Life 400 North - August 2016 by Forsyth County News

THE

LIFE 400 NORTH

THE

FUTURE OF

FORSYTH education healthcare community

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from the

Editor

ast month, I attended a tour of renovations of two new schools in the Forsyth County School system. The schools look fantastic, but it was a piece of information I picked up that really stuck with me. I overheard some administrators talking about how the FCS is expected to surpass the Atlanta Public Schools in terms of population in the next three to five years. This absolutely astonished me. I’m not a native to this area, but I’ve been working here long enough to know that the county is and has been growing at an unprecedented rate, but something about comparing APS to FCS really made the information hit home. So it got us thinking even further in the future. What will Forsyth County as a whole look like in 10, 15 or even 20 years? Of course, there are few ways to answer this without a lot of guess work, but we thought we would give it a shot, and we think we have some pretty bold predictions. Of course, that’s not all we have in this issue. We also spoke with a local veteran SEC referee getting ready for the holy season and sat in the passenger seat with some of the area’s youngest drivers, along with a few other stories. So take us to the porch (while you can still enjoy it), and check out the stories happening all around you on 400 North.

— Micah Green

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August • September 2016

TABLE OF CONTENTS AUG//SEPT Racing with Purpose

The Right Call

The Future of Forsyth

Summer Festival Photos

Hitting the Barre

Tailgating Cocktails

Events

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August • September 2016

CONTRIBUTORS Vince Johnson Publisher

MICAH GREEN

Ryan Garmon Advertising Director

Angie decker Graphic Designer

Kayla Robins Editor

Tracie Pike Production Manager

The Cumming Playhouse proudly presents...

Creative Director

Smoke On The Mountain September 22 - October 16, 2016 Thurs, Fri, Sat 8:00pm & Sun 3:00pm Matinee

Upcoming Shows Isabel Hughes Staff Writer

KELLY WHITMIRE Staff Writer

Classic Nashville Roadshow Starring Jason Petty & Katie Deal

August 27, 2016

3PM & 8PM | Saturday

Brian Paglia Sports Editor

Connor Kelly Advertising Banks & Shane

Atlanta’s Entertainment Tradition

October 22, 2016

3PM & 8PM | Saturday

Quebe Sisters

Texas Swing Fiddle Music

October 29, 2016

3PM & 8PM | Saturday

cheri bullard

allison althauser

Advertising

Facebook.com/TheLife400 Twitter.com/TheLife400 Advertising rates and deadlines available upon request. Contact Ryan Garmon at (770) 205-8960 or rgarmon@forsythnews.com.

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For a complete listing of shows or to purchase tickets, visit

www.playhousecumming.com 101 School Street Cumming, GA 30041

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August • September 2016

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August • September 2016

RACING WITH PURPOSE The North Georgia Quarter Midget Association is doing more than teaching the fundamentals. Story and photos by Micah Green

t is barely 11 a.m., but the morning coolness has long faded, replaced by a scorching, humid heat. Trailers and trucks dot the grassy hills that sit behind Lanier National Speedway, the 0.375-mile race track in Braselton that, as of late, has been hosting local drag races but in its heyday was under NASCAR’s Whelen All-American Series. The racers working out of and around the trailers on this particular July Saturday aren’t here to race on the big track though. They’re all here for the smaller oval track, just up the hill. The track only runs about 1/20 of a mile, but it doesn’t need

Center: Kelli Hammonds poses next to her car. August • September 2016

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to be much bigger. After all, some of the racers are only 5 years old. Right now, the track is quiet but there is a buzz around the trailers. Kids are everywhere this early afternoon, but they’re not just running around and goofing off (though there is some of that, too.) Most are next to their cars, working diligently beside their fathers, mothers, sisters or brothers. Turning wrenches, sanding down tires, replacing nuts and bolts, all with an ease and deliberateness that makes it look like they were born doing it. Up in the press box, Toby Hammonds, a self-proclaimed “local announcer guy” and father of a driver, escapes the heat between heats. His daughter, 16-yearold Kelli, a seasoned veteran of this event, has been racing for seven years or so. “[Quarter Midget] racing is unlike any racing above this level,” Hammonds says. The sport puts children as young as 5 and as old as 16 behind the wheel, driving at speeds upwards of 40-50 miles per hour, in cars resembling souped-up gokarts with roll cages. Jeff Gordon did it. Joey Logano did it. But it’s not just the age of the driver or the size of the car that sets this level of racing apart, according to Toby. “On the race track, when we are racing, if something happens to my daughter’s car, all the other fathers, the competitors, pitch in to help

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get my car repaired and back on the track to race their kid,” Toby says. “We call it a racing family, and we will do anything for each other.” Although Quarter Midget racing is relatively popular among racing classes in the United States, the regional groups that compete with each other are tight knit communities. The Hammonds compete in the Southeast Regional Series that includes races as far east as Nashville. Luckily for the Hammonds and the rest of the North Georgia Quarter Midget Association members, there are two tracks in Georgia: one in Braselton and one in Cumming. Last year, Kelli competed in over 30 races. “I’ve always been consumed with this sport, but last year was kind of a struggle; it was hard because it

was so much,” she says, adding that a lot of times at the end of long days she questions why she is putting her family through this. “We are sweating our butts off, sometimes they are about to pass out, then we end up in this bad hotel; I mean it’s so stressful, but it’s a stress that I love, it’s something that motivates me and pushes me … I wouldn’t trade it for the world.”

Neither would her family, according to Toby. “It really is the glue that seems to hold the family together,” he says. “It grows your bond and straightens it, and it opens up lines of communication; I’m telling you this racing thing, it teaches life lessons.” Aside from the racing jumpsuit she is wearing, Kelli Hammonds comes off as your average 16-year-old

August • September 2016

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girl. Giddy but sincere, unsure but positive. She doesn’t remember her first race, but she does remember the first time she got in a car to practice. She was 9 years old. “Lord, I was scared,” Kelli says, laughing. “I almost hit my dad and someone else who was out there to help out.” The 16-year-old Kelli disappears after this sentence for a minute, and in her place a much more mature Kelli emerges. “The lessons I learn here I use on and off the track the way I react to things emotionally, and I just feel like I take things in stride better,” she says. “I think this sport has really changed who I am and my way of thinking.” Toby can’t ignore the maturity he sees in his daughter now either. Not that he would want to. His once timid 9-year-old has grown leaps and bounds mentally, and Toby says he owes a lot of that to racing. Of course, every parent sees good things in their kids, but Toby also gets to see Kelli through different eyes: the eyes of the other younger drivers who look up to Kelli. “Her little nickname is Hot Sauce,” Toby says. “It’s just been so cool to see her become sort of a role model.” But all that will soon come to an end. This is Kelli’s last year racing Quarter Midgets; she has decided to focus on getting into college. “It’s a really hard topic,” she says, fighting back tears. “The fact that in a few months, I’ll have my last race, I’m not going to get back into the car; this will be somebody else’s, most likely a rookie or something, and I’m going have to watch that. That’s going to be hard.” Next year will definitely be different than the last seven for the Hammonds family, but Toby doesn’t see it as the end of racing for them. “We meet new people at every single race we go to now,” Toby says. “We sell the sport to them, too, and consider ourselves ambassadors to the sport. “When I came in people helped me, so on my way out, I need to pay that forward.” If you’d like to find out more about the North Georgia Quarter Midget Association please visit www.ngqma.com

To get a closer look inside the North Georgia Quarter Midget Association, check out Episode 2 of our video series online at www.forsythnews.com/multimedia August • September 2016

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August • September 2016

THE RIGHT CALL

Forsyth County’s Gus Morris finds passion as an SEC football official

Story by Brian Paglia

us Morris is the name I would pick for a college football official. It is simple and certain, just like the South. Morris looks how I would pick a 57-year-old college football official in the twilight of his career to look: 6-foot-3ish, barrel-chested, handsome weathered face, short salt-and-pepper hair but still running sprints and flipping tires like the young ones. And Morris’ house is where I would pick a college football official’s to be: tucked down a gravel road at the end of a cul de sac in west Forsyth County, far away from the vitriol on the internet message boards and in the stands on Saturdays in the fall. That is where I find Morris on a recent Wednesday afternoon. He’s in between work at his auto shop, PRISM Automotive Services, and a workout with his private trainer at Forsyth Central High School. Morris is usually in motion in the fall, between working at PRISM, sweating it with his trainer and driving or flying off to some cathedral of college football. The college football season begins August 26. Life is about to speed up again. He’s talked about this weekend job for the last 12 years or so at Rotary Clubs and the like. They love to hear 25 years’ worth of stories about the most memorable players and coaches, the best calls and worst ones, the big games and yawners. But what Morris will tell them is that the job doesn’t begin and end with the season. “People think we just show up,” Morris said. “They don’t understand everything that goes on. It’s almost 12 months out of the year.” Morris might have thought that, too, years ago. Born and raised in Atlanta, he loved football growing up. He played it at The Marist School in the late ‘60s and early ‘70s, then at Millsaps College in Jackson, August • September 2016

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Mississippi. After graduation, he took a job with UPS but eventually moved back to Atlanta to work on a master’s degree. He stopped after a year to raise a family. One day, a friend visited him at work, and Morris noticed a blackand-white stripe shirt in his friend’s truck. He was on his way to a high school football official’s association meeting, and he invited Morris along. “It was the right association, it was the right leadership, it was the right guidance, it was the right teaching, it was the right critique and encouragement and everything else,” Morris said. The first assignment was a middle school football game at Marietta High School, and Morris soon realized his experience as a football player was hardly an advantage in being a good official. The game looked much different without a facemask on. But Morris also felt something during that first assignment. He’d made just $17, but he didn’t care. “I thought, man, I think I can do this,” Morris said. “That was fun.” Morris worked his first high school football game a year a half later when another official was out with an injury – Stone Mountain against Southwest DeKalb at thenPanthersville Stadium. After another year or two, members of his officials association encouraged him to consider trying to get to the college level. “At that point, I almost owed it to them to at least try it,” Morris said. So he joined the College Football

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Morris’ office at PRISM Automotive in Cumming, is lined with programs and autographed photos from memorable games he has officiated.

Officials Association (CFOA) in 1988, working his way up from the bottom. The first games weren’t glamourous: Central Florida, Georgia Southwestern, Samford, Western Kentucky. The highlight was a trip to Huntington, West Virginia in his second year to work Georgia Southern at Marshall on ESPN. He got paid $200. The travel cost $450. “It was an opportunity,” Morris said, “and I had to try to make the most of it.” Two years later, the SEC’s coordinator of officials asked Morris to submit an application. He got an interview, but he was told he wasn’t ready. “He was right,” Morris said.

“You’re dealing with a lot more than just the players on the field. You’re dealing with everything – the enormity of the stadium, the crowd, the coaches, just everything.” Morris bided his time in the CFOA while also getting a few chances to work the clock at SEC games. Then, in April of 1992, Morris got a letter from the SEC, one he ke e p s f r a m e d i n h i s o ffi c e a t PRISM to remember the day he became an active official in college football’s top conference. “There are some days in your life that you will always remember, and that was one of them,” Morris said. “I thought, I’ve kind of arrived.”

August • September 2016

His first game was Samford at A u bu r n o n S e p t . 1 2 , 1 9 9 2 , a t Jordan-Hare Stadium, a 1 p.m. game in front of almost 66,000 fans. Morris remembers the heat, bu t a l s o t h e s a t i s fa c t i o n a f t e r Auburn’s 55-0 victory. “It was finally an opportunity for me to show what I had learned and what I was capable of doing,” Morris said. Over the course of the 24 years since, Morris has officiated at every conference-member’s stadium. He’s worked 23 postseason games, i n c l u d i n g l a s t s e a s o n ’s A l a m o B o w l , m e m o r a b l e f o r Te x a s C h r i s t i a n ’s c o m e b a c k v i c t o r y against Oregon in triple overtime. H e ’s wo r ke d f o u r S E C Championship games. He remembers his first Georgia-Florida game, the one he grew up watching as a kid. He remembers his first Iron Bowl, the famed rivalry between Alabama and Auburn, when Crimson Tide coach Gene Stallings

hinted to Morris on the sideline that he would retire, and then did so at the post-game press conference. He remembers the Egg Bowls, the hostile rivalry between Mississippi State and Ole Miss, especially the one in 1998 where a fight broke out between players and coaches an hour before kickoff. To last this long as an SEC official, Morris found it takes remarkable endurance and austerity. An official’s physical fitness is factored into his annual assessment, Morris said, including a timed mile and a half run and agility drills, so three mornings a week he runs with his dog, Reagan, a 7-month-old Vizsla, to the Cumming square and back. Three afternoons a week, he works out with his private trainer. Clarity makes for better officiating, and Morris finds his through routine. During the season, he leaves early Friday afternoons for his assigned game, so he packs the night before, and always in the

same sequence: shoes, socks, belt, shirts, pants and hat in one bag, then equipment in another. He always leaves the bag open on the floor, then goes through it again before he leaves Friday. “You need to establish a routine and stick to it,” Morris said. “If you can do that, then you’re going to have a better chance of success.” Throughout the year there are tests he must pass, videos he must watch, new rules he must digest and then be able to apply in a matter of seconds during a game. Officiating doesn’t pay the bills. Five days a week he’s up at 5 a.m. working at PRISM, the company he started in 2000. But it fills Morris with something much deeper that makes the tumultuous schedule and grueling preparation worth it all. “Officiating was probably one of the first things that I could really look back and say, I’m really good at this,” Morris said. “I wasn’t an outstanding student. I’ve got a degree from college, and I enjoyed college. I’m not a great reader. There are things people are adequate at but we’re not experts, and football officiating was really the first thing that I could say, I’m good at this, and I can do it better than most people can do it.”

Top: Morris often works out at Forsyth Central High School. Below: His newest work out partner is a 7-month-old Vizsla named Reagan.

THE

FUTURE OF

FORSYTH Story by Kayla Robins

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We know the county is growing. We know change is coming. What we don’t know is what that change will look like. But that doesn’t mean we can’t make some bold predictions.

August • September 2016

he future of Forsyth County is growth, and the future is imminent. On any given day growth transpires in ways visible to both area natives and passersby along the Ga. 400 corridor. It presents itself in the form of four new schools being erected in the next three years. In the form of orange cones and red-clay dirt bulldozed on the side of the road. Creating more. Building upward. It can be seen in the exponential population boom diversifying the fastest-growing county in the state and the 11th in the nation. It’s paving the road for a change in landscape in how we live, how we get there and who we are. Some say the unprecedented growth is unbridled. Exponential. Overbearing. Some welcome it. They cite the economy. The prosperity. The quality of life. One thing is for sure. Growth is imminent. What may not be as certain is what that will mean down the road (other than more roads). So we’re going to make some bold predictions. Fact-based predictions using

POPULATION

2015

2040

206,701 430,301

history and data-driven projections without adjusting for the unknown that will inevitably shift the script to a new story. But predictions nonetheless. The future is imminent. The future of Forsyth County is growth.

COMMUNITY

Before we can try to guess what amenities will be in Forsyth County in the future – let’s say 2040 – we have to look at who we will be. The population is not only growing at the speed of the Road Runner. It’s changing. Diversifying. Gaining youth. Growing older. It is projected that 8 million people will be living in the 20-county Atlanta region by 2040 holding 4 million jobs, according to the Atlanta Regional Commission, an addition of 2.5 million people. Forsyth’s population is expected to double in that time to 430,301 – a 108.2 percent change. If those projections come to pass, Forsyth will continue to grow faster than any other county in Georgia. The share of those residents who are 65 and older is expected to increase from about 11 to about 18 percent, and the percentage of

COUNTY SIZE IN GEORGIA

2015

8th Largest TOP OCCUPATIONS (IN ORDER)

2015

CONSTRUCTION TRADE WORKERS, FOOD & BEVERAGE SERVERS, INFORMATION & RECORD CLERKS, MATERIALS MOVING WORKERS, RETAIL SALES

2040

RETAIL SALES, FOOD & BEVERAGE SERVERS, INFORMATION & RECORD CLERKS, BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY SPECIALISTS, CONSTRUCTION TRADE WORKERS

August • September 2016

2040

5th Largest (Increase of 108.2%) *Source: Atlanta Commission

Regional

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millennials should increase slightly. Meanwhile, that gap will be filled by a decrease in those aged 35-64 from 42.7 percent to 38.35 percent. “They don’t want to drive as much, so that puts a different type of strain on resources,” said Jim Jaquish, a spokesman for the ARC. “So there will have to be a bigger move for more public transport and things like Uber and taxis.” The future of Forsyth County is newage diversity. BOLD PREDICTION: Whether it is MARTA, buses or the next big-thing in Uber-type companies, public transport will reach Forsyth, in line with Ga. 400 having been expanded yet again. The county is becoming more racially diverse, too, with the Hispanic population projected to increase from 10.25 to 15.52 percent of the makeup. “The Atlanta region will remain a desirable place to live, thanks to our low cost of living and a strong economy that continues to create jobs,” said Mike Alexander, director of the ARC’s Center for Livable Communities. “We’ll see growth in existing suburban areas as well as the region’s core, as more people choose to live near jobs or transit.” The future of Forsyth County is niched. BOLD PREDICTION: In the place of municipalities, live-work-play character areas will retain residents, who are largely seniors or young adults, in their own neighborhoods. Constantly increasing traffic woes will lead to less communing outside of work, creating tightknit communities resembling neighborhood-sized cities.

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going to double, why not assume the HEALTHCARE same for the hospital? Northside Hospital-Forsyth may be

the cornerstone of healthcare in Forsyth, but there are myriad options for residents to get better soon. So many, in fact, that healthcare options are one of the reasons Forsyth County has been named the healthiest county in Georgia for the fourth year in a row. The 852-bed nonprofit healthcare provider is in talks to solidify a merger with Gwinnett Medical Center to create a single system across metro Atlanta and north Georgia. The Northside-Gwinnett Medical system would have about 1,400 beds, more than 16,000 employees and about 3,500 physicians on staff. Just the most recent change in an ever-morphing campus. A three-floor expansion will open this fall, bringing the Forsyth location to about 330 beds. “We started out in 2002 with 41 beds. There’s been a significant amount of growth in a relatively [short] amount of time in the hospital world,” said Lynn Jackson, administrator of Northside Hospital-Forsyth. Properties were recently also annexed from the city of Cumming to continue building. “We’ll start a new medical office building. This one will be probably about 130,000 square feet. We’re planning for an additional building just after that and probably another one following the campus master plan.” The future of Forsyth County is health.

BOLD PREDICTION: The merger will put Forsyth on the map as a major healthcare nucleus. If the population is

EDUCATION It’s hard to imagine the school system

constructing 37 more school campuses by 2040, which is what may need to happen to educate a doubled population of children. The ARC projected that 31.17 percent of the population in 2040 to be made up of Generation AA, who are not even born yet. School system administration and school board members have been adamant in finding new ways to teach students without being afraid of going against the grain or trying something new. With the district’s Strategic Waivers School System contract, they can do just that. More flexibility in state standards in exchange for strict accountability for success has worked for schools in Forsyth County so far – it earned the highest CCRPI score in Georgia and students scored among the highest this year on Georgia Milestones. But already breaking 46,000 students enrolled in a public school, how will education change in the coming years to accommodate for an ever-increasing number of learners? The future of education in Forsyth County is choices. BOLD PREDICTION: Virtual schools will explode in popularity, as will dual enrollment and blended learning-type programs that will turn students over quicker. East Forsyth High School may even finally be built.

August • September 2016

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THE

LIFE

Summer Festivals

We spent our summer catching music all over the southeast. Here’s what we saw. Photographs by Micah Green and Bill Johnson

Clockwise from top: Crowd at Shaky Beats in Centennial Olympic Park; Florence of Florence and The Machine at Shaky Knees; The Roots at Sweetwater 420 Fest; Nas at Shaky Beats.

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August • September 2016

Clockwise from top: Big Gigantic at Shaky Beats; Panic at the Disco at Hangout Festival; Jim James of My Morning Jacket at Shaky Knees; Brittany Howard of the Alabama Shakes at Hangout.

August • September 2016

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HITTING THE BARRE Story by Isabel Hughes

t’s Saturday morning around 9 a.m. and you’re planning the day with your college roommate. She’s visiting from the Big Apple and you want to make her trip fun, so you’re a little surprised when she says, “we should go to barre!” (Pronounced bar.) “The bar?” you ask. “I know it’s Saturday, but isn’t it a little early to start drinking?” She laughs, explaining. “Barre! It’s an awesome full-body workout that targets every muscle in your body. You should try it!” Begrudgingly, you agree, after much convincing. After all, you hate working out.

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August • September 2016

What is it? Barre gets its name from its use of a ballet barre, and while some studios may introduce the dance in their classes, most simply use the foot and arm positions — and of course the barre — from ballet to give you a full-body workout. Barre combines the best of yoga, Pilates and strength training to provide a low-impact, highly-rewarding workout that goes beyond the traditional “how many pounds can I lift?” routine.

What am I getting myself into? Don’t worry; you won’t have a former drill-sergeant screaming in your ear. However, this doesn’t mean your instructor won’t push you (in fact, she will.) The music will pump you up, but again, this isn’t a super high-intensity, heart pounding workout. DO expect to shake, however — that’s a sign your

muscles are working their hardest. Feel like your legs are going to give out from under you? That’s perfectly normal, and even encouraged; this is a muscle workout, after all.

How does it work? Barre uses the concept of muscle overload to achieve its results. While the CONTINUED ON 26

SPEAK THE LANGUAGE Barre (bar): the stabilizing handrail attached to the walls that you’ll use for a large portion of your workout.

refers to bringing the pelvis into a

Relevé (reh-leh-vey): a position in which you raise one or both feet to tip-toe position, resting just the ball of your foot on the floor.

lengthens your spine.

Tuck: a move essential to all barre classes (no matter the studio) that

to make to push your muscles into a

slightly tilted position and rotating your hips forward, which subsequently

Pulse: the downward, pulsing movement the instructor will ask you deeper stretch. Often, the movement

will correspond to the beat of the music. Note: The pulse differs from the down-an-inch, up-an-inch motion your instructor will also have you perform. Hold: a freeze in the position you’re in. Usually it’s at your lowest, most difficult stance.

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workout uses small, controlled, isometric movements (squeezes, repetitions and pulses) to strengthen muscles, increase flexibility and tone your body, the goal is to work every major muscle group to fatigue and then provide an immediate stretch to said group. “This produces long, lean, strong muscles that are capable of amazing things,” said Tara Joiner, owner and founder of Pink Barre.

Your first barre class While all studios are different (some allow men to participate, others do not), Joiner describes what you can expect at a Pink Barre location. “Your instructor will welcome you to our studio, explain a few foundational barre concepts and ask if you have any injuries. It is normal to feel a bit like a fish out of water your first class — stick with it. You’re being asked to work your muscles in a new format, taking momentum out of the work and using small as well as large muscles which can be more difficult. You will be encouraged to find your shake, meaning we want you to work your muscles so you produce visible shaking — that means the exercise is working. Many new clients think the shaking means they aren’t “good” at barre. Nonsense. In fact, the longer you take barre the better and sooner you can find your shake/work zone. After just a few classes you will sit up taller, stand up straighter and start to feel stronger and healthier. After your first month you will notice the inches start to get smaller around your thighs, seat, waistline and upper arms.”

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Serving Forsyth County and Surrounding Areas

August • September 2016

THE LIFE 400 NORTH

REFRESHING TAILGATE COCKTAILS

By Adlen Robinson

he months of August and September bring us some of the hottest days of the year, but they also bring us one of the things we love the most: football. For some of us, the pre-game tailgating festivities are almost as fun as the game itself – and when your team has a rough game, the tailgating might be the best part of the day. It’s hard to imagine tailgating without a cold beverage in your hand, and even though the adult beverage of choice is usually beer, you are sure to score points if you offer up an alternative. Here’s a simple-but-delicious alternative to beer, and two of them have the best of both worlds. Cheers!

The End Zone 12 ounces bourbon 36 ounces favorite light beer 12 ounces frozen lemonade Combine in a pitcher and pour over ice. Garnish with lemon peel if desired. (Makes 6-8 Servings)

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THE LIFE 400 NORTH

The Touchdown 4 ounces light rum 1 lime, peeled completely (no white pith or peel) 1 tablespoon honey 1 cup frozen mango 1 cup frozen pineapple 2 cups ice

The Moscow Mule 1 ½ ounces vodka ½ ounce freshly squeezed lime juice ½ cup ginger beer Combine and pour over ice. Garnish with lime. (1 serving)

August • September 2016

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

Lakewood 400 Antiques Friday 9am-5pm | Saturday 9am-6pm Sunday 10am-5pm Admission: $3 (12 & under FREE) September 16-18 & October 14-16 Lakewood 400 Antiques Market 1321 Atlanta Highway | Cumming, GA www.lakewoodantiques.com

September

|2-4 |

Hot-Air Balloon Fest Callaway Gardens

Soar into September at our 18th annual Sky High Hot Air Balloon Festival. Sky High Hot Air Balloon Festival offers a balloon glow, balloon flights, tethered rides, skydivers, a 5K, classic car show, and live music. Admission: Adults (13&up) $20 | Kids (6-12) $10 | Kids (5&under) FREE. Callaway Gardens 17800 US Hwy 27 | Pine Mountain, GA www.callawaygardens.com

|2-5 |

DragonCon Downtown Atlanta

This giant popular-culture convention for science fiction, fantasy, gaming, art, comics, music, and film, with panels, contests, vendors, a banquet, and a parade down Peachtree Street. Hyatt Regency 265 Peachtree St NE | Atlanta, GA 30303 www.dragoncon.org | 404-669-0773

|3|

Smokin’ Up The Mountains BBQ Festival | Noon-8pm

BBQ & Brews is proud to present the first ever Smokin’ Up The Mountains BBQ and Craft Beer Festival. Come enjoy a BBQ Competition sanctioned by the Georgia Barbecue Association, BBQ Food Vendors, Huge Craft Beer Selection, Live Music, Incredible Vendors, and a Free Kid’s Area. Admission: Adults $5 | Kids (10&Under) FREE East Ellijay - Behind LongHorn Steakhouse 30 Highland Crossing | East Ellijay, GA 30540 www.bbqandbrews.com

| 8-11 |

Yellow Daisy Festival Stone Mountain Park

More than 400 artists and crafters from 33 states and two countries display their works for your appreciation and purchase. Enjoy daily live entertainment, Children’s Corner activities, fabulous festival foods and crafter demonstrations throughout the event. Stone Mountain Park 1000 Robert E. Lee Blvd. | Stone Mountain, GA www.stonemountainpark.com

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ONE Music Festival Lakewood Amphitheatre

ONE Musicfest is an 11 hour orgy of live music, Dj crews, food trucks, beer tents, dope vendors, live art, beautiful people, festival fashionistas, good music snobs, liquor pouring, sun bathing, non-stop dancing, I just mighta fell in love with Atlanta again, music festival. Long story short: It’s a good time. Lakewood Amphitheatre 2002 Lakewood Way | Atlanta, GA 30315 www.onemusicfest.com

| 10 |

Atlanta British Car Fayre Norcross | 10am-3pm

See hundreds of classic British cars and motorcycles, and shop from people selling used goods from their trunks. For easier parking a free shuttle bus service will be available from several nearby locations with Handicap Parking available at City Hall. Admission is FREE, however it is $15 per vehicle to participate (sell) and you must pre-register. Historic Downtown Norcross www.atlantabritishcarfayre.com

| 16 |

11th Annual Aqua Vino Food & Wine Social

Sample wines from around the world and taste the best cuisine Atlanta has to offer. You also won’t want to miss our amazing silent auctions and an exciting late night exploring our incredible galleries. Event attendees must be 21 years of age for entry. No one under the age of 21 will be permitted. Advance Purchase Grand Tasting Ticket: $75 | Grand Tasting Ticket: $95 | Advance Purchase VIP Tasting Ticket: $225 | VIP Tasting Ticket: $250. Georgia Aquarium 225 Baker Street NW | Atlanta, GA 30313 www.georgiaaquarium.org | 404-581-4000

| 17 |

IronKids Triathlon

The largest youth triathlons in the country, IronKids Alpharetta allows children ages 6 to 15 an opportunity to test their strength with a swim, bike, and run competition. The race is divided into age-based categories: Junior (ages 6-8) 50 meter swim, 2 mile bike and 500 yards run Intermediate (ages 9 to 11) 150 meter swim, 4 mile bike and 1 mile run Senior (ages 12 to 15) 300 meter swim, 8 mile bike and 2 mile run The mission of IronKids is to inspire and motivate youth through sports to lead active, positive and healthy lifestyles. Wills Park Pool 1815 Old Milton Pkwy | Alpharetta, Ga 30009 www.ironkidsalpharetta.com

Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre At the Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre, you will enjoy performances by today’s leading artists and the Grammywinning Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. Set on 45 acres of beautifully-landscaped wooded land, the 12,000-seat state-ofthe art venue provides a unique setting for music lovers. August 20th: NEEDTOBREATHE: Tour De Compadres 2016 with Mat Kearney, john Mark McMillan and Welshly Arms August 26th: Zootopia - FREE admission Northside Hospital’s Movie in the park August 27th: STS9 – A three set evening featuring an opening set of “Axe The Cables” September 10th: Atlanta Symphony Orchestra: Stars Wars and More - The music of john Williams September 11th: Darius Rucker with special guest Dan + Shay and Michael Ray September 16th: Widespread Panic September 18th: The Maestro Llalyaraaja September 23rd: Star Wars The Force Awakens FREE Admission - Northside Hospital’s Movie in the park October 4th: Profits of Rage October 8th: Kicks 101.5 Country Fair 2016 October 13th: Korn & Breaking Benjamin October 21st: Phish October 22nd: Phish Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre 2200 Encore Parkway | Alpharetta, GA www.vzwamp.com

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

Music Midtown Piedmont Park, Atlanta Good Vibrations: Music Midtown features a diverse lineup of more than 30 artists across 4 stages. Be it rock and roll, hip hop, pop, electronic, or anything in between, Music Midtown has been Atlanta’s premier festival for music lovers of all kinds since 1994. Chow Down: Need a breather from a long day of festing? Grab a bite from some of your favorite Atlanta locals! Music Midtown features some of Atlanta’s favorite local bites not to mention everything from gluten-free to vegan to good old-fashioned corn dogs. Music Midtown plays host a wide variety of choices that really hit the spot and give you that extra push you need for a weekend of fun. Piedmont Park | Downtown Atlanta www.musicmidtown.com

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Atlanta Warbird Weekend

The Commemorative Air Force Dixie Wing will assemble at Dekalb-Peachtree Airport the world’s largest P-40 gathering in recent times. Along with other famous aircraft such as a FG-1D Corsair, SBD-5 Dauntless dive bomber, T-6 Texan, C-46, Stearman bi-planes, Douglas DC-3 and MORE! Many will be offering flights and cockpit tours! Meet WWII Veterans and noted authors, attend a WWII 8th Air Force Fighter Mission Briefing, enjoy 1940’s Hollywood entertainers, visit with WWII reenactors, participate in a photography workshop and attend a dinner symposium with the Flying Tigers at the 57th Fighter Group restaurant on Saturday evening. Atlanta Warbird weekend is not an airshow. It is a warbird display, aircraft rides, and history education event. Admission is FREE, parking is $10 (cash only). DeKalb Peachtree Airport 2000 Airport Rd. | Atlanta, GA 30341 www.atlantawarbirdweekend.com 404-202-9348

| 24-25 |

Avalon Nights Live 6pm-8pm

September 2nd | 9th | 16th | 23rd | 30th

Unwind after a long week with live music in The Plaza every Friday presented by SKYY Vodka! Grab your friends and family and get ready to dance the night away!

Avalon 2200 Avalon Blvd. | Alpharetta, GA www.experienceavalon.com

|24 |

FREE Museum Day!

The Museum Day Live! ticket provides free admission for two people. In the spirit of the Smithsonian Museums, which offer free admission every day, Museum Day Live! is an annual event hosted by Smithsonian magazine in which participating museums across the country open their doors to anyone presenting a Museum Day Live! ticket… for free. www.smithsonianmag.com

August 26 October 7th | 14th | 21st | 28th

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FREE Park Day!

The National Park Service turns 100 years old in 2016 and we want everyone to join the party! On 16 days in ‘16, all National Park Service sites that charge an entrance fee will offer free admission to everyone. The fee waiver includes entrance fees, commercial tour fees, and transportation entrance fees. Other fees such as reservation, camping, tours, concession and fees collected by third parties are not included unless stated otherwise. www.nps.gov/planyourvisit/fee-free-parks

Art In The Park Alpharetta

Creativity hits the park in charming Downtown Alpharetta. This outdoor artists market features handcrafted work by local artists who create masterpieces right before your eyes. Come enjoy the pottery, woodwork, metal work, jewelry creations, handmade children’s clothing, photography, watercolor, oil, soaps and lotions, mosaic art and much more. 12 Milton Ave. | Alpharetta, GA www.facebook.com/alpharettaartinthepark

Alive in Roswell Thursday | 5pm-9pm This family-friendly event features live bands, food trucks, kids games, face painting, balloons, etc. and enjoy participation from the many boutiques, small businesses and restaurants that surround the venues.

Alcoholic beverages may be purchased and consumed at the venues.

September 15 & October 21 Historic Town Square & Canton Street | Roswell, GA www.aliveinroswell.com

820 Peachtree Pkwy • Cumming, GA 30041 Mon-Fri: 8:00a-6:00p • Sat: 8:00a-3:00p

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One Per Customer.

Cannot be combined with any other offers

Expires 12/31/16 Coupon Code L400N2016

820 Peachtree Parkway

Cumming, GA 30041

820 Peachtree Parkway Cumming, GA 30041

August • September 2016

THE LIFE 400 NORTH

We’re honored to serve you It’s an honor to be recognized as the nation’s leading hospital for maternity and newborn care. Look a little closer and you’ll discover that Northside performs more surgeries and diagnoses and treats more breast and gynecologic cancer than any other hospital in Georgia. While people choose Northside for our expertise, they also know us for our exceptional compassionate care. Visit us online at www.northside.com

August • September 2016

THE LIFE 400 NORTH