Vol. 17 No. 1 • Display until June 20, 2016
NORTHEAST GEORGIA VIEWS Melissa Herndon Publisher/Chairman/Editor-In-Chief
◆ DESIGN & PRODUCTION
A.W. Blalock ASSOCIATE EDITOR
Scott Goodwin ADVERTISING DESIGN
A.W. Blalock Brenda Ritchey CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
A.W. Blalock Mollie Herndon Pamela A. Keene Sydnah Kingrea Leah LeMoine Sara Powell William D. Powell Phil Pyle M.J. Sullivan Melissa Tufts
Renew, Revive, Restore ...
Sincerely,
Melissa Herndon
2 Northeast Georgia Living
Melissa Herndon Pamela A. Keene Sydnah Kingrea William D. Powell Phil Pyle M.J. Sullivan ADVERTISING SALES
Patricia Adams ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT
Mollie Herndon CIRCULATION DIRECTOR
Mollie Herndon DIRECTOR OF DISTRIBUTION
Mollie Herndon SOCIAL MEDIA Photo of Melissa Herndon by Phil Pyle; Mountain river by Melissa Herndon
AN EARLY SPRING HIKE in the mountains of Northeast Georgia was just what I needed to awaken my senses from winter’s deep sleep. As I hiked through the forest, the ground seemed to unleash a penetrating earthy fragrance that filled my nostrils with the aroma of new growth and rich soil. Hiking deeper into the woods, I could hear the rush of water, and as I followed the call of the river, I found a beautiful place. On the bank of the river, the sun was perfectly positioned to light the cascading white water as it flowed over rocks, creating small waterfalls that spilled into pools of clear water. Surrounded by tall hemlocks, rushing water and moss-laden trees that had fallen, I sat down and in that moment felt totally revived as I discovered a deeper appreciation for the rhythm of the earth than I had ever felt before. ◆ Hiking away from the river, I saw at least four different kinds of moss protecting and restoring the elements of the forest with vibrant shades of green that only nature in all its creativity could produce. I realized then as I gazed all around this surreal environment that the whole earth is filled with God’s glory, and I smiled and thanked Him for such a wonderful gift of spiritual awakening. ◆ In this issue of Northeast Georgia Living we have a new section called Restoration Warriors. We will introduce you to the people and the objects that are rescued, renewed and restored for a new purpose. Read about trails, moss, tapas recipes and more as you renew yourself in the glory of spring living in Northeast Georgia. ◆ Thank you for sharing your time with us.
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS
Sydnah Kingrea
◆ We invite you to share your views on Northeast Georgia Living. Please mail your comments to P.O. Box 270, Franklin Springs, GA 30639, or email us at negaliving@yahoo.com. Visit us at facebook.com/ NortheastGeorgiaLivingMagazine. Northeast Georgia Living, ISSN 1545-5769, is published quarterly in Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter by Marketing & Media Resources at 454 College Street, Royston, GA 30662. 706-246-0856. Subscription price is $14.00 annually. USPS Number 021-578 at Royston, GA 30662. Postmaster: Send address changes to Northeast Georgia Living Magazine, P. O. Box 270, Franklin Springs, GA 30639-0270. The cover and contents are copyrighted and may not be reproduced without written consent of the publisher. Reader correspondence and editorial submissions are welcome. However, we reserve the right to edit, reject or comment editorially on all contributed material.
www.NortheastGeorgiaLiving.com
In This Issue
44
NEW SECTION!
RESTORATION WARRIORS 44
Arts: Kathy Ford
IT’S A NEW KIND of math for interior design. Two chairs make a bench; a chest of drawers becomes a fantastic collection of display shelves. The ingredients are simple, but you need to be a restoration warrior to pull it off. It’s about finding new uses for old items and giving them new life. By Pamela A. Keene
Tapas
40
50
KATHY FORD TURNS SHARDS into showpieces with her colorful and compelling mosaics. Although some of her work hangs in local galleries, many of her pieces find their way to fundraising auctions. By Phil Pyle
46
HISTORICALLY, TAPAS WERE COMMONLY taken between meals by Spanish farmers and field workers in order to maintain enough energy to finish a hard day of work. Today, tapas are celebrated widely and served at tapas bars and social gatherings. Sample our tantalizing tapas recipes and discover a new way of eating. By Sydnah Kingrea
Trails: Breweries
50
OF THE 40-PLUS CRAFT breweries and brewpubs in Georgia, nine are located in Northeast Georgia, and among these nine are some of the most established and most decorated breweries in the state. Follow our trail as we get a taste of these unique breweries. By Phil Pyle
46
Brides Here comes the new generation of brides, with fresh ideas for showers, parties, dinners and receptions. By Pamela A. Keene
6 Northeast Georgia Living
55
DEPARTMENTS 8
Made in Georgia Spring Favorites
ENJOY OUR SHOWCASE OF wonderfully crafted food, art and more created in Georgia. This issue features Banner Butter, Blackberry Patch and Mo’s Smoke & Sauce. By Mollie Herndon
10
Spotlight Northeast Georgia Spring Hits
CHECK OUT OUR TOP picks for festivals, food, art, music, performances and spring fun in Northeast Georgia. By Mollie Herndon
Gardening The Moss Effect
14
10
IN THE WOODS, ON the garden path or indoors in a glass terrarium, nothing brings the tired human spirit respite like a cool green bed of moss. By M.C. Tufts
Antiques Garden Tools
16
GARDENING IMPLEMENTS ARE POPULAR not only with horticulturalists but also with antiques buffs and crafters. Eagerly sought as accessories for a multitude of DIY projects, antique tools are becoming more and more popular. By M.J. Sullivan
18
Vines Noble Wine Cellar Tasting Room
JABE AND BARBARA HILSON sell their carefully handcrafted wines by the bottle and by the glass at the Noble Wine Cellar Tasting Room in Clayton, where guests can enjoy tastings at sidewalk tables on Main Street. By M.J. Sullivan
Eat, Drink & Be Merry Mama Lynn’s 20 LINDA BARNES, AFFECTIONATELY CALLED Mama Lynn by all who know this outgoing lady, serves up good Southern food at her restaurant on Main Street in Lavonia. Her secret ingredient is love added to every meal served. By William D. Powell
Books Let Us Now Praise Famous Gullies
16
22
GEORGIA’S COASTAL PLAIN HOLDS many surprises for those who imagine only flat expanses of peanut fields and pine forests. Providence Canyon is one of them, where what is considered the worst example of soil erosion in the eastern United States is regarded as a scenic wonder. By A.W. Blalock
24
Destination The Heart of [East] Texas
BLANKETED WITH FIELDS OF bluebonnets, east Texas is alive with a new crop of artisans and entrepreneurs. Experience ranch life, historic inns, barbecue, boutiques, wineries and fields of lavender in the town of Brenham and Washington County. By Leah LeMoine
28
Let’s Go Somewhere Today Day Trip
11TH ANNUAL FIRED WORKs show and sale in Macon, Ga. By Pamela A. Keene
Let’s Go Somewhere Today Events
30
SPRING EVENTS INCLUDE GARDEN tours, food festivals and live theater. By Mollie Herndon
Reflections ... on Ravishing Red
24
64
THE MEMORY IS AS vivid as the sun at noonday. My grandmother’s purse would open, and the smell of her lipstick – Ravishing Red – mingled with a hint of spearmint gum, would waft up, mesmerizing me. By M.J. Sullivan
Cover Notes PHOTOGRAPH BY PHIL PYLE
28 Spring 2016 7
MADE IN GEORGIA
spring
BY MOLLIE HERNDON
favorites
Georgia has an abundance of human and natural resources. Here are a few of our favorite examples of entrepreneurship that result in products you will want to become familiar with this spring.
Banner Butter
Started in Decatur by husband and wife Andrew and Elizabeth McBath in 2014, Banner Butter is a company dedicated to creating quality butters the old-fashioned way. Their butter starts with cream from grass-fed Georgia cows. That cream is then cultured and churned in small batches – just like butter used to be made in the South. These outstanding butters are available in several sweet and savory flavors, including sea salt; cinnamon, cardamom & ginger; and roasted garlic, basil & parsley. Banner Butter’s dedication to flavor and freshness ensures that you will enjoy all of their products! For further information on these butters, please visit www.bannerbutter.com.
Blackberry Patch
Since its founding by farmers in 1988, Blackberry Patch has been serving up truly Southern small-batch jams, jellies and syrups. This Thomasville, Ga., farm prides itself in making handcrafted products with only fresh, real fruit. Some of their tasty creations include butter pecan syrup, cinnamon apple jam, peach salsa – and of course – blackberry syrups, jellies and salsas. They even offer sugar-free syrups! So the next time you have a hankering for a sweet, fruity spread, be sure to get your hands on a few of these fabulous products from Blackberry Patch. For further information on these products, please visit www.blackberrypatch.com.
With a passion for great food and for family tradition, Randy Branch and his family created Mo’s Smoke & Sauce in 2008. After years of tailgating and cooking for friends and family, the Branch Family decided to share their delectable barbecue sauces and all-natural smoking wood chips with the world. They have four tangy sauces to choose from: Mo’s Original, Bourbon, Carolina and Chipotle. As for the smoking wood chips, you can purchase varieties ranging from Apple to Maple to Mesquite. Be sure to purchase one of their smoking pouches for grilling as well! So regardless of whether you’re cooking your meals or just eating them, you will want to check out Mo’s tasty creations, which are sure to please everyone! For further information on these products, please visit www.mossmokeandsauce.com.
8 Northeast Georgia Living
Special Photos
Mo’s Smoke & Sauce
SPOTLIGHT NORTHEAST GEORGIA
spring
hits
BY MOLLIE HERNDON
17th Annual Celebrate Clayton Festival
April 30-May 1 The Celebrate Clayton festival is an annual arts & crafts festival held in the heart of the beautiful north Georgia mountains. This exciting event offers something fun for the entire family, including children’s activities, vendors, food and live entertainment! Spend the day strolling through downtown Clayton enjoying the unique arts & crafts of various exhibitors. For further information on this event, please visit www.celebrateclayton.com.
9th Annual Cars & Guitars Festival
May 28 Listen to the sounds of classic rock at the 9th Annual Cars & Guitars Festival! Held in downtown Hartwell, the whole family will enjoy this event, which will showcase classic and antique cars, trucks, and guitars and will have kids’ activities, music, a variety of vendors and more. For further information on this event, please visit www.hart-chamber.org.
Plantapalooza
April 9 Plantapalooza is a gardener’s paradise! Plant buyers will have the opportunity to shop for rare varietals at three different locations in Athens: the State Botanical Garden of Georgia, the UGA Horticulture Club and the Trial Gardens at UGA. Each location will have horticulture professors and master gardeners present to answer all of your gardening questions. You will receive discount stamps for local Athens nurseries with your purchase from each location. Plant sales run from 8 a.m.-2 p.m. For further information on this event, visit www.plantapalooza.uga.edu.
10 Northeast Georgia Living
43rd Annual Helen-Atlantic Hot Air Balloon Race
June 2-4 Watch as 30 colorful hot air balloons take over the sky at the 43rd Annual Helen-Atlantic Hot Air Balloon Race in Helen! This event is the South’s oldest balloon event and is the only long-distance hot air balloon race in the United States. The race will begin bright and early at 7 a.m. on Thursday, June 2 and will end when the winner crosses the Interstate 95 finish line. For further information on this event, please visit www.helenballoon.com.
North Georgia Highlands Seafood Festival
June 3-5 If you enjoy delicious seafood, great arts & crafts and live entertainment, this is the festival for you! The North Georgia Highlands Seafood Festival – held at Mayors Park in Young Harris – will feature over 50 arts & crafts vendors together with seafood from several restaurants. Children can enjoy the playground in the park. Invite friends and family for a fun and tasty day trip in the north Georgia mountains! Admission is $5 for adults and free for children 12 and under. For further information, please visit www.northgeorgiahighlandsseafoodfestival.com.
Special Photos; Hot air balloon by Ellen Climo; UGA Trial Garden by Meg Green
Trial Gardens at UGA in June
Garden
Gateways Within the cracks and spaces of a garden walkway, moss seems to magically appear, softening concrete and brick paths that beg to be walked upon, luring you into the garden to discover the wonders of spring. PHOTOGRAPH BY MELISSA HERNDON
GARDEN BY M.C. TUFTS
The
Moss Effect
N
othing brings the tired human spirit respite like a cool green bed of moss. This unique plant comes in many forms and colors, responding to growing conditions, moisture and light. Whether hiking a Georgia mountain trail or riding a horse on the edge of a Piedmont field, mosses can bring surprising changes in texture and color to the landscape. And there’s a reason why the illustrations in children’s fairytales often feature a woodland forest carpeted in moss: moss suggests an inviting and slightly mysterious setting, and it always seems to be home to fascinating small creatures quietly making their way through the world. Ancient gardens in the Middle East and Europe often have moss-covered stones and statuary,
14 Northeast Georgia Living
Moss takes hold on moist garden statues and planters, adding character and age. A miniature moss garden planted in a glass bowl is an elegant addition to the indoors.
rocks to life after a rain. Meanwhile, deep in the woods under a deciduous or fir forest, mosses also abound. Clearly, mosses are well-adapted and respond to numerous growing conditions. Mosses fall into two general categories: bryophytes, which are small, herbaceous
Statue by Phil Pyle
giving a primeval feel to a designed landscape. Serene, tranquil, still and calm, moss gardens remind us of the long view of history and the rich tapestry of green that holds a garden together in subtle ways. Unlike the vibrant, wild and wooly colors of blooming annuals and dramatic shrubbery blossoms, mosses make us want to sit, cool off and ponder. The South is home to a variety of mosses, thanks to our rich and diverse habitats. Granite outcrops support some of the most alluring mosses and lichens, which range from a brilliant yellow-green to subtle grays and browns, bringing the
plants that grow closely packed together in mats or cushions on rocks and soil, and epiphytes, which grow on the trunks and leaves of trees. The Spanish moss found on Georgia’s coastal plain and sea islands is an example of an epiphyte. Mosses are the oldest living plants on land and predate flowers and fruits by hundreds of millions of years. They are nonvascular and reproduce by way of spores. Potting with mosses in your home or on your porch is a great way to bring the outdoors inside: a small Zen garden in a shallow bowl or a planter filled with different types of mosses and lichens lets us see the world in different scales. Various types of containers can be used, and this variety makes for a wide range of options. Possible containers include porous concrete bowls, birdbaths, shallow stones with natural depressions to hold moisture, and conventional planters, to name a few. Small, hollowed-out logs with a moss “garden” planted in the hollowed-out portion look great on a shady patio. In recent years, floral arrangements have included moss in containers holding orchids and other living plants. The moss forms a nice textured green carpet within the display and can be confined to the pot or draped over the sides. Terrariums with lots of kinds of mosses are also a fun and elegant addition to indoor gardening. Moss can be purchased through retailers or – if done so appropriately – collected from the wild. Our advice is to collect moss only from your own land and to harvest only small quantities at one time so that the colony remains healthy. In some places it is illegal to gather wild moss, so contact a professional horticulturalist before you begin. As in the wild, mosses look great interplanted with ferns, lichens and even tiny evergreen tree seedlings. (All of this can and should be returned to nature, by the way.) Start by putting a layer of pebbles or crushed stone in the bottom of your vessel, then add a layer of acidic potting soil. Add your moss and mist twice weekly. Keep the soil moist without overwatering. Avoid putting your moss directly in water, and do not display it in direct sun. We recommend that you keep your moss potted for just a few months and then replant it in conditions similar to where you gathered it. Think of indoor moss plantings as a temporary trip to a small Eden. ◆ Spring 2016 15
ANTIQUES STORY AND PHOTOS BY M.J. SULLIVAN
Just Tooling Around Antiques in the Garden
Gardening is cheaper than therapy, and you get tomatoes. - Author unknown
A
s a matter of survival, man has always tilled the earth. To accomplish this in primitive times, rudimentary implements would most likely have been fashioned from available materials, such as stone, bones and sturdy branches. Over the centuries, implements became more specialized, as illustrated by early metal gardening tools left in Britain by the Romans circa A.D. 43. It is speculated that these unearthed finds may have been used for tending vineyards. To facilitate horticultural activity, a seemingly infinite variety of gardening gadgets has been invented. A partial list of
Old garden implements with their rusty patina create a purposeful still life. A vintage pitchfork gets repurposed as a stand for this whimsical birdhouse. An old rake head makes a holder for stemmed glassware. 16 Northeast Georgia Living
these tools includes, but is not limited to, secateurs, rakes, hoes, bulb planters, claws, sickles, pruners, scythes, shears, cutters, trimmers, dibbers, pitch forks and spades. Within these categories, seemingly endless subcategories also exist that include unusual tools with specific functions, such as Victorian fern trowels, border forks and asparagus knives. Even though new or improved implements are produced every year, many gardeners still prefer the old standbys manufactured by companies like Ames, which began producing shovels in 1774, and Bulldog Tools, which has been manufacturing tools in Wigan, England since 1780. In her book Antique Garden Tools and Accessories, Myra Yellin Outwater describes one of the more unusual of these gardening innovations. “There is no limit to the inventiveness and ingenuity of garden instruments. Tools came in different sizes and forms. Some were truly extensions of the gardener’s arms designed to enlarge his reach as well as enable him to maneuver into tight spaces. One of the most ingenious tools was the twentieth-century dual-purpose rake shovel. This flexible tool was designed for efficiency. Just flip it over and you can do anything.” Gardening implements are popular not only with horticulturalists but also with antiques buffs and crafters. Eagerly sought as accessories for a multitude of DIY projects, antique tools are becoming more and more popular. For example, vintage pitchforks make ideal bases for handcrafted birdhouses. Simply mount the birdhouse onto the handle and drive the fork prongs into the ground to create an instant outdoor design element. Vintage hand trowels and claws make novel hooks for hat and clothes rack projects and add a bit of whimsy to potting shed
decor. A rustic metal rake head mounted on the wall provides an imaginative holder for stemmed glassware. Andy Marineau, co-owner of The Old Mill Antique Mall in Clarkesville, says that he is very aware of the popularity surrounding antique and vintage gardening tools. According to Marineau, customers seeking old tools often frequent the mall looking for items to use as wall decor for restaurants, diners, cabins, outbuildings and man caves. “I would estimate that about 60 percent of the people who buy old tools are either collectors or are looking for wall decorations. The other 40 percent intend to actually use the older tools, because they are definitely made better.” Within their mall, Marineau says there are several dealers who offer vintage tools, including items like buckets, watering cans, shovels, garden totes, augers, push lawn mowers, clippers, wooden rakes, sickles and apple pickers, to name a few. However, he advises that dealer 49 specializes in these items and may be the place to start when looking for garden accessories at The Old Mill. Whether you are gardening for pleasure, profit or both, good tools are essential. Gardeners are learning that if you can’t find exactly what you need at the hardware store or at antiques malls, online auction sites may be the answer. One place to find an impressive selection of vintage and antique tools is at www.thevintagegardenstore.com. This site offers an extensive inventory of antique tools and garden accessories, many European in origin. The site also provides a fascinating photographic look at a bygone era when farming and gardening implements were essential for individual survival. Even though the proprietors are located in the West Midlands region of England, they do ship, and they accept most major credit cards, including PayPal. If you take your gardening seriously, you may want to consider the advice of horticultural writer, gardening columnist and author Andy Tomolonis. He recommends one old tool that is ageless, indispensable and relatively inexpensive: experience. “A gardener’s best tool is knowledge from previous seasons,” says Tomolonis. “And it can be recorded in a two-dollar notebook.” So don’t be afraid to get “knee-deep” in the soil and get your hands dirty. Just think, if you play your spades right, you may even get tomatoes. ◆ Spring 2016 17
VINES STORY AND PHOTOS BY M.J. SULLIVAN
E
Noble Wine Cellar Tasting Room
xcellence was the stated goal when Jabe and Barbara Hilson opened the Noble Wine Cellar Tasting Room in Clayton last June. To that end, the couple features several of Jabe’s carefully handcrafted wines. A declaration of excellence is even incorporated into the Noble Wine Cellar label. Defining both their name and
18 Northeast Georgia Living
their winemaking strategy, it reads: No-bel (nobool) 1. Of excellent or superior quality; 2. Straightforward, forthright, uncomplicated and easy to understand; 3. Exactly as you expect every time. Jabe states that in order to produce a good quality wine, every detail must be carefully planned. “We are all about making memorable wines. To accomplish this, everything has to be right even before the vines go into the ground. The soil, the drainage, the airflow all have to be correct before you even plant,” says Jabe. Working as an assistant winemaker for seven years before branching out on his own, Jabe uses grapes grown at Fiddler’s Ridge Vineyards – a Georgia Winegrowers Association member – to make his wines. Traminette, petit manseng and chambourcin varietals are currently being used to create wines that bear the Noble Wine Cellar label. Jabe says that winemaking gives him the opportunity to practice both his craft
Jabe and Barbara Hilson (above) sell their carefully handcrafted wines by the bottle and by the glass at the Noble Wine Cellar Tasting Room in Clayton, where guests can enjoy tastings at sidewalk tables on Main Street. and his philosophy. “I am constantly searching for the style of what a particular growing season brings. I monitor the grapes the whole time they are on the vine; if the grapes don’t meet expectations, we don’t pick.” Evidently Jabe’s dedication to quality has not gone unnoticed. Rick Blumberg, current beverage director at the prestigious Bacchanalia restaurant in Atlanta, considers Jabe’s wines to be exceptional, stating that Noble Wine Cellar wine is “the best in Georgia.” Noble Wine Cellar wines are currently available at Bacchanalia and Empire
State South in Atlanta and at other wellknown local establishments, including 5 & 10 in Athens. Jabe and Barbara, who met while in college, spent several years teaching in Japan before returning to the United States and establishing their home in Rabun County. After 14 years of marriage, they have three children: Penelope, 10; Fenton (Fen), 7; and Elizabeth, 4. The couple says that they chose life in Rabun County in part for the slower-paced lifestyle a rural setting offers. “I wanted my children to understand that food doesn’t originate on grocery store shelves,” says Jabe. “I like being able to model for the children the same old-fashioned, Southern-style work ethic that my parents instilled in me. This year Fen spent a couple days in the vineyards with us during the harvest. He loved it. He’s a natural.” While Jabe tends the vineyard, Barbara tends the tasting room, pouring for guests and introducing them to a variety of Georgia-made products from across the state. Examples include honey from Blue Haven Bee Company in Canon; extra-virgin olive oil from Georgia Olive Farms in Lakeland; coffee from 1,000 Faces Coffee in Athens; and Abrams Old Fashioned Bar-BQue Sauce from Grovetown. The tasting room also features a selection of wines from Northeast Georgia wineries such as Crane Creek Vineyards, Currahee Vineyards and Winery, Engelheim Vineyards, and Stonewall Creek Vineyards. With an eye to the future, Barbara and Jabe purchased a food service license along with their liquor license. Whenever the opportunity arises, the Hilsons plan to host weekend guest chefs who will prepare hor d’oeuvres and specialty foods to complement their wines. The tasting room also exhibits original art by Georgia artists, giving the room an art gallery ambience to accompany the tasting room experience and creating a forum for both wine and art lovers. “Jabe and I are fully immersed in Georgia culture,” says Barbara. “We wanted to give artists an opportunity to have their work shown to the public.” The Hilsons invite everyone to come and experience their wines and judge for themselves if Noble Wine Cellar has achieved its goal of excellence. Located at 58 N. Main St. in Clayton, the tasting room is open seven days a week. For directions and exact hours of operation, telephone them at 706-212-0407. ◆ Spring 2016 19
EAT, DRINK & BE MERRY STORY AND PHOTOS BY WILLIAM D. POWELL
Mama Lynn’s Place
S
erving food like Granny’s is Mama Lynn’s goal, and she delivers. Her good Southern food is as we remember from childhood, sitting around our grandmother’s kitchen table. As with Granny, the food is prepared and served with a touch of love. Mama Lynn is Linda Barnes, but affectionately called Mama Lynn by all who know this outgoing lady with a smile as big as all outdoors. She greets her customers with a friendly “Welcome to Mama Lynn’s where our secret ingredient is love added to every meal we serve.” Her storefront restaurant on West Main Street in Lavonia is light, clean and inviting with a down-home air. There is no pretense in the decor or with Mama Lynn and her staff. These are just “home folks” serving homemade good food. Dress is strictly come-as-you-are. Just as with Granny’s food, much of Mama Lynn’s fare is seasonal. In warm weather meals need to be lighter with lots of fresh vegetables, she says. Summer is also the time for casseroles. Squash casse20 Northeast Georgia Living
role, broccoli & cheese casserole and her signature chicken & cabbage casserole are summer choices. Fried chicken, chicken livers and fried or grilled pork chops are always on the menu. During the cooler seasons, hamburger steak, country fried steak, chicken & dumplings and salmon patties are comfort food selections. The preferred drink for most is sweet tea. Sides, which vary according to the availability of local produce, include speckled butter beans, green beans, pinto beans, lima beans, Mama Lynn’s signature melt-in-your-mouth collard greens, mac & cheese, mashed potatoes (with dark or light gravy), fried okra, corn on the cob, potato salad, cucumber salad and ranch pasta salad. During the growing season,
Linda Barnes, affectionately called Mama Lynn by all who know this outgoing lady, serves up good Southern food at her restaurant on Main Street in Lavonia.
lots of tomatoes are served, and fried green tomatoes are a featured item along with homemade vegetable soup. All meals are served with either a homemade corn muffin or biscuit. Like the vegetables, the dessert menu also varies with the season. Peach cobbler, apple pie, banana pudding, pineapple pudding, bread pudding, red velvet cake and lemon pound cake are among the
popular desserts. A Mama Lynn original-recipe sweet potato crunch cake pie (cooked in a casserole dish) and Mama Lynn’s signature strawberry punch bowl cake (served in a wine glass) are often available. The desserts, as well as the other selections, are made in-house. On Sunday a menu board shows the entrées, sides and desserts. Typically six meats, 10 or 11 vegetables and four or five desserts are the Sunday fare. Mama Lynn stresses that her food is not soul food, which typically has lots of greasy fatback and salt. “My food is just good Southern food that Grandmama Millie began teaching me how to cook when I was five,” she says. Much of the secret to the tasty food is herbs, but which ones will remain her secret. Mama Lynn is from Lavonia, but she has lived in a number of different places because her husband was in the military. Returning home in 1995, this woman of faith opened a soup kitchen as a mission to her community. From the soup kitchen evolved Mama Lynn’s Place. Originally located on Pine Street, the restaurant has been at the West Main Street location for the past four years. Since coming home she has also started the House of Prayer & Deliverance Church. The move to a downtown location has been beneficial as more locals are now aware of her restaurant, and visitors to the community can see her artfully decorated front window and big sign sitting on the sidewalk. There is a family feel to Mama Lynn’s Place: a feeling of caring, a feeling that the good food served is genuinely served with love. Her objective is to serve food cooked the old-time way and to minister to those she serves, both in her restaurant and in her community. The restaurant is open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays. Thursdays and Fridays the hours are from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Make it a point to visit historic Lavonia, and while there, have a meal with Mama Lynn. You will enjoy good down-home food and a delightful chat with a charming lady. ◆ Mama Lynn’s Place is located in Lavonia at 171 W. Main St., and the phone number is 706-356-2973. Reservations are not necessary; just come with a good appetite! Spring 2016 21
BOOKS BY A.W. BLALOCK
G
eorgia’s coastal plain holds many surprises for those who imagine only flat expanses of peanut fields and pine forests. Those surprises are tucked along highways that are mostly traveled down by locals carrying on their lives in obscurity or fishermen headed to the boat ramps that will launch them across the mostly placid but sometimes turbulent waters of area lakes and rivers. I grew up in a small south Georgia town perched high above the river in the broad Chattahoochee River Valley. Fort Gaines offered up its surprise as you entered from the flat coastal plain and gently descended into the valley – into a land of hills and limestone bluffs. These eroded bluffs yielded many a cigar boxful of marine fossils and the much sought after sharks’ teeth that were often the central feature of a school project intended to show how the area – millions of years earlier – lay under a sea that deposited its science lessons and sediments into the layers of color and wonder we see today. I often traveled the highway north out of town with my parents and older brothers to visit relatives in Columbus, Ga., passing just to the west of and sometimes to the east of – but never on the road to – Providence Canyon. It was not until I was a grown man that I made the detour down the back road you never took by chance to see the “Little Grand Canyon.” This wonder of erosion is truly an unexpected and impressive sight, due to its size, its layers of coloring from many shades of red and pink to white, and its location along the slightly undulating farm land of the Coastal Plain Hills – those ancient dunes formed under the shallow waters where the sea met the coastline during the Cretaceous period more than 100 million years ago. But more important is the canyon’s age: not millennia or even centuries, but decades. In Let Us Now Praise Famous Gullies: Providence Canyon and the Soils of the South, Paul S. Sutter lays out the geological and sociological history of this area in an annotated and footnoted book published by The University of Georgia Press. His exhaustive work plays up the irony of a sit22 Northeast Georgia Living
uation where what is considered the worst example of soil erosion in the eastern United States is regarded as a scenic wonder by locals, whose dream was to preserve it. Poor farming practices in the Piedmont and Upper Coastal Plain from the 1800s through the 1930s led to the formation of massive gullies, which destroyed tens of thousands of acres of farmland in Stewart County, Ga., alone – gullies that continue to this day to grow in length and depth. But there is also a beauty to this disaster that has brought visitors to the gaping edges of these gullies, lured by efforts of area chambers of commerce to make Providence Canyon a scenic wonder worth the detour. In the words of African American poet Thomas Jefferson Flanagan, who was born and reared in the hills of Stewart: “’Tis mine to find beauty where tragedies spread.” Let Us Now Praise Famous Gullies is not light reading, but the book is essential to those interested in the history of geologic surveys and soil conservation from a national perspective, and it is vital to the understanding of a lost economy based on farming, and of how an economically depressed area might rise from the gullies to reinvent itself. Although a number of black and white photographs – some taken by renowned New Deal photographers as documentation for soil and erosion studies – accompany the text, you won’t find scenic glossy color images. I can only imagine that Sutter’s intent is to lure the reader to explore the area with a new perspective and to discover once again – or for the first time – the beauty and sorrow that is man and nature. ◆ [Let Us Now Praise Famous Gullies by Paul S. Sutter, The University of Georgia Press, Athens, Ga., 2015]
DESTINATION
Brenham and Washington County
BY LEAH LEMOINE
] t s a E [ f o t The Hear
S A X TE
24 Northeast Georgia Living
reportedly the first town named after President George Washington. It turned out to be a prescient moniker, as Washington became the site of the Declaration of Independence of Texas in 1836. Though the town no longer exists as it did in the 1800s, the public can still explore the history of the town’s founding and the state’s brief independence from the Union at the Washington-on-theBrazos State Historic Site, which includes the Barrington Living History Farm and the Star of the Republic Museum. Today, the county seat is in Brenham, a charming hamlet about midway between Austin and Houston. Like so many small towns, it enjoyed a period of growth and success followed by fallow years. Now, a new crop of passionate and industrious artisans and entrepreneurs are investing their time and talents into restoring Brenham – and the surrounding area – to its illustrious past. Leading the charge in Brenham is husband-and-wife team Keith and Suzy Hankins, who took over ownership of the Ant Street Inn in 2011. This boutique hotel boasts 15 rooms named after Southern cities and is filled with antique and modern touches – the most
Blanketed with fields of bluebonnets, east Texas is alive with a new crop of artisans and entrepreneurs. Experience ranch life in a rustic yet elegant setting at Texas Ranch Life B&B or settle into a room at the historic Ant Street Inn (opposite page) in dowtown Brenham, where a short walk brings barbecue and boutiques, and a short drive takes you to wineries and lavender fields. dramatic of which is to be found in the Memphis Room, which has an original freight elevator in the middle of the room. Sleepwalkers beware! The “boring” small town stereotype could not be further from the truth in Brenham. From art shows at the Back Lot Gallery and theatrical productions at Unity Theatre to shopping at Home Sweet Farm and Dona Lynn’s Unique Gifts, there’s something fun to explore no matter what interests you. Restaurant options also abound. Funky Art Cafe
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hen you think about east Texas, you think about bluebonnets – thousands and thousands of them, blanketing the wide open spaces of the Lone Star State in undulant ribbons of cornflower, violet and cobalt. But there’s much more to this surprisingly lush region than its state flower. In fact, Washington County is the birthplace of Texas’ independence and is home to a stunning array of ranches, wineries and small towns chockablock with quaint inns, great restaurants, quirky shops and welcoming folks. It began in 1821, when Stephen F. Austin’s first settlers arrived. Andrew Robinson settled on the west side of the Brazos River with his son-in-law John W. Hall and built a ferry. Over the years, commerce and new settlers caused the settlement to grow rapidly. The state of Georgia figured prominently in the founding of the first town: In 1833, Dr. Asa Hoxey of Wilkes County, Ga., moved to the area, and as the official town was being plotted, he suggested naming it “Washington” – a suggestion inspired by the town in Wilkes County that was
serves healthier fare and lunch counter staples as well as homemade pies and pastries. But when in Texas, do as the Texans do and fill up on perfectly smoky and juicy barbecue like the kind pitmaster Nathan “The Big Daddy of Texas BBQ” Winkleman slings at Nathan’s BBQ. To satisfy your sweet teeth, you have a bounty of decadent options, from homemade pie at Must Be Heaven to sin-
fully delicious toffee and barks from the aptly named Bliss Candy Company. The icing on the Brenham cake? It’s only a short driving distance from other Washington County destinations. You can sip authentic Texas wine at Windy Winery, Pleasant Hill Winery, Saddlehorn Winery, and – our favorite – Texas Star Winery. Texas Star Winery specializes in fruit wines such as prickly pear, plum, hibiscus and wild mustang grape and is a great choice for a delightfully different tippling experience. Near Texas Star Winery is the Chappell Hill Lavender Farm, where you can walk through fields of gorgeously aromatic lavender. During the spring or late summer cutting seasons, you can cut your own fresh lavender to take home as a lasting fragrant memory. The on-site Lavender Patch shop is a shrine to all things lavender, from floral jams, jellies and salsas to sachets, lotions, diffusers and artwork. The cottage-like shop is a soothing stop for harried travelers. Finally, no trip to Texas would be complete without some traditional ranch exploits. Texas Ranch Life offers a rustic yet elegant bed and breakfast experience, but it’s so much more than your average B&B. Husband and wife John and Taunia Elick Spring 2016
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and their three beautiful daughters treat guests like family on their sprawling ranch, where you can do everything from horse riding and real ranch work to hunting and fishing. And, like any Southern hostess worth her salt, Taunia graciously rolls out huge feasts for guests with chicken and steaks, bowls brimming with black-eyed peas and the best buttermilk pie in the state. You’ll likely find some bluebonnets on the property, as well – the perfect mementos from a soul-enriching east Texas sojourn. Visit www.brenhamtexas.com for more information or send an email to info@ brenhamtexas.com.
Texas-sized feasts await guests at Texas Ranch Life.
Where to Eat
Funky Art Cafe 202 W. Commerce St. Brenham, TX 77833 979-836-5220 www.funkyartcafe.com Nathan’s BBQ 1307 Prairie Lea Brenham, TX 77353 979-251-9900 www.nathansbbq.com Must Be Heaven 107 W. Alamo St. Brenham, TX 77833 979-830-8536 www.mustbeheaven.com Bliss Candy Company 2307 S. Market St. Brenham, TX 77833 281-222-2131 www.blisscandycompany.com
Where to Stay
Ant Street Inn 107 W. Commerce St. Brenham, TX 77833 979-836-7393 www.antstreetinn.com Texas Ranch Life 10848 Cactus Lane Chappell Hill, TX 77426 979-865-3649 www.texasranchlife.com
Where to Shop Home Sweet Farm 307 S. Park St. Brenham, TX 77833 www.homesweetfarm.com Dona Lynn’s Unique Gifts 100 E. Alamo Brenham, TX 77833 979-830-7222 www.donalynns.com
Where to Play
Washington-on-the-Brazos State Historic Site Star of the Republic Museum Barrington Living History Farm 23400 Park Road 12 Washington, TX 77880 936-878-2214 www.wheretexasbecametexas.org Back Lot Gallery 308 S. Park St. Brenham, TX 77833 979-836-7393 www.facebook.com/backlotgallery Unity Theatre 300 Church St. Brenham, TX 77833 978-830-1460 www.unitybrenham.org Windy Winery 4232 Clover Road Brenham, TX 77833 979-836-3252 www.windywinery.com Pleasant Hill Winery 1441 Salem Road Brenham, TX 77833 979-830-8463 www.pleasanthillwinery.com Saddlehorn Winery 958 Farm to Market Road 1948 N Burton, TX 77835 979-289-3858 www.saddlehornwinery.com Texas Star Winery 10587 Old Chappell Hill Road Chappell Hill, TX 77426 979-251-7282 www.texasstarwinery.com Chappell Hill Lavender Farm 2250 Dillard Road Washington, TX 77880 979-251-8114 www.chappellhilllavender.com ◆
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LET’S GO SOMEWHERE TODAY BY PAMELA A. KEENE
Day Trip
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28 Northeast Georgia Living
ing an artist talk presented by the Clarks on Sunday, April 17, and workshops entitled “Corks and Clay” and “Pints and Pottery,” where adults aged 21 and older can create their own take-home pottery masterpieces. Reservations are required for these events and can be made online at www.firedworksmacon.com. Free children’s clay workshops will be held on each Saturday of the show. “Fired Works began as a local pottery show and has grown into a destination show and sale that attracts artists, collectors and visitors from across the Southeast,” Fritz says. “From traditional to the historic, the contemporary to leading edge, the works at our show appeal to a wide range of serious collectors and people who just enjoy having a handcrafted piece of art that’s affordable.” While in Macon, visit the city’s historic district and the College Hill Corridor, a 2square-mile area bordered by Mercer University and Macon’s downtown business district that includes parks, shops, restaurants, restored homes and an active
The largest showcase and sale of sculptural, artistic and functional pottery in Georgia draws visitors to Macon, Ga., where world-famous restaurants, museums and events complete the trip.
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oggle-eyed face jugs stare across the room toward elegant, delicately colored bowls and vases at Macon, Georgia’s 11th Annual Fired Works in the Round Building at Central City Park. From April 16 through 24, 65 noted potters and ceramicists from across the Southeast converge in middle Georgia for a 6,000-piece showcase and sale, the largest exhibit of sculptural, artistic and functional pottery in the state. The works of artists Bill and Pam Clark from South Carolina’s Clark House Pottery are featured at this year’s show. Bill specializes in George Ohr inspired creations, a combination of thrown and hand-manipulated vases, bowls, sculptures, covered dishes and vessels with folds and ruffles. Pam’s more traditional thrown vessels are decorated with intricate artistic designs based on nature: birds, vines, flower branches and appliqués of leaves. “We are so thrilled to have Bill and Pam Clark here at Fired Works,” says Stephanie Fritz, director of programs for the Macon Arts Alliance, which produces the annual show. “Their work is really popular with collectors and in high demand.” Bill is based in Greenville, S.C., and his works are in museums and private collections across the country, including the permanent exhibition at the Ohr-O’Keefe Museum of Art in Biloxi, Miss. (george orh.org). While in high school in San Antonio, Texas, Clark studied pottery and later assisted in the Harding Black studio in order to learn about glazes. He continued his studies at Newcomb Art School and taught himself the techniques used by Ohr in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Ohr, known as the “Mad Potter of Biloxi,” was an early leader of the modernist movement in America and significantly influenced art of the 20th and 21st centuries. Visitors to Fired Works can also participate in various ancillary events, includ-
calendar of events. Using a $250,000 grant received seven years ago from the Knight Foundation, community leaders and Mercer students developed a master plan to connect the university to downtown. That initial grant leveraged more than $2 million in private and public investments in the Corridor. As part of the project, a number of areas have been improved, including Washington Park and Tattnall Square Park, which are often bustling with activities, from concerts to festivals. Macon’s rich history lives through the Tubman Museum (at a newly opened location), the Historic Douglass Theatre, Ocmulgee Heritage Trail’s Gateway Park (located on the banks of the Ocmulgee River and home to a statue of native son Otis Redding), and The Big House Museum, located in the house where the Allman Brothers Band lived and wrote their music. Rock Candy Tours offers Friday night and Saturday morning walkabouts showcasing the city’s music history. Downtown dining choices include breakfast or lunch at Market City Cafe; lunch or dinner at the Rookery or the building’s upstairs fine-dining establishment, Dovetail; the white-tablecloth TicToc Room; and Downtown Grill, located in an alleyway in the heart of downtown. Don’t miss breakfast or lunch at the world-famous H&H Restaurant, where the Allman Brothers and other recording artists enjoyed Mama Louise’s fried chicken, turnip greens and sweet tea served in mason jars. Several arts events will be taking place during Fired Works. Theatre Macon will present “Young Frankenstein,” a musical stage production of the Mel Brooks classic film. The Townsend School of Music at Mercer University will offer several concerts, including “Begin the Beguine” featuring the Mercer Jazz Ensemble in a free concert on Friday, April 22, at Neva Langley Fickling Hall. To learn more about Fired Works, visit www.firedworksmacon.com. For more information about events, dining and shopping in Macon, visit ovations365.com or www.visitmaconga.org. ◆ GETTING THERE Macon is located on Interstate 75 in middle Georgia. Follow the signs to Central City Park, which is located on the south end of the downtown area along the banks of the Ocmulgee River. Spring 2016 29
LET’S GO SOMEWHERE TODAY
SPRING SAMPLER
BY MOLLIE HERNDON
IN GOOD TASTE
Spring 2016
VARIOUS COUNTIES Wine Highway Weekend: March 19-20 & 26-27, 11 a.m.-5 p.m., north Georgia. Explore north Georgia and taste wines from over 20 vineyards across the region! For further information, please visit www.georgiawine.com.
FORSYTH COUNTY Taste of Forsyth: March 26, 11 a.m.-5 p.m., Cumming Fairgrounds, Cumming. For further information, please visit www.cummingforsythchamber.org.
LUMPKIN COUNTY Savoring the Square Food Tour: March 26, 2-5 p.m., town square, downtown Dahlonega. This walking tour is an opportunity to sample the tastes of Dahlonega’s downtown square! For information, visit www.dahlonega.org.
HABERSHAM COUNTY Apple Blossom BBQ Festival: April 15-16, Cornelia. For further information, please visit www.corneliageorgia.org.
EVENTS ATHENS/CLARKE COUNTY www.visitathensga.com (Chamber of Commerce: 706-549-6800; Convention & Visitors Center: 706-357-4430 or 800-653-0603)
“Cherokee Basketry: Woven Culture” Exhibit: March 20-April 17, Georgia Museum of Art, Athens. View handcrafted Cherokee baskets dating back to the 1800s. For further information, please visit www.georgia museum.org. UGA International Street Festival: April 9, College Square, downtown Athens. Learn about various cul-
HIT THE TRAIL TO CRNAorFtheTastBGeEorEgiaR in
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STEPHENS COUNTY 26th Annual Taste of Toccoa: April 28, 5-8 p.m., downtown Toccoa. Visit www.mainstreettoccoa.com.
WHITE COUNTY
BANKS COUNTY
Winefest: May 7, 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Main Street, Helen. Enjoy tastings from over 20 different wineries! Please visit www.habershamvineyards.com.
www.bankscountyga.org (Convention & Visitors Bureau: 706-677-5265; Chamber of Commerce: 706- 677-2108 or 877-389-2896)
RABUN COUNTY Sky Valley Craft Beer Festival & Mud Creek Falls 5k: May 28, 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Sky Valley Pavilion, Sky Valley. The 5k will begin at 10 a.m., the Beer Festival will begin at 11 a.m., and regular admission is at noon. For further information, please visit www.skyvalleyga.com. 30 Northeast Georgia Living
tures and particiSee some fine pate in fun interexamples of national activities! Cherokee basketry For further inforat the Georgia mation, please Museum of Art, visit www.visit then pack your athensga.com. own basket as you Plantapalooza: explore Northeast April 9, 8 a.m.Georgia’s places to 2 p.m., State go this Spring. Botanical Garden of Georgia, the UGA Horticulture Club, and the Trial Gardens at UGA, Athens. For further information, please visit www.plant apalooza.uga.edu. The Piedmont Gardeners Tour: April 12, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Athens. This annual tradition showcases five of the finest, most beautiful and inspiring gardens, all within walking distance in the Prince Avenue area and Cobbham Historic District. This year’s tour includes a rare chance to see the UGA President’s House garden. For more information or tickets, please visit piedmontgardeners.org. 37th Annual Twilight Criterium: May 67, downtown Athens. A premier weekend-long biking event with races, exhibitions, food and children’s events. Please visit www.athenstwilight.com.
Enjoy the beer, wine and food unique to Northeast Georgia at festivals and tastings from Sky Valley to the square in Dahlonega.
Day at the Fort: May 28, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Fort Hollingsworth-White House, Alto. Activities will include a tour of the fort, music, dancing and more! For information, visit www.bankscountyga.org. CONTINUED ON PAGE 32
BARROW COUNTY www.cityofwinder.com www.winderdowntown.com (Chamber of Commerce: 770-867-9444; Auburn City Hall: 770-963-4002; Bethlehem City Hall: 770-867-0702; Carl City Hall: 770867-1308; Statham City Hall: 770-725-5455; Winder City Hall: 770-867-3106)
“Our Town”: May 27-29 & June 3-5, Colleen O. Williams Theater, Winder. The Winder-Barrow Community Theatre presents “Our Town,” a drama that follows the changing lives of two families in a small town. Friday and Saturday shows begin at 7:30 p.m.; Sunday shows begin at 3 p.m. Tickets are $15 for adults and $13 for Senior Citizens (55+), teachers and students. For information, please visit www.winderbarrowtheatre.com.
DAWSON COUNTY www.dawson.org (Chamber of Commerce & CVB: 706-2656278 or 877-302-9271)
Cruise-In Car Show: Tuesday nights, 69 p.m. at The Varsity Jr., 75 Bethel Dr., just off Georgia Hwy. 400 in Dawsonville. See cars like the ones that made Dawsonville famous as enthusiasts gather to talk about and show their restored cars and trucks. For more information, call 706-265-7273.
ELBERT COUNTY www.mainstreet-elberton.com www.elbertga.com (Chamber of Commerce: 706-283-5651; Main Street: 706-213-0626; Bowman City Hall: 706-245-5432)
Bowman’s Big Iron Crank-Up: April 18, 8 a.m.-5 p.m., Bowman. For information, visit www.mainstreet-elberton.com.
FORSYTH COUNTY www.cummingforsythchamber.org (Chamber of Commerce: 770-887-6461)
Dirty Spokes Trail Race: April 9, 8:30 a.m., Charleston Park, Cumming. Registration begins at 7 a.m., and the race begins at 8:30 a.m. For information, please visit www.dirtyspokes.com. Peach Jam Half Marathon & 5k: April 16, 7:30 a.m., Big Creek Greenway, 32 Northeast Georgia Living
Cumming. Registration begins at 5:30 a.m., the marathon begins at 7:30 a.m., and the 5k begins at 7:35 a.m. Please visit www.dirtyspokes.com. 7th Annual Boulder Dash 5k/10k: April 30, Northside Hospital, Cumming. For further information, please visit www.boulderdash5k.com. Cure for ALS Fiesta 5k/15k: April 30, 7:45 a.m., Big Creek Greenway, Cumming. Registration begins at 6:45 a.m., the 15k begins at 7:45 a.m., the 5k begins at 8:05 a.m., and the Fun Run begins at 9:05 a.m. For further information, please visit www.fiestarunga.com. Ladies First Half Marathon & 5k: June 11, Fowler Park. For information, please visit www.cummingforsythchamber.org.
FRANKLIN COUNTY www.franklin-county.com www.cityofroyston.com www.canongeorgia.com www.lavonia-ga.com (Franklin County Chamber of Commerce: 706-384-4659; Royston DDA: 706-245-7577; Lavonia DDA: 706-356-1923)
Activities With the Easter Bunny: March 26, the gazebo in downtown Lavonia. For information, visit www.lavonia-ga.com. Easter Sunrise Service: March 27, the gazebo in downtown Lavonia. For information, please visit www.lavonia-ga.com. Farmers Market: April 2, downtown Lavonia. For further information, please visit www.lavoniaga.com. The McCluskeys in Concert: April 8, Lavonia Cultural Center. For information, please visit www.lavonia-ga.com. Main Street Music: April 22, the gazebo in downtown Lavonia. For further information, please visit www.lavonia-ga.com. “Into the Woods”: April 28-May 1, the Telford Center at Franklin County High School, Carnesville. Watch some of your favorite fairy tales come to life onstage as the FCHS Spotlight Players present “Into the Woods,” the renowned musical. For information, please call 706-384-4525. Spring Festival: May 7, downtown Lavonia. Enjoy food, music, vendors and CONTINUED ON PAGE 34
Photo by Sara Wise
SPRING 2016 EVENTS
Spring 2016 33
SPRING 2016 EVENTS more! For further information, please visit www.lavonia-ga.com. The “Land of Spirit” Folk Life Play: June 17-26, Lavonia Cultural Center. For information, visit www.lavonia-ga.com.
HABERSHAM COUNTY www.habershamga.com www.habershamchamber.com www.corneliageorgia.org www.clarkesvillega.com (Chamber of Commerce: 706-778-4654; Cornelia Better Hometown: 706-778-7875; Clarkesville City Hall: 706-754-2220; Cornelia City Hall: 706-778-8585; Demorest City Hall: 706-778-4202)
54th Annual Mountain Laurel Festival: May 20-21, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., town square, downtown Clarkesville. Bring the whole family and spend the day at Northeast Georgia’s oldest arts and crafts festival. Visit www.habershamchamber.com.
HALL COUNTY www.hallcounty.org www.gainesville.org (Greater Hall Chamber of Commerce: 770532-6206; Convention & Visitors Bureau: 770-536-5209; Main Street Gainesville: 770-297-1141)
Spring Chicken Festival: April 30, Gainesville. Enjoy a 5k, the Chicken City Parade, food, live entertainment and more! For further information, please visit www.gainesville.org.
HART COUNTY www.hart-chamber.org www.hartwellmainstreet.com (Chamber of Commerce: 706-376-8590 or hartchamber@hartcom.net; DDA: 706-376-0188)
“Steel Magnolias”: April 8-9 & 15-16, 7:30 p.m., Savannah River Playhouse, Hartwell. For further information, please visit www.savannahriverproductions.org. 23rd Annual Antique & Classic Boat Festival: April 16, Hartwell Marina, Hartwell. View beautiful antique boats and enjoy food, arts & crafts and more. Admission is free. For information, please visit www.hartwellmainstreet.com. “Anything Goes”: April 29-30; May 1; May 6-8, Hart County Community 34 Northeast Georgia Living
www.jacksoncountyga.com www.cityofhoschton.com www.commercega.org www.mainstreetcommercega.com www.cityofjeffersonga.com www.mainstreetjefferson.com www.braselton.net (Chamber of Commerce: 706-387-0300; Commerce DDA: 706-335-2954; Jefferson Better Hometown: 706-215-3345; Jefferson City Hall: 706-367-7202; Braselton City Hall: 770-654-3915)
www.mainstreetjefferson.com. Easter Parade: March 26, downtown Commerce. For further information, please visit www.commercega.org. Jefferson Easter Egg Hunt: April 4, 10 a.m., Jefferson Club House. For further information, please visit www.main streetjefferson.com. Braselton Antique & Artisan Festival: April 22-24, Historic Downtown Braselton Park. For information, please visit www.downtownbraselton.com. “Sunset on the Square� Concert: May 9, 6 p.m., downtown Jefferson. For further information, please visit www.main streetjefferson.com. Jackson County Memorial Day Parade: May 25, 2 p.m., downtown Jefferson. For further information, please visit www.mainstreetjefferson.com. History Camp: June 8-12, Crawford W. Long Museum, Jefferson. This event is for children ages 9-12. For further information, please visit www.mainstreet jefferson.com.
Foliage Fest: March 21, 9 a.m., Jefferson City Park. For information, please visit
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Theatre, Hartwell. For further information, please visit www.hartcounty communitytheatre.com. 9th Annual Cars & Guitars Festival: May 28, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., downtown Hartwell. For further information, please visit www.hart-chamber.org. Lake Hartwell Music Festival: May 28, Long Point Recreation Area, Hartwell. For further information, please visit www.hart-chamber.org.
JACKSON COUNTY
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SPRING 2016 EVENTS LUMPKIN COUNTY www.dahlonega.org (Chamber of Commerce: 706-864-3711 or 800-231-5543; Dahlonega-Lumpkin County Visitors Center: 706-864-3513)
“9 to 5: The Musical�: March 20-22, the Holly Theatre, Dahlonega. Friday and Saturday shows begin at 8 p.m.; Sunday show begins at 3 p.m. For information, please visit www.hollytheater.com. Dahlonega Arts & Wine Festival: May 21-22, 10 a.m.-6 p.m., town square, downtown Dahlonega. Enjoy wine, music, art and more! This event is presented by the nonprofit art organization Chestatee Artists. For further information, visit www.chestateeartists.org. Bear on the Square Festival: April 16-17, town square, downtown Dahlonega. For further information, please visit www.dahlonega.org.
RABUN COUNTY www.gamountains.com www.downtownclaytonga.org www.explorerabun.com (Chamber of Commerce: 706-782-4812; Civic Center: 706-212-2142)
12th Annual Easter Egg Hunt: March 24, 4:30-6:30 p.m., Rabun County Recreational Department. For information, please visit www.explorerabun.com. Sunset Easter Egg Hunt: March 24, 7-8 p.m., Tallulah Gorge State Park. Admission is $5. For further information, please visit www.gastateparks.org/ tallulahgorge. 17th Annual Celebrate Clayton Festival: April 30-May 1, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., downtown Clayton. For further information, please visit www.celebrateclayton.com. Foxfire Folklife Celebration: May 7, Foxfire Museum & Heritage Center, Clayton. For further information, please visit www.foxfire.org.
STEPHENS COUNTY www.mainstreettoccoa.com www.toccoagachamber.com (Chamber of Commerce: 706-886-2132)
Annie Moses Band: April 29, 7-9 p.m., the Schaefer Center, Toccoa. For further information, please visit www.main streettoccoa.com.
Tyler Barham: May 20, 7-9 p.m., the Schaefer Center, Toccoa. For further information, please visit www.main streettoccoa.com. Second Saturday: 2nd Saturday of each month, 2-5 p.m., downtown Toccoa. Participating businesses in downtown Toccoa will offer various classes and activities. For further information, please visit www.mainstreettoccoa.com.
TOWNS COUNTY www.mountaintopga.com (Chamber of Commerce: 706-896-4966; Towns County Tourism: 706-896-0589)
“Skies Over Georgia� Show: April 1, 8 p.m., Rollins Planetarium, Young Harris College. For further information, please visit www.yhc.edu/planetarium. Georgia Mountain Storytelling Festival: April 1-2, Young Harris College. For further information, please visit www.mountaintopga.com. Georgia Mountain EggFest: May 14, 9 a.m., Georgia Mountain Fairgrounds, Hiawassee. For further information, please visit www.mountainegg.com. Clusterfest: May 28, Crane Creek Vineyards, Young Harris. For further information, please visit www.cranecreekvineyards.com. North Georgia Highlands Seafood Festival: June 3, 3-9 p.m.; June 4, 10 a.m.-9 p.m.; June 5, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Mayors Park, Young Harris. Admission is $5; 12 and under free. For information, please visit www.mountaintopga.com.
UNION COUNTY www.blairsvillechamber.com www.downtownblairsville.com (Chamber of Commerce: 877-745-4789 or 706-745-5789)
Blairsville Kiwanis Fair: April 12-17, Airport Industrial Park, Blairsville. For further information, please visit www.downtownblairsville.com. Memorial Day Parade: May 28, 10 a.m., downtown Blairsville. Each Memorial Day weekend, downtown Blairsville salutes those who have served our country by enjoying a community parade and ceremony at War Memorial Park. For further information, call 706-745-6341 or visit www.unioncountyhistory.org. CONTINUED ON PAGE 38 Spring 2016 37
SPRING 2016 EVENTS Spring Arts, Crafts & Music Festival: May 28 & May 29, 10 a.m., downtown Blairsville. Juried artists and craftsmen exhibit their work at Union County’s historic Courthouse Square. Enjoy food from a variety of vendors and live performances by dancers and musicians. Admission is free. For further information, call 706-745-5493 or visit www.unioncountyhistory.org. 13th Annual Blairsville Scottish Festival & Highland Games: June 11 & 12, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Meeks Park, Blairsville (11 Pool Lane, 1/2 mile west of Blairsville on Highway 515 W). Discover your “clan” and hang out with locals and visitors. Enjoy traditional games, Highland music, dancing and food with a Scottish flair. Watch border collies herd sheep and falcons swoop down on “prey” or check your roots at the Heritage Tent. Children can compete in their own Highland games. For the “wee ones” there are face painting and train rides. The weekend includes a Kilted Golf Classic, a Ceilidh Party, a Kilted Mile Run, a Clan Tug of War, a Bonniest Knees Contest and a Scottish Rock Concert. This is one of the Southeast Tourism Society’s Top 20 Events. For further information, call 706-745-5789 or visit www.blairsville scottishfestival.com. 10th Annual Mountain Fling: June 25, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. & June 26, 11 a.m.-4 p.m., North Georgia Technical College, 121 Meeks Ave., Blairsville. This is a two-day juried show featuring original fine arts & crafts, ceramics, fiber art, linens, jewelry, soaps, gourds, leather goods, pet items and outdoor art. Admission is free. For further information, call 706-896-0932.
WHITE COUNTY www.whitecountychamber.org www.helenchamber.com www.helenga.org (Convention & Visitors Bureau: 706-878-5608; Helen Welcome Center & Chamber of Commerce: 706-878-1619; White County Chamber of Commerce: 706-865-5356)
Easter Festival at North Georgia Zoo: March 25-27, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., North Georgia Zoo, Cleveland. For information, please visit www.helenga.org. Cabbage Patch Tea Party: April 16, 38 Northeast Georgia Living
BabyLand General Hospital, Cleveland. Admission is $15 per person, and reservations are required. For information, please visit www.babylandgeneral.com. Spring Bierfest: April 16, noon-11 p.m., Helen Festhalle, Helen. Beer tastings will be held from noon to 4 p.m., and an evening event will be held from 6 to 11 p.m. Admission for beer tasting is $25, and evening event admission is $7. For information, visit www.helenga.org. Bavarianfest 2016: May 28, 6-11 p.m., Helen Festhalle, Helen. General admission is $7, and admission is free for all active military, retired, and veterans (ID required). Enjoy beer, wine and traditional German foods and activities. For further information, please visit www.helenga.org. 43rd Annual Helen-Atlantic Hot Air Balloon Race: June 2-4, 7 a.m.-7 p.m., Helendorf River Inn, Helen. For further information, please visit www.helen balloon.com. Shriners Parade: June 11, downtown Helen. Admission is free! For further information, visit www.helenga.org. â—†
FREE LISTING FOR YOUR EVENT! Send your festivals, museum exhibits, farmers markets, theatrical and musical performances, shows and shindigs for a free listing. Send a photo along as well for inclusion in our Summer 2016 issue. To list events in future issues, send an email to negaliving@yahoo.com or mail hard copies to P.O. Box 270, Franklin Springs, Ga. 30639. Deadline for the Summer 2016 Events Calendar is April 10, 2016. Please include events covering the period from June 20, 2016, through Sept. 20, 2016. We make every effort to ensure the accuracy of our listing of scheduled events. For additional information and for confirmation, please call either local sponsors or chamber of commerce offices.
Spring 2016
39
ARTS KATHY FORD STORY AND PHOTOS BY PHIL PYLE
I
A Mosaic of Art
t is safe to say there is an artist in everyone. Some people find it in themselves early, and others find it blooming later in life when the timing and conditions are right. When Kathy Ford retired from teaching high school marine biology in central Florida in 2005, it took her and her husband all of five days to completely relocate to Tiger, Ga. Explains Kathy, “We had visited friends up here before, and we absolutely fell in love with Clayton. So when I decided to retire, we sold our house, packed up and were all moved in five days later.” Surrounded by both the beauty of north Georgia and its long-established art community, it is hardly a wonder that Kathy’s artistic nature soon began to spring. Reading a magazine, she saw a mosaic mirror and thought to herself, “I think I can do that.” She collected a wide variety of broken pottery pieces, mixed the grout and was soon creating her first piece of mosaic art. “My grout was too thick, which made for really hard work pushing my pieces in, but it was my first time out. It’s no award winner, but it means something to me. In fact, it still hangs in our bedroom.” 40 Northeast Georgia Living
Kathy’s skills and creativity only bloomed from there. Wanting to create more than just beautiful mosaic mirrors, she decided to inscribe the pieces with certain inspirational quotes in Morse code, using ceramic tiles wrapped around the borders. She selects quotes that make one pause and reflect – appropriate for mirrors – such as Martin Luther King’s powerful quote, “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.” One day a friend and fellow artist invited her to a meeting of the North Georgia Arts Guild. Attending this meeting turned out to be a huge step for Kathy, because she not only became a regular member, but eventually its president. “I am humbled by the amount of talent in the Guild. There are so many people making so many beautiful things,” she says. Indeed, the North Georgia Arts Guild is comprised of over 80 artists working in a wide array of media, including pottery, jewelry, painting and photography, to name a few. Outside of monthly meetings, the Guild participates in special art events and festivals throughout the year. One such event that Kathy is gearing up for is the annual Celebrate Clayton art
Kathy Ford turns shards into showpieces with her colorful and compelling mosaics. Although some of her work hangs in local galleries, many of her pieces find their way to fundraising auctions. festival, which will be held April 30 through May 1. This year will mark the festival’s 17th year, and over 100 exhibitors will be showing and selling their crafts in downtown Clayton. Another annual event for the Guild is the Art at the Lake show, which will take place the second weekend of July. Previously held at the Pavilion at Lake Rabun, the event found a new home at the Rabun County Civic Center last year due to scheduling conflicts. The change in venue turned out to be a blessing for the Guild, however. Says Kathy, “At the Pavilion, we could only offer a one-day event, since the vendors could not leave their booths up overnight. Plus, being held the first week in July, it did get quite hot for some people to stay too long. But
Spring 2016 41
since the Civic Center is a secure facility with air conditioning, the event took on a whole new environment. We were able to extend the event over two days.” An added benefit of adding an extra day to the Art at the Lake show is that it brings in even more proceeds for the Guild’s scholarship fund, which totaled over a thousand dollars last year. Although she keeps busy holding the reins of the Guild, Kathy still finds time to devote to her craft. Though her works can be found hanging in the Lake Rabun Hotel and Soque Artworks, she leans more towards using her talents to support local charities than she does towards using those talents for self-promotion, and donates many pieces to auctions in support of fundraising drives such as Rhapsody in Rabun and the F.A.I.T.H. Sweetheart Ball. “It just feels good to give,” says Kathy. And as anyone with one of Kathy’s mosaics on the wall will tell you, it is also good to receive. ◆ To see more of Kathy’s work, visit north georgiaartsguild.com, and to find out more about Celebrate Clayton, visit celebrate clayton.com.
42 Northeast Georgia Living
RESTORATION WARRIORS BY PAMELA A. KEENE
New Life for Old Things
Yvonne Gordon
them at “Atomic” in downtown Athens. The Franklin Springs resident has been upcycling furniture for about five years. “Old wooden pallets make great components for all kinds of things, like wine racks, benches, tabletops and hanging coat racks, and that’s just the beginning.” Powell frequents Craigslist, Facebook sell sites and yard sales for her materials. A 44 Northeast Georgia Living
professional carpenter – she’s worked in the painting and construction industries over the years, including a stint painting commercial aircraft – she tackles her design work with enthusiasm. “I’ve never been afraid of any kind of power tool, and I was as much of a tomboy growing up with three older brothers,” she says. “I always did everything they did, plus my father was a painter, so I followed him around everywhere, learning everything I could. Whatever my daddy did, I did.” Dorothy frequently disassembles wobbly chests of drawers and repurposes the components. A drawer front will become the foundation for a wall-mounted coat rack, and the top will find new life as a bench seat, with other parts of the dresser resurrected as a coffee table, end table or bookshelves. “One of the keys is knowing how to move forward from a warped piece of furniture when, say, the wood is not in such great shape, and creating a functional and attractive item,” she says. “Often, if something is beyond repair, we’ll patch the wood, or distress it to make it look older, then paint it to give it personality.” Megan and Dorothy seem to just have an eye for repurposing discarded items. “You’d
Barbara Brown
never think that the springs in an old baby bed could be made into anything useful, but you’d be surprised,” she says. “We’ve painted them to use as a twin-sized headboard for a bed or to hang from the ceiling in a kitchen to use as a pot-hanging rack. We’ve even mounted them in kids’ rooms above their desks so they can hang items on them with clothes pins.” Artist Barbara Brown of Flowery Branch upcycles old doors into headboards or tables, headboards and footboards into benches, and porch swings into baby beds. “Virtually anything can be taken apart, combined with other pieces, reassembled and upcycled,” she says. “Old disassembled furniture artistically refinished using chalk paint or mud paint in interesting combinations of glazes and waxes can create amazing, functional and fun furniture. What was old becomes new again.” Yvonne Gordon of Danielsville owns
S p e c i a l p h o to s ; Yvo n n e G o rd o n by Pa m e l a A . Ke e n e ; M e g a n a n d D o ro t h y Powe l l by C h a r l e s Powe l l
I
t’s a new kind of math for interior design. Two chairs make a bench; a chest of drawers becomes a fantastic collection of display shelves; a discarded door paired with an abandoned drawer magically works as an interesting planter. The ingredients are simple, but you need to be a restoration warrior to pull it off. “It’s about finding new uses for old items and giving them new life,” says Dorothy Powell, who with her daughter, Megan, disassembles common items and recreates them into treasured collectibles and sells
Von’s on U.S. Route 29 in Franklin Springs, and she’s a master at redesign. A trip to her shop reveals headboards that make comfortable benches; dressers without drawers that double as curio cabinets; and old wardrobes repurposed for baby’s room, with multiple small drawers for diapers, infant- and toddler-sized outfits, receiving blankets and all the associated personal-care items. “Dresser drawers can make great ottomans by adding legs and covering the top with fabric,” she says.“It’s a good way to add some storage to keep things out of the way.” Gordon has made other innovative pieces, such as a charming, functional oak bench, which she made by placing two chairs seat to seat, repositioning the front legs of each chair and then reinforcing the bottom of the seats with wood. The spindle chair backs make nice sides. Add a cushion on the seats and a couple of colorful throw pillows for decorative accents, and the result is more comfortable seating in a living room or family room. “Another good idea is using a screen door as an interior door – if your space is small – by hanging the door on a slider so it goes side to side instead of swinging,” she says. “It really opens your space up.” Gordon’s inspiration comes from yard sales, auctions and estate sales. She also visits Pinterest for ideas. “It’s easy to give everyday items new life by looking at them differently,” Gordon says. “When I’m looking for things, I always have this thought in my head: If I pretty this up, will someone like it besides me? That’s how I tell if I’ve made a good decision.” ◆
Megan and Dorothy Powell
Spring 2016 45
Tapas
A History of Spanish Cuisine Enjoyment STORY AND PHOTOS BY SYDNAH KINGREA
I
f you have ever noticed the word “tapas” on the menu at a local Mexican restaurant, you may think it is a traditional Mexican cuisine. The word and the cuisine “tapas” actually originated in Spain, but the word is now often “misnomered” to mean a Mexican appetizer. True tapas are small plates of food served between meals in Spain and are almost always accompanied by wine or another type of alcohol. Tapas have become widely popular outside of Spain, and there are many stories purporting to describe the origin of this cuisine. The following is the one most commonly accepted. Tapas are rumored to have originated with King Alfonso X (also known as King Alfonso the Wise), who reigned during the 1250s. Once, when he was very ill, he was only able to eat small portions of food accompanied by a small amount of wine. Following his recovery, he issued a decree 46 Northeast Georgia Living
Mediterranean Finger Foods
that alcohol should only be served with food. This decree prevented peasants from spending their meager wages solely on alcohol, because they had to spend their money on substantial nourishment as well. Another explanation is that, because few innkeepers in the Middle Ages were able to write and few travelers were able to read, a small portion of an inn’s cuisine options was served on a “tapa” (the Spanish word for the lid of a pot) for travelers to sample before ordering. Historically, tapas were commonly taken between meals by Spanish farmers and field workers in order to maintain enough energy to finish a hard day of work. Today, tapas are celebrated widely and served at tapas bars and social gatherings in Spain. Rather than a certain type of food, tapas are known as a “way of eating.” Tapas allow patrons to enjoy small amounts of food without losing focus on the conversation or entertainment being provided. In American culture, it has become popular to serve tapas as heavy hors
d’oeuvres at parties and restaurants. Tapas parties are now trendy in the United States, and you may even come across a tapas bar in America similar to the ones in Spain at some point in the near future. Representing a wide variety of food options, tapas can range from something like a small bowl of olives to a heavy stew dish. Three common categories that tapas fall into in Spain are cosas de picar, pinchos, and cazuelas. Cosas de picar is roughly translated as “things to nibble on.” Some foods that fall into this category are roasted nuts and Mediterranean finger foods. Pinchos are tapas that require any type of utensil to eat. Cazuelas typically require a plate of their own and usually come with a sauce or dressing. Garlic-sauced shrimp and callos (a stew type dish) are common cazuelas. We have researched and gathered some of the most commonly served tapas recipes for you to enjoy at home or prepare for your next party.
Mediterranean Finger Foods
Mediterranean finger foods are a common type of tapa that can be served a variety of ways. Some hosts merely set out a small tray of olives and baby pickles, while others layer olives with exotic cheeses and toasted bread. This simple version of a finger-food tapa is a cinch to throw together and offers depths of flavors to enjoy. We enjoy this recipe with a glass of bold, dry red wine like cabernet sauvignon or pinot noir. 1 jar Kalamata, hojiblanca or Manzanilla olives Crumbled bleu or feta cheese 1 cucumber Toasted bread or crackers (optional) Toothpicks Remove olives from jar and stuff each olive with a small amount of bleu cheese or feta cheese. Cut the cucumber into small cubes. Push the cucumber cubes and stuffed olives onto a toothpick in layers. Toasted bread can be added to the skewer, or the combination can be put on Triscuits brand crackers or any hearty cracker.
pick. Place wrapped and stuffed dates on a baking sheet and roast for 8-10 minutes, turning over halfway through. Keep an eye on the dates to ensure they do not overcook. Bacon should be crispy when finished. Can be served with a side of maple syrup, or the surface of the baconwrapped dates can be brushed with maple syrup during the last two minutes of cooking, if desired.
Traditional Gazpacho
My mom, Deb Swails, helped me develop this recipe from a combination of gazpacho recipes she has collected over the years. This cold soup is refreshing and nutritious on a warm spring day. In Spain, gazpacho is served with croutons or with one slice of thick country or sourdough bread. Gazpacho can be hard to pair with a wine due to its diverse flavors, but we enjoy ours with wines of high acidity like a New Zealand variety of sauvignon blanc or a dry fino sherry. 4 large ripe tomatoes, peeled (can use whole canned tomatoes) 1/2 peeled cucumber
1/2 carrot 1/4 cup chopped green pepper 1 small stick celery Dash of pickled jalapeño juice 4 tablespoons olive oil 1 tablespoon sherry or white wine vinegar 1 teaspoon grated onion 1-2 cloves garlic Salt and pepper, to taste Serrano ham (optional) Cucumber (optional) Croutons (optional) Chopped boiled eggs (optional) All vegetables should be raw. Finely chop the tomatoes, cucumber, carrot, green pepper and celery. Add all the ingredients, including the garlic, to a blender and puree until it reaches a smooth consistency. Add salt and pepper, to taste. Serve after chilling in the fridge for at least an hour or add ice cubes to serve immediately. May be topped with serrano ham, cucumber, croutons or chopped boiled eggs.
Recipes continued on page 48
Bacon-Wrapped Dates Filled With Chorizo
Chorizo is a traditional Spanish pork sausage. It is typically already cooked and cured for easy preparation. If you cannot find chorizo, simply switch it out with your favorite cooked sausage. For this recipe, I used medjool dates since they are larger than the deglet noor (nour) variety. You can vary the quantities of dates and bacon according to your number of guests. Bacon dishes are best served with dry white wines like riesling or a dry rosé. Don’t be afraid to try this dish with a sparkling wine or brutbased mimosa too! Chorizo Medjool dates Bacon Toothpicks Maple syrup (optional) Heat the oven to 400 F. Cut chorizo into small cubes. Gently slice each date and place a cube of chorizo inside. Tightly wrap each stuffed date with a slice of bacon until secure or secure with a tooth-
Traditional Gazpacho
Spring 2016 47
Artichokes al Ajillo (Artichokes With Garlic Sauce)
This dish is made with a traditional Spanish garlic sauce that is used in a variety of tapas. You will commonly find it with artichokes or shrimp (referred to as garlicky shrimp or gambas al ajillo). If you are not a fan of artichokes, feel free to switch them out with boiled or grilled shrimp. Artichokes can be hard to find fresh. If you are having trouble, you can just as easily use canned or jarred and marinated artichokes. For this quick and easy recipe, I used DeLallo brand artichokes, which come quartered and mari-
Artichokes al Ajillo nated in little jars. Once you have eaten all of the artichokes or shrimp, use a thick bread to sop up the rest of this delicious garlic sauce. Sauvignon blanc or an oaky chardonnay will do nicely with this recipe. 1/4 cup olive oil 2 tablespoons butter or nondairy spread 1 bulb garlic (the entire bulb, not just a clove) peeled and minced into tiny pieces (or 3-5 teaspoons jarred minced garlic) 10 cherry tomatoes sliced into halves or fourths or 1-2 Roma tomatoes cut into 12 pieces each 1 tablespoon sherry 2 cups artichoke hearts, fresh or canned Heat a skillet on the stove over medium heat. Place olive oil, butter and garlic into the skillet and cook, stirring often, for 2 minutes or until garlic has softened and browned a little. Lower heat if garlic browns too quickly. Next, add tomatoes and cook for 2 more minutes (may need longer if using Roma tomatoes), then add sherry and let simmer for 2 minutes. Finally, add artichoke hearts and cook for 5 minutes or until tender. Give the flavors enough time to mingle. Serve warm and enjoy! 48 Northeast Georgia Living
Patatas a lo Pobre
(Poor Man’s Potatoes) Patatas a lo pobre is an easy recipe that is also cost-efficient. It’s very traditional in Spain and is often served with serrano ham for added sustenance. This is a great side dish to prepare at home when you are in a hurry or running low on groceries. I added rosemary as an optional seasoning because it can spice up your potatoes and add a new dimension. Your simple poor man’s potatoes recipe can be enjoyed with a glass of dry wine like pinot grigio, a muscadet wine or a dry rosé. 4 large potatoes 2 medium onions or 1 large onion 2 medium green peppers (or yellow and red peppers for more color and variety) 1 clove garlic (or 1 teaspoon jarred minced garlic) 1/2 to 1 cup olive oil Salt and pepper, to taste Rosemary, to taste (optional)
Patatas a lo Pobre Peel and wash potatoes, then slice them into very thin pieces that will cook quickly (less than 1/4 inch). Chop or slice onions and peppers. Peel and mince garlic clove (if not using jarred option). Heat the oil in a large skillet or wok on the stove over medium heat. Add all ingredients and cook for 20 minutes or until the potatoes have softened. If other ingredients brown too quickly, lower heat to medium-low. Season with salt and pepper, and rosemary, if desired. ◆ Spring 2016 49
TRAILS BREWERIES BY PHIL PYLE
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n 1993, the Atlanta Brewing Company, later renamed Red Brick Brewing, became Georgia’s first craft brewery. Today, looking over the beer menu at any given restaurant in Georgia, chances are better than good that at least one of Georgia’s 40-plus craft breweries is found on the list. Forty may seem like a large number, but in fact, Georgia ranks near the middle of the pack in the number of breweries per state in the nation and nearly near the bottom based on per-capita figures. The main reason the growth of craft breweries in Georgia is anemic compared with other states is that Georgia’s strict state regulations make for an uphill bureaucratic battle; nevertheless, breweries continue to dot the Georgia map year to year. In 2016, another dozen are expected to open their taps to the public. Of the 40-plus craft breweries and brewpubs in Georgia, nine are located in Northeast Georgia, and among these nine are some of the most established and most decorated breweries in the state. Follow along as we get a taste of these unique breweries.
50 Northeast Georgia Living
Southern Brewing Company
It hasn’t even been a year since they opened the doors to their 11,000square-foot facility and tasting room in northeast Athens, and Southern Brewing Company has already garnered a solid reputation for carefully and artfully crafted beers. Just a few minutes of conversation with the brewmasters at SBC will bring a greater understanding of the science of brewing and of why the beers they brew are called “craft” beers.
Special Photos; Creature Comforts and photo opposite page by Phil Pyle
Creature Comforts Brewing Company
Though a newcomer to the downtown Athens brew scene, Creature Comforts took home a bronze medal at the 2014 Great American Beer Festival and was named one of the “Best New Breweries in the U.S.” by The Daily Meal. Owned by two well-seasoned beer professionals, it did not take long for Creature Comforts to make waves throughout the area with signature beers that quickly became local favorites. Athena is a light, citric, borderline tart Berliner wheat beer, and Tropicalia is an American IPA with a juicy fruit finish that is very unique. Both varieties can currently be found in stores, but at the brewery, they are on tap, along with varieties such as Reclaimed Rye; Bibo, a traditional pilsner with a unique twist; Get Comfortable IPA; and Koko Buni, a rich milk porter with coconut, chocolate and coffee. The brewery’s wide-open tasting room with storefront windows that let in lots of natural light is perfect for socializing and fills up quickly. Live music is also a regular happening at Creature Comforts, so keep up with their website and Facebook page for current events. Creature Comforts Brewing Company; 271 W. Hancock Ave.; Athens, GA 30601; 706-410-1043; www.creaturecomfortsbeer.com
Grumpy Old Men Brewing
Grumpy Old Men Brewing, founded in October 2012, shipped their first legal brew in July 2013. As the name implies, they are a couple of old retired guys who were home-brewing in an outdoor shower and eventually graduated to a full-blown brewery. As they will tell you themselves, they are still having fun, which is why they are still open. Grumpy Old Men’s corporate mission is simple: “If we don’t like it, we don’t drink it. If we don’t drink it, we don’t sell it.” Currently on tap are Hell’s Holler Porter, Big Booty Black IPA, Moon Over Blue Ridge, GrasshoppA IMP IPA, Bergy Brown, Devin’s Den IPA and Aska Pale Ale. Grumpy Old Men Brewing; 1315 E. Main St.; Blue Ridge, GA 30513; 770-331-8870; www.grumpyoldmenbrewing.com
SBC uses as many local ingredients as possible in their beers – including local yeasts and even the azalea bushes on their property – to create their Wild Azalea Saison and Wild Azalea Tart. Other offerings on tap include Broad Street Pale Ale, Hobnail IPA (named after Larry Munson’s famed call) and Southern Porter. On Saturdays, the public can sample from unique small batches – usually less than 10 gallons – of very limited releases. Once these batches are gone, they are gone, so plan to get there early on Saturdays. The facility itself is very open and welcoming and is both kidand pet-friendly. The outside area features fire pits, lawn chairs and tailgate games such as cornhole. This is another venue with a lively and diverse live music scene, so check their website for schedules. Southern Brewing Company; 231 Collins Industrial Blvd.; Athens, GA 30601; 706-548-7183; www.sobrewco.com
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Blue Ridge Brewery
Fannin Brewing Company
Fannin Brewing in beautiful Blue Ridge, Ga., is Georgia’s mountain brewery. The brewery was founded in 2012 and leverages the clear waters of the Toccoa River to make rich, aromatic beers in the German tradition. The company offers three beers year-round: Crisp Hiawasee Golden Ale, made with Kolsch-style yeast; Toasty Toccoa Brown Ale, a surprisingly refreshing dark beer with a hint of coffee; and Bright Chief Whitepath White IPA, made with lemongrass and lime leaf tea. All are available on tap throughout north Georgia, and both Hiawasee Golden and Toccoa Brown are available in 12-ounce bottles. In addition, the company’s tasting room in downtown Blue Ridge is open most Fridays and Saturdays (check www.fanninbrewing.com for times), and visitors can sample a variety of specialty beers, meet fellow locals and travelers alike, and learn about the German brewing process from the brewers themselves firsthand. Fannin Brewing Company; 3758 E. First St.; Blue Ridge, GA 30513; 706-258-2762; www.fanninbrewingcompany.com
Cherry Street Brewing Cooperative & Cherry Street Taproom
Having begun as a small operation in a tiny garage, Cherry Street Brewing Cooperative has grown and now offers what is arguably the largest beer menu of any brewery in Georgia. At any given time, Cherry Street has 25 of its brews – which have names like Dirty Frenchman Saison, Beer Engine: Russian Imperial Stout, and Balzac the Invincible – on tap. In addition, seasonal and experimental offerings, such as their Hoppy Balboa vs. ThunderHops Tripple IPA and Summer Fling Watermelon Blonde Ale, can be had throughout the year. The taproom offers a small menu of appetizers to complement its beer selections, and that menu will be expanding in 2016. The brewery is also in a partnership with Rick Tanner’s Grille and Bar, which offers a full menu from breakfast through dinner. Cherry Street Brewing Cooperative; 5810 Bond St.; Cumming, GA 30040; Cherry Street Taproom; 5817 S. Vickery St.; Cumming, GA 30040; 770-205-5512; www.cherrystreetbrewing.com
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The Blue Ridge Brewery is proud to be not just a brewery but a brewpub. Customers not only come for their craft beers – of which six originals are on tap as well as eight other craft styles – they also file in for the burgers. Their flagship beer is the Blue Ridge Blood, a malty brown ale; other offerings include a diverse lineup: M.I.L.F. Stout (“Mug I’d Like to Fill”), Pineapple Hefe, Peanut Butter Cup Porter, Blue Ridge IPA and Pumpkin Knocker. To complement their beers, which are aimed at such diverse brew palates, the brewery offers a decadent menu as well. Kobe beef burgers, hot Cajun sausages, pita pizzas, racks of lamb and breaded trout dishes are just a sampling of what makes Blue Ridge Brewery a brewpub of choice in Northeast Georgia. Blue Ridge Brewery; 187 Depot St.; Blue Ridge, GA 30513; 706-632-6611; blueridgebrewery.com
Left Nut Brewing Company
Left Nut Brewing Company, located in Gainesville, Ga., is transforming the historic Chicopee Mills building into a modern-day brewery while maintaining the charm of the building’s storied past. Since its conception, the brand has really taken off and sparked lots of dialogue; people are enjoying the brewery’s presence. Currently all the brewing systems are in place, and the final preparations for those systems and for the public tasting room and entertainment area are being made. LNB has received its local and federal permits and is awaiting the state permit and final certificates. Once acquired, they will begin production and set a grand opening date. LNB looks forward to working with their three distributors to provide great beers and ciders to north Georgia and metro Atlanta. As they begin production and start growing, LNB will engage with numerous charitable organizations in order to facilitate effective and meaningful involvement in the local community. Left Nut Brewing Company; 2100 Atlanta Highway; Gainesville, GA 30504; www.leftnutbrewing.com
Copper Creek is well-known for it’s excellent “bar food”
Copper Creek Brewing Co.
Reggie Starrett performs at Terrapin Beer Co.
S p e c i a l P h o t o s ; Te r r a p i n B e e r C o m p a n y b y P h i l P y l e
Terrapin Beer Company
Although they are the second largest brewer in the state, Terrapin Beer Company does not rest on its laurels. In addition to the brewery’s staple of year-round favorites such as Hopsecutioner, Hi-5 IPA and RecreationAle, they produce a wide variety of seasonals and side projects, such as Liquid Lunch, a peanut butter and jelly porter, and The Walking Dead Blood Orange IPA. Located on the outskirts of Athens just off the loop, the Terrapin brewery and tasting room is a great place for socializing, and live music is a mainstay on weekends, either in the tasting room or outside on the lawn. Tasting tickets include a Terrapin glass and six tastings from the tap. Terrapin is also actively involved in the Athens community. In addition to featuring specialties from local restaurants and bakeries, the brewery hosts popular events such as the Wake-n-Bake Off and Percentage Nights. Percentage Nights benefit local charities and organizations such as Athica and the UGA Pre-Vet Club. Visit Terrapin’s website for information on upcoming events and for their schedule of beer releases for 2016. Terrapin Beer Company; 265 Newton Bridge Road; Athens, GA 30607; 706-549-3377; www.terrapinbeer.com
A longstanding brewery in the heart of downtown Athens, Copper Creek has amassed an impressive lineup of original beers. Around 40 varieties – coming directly from the brewery’s copper tanks, which are visible from the storefront – are rotated each year, and four varieties are available in the brewery at any given time. Hence their phrase, “Tank to tap.” As of this writing, Vienna Lager, American Pale Ale, India Brown Ale and Oatmeal Stout are on tap, but do not be surprised to see Belgian Saison, Plaid Pumpkin, Summer Blonde or Espresso Stout being poured throughout the year. Copper Creek is not so much a tasting room as it is a full-fledged restaurant, and with an equally robust menu, the tables are usually full, especially when UGA is in session. Their beers pair very well with foods like Fire-Spiced Beef Skewers, Buffalo Burgers and Brewhouse Ribs. Drink and food specials are offered throughout the week, along with Wednesday night trivia specials. Copper Creek Brewing; 140 E. Washington St.; Athens, GA 30601; 706-546-1102; www.coppercreekathens.com ◆ Spring 2016
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W 54 Northeast Georgia Living
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WEDDING PLANNER
Brides
PARTIES • SHOWERS • DINNERS • RECEPTIONS BY PAMELA A. KEENE
PHOTOGRAPH BY PHIL PYLE Spring 2016 55
Brides
Bridal showers and engagement parties and dinners are the perfect time to bring out the silver and china – along with flower arrangements and creative centerpieces – to make the occasion elegant and memorable. Sue Bell hosts such parties in her Franklin Springs home (above) for young women in the community.
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS
PHIL PYLE MELISSA HERNDON GLENN TONEY
56 Northeast Georgia Living
Spring 2016 57
Brides
A Shower the Ones You Love
A group of nearly 20 young women shared a table recently at Athens’ Last Resort Restaurant, all sharing pink drinks at brunch, laughing, telling stories and honoring the guest at the head of the table – the bride. The gathering was part of the group’s Destination Weekend in celebration of their friend’s upcoming nuptials; they had come to Athens from various parts of the country. While destination weddings have long been popular – typically with only close friends and family in attendance – holding other types of celebrations with the bride-to-be in other cities or parts of the country in the months leading up to the
58 Northeast Georgia Living
wedding is not so unusual these days. Engagement parties, bridal showers, couples’ parties, rehearsal dinners, receptions and morning-after brunches provide plenty of opportunities to celebrate,
A fall shower hosted by Sue Bell
giving the friends and family of the bride and groom a chance to get to know each other as the happy couple begin their new life together. The trends today reflect changing times, as many couples wait until their mid-20s to early 30s to marry. By then, they’ve established their own households in many cases; their circle will include college friends, but neighbors in their new cities and friends from work are now added to the mix. Not only do parents of childhood friends want to host showers for the soon-to-be-wed couple, college chums and work associates do too. And with 12- to 18-month engagements the norm, there will be plenty of time to celebrate. As a long-standing tradition, engagement parties can be hosted by parents or close family friends. “We don’t see a great number of engagement parties, but when we do, they’re much more casual these days,” says Dannella Burnett, owner of Oakwood Occasions in Hall County. “They’re smaller and low-key, casual, and often include a barbecue, buffet or heavy hors d’oeuvres.” Bridal and couples’ showers throughout the engagement period can be a good opportunity to host a party. From a lingerie shower in the early afternoon to a couples’ shower on a weekend evening, these parties often reflect the personalities of the bride and groom in the choice of food, decor and theme.
“Brunches, late morning or early afternoon, are very popular with today’s brides and their hostesses,” says Joyce Phillips of Athens, who plans weddings and events across the Southeast. “The food can be much more simple and affordable to prepare, and the time of day makes scheduling easier.” Often hosted in private homes, some brunch events have moved away from the very formal, fine-china occasion to something more relaxed. “Although some hostesses prefer to bring out their china and silver with all the pretty choices, more and more are choosing coordinated paper products and fresh flowers from their gardens or the grocery store for the decor,” Phillips says. Sue Bell of Franklin Springs joins with six or eight members of her church to host bridal showers for young women in the community. “I volunteer to host showers in my home because I enjoy being part of their lives, and I’ve watched many of them grow up,” she says.“We talk with the mothers and the brides to discuss the best date, create the invitation list and then plan an event to reflect their wishes.” Bell, who says she loves to cook, works with other church ladies to host these parties. Her hints for hosting pre-wedding parties are gleaned from having hosted several dozen showers over the years. “Right inside the front door, we’ll have a framed wedding invitation and a large photo of the bride and groom to greet guests,” she says. “It’s a good way to personalize the day for the bride.” Bell selects foods that reflect the season. A fall shower featured fried apple pies, pumpkin cheesecake bars and chilled apple cider. “In the Southern tradition of serving oldfashioned butter mints, when I can’t find them in the stores, I use Junior Mints,” she says. “People really like them.” Sometimes Bell uses her china and silver; other times the setting is more casual. “Because many of today’s brides don’t register for fine china and crystal, this is a nice way to make the party very elegant and memorable for them.” Bell has hosted couple’s showers as well. “The guys tend to shy away if they think it’s more formal, so we will host a cookout with burgers or barbecue in the late afternoon or evening. It’s more casual, and it’s a good way to include the groom and his friends.” TEXT CONTINUED ON PAGE 62
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Brides Brenton and Samantha incorporated family treasures like blue mason jars and an old farm truck into their wedding reception. Whimsical signs directed guests to the reception area.
A tree-lined drive festooned with lanterns and ribbons makes a welcoming entrance to Keyes and Hillary’s wedding reception, held in his family’s barn. Instead of the traditional wedding cake, a table of cakes invites guests to choose their favorite.
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Special Photo; Photo opposite page by Phil Pyle
Other types of showers can include activity-based events such as a Pampered Chef or jewelry party. Painting parties, where guests create their own works of art, are also popular. Rehearsal dinners, traditionally hosted by the groom’s parents, have also changed over the years. “It’s not at all unusual to see a rehearsal dinner with fifty or more people in attendance,” Burnett says. “It’s a time for family, the wedding party and out-of-town guests to be together.” Receptions today reflect the diversity of wedding themes. From barn and outdoor weddings to formal events at highend wedding destination venues such as wineries, brides continue their themes for the post-wedding celebration. When Hillary Herndon married Keyes Davison last May, the reception on the groom’s family farm overflowed from inside the decorated barn to the grassy lawn outside. Wedding guests enjoyed a park-like seating area and views of the rolling green farmland in the warm spring evening. The wedding celebration may continue to the next day with a morning-after brunch. Because guests include family from out of town, couples’ families realize that this is a chance to spend a bit more time together. Depending on their honeymoon travel schedule, the bride and groom most likely will not attend, but it’s a good time for everyone else to reflect on the weekend’s events and share their favorite moments. “No matter how many parties take place to celebrate a marriage, or what types of events there are,” Phillips says, “the key is to keep each one fun and simple. That’s the best way to create a lifetime of memories.” ◆
Brides
WEDDING PLANNER TIMELINE Here is an overview of your wedding planning timeline to assist in making sure you’re on schedule for all the details of your big day. This is meant as a guide, but working with a wedding or special-event planner can further ensure that all the important details of your wedding are handled with a limited amount of stress and worry.
6 to 12 Months ❑ Announce engagement ❑ Set a wedding date ❑ Set a budget ❑ Compile a guest list ❑ Select and reserve ceremony, reception and rehearsal dinner locations, pay deposits ❑ Choose attendants ❑ Start looking for your wedding dress ❑ Meet with vendors: • Photographer • Videographer • Florist • Bakery/Caterer – Cake tastings can be fun … include the groom and both moms • Minister • DJ/Band or other reception entertainment • Transportation ❑ Shop for wedding rings
4 to 6 Months ❑ Purchase your wedding dress ❑ Select mothers’ gowns ❑ Finalize guest list ❑ Order and mail out save-the-dates ❑ Order wedding invitations ❑ Order party favors or imprinted items ❑ Determine your wedding vows
❑ Sign up for premarital counseling ❑ Select attire for attendants, arrange for fittings ❑ Reserve a hotel room block for out-of-town guests ❑ Register for gifts – another fun project for the bride and groom together ❑ Finalize honeymoon plans ❑ Solidify plans for the rehearsal dinner ❑ Review and update budget ❑ Schedule your hair and make-up appointments
2 to 4 Months ❑ Finalize food/menu for reception ❑ Select guest book and program attendants ❑ Create printed wedding program ❑ Confirm details with vendors ❑ Confirm attendants have purchased attire ❑ Confirm groomsmen have been measured ❑ Start addressing invitations ❑ Prepare maps/direction cards ❑ Mail out invitations (6-8 weeks prior to the wedding) ❑ Purchase attendants’ gifts ❑ Schedule your final fitting ❑ Send out thank-you notes for wedding/shower gifts ❑ Finalize your wedding day photography list with photographer
❑ Select the menu for the rehearsal dinner
1 to 2 Months ❑ Obtain marriage license ❑ Confirm florist orders ❑ Ensure your out-of-town guests know what the cutoff date is to make their reservation ❑ Begin to prepare seating arrangements for reception ❑ Send rehearsal dinner invitations ❑ Wrap bridal party gifts ❑ Select the order in which you want wedding party to enter ❑ Select ceremony music
1 to 4 Weeks ❑ Discuss service with the officiator ❑ Go in for a final fitting ❑ Bride and bridesmaids pick up dresses ❑ Final meetings with all vendors and planner ❑ Have manicure and pedicure ❑ Prepare tip envelopes for minister and other vendors ❑ Make sure wedding gifts are logged in book and thank-you notes are sent promptly ❑ Finalize seating charts ❑ Pay final vendor fees ❑ Pack an overnight bag for the wedding night ❑ Provide the caterer with the final head count ❑ Give marriage license to the planner or minister ❑ Groom and groomsmen pick up tuxedos ❑ Confirm meeting times with bridal party for day of the wedding
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REFLECTIONS STORY AND PHOTO BY M.J. SULLIVAN
... on Ravishing Red “Grandmother was not the only woman who possessed this tiny magic wand.”
L
ittle girls love to imitate their adult relatives. I was no exception. From the time I was very small, I followed my grandmother around like an adoring fan. She was tall, slender and always dressed in the latest fashion: black dress with black lace trim, accessorized with a white pearl necklace and matching earrings, black elbow-length gloves and, of course, a broad-brimmed black straw hat with a flamboyant white gardenia. She was a showstopper, and I was sure if I emulated her every mannerism, I could be just like her when I grew up. She was always very accommodating when my sister and I wanted to play dress up, providing us with lacey old black slips and out-of-style gabardine skirts. We also had our pick of grown-up purses, gloves, floppy hats and high-heeled shoes. But it didn’t end there. Grandmother really knew how to give little girls the full “glam” treatment. Once adorned in our finery, she would paint our nails with her very own shade of dusty rose nail enamel, dab our faces with her powder puff, dot our cheeks with rouge and lightly spritz us with a whiff of perfume. Then came the ` de résistance. Lifting up a gold tube piece containing her Ravishing Red lipstick, she would apply just a hint to our tiny, eagerly anticipating, puckered lips. In an instant we were grown-ups. As little girls we didn’t realize that lipstick is nothing more than an assorted combination of various waxes, oils, pigment and emollients. But who cared? For sister and me lipstick was the key to a whole 64 Northeast Georgia Living
new world of “realistic make believe.” Once you crossed the threshold of colored lips, you became an “adult.” And for a brief while, we were. That is until a steaming bowl of soup, dainty cucumber sandwiches and warm, sugary tea removed all traces of color from our girlish lips. Those momentary flights of fancy into a world of fantasy made a lasting impression. However, it was not the fun of dress-up or the magic of make-believe that captured my senses. It was the smell of the lipstick. Something about the penetrating, oily, waxy fragrance enchanted this little girl who would one day become a woman. It is as vivid as the sun at noonday in my memory. My grandmother’s purse would open, and the smell of her lipstick, mingled with a hint of spearmint gum, would waft up, mesmerizing me. I would sit quietly, hoping she might dab the tip of the red emollient onto my lips and transform me into a beautiful princess. Before long, I realized that Grandmother was not the only woman who possessed this tiny magic wand. My mother also carried a gold tube bearing a
balm with the same aroma. Time and time again I watched, fascinated, as Mother removed the golden cap, slowly twisted up the solid red substance, lifted the creamy wax to her lips and accentuated her mouth with the captivating cosmetic. I bided my time until my preteen years arrived and the adults condescendingly allowed me the privilege of wearing “a proper lipstick for young girls.” It came in a slender plastic tube that was embellished with gaudy pink flowers. It had a heavy wax base and smelled of citrus. The theory was that it adapted itself to each girl’s individual lip chemistry; it always looked orange on me. I longed for the smell and taste of my grandmother’s lip color. However, it would be years before I was allowed to choose my own brand. When that day finally came, I sauntered up to the cosmetic counter and purchased my first grown-up tube of authentic Ravishing Red lipstick. At last I actually was an adult. Not long ago my daughter and I rearranged our schedules so that we could spend the day together. After several hours of bargain hunting and trying on clothes, we decided to stop for lunch. After finishing the meal, we simultaneously reached in our purses to search for our lipsticks. “What shade is that you’re using?” I asked her. “Oh it’s ravishing something. I just love the way it makes my purse smell,” she said. As if on cue, she reached in her purse again and offered me a stick of spearmint gum. I just smiled. It must be in the genes. Happy Mother’s Day. ◆