STEP INSIDE Four fabulous Athens-area homes
home ISSUE THE
INSIDE THE COOP One couple’s dream of a bed-and-breakfast comes true SOFTEN THE LOOK Meet the designer behind local custom pillows
Fall 2013 $2.75
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ATHENS MAGAZINE
Inside T he H O M E issue
THE BUZZ
A round-up of the latest home design books. 6 A peek inside former mayor Gwen O'Looney's closet. 8 Upcoming events and summer camps. 10 Home products to bring the outdoors inside your living space. 11 STYLE
Beckie Caliber produces fun, funky art on pillowcases. 12 By Alvieann Chandler
PEOPLE
Former UGA player Dez Williams creates his own miniature Sanford Stadium. 16
In her own words: Soapmaker Jean-Marie Buxton explains the importance of natural ingredients. 32 TASTE
Bug out: Recipes with some creepy creatures. 34 In Jefferson, the Savory Spoon is a haven for locally sourced food. 36 By AndrÉ Gallant
FEATURES
Take a tour of the University of Georgia's President's House. 41 A peek inside four Athensarea homes 45: Linda and Steve Huggins 47: John and Mona Heinze
By Wayne Ford
50: Chris Lambert
Ideas for beautiful table decorations for your next wedding or special event. 20
Visit the home of Athens musicians Bain Mattox and Amanda Kapousouz online and on the Athens Magazine app.
Potter Rebecca Wood spins local finds into inspiration for her work, and a new book. 22
A family finds a home of their own. 52 By April Burkhart
By Amy Anderson
Magdalena Williams sees floral arrangements as art — the blooms are her paints. 28 By Alvieann Chandler
What's the value of an historic home? 54 By Nick Coltrain
Visit the Chicken Coop for a friendly night away from home. 57 By Allie Jackson
Soaps sit in a stack at Daily Cakes Soap.. ON THE COVER: The sunroom at the Huggins home in historic Madison. Photo by AJ Reynolds
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AthensBuzz Publisher Scot Morrissey
Next time you go out, take
Vice President of Audience Andrea Griffith Vice President of Sales Jordan Magness Editorial Director Joel Kight Contributing Writers Amy Anderson, April Burkhart, Alvieann Chandler, Nick Coltrain, Mark D. Ellers, Wayne Ford, André Gallant, Karah-Leigh Hancock, Allie Jackson, Lee Shearer
on your iPhone or iPad!
Copy Editor Donnie Fetter Contributing Photographers Richard Hamm AJ Reynolds Graphic Designer Kristen Morales Director of Marketing Maeghan Pawley Account Executives Alicia Goss, Christa Murphy, Jena Wages, Joanne Tidwell, Laura Jackson, Tom Bennewitz. Tracy Traylor Athens Magazine 1 Press Place Athens, Georgia 30601; (mailing) P.O. Box 912 Athens, Georgia 30601 (706) 208-2282 Advertising (706) 208-2378 Customer Service
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(706) 208-2245 Editorial
Athens Magazine is a registered trademark and a publication of the Magazine Division of Morris Publishing Group, LLC.
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ATHENS MAGAZINE
Athens Magazine (USPS 005803, ISSN# 1053–623 is published quarterly for cover price of $2.75 by Athens Newspapers Company, LLC, trading as Athens Magazine, One Press Place, Athens Georgia 30601. Periodicals postage paid at Athens, Georgia 30601. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Athens Magazine, P.O. Box 912 Athens, Georgia 30603–0912. The cover and contents are fully protected and may not be reproduced, in whole or in part, without the written consent of Athens Magazine. We are not responsible for loss of unsolicited inquiries, manuscripts, photographs, transparencies or other materials. They will not be returned unless accompanied by return postage. Address letters and editorial contributions to Athens Magazine, P.O. Box 912, Athens, Georgia 30603–0912. All rights reserved.
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Décor AthensBuzz
within reach Whether you’re planning your space or just dreaming about it, some new books offer keen design inspiration
Paris Flea Market Style
A Place Called Home Jason Grant’s “A Place Called Home” is about making a house a home. Not a place that looks too perfect to touch, but a comfortable space that represents the homeowner. Grant’s illustrative book offers tricks, ideas and sources for unique décor pieces for a unique home. (Hardie Grant Books, $39.95)
Home Chic: Decorating With Style
Love Where You Live Joan Osofsky and Abbey Adam’s “Love Where You Live: At Home in the Country” is a guide to making your home cozy and welcoming. With 18 real homes including restored barns and rescued farmhouses, this book highlights antique, flea market and countrystyled décor. (Rizzoli, $50)
“Home Chic” by India Mahdavi is chock full of tips to overcome whatever shortcomings your home may have, whether it’s low ceilings or unattractive floors. Pops of color, texture and pattern are Mahdavi’s specialty, and her book is aimed to help you borrow her style for easy, smart solutions. (Flammarion, $29.95)
Working Space Martyn Thompson’s “Working Space: An Insight into the Creative Heart” is a photo collection of eccentric workplaces and creative studios that mirror the passion of the worker inside. Thompson’s book includes workplaces representing artists, baristas, executive producers and fashion designers. (Hardie Grant Books, $49.95) 6
ATHENS MAGAZINE
Claudia Strasser’s “Paris Flea Market Style” is a photo tour of unique finds within the Parisian flea markets. Between a stylized map and trade secrets, Strasser’s book brings Parisian style home to readers. (Gibbs Smith, $24.99)
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AthensBuzz
What’s hanging in your closet,
Gwen O’Looney?
Considering her eclectic wardrobe, it makes sense that former Athens mayor Gwen O'Looney's favorite room in her home is a closet. Along with a house full of unique antiques and collectibles, O’Looney’s closet holds an array of vintage clothing, chunky jewelry, hats and art that she says serve a purpose. Before this room was a closet, it was used as a kitchen that belonged to an old apartment attached to the house. In 2011, O’Looney transformed it into her closet complete with details from Athens artists Beverly Babb, who created all the clothing racks, and Cory Brown, who created a custom mosaic. Much of O’Looney’s clothing came from countries such as Vietnam, India, Afghanistan and even Mexico, and Goodwill. “I love vintage clothing,” says O’Looney. “I love color. I think dressing is a real expression of how you feel.”
O’Looney made a lamp shade from real armadillo. “With the help of my friend Cory Brown, we went to the pathology unit at the vet school and I bleached it out and made it a lamp,” she says.
Most of the art in this room was created by local artists. Beverly Babb did the clothing racks and Cory Brown did the mosaic that displays “Vote Gwen” near a sofa. “I take naps here. This sofa is perfect. It’s long and very comfortable, so it’s a little retreat.”
AJ Reynolds
ONLINE Take a behind-the-scenes tour of Gwen O’Looney’s house. 8
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AthensBuzz
Put it on your
Calendar
Upcoming and ongoing events in the Athens area Ongoing Events
Coach Vince Dooley at Bulldog Park When: Sept. 6 Time: 7-8:30 p.m. Where: 655 Hancock Industrial Way, Athens Corey Smith in Concert When: 8 p.m. Sept. 6 Where: The Classic Center, 300 N. Thomas St., Athens Cost: Tickets on sale now
“Big”
“BIG” Exhibition at Lyndon House Arts Center When: Now-Oct. 11 Where: Lyndon House Arts Center, 293 Holt St., Athens Cost: Free More: (706) 613-3623 West Broad Farmers Market When: Now-Dec. 7 Saturdays Where: 1573 West Broad St., Athens September Athens Action Dash When: 6:30 a.m. Sept. 2 Where: Tate Student Center Cost: Varies More: (706) 353-6647 Exhibit and Tour: Historical UGA Football Memorabilia When: 3 p.m. Sept. 6 Where: UGA Special Collections Library, 300 S. Hull Street, Athens Cost: Free More: (706) 542-8079
Argo Cycle Tour by Athens Food Tours When: Sept.15 Time: 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. More: www.athens foodtours.com/farm Insectival When: Sept. 21 Time: 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Where: State Botanical Garden of Georgia, 2450 S. Milledge Ave., Athens More: (706) 542-1244
UGA Cheerleaders at TailGAte Station When: Sept. 21 Where: 235 Oak St., Athens UGA Football vs. North Texas When: Sept. 21 Where: Sanford Stadium UGA Football vs. LSU When: Sept. 28 Where: Sanford Stadium D.J. Shockley at Bulldog Park When: Sept. 28 Where: 655 Hancock Industrial Way, Athens Atlanta Symphony Orchestra When: 3 p.m. Sept. 29 Where: University of Georgia Performing Arts Center, 230 River Road, Athens More: (706) 542-4400
OCTOBER North Georgia Folk Festival When: 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Oct. 5 Where: Sandy Creek Park, 400 Bob Holman Road, Athens Cost: $12 adults, $7 students, 12 and younger free Athens-To-Atlanta Road Skate When: 7:30 a.m. Oct. 6 Where: Departs from The Classic Center, 300 N. Thomas St., Athens More: www.a2a.net Hermes String Quartet When: 3 p.m. Oct. 6 Where: University of Georgia Performing Arts Center, 230 River Road, Athens More: (706) 542-4400 Athens Goes Pink When: 5:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m. Oct. 11 Where: Terrapin Brewery, 265 Newton Bridge Road, Athens Redcoat Band, UGA Majorettes, UGA Georgettes at Bulldog Park When: 7-8:30 p.m. Oct. 11 Where: Bulldog Park, 655 Hancock Industrial Way, Athens Comedian Brian Regan When: 8 p.m. Oct. 11 Where: The Classic Center, 300 N. Thomas St., Athens Cost: $42.50 Corey Smith
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UGA Football vs. Missouri When: Oct. 12 Where: Sanford Stadium They Might Be Giants When: Oct. 17; doors at 8 p.m. Where: Georgia Theatre, 215 N. Lumpkin St., Athens Cost: $17 in advance Cystic Fibrosis Great Strides Walk When: 9:30 a.m. 10:30 a.m. Oct. 19 Where: 2450 S. Milledge Ave., Athens Cost: Free AthFest Half Marathon When: Oct. 20 Cost: $50-80 race registration Where: Downtown Athens More: www.athhalf.com Wild Rumpus When: 8 p.m. Oct. 26 Where: Downtown Athens Cost: Free NOVEMBER Dress rehearsal for “Carmen" When: 8 p.m. Nov. 13 Where: University of Georgia Performing Arts Center, 230 River Road, Athens Cost: $5 Hal Holbrook in “Mark Twain” When: 8 p.m. Nov. 15 Where: University of Georgia Performing Arts Center, 230 River Road, Athens
AthensStyle
Barn wood furniture
A table crafted from reclaimed barn wood is just one of the many creations to come out of Oneta Woodworks. The Athens business has a vast collection of historic wood, some of which you can see reused in new bars and restaurants around town. To see the selection or commission your own piece of custom furniture, call 770-289-6288. Photo by Chrissy Reed
Outside in When it comes to home decorating, it never hurts to bring a few natural elements into your interior life. Stop by Oneta Woodworks off North Avenue in Athens for not only a tour of the sawmill and grounds, but a history lesson of old Georgia barns and wooden homes. The property is home to beadboard, barn wood and metal siding, which gets repurposed into bars and tables at downtown restaurants or into furniture. Owner Zack Brendel also salvages granite walls for fireplaces, and his other business run from the site, Piedmont Bureau of Reclamation, salvages items from barns and homes being torn down. But his original love, Brendel says, is crafting the furniture from the weathered wood. "What I really enjoy doing is repurposing old wood into furniture. It's kind of a labor of love, too; it's a lot more work than using new wood, but I think you just get a better product. Every piece comes out custom."
Check out our Pinterest board for more ideas to bring the outdoors into your home..
Other ideas
Pallet wood projects
The wood from shipping pallets can be reused to make furniture, garden elements and even an accent wall (see details at www. bowerpowerblog.com). When working with pallets, be sure to use non-treated lumber and coat the wood with polyurethane.
Natural sink basins
Here's an idea that sprang from the trend of smooth granite sinks: Why not use a rough-hewn piece of stone or wood instead? The sink at right is a piece available from islandinspirationintl.com Fall 2013
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AthensStyle
Pillow talk Geometric prints and bright colors combine on Beckie Caliber’s unique canvas: pillowcases
By Alvieann Chandler Beckie Caliber is known for a line of designer pillow covers Originally from Seattle, Caliber moved to Athens three years ago when her husband started earning a PhD at the University of Georgia. At that time, she decided to take up a hobby creating pillows, but soon switched to just pillow covers due to lack of storage in her home office. After her son was born, she quit her office job, turning her hobby into a full-time profession. “I have been blessed to be able to do something I love and stay home with my family,” says Caliber. This past spring she debuted a series of geometric-inspired covers. “I love flowers and found it a fun challenge to recreate them in a modern way,” she said. Her new geometric design is all about arranging patterns to create intricate floral designs on pillow covers. She has released multiple color options for spring and fall on her website. Beckie Caliber sits among pillow covers she designed at her home in Athens. Photos by AJ Reynolds
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AthensStyle
Besides comfort, Caliber says she believes pillows add a sense of personality to a home. Changing the pillows with the different seasons and holidays can change the feel of a room. Instead of purchasing new pillows to change the décor, pillow covers are more accessible and easier to clean. “I try to really be creative with different textures and prints, too,” she says. “Variety and pops of color can turn a neutral couch into something truly amazing.”
Above, Beckie Caliber works on a new design at her Athens home. At right, a few of the pillowcases she designed.
Check out Beckie Caliber’s latest selection of designs on her website, www.bexcaliber.com. 14
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Personalities of Athens ❱❱
❰❰
Field of his dreams
Finding beauty
Flowers are forever
❱❱ How Dez Williams turned a backyard into a football lover’s paradise.
❱❱ Potter Rebecca Wood spins local images into works of art.
❱❱ Magdalena Williams (above) explores a world of colors.
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AJ Reynolds
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AthensPeople
If you build it, they will Former University of Georgia player creates a scale replica of Sanford Stadium
play
The 23-yard replica of Sanford Stadium built by Des Williams in Dacula. Inset at right, Braylon Williams, 3, plays with his father, former Georgia football player Des Williams Photos by AJ Reynolds 16
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By Wayne Ford www.facebook.com/WayneFordABH The alma mater for the University of Georgia has a line that says “neath the pine tree’s stately shadow spread thy riches rare.” Dez Williams took that expression to heart. In the shadows of the pines bordering the backyard of his Gwinnett County home is spread a replica of Sanford Stadium, the hallowed football field where the Bulldogs have dug their cleats into the sod against many an angry foe. Williams himself played on this field 2003-07 after earning a scholarship to UGA coming out of Dacula High School as a highly regarded athlete. The miniature field has lights, hedges, a bench, goal posts and the trademark “G” in midfield. Williams had the replica built for his son Braylon in the fall of 2010. “I wanted to build something special for my son who was 2 at the time,” said Williams, who played fullback for UGA. Braylon, who turns 4 in November, certainly has a unique playground. “I wanted to build him a mini-Sanford Stadium so he could play on it any time he wants to. It’s really neat,” the 28-year-old said. “It’s almost like a ‘Field of Dreams.’ But the other part of it is because I’m in an industry that I want to show my clients the passion behind what we do.” Williams and his business partner, Zach Hugo, own Outdoor Advantage, a business that focuses on landscaping and lighting. “I got the inspiration from one of my clients, who has a beautiful flat backyard and he put field lights out,” Williams said, explaining the client wanted a ballfield so he and his son could
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The 23-yard replica of Georgia's football field can be found in a private backyard in Dacula.
play catch at any time of the day. Sensing the possibilities for a field for himself, Williams decided to transform his own backyard. The field is about 23 yards long and Williams lined it in 1 to 2 yard increments. It might be small, but the field has potential even as his son grows older. “When he gets older it will be like a little red zone (the area between the 20 yard line and goal line). When he’s in high school, he’ll be able to practice a red zone offense,” Williams said. “Our days (at work) are long and a lot of days I don’t have time to play with my son during the day, but now even if it’s dark I can still have quality time with my son,” he said. “I love to come out at night and watch him play.” Williams has already indoctrinated his son into the Bulldog Nation. They go to games, walk out on the stadium 18
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field, and he’s able to meet the coaches and players. Williams’ brother works for the athletic association as an academic counselor for the defensive side of the football team, which also gives him greater access to the team than the average person. “If you’re a Bulldog — a player, went to school there, or just a fan — we’re one big family,” he said. Williams' wife, Brittney, is a Vanderbilt University fan. “Her youngest brother is a redshirt freshman at Vanderbilt, so she would like to see a ‘V’ on it, but Braylon loves it, so she’s happy,” he said. The field is also a showcase for the business. “I wanted something tangible to show my clients what can be done,” Williams said. And one client wanted something similar.
“Last October, I got a lead on a woman who wanted a soccer field and pool. We did one of the most impressive projects in northeast Georgia,” he said. Come fall, Williams will travel to the real stadium in Athens. And he predicts a great season for 2013. “I think Georgia will be good. They’ll surprise a lot people with their defense,” he said. “With Aaron (Murray) and our great stable of running backs, we’ll be the No. 1 offense in the SEC for sure. I think we have a great shot at winning the SEC.” And the man who brought Sanford Stadium to his own backyard thinks Clemson will be a good test for the Bulldogs. “I think it will be a high scoring game,” he said. “I’ll go with 35-21 — Georgia victory.”
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It's party time If you're planning a wedding or even a tailgate party, pump up the wow factor with special tabletop dĂŠcor. Here, Athens designer Natalie Bradley shows you how.
These printed details are more simple to create. What made these place setting details pop is the repeated look again and again that incorporated the wedding brand from the save-the-date card and the invitation. This particular paisley design and the interlocking rings were found throughout on all printed details (right). That above all else is what will make your place settings, or any detail for that matter, pop. Repetition and placement in high visibility locations are key.
This is a fabulous example of a place setting to use for a plated dinner with assigned seating. Remember to keep your details consistent while serving a purpose. For example, at this wedding, all the printed materials carried the wedding brand (or logo), the fonts were consistent throughout as were all the colors. The menu cards used here also served as place cards, which is a great way to have useful printed pieces without cluttering your table. Also incorporating appropriate fragrant and complementary elements like the coffee beans, pictured here underneath the escort cards, adds surprising details your guests will notice and appreciate (without overwhelming the senses).
Zoom-Works.com / Natalie Bradley Events
See more table decorating ideas at athensmagazine.com and on the free Athens Magazine iPad app. 20
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Creating beautiful table settings is an important factor when planning and designing your wedding. After all the time, energy and money spent pulling it all together, one of the places your guests will notice the most is at the table. So I always suggest putting a few more details into this area. Just choose wisely because most blogs and Pinterest boards out there tease you with beautiful ideas that would cost you tens of thousands of dollars to duplicate on many guest tables. The key to any successfully designed table is to keep your details consistent while serving a purpose. For a buffet, focus on the menu. Signage of any type, either on your food stations or on your guest tables (or both), is fabulous. Plated, seated dinners are usually the more detailed and elaborate place settings, as all flatware, glassware, napkins and charges are already on the table. So you immediately have more sparkle, more detail and more color to delight your eyes. With these events, keep in mind that any personal touches are the ones most appreciated. Well-thought-out place cards, thank-you notes or table numbers that reflect your interests are always a hit. It honestly doesn't matter what you choose — what matters is how you choose it. Take your time, less is often more and be consistent throughout and your event will look more polished and professional every single time.
— Natalie Bradley,
Natalie Bradley Events
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AthensPeople
There’s
beauty all around
Rebecca Wood stands outside the door of her Athens pottery studio. Photos by AJ Reynolds
By Amy Anderson When the B52s and Pylon first started making waves in the late 1970s, they were just art school kids without a plan. Their success brought optimism home to a community who refused to be seen as a podunk, backwater town. A belief spread that Athenians are capable of anything. At least that’s how it seemed to Rebecca Wood, another inspired art student at the University of Georgia during that time. Now a potter, an entrepreneur, a photographer and, as of this month, a bookmaker. For the past 20 years she has been the proud owner of R. Wood Studio, crafting handmade pottery pieces to be shipped throughout the nation and picked through on wedding registries. Now, as Wood finally holds her first book, the text-less 420-page “Beauty Everyday,” in her hands, she considers the long road to get there. Ten years ago it was only a dream for Wood and her two collaborators, Kristen Bach and Rinne Allen, to create a book of photos capturing the Southern beauty that often goes un-
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Potter Rebecca Wood embraces often-overlooked gems of Athens in a new book with collaborators Rinne Allen and Kristen Bach noticed by the country’s taste-makers. “It’s not necessarily recognizable as Athens, because we’re mainly sticking with flora and fauna,” Wood explains about the photo spreads carefully pieced together to represent a hidden gem for each day of the year. You won’t find any fiberglass bulldogs or famous eateries — the pages focus on fleeting sights of crusty textures, abandoned shacks, withering plants and anything and everything rustic. It’s a book that’s meant to stand against those of other cities, the LA Styles or the Santa Fe Designs; “Beauty
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“So many people go, ‘Oh, I’m not creative,’ but they probably are. They just don’t know their thing yet.“
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Rebecca Wood glazes a ceramic bowl at her studio in Athens. Fall 2013
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Everyday” says, “we can compete.” However, to Wood, Bach and Allen, “Beauty Everyday” isn’t just a book — or a blog, which they run under the same name — it’s a lifestyle. “My main thing is to try to inspire other people and to train them to look,” Wood explained about noticing beauty and inspiring others to create their own. “So many people go, ‘Oh, I’m not creative,’ but they probably are. They just don’t know their thing yet.“ Wood didn’t know her thing until after she spent time as a painting graduate making jewelry, painting fabric and China, and designing clothes. Her friend had snagged a used kiln at a garage sale. Wood, having never taken a pottery class, bought some clay and started churning out work. With the materialization of her first pieces, the roots for R. Wood were planted. She packed a suitcase with plates and headed to New York to make a sale. A buyer took one look and walked away. When she returned, she handed Wood an order for $1,500 worth of pottery. Of course, that didn’t mean she was making lots of money. Once she started R. Wood Studio she en“Beauty Everyday” ($98) is available at dured nearly a deAvid Bookshop, 493 Prince Ave., Athens, cade without any and also online at www.beautyeveryday. com. real income flow. The studio grew, the customers grew, and that meant the need for more supplies and more help. The choice was to either pay the water bill or have heat in the winter, but Wood kept asking herself, “What if you hung in there six more months?” Finally, she made a profit in the 11th year. Like many artists working in Athens, Wood is aware that she could have made more money in another city, but the heart of art isn’t about the money. “I always say it’s like a creative Wi-Fi zone,” Wood said about being an artist in Athens. “It’s just like everyone kind of feeds off of it and has access to it.” It’s the reason Wood and her collaborators can brainstorm for hours, that her coworkers can put together an entirely handmade wedding for each other, and that years earlier the B52s and Pylon could inspire Wood to reach her own success story. "Beauty Everyday" is bound in a royal blue hardcover and embossed in gold hand-drawn designs. But Wood’s story isn’t over. She still has creative whims to plunge into, whatever they may be. “I’ll always like being creative,” she said about future plans. “That’s the thing … a creative person isn’t ever gonna retire.” 26
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Each piece of pottery at R. Wood Studios is crafted by hand.
Take a tour of R. Wood Studios and view a slideshow of images from “Beauty Everyday” on the Athens Magazine app and online at www. athensmagazine.com.
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AthensPeople
‘Life is art’ Don’t call Magdalena Williams a floral designer. She is an artist whose medium happens to grow in fairytale gardens
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By Alvieann Chandler
M
agdalena Williams is known in Athens for her unique approach to floral arrangements and designing style. Her business, European Floral Design, has been producing designs for events, parties and weddings for more than 15 years with offices in Athens, Atlanta and St. Simons Island. Williams has won the Southeastern Floral Arrangements Floral Show twice and has been featured in magazines across the state. She has years of floral design experience from working in New York and she travels throughout the world for inspiration in countries like Peru and her home country of Poland. However, even though she works with flowers and gardens, she does not consider herself a florist, but an artist and designer. “’I’ve just always liked design,” she said. “I like art. Life is art.” Growing up in south Poland, purple violets and lilac flowers were all around. When she was 8, Williams created her very first floral arrangement, which her mother placed on their table as a centerpiece. It received immediate attention from guests, because of her unique placement and choice of flowers. Her mother would always have flowers in the house for fragrance purposes, which was important to Williams as well. “What was very important to me was how beautiful they smelled,” said Williams. “People did not have expensive candles, but flowers were very important for scents.” After living in New York for two years working with a florist, Williams moved to Athens with her late husband. She did not begin her business right away, but she was designing for catalogs and creating window displays for different stores. Three years later she began her business and it has been flourishing ever since. She decided Athens would be a great place to stay, because it is a small city with a warm climate perfect for flower growth. Floral arrangements are not the only thing Williams is an expert in, but also garden design, weddings and a little interior designing. Williams says gardens should always represent the personality of the person by
Magdalena Williams says she always liked design. As the owner of European Floral Design in Athens, she gets to design for special occasions nearly every day. Photos at left and top by AJ Reynolds Photo above courtesy Magdalena Williams
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incorporating items that represent their life. “A garden should be like a little piece of mosaic,” said Williams. She creates designs by knowing the type of people for which they are intended. She incorporates that into her designs in order to create a more personal touch. Her arrangements and unique designs have graced the homes and weddings of many people here in Athens. Williams said her technique is simple; she always tries to incorporate a few aspects of the person in her designs to present the piece in a way that represents the whole person. “I pay attention to detail,” she said. “I have hands on everything. Everything is to the highest expectations. A satisfied customer is very important.”
Magdalena Williams' garden is like a mosaic, she says. When designing the floral arrangements for an event, she says she always takes into consideration the person who is throwing the party — they are represented in their own flower mosaic. Photo at top by AJ Reynolds Photos above and at left courtesy Magdalena Williams
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Athens@home Handmade items to enhance your living space
ONLINE Want even more handmade? Watch video of how to make your own toothpaste, plus find recipes for your own deodorant and cleaners. Contributed photo
Spotlight on: Jean-Marie Buxton Owner, Daisycakes Soap I make a range of soaps, some 100 percent natural and others nearly natural because they are scented with a fragrance oil, not an essential oil. For example, there is no essential oil of almond biscotti or apricot, two of my favorites, See more images but I choose to make these anyway because the health benefits of handmade of handmade soaps over commercial soaps are many. soaps online at Commercial soaps are produced in mass and often include synthetic athensmagazine.com detergents and/or foaming agents, and most of these soaps have their glycerin or download the app from iTunes for removed. That is key, because glycerin is a humectant, which means it attracts exclusive content. and retains moisture on your skin. Without it, skin can feel dry, itchy and irritated. Handmade soaps retain their natural glycerin. They are made in smaller batches with personal oversight and often include some of the richest soapmaking oils and butters available on the market. It’s part art, part science. In my handmade soap, for example, I use food-quality vegetable oils like olive, coconut and soy, and specialized butters like shea or coconut. Pure lanolin also gives my soaps a very silky feel. For those who like texture or massage, I include natural seeds like blueberry, poppy and strawberry seeds for exfoliation. Of my soaps that are 100 percent natural, those that use essential oil for scent, the benefits are many. Many people seek synthetic-free scents because of sensitivities to fragrance oils. Another benefit comes from aromatherapy, which only true essential oils can facilitate. For example, lavender is often credited for improving sleep quality and promoting relaxation. Other essential oils, such as teatree, have been used for years and years for its noted antiviral, antifungal, and antiseptic qualities. For example, I use teatree essential oil, in addition to natural clay, in one of my soaps to help deep clean skin and remove excess oil. 32
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❱❱
Tastes of Athens
Bugging out
Savory Spoon
❱❱ Not for the squeamish, insects find a home in a few interesting — and tasty — recipes.
❱❱ The new restaurant in Jefferson is a destination for locavores.
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❰❰
PAGE 36 Find more recipes, plus a special feature on cooking with pumpkins, at athensmagazine.com and on our free app, available on iTunes.
AJ Reynolds
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AthensTastes
A bite of bugs? Believe it or not, it's possible. But before you bite, some facts:
Mealworm Calamari 1 cup flour mix 2 tablespoons almonds (toasted) 2 tablespoons toasted coconut ½ cup mealworm flour (toasted) ½ cup rice flour Red pepper flakes (to taste) Sugar (to taste) Salt (to taste) White pepper (to taste) Combine all ingredients in a food processor and blend till well combined. 3 eggs (for egg wash) 1 lb calamari Cut the calamari steaks in to long strips. Dredge the calamari in the rice flour then place it in the egg wash. Remove the calamari from the egg wash then coat with the coconut mixture. Deep fry at 325 degrees.
❱❱ The world of entomophagy is the practice of eating insects for taste and nutrition. ❱❱ Eighty percent of the world’s population eats insects. ❱❱ There are more than 1,400 species of insects that can be safely eaten by humans.
Strawberry Salsa 1 cup strawberries (diced) ¼ cup red onion (diced) 1 teaspoon serrano (seed, minced) 2 pinches of mint (chopped) 1 tablespoon cilantro (chopped) 2 teaspoons agave 1 tablespoon Lime Juice Salt (to taste)
❱❱ Pretty much whites of European descent — the dominant culture in the U.S. — are the only demographic that doesn’t regularly eat bugs. Or at least they prefer to believe so. Do you eat anything with a confectioner’s or resinous glaze, like candy? You are eating insects. That glaze is made from an insect secretion called lac. Here are two recipes to introduce you to insect cuisine:
Combine all ingredients and chill. — Compiled by Amy Anderson and André Gallant Recipes and photos courtesy Little Herds and Camden Stuerzenberger
White Chocolate & Wax Worm Cookies
Yields 3 dozen cookies 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour 3 /4 teaspoon baking powder 1 /2 teaspoon baking soda 1 /2 teaspoon salt 3 /4 cup butter, softened 3 /4 cup firmly packed brown sugar 1 /3 cup granulated sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 large egg 2 cups white chocolate chunks or morsels 3 /4 cup (about 375) frozen wax worms, thawed
Want more bugs? Find more recipes online and on the Athens Magazine app, available for free on iTunes.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a large mixing bowl, beat together the butter, brown and granulated sugars, and vanilla extract until creamy. Stir the egg into the butter mixture, then gradually beat in the flour mixture. Stir in the white chocolate chunks and half of the wax worms, reserving the rest for garnishing the cookies. Drop the batter by rounded teaspoonful onto nonstick baking sheets. Gently press two or three of the remaining wax worms into the top of each cookie. Bake until the edges of each cookie are lightly browned, eight to 12 minutes. Let cookies cool on the baking sheets for two minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. 34
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Something to By André Gallant @andregallant facebook.com/GallantABH
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Lunch or dinner at the Savory Spoon requires the management of perception. The exterior of this Jefferson restaurant is a dull brown, and the building itself, rather new, is tucked behind an aging Shell station on Highway 15, known locally as Sycamore Street. When the restaurant is busy, you park near a closed down tattoo shop nestled into the Shell station’s oyster-colored cinder block facade. When the parking lot is empty, the bare brown hunk the Spoon inhabits is so nondescript that if the vinyl sign didn’t scream restaurant you might mistake the spot for a discount jeweler. When the Savory Spoon first opened, the interior of its main dining room (it has since expanded), looked like an average strip mall
delicatessen, the type of place where you don’t expect more than a turkey club and a floppy pickle. It’s chill vibe, according to appearances, did not do justice to the locally-sourced and curiously paired meals chef Josh Aaron had been whipping up in his spare kitchen. Not that the Savory Spoon’s menu was ever stuffy. Burgers and sandwiches made their mark early. But the more time one spends with Aaron, and his wife and culinary partner Ariel Hirsch, the more the restaurant’s mixed signals make sense. You’ll never see Aaron without a black chef shirt hanging off his shoulders and kitchen Crocs on his feet. A gussied up Aaron looks similar to kitchen grease Aaron. To wit, he lives
Clockwise from top left: The Savory Spoon in Jefferson keeps 16 beers on tap; the Savory Salad; the lobster roll; a crab cake with corn and house-made pickles; meat and mother grain-stuffed peppers with Savory Spoon macaroni and cheese. Photos by Richard Hamm
Savory Spoon’s success life in plates served; the scenery is an afterthought. In February 2013, the Savory Spoon expanded into unused space adjacent to their original dining room, adding a wall of craft beer draughts in the process. Aaron said he needed the overflow room. Business has boomed such in the past year that he’s considered a second location. And maybe he’s right. On a recent Wednesday lunch service, finding an open table proved harder than spotting an unhappy customer. Savory Spoon’s success story has one central character and one glaring omission. It’s a story about a crab cake, and it’s a story about how Aaron refuses to deep fry food.
Aaron’s crab cake has been his restaurant’s top seller. But it’s not crispy fried, as many customers expect. It's baked in the oven. Like the lack of french fries on the menu, a pan-seared, brioche bread crumbed lump of crab meat was at first a hard sell for Aaron’s Jackson County customers. That is until they tried it. Aaron skips the deep fryer for health reasons. As an executive chef in corporate chain restaurants, he lamented the world of fat he was told to heap on customers. Convincing Jeffersonian eaters on the benefits of low-grease dinners, though, has taken some effort. “Once we explain it, they respect it,” Aaron said. Two of Aaron’s crab cakes come served on
story has one central character and one glaring omission.
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See more images from The Savory Spoon online and on the Athens Magazine app, available for free on iTunes.
At left, head chef and owner Josh Aaron at The Savory Spoon.
Corvino fillet with chimichurri and quinoa chowder (left) and wahoo streak and squash casserole.
a craggy pile of a fresh corn salsa and topped with housemade pickles for $12. The perfect bite is found when your teeth gnash an errant chop of jalapeno lurking within the salsa. Landlubbers are a specialty of Aaron’s, but you're more likely to find him playing fishmonger for some sea dweller you’ve never heard of than some Chilean sea flopper. Lately, wahoo, a warm water fish that’s begun swimming off the coast of North Carolina, according to Aaron, flopped onto the Spoon’s menu as a staple, a choice Aaron made as a sustainable replacement for swordfish. He serves a wahoo filet ($11) atop a summer squash casserole to which the entire Spanish yield of smoked paprika has been added – that is a compliment. 38
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Aaron, too, has been sneaking quinoa, the longtime pseudo-grain choice for hippies that’s capturing mainstream eaters, onto his plates in ways that picky customers would never notice. A dish called Meat and Mother Grain ($10) pairs quinoa with ground grass-fed beef stuffed into two roasted green peppers and served next to a pile of mac and cheese. Every Wednesday, Aaron produces a special called Worldly Wednesdays ($12) that riffs on classic global cuisine. One recent Wednesday, he tackled South America, where quinoa comes from, and built a special that drew on a few traditions from the lower part of that continent. A bowl of Aaron’s salty quinoa and corn chowder would convince the whitest of rice gulpers that another grain is possible. Served in a
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ceramic bowl, the chowder bubbled next to a filet of corvino atop chimichurri and smothered in sauteed tomatoes and onions. The less adventurous can opt for the Savory Steak Salad ($12), a grass-fed take on a black and blue salad, only Aaron’s choice for a blue cheese is quite mild. With protein from Buckhead Beef, a cheese from Spain and greens from a distributor, the steak salad represents one of the only items whose ingredients aren’t from local farms and businesses. All those squashes, peppers, tomatoes and whatnot mentioned above, they all come from farms in north Georgia.
Head chef Josh Aaron in the kitchen at the Savory Spoon in Jefferson.
Online exclusive:
Cooking with kids
For more recipe ideas you can cook with your children, check out our iPad app (free) or check out our Pinterest recipe board.
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Hello, neighbor! UGA's new president takes up residence in the university's official house By Lee Shearer www.facebook.com/LeeShearerABH @LeeShearer One of Athens’ greatest mansions has a tenant again after years of vacancy — new University of Georgia President Jere Morehead. “It’s a condition of my employment,” explained Morehead to a student questioner on July 1, shortly before he moved into the Prince Avenue house. Part of Morehead’s contract with the state Board of Regents stipulates that he must live in the pre-Civil War house, one of the oldest buildings in Athens. At one time, the presidents of UGA and other public universities were required to live in state-furnished houses, but shortly before Michael Adams became UGA president in 1997, the state Board of Regents relaxed the rule. Adams chose to take a generous housing allowance and live in another house of his own choosing. Before Adams, every UGA president in the second half of the 20th century had lived in the Greek Revival mansion, beginning in 1949 with then-president Jonathan Rogers. Even though no one lived in the house, it wasn’t unused; visitors to the UGA campus sometimes stayed there, and as before, Adams hosted many receptions for faculty, alumni and other groups there. The house would be a star piece of real estate even if it weren’t the home of the president of the state’s flagship university. “It’s the last of our Greek Revival mansions,” said Patricia Cooper, who researched the house’s history for the state Department of Natural Resources’ A view of the backyard at the University of Georgia President's House. The land extends nearly to Boulevard, a residential street defining the neighborhood behind the house. Photos by Richard Hamm
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A chair rests in a sitting room at the University of Georgia President's House. At left, a view of the mansion from Prince Avenue.
Historic Preservation Division in the 1970s, when the house was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. One national magazine called the house one of the finest examples of the Greek Revival style in America. Prince Avenue was once lined with grand old homes of the Athens elite, but most are gone now to make way for the little business structures like doctors’ offices and public buildings that now face Prince. Built in 1857 and 1858 for railroad contractor John Grant, an 1933 UGA graduate, the house cost $25,355 to build -- nearly $600,000 in today’s money. The white-columned house has three outbuildings, including one even older than the big house. A house where servants once lived, probably moved from another place, likely dates from the 1840s, according to documents in the UGA Hargrett Rare Books and Manuscripts Library. Documents from that era indicate that much of the pine lumber in the mansion was shaped from trees that stood on the four lots Grant bought for his building project, Cooper wrote in a 1975 report on the house’s history. The house passed through several owners in the years immediately after the Civil War, including Benjamin Hill, a political leader in the Confederacy and after the Civil War a United States senator. 42
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ABOVE: This basement room is where the president often gathers with students on special occasions such as election nights to watch results at the University of Georgia President's House. RIGHT: The ornately carved wooden stair banister greets guests in the entryway.
In 1883, Athens businessman James White bought the house, and it stayed in his family until 1949, when the University of Georgia Foundation and the Bradley Foundation of Columbus teamed up to acquire the house as a residence for UGA presidents. Inside, the house is more Victorian than Greek Revival, Cooper said, very elaborate and filled with old paintings, antiques and antique reproductions -the public part anyhow. The upper floor, where Morehead lives, has been modernized. The lower of the three levels also has a few more modern touches, such as a large TV set. Many of the antique pieces in the house come with stories. A Duncan Phyfe Empire sofa that dates from circa 1830 was the gift from Miss Jennie Smith, an artist and art instructor at Lucy Cobb Institute. Smith is also the woman who bought a story quilt from one of the most famous quilters in the United States, an African American woman from Athens named Harriet Powers. Smith paid Powers $5 for one of her story quilts depicting Bible scenes and meteorological events. Today, the quilt is in the collection of the Smithsonian Institution, one of just two Powers quilts known to still exist. One of the paintings is of another famous president, George Washington. A brass nameplate on its frame names the artist as Gilbert Stuart, the great American portraitist of the late 18th
and early 19th century. Downstairs, the works of art include a landscape by the 20th century watercolor painter Martha Odum, wife of UGA ecologist Eugene Odum, for whom the Odum School of Ecology is named. A number of other pieces are reproductions or made-to-order pieces
that date from the late 1960s, when the house’s interior underwent a renovation for new President Fred Davison and his wife. UGA spent big money on the house again in 2010, sinking about $1 million into the mansion, much of it for an elevator to provide better access for
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See more images from the President's House with the Athens Magazine app. A sitting room at the University of Georgia President's House.
people with disabilities. Workers also modernized a catering kitchen, among other improvements. Outside the mansion walls, the yard is just as impressive as the building. It looks small looking in from Prince Avenue. A small formal garden fills up the space flanking the long, little-used walkway from the front door to Prince Avenue. But in back, the yard stretches nearly to Boulevard, a narrow space long enough for an Ultimate Frisbee field,
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filled with grass, trees and small gardens. Although Morehead is required to live in the old house, he’s more than happy there, he said. “I am honored to have the opportunity to live in the President’s House, as I have always considered it one of Athens’ most beautiful residences,” he said. “There is a real sense of the history of the University of Georgia and this town in these wonderful structures, and they are part of what makes Athens a great place to live.”
Right at home
A look inside four distinct homes in the Athens area
The Huggins home at the Douglas Hill home in historic Madison. Below, a sitting room. Photos by AJ Reynolds
A house spared Where is the home: Downtown Madison Who lives in the home: Linda and Steve Huggins Occupation: Steve is a retired aerospace executive and currently teaches history at the University of Georgia. Linda is a retired occupational therapist Moved in: 2011 Favorite thing about the home: The house belonged to Senator Douglas Hill during the Civil War and he was the only southern senator to vote against the secession. It is said that when William T. Sherman came through Athens, he spared the home due to Hill’s vote. Steve also said one of his favorite things about the home, other than its history, is the pool he and Linda put in. SUMMER 2013
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Above, at right and far right, scenes from the Huggins' backyard. The entire home has been remodeled, but what the Huggins like best about the home is the pool they installed. Their dog takes a swim in the pool just about every day. The couple also has put a lot of work into the garden out back.
A collection of cookbooks in the home's impressive kitchen. 46
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The home of John and Mona Heinze. Below, the couple enjoys entertaining in their remodeled historic home. Photos by AJ Reynolds
A place of happiness Where is the home: Historic Boulevard neighborhood Homeowners: John and Mona Heinze Occupation: John is retired from ExxonMobil Corp. (New Orleans) and Mona is a school teacher at Winterville Elementary School Moved in: The couple moved in about six years ago after relocating because of losing their home in Hurricane Katrina Favorite thing about the home: John said his favorite thing about the house is how much Mona loves it “We have put a lot of effort into it through remodeling inside of the house and in the yard,” he says. “There isn’t really one single thing about the house that’s my favorite. I guess the main thing is how happy it makes my wife and that makes me happy.” Fall 2013
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Clockwise from top: The kitchen at Mona and John Henize's home in Athens was gutted and completely redone, including a new layout. The couple also gained extra counter space by removing a door on the right side of the room — they noted the door flanked another door to the back of the house, deeming it unnecessary. In the front sitting room at the home, a painting above the fireplace is by Athens artist and Boulevard neighbor Mary Porter. Mona says this was the first art purchase the couple made upon moving to Athens. The guest bathroom is one of three on the main level of the home.
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The back porch at Mona and John Heinze's Boulevard neighborhood home likely gets the most use from the couple, they say. "We spend a lot of time here — breakfast, lunch and dinner," says Mona.
The back yard has been converted to hardscape for several reasons, says John. And while their dog is one of the reasons, John says the main one is due to a lawn mower. Specifically, "I never wanted to own a lawn mower again in my life," he says. The front yard also was hardscaped and now features overflowing herbs and flowers. Details in the first-floor bathroom that speak to the couple's time in New Orleans.
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Top, the living room at Chris Lambert's home. The heart pine floors are original to house. Below, the view from the front yard. Photos by AJ Reynolds
All the comforts of home Where is the home: Downtown Madison Who lives in the home: Chris Lambert, along with her two dogs, one cat and four cows out back Occupation: She is a homemaker Moved in: 46 years ago Favorite thing about the home: Chris’ deceased husband Sen. Roy Lambert, who passed away five years ago, was born in an upstairs room at the home and grew up there. Lambert says there isn’t much about the home she doesn’t like. “It is a livable, comfortable home,” she said. “And I enjoy living here. I always have.”
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More on the app
Two of the upstairs bedrooms at Chris Lambert's Madison home. Above the fireplace is a painting of Chris Lambert’s great-great uncle. The painting is on pine board and was painted in 1836 and signed by the artist, Starr. The story behind the painting is that Starr was a traveling artist in Tennessee and had come to paint the uncle’s sister in the early 1830s, but it snowed and he couldn’t travel. The uncle had come home from college, so the parents requested that Starr paint him instead. The uncle was killed the following spring while fox hunting.
Athens musicians-turned-small-business-owners Amanda Kapousouz and Bain Mattox sit in their living room with their children. Photo by Richard Hamm See a slideshow of images from the Mattox home, as well as more images from the other homes featured here, by downloading the Athens Magazine app on iTunes.
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Katherine Leonard, center, sits with her daughters Grace Clift, left, and Heather Clift, and their dog, Oreo, at Leonards' Bogart home. Photos by Richard Hamm
Simple luxury An Athens family finds solace in a new home built with Habitat for Humanity By April Burkhart www.facebook.com/AprilBurkhartABH
@AprilBurkhart
At the end of a long day, Katherine Leonard enjoys being able to relax in her home tucked away in a cul-de-sac in a Bogart neighborhood. Relaxing in a home you own might seem like a simple thing, but it’s a luxury Leonard said she doesn’t take for granted. Leonard’s home is one of nearly 80 built by the Athens Area Habitat for Humanity, an organization that believes everyone in the Athens community deserves the opportunity to live in safe, decent, affordable homes. Before moving into her home in Bogart, Leonard and her three children lived in the Athens Area Homeless Shelter for 10 months and then moved into a unit through the Athens Housing Authority where they stayed for a little more than a year while Leonard worked to get back on her feet. “It was tight because there were four of us living in a little room,” Leonard said of living at the homeless shelter. “But we managed and we did what we had to do. I told them we had to work as a team and not against each other.” While living at the shelter, Leonard got hired to work at Kroger and, after moving into a unit through AHA, began to save money to purchase her own home. “I was determined that the next place I was going to live was in my own home instead of renting,” she said. “My children never had their own home. We always lived in an apartment or a trailer and then we ended up in the shelter.” Leonard knew about Habitat for Humanity because she would take her children to the organization’s ReStore while living at the shelter and sometimes she would volunteer, but she never thought of going to Habitat to apply for a house. 52
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The opportunity was brought to her after she went to pick up some mail at the homeless shelter one day and was told by a member of the staff that Habitat’s executive director, Spencer Frye, wished to speak with her. “I walked into his office and he said, ‘Here’s the application. I want you to fill it out and I’m going to help you get approved for a house,’” she said. “He said he was told I would be a good candidate because I was doing what I should be doing to get back on my feet.” Leonard was approved for a house in 2007 and soon after began the mandatory 500 hours of “sweat equity” required by Habitat, which included volunteering at the ReStore and working on the home while it was under construction. “It was a challenge because I had to be out here every Saturday to work on the house while I was working and taking care of three kids,” she said. “I learned a lot though, like how to put up siding, create a foundation, how to put pipes together for plumbing, paint, and measure and cut materials.” Leonard moved into her new home in December 2008 with her three children who, at the time, were ages 15, 14 and 12. During the house opening ceremony, Leonard said she and her children were happy just to be getting a place to call their own, but the organization had gone one step further by providing furniture for the entire house, decorating it for Christmas and laying out a full Christmas dinner on the table. “My kids felt comfortable and they knew this was their home and they had their own rooms to decorate the way they wanted,” she said. “I was able to tell them when they moved out that they always would have a home to come back to.” Leonard still works at Kroger and the ReStore. She was recently promoted to full-time assistant manager for the organization’s second ReStore location on Atlanta Highway. Leonard said she plans to continue to work at Kroger on the weekends. “I’m looking forward to working with the community and being part of the Habitat family,” she said of her new position. Leonard said her life has changed a lot since moving into her house. Because of the affordable house payments, she’s been able to pay down her debts and clean up her credit, which enabled her to make payments on a new, dependable car. All of her children have moved out of the house now and she said she’s working on her home by re-painting the walls and putting up a fence to help contain her two year old black lab Oreo. “I’m living life differently,” she said. “Having my own home made me more mature. I can pay for my own house, work with less stress and at the end of the day I can come home to my own house and take my shoes off and relax.” Having her own home also has given Leonard the opportunity to see what she can accomplish on her own and show her children what hard work can do. “You don’t have to settle for less,” she said. “Aim higher. There’s more than one option out there. Don’t just settle for the first option that comes along.” For more about Habitat for Humanity, visit www.athens habitat.com.
A U.S. Army blanket from her daughter decorates Katherine Leonard's bedroom in Bogart.
“I was able to tell them when they moved out that they always would have a home to come back to.”
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Protection
at what value? Within historic neighborhoods, scale and a home's worth are both highly valued @ncoltrain facebook.com/NickColtrainABH
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By Nick Coltrain A stroll through a central Athens neighborhood reminds anyone of who lives there why it’s worth calling home. Trees line the roads, striping the asphalt in welcome shade, with picturesque homes lining either side. Gardens bloom over wrought-iron fences. Antebellum pillars stand guard on front patios and Victorian roofs raise high and mighty toward the sky. “Our history courses myriad architectural styles as our history has evolved,” Athens-Clarke County Commissioner Kathy Hoard says, pointing out each distinctive home in her West Cloverhurst-Springdale historic district and its neighboring protected districts. Her commission district includes seven of the 11 neighborhoods dubbed historic in Athens-Clarke County. Dotted through and around these historic districts off Milledge Avenue, north of Five Points, is new construction designed to mime more classic architecture, but with a distinctly suburban feel to it. They are homes that don’t bleed the history of Athens, that don’t feel broken in. They are the shiny new shoes in a closet filled with worn soles that bespeak adventures past. Which isn’t to say they are inappropriate homes or ones owners should be embarrassed by; quite the contrary. A home is its owner’s castle, as the saying goes, and many are well-manicured, comfortable looking and places many should be proud to call theirs. Hoard pointed to one such home that mimed that of its older neighbors, though it hadn’t lost its new-house sheen. It was well kept, a garage was hidden around the back, and it fit in terms of scale and design for the neighborhood. Being in an Athens-Clarke County designated historic district, it needed to hit certain criteria or otherwise obtain an exemption to be built. Alex Sams, a past
chair and current member of the Historic Preservation Commission, argued that the board isn’t a police force; it’s an arbiter to make sure that new builds and exterior renovations fit with the history that drew so many of their neighbors to the area. It’s often derided as a constricting agency on property owners’ rights. Its defenders say it protects the rights of neighbors to not lose the character of the neighborhood they moved into. “Nobody likes us until their neighbor is doing something wrong,” Sams said. Standing at the home in the Bloomfield Historic District, described by Athens-Clarke County as a “densely developed district characterized by houses with uniform setbacks on small and predominantly rectangular lots,” Sams looks at the same house as Hoard. It’s newer in-fill, but in-fill that he’s happy to see. Hoard waves to the homeowner when he walks out and compliments his home. He thanked her, leading to a brief chat about what draws so many to the historic neighborhoods of Athens. It’s close to so many amenities, they’re comfortable and they’re distinct. It’s also why they’re worth protecting, Sams and Hoard say. Calling some of these neighborhoods home isn’t cheap. Quarter-million-dollar
A sign marks the entrance to the West Cloverhurst-Springdale Historic District. At left, the historic district features larger homes and a wide, tree-lined street. Photos by AJ Reynolds
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Online & app exclusive:
Organize your home properties aren’t uncommon of inside or on the outskirts of West Cloverhurst-Springdale and Woodlawn. One property, weighing in at just more than a third of an acre in the West Cloverhurst-Springdale area, is assessed at about $512,000 according to the county tax assessor’s website. The land alone is worth $168,000, compared to a lot worth $150,000 that’s a 10th-of-an-acre smaller and not even a block away. Two other lots, at just more than a quarter-acre each, are worth $125,000, though one is in an historic district and the other isn’t (though the added value puts the historic district property value at $314,000, compared to the $213,000 assessment of the non-district property). One property in West Cloverhurst-Springdale was purchased as an investment property. The new owners wanted to essentially pave the front yard, making a U shaped driveway in the deep-set lawn, before being shut down by the HPC, Sams and Hoard recalled. To say the owners were upset would be an understatement. But the defense was sound, according to Hoard. “Their investment tool should not denigrate our neighborhoods,” she said, speaking generally about non-owner-occupied homes in and around the neighborhoods. The folks who ended up purchasing the property had been looking for a home in the historic neighborhood, one that felt in place with the feel of the area and Athens’ history. They said they wouldn’t have purchased it if the lawn was paved, instead of having the stretched-back driveway leading to a backyard garage, Sams said. But it also stokes the fear of non-protected areas becoming suburban version of Fun House Mirrors, where everything looks the same except for slight distortions in stucco coloring or size. “Imagine if there was no protection,” Sams said, envisioning classic homes, filled with history, being torn down and having something incongruent built in place. “One day, someone who doesn’t have that wallet is going to come in and build something cheap because they want to live close to Five Points.” But the point of an historic district isn’t to keep the homes there frozen in time, Hoard and Sams said. Most folks, when building or renovating these homes, mean well: They want them bigger or built more to suit their families. But, “if they do something horrible to this house, it does effect the house next to it,” Sams said. And stopping homes from going through renovations would mean they rot, and the neighborhood falls apart — the last thing defenders of the districts want. 56
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Athens-based professional organizer Adele Gross offers tips on keeping your home organized with six simple products
Plus, find tips to keep your home safe on our free iPad app, and also on our website, www.athensmagazine.com
A blessed life (with chickens) By Allie Jackson Sonja and Norman Armour often dreamed of opening their own bed and breakfast, but with Sonja working as the Crawford postmaster and Norman as a truck driver, it just didn’t seem likely that dream might ever materialize. They purchased a home nearly 30 years ago just outside Athens in Crawford. But, it wasn’t until two years ago their dream became reality and they transformed the house into The Chicken Coop Bed ’n Breakfast, a quaint cottage with three guest rooms. “It’s just amazing what @Allie_ABH God is doing,” Sonja said. “I facebook.com/ never dreamed that people AllieJacksonABH would really be interested, but it seems the longer we are in business, the busier we become.” The Chicken Coop Bed ’n Breakfast in Crawford includes themed rooms named after breeds of chickens, along with a homey atmosphere. Below, chicken touches throughout add to the theme. Photos by Richard Hamm Fall 2013
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The Rhode Island Red room, named for a breed of chicken. The dark purple room has oak furniture from the 1930s.
Norman and Sonja work as Innkeepers at the bed and breakfast, which also is their home. “We always had a lot of company and family staying with us and we were living in a colonial home, but it had not yet been restored well,” Sonja said. “It all began when our pastor asked me if we could keep a missionary at our home and I (apprehensively) said yes. The next thing I knew, it was in the bulletin and then the next year (the missionary) stayed again.” Sonja said it was a family crisis that led them to finally open their dream business. “We had to move on with our lives and this is where God led us,” she said. “We get so excited when someone is coming. It’s just a joy.” The Chicken Coop has entertained guests from as far away as Cuba, Poland, Russia, Brazil and England. “We’ve also welcomed roadies from the Luke Bryan and Jason Aldean concerts,” Sonja said. “All the hotels in Athens were full (for the concert) and they came in totally exhausted, so I asked them, ‘Would you like for me to cook you something for tonight?’ ... The way I see it, Luke Bryan gets all the praise and the glory, but he can’t do what he does without all of his back-up help.” This is the basis for the Armour’s B&B, to pamper the people in the background. “I had been collecting chickens and I love roosters,”
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Sonja said. “(The hens) strut around and it seems like they get the most glory or praise, not the rooster. But everyone has to have people in the background. ... It just seem that there are so many people out there that are like the rooster ... all these people who are accomplishing so much, but get no recognition.” The Chicken Coop offers guests a variety of chickenthemed meals such as a breakfast of chicken and eggs, biscuits and gravy, grits, quiche or breakfast burritos. “I try to always incorporate homemade snacks during guests’ stay,” Sonja said. The cottage has a private entrance, a fully equipped kitchen and a spacious living room with cable TV. There are three bedrooms available for guests. The Rhode Island Red room is decorated with period furniture and has a double bed with a sitting area. The White Leghorn room is a cheerful space with a double bed, sitting area, and private porch The Dominick room has a queen-size bed and a single hide-a-bed sofa. This suite offers a separate sitting area. Rental rates start at $75 per room. Check in time is typically 2 p.m. and check-out is at 11 a.m. A full breakfast is included and served at a time that is convenient to each guest. Also offered is free wireless Internet, numerous seating
The eating room, in the front of the house, has oak ceilings and the furniture is from the 1930s. The table top was discovered at an antique store in Stone Mountain and the base was found later.
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The Chicken Coop combines country elements with a warm, homey atmosphere. Above, a sitting room with a TV and games shared by two rooms. The kitchen offers a refrigerator, microwave and a coffee maker, plus tea and hot apple cider for guests. At right, a guest bathroom.
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The private sitting room of the owners of The Chicken Coop.
The Chicken Coop Bed ’N Breakfast
• The Chicken Coop is located just a short distance outside of Athens. Historical sites of Oglethorpe County, antique shops and Athens eateries are nearby. • To book a room, call (706) 743-3142 or (706) 340-4167. • To learn more about the B&B, go to thechickencoopbedandbreakfast.com or email Sonja or Norman at thechickencoop1030@ yahoo.com.
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areas and swings are on the grounds so guests can relax and enjoy the peaceful surroundings. “It is our prayer that (guests) will feel the peace and love of Jesus Christ as they visit The Chicken Coop Bed ‘n Breakfast,” said Sonja. “Everybody that comes through here is different and you can tell a lot about people’s character in a short time. Some of our guests want to do their own thing, others are messy and leave things in the floor while others are spotless, but I think it’s the roadies that impress me the most.”
#1001589944 (1/4 PG VERTICAL(3.38in x 4.88in)) 08/08/2013 12:32 EST
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YOU INSPIRE US to make our hospital one of the best in the country
Kenzie Cheek, Registered Nurse Labor & Delivery Unit 6
“I know this is what I was born to do. Helping mothers and fathers bring a new baby into the world is a wonderful experience. The level of teamwork that’s required in the Labor & Delivery Unit is challenging, but also rewarding. Each day I am inspired by the expectant parents who who enter our doors. They’re usually nervous, and sometimes terrified, but also excited about the change that is about to take place in their lives. To see their eyes light up when they can finally hold their baby is beyond words. The love I see in their eyes is one of the big reasons that I love what I do. I’m Kenzie, and I can't wait to meet the newest member of your family.”
athenshealth.org
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