bloom,” and Smith is forever grateful to the Davises’ I’d never used a chainsaw in my role in helping him get his start. life until I started that project. It is “I’d never used a chainsaw in my life one of the most dangerous hand until I started that project,” he says. “It is tools in the world, so this shows one of the most dangerous hand tools in the world, so this shows how determined how determined I am to work as I am to work as a carver and how satisfied a carver and how satisfied I am I am after the work is done.” after the work is done.

Smith was also commissioned by Bill Fann, city manager of Cedartown, Ga., to create a Trail of Tears memorial in Big He sold that piece of wood, one that Spring Park. The piece was carved from a would have been put to fire, for $1,000 before large stump as well. It features the busts of he’d completed the work. An Americanized a Native American man, woman and child. version of a European Green Man he called The man wears an angry scowl, the woman “The Grin” paid for his tools and put some a teary face and the child a frightened brow. money in the family coffers. Other Level “I wanted to show all of the different Sculptures was born. emotions the Native Americans must have In the summer of 2014, he traded his time I’d ever won anything in my entire life.”

Until then, Smith had never felt the joy of having someone – other than his family – see and appreciate his worth. He still treasures the ribbon he received from the fair, which seems to stand as the first sign that we was on the right track. Now it was time to, literally, get down to business.

“My neighbor down the street gave me a piece of wood from his woodpile to carve.

He was going to throw this piece of wood into a brick oven and set it on fire. I rescued it and for four months I carved on this thing.

All I did was work on this piece in my spare time,” he says. “My friends and co-workers thought I was insane. I put an insane level of effort into getting where I am today, so maybe they were right.”

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To take his work a step further, he connected with Rome City Arborist Terry Paige.

Smith wanted to learn everything he could about trees so that he could become more educated about the types of trees he carved and what was possible when working with them.

“Terry Paige is a wealth of information about trees,” Smith says. “If you talk to him for just five minutes, you’ll learn everything there is to know about the trees in this area.

He is gurutastic and I love him to death. He is one of Rome’s treasures.”

In recent years, Smith has been asked to carve pieces for businesses like Ford, Gittings and Kane and Harvest Moon, to other local government commissions. One gentleman even sent him a piece of wood by mail after interviewing several other artists from all over the country for the job. Smith carved the small log into a branch with lovely blossoming flowers and leaves that look as if they are blowing in the wind before sending it back to a very pleased customer.

Like any business, Smith hopes Other Level Sculptures will allow him to make enough money to support his family. However, when he tells the story of a lady who wanted a totem pole in her front yard, the reason for his commitment to carving becomes clear.

Because there were really no totem poles in this region, he used the opportunity to carve the symbols associated with the Native Americans of this area. The top is adorned with a flying eagle and the tip of his wing folds into the headdress of a Native American chief. Under the chief’s chin is the flowing mane of a horse and the base bares the heads of wolves.

“While I was working on this piece, traffic would slow down to see what I was carving. Some of them would even stop,” Smith recalls. “One lady got out of her car, walked over to me and started crying. She told me that her daughter’s favorite spirit animal was an eagle. She went on to tell me that her daughter had been killed in a tragic domestic violence incident a few years back and she eventually asked me to do an eagle in her front yard. That’s why I do this. I want people to look at my work and be able to feel some kind of emotion.”

Just as the words leave his mouth, a young lady walks into Darkside of the Moon and over to the bar-top table where we sat.

Obviously a friend to Smith, after a brief catch-up she looks down at the iPad in front of him.

“Wow!” she says. “What did you make that from?” pointing to the UGA bulldog mascot on the screen.

“It’s something I carved,” Smith answers with another one of his beaming, child-like smiles.

“Carved? Carved it from what?” she asks.

“From wood,” he answers.

“That’s wood?” she says with a look of amazement and disbelief.

Smith stares down at the tablet in front of him as ornate works of art pulled from the raw and formless gifts of nature look back at him and says, “I’d never won anything in my life.

It’s nice to feel like I’m finally winning.” VVV For more information about Other Level Sculptures, “like” the Facebook page.

Smith will also be carving pumpkins in partnership with Petit Creek Farms and is available for consultations. Contact him at 706-331-0837. v3 magazine

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SUSHI , GR ILL & CATER ING

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727 Turner Mccall Blvd, Rome, GA 34

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(706)-232-3317

Fried green tomatoes

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othing says comfort like sitting down to a wonderful meal with the people we love, especially if the offerings on the plate are as memorable as the time we spend enjoying the company.

It’s also very nice to visit your favorite restaurant and skip the dishes at the end of the evening, leaving more time to enjoy those around the table. As we peruse the menu, we often find those old familiar favorites that we know will always hit the spot.

Now, what if there was a place where your ordinary dish becomes extraordinary and every bite is an interesting twist on the old faithful food we have all learned to love.

In July of this year, Cedar and Smoke (110 Herbert Street, Cedartown, Ga.) opened its doors to the community with the specific goal of offering a fine dining option to friends and neighbors. Don’t worry, you can leave the sport coats and heels at home in the closet. Jeans and flip-flops will do just fine.

Jackie and Cindy Casey always intended to open a restaurant in Cedartown, where they had roots. Randy Allen, Cindy’s brother, was handy around the spit, where he would often smoke the family’s meaty treats for gatherings. So, it was no surprise when their

son and now-executive chef at Cedar and Smoke, Allen Casey, left his small hometown living for the big city atmosphere of New York City to study the art of preparing fine dining cuisine.

“I grew up in Cedartown; my entire family lives here. But I wanted to leave and study at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York, because I wanted to one day provide a place in Cedartown that served fresh foods,” says Allen. “I also spent some time working at restaurants in Colorado and in Atlanta for three years until we opened here. What I was trying to learn was how to take some of our old family recipes and breathe new life into them using modern and cutting-edge culinary trends.”

Maybe what sparked their interest in modifying their tried-and-true family cookbook was befriending Jason Danneman, who served as executive at a local country club the Caseys would frequent for dinner.

Like Allen, Jason had also traveled the country quite a bit. A native of Woodstock, Ga., he ventured out to Colorado as well, serving as a ski instructor and a raft guide on the Colorado River for 10 years.

“I loved Colorado and all of the wonderful foods and drinks I was able to enjoy there.

That was the poorest and happiest I have ever been,” he laughs. “But when my wife and I became pregnant, my family said that they would disown me if we raised their grandchild across the country, so we moved back to Georgia to raise our child with the people we loved.”

While settling in to what would be the new homestead, Jason decided to take his love for the food and beverage industry to the next level. He enrolled in Georgia Northwestern Technical College’s culinary program and graduated in 2010.

“When the Caseys told me about their restaurant’s concept, I knew that their place would be the exact type of restaurant I would be proud to be a part of,” Jason recalls, “so it was a no-brainer for me to get involved.”

Jason signed on as sous chef, and together with the Caseys has helped to bring Cedar and Smoke into fruition.

The Caseys found a location just off Main Street in Cedartown that is around 125 years old. When they cracked the 10-foot double doors that guard the entranceway, they saw an open room with exposed brick walls and a ceiling that seemed as if it would cave in if moved by a lick from a sudden gust of wind.

After pouring all of their life savings into

This family-owned eatery is combining comfort with comfort foods, all while giving their diners at taste of something old and something new.

TEX T OL IV E R ROB B I N S

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P H OTOS D E R E K B EL L

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their dream, Jackie, Cindy, Randy and Allen have created a space to eat that can be described as “country classy.”

The bar, supported by a cedar tree log that shines with a red-lacquer finish, greets you inside, and the exposed copper-colored ductwork snakes through the dining room high above the heads of guests. Lanterns, reminiscent of early-1900s street lamps, bathe the tables in a warm and cozy glow, while tables near the front windows shimmer with natural sunlight that brightens the white linens and dances off the lip of a crystal glass filled with a deep red merlot.

Black and whites of early downtown Cedartown hang from the walls, mixed in with pieces of art the owners have collected and brought from home. They enjoy the beauty of the pieces and want diners to as well.

And every face shines the same. Attentive staff members scurry about the dining room floor, making sure that no glasses or bellies are empty.

Now, let’s examine the reason for it all – the food.

“We’ve taken a look at the things we are familiar with here, like barbeque and smoked meats, and incorporated some Asian, South American, and Mexican influences,” explains

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Allen. “We use that in our food because there are a lot of those food cultures in the South, and people have never really considered blending the tastes to create something new from something old.”

“Like, for instance, Randy, our pit-master, does a smoked half chicken that just falls off the bone,” adds Jason. “It is served with our house-made mac and cheese. Then, we add an Elote corn which is a Mexican-style corn on the cob. The corn is covered in our special aioli and sprinkled with pecorino cheese and spices. It is a southern-style dish with a really neat twist.”

“Then, we have another favorite of our customers, the duck breast,” Allen chimes in with a wide smile that says he enjoys this one himself. “We’ve taken a dish that most people can’t get around here and added some Asian rice. The rice is prepared with lady peas and tomatoes and finished with a balsamic and soy reduction. Of course, we didn’t leave out the white sauce that everyone loves when they go to a Japanese steakhouse.”

Cedar and Smoke takes other southern faves to new heights by adding unique vessels to carry the flavors we recognize. Like the fried green tomatoes, served with whipped

pimento cheese, thick-cut smoked bacon, a ranch sauce infused with herbs, and finished with fresh basil.

Other notable dishes are the 12-ounce ribeye served with crispy onions and blue cheese butter; the rack of lamb, topped with smoked heirloom tomatoes and a chocolate mint sauce, that sits on a bed of fluffy goat cheese mashed potatoes; and last, but definitely not least, the shrimp and grits. Fresh

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What I was trying to learn was how to take some of our old family recipes and breathe new life into them using modern and cutting-edge culinary trends.

"

gulf shrimp are served over heirloom grits from Logan Turnpike Mill in Blairsville, Ga. Next comes the roasted bean and tomato salad and tomato cream sauce, rounding out a dish that is known for being southern.

It is important to note that both Allen and Jason have a passion for bringing the freshest possible ingredients into their kitchen. Jason, who also owns and operates a farm, provides most of the seasonal produce himself. Other local providers are invited to meet at Cedar and Smoke to speak with Allen and Jason, just to make sure the quality is top-notch.

And they don’t stop at what’s on the plate.

The bar is stocked with high-qualaity wines, beers and liquors. You won’t find Kentucky Gentleman in the well. Instead, Maker’s Mark is the staple around here. Both chefs have also made sure the drinks are as tasty as the meal. For example, the bourbon sour is made with fresh-squeezed fruit juice. Also, to add the froth, Cedar and Smoke goes old-school and shakes the drink with egg whites.

An impressive wine list and beers from local brewers, like the Second Self Thai Wheat that is brewed in Decatur, Ga., give patrons a fine selection to choose from. Even the stemware is high end; no stone has been left unturned at Cedar and Smoke.

“We don’t want people to feel like they need to dress up and leave town to enjoy a really nice meal that is fresh and healthy,”

says Allen. “We want to provide high-quality food in a comfortable setting and remove the stuffiness associated with fine dining.”

“We also want to educate people of this area about the different ways to enjoy foods,” Jason adds. “Our aim is to allow our friends and family to explore different foods and, at the same time, be reminded of the foods that are close to home for them.”

Find out why the residents of Cedartown are clicking their heels with culinary delight as they think to themselves, “There’s no place like home.” Plan your next dinner at Cedar and Smoke. VVV For reservations or restaurant information, visit the Cedar and Smoke Facebook page or call ahead at 678-901-3371.

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GEEK BEHIND THE LENS PHOTOGRAPHY

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PrOS CON T E X T E R I N D E M E S Q U I TA P H OTOS CO U RT E SY O F D R A G O N CO N P H OTO G R A P HY A N D G E E K BE H I N D T H E L E N S P HOTO G R A P H Y

Need to get a jump start on your costume ideas for October?

Consider heading down I-75 in September to see the best-of-the-best put on a show. rom an aerial view, it looks like an amebic ambush of buoyant red and black, too many to count and far too amusing to turn away. Body by body, the organism grows – absorbing more energy with each addition. Finally, it speaks…via megaphone. Eclectically clad in countless dual-colored versions of Marvel Universe character Deadpool, the ameba responds in loud resound to a bullhorn-brandishing broad in a skirted rendition of the famed fictional antihero; welcome to Dragon Con 2015.

During Labor Day weekend each year, this multi-genre convention transforms a bustling five-block radius of downtown Atlanta into a swarming spectacle of fandom that is anything but bromidic. Warriors and whimsical creatures walk the streets side by side, superheroes and supervillains share

a drink at the bar and maidens, vixens and queens pose for impromptu photos. What began in 1987 with 1,500 attendees has grown into one of the most-anticipated events in Atlanta, drawing tens of thousands of people from all corners of the country to a four-day weekend that beckons the bizarre and awakens the imagination.

Kicking off the weekend is the legendary Dragon Con parade on Saturday morning.

Gaggles of Ghostbusters, swarms of Stormtroopers and even the Batmobile joined the march down Peachtree Street.

Running hours upon hours of programming in the areas of science fiction, fantasy, gaming, pop culture, comics, literature, and art (and there’s more), Dragon Con seriously has something for every single gamer, reader, TV watcher, and cosplayer (fan who dresses in costume to portray a character). v3 magazine

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Each year, the programming runs in more than 35 fan-based tracks that extend from morning to late night; attendees can map out their day or just see where the day takes them because the truth is, there is plenty to do simply in the realm of observation.

However, should they choose to keep an eye on the clock, workshops, contests, gaming, and art shows are scheduled throughout the day in a wide range of areas, like anime, science, fantasy literature, costuming, film, paranormal, and puppetry (and there’s still more). There is even a special track just for kids.

Celebrity panels offer an intimate forum for fans to ask questions, hear stories, laugh at commentary and maybe even gain a little insight into projects to come. In the past, guests have included folks like English author Neil Gaiman (creator of Coraline), Stan Lee (co-creator of Spider-Man) and the late Leonard Nimoy (“Star Trek’s” Spock). While taking a stroll along the Walk of Fame this year, guests had a chance to meet Barry Bostwick (Brad in “The Rocky Horror Picture Show”), Carroll Spinney (Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch) and Stephen Amell (title character in the “Arrow” series).

Five downtown hotels host this multi-media convention; between the Hyatt Regency, Marriott Marquis, Hilton Atlanta, Sheraton Atlanta and the Westin Peachtree, festooned fans have plenty of room to stretch out and explore.

Whether visitors come to party, people watch, parade and/or play, they come in plurality, they come in peace and most of them come every year.

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Along our course of exploration, V3 caught up with some Dragon Con-loving Northwest Georgians. When asked how long he has been coming to the convention, Scotty Hale’s eyes wander to the ceiling and a subtle grin stretches across his face.

“Twenty-one years,” he finally says. The look on his face says he hadn’t realized it had been that many. Originally attracted to the convention by comic books, anime and role-playing games, Scotty was 14 years old at his first Dragon Con experience. His wife, Kathryn, initially drawn to the anime aspect, has attended for 11 years.

One of the progressive changes they’ve witnessed in their collective decades worth of attendance is the increase in cosplay; costuming has become a signature staple of the experience. “They’ve always had the

Masquerade (costume party/contest on the last night of the convention), but it was more like people saved their costumes for that,” Kathryn says. She recalls years past as she explains that people who wanted to be a bit lower key with their costumes gradually began to gather and model them in the lobby of the Hyatt. “From there, it just got more and more attention,” she adds, “so people started to dress up every single day.”

Kathryn and Scotty’s previous costumes have included Captain Jack Sparrow, characters from the ABC series “Lost,” zombies, characters from “Star Trek,” and Neo from “The Matrix,” to name a few. Since then, they have learned that a simplified costume works best for them. Kathryn sports a blue jumpsuit, portraying Stitch from Disney’s “Lilo and Stitch.” Meanwhile, Scotty sits comfortable in a “Doctor Who”-inspired suit and red bowtie, complete with a red

velvet fez. Now 2 years old, their son, Fox, accompanied them to Dragon Con as an infant, but they’ve decided they will wait until he turns 5 to bring him back – “Maybe as a Jedi,” Scotty smiles.

Some fans may only need one day to put their costume together, while others spend more than 500 hours to build the perfect character reproduction; and there are plenty of costume contests during the weekend to showcase that hard work.

Creativity is the very reason that Cedartown, Ga., resident Cole McCray continues

From Arrow [TV series] Stephen Amell

to return to Dragon Con each year. “I like all the different variations of popular culture you see,” he says. “I like people’s takes on different comic books and TV shows; you see really creative people and great art work, all in a friendly environment.”

However, the attention that cosplayers receive is also the very reason that McCray chooses not to dress up. Potential Dragon Con-goers, be aware: If you show up in a magnificent costume, be prepared to pose for pictures. While the convention rules state that photos must be given consent, just know that plenty of eccentric fanatics and wallflowers alike will think you look awesome and ask to capture that awesome via their cameras. (Note that this is not for everyone and if you don’t want attention, you may need to leave your awesome at home.)

“Nerdcore” is the norm for this pow wow of popular culture and its attendees couldn’t be happier. It’s not uncommon that this is exactly the place that a Dragon Con fan feels at home. To attend the festivities is to experience the open-minded, nonjudgmental air that permeates the perimeters, which is why folks like McCray and the Hales return as often as possible.

“This is our vacation,” Kathryn smiles.

“Some people go to Disney World every year; we go to Dragon Con.”

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come face to face with his cardboard counattendance, I’m sure, were the fantastic fan And the Hales know just how to prepare terpart, Chewboxa; and riding in an elevator for their vacation at the Con. renditions of the Rocky Horror cast as seen with superhuman cyborg RoboCop is not In their hotel room on the fourth floor of posing for photos earlier in the night. at all uncommon. And that’s just it: It’s all the Hilton, Kathryn spins in her swivel chair If any of the festivities are missed, the uncommon on a typical day but here – here as she explains that she and Scotty have convention has it covered; a channel all its at Dragon Con – it’s home … and it’s wide learned to plan ahead. Equipped with a own, Dragon Con TV airs in all five of the host open for interpretation. crock pot, an electric flat-top grill, a filtered hotels, showing sometimes-live footage of Zombie Proms, drum circles and concerts water pitcher and a plethora of food, their panels, parade clips, costume contests and are just a touch of the nightlife. This year, room is conjoined with friends, and so the remusic videos. (You can even reminisce by sources are shared. They recommend finding the clips on YouTube.com.) going (and rooming) in groups, letting First-timers, be aware that Dragon Some fans may spend one day everyone be responsible for bringCon is a time to let it go (stress, judgeputting their costume together, ing something different (even if it’s ment etc.), make all the geek references just whiskey). while others may use more than you please, high five all that you pass on Celebrating its 29th year, Dragon the skywalk between hotels, remember 500 hours to build the perfect Con doesn’t just give fans a place to that consent is always important (for character reproduction; and there photos and free hugs), drink lots of water, gather, it also gives back to its comare plenty of costume contests munity. Each year, the convention don’t forget to eat, and for the love of holds a massive four-day blood drive during the weekend to showcase Hermione, don’t forget your camera! as well as a charity auction; for 2015, Take a moment to enjoy the multhat hard work. the event raised over $100,000 for let-sporting saxophone player and the the Lymphoma Research Foundation. swarming sea of Deadpools, and just Here Come the Mummies – all dressed as At least 70,000 people from all walks of know that should anything happen, the mummies, of course – put on an 80s-infused life leave their daily routines behind to let the Ghostbusters have your back, the Stormshow with the wail of a sultry sax and lively imagination and the weird flourish during a troopers will defend you, and you can always pumping trumpets. Following them was a four-day weekend that will be remembered make your getaway in the DeLorean from late showing of “The Rocky Horror Picture until the next time. It’s a place where Darth 1985’s “Back to the Future” ... pssst, it’s Show” (introduced by Barry Bostwick); in Vader may wear all pink; Chewbacca may parked outside the Marriott. VVV

"

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