Connect Savannah April 28, 2021

CONNECT SAVANNAH

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Connecting Savannah

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MAYOR VAN JOHNSON ANNOUNCES YOUTH BASEBALL BACK IN SEASON

Legacies

KENNY GEORGE BAND TO PLAY LIVE AT SERVICE BREWING ON SOUTHEAST BREWERY TOUR

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APRIL 28-MAY 4, 2021

Above Ground Diamonds:

Twice the Diamond for half the price.

7300 Abercorn Suite A | 912-650-9757 | harkleroaddiamonds.com

THIS IS HOW I STAY CONNECTED Art museums, informative tours, prohibition-born distilleries, and traditional sweet shops remind me that Savannah hasn’t just become a great — and wild — place to be, it has always been. I love the way Connect Savannah magazine allows readers to connect the dots between the city’s rich history and its progressive present by also acknowledging blooming businesses, talented artists, the city’s newest innovations, and of course, the coolest places to be. This is how I stay connected in Savannah.” - Brandy

WE’RE REACHING THE LANDINGS. Connect Savannah recently started mailing every home at the Landings – all 4,600 of them!

It’s our way of introducing the exciting new format and contents of Connect, Savannah’s premier News, Arts and Entertainment publication.

We want to make it easy for everyone to read Connect! We’ve added new locations all over town – especially out in the fast-growing Westside and Pooler locations!

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jameson: jameson: $3.50 $3.50

thursdays & Sunday Live dj | 6-9 pm Drink specials Live dj | 6-9 pm Drink specials

Half off Bottles

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*CLOSING HOURS SUBJECT TO CHANGE *CLOSING HOURS SUBJECT TO CHANGE

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AT A GLANCE

WEDNESDAY 4.28 Bird Bingo: Self-guided

Skidaway Island State Park is part of Georgia’s Colonial Coast Birding trails and exhibits many different species of birds. Stop by the Visitor Center to pick up a Bird Bingo card and see if you can get BINGO! $5 parking fee required.

Skidaway Island State Park 52 Diamond Cswy.

Carolina Carnival Treats Oglethorpe

For one week only, Carolina Carnival will be selling carnival funfair foods at Oglethorpe mall.

Through May 2 Oglethorpe Mall 7804 Abercorn Ext.

Drunk Spelling Bee

Join El-Rocko Lounge on Wednesdays for a drunken scholastic event- Drunk Spelling Bee. Enter by purchasing three drinks at El-Rocko between 8 p.m. and 10 p.m.

10 p.m.-1 a.m.

El-Rocko Lounge, 117 Whitaker St.

THURSDAY 4.29 Bingo! at Elks Lodge

Join Elks Lodge for Bingo on Thursdays and Sundays. Enjoy great family fun, good food at the snack bar and many chances to win cash.

7:30-9:30 p.m.

Elks Lodge, 183 Wilshire Blvd.

Carolina Carnival Treats Oglethorpe

For one week only, Carolina Carnival will be selling carnival funfair foods at Oglethorpe mall.

April 26-May 2 Oglethorpe Mall, 7804 Abercorn Ext.

APR/

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HIGHLIGHTED PICKS FROM HOSTESS CITY HAPPENINGS THIS WEEK TO HAVE YOUR EVENT CONSIDERED FOR INCLUSION IN WEEK AT A GLANCE, PLEASE SEND AN EMAIL TO WAG@CONNECTSAVANNAH.COM. INCLUDE THE EVENT NAME, DATE, TIME, LOCATION WITH ADDRESS, COST, WEBSITE ADDRESS FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, AND A CONTACT NUMBER. THE SUBMISSION DEADLINE IS 5PM EACH FRIDAY BEFORE THE FOLLOWING WEDNESDAY’S EDITION.

“A Conversation with the Savannah Landscape” Reception

The Mansion on Forsyth Park’s Grand Bohemian Gallery in will feature the work of accomplished painter Dottie Turner Leatherwood and other artists in its 2021 Savannah Series. Savannah native Dottie Turner Leatherwood’s paintings will be featured in an exhibit entitled “A Conversation with the Savannah Landscape.” Exhibit on display through May 15.

Every 7 days, 4-7 p.m.

The Grand Bohemian Gallery, 700 Drayton St.

Free Yoga on the Beach at the The Deck

Enjoy free yoga on the Tybee sponsored by The Deck Beach Bar & Kitchen. Bring a large beach towel, your mat or a tapestry, a hat and sunglasses, water and a friend.

9-10 a.m.

The Deck Beachbar and Kitchen 404 Butler Ave.

Salsa Thursdays at Mint to Be Mojitos

Join Salsa Savannah on Thursdays at Mint to Be Mojitos for free beginner dance lessons. Enjoy Salsa, bachata music, and dancing.

7:30-10:30 p.m.

Mint to Be Mojito’s 12 W State St.

FRIDAY 4.30 Potable Gold: Madeira Tradition

Join the Davenport House Museum for their annual celebration of the Madeira Tradition. Guests will experience the historic atmosphere of the Davenport House in a socially distanced format while learning about and tasting a unique and flavorful wine. Patrons are oriented to the

long and rich tradition of Madeira as it relates to the history of Savannah and will participate in a Madeira party. Guests must be at least 21 years old.

5:30-6:45 p.m.

Davenport House 324 East State St. $22 info@davenporthousemuseum.org

SATURDAY 5.1

2021 Howard Cohen Classic Weightlifting Championships 7 a.m.

Anderson Cohen Weightlifting Center, 7232 Varnedoe Drive. $40

Derby Day Benefit

The Olde Pink House and Woodford Reserve join together to celebrate the 147th Run for the Roses while raising money to benefit runaway and homeless youth served by Park Place Outreach, Inc. Event will be live-streamed and Deby boxes available for purchase for patrons 21+ 4-7 p.m. $150-500 info@parkplaceyes.org. parkplaceyes.org

Fairy & Gnome Festival

Stroll through Oatland Island Wildlife Center’s magical trails and maybe you will catch a glimpse of a fairy or gnome looking for a place to call home. Dress in costume, flaunt your wings in the fashion show, frolic in the enchanted forest for a fairy surprise, and more fun for the wee ones.

10 a.m.-2 p.m.

Oatland Island Wildlife Center, 711 Sandtown Rd.

Fire & Wine

Enjoy half off bottles of wine and fire pits in the courtyard. Purchase one of our s’mores kits (marshmal-

lows included) for the ultimate fall experience.

6-9 p.m.

Foxy Loxy Cafe 1919 Bull St.

First Saturday Hike

This moderately-paced, 3-mile hike will include a talk about the different ecosystems of the park. Wear sturdy shoes and bring water and insect repellant. Parking pass is $5. Visit website for more info. first Saturday of every month, 10-11 a.m.

Fort McAllister Historic Park 3894 Fort McAllister Rd.

Forsyth Farmers Market

Local and regional produce, honey, meat, dairy, pasta, baked goods and other delights. Rain or shine.

9 a.m.-1 p.m.

Forsyth Park Drayton St. & East Park Ave. Free to attend.

Items for sale. forsythfarmersmarket.com

Islands Farmers Market

Weekly farmers market on Talahi Island highlighting local growers and makers, healthy foods and a positive environment.

9 a.m.-1 p.m.

Islands Farmers’ Market 401 Quarterman Dr. facebook.com/ islandsfarmersmarket

SUNDAY 5/ 2 Bingo! at Elks Lodge

Join Elks Lodge for Bingo on Thursdays and Sundays. Enjoy great family fun, good food at the snack bar and many chances to win cash.

7:30-9:30 p.m.

Elks Lodge 183 Wilshire Blvd.

CONNECT SAVANNAH | APRIL 28-MAY 4, 2021

WEEK CONNECT SAVANNAH

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AT A GLANCE

SAVANNAH’S PULSE

Trivia in the Beer Garden

NEWS | ARTS | ENTERTAINMENT

Trivia in the Beer Garden every Sunday at 7 p.m.

7-9 p.m.

Moon River Brewing Co. 21 W. Bay St.

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OUR VALUES

Connect Savannah at its core is focused on arts and entertainment and the happenings in our community. We are also a news organization with professional journalists who write about community news and the about the people who live here.

Connect Savannah is dedicated to keeping readers informed and aware of all that goes on in the community.

The presentation of both news and opinion is designed to educate, entertain, inform and foster conversation.

We appreciate and encourage readers to share news tips with us, and to share any criticism and questions.

We are your comprehensive source for the arts, entertainment, music, and community events. We are here to serve you.

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Find us on these platforms or reach out to our newsroom at news@connectsavannah.com or 912-721-4378.

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EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTORS Bunny Ware, Frank Ricci, Nicole Youngblut, DJ Hellerman, Beth Stewart, Lindy Moody, Chris Sweat

Tybee Island Farmers Market Weekly market featuring a variety of produce, baked goods, honey, eggs, BBQ, sauces and dressings, popsicles, dog treats and natural body products.

4 p.m.

30 Meddin Drive. tybeeislandfarmersmarket. com

TUESDAY 5.4

ADMINISTRATIVE

Free Yoga on the Beach at the The Deck

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Enjoy free yoga on the Tybee

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Connect Savannah’s ice cream flavor, “Connecting Savannah Legacies” is revealed at Leopold’s Ice Cream. Photo by Noelle Wiehe Charles H. Morris and Charles H. Morris, III, test the new ice cream flavor. Photo by Bunny Ware CONNECT SAVANNAH

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MAYOR VAN JOHNSON ANNOUNCES YOUTH BASEBALL BACK IN SEASON

Legacies

KENNY GEORGE BAND TO PLAY LIVE AT SERVICE BREWING ON SOUTHEAST BREWERY TOUR

18

APRIL 28-MAY 4, 2021

Above Ground Diamonds:

Twice the Diamond for half the price.

7300 Abercorn Suite A | 912-650-9757 | harkleroaddiamonds.com

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sponsored by The Deck Beach Bar & Kitchen. Bring a large beach towel, your mat or a tapestry, a hat and sunglasses, water and a friend.

9-10 a.m.

The Deck Beachbar and Kitchen 404 Butler Ave.

Stafford’s Tuesday Comedy Open Mic

The ghost of Savannah’s legendary open mic returns.

8:30-11:45 p.m.

Stafford’s Public House 306 W. Upper Factor’s Wal

Toddler Tuesday at Oatland Island Wildlife Center Explore the wonders of nature with all kind of wild fun for your wee ones. This week’s theme is “Night Squirrels.”

10 & 11 a.m.

Oatland Island Wildlife Center

STAFF NOTES

Forever young

LOGAN HINTON STRATEGIC MARKETING CONSULTANT logan@connectsavannah.com (912) 721-4354

ON THE COVER

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THE OLDER I GET, the more I realize that age is only a construct. I’m 23-years old, so many of you know I’m at a weird age. Many people treat me like an adult, while many more people still see me as a child. Depending on the situation, I wonder myself.

Last weekend, I was 100% a child. Actually, I was 90% child and 10% adult because I was responsible for my younger sisters and cousins during our family fun day at Daffin Park. At the park, we ate deli sandwiches and chips before playing frisbee, dodgeball, volleyball with no net, racing one another across the field and marching to cadences my cousin learned in the Air Force. I can’t leave out the best part — the ice cream truck came, too!

My youngest family member present was my 6 -year-old cousin, Coree, who insisted that he is not a little child. Out of the eight of us, Coree won dodgeball. I remember targeting him for about 5-10 minutes of the game because he was just that good. I couldn’t help but to think of his advantage as a skinny, tiny

thing. I remembered being able to dodge the ball with my kindergarten frame. I remember many of the perks of being a child, and one of them was having no other worries besides not losing at dodgeball.

While the child in me had nothing but a blissful time, the 10% adult in me was wondering when a trip to the park became $79. I remember my granddad taking us to Daffin Park all of the time when we were kids. He would push us on the swings, turn us on the merry-go-rounds, and even buy us ice cream when the truck came, but he never told us that a “free” trip to the park cost him money. If he had, I would have been better prepared. Being the oldest out there, along with only one elder cousin who is less than a year older than myself, taught me the significance of spending time with the younger generation. Children keep you young, and adults are allowed to have fun in the midst of the hustle and bustle of responsibility.

After the weekend, I called my granddad to let him know that I appreciate him taking us to the park all those times, and I told him he could’ve told me that the park wasn’t actually free, though it was always priceless.

THE FRACTIONS

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LOCAL BEAT

SAT., APRIL 24 JUPITER COYOTE FRI. APRIL 30

JUPITER COYOTE SOUNDGARDEN EVENTS FRI. APRIL 30

JUNKYARD ANGEL SAT., MAY 1 JUNKYARD ANGEL SAT., MAY 1 SAT., MAY 1

HARVEST MOON

C E L E B R AT I NG T H E M U S I C O F N E I L Y O U NG

HARVEST MOON

2B L E T ISUN., C K E T S MAY AVA I L A C E L EON B R AT E VIENG N TT BH RE I TM EUSIC O F N E I L Y O U NG

Batter Up for Youth Baseball

Mayor announces youth baseball back in season

BY BRANDY SIMPKINS brandy@connectsavannah.com

BATTER UP! Youth baseball is back in season.

As of April 21, registration is open for children to get involved with the outdoor sport.

According to Mayor Van Johnson, during a Tuesday, April 20 press conference, youth baseball is back in session for fun with some restrictions. The mayor said as the numbers of those affected by COVID-19 improve slowly, we will gradually get back into the swing of things.

Johnson said he is also thinking about the young people.

“Our young people need to be out there engaged, and sports is a way for them to do that,” Johnson said. “We will get these kids out in the field, get them active, and get

them playing.”

Athletics Administrator of Savannah Leisure and Recreational Services, Earl Etheridge, said the youth baseball games begin in May, but the season will be a little different this year.

Due to the pandemic, the length of the playing season will be shortened and the schedule will be based upon the number of teams that sign up to play, Etheridge said.

On the bright side, admission is free for all regular season games.

Spectators should sit in designated areas, take heed to limited seating due to social distancing, and follow the City of Savannah Emergency Order guidelines for outdoor gatherings, including wearing a mask and practicing social distancing, Etheridge said.

Etheridge also said the youth teams will be expected to wear masks as they enter and

leave the venue. Players will be required to wear masks while in the dugouts but not on the playing field. Coaches will also be required to wear masks.

Etheridge said that once the schedule is prepared, it will be available for few on savannahga.gov.

Etheridge also shared, “Georgia Recreation and Park Association District Baseball Tournaments are scheduled for the first week in June, between June 22-26.”

There is a fee at the gate for GRPA District and State Tournament games. There are adult prices, youth prices, and a tournament ticket price.

To register or for information, stop by the Paulson Softball Complex at 7171 Skidaway Rd. from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. or call 912-351-3852.

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The Paulson Softball Complex is shown, where parents are able to register their children for youth baseball. PHOTO COURTESY OF CHATHAM COUNTY PARKS AND RECREATION

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NEWS

COMMUNITY

Homeschooled, virtual students invited ‘A Grand Ball’

BY BETH STEWART

The iconic twin smokestacks are seen within Plant Riverside District, where two celebrations will soon be held. PHOTO AND ARTWORK COURTESY OF PLANT RIVERSIDE

Plant Riverside to throw Cinco de Mayo Celebration, May the 4th Be With You Party

CONNECT SAVANNAH | APRIL 28-MAY 4, 2021

BY NOELLE WIEHE noelle@connectsavannah.com

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PLANT RIVERSIDE DISTRICT will host a celebration for Cinco de Mayo starting at 5:30 p.m. May 5 at Montgomery Park in front of the Savannah Tequila Company.

The event will be the first time Plant Riverside has been able to host such an event, and will feature live music performances by a house mariachi band and a 10-piece Afro-Cuban salsa orchestra from Jacksonville, Florida, called LPT. “We’re going to celebrate in a fun, unique and exciting way,” said Tyler Gray, event organizer and Entertainment & Activities Director at JW Marriott Savannah Plant Riverside District.

The event is free and open to the public, but Plant Riverside does encourage wearing masks and social distancing at all of their events.

Gray said there will be pinatas everywhere and fun, exciting colors decorating the park at this family-friendly event.

In addition to the region’s most extensive selection of premium tequilas, mezcals and agave spirits served at the Savannah Tequila Company, the event will feature Cinco de Mayo specialty cocktails in addition to an extensive selection of handcrafted margaritas, sangrias, frozen cocktails, domestic and Mexican beers, wine and Jarritos fruit sodas.

The House Mariachi Band will play from 5:30-7 p.m. and the LPT live concert will run from 7-10 p.m.

May the 4th Be With You Before drinking fiesta-style libations and indulging in tacos and Mexican food aplenty, however, the new downtown rooftop lounge will be throwing a party for everything from Chewbacca to Darth Vader fans in honor of Star Wars Day, or “May the 4th Be With You.” “We’re creating a galactic experience in our Electric Moon Rooftop Lounge with a live DJ,” Gray said. “It’s going to kind of like coming into a spaceship with every feel that you can have to bring that Star Wars aspect.”

The DJ is going to be dressed up as a main character, which Gray couldn’t reveal.

“Everybody will be dressed up and we encourage people to dress up, as well,” Gray said.

There will be specialty cocktails catered to the event, fog geysers and hologram machines.

“It’ll just be a great time on May the Fourth be with You for all those Star Wars fans,” Gray said. “It’d be a great way to start a Tuesday night as you come in to see a fun, exciting thing.”

The event begins at 7 p.m. and will go to 11 p.m. at Plant Riverside District’s Electric Moon Skytop Lounge and The Moon Deck.

There will be $10 cover charge at the door.

A GRAND BALL, hosted by A Knuw Way homeschool cooperative, will be held May 1 at the Ballroom at American Legion Post 135 located at 1108 Bull St. for homeschooled and students attending school virtual in the surrounding areas.

Tickets are $75 and on sale until April 30, with the festivities kicking off at 7 p.m. the following night.

The event, ‘A Night for Royals’ themed, promotes community and camaraderie and everyone is encouraged to wear a crown, dress to impress and make new friends while creating lifelong memories.

The event is open to homeschool and virtual students – public school students who take 100% of their classes online – ages 13-19 and includes recent graduates who were not able to attend prom last year. Students are able to invite non-homeschoolers as their guest, with the goal of bringing students together to forge new friendships crossing neighborhood and school lines.

A Knuw Way is a homeschool cooperative launched in 2019 by husband and wife Cory and Leza Chandler seeking to promote knowledge, understanding and wisdom. Their mission is to assist families in their transition to homeschooling and prepare students for their futures.

The organization began as a solution to lack of opportunities for homeschool students to participate in social events and activities offered to traditional students.

“A Grand Ball is our solution to the problem of homeschooled – and virtual-schooled – students who are missing out on a chance to celebrate with their friends,” said Leza, program manager. “Unlike traditional proms though, ours is all about coming together as a community.”

“We love this city, and we love our homeschooling community,” Chandler said.

“Our mission is to prepare our children to take our place, but what that really means is that we want to create opportunities in which our children can experience life to the fullest and develop the self-confidence to create solutions to every problem they may face in their lifetime.”

Homeschooled sisters, Amyah and

Amana Chandler will be the hostesses for A Grand Ball and are both looking forward to spending time with friends, getting dressed up and having fun.

“Before COVID, we had dances and games, but now it is much harder to get together,” said Amyah.

A similar prom event was scheduled for last year, but was canceled due to the pandemic. This year’s event focuses on the safety of students while still allowing them the opportunity to socialize.

“We’ve taken additional steps to help keep our students safe,” Leza said.

“We’re limiting our capacity to 150 to ensure proper social distancing. Each guest will have their temperature taken prior to entering the dance and hand sanitizing stations will be located throughout the ballroom.”

In addition, parents will be on site to help serve food to prevent the spread of germs.

“We certainly don’t have all the answers and understand those who are still not ready to venture out due to COVID-19, but we’re also very concerned about our children and doing our part to get them back to some sense of normalcy,” Leza said.

Homeschooled and virtual students from Bulloch, Bryan, Effingham, and Chatham counties are already signing up to attend. A Knuw Way has also pledged up to $1,000 from ticket sales to Coastal Homeschool Athletics Association Cheerleaders to establish a memorial scholarship fund in the name of Kate McKay, a homeschool student who lost the battle to childhood cancer about three years ago.

“Kate loved cheer and had a heart for bringing everyone together and we’re hopeful this prom does just that,” Leza said. “We’re so grateful to be in the position to host events like these for our homeschooling community. But, we certainly couldn’t do it without the support, encouragement, and volunteerism from our amazing homeschool families. We’d like to thank them for giving us the opportunity to serve them and we look forward to many years of great adventures.”

To learn more, or register for the event, visit AKNUWWAY.com.

NEWS

COMMUNITY

Park Place Outreach’s Derby Day Benefit back in saddle for 2021

BY CHRISTOPHER SWEAT

IMAGE COURTESY OF PARK PLACE OUTREACH

bit due to the city and CDC regulations. That’s when we came up with the idea for party boxes, so that guests could contribute and celebrate in their homes safely with friends and family. Now, as things are coming back to normal, the city has approved our in-person, outdoor gathering, but we wanted to offer options for people who still want to celebrate at home.”

Supporters can order one of two kits from Park Place Outreach and pick them up or have them delivered on the day of the event.

The “Party Kit” includes Woodford Reserve branded bar accessories, guest gift bags, a soft-sided cooler, Woodford Reserve Distillers select bourbon, mint julep syrup, and snacks provided by The Olde Pink House.

The “Cocktail Kit” includes Woodford Reserve branded bar accessories and Woodford Reserve ingredients to make Kentucky Derby cocktails to enjoy at home. The Party Kit is $500 and the Cocktail Kit is $150. Either may be picked up at Johnnie Ganem’s Wine and Package Shop on Habersham Street, or delivery can be arranged.

“All the proceeds from this event will benefit Park Place Outreach, Inc., and all the youth in our area that need our help now, more than ever,” says Carrico. “The Olde Pink House and Woodford Reserve have been so generous as hosts, and we couldn’t ask for better partners to reinforce and impart our mission here in this region.”

To find information or to purchase tickets, visit revenue-usa.keela.co/Kentucky-derby-benefit. Guests must be 21-years or older to participate in any of these festive options.

An Olde Pink House employee serves residents as they host a Derby Day party Sept.

5, 2020, in their home due to pandemic restrictions. PHOTO COURTESY OF NOELLE WIEHE

TUESDAY:

OPEN MIC AND JAM SESSION HOSTED BY ERIC CULBERSON — 9PM

TRIVIA STARTS @ 7PM

WEDNESDAY:

MIDWEEK BLUES

WITH ERIC CULBERSON — 9PM

HAPPY HOUR M-F 2PM-6PM KITCHEN OPEN LATE! HOURS AND LOCATION 21 E MCDONOUGH ST, SAVANNAH, GA 31401 M–SAT 10AM TO 3AM | SUN 10AM TO 2AM WWW.MCDONOUGHSLOUNGE.COM

CONNECT SAVANNAH | APRIL 28-MAY 4, 2021

IT’S TIME TO DUST off those flamboyant hats and remember how to fashion a bow tie.

Park Place Outreach’s annual Derby Day Benefit with The Olde Pink House and Woodford Reserve will come dashing back on May 1.

The event, celebrating the 147th running of the Kentucky Derby that day, will raise funds to benefit area runaway and homeless youth served by Park Place Outreach, Inc. After COVID-19 pandemic regulations and social distancing required organizers to host a re-imagined—albeit successful—event last September, the 2021 party will take place in downtown Savannah with a small-scale, in-person, outdoor party in Reynold’s Square.

Organizers promise the event will certainly feel like Kentucky meets Savannah. Kylie Carrico, who serves in the role as AmeriCorps VISTA with Park Place Outreach — and is a Kentucky native, she likes to add — said this will hopefully be “as close to the Derby experience as you can get.”

Woodford Reserve, which is the official presenting sponsor of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs, will be on site, and provide a complete bourbon experience, from mint juleps to tastings to a full-service bar. There will be a festive hat and bow tie contest, with food from The Olde Pink House mirroring the experience.

“The Olde Pink House and Woodford Reserve have been amazing partners in this,” Carrico said. “Guests will get to enjoy derby pie and hot brown, prepared by the chefs at one of Savannah’s most well-known eating establishments.”

Attendees will watch the races broadcast live from Churchill Downs on four large screens in the square while enjoying bluegrass music and entertainment from the band Chambers Rose.

The in-person event will be limited to 50 attendees in the square, and follow CDC guidelines, as guests will enjoy their own personal table to enjoy the food, drink, and entertainment through the evening.

Carrico said she is excited this year’s benefit will give patrons a choice on how they would like to celebrate.

“Last year, we planned to host the celebration in Reynold’s Square but we had to pivot a

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NEWS

COMMUNITY

Expand your circle of friends with Savannah Jazz

BY FRANK RICCI

CONNECT SAVANNAH | APRIL 28-MAY 4, 2021

AS ANTICIPATION for more live events grows like American jazz trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie’s cheeks when he’s playing, Savannah Jazz is hosting their annual Circle of Friends’ Gig on May 14 in the outdoor garden at Ships of the Sea Maritime Museum. Symbolically, the event serves as a warm-up act for the Savannah Jazz Festival in late September. As a practical matter — foreign as that concept may be from jazz — all proceeds from the night of food, drinks, music, and revelry benefit a quintet of worthy causes. The organization itself and its signature festival, a Savannah Jazz History and Hall of Fame Exhibit, monthly concerts and educational efforts are all supported by a night dubbed “Let’s Swing Again!”

Not to be missed is vocalist Dolette McDonald fronting the seasoned pros of the Savannah

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Jazz Hall of Fame Band. Recently featured in Rolling Stone’s Unknown Legends series, McDonald’s resume is absolutely loaded. With a few appearances on disco records to her name, she was hired by David Byrne in 1980 to sing back-up vocals for a band she’d never heard before. The fit was magical, and in short order she was on tour with the Talking Heads from the “Remain in Light” tour through the band’s “Stop Making Sense” era.

This led to ongoing work with countless blockbuster artists including live stints with The Police, Sting and Steve Winwood.

In the studio McDonald lent her talents to a broad range of styles from rock and roll with the Rolling Stones, to the R&B of Chic, to the avant-garde oddities of Laurie Anderson.

At the Circle of Friends’ Gig, McDonald promises “a lot of fun, a lot of standards that are danceable, up tempo … it’s gonna be

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Savannah Jazz Association Executive Director Paula Fogarty and jazz vocalist Dolette McDonald anticpate the return of live events. PHOTO COURTESY OF SAVANNAH JAZZ ASSOCIATION

pretty cool.”

McDonald and Fogarty both emphasize the event is referred to as a “gig” on purpose.

“We don’t call these galas or black-tie events; this is a gig – a fun, swinging gig, a free-for-all in the spirit of jazz and friendship.” Fogarty said.

“You’ll leave with more friends than when you arrived.”

“It’s time to feel good again,” McDonald added.

In addition to the live music, a number of items and events will be auctioned off including a jazz weekend getaway to Charleston, South Carolina; art; vintage wine; musical instruments and other themed experiences.

Last year, the 2020 Circle of Friends’ Gig fell victim to pandemic restrictions. Determined to save the 2020 Savannah Jazz Festival from the same fate, Executive Director Paula Fogarty and her team started jamming with WSAV and Dick Broadcasting to work out a programming method that satisfied limited gathering rules, and a marketing strategy that exploited the global reach of live streaming. With countless obstacles and new technical challenges overcome, the city was impressed and approved.

“It really fit with the mission of our organization,” Fogarty said. “In jazz music, the biggest components are collaboration and improvisation. Well, we did a lot of collaborating and improvising!”

“What I felt in the room with the board was the passion,” McDonald added.

“The city gave us full funding because we came back with a massive plan,” Fogarty said.

Massive enough to more than triple the typical live attendance average of 50,000. Limited to 50 people gathered outdoors at the 16

performances, the internet audience reached 175,000 people bopping their heads on every continent except Antarctica.

The wider audience is welcome to an organization that has ambitious plans to spread the sound. The 2021 Savannah Jazz Festival, Sept. 21–26, is scheduled to hold 25 events including movies, master classes and, of course, live performances. The usual crowds of 10,000 or more at Forsyth Park may be curtailed, it remains to be seen. Regardless, the event will be a hybrid of live and streaming. As always, the entire six-day event is free of charge.

Another endeavor is the Savannah Jazz History and Hall of Fame Exhibit. The Hostess City has a jazz history as old as New Orleans, but rarely told. Most casual fans know of Johnny Mercer’s Savannah roots, but other giants such as James Moody and Joe “King” Oliver, who Louis Armstrong called his mentor, have deep roots in Savannah jazz and stories worth telling.

The live scene was certainly hopping.

“In the heyday of Savannah jazz in the ‘30s and ‘40s, there were more than 70 venues downtown featuring live music,” Fogarty said.

Music-loving Savannahians can support the cause with a membership to Savannah Jazz.

Starting at $50 annually for an individual, or $75 for a couple, the 10 free yearly concerts make it an exceptional bargain.

The Savannah Jazz Circle of Friends’ Gig gets down on May 14, 6:30 p.m. at Ships of the Sea Maritime Museum, 41 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. Individual tickets start at $75 and are available at savannahjazz.org.

CONNECT SAVANNAH | APRIL 28-MAY 4, 2021

CONNECTING SAVANNAH LEGACIES THROUGH ICE CREAM

8

THREE SAVANNAH INSTITUTIONS COME TOGETHER TO ROLL OUT NEW ICONIC FLAVOR

Charles H. Morris, left, enjoys the new Connecting Savannah Legacies ice cream flavor with Charles H. Morris Jr.,son, and Charles Morris, III, grandson. PHOTO BY PAUL CAMP

BY NOELLE WIEHE noelle@connectsavannah.com

LEOPOLD’S ICE CREAM has partnered with Byrd Cookie Company to create a signature ice cream flavor celebrating Connect Savannah, and they’ve named it Connecting Savannah Legacies.

“It really is for Connect Savannah,” said

Stratton Leopold, owner and operator of Leopold’s Ice Cream.

The flavor combines Byrd Cookie Company’s Key Lime Coolers, Leopold’s vanilla ice cream made with Georgia-grown blueberries and an added lime zest.

“We see it as three Savannah institutions coming together,” Leopold said.

When the idea came about for the

magazine’s own ice cream flavor, Leopold said he got to thinking about tradition.

“We thought about our friends over at Byrd’s Cookie Company,” Leopold said.

“When you think about Savannah, you think about history and local icons, such as Byrd’s. I remember the paper bags of Byrd’s Scotch Oatmeal cookies all the students at Massie School would sell for fundraisers. So,

this ‘recipe’ called for Connect Savannah, Byrd’s Cookies, and Leopold’s Ice Cream altogether in the same ice cream churn or cookie jar. That’s how we began developing the flavor.”

Geoff Repella, president of Byrd Cookie Company, said they were honored when Leopold suggested the collaboration.

“We really appreciate being a part of the

“Leopold’s ice cream is a Savannah treasure enjoyed by Savannahians and world travelers all year long.”

- Charles H. Morris

PHOTO BY HUNTER MCCUMBER

fabric of the Savannah community,” Repella said. “Anytime we can give back through partnerships with each other or through partnerships with other charities in the community, we always try to do something because we are very blessed and privileged to be here.”

Like Leopold’s, Byrd Cookie Company is a family-owned company based in Savannah. They are in their fourth generation of ownership and fifth generation of leadership. Their mission, Repella said, is to put more cookies in more mouths.

“We love being a taste of Savannah,” Repella said.

Leopold said he’s known Connect Savannah and Morris Multimedia President Charles H. Morris Hill for many years.

“He is a visionary,” Leopold said. “He really has such love for Savannah and such foresight; it’s amazing. The years of research and care that went into the planning and execution of the Morris Center complex resulted in such a tribute to and ‘thank you’ to Savannah.”

Morris founded Morris Multimedia in 1970 in Savannah. The company today owns and operates 60 publications, network affiliate television stations and other media related ventures in nine states and the Caribbean.

Headquartered in the Historic Oliver Sturges House in Savannah, Morris Multimedia Inc., continues to grow, Morris said.

The collaboration on the iconic ice cream flavor was exciting for Morris, as well.

“Leopold’s ice cream is a Savannah treasure enjoyed by Savannahians and world travelers all year long,” Morris said.

Leopold proposed a design for a flavor for Morris and Connect.

“This one just seemed like it worked together, and it does,” Leopold said.

The flavor will be launched and ready for rollout in May, Leopold said.

“It’s very exciting to be in partnership with Byrd and with Connect,” Leopold said. “I envision it to be just a wonderful, wonderful partnership.”

Byrd Cookie Company and Leopold’s Ice Cream have both been in business for nearly 100 years.

Find the Connecting Savannah Legacies ice cream flavor combination at Leopold’s Ice Cream at any of their Savannah locations. Visit the storied businesses’ websites, morrismultimedia.com, leopoldsicecream.com and byrdcookiecompany.com to learn about the legacies they’ve built here in Savannah.

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CONNECT SAVANNAH | APRIL 28-MAY 4, 2021

COMMUNITY

9

NEWS

COMMUNITY

Pet owners invited to bring their furry family to receive blessing

BY BETH STEWART

THE “BLESSING OF THE PETS” will be held from 10 a.m. to noon, May 1, at Bryan County Bark Park, located at 500 Veterans Memorial Pkwy., Richmond Hill, to allow pet owners to have their furry family members blessed by Pastor Devin Strong of Spirit of Peace Lutheran Church.

Strong, a 30-year Lutheran church pastor, has blessed many pets over the years.

“I have blessed dozens of cats, dogs, snakes, birds, and hamsters over the years when I have held this event in other congregations,” he said. “This is at least the second time that Spirit of Peace has held a ‘Blessing of the Pets.’”

This event has roots in the ministry of Francis of Assisi, a 13th century monk who had a special love for animals.

“He believed that we owe the animals and the earth every bit as much care and concern as we owe each other,” Strong said. “We are all God’s children. Francis was even known to preach to birds. Originally, churches held an annual ‘Blessing of the Pets’ on Holy Saturday between Good Friday and Easter to tie this blessing closely to the Christian celebration of the resurrection.”

The Bryan County Bark Park Association is a recognized non-profit and relies on the generosity of donors to support a safe space for local pet owners and their furry family.

“For me, the ‘Blessing of the Pets’ is a time to reflect on their unconditional love for us and it’s impossible to consider that without thinking about God’s love as well,” said Wendy Bolton, Bryan County Bark Park Association president.

Bolton’s golden retriever, Sadie, was blessed at the last event by a minister and she said it was a very moving ceremony.

“As an avid dog lover, this event serves as a reminder of what a great gift our pets are and the positive impact they have on our lives,” she said.

Strong noted that for many, pets become true members of the family.

“People love their pets,” Strong said. “For the humans, the most important part of this blessing is to be reminded that their pets are a beloved part of God’s creation, that their animals have a crucial ministry in our lives, and that God is watching over their pets, just as the Lord watches over us. I, too, have a special place in my heart for animals. Of our most common pets, I like to say that cats teach us about free will, and dogs teach us about grace.”

Dogs play in the Bryan County Bark Park. PHOTO COURTESY OF BRYAN COUNTRY BARK PARK

All well-behaved pets are welcome and leashes are not needed inside the fenced areas of the Bryan County Bark Park, but pets should be on a leash as they are being escorted to and from vehicles and the park.

Previous events have attracted many pet owners, so patience is encouraged at this year’s event.

For information, visit spiritofpeacelutheran.org.

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CONNECT SAVANNAH | APRIL 28-MAY 4, 2021

and complete medical and surgical care as necessary during their lifetime.

13

in Thunderbolt. PHOTO COURTESY OF RIVER DRIVE CROSSFIT

FOOD & DRINK

A patron orders and dines on the Smokestack, a bagel offered on the menu of Steamboat Bagels. PHOTO BY LINDY MOODY

Bringing steamed bagels to Savannah

Charlotte couple provides Steamboat Bagels locally

CONNECT SAVANNAH | APRIL 28-MAY 4, 2021

BY LINDY MOODY

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ASHLEY HARTS AND Kevin Mapleton hail from Charlotte, North Carolina, and it was their tradition to eat steamed bagels every weekend while living there.

Once uprooting their lives for Savannah, the two were beyond dismayed to discover that our steamy town lacked their beloved steamy bagels. Most Savannahians agree that, though we have options for bagel shops, we could always use more.

The void in the local tour de torus was too much for Harts and Mapleton to bear. So, the idea was simple: Harts wanted steamed bagels, so she opened a bagel shop.

“I just love steam bagels and they weren’t here so, I said ‘Kevin, will you get me a bagel steamer— an industrial bagel steamer— for my birthday?’ So, then we just started messing around in

August, giving them to our friends and neighbors, and they were like, ‘Wow, you really should do something with this’,” Harts said.

This is one instance where everyone should rejoice that neighbors voiced their opinions because the bagels coming out of Steamboat Bagels’ bread saunas are nothing short of brunch-altering.

Steamboat Bagels is a project of love simply because Harts and Mapleton both have their own full-time jobs.

“It’s always been in my mind that it is going to be a hobby,” Harts said. “It was never something where I was like, ‘I want to get rich doing this.’”

Though the two haven’t put their financial futures into making bagels just yet, their customers get the very best they have to offer with each sandwich because of the enjoyment that Harts and Mapleton get out of their new

venture.

The location for Steamboat Bagels came naturally, too. With little experience in the food industry, the couple decided to start small. First at home, then with friends, and now at least once a month via pop-up restaurant in Starland Yard.

“We looked into getting a food truck and we looked into getting a space but for us with our jobs it just didn’t make sense,” Harts said. “So, we have a partnership with Loki and Starland Yard. It has been really great to do the popups there.”

Truth be told, I had never had a steamed bagel before and was uncertain in my expectations. So often eating a sandwich framed in bagel is a tricky venture. The bagel can be too chewy or the filling too slippery. All holed-breakfast-sandwich connoisseurs know the feeling of taking that first bite and having to hold in the contents

of the bagel awkwardly with the pinkies of the hands. It’s a messy situation well worth avoiding if at all possible.

But, by layering up the sandwich on a fresh bagel, then steaming the entire thing — in Steamboat’s special contraptions — you get a bagel sandwich that eats like a panini but is soft like a steamed bun. Harts seemed to agree with my point.

“If you have all the hearty ingredients that we put on our sub with the smoked meat and the smoked cheeses, you don’t really want to have it falling out of the back of it,” she said.

From steaming, the bagel itself remains delicate and easy to chomp through. I am now a fullfledged disciple of the technique; bagels that are used as sandwich bread need to be steamed and leave the traditional chewy counterpart for a smear or some lox.

Some of their sandwiches are

created on bialy style bagels. Bialy bagels are not boiled like traditional ones, they are instead sent straight into the oven for baking.

The showstopper — and submarine-sized — sandwich was the Bagel Barge, aptly named. It’s debut was the very last pop up.

Patrons get 10 full inches of an everything bagel sandwich roll, which is arguably the best bagel flavor — especially for breakfast sandwiches. Before steaming, the dynamic duo boards the Bagel Barge with all of the breakfast fixins: sausage, cheese and eggs.

The Smokestack was also a winner. Layered inside of a normal-shaped bagel comes tender smoky shredded boston butt, gooey white American cheese, tender egg, salty bacon and a fresh made rosemary garlic aioli.

This is unlike any barbecue sandwich that you’d find in a normal smokehouse.

Between the perfectly soft bagel

EPICUROPEDIA

A Steamboat Bagels customer feasts on a Pilot House Bagel, made with turkey, mozzarella, bacon and pesto.

The everything bagel is displayed to be ordered by Steamboat Bagels guests.

PHOTO BY LINDY MOODY

and the smoke-filled chew of the meat is the perfect marriage of texture. The egg, bacon and cheese add a level of delectably devilish richness that the compliments the slowly-cooked pork shoulder deliciously.

The Pilot House consisted of turkey, mozzarella, bacon and pesto. If a hungry patron finds themselves in front of the window of Steamboat Bagels for a bit of a late brunch, Hart and Mapleton have them covered with this more lunch-like version of a normal bagel sammie. The pesto-adorned cheesy meat mountain pairs well with a late morning brewski or light cocktail from Starland Yard’s bar.

For the next pop up, May 16, patrons will likely find that a Steamboat signature is back on the menu — the pimento cheese with ham. The classic is dubbed the Groggy Sailor. It features a signature homemade pimento cheese, smoked ham, egg and mustard. This one comes layered on a jalapeno and red pepper bagel.

Hart and Mapleton know that sinful

morning meats aren’t for everyone: “Whenever someone comes up and asks if we have anything vegetarian, we just tell them we can make it without meat or put an egg on it. We automatically take $2 [off].”

The idea of an egg-only sandwich on the pillowy steamed bagel is not a compromise by any stretch of the imagination. Many people will find that they prefer that as it brings the taste of the bagel to the front of the experience of tasting Steamboat’s food.

Some time in the future, the Sultans of Steam would like to have a quaint brickand-mortar spot.

“We would love to have a small space were people would get to go bagels and maybe a Bloody Mary or something on the way to the park,” Harts said.

In the meantime, you can follow Steamboat Bagels on Instagram, @steamboatbagels to get the most up-to-date information on Savannah’s newest circular culinarians.

CONNECT SAVANNAH | APRIL 28-MAY 4, 2021

PHOTO BY LINDY MOODY

15

agenda latina

Notes from Lisette: I’m a happy woman, mother of three teenagers and it’s the most important job, dedicating as much time as possible to them is key. As my children have grown, they have taught me love, understanding, patience and so much more.

Agenda Latina is my passion, which was created of the need of locals in this area, for a specific platform, where we could all connect. It’s a place where you can find local activities, small local businesses, and much more. The activities I put together create positive actions, it helps create a multicultural network for this region and brings the Hispanic community together.

My main objective is to create and show the positive impact the Hispanic community can have in Savannah. By creating this and supporting small businesses.

OUR LATIN COMMUNITY

The Latin community offers a great variety of options, from delicious gourmet Latin dishes, beautiful culture, professionals in different work industries and many other things that vary from country to country. By getting access to this session, you will have the opportunity to get to know little by little what we have to offer, and all the positive things that these businesses bring to our local community. You will find an extensive list of small and local business owners. That work hard to grow their business, they go above and beyond to support the local community and our economy.

Let’s start with Columbia the country where I’m from. Colombia is a multicultural country, with people of all types backgrounds and different races.

My country has lots of talent, from beautiful Ms. Universe Queens, famous singers like Shakira and Carlos Vives. We also have writers, that have been published Internationally and all types of sports and teams that compete internationally every year. By learning about different cultures, we understand and accepting each other. In Savannah we even have a Colombian Restaurant called Antojos Latino, they offer a variety of typical Colombian plates and more.

HOLA SAVANNAH TASK FORCE GROUP Contact: HolaSavannah@savannahga.gov

VACCINES HEALTH DEPARTMENT

Registration in Spanish: https://www.gachd.org/ Press Spanish language or Call Diane at: 770-682-0172

FREE ENGLISH LESSONS 912-604-4306

HISPANIC VACCINATION EVENT Saturday May 15 - 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM 836 E 65Th St

INFORMATION PROVIDED

BY AGENDA LATINA

Learn some Language

SPANISH ENGLISH Mucho Gusto en conocerte

Nice to meet you

AGENDA LATINA EVENT CALENDAR: April 28 May 4, 2021 TUESDAY

NETWORK EVENT WITH THE LATIN COMMUNITY Latin Lunch Tuesday May 25 | 12 PM

THURSDAY

SAVANNAH LATIN DANCE FREE SALSA CLASS Mint to be Mojitos 7:30 PM

FRIDAY

GRANNY (GRANDMA) DAY

May 28 | 5:00 PM Online event Girls Scouts in Spanish

SAVANNAH LATIN DANCE FREE SALSA CLASS JJ’s Bar & Grill 10:00 PM

SATURDAY

SAVANNAH LATIN DANCE FREE SALSA CLASS 201 Tapas Lounge 10:00 PM

TEACHING SKILLS Meet Maggi Goldsmith who is currently an assistant in the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program at the University of Georgia.

This program is intended to connect with lower income people, young adolescents to teach them skills, knowledge and better behavior towards food and how to process it. This organization wants to connect with churches, associations, groups, institutions to carry out these programs that benefit the community in general and the classes are in Spanish.

For information you can contact Maggie at 912-652-7993.

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MUSIC

Members of the Kenny George Band. PHOTO COURTESY OF THE KENNY GEORGE BAND

Band, beer yield perfect combination Kenny George Band to play for Service Brewing Company patrons May 1

CONNECT SAVANNAH | APRIL 28-MAY 4, 2021

BY NOELLE WIEHE noelle@connectsavannah.com

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A SOUTHERN BAND has brought together appreciation for two crafts which stem from creative minds who love what they do by bringing their sound to the eclectic crowds of southern breweries.

Kenny George, namesake, lead guitar, vocals, and songwriter for the Kenny George Band sai his four-person band is getting excited about playing live and sharing their original songs. “[A] good thing about breweries is it’s not a bar crowd, it’s a brewery crowd,” George said. “It’s usually a little more tame; they’re usually paying more attention to the music. It’s just a different vibe.”

The Kenny George Band is bringing their alt country/rock/ Americana sound to brewery venues all over the southeast, with a stop through Savannah May 1 where they’ll take the stage for a 6 p.m. show at Service Brewing Company.

Two members of the Kenny George Band, Randy Borawski, drums and harmony vocals, and George said they’d describe their band as alt-country, but not anything like mainstream country radio.

“I love Daisy Dukes; I love beer; I love meatloaf — I just don’t sing about it,” George said. “We don’t do anything like that; we do more geared towards old-school singer/songwriter-based country. The alternate version of country mixed with this alternate version of rock that we do.”

The four-person band features George and Borawski, Center Ely on steel guitar and Brooks Andrews on bass. George’s passion and pride for his songwriting is evident as he emphasizes it in his description of the band’s sound.

“It’s kind of like rock and roll and country/Americana/blues, but the most important aspect of it is solid songs and musicianship,” George said. “It’s not about us being fancy or whatever, it’s about us doing what we do best.”

The band performs across the Midwest and Southeast and is currently set to play about two dozen shows at different breweries.

“They’re really everywhere right now,” George said of the breweries. “There is a lot of good beer popping up.”

George said the brewery venues allow the band to play their favorite music to a tamer crowd than they might find at a bar scene, which lends to a greater appreciation for George’s songwriting.

“They’re friendly to us adding in our originals, and that’s what we’re really trying to focus on,” Borawski said. “These breweries and some of these venues that I’m kind of being strategic in placing us in, it’s not background music.”

The show and sound is for fans of Jason Isabelle, Whiskey Town, and Tyler Childers, George said, but also for fans of familiar old southern rock.

“I think people like it when you do something for them that’s by an artist that they know but they may not know the song or remember the song as well,” George said. “So, we’re gonna do some Allman Brothers or we’re gonna do some Bob Segar, but we’re not gonna do ‘Turn The Page,’ we’re gonna do ‘Beautiful Loser,’ or something like that. Or, we’re gonna do Van Morrison, but we’re not gonna do ‘Brown Eyed Girl,’ we’re gonna do ‘Into The Mystic,’ or ‘Tupelo Honey.’”

A perk George mentioned with playing breweries is that they get to sample the product of the brewers that are hosting them, although, George said he’s already familiar with Service Brewing Company’s product.

“I’m looking forward to it,” George said. “I know the brand, I’ve tried the beer. It was good stuff, and I see them everywhere.”

Service Brewing Company is a veteran-owned brewery, adorned with military memorabilia and an atmosphere appreciative of those who serve, not only their country but the community.

The owners Kevin Ryan and his wife, Meredith, constantly personally thank patrons — locals and out-of-towners — for paying a visit to the brewery.

“We look forward to playing Service,” Borawski said.

The Kenny George Band will play at 6 p.m. May 1 at Service Brewing Company, 574 Indian St., Savannah. Visit kennygeorgeband.com or servicebrewing.com for information.

M Calli Joiner of LILAKK. PHOTO BY CSRAPHOTOGRAPHY

Grunge on a Roll:

Savannah-based LILAKK rises to popularity

BY BRITTANY HERREN

STILL ON THE HEELS of a late-night show at the Wormhole opening up for the touring band THE DEV, I caught up with Savannah-based band LILAKK. If you haven’t noticed, they’ve been on a bit of a roll lately, popping up with gigs — and a following — all over the city.

Fronted by musical power couple Kirk and Calli Joiner on guitars and vocals, the band also includes Johnny Covington on bass, Zach Young on drums, and newcomer Adam Anderson on synth/keys. Together, they form the 90s alternative grunge band of your Doc Martens and plaid dreams with a sound that is reminiscent of Nirvana and Soundgarden.

“As a band, our sound is greatly influenced by the 90s grunge era, and punk music,” Kirk said. “Punk-pop, classic/southern rock and even some modern, indie-pop/ rock also play a hand in our sound.”

LILAKK is a bit of a love story that has evolved over the years. Right before Calli moved to Los Angeles, California, to pursue acting, she became close friends with Kirk.

“I convinced her to move back to Georgia and start a band together,” Kirk said.

The two started out as an acoustic duo with Kirk on guitar and Calli on bass. Calli later picked up guitar and the pair started to write more punk/grunge music. They got married, the band grew to their current lineup and the rest is history.

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f Th r p

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FEATURE

BRUNCH GUIDE BROUGHT TO YOU BY

Members of the band LILAKK. PHOTO COURTESY OF LILAKK

with a twist of grunge.”

The group started making music videos in February 2020 before the pandemic and have recently resurrected that aspect of their music with this new single, the “Basement” music video to drop sometime in June.

Fans can also expect the release of three new singles and accompanying music videos over the next five to six months. The singles are all part of an EP called “School Bus Session” that the band did a limited, physical release of only 100 CDs back in December of 2020.

“We got a lot of great feedback and reviews from our fans and we picked our next singles based off of how people reacted to our new songs,” Kirk said.

While their touring plans were shut down last year during a short stint in Florida for their first-ever tour, LILAKK is ready to hit the road in 2021.

“We are definitely ready to pick up where we left off and share our love of dirty, grungy, rock ‘n’ roll,” said Kirk.

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INTERESTED IN ADVERTISING? PHOTO COURTESY OF LILAKK

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CONNECT SAVANNAH | APRIL 28-MAY 4, 2021

“We didn’t really consider LILAKK to be solidified until this current line-up,” Kirk said.

In about 2019 or 2020, LILAKK really started to hit their stride and despite the pandemic, they worked nonstop.

“Even though COVID slowed us down from gigging and we had seven or eight shows canceled when the country shut down, we were fortunately able to play a number of shows, whether it was online or at socially distanced venues, almost through the whole thing,” Kirk said. “A lot of bands moved to online performances or just ceased to play because of social distancing. For us, we got to focus more on writing and recording new music while things had slowed down.”

In late 2019, LILAKK released “Prep Rally,” followed by “Here Today” and “Rain” in 2020.

Their newest single, “Basement,” is being released on May 7 on all major streaming platforms.

“For most people who have seen us live, we are known for high-energy and this song embodies that,” Kirk explained. “[The song] is heavily rooted in punk and bit of punk/pop

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SOUNDBOARD

28-May/4

Apr/

WHO IS PLAYING WHERE THIS WEEK WEDNESDAY 4/28 LIVE MUSIC

Driftaway Cafe Chuck Courtenay, 6 p.m.

Nickie’s 1971 Ray Tomasino, 7 p.m.

The Wormhole Open Jam, 9 p.m.

TRIVIA & GAMES

El-Rocko Lounge Trivia with Jules and Chris Grimmett, 9-11:30 p.m.

Service Brewing Company Trivia Night with Jess Shaw, 6:30 p.m.

KARAOKE

Club One Karaoke, 10 p.m.

Wet Willie’s Karaoke, 9 p.m.

COMEDY

Totally Awesome Bar Savannah Comedy Underground, 9 p.m.

THURSDAY 4/29 LIVE MUSIC

22 Square Eric Clark, 7 p.m.

Cohen’s Retreat Munchies & Music, 5-9 p.m.

TRIVIA & GAMES Bar Food Trivia Night, 8 p.m.

McDonough’s Family Feud, 7 p.m.

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FRI// FRI

KARAOKE

Club One Karaoke, 10 p.m.

McDonough’s Karaoke, 9 p.m.

Nickie’s 1971 Karaoke Night, 8 p.m.

The Wormhole Karaoke, 9 p.m.

COMEDY

Totally Awesome Bar Open Mic Comedy, 8:30 p.m.

CONNECT SAVANNAH | APRIL 28-MAY 4, 2021

DJ

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Club 51 Degrees DJ B-Rad, 9 p.m.

Top Deck Sunset Deck Party, 6 p.m.

BAR & CLUB EVENTS House of Mata Hari Burlesque Cabaret, 1111:59 p.m.

FRIDAY 4/30 LIVE MUSIC

22 Square Ford Natriboff, 6:30 p.m.

Churchill’s Pub Joe Wilson, Jon Lee’s Appartitions, 5 & 8:30 p.m.; Joe Wilson, Jon Lee’s Apparitions, 6 & 9:30 p.m.

Coach’s Corner Junkyard Angel, 7 p.m.

Congress Street Social Club Doc Ock, 10 p.m.

Elan Savannah Snails at Elan Savannah (Fri, April 30th), 9 p.m.

Rancho Alegre Cuban Restaurant JodyJazz Trio, 6:30-9:30 p.m.

Service Brewing Company Bluegrass By The Pint with Swamptooth, 6 p.m.

The Shrimp Factory Matt Hill, 6 p.m.

Sting Ray’s Robert Willis, 6 p.m.

TRIVIA & GAMES

PS Tavern Beer Pong Tournament, 10 p.m.

KARAOKE

Bay Street Blues Karaoke, 8 p.m.

Blueberry Hill Karaoke, 9 p.m.-3 a.m.

Club One Karaoke, 10 p.m.

McDonough’s Karaoke, 9 p.m.

Nickie’s 1971 Karaoke Night, 9 p.m.

Totally Awesome Bar Karaoke, 10 p.m.

JUNKYARD ANGEL @ COACH’S CORNER , 7 P.M. DJ

Club 51 Degrees DJ Fer, DJ Emalo, DJ Lil G, DJ BRad, 9 p.m.

VICE Lounge + Mojito Bar DJ Primal, 9 p.m.

BAR & CLUB EVENTS Club One Drag Show, 10:30 p.m. & 12:30 a.m.

House of Mata Hari Burlesque Cabaret, 1111:59 p.m.

SATURDAY 5/ 1 LIVE MUSIC

22 Square Eric Clark, 7 p.m.

Coach’s Corner Harvest Moon - Celebrating the Music of Neil Young, 7 p.m.

Congress Street Social Club JD Music Group, 7 p.m.

Elan Savannah Last Party of the Semester at Elan, 9 p.m.

Rancho Alegre Cuban Restaurant JodyJazz Trio, 6:30-9:30 p.m.

Sting Ray’s Robert Willis, 6 p.m.

TRIVIA & GAMES

Blueberry Hill Pool Tournament, 2 p.m.

KARAOKE

Bar Food Karaoke Night, 10 p.m.

Bay Street Blues Karaoke, 8 p.m.

Club One Karaoke, 10 p.m.

McDonough’s Karaoke, 9 p.m.

Totally Awesome Bar Karaoke, 10 p.m.

BAR & CLUB EVENTS Club One Drag Show, 10:30 p.m. & 12:30 a.m.

SUNDAY 5/ 2 LIVE MUSIC

Coach’s Corner Savannah Singer/Songwriter Series, 7 p.m.

Collins Quarter at Forsyth Ember City, 2 p.m.

Congress Street Social Club VooDoo Soup, 10 p.m.; Voodoo Soup, 10 p.m.

Nickie’s 1971 Roy Swindell, 7 p.m.

Sting Ray’s Robert Willis, 6 p.m.

Tubby’s Tank House (Thunderbolt) Bucky & Barry, 1 p.m.

TRIVIA & GAMES

Moon River Brewing Co. Trivia, 6 p.m.

KARAOKE

Club One Karaoke, 10 p.m.

McDonough’s Karaoke, 9 p.m.

MONDAY 5/ 3 LIVE MUSIC

Nickie’s 1971 Ray Tomasino, 7 p.m.

TRIVIA & GAMES

Club One Super Gay Bingo, 5:30 p.m.

Starland Yard Music Bingo, 7-9 p.m.

KARAOKE

Club One Karaoke, 10 p.m.

Wet Willie’s Karaoke, 9 p.m.

BAR & CLUB EVENTS Fia Rua Irish Pub Family Movie Night, 8 p.m.

TUESDAY 5/ 4 LIVE MUSIC

Nickie’s 1971 Roy Swindell, 7 p.m.

TRIVIA & GAMES

Basil’s Pizza and Deli Trivia, 7 p.m.

Fia Rua Irish Pub Trivia, 7 p.m.

McDonough’s Trivia Tuesday, 7 p.m.

Oak 36 Bar + Kitchen Trivia Tuesday, 9 p.m.

Savannah Taphouse Trivia, 7 p.m.

Starland Yard Trivia Night With Chris Grimmett, 6:30-8:30 p.m.; Trivia with Chris Grimmett, 6:30 p.m.

KARAOKE

Blueberry Hill Karaoke, 9 p.m.-3 a.m.

Club One Karaoke, 10 p.m.

Wet Willie’s Karaoke, 9 p.m.

COMEDY

Stafford’s Public House Stafford’s Tuesday Comedy Open Mic, 8:30-11:45 p.m.

SOUNDBOARD IS A FREE SERVICE - TO BE INCLUDED, PLEASE SEND YOUR LIVE MUSIC INFORMATION WEEKLY TO SOUNDBOARD@CONNECTSAVANNAH.COM. DEADLINE IS NOON MONDAY, TO APPEAR IN WEDNESDAY’S EDITION. WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO EDIT OR CUT LISTINGS DUE TO SPACE LIMITATIONS.

THE BAND PAGE

LAX @ MINT TO BE MOJITO BAR & BITES

Join the talented, acoustic duo of Larry Broussard and Justin Gross f rom the band LAX — Lectric Acoustic Xperiment — for your favorite hits Wednesday evening. The pair will be playing at Savannah’s first mojito bar, located in the heart of Savannah’s Historic District at 12 W. State St. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 28 | 5-9 PM

SARAH POOLE AND EMBER CITY @ CORKS

SEAN MOLONEY @ THE RAIL PUB

Enjoy an intimate, solo show with Sean Moloney of Whaleboat out in the yard of one of Savannah’s favorite dive bars, The Rail Pub. Moloney plays something for everyone, hitting classics from every decade from the 50s to the 90s. Hear the Beatles, Patsy Cline, Tears for Fears, REM, David Bowie, The Rolling Stones, Tom Petty and more. It’s a really fun show that you don’t want to miss.

THURSDAY, APRIL 29 | 6-8 PM

SAVANNAH SINGER SONGWRITER SERIES @ COACH’S CORNER

The popular Savannah Songwriters Series returns with a new show at the Coach’s Corner Soundgarden Stage. This show features popular, favorites like Jacob Evans, Jason Bible and Amy Taylor. The show starts at 7 p.m., — but get in line early to ensure you get a ticket. Tickets are $5.

SUNDAY, MAY 2 | 7 PM

CONNECT SAVANNAH | APRIL 28-MAY 4, 2021

Local favorite Sarah Poole and her band Ember City will be venturing back to Corks in Bluffton, South Carolina, on Friday night. It’s a 36-minute drive from Savannah and totally worth it to catch the songstress and her alt-rock group play original music.

FRIDAY, APRIL 30 | 8:30 PM

21

CULTURE

Sauda Mitchell, “Finding Aid,” 2021. PHOTOS BY DJ HELLERMAN

Exhibition amplifies voices, relates history to present

CONNECT SAVANNAH | APRIL 28-MAY 4, 2021

“Re-Cor-Dare: Sauda Mitchell” exhibition now on view at Telfair’s Jepson Center

22

A QR code is visible for details on Sauda Mitchell, “Finding Aid,” 2021.

AUDA MITCHELL HARNESSES the power of archival collections in her ambitious solo exhibition, “Re-Cor-Dare,” now on view at the Telfair Museum’s Jepson Center.

For Mitchell, the act of recording and the purpose of preserving archival material is to give back to our hearts and minds across time and space. This sentiment inspired the title of her exhibition. Referencing the Latin roots of the word, “record”: “recordari,” to remember and “cor” or “cord” meaning the heart, “Re-CorDare” takes a multidisciplinary approach to activating the intellectual and emotional information provided by historical and primary source material, specifically information on American Black history and enslaved peoples.

As a printmaker, archivist, and educator, Mitchell has a decades-long engagement with primary-source material, informing her acute understanding of their distinct efficacy in mining the legacy of racial disparity and social injustice deeply embedded in the history

of the U.S. Mitchell locates and lays bare linkages between the past and present to highlight the lived experience within the African American diaspora today.

There are five separate bodies of work on display in “Re-Cor-Dare,” all connected by Mitchell’s interest in the Black experience, printmaking, materiality, text and image, as well as a spirit of generosity encouraging viewers to dig deeper and explore information beyond what’s presented at the Jepson. Embedded in most of the work are QR codes that link visitors to digital resources about enslaved narratives, personal histories and ongoing archival projects.

Mitchell’s carefully considered artist books are seductively constructed and provide a structured form of storytelling for the artist to flex her facile skills as a maker combined with her theoretical position and intellectual force. The book format integrates various modes of communication necessary for grappling with complex histories and the layered experiences of subjugation, racial discrimination and violence.

VISUAL ARTS

“Re-Cor-Dare: Sauda Mitchell” is organized by Telfair Museums and will be on view at the Jepson Center through Feb. 27, 2022. For information, visit telfair.org/ exhibitions/re-cor-dare-sauda-mitchell.

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CONNECT SAVANNAH | APRIL 28-MAY 4, 2021

The grounding and loving audio of The Robert Glasper Trio’s version of Herbert J. Hancock’s “Maiden Voyage” fills the gallery space. Connecting with the sculptural series “Voyage Windsails No 1-5” is text from a poem Mitchell wrote while an undergraduate at SCAD. Narrating the experience of forced separation of a mother and son during their journey of the Middle Passage, Mitchell conveys the trauma, disconnection and fragmentation forced upon enslaved Africans.

“This exhibition expanded the material Sauda was working with,” said Erin Dunn, associate curator of Modern and Contemporary Art at the Telfair. “Every material in the exhibition was chosen for a specific purpose: cash crops, indigo dyed fabric … she even incorporated metal referencing the history of metalsmithing in Savannah by enslaved people. Every element links back to history as a way to help understand our present moment.”

As Mitchell explained in her artist talk on April 15th, “This [exhibition] is an opportunity to amplify the voices of people who have dedicated their life to civic engagement and shed light or provide a way for viewers to recognize and learn about those people as a prompt to get a better understanding of what’s happening now.”

That’s the power of history: looking back and returning to the past can provide a path forward. As Mitchell so poignantly reminds us, in some form or another, we all have the agency to participate in making a more just world. The question is: Will you?

Mitchell’s exhibition is part of Telfair Museums’ #Art912 initiative. Formally launched in 2016 to formalize the Telfair’s ongoing commitment to showcasing the work of artists living in close proximity to the museum, #Art912 is an initiative dedicated to raising the visibility and promoting the vitality of artists living and working in Savannah through exhibition opportunities, public programs, and outreach. “Re-Cor-Dare” is also presented as a part of the Telfair’s Legacy of Slavery in Savannah Initiative. For information, visit telfair.org/los.

23

CULTURE

LITERATURE

Bestselling author to tour along coast of Georgia, South Carolina

CONNECT SAVANNAH | APRIL 28-MAY 4, 2021

BY BRANDY SIMPKINS

24

there’s some mystery, there’s some romance, there’s some thriller aspects, but it’s really, brandy@connectsavannah.com honestly, just a good summer, page-turning beach book.”

GEARING UP FOR THE coming season on A native of St. Petersburg, Florida, Andrews May 4, New York Times bestselling author, Mary Kay Andrews, will release her latest 437- is the New York Times bestselling author of 27 novels and a cookbook. page summer read “The Newcomer.”

Andrews is touring from April 30 to May After earning her Bachelor of Art in 8 to engage with fans and friends about her journalism from the University of Georgia, latest novel.

Andrews worked a 14-year-long career as The first in-person event will take place on a reporter at newspapers, including The May 3, on the back patio of the DeSoto Hotel Savannah Morning News, The Marietta Jourhosted by E. Shaver Booksellers. Andrews nal, and finally, The Atlanta Journal-Conwill be joined by her dear friend, bestselling stitution, where she spent a decade before author Patti Callahan, author of “Surviving leaving journalism in 1991 to write fiction.

Savannah” which was released March 9.

She first became a New York Times bestAndrews said this will be her first big selling author in the year 2006, for her book in-person book signing in over a year.

“Hissy Fit,” and has since had 12 more best“I’m really looking forward to old friends sellers between New York Times, USA Today and readers in person,” and Publisher’s Weekly.

Andrews said.

“I don’t have the luxAndrews will travel to ury of writer’s block,” a few different locations Andrews said. along the coasts of Georgia Andrews has puband South Carolina to hold lished a book every year conversations with other for the last 30 years. She authors and book lovers. said being a reporter On May 8, the tour will for 14 years gave her conclude with a Sip-n-Shop discipline.

Book Signing at Seaside SisYou’re always on deadters on Tybee Island. line so you don’t have the Andrews said “The Newluxury of waiting for inspiMary Kay Andrews, journalist comer” is a page-turner. ration to strike because turned author, prepares for her latest book tour. PHOTO BY The protagonist of there’s always an editor BILL MILES Andrews’ novel is a woman saying ‘I needed this 10 who has fled from New York minutes ago,’” Andrews City to a new town in Florida. Andrews said said. “It also teaches you story structure. It Letty is the newcomer. teaches you to listen closely and when you listen “The book opens with her pulling into the that closely it gives you an ear for dialogue and it parking lot of an old mom and pop hotel right gives you insight into human nature.” at sunup, on a Florida gulf coast in a real town According to Andrews, her Summer 2022 called Treasure Island, Florida,” Andrews novel is already in the works, and will be set in said. “She is exhausted and she is terrified.

Savannah.

She is on the run from a man that she believes “What I get to do, I dreamed of when I was a killed her sister, and she has her 4-year-old little kid,” Andrews said. “I’m living my dream niece in the backseat of the car.” and I don’t know how many people get to say that, but it’s hard work.”

Andrews said that people refer to the types of books she writes as summer reads, but she doesn’t really concern herself with genre.

Visit marykayandrews.com/events-appearances for details on the tour for “The “I just write stories that I think my readers Newcomer.” want and I feel like writing,” she said. “So,

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ART PATROL Unique Design X Savannah

Following two successful boutique design fairs, Unique Design X Shanghai in 2019 and Unique Design X Paris in 2020, and the Unique Design X Moscow 2021 show, Unique Design X Group is proud to launch their first U.S. edition in Savannah, Georgia at the Kehoe Ironworks building at Trustees Garden. The event will also feature a custom skatepark on the property.

April 28- May 2 $10 general admission uniquedesignxgroup. com Kehoe Ironworks at Trustees Garden 660 E Broughton St.

Carlos Garaicoa exhibition: ‘A City View from the Table of my House’ Based in Madrid and Havana, Carlos Garaicoa originally trained in thermodynamics and later in painting, lending him a unique perspective on the relationship of social and historical structures to architecture and urbanism.

For his solo exhibition A City View from the Table of My House, Garaicoa will present a very particular retrospective exercise, which studies the format of the table as one of the most fertile substrates for his artistic production.

Through July 3 scadmoa.org SCAD Museum of Art, 601 Turner Blvd.

Craig Drennen:

Merchants, Bandits, and Certain Senators

Laney Contemporary presents Craig Drennen: Merchants, Bandits, and Certain Senators. Since 2008, the Atlanta-based artist has used Shakespeare’s Timon of Athens to structure his studio practice and this exhibition title refers to the most recent three characters that he has addressed.

Free admission June 26. 9124384442. info@ laneycontemporary. com. laneycontemporary.com/exhibitions/ merchantsbanditsandcertainsenators. Laney Contemporary, 1810 Mills B. Lane Blvd.

‘Count Down’ by Rose Simpson

In Countdown, a major commission of new works by Rose B. Simpson, the artist surpasses the signature human scale typical of her figurative sculptures, bringing bodily forms to an unprecedented totemic stature. $10 general admission Through June 26 scadmoa.org SCAD Museum of Art 601 Turner Blvd.

Dottie T. Leatherwood - “A Conversation with the Savannah Landscape”

The Mansion on Forsyth Park’s Grand Bohemian Gallery in Savannah, Georgia, will feature the work of accomplished painter Dottie Turner Leatherwood and other artists

in its 2021 Savannah Series. The Savannah Series is an annual presentation of art exhibits and artist talks showcasing talented local artists as well as the region’s inspiring landscapes. grandbohemiangallery.com/.

The Grand Bohemian Gallery, 700 Drayton St.

‘Star Tap’ by Emily Furr

‘Star Tap’ by Emily Furr. Furr paints celestial visions that place cool, hardedged objects within weightless, star-filled voids. Furr’s artwork plays with a codex of motifs, exploring their potential formations through a process of repetition. The artist’s serialized tropes take the shape of tongues laden with hallucinogenic sugar cubes, sloping conveyor belts adorned with astral points, rocket engines with acutely sharp, almost erotic edges, tubes, chains, and myriad metal hardware. $10 general admission May 9. scadmoa.org/.

SCAD Museum of Art, 601 Turner Blvd.

YOUNG ARTISTS: Call for Youth Artwork K-8 for CorkHouse Gallery Exhibition

CorkHouse Galleries and Rocking Chair Media will present a Youth Art Exhibition, which will reflect Spring Awakening, inspired by music, with “We Hear Our Earth Sing”.

APR/ Choose one of four songs, create an original work of art inspired by that song & submit your original artwork.

Deadline for submission of your artwork will be: Friday April 23.

The exhibit will run from May 3rd to June 27th.

Free to enter. musicinmypaintbrush@gmail.com or visit corkhousegallery. com. corkhousegallery.com CorkHouse Gallery, 230 West Bay St.

Complex Uncertainties: Artists in Postwar America

Complex Uncertainties: Artists in Postwar America is an evolving exhibition grounded by works in Telfair’s modern and contemporary collection. This presentation brings forth undercurrents that permeate artmaking from the global eruption of World War II until today—events that challenge artists to explore unknowns, react to power, and construct narratives. ongoing. telfair.org/ jepson/. Jepson Center for the Arts, 207 West York St.

If These Walls Could Talk: 200 Years of William Jay Architecture Jay delivered the luxurious showplaces they desired and also elevated Savannah’s civic life with a new theater, a design for the Savannah Branch of the Second Bank of the United States, and a new Customs House.

Exhibit is ongoing. telfair.org Telfair Academy of Arts and Sciences, 121 Barnard St.

Interregnum by Daniel E. Smith

This is a series of new works by longtime Savannah artist Daniel E. Smith that seek to define the transitive relationship of change.

Reflecting the show title, the work is about the chaos and order that existed within a regime to elicit a change, but also brings its’ own balance of chaos and order.

This perception of hierarchies is thoughtfully evoked by Smith’s use of bold color, experienced brush work and precise handling of wax technique. Gallery profits from show are donated to Savannah LGBT Center.

Exhibit is ongoing.

Location Gallery at Savannah LGBT Center, 1515 Bull St.

Jean Claude Roy

Jean Claude Roy was born in Rochefort-sur-Mer on the west coast of France in 1948. He knew from the age of seven that he wanted to be an artist, and was encouraged by his grandfather, a farmer of modest means who occasionally bought paintings at auctions.

Jean Claude recalls attending early-morning produce markets with his grandparents and making his first “sculptures” from the colored paper used to wrap apples and oranges. ongoing.

4

May/

grandbohemiangallery.com/. The Grand Bohemian Gallery, 700 Drayton St.

Neosublime at Sulfur Studios

Sulfur Art Services debuts “Neosublime”a solo exhibition by Kathy Varadi. The exhibition is on display at The Sentient Bean and will be available for view during the shop’s operating hours. April 27. fb.me/e/20inqdQ78. sentientbean.com. The Sentient Bean, 13 E. Park Ave.

Savannah Eclectic and More

The art presented by Marty Fall will include an eclectic group of popular local area artists, including watercolors, pastels, acrylics, prints, and more. Most art presented is private collection, some will be available for purchase. ongoing.

La Terra Natural Oils, 1520 Bull St.

Monthly Photo Group Critique

Join Sulfur Studios for a monthly gathering of photographers / photo-based artists who are interested in cultivating a photo community in Savannah. Sulfur aims to provide a forum for artists at all levels, digital or analog, to receive critical feedback. All who wish to provide a safe but challenging environment to grow with input from a group of peers are welcome. Hosted by Bridget Conn & Emily Earl.

6 p.m.

25 CONNECT SAVANNAH | APRIL 28-MAY 4, 2021

CONNECT SAVANNAH

CULTURE

VISUAL ARTS

PHOTOS BY ROBIN ELISE MAAYA

Nanny transforms family moments into art

“Home Away From Home” photography exhibition to be displayed at Cedar House Gallery

CONNECT SAVANNAH | APRIL 28-MAY 4, 2021

BY NICOLE YOUNGBLUT

26

ROBIN ELISE MAAYA, Savannah College of Art and Design student, captures the beauty, joy and whimsical nature of twins through photographing sisters Ava and Ruby.

“Home Away From Home” is a photography exhibition that documents the family she has been a respite care nanny for since fall 2019.

“Home Away From Home” is a photo exhibition of a family that lives in harmony with a special needs child. Ruby has cerebral palsy and non-verbal autism, which limits her cognitive awareness and makes her unable to care for herself.

“When I first began photographing the Pendergrass family, I was doing so with the intention of showing the ‘normal-ness’ of their lives and attempting to elevate them to an ethereal realm,” Maaya said. “I soon realized that this would be a false representation of them. Their family is absolutely not perfect nor ethereal, but instead unique and chaotic, in

the very best way.”

Maaya credits her photojournalist approach to SCAD teacher and photographer, Jaclyn Cori Norman.

Each exhibit started as a class project with Norman but became much more than that in the photographic process. Maaya reflects on her past exhibits “Girls Ward: Left” in 2019, “Moulting” in 2019, and her upcoming show “Home Away From Home” in 2021.

“Everything I have done has been under her [Norman’s] direction,” Maaya said. “I wouldn’t be the artist, photographer, student, I am without her.”

“Home Away from Home” took a different approach to the project than when she started. The nature of the ten sets of twins shifted, inspired by the unconventional free-spiritedness of the Pendergrass Family, which set an entirely different tone for the photo direction.

“I remember shooting, and I thought, ‘I don’t know if these photos are going to fit the rest of them.

I might not be able to use them in

the project,’” Maaya said. “And then, when I saw the final images and I put them all together, I realized that the other pictures didn’t fit these.”

Maaya remembers buying her 4x5 camera from the late SCAD professor Tom Fischer’s widow, Sharon. Christine “Chrissy” Pendergras, photographer and mother of Ruby and Ava, learned to shoot on the same camera that Maaya is now using to document Chrissy’s children 20 years later.

“It’s more than just a job now; this is my family, and that’s why it’s called “Home Away From Home,” because that is exactly what it is,” Maaya said. ”This is my second home, if not my first home above anything else. They have become a pivotal piece of my time in Savannah.”

Cedar House Gallery will be hosting an opening reception for Robin Elisa Maaya’s senior showcase “Home Away From Home” April 30, from 6-9 p.m. with live music from Greta Schroeder. The exhibition will be on view April 30 through May 2 with an artist talk on May 1 at 2 p.m.

AAYA

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ACROSS 1 “Dis or ___” (“You Don’t Know Jack” round) 4 Ozone depleter, for short 7 Brotherhood brothers 12 Obama’s first chief of staff Rahm 14 Fragmented 16 *”Feel the need to get in hot water? Ask your doctor if ___ is right for you.”

17 *”Are you managing your health under ‘New Rules’?

Ask your doctor if ___ ...”

19 Our top story?

20 Things to pick 22 Film set in cyberspace 23 7, on a grandfather clock 24 Chime in 26 Prefix meaning “iron-containing” 27 Maritime patrol org.

29 *”Lack of unusual influences getting you down? Ask your doctor if ___ ...”

31 “Atlas Shrugged” novelist Rand 33 “And giving ___, up the chimney he rose” 34 Marlins’ MLB div.

35 In-browser programs 39 Tiny amounts 41 Conk out 42 Feast on the beach 44 Roman 1011 45 *”Do you need to reach higher in life? Ask your doctor if ___ ...”

48 Aquafina rival 52 Game show host Convy and Muppet ... well, we don’t get a last name

53 Gnocchi-like dumplings (from the Italian for “naked”) 55 “Who Let the Dogs Out?” group Baha ___ 56 “You’re in trou-bllle ...”

57 Poison lead singer Michaels 58 Barely enough 60 *”Want to feel like you did it your way? Ask your doctor if ___ ...”

62 *”Feel like the only way to be cured is by meat? Ask your doctor if ___ ...”

64 Milk acid 65 Seven days from now 66 Nebraska senator Ben who voted to impeach in the February 2021 trial 67 ___ Equis 68 “Black-ish” dad DOWN 1 “Done it before” feeling 2 Cremona violins 3 Gambit 4 Capital of the 21-Down Empire 5 Moroccan hat 6 Medical center 7 Age range for most high-schoolers 8 Heavy burden 9 Bucks’ org.

10 Out of ___ (askew) 11 Like some renditions 13 Rapa ___ (Easter Island, to locals) 15 Trivia quiz website that also offers pub trivia 18 Licorice-flavored seeds 21 See 4-Down

25 Kept inside 26 Former Army base in N.J. 28 Gadot of “Wonder Woman” 30 Scarfed, even more slangily 32 Barks sharply 35 Marinated Philippine dishes 36 Disinfectant ingredient 37 Kuala Lumpur’s ___ Towers skyscrapers 38 Provide table talk?

40 “What’s the ___?” (“So what?”)

43 ___ Reader (alternative digest) 46 Home of Odysseus and Penelope 47 Won on eBay, usually 49 Took an x-ray of, perhaps 50 Kendall or Kylie 51 Consumption 54 Cozumel y Mallorca, por ejemplo 57 Rite performed by a mohel 59 Dairy dweller 61 Some two-door Audi models 63 One of “Two Virgins” on a 1968 album cover

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Photos by Bunny Ware

View more photos online at connectsavannah.com/connected

Guests indulge in approachable, American bistro cuisine at Ardsley Station soft opening Tyler Kopkas and his staff at Ardsley Station serve guests appetizers, salads, main entrees and desserts at the restaurant’s soft opening April at their location at 102 E. Victory Dr., Savannah. Community members received a special invite to attend the soft opening to preview some of the restaurant’s staples, including steak, crab cakes and a strawberry tart. Guests also sipped cocktails and met the owners, managers and new staff.

The Ardsley Station team prepares for the restaurant’s first night at their location at 102 E. Victory Drive, Savannah. The American bistro officially opened their doors April 24.

CONNECT SAVANNAH | APRIL 28-MAY 4, 2021

Stacy and Gearry Caudill, Savannah Tech culinary department head enjoys a meal prepared for him at the soft opening at Ardsley Station.

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Pria Padgett and Maggie Zakary take a night away from news and marketing for some fabulous outdoor dining at Ardsley Station.

Tyler Kopkas, right, welcomes Celia Dunn as she arrives early and takes the corner booth with a table full of friends.

Steve and Mary Paschall, Ardsley Station business partners with Tyler Kopkas wait for first dinner guest to arrive to the soft opening.

Jon, chef, and his wife, Sharon Massey, leave Bull Street Taco and enjoy a night out on the town with a chef feeding them for a change.

Liza DeMarco and Sheba Verrett make the list as special invitees April 18 to the soft opening of the new restaurant to open on E. Victory Dr., Ardsley Station.

Photos by Bunny Ware

PHOTOS FROM LOCAL EVENTS View more photos online at connectsavannah.com/connected

Co-founders Carey Falcone, Bob Powers and Mitch Steele begin the night with a toast in their state-of-theart New Realm Distilling Company distillery.

Jeff Ash, Mitch Steele, Mayor Van Johnson, Carey Falcone and Bob Powers officially cut the ribbon to open The New Realm Savannah location.

Chef John Angelo Cole had created a culinary montage for the night’s 200 VIP guests.

Mason Brannen and Luigi Monroy prep on the line as guests arrive for the VIP Celebration.

Local business leaders Kristen Harkleroad and Greg Lard taste teste their way up all three floors of the new brewery/distillery.

Local visionary Charles Morris and his globe-trotting daughter Morgan support Savannah’s newest brewery/ distillery, New Realm.

Hancock Askew’s Mike McCarthy and his wife Kathleen love posing for the camera at the VIP night put on at the 102 Whitaker St. location April 16 in downtown Savannah.

New Realm’s Savannah location hosts VIP Celebration ahead of official opening Savannah community members of note attend the New Realm Brewing Company’s VIP Celebration April 16 their new brewery and local distillery location at 102 Whitaker St. in downtown Savannah. Guests enjoyed cocktails, craft beer and food to be featured on their new menu. Last week marked their official opening.

The New Realm Distilling Company team prepares for the VIP Celebration April 16 at their new location on Whitaker St. in downtown Savannah. The co-founders, Carey Falcone, Bob Powers and Mitch Steele invited community members to try all that the new location has to offer ahead of their grand opening the following week.

CONNECT SAVANNAH | APRIL 28-MAY 4, 2021

Two beloved Savannah faces, Hannah Byrne and Tanya Milton greet each other with hugs and love at the VIP night at New Realm Brewing Co.

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After having three lovely children, Allyson was struggling with chronic bladder leaks. She went to see her gynecologist and was diagnosed with having urinary incontinence, a result of childbirth. Allyson’s gynecologist told her further treatment may be necessary and referred her to Dr. Joseph Stubbs, a urogynecologist.

LIVING. UNTETHERED.

Allyson Gatlin - Savannah, GA

After a pelvic ultrasound and urodynamic testing at St. Joseph’s/Candler, Dr. Stubbs discovered Stage 3 Uterovaginal Prolapse, Stress Urinary Incontinence and Adenomyosis. He recommended a minimally-invasive surgery via da Vinci robotics. The surgery was a success, and Allyson is back to crafting custom wreaths for her family and friends.

“I was very thankful for Dr. Stubbs and the St. Joseph’s/Candler team at the Pelvic Floor & Continence Center. Their experience and knowledge made the process smooth and comforting.”

THAT’S WHY I CHOOSE ST. JOSEPH’S/CANDLER Joseph T. Stubbs, M.D. - Urogynecologist

SJCHS.ORG 912-819-4870