400 The Life - February 2017

An ode to

2

ALMOST

Celebrating our TWO-year anniversary and the stories we've told

The historic Super Bowl loss that hits close to home

TWIN teachers with a lot in common

A COUPLE of coaches Peachtree Corners: DOUBLE the appetite

PLUS: A day in the life of a PAIR of first responders

When it’s your child, nothing’s more urgent.

When your pediatrician is unavailable, our Urgent Care Centers are open 7 days a week, including holidays. Because when they’re not feeling well, the last thing you want to do is wait.

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choa.org/urgentcare

from the

I

Editor

f you didn't catch it on the cover, this, the 13th issue, marks our second anniversary. You might not have even realized that you were picking up The Life — ­ 400 North, because, yes, we made some changes to celebrate the beginning of our third year. We wanted to modernize the magazine a little, so a retool of our name and logo were in order; enter 400 -­ The Life. But those won't be the only changes. Our staff has been bringining you stories in print for the past two years, but we are about to shift our focus to maximize the experience of our readers on the medium they use most often — online.

We'll still be bringing you a well-designed, well-written print magazine every other month, but we'll also be giving you the same visual user-experience on our website and social media platforms. So be sure to follow us on Facebook and Instagram and check out our website at forsythnews.com/400TheLife.

Oh! I almost forgot. This issue, of course, has some great stories. And they all have some connection to "two." The Falcons are on the cover, though, and I can't bring myself to talk too much about that right now; I still need time, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't check it out. Read on!

— Micah Green

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February • March 2017

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TABLE OF CONTENTS FEB/MAR

Seeing Double

10

Responding First

14

Our Two-Year Anniversary

17

COVER STORY: An Ode to Almost

20

Just a Couple of Coaches

24

Dining in Peachtree Corners

27

Events 30

17

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24 27

February • March 2017

CONTRIBUTORS Vince Johnson Publisher

MICAH GREEN Creative Director

Upcoming Shows Live in Central Park Revisited Ryan Garmon Advertising Director

Angie decker Graphic Designer

Simon & Garfunkel

February 25, 2017

Saturday | 3 PM & 8 PM

Chloe Agnew and Dermot Kiernan in

“ A St. Patrick’s Day Celebration”– Celtic Music

Kayla Robins Editor

Tracie Pike Production Manager

March 4, 2017

Saturday | 3 PM & 8 PM

Me & 4 Others “2017” March 10-11, 2017 Isabel Hughes Staff Writer

KELLY WHITMIRE Staff Writer

Friday & Saturday | 8 PM

Deep River - Cumming Playhouse Singers March 18, 2017 Saturday & Sunday | 3 PM

Michael Foster Sports Writer

Connor Kelly Advertising

A Patriotic Salute to American and our Armed Forces March 24 - April 2, 2017 Friday | 8 PM Saturday | 3 PM & 8 PM Sunday | 3 PM

cheri bullard

allison althauser

Advertising

Advertising

Facebook.com/400TheLife www.ForsythNews.com/400TheLife Advertising rates and deadlines available upon request.

Contact Ryan Garmon at (770) 205-8960 or rgarmon@forsythnews.com.

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February • March 2017

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A long-time member of the community, I moved to Cumming with my family from Portland, Maine in 1985. I later graduated from South Forsyth High School, and after graduating college, I moved back to Cumming and married my wife, Corrie, also a South Forsyth High School graduate. We love living in such a great community, and raising our two sons Caleb and Coleman here.

Even more so, I consider myself lucky to put my passion for Real Estate to work and help families purchase and sell homes in this county that we love. I have been invested in my Real Estate career for 14 years, and nothing gives me greater joy than working with people and helping them achieve their goals. I enjoy my career immensely, and I work hard for my clients.

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SEEING SEEING DOUBLE DOUBLE Ryan and Ross Wason have more in common than both being teachers in Forsyth County public schools. They have more in common than both having taught at Lambert High School at the same time. They even have more in common than being brothers. The twins have spent their lives both together and apart, developing similarities, differences and a knack for reading each other’s minds. Kind of.

Story by Kayla Robins Photos by Micah Green

T

hey both have a beard and glasses, styled the same.

Both are 36 years old, have two daughters and wear their Forsyth County Schools ID badge clipped to the same school polo. One has a longhorn on the top left corner. The other, a grizzly bear.

They’re the same, but they’re different. It’s a back and forth

February • March 2017

that Ross and Ryan Wason have experienced their whole lives – well, except for that first four minutes when Ross was the only son in the family. Five minutes, if you ask Ross, “for rounding errors.”

The Wason brothers are more than that. You can tell who’s who, especially when they’re standing next to each other, but

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Who is Ryan Wason?

• Chorus teacher at Lambert High School • Has also taught technical theater, acting, advanced drama, musical theater, music theory, AP music theory and orchestra at Lambert • His wife has a twin brother and six other sets of twins in her family

On their jobs: “We’re excited because we’re both getting the opportunity to thrive in positions we’ve wanted to do for a long time. I knew in high school I wanted to be a choral music educator, and you knew,” he said to Ross, “for a long time you wanted to be a teacher, and for you to transition into administration has been a goal of yours.”

On being a twin: “My first week down here, I was in the center of Cumming getting some paperwork for the county office. There was a woman who stopped at a traffic light, and she rolls down her window and goes, ‘Hi, how are you doing?’ I said, ‘I’m great, I think you meant to talk to my brother.’ And she says, ‘Oh.’ And the window goes up.”

On being born second: “Let’s just remember that I’m version 2.0 … the upgrade.”

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they look like more than just brothers.

“We’ve done things like getting our hair cut within a day of each other without having talked about it,” said Ross as he sits next to his twin in a teacher lounge at Lambert High School. He sits slightly more laid back in his chair than Ryan, mostly when he laughs at a jibe his brother makes or when he regales and anecdote about their past. Both have stories ready to tell, as if they’re both well-accustomed to talking about the fact that they’re twins. “We both took up golf pretty much around the same time, and when we went out and got our initial sets of clubs, we bought the same golf bag, just different colors. We both bought the exact same model of putter like within a month of each other.”

They didn’t share any stories about one breaking their arm and the other feeling it, but they did say people ask them if they can read each other’s minds.

“No,” Ross said, “but kind of.”

The similarities come with their share of positive and negative, like a constant ebb and flow of them trying to step closer together or individualize themselves.

Like in fourth grade when they tried to switch classes. “We were in fourth grade, so obviously we didn’t plan it very well,” Ross said. “Like I didn’t know where his seat was in class. I didn’t know his locker combination. And the kids in class were like go back to your class?”

They also struggled with creating their own identity as they grew up.

“Like we would try out for shows and for the same parts, and Ryan would get it because he was – air quotes – better than me. But I would struggle with that sometimes. I would look at it and say, ‘He’s the exact same thing as me.’ I would try to use that to my advantage. But then other times when I tried to be more of an individual, people would constantly try to associate him with me. And that’s really hard because I’m not him."

They actually spent a lot of time growing up near each other but separately, like parallels that never quite touch but also never veer off.

“I stuck a lot with chorus and theater and musical theater in high school. He branched out and did

Who is Ross Wason?

• Assistant principal at Piney Grove Middle School • Taught U.S history, world history, world geography and AP human geography at South Forsyth High School before moving to Lambert when the school opened to teach AP human geography • Was the first non-music major to be the student conductor of the men’s glee club at Miami University in Ohio

On being a twin: “People see twins as a novelty and it’s interesting and it’s different and it’s weird. Like, twin kids are cool, but like adult twins are weird. So when you see twins out in the community that are grown adults you’re like that’s off-putting sometimes.”

On how other people react to twins: “You try not to embarrass somebody because they think they’re legitimately talking to this person they know, but they’re not really.”

On other twins: Ryan and Ross grew up in Aurora, Ohio, a suburb of Cleveland that is next to the city of Twinsburg.

Twinsburg holds an annual Twins Day festival, and they went when they were kids. “I remember being freaked out there were so many twins.”

February • March 2017

“That time I invaded his campus” Ross was the student conductor of the Miami University men’s glee club – the first nonmusic major to do so in the club’s 100-year history.

Ryan: “I had been to a number of his concerts and gotten to know his conductor, being a student of choral music education, and one time I was like … can we have some fun with this twin thing?”

As Ross was walking off the risers, Ryan walked onto the stage.

Ross: “And none of the

guys in club knew it.

They had no idea. They saw me walking out on the stage as I’m coming down out of the singing group and everybody is just like, what? We kind of turned to each other, turned to the audience and turned to each other, and then we just shook hands and left.”

Ryan: “No, we didn’t shake hands. We played rock paper scissors.”

Ross: “That’s right.

Luckily, I won.”

Ryan: “Really luckily you won because I didn’t know the song.”

Ross: “Ah, it was great.”

more band and a couple more sports opportunities,” Ryan said. “We had a couple of the same friends, but we also had friends that were different. One of my favorite recollections from our first semester of college is we spent so much time trying to be different, when we came back home for our first break, we looked exactly the same.

Same hair, same face.”

Their worlds morphed into each other again in 2011 when Ryan got a job at Lambert as the choral teacher to help grow the program after the school opened with just one teacher for band and chorus. They worked at Lambert together, but separately – Ross taught AP human geography before becoming an assistant principal at Piney Grove Middle.

In all their time together and apart, they have come to terms with the idea that someone looks almost exactly like them but that they are their own person.

"To see the dichotomy between us is intriguing," Ryan said. "We both sing, we both have done theater in the past, we both play sports poorly. We both know how to laugh and, as you've seen here, be self-deprecating. I really admire how smart he is. And I know I can't do the job he does."

February • March 2017

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RESPONDING FIRST

Police officers and firefighters are seen everywhere. They're our local heroes. We pay for their lunches and thank them for their service.

But what do they do on a day-today basis? We spent a day with each to find out.

Story by Isabel Hughes

A day with...

Sgt. Gary Clark of the Forsyth County Sheriff's Office

Div. Chief Jason Shivers of the Forsyth County Fire Department

2:29 p.m.

1:40 p.m.

Forsyth County Sheriff's Office Deputy First Class Laura Hoek radios she is en route to a domestic disturbance, responding to dispatch, which has just radioed, “[Caller] is advising their 36-year-old son is somewhere in the house, he lives there, and they want him out.”

The location pops up on Sgt. Gary Clark’s computer; Hoek is one of his deputies.

At the scene, Hoek meets with the complainant – the father of the 36 year-old. He tells her he wants his son out, mainly because of his drinking and verbal threats.

Hoek cannot arrest the son, though – he has not physically harmed his parents, and deputies cannot evict him. That’s a process the homeowners must go through, which Hoek explains.

While Hoek is outside speaking with the complainant, a next door neighbor walks up, asking Hoek if she can look into possible identity theft.

Hoek tells her she will come over when she’s done with the domestic incident – not an unusual call for deputies.

She gives the father information on how to evict someone, takes down his information and calls the son’s probation officer.

She’s done as much as she can as a law enforcement officer and leaves, making her way next door.

A lot of times, this is what a deputy’s day consists of — responding to calls that don’t necessarily qualify as crime but still fall under the

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Dispatch comes over the radio, “Vickery Creek Elementary for a medical emergency, Engine 2, Med 2, cross street of Dressage Crossing, 6280 Post Road.”

Two minutes later, more information comes through: “Engine 2, Med 2, you’re responding to an 8-year-old child with difficulty breathing. They are administering Albuterol at this time.”

Within minutes, firefighters are on their way to the school — medical calls are the most frequent for Forsyth County firefighters.

Nearly all department personnel are trained as emergency medical technicians (EMTs), a step up from the most basic emergency medical certification of first responder.

Though other counties have different policies, Forsyth requires its firefighters to spend the last 18 weeks of fire training — a 34-week program total — in EMT certification. About eight of every 10 calls fire receives has something to do with the human body, according to Jason Shivers, division chief of technical services.

“There are three tiers of recognized emergency medical certification,” he says. “The lowest tier is called first responder and it’s the most basic level of medical training that’s not much more aggressive than a ramped-up Boy Scout first aid program.

“Then there’s EMT, which we train to now in the fire recruit program, and then there’s paramedic, which is a whole other level [that] allows you to do a lot more invasive procedures, use a lot more medications, do a lot of cardiac work.”

February • March 2017

February • March 2017

FORS YTH C

Because the fire department doesn’t transport patients – they contract with a private company for that – it doesn’t require paramedic training.

However, to keep EMT and other fire certification, personnel must go through 240 hours of training yearly, not including training for other specialties.

This means a firefighter’s day is always busy, beginning at 7 a.m., or 0700 hours, and going until around 8 p.m., or 2000 hours.

After 8 p.m., the firefighters can sleep, though it can be hard with the station noise.

They work for 24 hour shifts, every third day, and when they’re home, they’re expected to rest, to be ready for the next shift.

It’s not an easy job, and the men and women wear a lot of hats. They’re medics, they’re community leaders, they’re heroes, they’re spouses, they’re teachers and they’re family to one another.

Firefighters must be alert and prepared to respond at all times, even when they’re not fighting fires. Though their job is to fight fire, in 2015, less than five percent of responses were actually to fires, the overwhelming majority – 54.95 percent – medical calls.

They respond to crashes and carbon monoxide alarms, gas leaks and smoke investigations.

They hold fundraisers and toy drives and offer school programs for children.

And then they respond to another medical call, and another.

For 24 hours, even when resting, the life of a firefighter never stops.

Emergency doesn’t stop; neither do they – that’s a day in the life of a firefighter.

NEWS | FORSY NTY TH OU

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scope of law enforcement.

“We have one hat the [sheriff ’s office] gives us,” Deputy Jon Beival says.

“But I will tell you, we have many different invisible hats that we wear. We are social workers, counselors, babysitters, shoulders to cry on, preachers … a lot of things the public doesn’t realize.”

What the public does see is Clark using his Taser on a man suspected of felony shoplifting later that day.

A call comes in from dispatch that the Cumming Police Department is looking for a suspect accused of felony shoplifting from the Walmart on Market Place Boulevard.

Over the radio, Clark is given the suspect’s description: a white male wearing a gray hoodie with blond hair and a goatee.

It's 4:11 p.m. Clark turns onto Buford Dam Road, where a male matching the description is walking with his head down. “Is that him?” Clark asks, adding a few seconds later, “That looks like him.”

He pulls onto a median and rolls down his window.

“Hold up Boss, what’s up?” he asks the male, who quickens his pace and begins to run when Clark opens his door.

Clark is now yelling “stop right there,” but the man continues to run, putting his hands in his pockets as he flees.

Based on the situation and not knowing if the suspect is reaching for a weapon, Clark pulls out his Taser and discharges it — the probes hit the suspect in the upper left shoulder on his back and on his right ankle.

Immediately, the sus-

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pect goes down, cutting his chin on the pavement — he’s just been shocked with up to 50,000 volts of electricity.

Clark tells him get on his belly, to which the suspect complies but refuses to show his left hand, which is hidden under his stomach.

By then, other deputies arrive and help Clark pull the suspect’s hands out from under him and handcuff him.

Because of the gash on his chin, EMS is called to the scene. He will be taken to Northside Hospital-Forsyth, where he will likely get stitches. Then he’ll be transferred to jail.

This is not a typical day for deputies; while they do fight crime, they work traffic accidents, respond to nonemergency calls, patrol neighborhoods and shopping centers and interact with the community.

For 12 hours, they are on the move, wearing their many invisible hats. But they have to be always ready for anything – that’s a day in the life of a deputy.

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Photo by Isabel Hughes

A shoplifting suspect awaits transfer to the Forsyth County Jail after attempting to flee from deputies.

February • March 2017

Two years and counting Looking back at The Life — ­ where we have been and what we have seen Story by Kelly Whitmire Photo by Micah Green

February • March 2017

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I

t may be hard to believe, but the Life 400 North is turning 2, and, like any toddler, is finding its voice and chasing anything that looks interesting.

In February 2015, the staff of the Forsyth County News debuted The Life-400 North as a lifestyle magazine covering the Ga. 400 corridor north of Atlanta, one of the most of affluent and rapidly growing areas in the country.

That first issue featured developer Lamar Wakefield, of Alpharetta's Wakefield Beasley and Associates, on the cover and alongside partner John Beasley as the first featured article. The pair discussed the company's projects, including Alpharetta's Avalon, a live-work-play development, and SunTrust Park, new home to the Atlanta Braves.

If fact, all six stories from that first issue featured Forsyth County or adjacent areas,

though the magazine has since Restaurants in five cities and ventured all along the corridor. three counties have been feaIn the two years, The Life- tured in The Life-400 North, 400 North has featured gold as have food trucks, breweries, medal winning Paralympian recipes and restaurant owners.

McKenzie Coan, NBC's The The Life-400 North has also Voice contestant Riley kept up with changes to the Biederer and first-hand stories area, including an in-depth from trips to Cuba and Nigeria. look at what the future of At other times, the magazine Forsyth could look like, proas focused on the natural ame- grams that are fighting homenities around Ga. 400, includ- lessness, the leaders at Forsyth ing swimming holes on the County schools and new Chattahoochee River, where to robotic-assisted surgery at fish ­— and eat — on Lake Northside Hospital-Forsyth, Lanier and the national parks which won an Associated in our backyard.

Press award for its photograIt would be impossible to phy. cover lifestyle along Ga. 400 Sports have also been a without mentioning the focus — The Life has spoken numerous restaurants, big and to local orthodontist Mark small, that might bring Causey about his days playing more outbasketball for Duke siders to University, has prothe area filed Ed THE than anything 400 NO RTH else.

LIFE

LIFE THE

BEST SEC KEPT Swimm RET ing ho st

400 NORTH

udents

5

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of a kind

A device in Forsyth could change the world of autism

Mangan’s work maintaining the Braves’ Turner Field and SunTrust Park and has featured 28 high school athletes' pictures.

The magazine has coincided with some of the largest growth in the area, including the addition of Forsyth’s own live-work-play development, Halcyon, which is set to open in spring 2018.

Since the first issue, a new lane has been added Ga. 400 from Exit 12 to Exit 14, the first step in a project that will bring an additional lane to both sides of the road from the county line to a new interchange at what is now an intersection with Hwy. 369.

With so much covered, it is hard to believe it’s been two years since the first issue of The Life 400 North.

But that’s nothing compared to where we’re going.

LIFE

DRIV G FORIN CE

H 400 NORT

Beard en's p lan to keep Fo Schoo rsyth Coun ls ahea ty d

LIFE THE

le togeth brings er

400 NORTH

EASY LAND FALL FIXE SCAPING S

Farew the F

Fine Thai Nahm’s new take on old cuisine in Alpharetta

THE

LIFE

HGTV’s Chip Wade GROWING FROM HOME

last seas e Braves’ During th th resident Ed M and Forsy their vegg

400 NORTH

LIFE

with Riley Biederer

Inside: Lambert baseball player faces million dollar decision | A night out in Roswell

400 NORTH

LIFE

to love ching kids

Inside: Tea

BIG VOICE BIGGER DREAMS Behind the scenes

THE

THE

THE

LIFE

400 NORTH

BUILDING ATLANTA The team behind The Avalon, Braves Village & more

400 NORTH

MAJOR PLAY Area lead weigh in oners the sectors that have shaped 400 Nor th

Cooking up success All in the acting family

2015

The Lintz kids are grabbing big roles on the big screen

ary u r Feb 18

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Local teach er leads culinary team to national stage

Spring Flavors

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Growing pedigree

Baseball talent abounds in the ’burb of Metro Atlan s ta

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North Atlanta groups work together to curb homelessness Inside: Causey’s days with Duke Basketball | Two weeks in Nigeria

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February • March 2017

400 by the numbers

13 8 2 59 5 28

Growing together and depending on each other.

issues of The Life-400 North have been published since February 2015.

individuals have been the solo person featured on magazine covers

stories from foreign countries original stories have been reported

cities featured in restaurant reviews local athletes have had portraits featured in sports galleries

LIFE THE

400 NORTH

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MEDAL TESTED

Rio ‘16 Paralympian returns to Cumming

well to Field

director e Ted, field son at Th les two stadiums. gg ld Mangan ju save the wor

how keeping and ggies | Bee

to

CREEKSIDE MOPS

Tailgating with the pros Inside: The Natio

nal Park Serv ice celebrates

100 years | A

fresh taste, or

CONSIGNMENT

THE

two, on Sout h Main St. in

LIFE

Alpharetta

400 NORTH

THE

LIFE 400 NORTH

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THE

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GIVING EXOTIC ANIMALS A SECOND CHANCE

DAY ON

AKE ANIER

Driving the Movement

FUTURE

HEALING YOGA helping kids concentrate without medicine

Resolutions: There’s an app for that Food & Diet: He won’t know it’s Paleo Quiz: How was your 2016?

OF

FORSYTH education healthcare community

The SEC Referee | Bold Predictions | Tailgate Cocktails

President Trump: An afternoon with ‘The Donald’ A few days in Camagüey, Cuba

Dawn Hall has grown the food truck trend in metro Atlanta despite her share of adversity.

And she is nowhere near finished.

ne Ju

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2017 ust g Au

February • March 2017

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An ode to

ALMOST

(...again)

A look back at training camp with the Atlanta Falcons and thoughts from a life-long fan on the historic Super Bowl loss.

Story by Kelly Whitmire Photos by Micah Green

I

n a c i t y k n ow n f o r i t s unlucky and dark days of professional sports, Atlanta may have just experienced the darkest and unluckiest day yet.

After leading by 25 points and having the Atlanta Falcon’s first Super Bowl victory within reach, the Dirty Birds lost Super Bowl LI due to the late game heroics of New England

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February • March 2017

Patriot Tom Brady, who was able to secure the Super Bowl’s first overtime victory.

If that seems like a scant d e s c r i p t i o n , i t ’s a b o u t a l l Falcons fans need to read. Or write.

In the 1960s, Atlanta became home to three major sports f r a n c h i s e s a s t h e M L B ’s Milwaukee Braves and NBA’s St. Louis Hawks relocated and the NFL offered the city an expansion team in the Falcons.

Since then, the city has a lone championship: the Braves' 1995 World Series.

Sure, there have been other close calls. The Braves made it to the World Series four other times in the '90s and the Falcons played against Hall of Famer John Elway in Super Bowl XXXIII, but none had the excitement and anticipation of this year’s Big Game. Though it is possible the memory has faded.

Don’t let this feel like pity party. Atlanta’s been burned to the ground before. She’ll survive losing a football game.

For two weeks this year after the Falcons trounced the Green Bay Packers 44-21 to win the NFC Championship, the city was electric. Fans flew flags

February • March 2017

Above: Matt Ryan fields questions from media after practice. Left: Alex Mack dries his head.

Bottom right: Matt Ry a n a n d o w n e r Arthur Blank speak in between reps.

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from cars, decorated yards and even temporarily changed the name of businesses in anticipation of the game. That’s passion a loss isn’t going to take away.

With the pain still lingering from the defeat, it’s easy to forget the Falcons' previous two season records of 6-10 and 8-8, that they are a young team or that Dan Quinn brought the team to a place they’d only been once in half a century in his second year as head coach.

Like the city they represent, the Falcons are on the rise.

"Doesn’t mean [the pain is] going to go away, but it does mean I understand what we’re about. I understand what we’re looking for going ahead. That’s why I feel like we’re just kind of getting rolling here. That fires me up too,” Quinn said in his first press conference fol-

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February • March 2017

lowing the loss, later adding, “The foundation has been built.

We're not backing off that one bit.”

It appears his players are already taking notice.

“There’s a lot of good things here,” running back Devonta Freeman said on the team’s social media page. “You might not believe me, but I'm already excited about next year.”

Quarterback Matt Ryan, whose MVP award was a first for the Falcons, shared the sentiment on his own page.

“We came up short last night and my heart hurts for you Atlanta,” he wrote. “Hats off to New England they played a heck of a game. We will adapt, we will overcome, we will #RiseUp again.”

So here is to almost, because in Atlanta, it’s not about how hard or far you fall; it’s about how you Rise Up.

Opposite top left: A portrait of Matt Ryan following practice in Flowery Branch, Ga. Opposite center: Ryan breaks a huddle during offensi ve reps.

Linemen stand on the sidelines during skill drills.

Right: Julio Jones lines up to run a route. Bottom: Devonta Freeman makes a catch in stride.

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Just a couple of coaches “I always used to tell people the only way I’d find someone is if they were between the bleachers."

STORY BY MICHAEL FOSTER PHOTOS BY MICAH GREEN

W

hen Frederick Hurt was announced as West Forsyth High’s boys basketball coach last spring, the name likely rang a bell for hoops fans in the county — especially at Forsyth Central, where the Lady Bulldogs were led on the hardwood by Angela Hurt.

It’s no coincidence. While they coach at separate schools, the two Hurts uniquely bond the Wolverines and Bulldogs by marriage.

This season was a tough one on the floor for both of them — West went 5-22, Central just 1-23. But both coaches know a thing or two about building from the ground up and stay-

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ing patient. Angela, a former Georgia State player, took over Alpharetta’s program when the school opened in 2004 and led the Lady Raiders to a 2012 region title and three state tournament appearances; Frederick turned the boy's team into a state semifinalist in 2012, quarterfinalist in 2015 and won region titles in 2014 and 2015.

Yes, their success at Alpharetta was harmonious — it was also an improbable one-two combination to begin with.

Before the duo shared nearby offices, got married, had kids and moved to Forsyth County five years ago, they were complete strangers at an Indiana February • March 2017

Jones-themed interactive more years removed from ers took an opportunity to show at Disney World. being a contender, had taken find out the availability of Before that show, they a liking to her and, as Angela Frederick. The window was were two coaches who had admits, an interest in her love only opened because Angela trouble focusing on anything life. had volunteered to particibut basketball.

So when the players start- pate in the show, leaving her “You could say I was mar- ed talking basketball back seat temporarily. ried to the game of basket- and forth while waiting for After the event, Angela ball,” Frederick said. “We the Indiana Jones show to raced to catch up to some both were, really.” begin, one of Angela’s play- players who took off through Angela followed: “I always used to tell people the only way I’d find someone is if they were between the bleachers.

Even then I’m usually too busy for stuff like that,” she laughed.

Angela was in her third season with the Lady Raiders as head coach when the team took the trip to Disney World for a basketball tournament; the benefit of the trip was the ability to use some free time to take in some of the parks. Her team, despite Fredrick and Angela Hurt joke with each other in Angela's office being young and a few ing a photo shoot at Forsyth Central High School.

the crowd. They had chased down Frederick to get his number.

“They said, ‘Coach, he was single,'” Angela said.

“Next thing I know I’m embarrassed, just trying to get the girls to move on, but I figured well, since I’m there I might as well introduce myself. We found out we were in the same tournament and kept in touch.”

T h e m a t c h wa s made.

From then on, the two coaches spent time driving to and from the north Atlanta area and L ex i n g t o n , N o r t h Carolina, where Frederick coached at North Davidson High School.

“We’d swap full rides one way or the other. Met at a bunch dur- of different places.

We’d make sure to go

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On this page: Hartley Hurt leans in to hear what her mom and dad have to say to their teams during games this season.

to the same coaching clinics in the offseason so we could see each other,” Frederick said.

In just a year’s time, the basketball coaching couple decided to take a serious step in their relationship, so Frederick took a leap of faith, resigning from his position at North Davidson and moving to the north Atlanta suburbs.

“The thing is, I didn’t have a job right away. I had to search far and wide for one,” Frederick said.

Coincidentally, a position opened at Alpharetta, where Angela was already coaching, so Frederick took up a position as a special education social studies teacher. That position did not include coaching. There were questions about how much longer he’d spend off the court.

However, within a year, Hurt parlayed himself a position with the boys' basketball program. He coached eight seasons, with great success, while also marrying Angela and having two children — Hartley, now 5, and Tatum, about to turn 2.

The life of the Hurts is now as harmonious as one would think. Both are

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balancing life as parents as well as trying to bring programs in Forsyth County to prominence.

“It’s busy,” Angela said. “One of us will usually have a time window to pick up the kids, the other will be coaching practice. Hartley has pretty much been in a gym her entire life so far. It’s a challenge, but it’s fun.”

Angela also contends that basketball talk is few and far between when they get home.

“It becomes family time at that point,” she said. “Before we had kids we’d definitely come home and bounce things back and forth, but it’s really now just about having that time and kind of getting our minds off the game for a while.

“Frederick might be a little different. He was saying the other night about how proud of our team he was, talking about how much w e h a d improved since the start of the

year.”

It is true that Frederick will put time into the other program, as well.

“There was a game when we were dating, it was their last home game of the season and on a Saturday. We didn’t have Saturday games in North Carolina, so I hopped in the car and drove down to surprise her after the contest. She had no idea I was coming.”

February • March 2017

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Dining for two diets Double the choices in Peachtree Corners

Story by Kayla Robins Photos by Micah Green

T

wo years is still brand new, but think about how much you can eat in that long. We’ve visited cities all along the 400 north corridor, finding rustic, historic downtown destinations in staples like Roswell and Alpharetta.

We’ve talked to restaurant owners and given you itineraries that can fill an entire weekend of fine dining.

Venturing farther off Ga. 400 than we have before to explore the food around us, we visited somewhere that’s also brand new to the area, comparatively. Peachtree Corners was officially incorporated on July 1, 2012 as Gwinnett County’s newest city. Much of Gwinnett is urban sprawl,

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which can be overwhelming as a visitor to figure out where to go.

We found two unassuming restaurants. One is in a strip mall and the other is in an outdoor shopping mall.

Neither sacrifices quality nor atmosphere for space.

Restaurants have come a long way in expanding menus to cater to health trends and dietary restrictions, but it still helps to know exactly which eateries are inclined to variety.

Knowing not everyone wants or can have the same thing, we sampled two vegetarian dishes and two meat menu items at each location.

Whether you share or stick to your own, all of these meals are worth a try.

Grace 1720 Cuisine: American Continental 5155 Peachtree Parkway, Suite 320 Nestled among the European-style shops and boutiques at The Forum on Peachtree Parkway, Grace 1720 is pitched as an “upscale comfortable” restaurant that combines classic and contemporary for an open, relaxing experience. The light-colored walls inside and white linen tables offer a romantic, inviting space that opens up to a stonelined patio with a fireplace and soft lighting.

For the meat and seafood lover, dishes range from chicken, steak and scallops to duck, pork chop, lobster, salmon and lamb.

The menu also offers a handful of dishes that are vegetarian, vegan and gluten free, and their “clean menu” has fresh juices, meat-free sides and wellness teas that can be served hot or chilled.

Meat/seafood

Vegetarian/vegan

Pan Roasted Organic Chicken Breast, with baked bleu cheese macaroni, green beans and sweet and sour bacon sauce

Basil & Parmesan Cream Pappardelle, with baby tomatoes, basil, balsamic reduction and shaved parmesan

Seared Diver Scallops, with cilantro jasmine rice and pineapple chimichurri

Braised Portobello Burger, with eggplant, garlic, onion, sub dried tomato, sambal and basil oil

February • March 2017

Ten Bistro Cuisine: New American 5005 Peachtree Parkway, Suite 820

The Berkshire Pork Chop (submitted), above, and the Basil & Parmesan Cream Pappardelle, below at Grace 1720.

Do not judge this restaurant from the outside. The patio out front is quaint and comfortable, but the appeal of the locally owned and sourced eatery is its ambiance.

Paintings hang from almost every open wall space and are leaned on every window sill and empty surface. Glass Chihuly-type pieces hang from the ceiling and lights and even inspire the chef’s plating. The pillows in the booths and wood tables are calming, as if you’re in a friend’s house or your own home instead of just off the bustling Peachtree Parkway.

There’s something for everyone here, from fried green tomatoes and coconut ginger mussels to dinner-sized salads, pasta, steak, burgers and sandwiches.

Even when choosing a meat dish, the ingredients are locally sourced when possible, including organic eggs, chicken and cream milk.

Meat/seafood

The Brazilian, grilled flat iron steak over black beans and rice, pico de gallo, braised kale, caramelized onions, over-easy egg, salsa verde and tortilla strips (gluten free) Ocean Drive, nori panko-crusted fresh catch with sweet potato ginger mash, wasabi butter, soy glaze and green beans

Vegetarian

The Voyager, grilled asparagus, zucchini, wild mushrooms, roasted beets, kale, caramelized onions, squash, root vegetables served over quinoa (gluten free) Club Med Salad, with mini veggieblack bean cakes, goat cheese, cucumber, garbanzo beans, red and yellow tomato, red onion, bell peppers, micro greens and Dijon lemonette dressing

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Festivals & Events...

Would you like to submit an event to be considered for 400 The Life Things To Do? Email us at: events@forsythnews.com. Please type “Things To Do...” in the subject line.

Shamrockin’ For A Cure March 25th | 7pm ShamRockin’ for a Cure returns to rock your night with great food, amazing bands, and of course dancing. Come eat, drink and help cure Cystic Fibrosis with a night filled with music that will rock the Verizon stage while attendees dance the night away. Regular tickets include food, beer, wine, cocktails and giveaways. The exciting live and silent auctions will be packed with something for everyone-trips, dining, adventure, jewelry, gift certificates and a raffle.

Verizon Amphiteatre | 2200 Encore Parkway | Alpharetta, GA shamrockinforacure.com

Park Tavern

14th Annual Oyster Crawfish Festival with Cowboy Mouth March 4th For the past 13 years, thousands have gathered for Oyster Crawfish Festival at Park Tavern. Music kicks off at 2pm. Oyster Crawfish Festival combines the best of New Orleans with oysters, crawfish, and your favorite beverages to provide you a day of Music, Food, & Entertainment.

Opening bands: Gurufish 3 - 3:45pm Atlanta Brass Connections 4:15-5:15pm Headliner: Cowboy Mouth 6 -7:30pm DJ starts at 7:30pm Cost: $15

Gibbs Gardens

Luck of Avalon

From March 1 to mid - April, view over 20 Million Daffodils, covering 50 acres.

March 17th 6pm - 10pm

A spectacular display, there are 100 varieties, ranging in color from primroseyellow to yellow, saffron, gold, orange, blush pink, white and cream. Visit every few weeks to see early, mid and late season varieties. As one group finishes, another begins blooming.

Gibbs Gardens | Ball Ground, GA GibbsGardens.com

Park Tavern 500 10th St NE | Atlanta, Georgia ParkTavern.com

Calling all Lads and Lassies! Join us as we celebrate St. Patrick’s Day at our third annual Luck of Avalon. Enjoy an evening full of live music, dancing, Irish flair, and of course, green beer!

Follow all the action and join in the conversation with #LuckOfAvalon.

Avalon | Alpharetta, GA ExperienceAvalon.com

Georgia Mountain Fairgrounds March 7th | 7pm ZZ Top in Concert | Cost: $75 plus $2 handling fee March 11th | 7pm Wynonna Judd & The Big Noise | Cost: $43 & $33 includes fee March 25th | 7pm Mercy Me & Jasmine Murray | Cost: $45 plus $2 handling fee

Cherry Blossom Festival March 25th & 26th Our festival brings together the community and shows visitors what is special about Brookhaven. Crowds are estimated to be more than 15,000 over the course of two days.

Activities include a Pet World, Pet Costume Contest and Pet Parade, Children’s Village, Classic Car Show, 5K Race + 1K Walk, Arts and Crafts Marketplace and more.

In 2014 the City of Brookhaven planted 240 Yoshino and Kwanzan Cherry Trees in Blackburn Park. The official tree of Brookhaven, the Cherry Tree is a symbol of peace and goodwill.

Blackburn Park | Brookhaven, Georgia brookcherryfest.org

Georgia Mountain Fairgrounds | Hiawassee, GA georgiamountainfairgrounds.com

2017 Suwanee Beer Fest March 18th | 1pm-5pm The 7th Annual Suwanee Beer Fest is recognized as one of the biggest and best craft beer festival in the Southeast and attracts people from all over the country to claim their share of unlimited tastings of over 350 craft beers. Named “Best Festival in Gwinnett” by Gwinnett Daily Post Reader’s Choice Awards for the past three years running, the event offers live music, games, local food vendors and a home brew contest in Suwanee Town Center Park.

Suwanee Town Center | 330 Town Center Ave. | Suwanee, GA suwanee.com

Roswell Beer Festival March 25th | 2pm - 6pm Over 300 Craft Beers, Food & Live Music. Event proceeds support at-risk youth in North Fulton. The Roswell Beer Festival benefiting STAR House Foundation is the ONLY Beer Festival in the Southeast organized and managed by a non-profit.

Roswell Town Square | Roswell, GA visitroswellga.com

We cater to people who love delicious food.

Since 1988, Chef Kern has offered creative full-service catering to groups of 15 to 3,000 in Atlanta and North Georgia with all natural cuisine options that are both tasty and healthy—from Italian to Southwestern, from Southern classics to authentic Cajun delights. Whether cooked fresh on-site minutes before dining or packaged for convenient pick up, our fine food is always impressively delicious. Check out our vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options too.