CONTENTS
POINTS NORTH MAGAZINE
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You may know him as the colorful chef at Henry’s Louisiana Grill in downtown Acworth, but as a cancer survivor, Henry Chandler is also a passionate supporter of the Georgia Transplant Foundation.
Listen in as one Alpharetta dentist discusses his experiences of treating disadvantaged patients at the Segera Mission in remote Kenya and how we can aid The 410 Bridge’s efforts to improve the quality of life in developing countries.
CHEF HENRY CHANDLER
22 ON THE COVER:
GEORGE MACMASTER
PHOTO COURTESY OF TRIPLE CREEK RANCH
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PHOTO COURTESY OF ROB SMITH
PHOTO COURTESY OF SHANNAH J. SMITH
PHOTO COURTESY OF NORTH GEORGIA STATE FAIR
ISSUE 136 | SEPTEMBER 2011
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DEPARTMENTS COLUMNS 6 | TO THE POINT 8 | POINTS OF VIEW 10 | ALL POINTS BULLETIN
ROSWELL ART WALK
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With its assortment of art galleries and a successful Visual Arts Center, it’s clear the city of Roswell is home to an intimate creative community eager to
LOCAL BARBECUE JOINTS
70 | CALENDAR
One thing is for sure, true Southerners are passionate about their barbecue, so we’ve sniffed out a few of
74 | 5 THINGS I MUST DO THIS MONTH
share their inspiration and artistic expression with their peers. Join us for a stroll through Roswell’s thriving gallery district.
our favorite, locally owned barbecue joints around town. Dig in!
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ART IN NATURE, NATURE IN ART EXHIBITION With shaded paths and grassy fields providing a beautiful natural backdrop, the Chattahoochee Nature Center in Roswell is hosting its first art exhibition, “Art in Nature, Nature in Art” through December.
Points North | September 2011 | ptsnorth.com
THE NORTHSIDE VIEW
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20 | BILL TANNER
Vascular medical treatments are not just skin deep;
TRAVEL | RECREATION
VASCULAR GUIDE sometimes they can save your life! So check out this valuable vascular guide that could alert you to possible health risks or, at the very least, relieve those tired and achy legs.
On the Cover: Historic Downtown Roswell | Photo Courtesy of Rob Smith
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62 | TOWN TOPICS
65 | TRIPLE CREEK RANCH, MONT.
SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION 44 | COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES
SAVE OR SPLUR GE? Expert Tips for Planning on a Wedding Budget
A PARTY WITH
RY 2011
PERSO
NALITY Reception Sites Fit Your Bridal that Style
THE NORTHSIDE BRIDE PHOTO CONTEST! Points North is currently seeking wedding photographers, reception venues, bridal shops, wedding industry professionals and even recent brides to submit photos for a special contest to correspond with our Annual Guide for the Northside Bride … and the winning photo will grace the cover of our January 2012 wedding issue! To enter, please send your photos to pointsnorthphotocontest@gmail.com by Nov. 18, 2011. For complete contest rules, visit us online.
PHOTO COURTESY OF HEIDI GELDHAUSER OF OUR LABOR OF LOVE
SAY YES
TO THE DRESS Behind the Scenes at Bridals by Lori
OM | FEBRUA
PHOTO COURTESY OF ANNA AND SPENCER PHOTOGRAPHY | WWW.ANNAANDSPENCER.COM
WWW.PTSNORTH.C
www.ptsnorth.com
PHOTO COURTESY OF CHRIS JOHNSON
it up
TRAVEL
Atlanta-based private chef Evelyn Paul likes to describe her style as “healthy global fusion” and is inspired by the years she spent as a youth in the islands of the Caribbean. As we celebrate the art of traditional Southern barbecue this month (flip to page 48), Chef Paul offers up an exotic alternative: ovenroasted baby back ribs with a pomegranate barbecue sauce.
This month, head to the coast for a noble cause — The Five Grands Twenty Hands Benefit Concert on St. Simons Island Sept. 16 – 17 will support the Southeast Georgia Health System Cancer Center in Brunswick, Ga. (While you’re there, hit the beach with a stay at The King and Prince Beach & Golf Resort, St. Simons Island’s only oceanfront resort.)
WE ASKED READERS … WHERE DO YOU GO FOR THE BEST BARBECUE IN TOWN?
“
“Smokejack!!!” – Jenifer Griffin Germer “My fave in the city is Community Q, Pcheen and Fox Brothers, but north of the Perimeter, probably Swallow at the Hollow.” – @JenDunaway “Dave Poe’s on Windy Hill and Heirloom on Akers Mill are both amazing.” – @paynomind
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FALL
fashion
Visit us online to find out what popular retailers and local boutiques are predicting on the fashion front for fall! PHOTO COURTESY OF ISTOCKPHOTO.COM | © DEBBI SMIRNOFF
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tidbits
MIX
TUESDAY TWEETS — TEMPTING TREATS On select Tuesdays, Points North and many of our friends will post some exciting deals or special offers online that are sure to keep you chirping. All you have to do is Follow Us on Twitter, check out our Facebook page, or register for our e-mail communications, and we’ll make sure you know about these tempting treats every
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“
TO THE POINT
WHAT ABOUT YOU?
Find us on Facebook & Twitter to join the conversation. Plus, give us feedback on your favorite articles, tell us what you’d like to see in upcoming issues and stay up-todate on community news from Atlanta’s Northside!
www.facebook.com/PointsNorthMagazine www.twitter.com/pointsnorthedit
Marcia V. Byrd, MD
POINTS OF VIEW The Healing Power of Nature No one could ever accuse me of being an outdoorswoman. The closest I ever came to camping in the great outdoors was when our air conditioning broke down and I had to open the windows. But that doesn’t mean I don’t have a profound love of nature. On the contrary, I adore it. I’ve visited countless of our National Parks, and if I close my eyes and picture those Western wonders, it still leaves me breathless. As a child, neither sun nor snow could keep me from playing outside with my friends and one of my favorite pastimes was swinging on my hammock in my back yard. But it appears our lives have gotten a bit more disconnected from nature over the past decade as we plug into our smart phones, laptops, video games and iPods. Who has time to listen to the birds sing when you have tweeting of your own to do? In our Northside View column this month, Bill Tanner, Amicalola State Park manager, discusses why we need the natural world and the alarming lack of kids playing outdoors. This disturbing trend has been linked to the epidemics of childhood obesity, attention disorders and depression. The good news is this trend can easily be reversed by simply renewing our affection for the natural world and encouraging our children to play outside. But adults can benefit from the fresh air, too, so if it’s been a while since you’ve been to the Chattahoochee Nature Center, well, there is no time like the present, as they will be hosting their first outdoor art exhibit this month called “Art in Nature, Nature in Art.” As autumn approaches, I encourage you all to take a moment to enjoy the healing embrace of nature. Take a stroll through the woods, chase fireflies in your back yard, play some kickball with your kids. You’ll be surprised how good a hug from Mother Nature will feel. As for me, I think it’s time to dust off that ol’ hammock and give it a swing.
Julie Hostetter Editor To send comments and/or suggestions on this or any other subject, e-mail us at: myturn@ptsnorth.com.
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Kylie McKlveen Haley McNeal Sara Shelton
Re
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c yc l e T h i s M azi n e
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A PB ALL POINTS BULLETIN
SEPTEMBER
PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE KESSLER COLLECTION
Enter to Win a Fabulous Getaway to Asheville, N.C. We know you really don’t need another reason to cruise up to Asheville. I mean, it’s already a favorite destination for Atlantans because it’s so close and it’s such a beautiful place to be, but just in case, here are PHOTO COURTESY OF ASHEVILLE CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU a few more things to consider: Last year, this North Carolina city with its legendary landscape in the Blue Ridge Mountains was listed as the No. 1 destination for One lucky Points North reader will win a twofall color by TripAdvisor and the area has one of the night stay at the Grand Bohemian Asheville, longest and most colorful leaf seasons in the world, not a dinner for two at Red Stag Grill and two to mention more than 100 species of deciduous trees. tickets to Biltmore Estate including entrance Of course, I could go on and list a few more motivating to Biltmore Winery. This prize, valued at factors such as its arts scene, its well-earned reputa$1,100, will be valid for one year from publication as “Beer City USA” micro-brew capital and then tion date and is subject to blackout dates. there’s always the option of spending time at Biltmore, For more information and to register to win, America’s largest home, gardens and winery. Asheville visit us online at www.ptsnorth.com. has plenty to offer and if you’re looking for something specific, look no further than www.exploreasheville.com. Perhaps the best reason of all just might be because you won a trip to Asheville! This month, to celebrate the coming of fall, we’re offering a fun getaway complete with a stay at the Grand Bohemian Hotel Asheville. This lodge-inspired boutique hotel has been listed as “Best Luxury Hotel in North Carolina” by Frommer’s and for good reason. Tucked just outside of downtown Asheville within steps of the entrance to Biltmore, Grand Bohemian Hotel Asheville offers the best of all worlds beginning, as all things do, with the food. Its Red Stag Grill features locally farmed and seasonal comfort cuisine creatively prepared by Chef Adam Hayes. For a sneak peek at this cool hotel, visit www.bohemianhotelasheville.com.
The Prize
GIVEAWAY WINNERS To find a list of giveaway winners, take a look in the “Online Only” section of www.ptsnorth.com!
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Points North | September 2011 | ptsnorth.com
SEPTEMBER
A PB ALL POINTS BULLETIN
Enter to Win Time Together Last month we challenged you to get social by getting together … so? Let’s see a show of hands of who had some good, old-fashioned fun with their friends and family last month. Good, then you can join us again this month as Points North partners with Bacardi, the best-selling premium rum in the world, for its initiative — aptly dubbed the Get Together Project — in an effort to reconnect face-to-face rather than phone-to-phone. Running through our December issue, we will provide enticing giveaway packages that are socially oriented. Here are a few to whet your whistle, with more on the way. Register online at www.ptsnorth.com for these and other great giveaways.
The Prizes · A Spa-Party and lunch for four at the Spa at Château Élan · Four tickets to the Perfect Pint contest at Meehan’s Public House, Sept. 17, featuring bartenders from Irish pubs all over and live music
· A foursome of golf, carts and forecaddie for a special day at Hawks Ridge Golf Club, including lunch and your favorite Bacardi cocktails. Forecaddie gratuity is not included. · Four tickets to several Braves home games at Turner Field in September · Four tickets to exciting college football games at historic Bobby Dodd Stadium
Enter to Win Burger & Brew
T PHO
URTESY OF ERIN GRAY O CO
Well, here’s your chance to beat the host of “Man v. Food” at his own game. Meet the Grim Reaper. This new mega burger, the latest creation by Chef Ted Lescher at Lucky’s Burger and Brew in Roswell, is brimming with all things oversized including a 4-pound, all-beef patty, a pound of bacon, half-dozen fried eggs, and an order of onion rings. If you can finish this stack of food layered in a specially-made bun and its side of chili cheese tater tots, you’ll get it for free plus bragging rights on the Top Dog wall at Lucky’s. For the rest of us, deciding which of the divine signature burgers to choose breeds plenty of happiness. Among the top favorites are the Retriever Burger, the Poodle Chaser or the Georgia Dawg Pounder. Of course, like our favorites burger joints, Lucky’s invites you to build your own burger, too. Owned by Ernie and Diane Geyer, this fun, neighOne lucky Points North reader will win a $250 gift card, good for borhood restaurant named for their one year from Sept. 30, 2011. Server tip is not included. So bring your beloved Golden Retriever is located just friends for one fun night out or save your stash for dining out, just you one block off of buzzing Canton Street. and your four-legged best friend, whenever the mood strikes. Either www.luckysburgerandbrew.com way, consider yourself Lucky! Register online at www.ptsnorth.com.
The Prize
ptsnorth.com | September 2011 | Points North
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A PB SEPTEMBER
PHOTO COURTESY OF TEE UP FOR KIDS
ALL POINTS BULLETIN
FALL HOME SHOW
Take in the beauty of fall at the 15th annual Tee It Up Fore Kids charity event. Practice your swing with a golf tournament at The Manor Golf & Country Club on Oct. 17, or simply enjoy a dinner and auction gala on Oct. 22 at The Metropolitan Club in Alpharetta. However you choose to participate, you’ll be helping improve the lives of children with disabilities. This year’s proceeds will benefit Canine Assistants of Milton and the children who are patiently waiting to receive a muchneeded service dog. The furry friends at Canine Assistance are able to open and close doors, turn light switches on and off and pull wheelchairs along with so much more. For more information, visit www.teeitupforekids.com or www.canineassistants.org. — Ashley Brechtel
PHOTO COURTESY OF EMILY ROSE PHOTOGRAPHY
TEE UP FORE KIDS
Are you always thinking of new and interesting ways to revamp your home? If so, then the 28th annual Fall Atlanta Home Show is for you. Hosted by the Cobb Galleria Centre from Sept. 23 – 25, there will be hundreds of local home improvement companies showing off their products and services. If that’s not enough to bring out your inner interior designer, HGTV’s John Gidding will be a guest speaker. You may recognize him as host of “Curb Appeal: The Block” and “Designed to Sell.” If you think it’ll be tough to drag your guy along, be sure to mention the special exhibit titled “The Ultimate Indoor/ Outdoor Man Cave.” While he’s mapping out where the big screen should go, you could enjoy a wine tasting or watch the little ones participate in an activity. By the end of the day, you’ll be buzzing with inspiration. Admission is $10 for adults. Children 12 and under and adults 65 and older are free. For more information, visit www.atlantahomeshow.com. — Ashley Brechtel
THE 32ND ANNUAL GREAT MILLER LITE CHILI COOK-OFF Is there anything more seasonally Southern than a good ol’ chili cook-off? We think not! We’ll see you and the whole family on Sept. 24 at the premier chili cook-off east of Texas: The Great Miller Lite Chili Cook-Off. Since 1979, The Great Miller Lite Chili Cook-Off has been bringing Southerners near and far together for a great time, a great cause and, of course, great food made by the best amateur chefs around. Expect as many as 300 chili booths, live tribute bands, sponsor giveaways and activities for all ages hosted in our own back yard at the Coliseum Meadow in Stone Mountain Park. Tickets are available on site the day of the event for only $10 for adults, and are free for children under 12. All proceeds will benefit Camp Twin Lakes, a network of camps providing life-changing programs to Georgia’s kids with serious illnesses, disabilities and challenges. So whet your appetite when gates open at 10 a.m. and enjoy events until closing at 7 p.m. For more information, visit www.theatlantachilicookoff.com, and we’ll see you there! — Kylie McKlveen PHOTO COURTESY OF ISTOCK
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PHOTO COURTESY OF ISTOCK
Ride Into Appalachian Biker Gear As the leaves begin to turn and the temperature slowly dips for the approaching fall, motorcyclists begin rumbling to ride through the picturesque Appalachian Mountains. But before you head for the hills, make a pit stop at the brand new Appalachian Biker Gear store in Cumming. Located at 4320 Settendown Village Road, this store specializes in quality motorcycle apparel at affordable prices. Peruse owner and motorcycle enthusiast Jerry Mathis’ selection of leather coats, vests, chaps, gloves, helmets, boots, jewelry, gifts and other accessories while bikers grab a complimentary bottle of water and chat with fellow riders. As a special treat for our readers, you can receive 20 percent off your purchase this month just by mentioning Points North. Appalachian Biker Gear is open Thursday – Friday from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. – 7 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 6 p.m. For more information, please call 678-951-3058 or visit www.appalachianbikergear.com.
ptsnorth.com | September 2011 | Points North
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THREE The ďŹ rst annual Greater Atlanta
Harvest Wine Classic will be held Nov. 4 and 5. This community-supported event is focused on providing ďŹ nancial support to four Atlanta-area charitable organizations, including North Fulton Community Charities (NFCC), a non-proďŹ t human service agency dedicated to preventing homelessness of individuals residing north of the Chattahoochee River in Fulton County (Alpharetta, Johns Creek, Milton, Mountain Park and Roswell). NFCC assists families with basic needs such as food, rent and utilities, and clothing during short-term emergencies. NFCC joins Make-A-Wish, Presbyterian Homes of Georgia Caring Hands Fund and the Georgia Transplant Foundation as Harvest Wine Classic’s beneďŹ ciary designees for 2011. In this environment of continual needs, the Harvest Wine Classic will provide its support from professionally organized events and live auctions focused on travel, ďŹ ne wine and exquisite food. The Harvest Wine Classic will feature a number of great events that are sure to captivate both wine and food enthusiasts prior to and during the penultimate weekend. The Harvest Wine Classic Golf Tournament kicks off the weekend’s events Nov. 4 at Capital City Club’s Crabapple Course at 8:30 a.m. Fine cuisine and spirits will be provided to all participants. A special Wines of the World tasting and reception begins the evening’s festivities. It will be followed by an exclusive Cult Wine Dinner featuring the ďŹ ne Burgundy wines of Domaine Jean-Luc Joillot and the extraordinary culinary talents of chef Linton Hopkins. These events will be held at Heritage Sandy Springs and begin at 6:30 p.m.
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months to harvest
The schedule of events on Saturday, Nov. 5 begins with two wine and wine-related symposiums at 10 a.m. A wine and food tasting follows at 12 p.m. and includes Harvest Wine Classic’s “Stock Your Cellarâ€? opportunity, which allows guests to order their favorite vintages from the samples they enjoyed. At 2 p.m., the Live Auction Grand Event begins, which offers all guests the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to bid on library wines and other rare vintages from participating vintners and collectors, along with sought-after travel opportunities. This event will be complemented by ďŹ ne wine and a luncheon.
SE P T E M BE R’ S F E AT U R E D E V E N T S When Sunday was truly a day of rest, families, friends and neighbors in communities everywhere gathered for fellowship and ďŹ ne meals with bounties of the season. Those gatherings are the very essence of Harvest Wine Classic’s Sunday Suppers, beneďŹ tting North Fulton Community Charities, Make-A-Wish Foundation, the Georgia Transplant Foundation and the Presbyterian Homes of Georgia Caring Hands Fund. Exquisite four-course dinners and ďŹ ne wines will be served at each Sunday Supper. SUNDAY SUPPER at TAVERNA FIORENTINA in Vinings 4FQU t Q N SUNDAY SUPPER at FOOD 101 in Sandy Springs 4FQU t Q N Reserve your spot for these events now by visiting our Web site, www.harvestwineclassic.org.
www.harvestwineclassic.org
CHEF HENRY CHANDLER SHARES HIS CULINARY PAST AND WHY HE’S THANKFUL TO BE ALIVE
A SECOND
CHANCE
[ WRIT T EN BY H EAT HE R K W B R OW N ]
PHOTOS COURTESY OF SHANNAH J. SMITH
If you ask Henry Chandler where he was born you will likely hear: “I was born in St. Maurice, Louisiana — 17 miles from nowhere.” From a remote plantation surrounded by cotton, cattle and pecans to his vibrant neighborhood restaurant packed with happy diners, the popular chef of Henry’s Louisiana Grill in downtown Acworth has come a long way — in more ways than he ever imagined — since those early days. Catching up with Chef Henry isn’t easy
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because he moves fast and with purpose, but since his bout with cancer, he slows down long enough these days to share his story. A Career in the Making “My mother was a Southern Belle who never worked a day in her life,” Chandler said. “[She] went to the beauty shop on Wednesdays and other than that, slept until noon every day. I was raised by my black nanny,
Chef Henry Chandler of a career. That became a career in a lot of fun, and a whole lot of partying,” said Chandler of his former habits. While his time in classrooms wasn’t always productive, time in the kitchen with his grandmothers, aunts and uncles who taught him how to cook Cajun certainly was. Wearing a linen chef coat and several strands of festive Mardi Gras beads, Chandler narrated the evolution of his career from odd jobs and his first business in Dallas to formal training and working with established chefs.
“Sometimes I have to stand back and look at the trials and tribulations of what we’ve been through as a family and as a restaurant.
”
CHEF HENRY CHANDLER
Castell. She took care of us from Day One. She got breakfast started, she put the Band-Aids on us, she fixed our lunches and she put us on the bus. We loved our mother but we also loved our nanny. And she is where the cooking came from.” As the last of three boys on the farm, an 8-year-old Chandler would climb on the stool and watch, but by the time he was 10, Castell decided it was time for him to start cooking. “She let me do chicken and dumplings — with very little assistance — for 18 farm hands, my dad and the farm foreman. I rolled the dumplings out with an old wine bottle, and in the country, you don’t debone a chicken, you eat all of it. That was my first delving into actual cooking,” he said proudly. “After 18 wonderful years with Castell, I moved to Lafayette to pursue civil engineering, my father’s idea
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Battling for Life At this point in the success story of many, the axiom “and the rest, as they say, is history” would be appropriate. Not so in Chandler’s case. As a matter of fact, in some ways, his story didn’t actually begin until December of 2007. By then, he and his wife Claudia and their two children, now 13 and 15, had successfully survived the transition from a 45-seater restaurant to the current location with 175 seats and a full bar downstairs plus Henry’s Uptown for events and live music upstairs. Unlike his business, however, his health wasn’t great and shortly after a routine check-up, he was diagnosed with Stage 4 primary liver cancer. “It was beyond shocking,” Chandler recalled. “We were told I might have a year left — closer to six months, than a year. They put me on experimental drugs that didn’t work. By June [of 2008], my body had taken a toll and it was obvious I was sick. I finally broke the news to my children on Father’s Day … no earthly idea why I chose that day except it seems like a day when you’re supposed to be a good father.” In a fortuitous turn of events, Piedmont Hospital agreed to do chemoembolization, which he explained as giant shots of chemo delivered all at once into his liver. “[It had] a chance of knocking out the tumors but percentage-wise, [it] was about 20 or less that I would come out of the shots alive. We did the shots, it knocked the tumors out which enabled me to get on the transplant list, but it also killed my liver,” he said. “We are looking at a 13-day period between the shots and when I was supposed to die. Sept. 1, they basically had last rights [for me] and by the grace of God, the next morning at 10, we had a liver,” Chandler said, looking down at his wrist at a green silicone bracelet that read: Donate Life. “Sometimes I have to stand back and look at the trials and tribulations of what we’ve been through as a family and as a restaurant,” he added.
Of his experience, he said, “Intense. I remember being sick and getting sicker. The pain was indescribable. I’ve been in motorcycle wrecks, I’ve had football injuries, I’ve even been gunshot [while duck hunting] — nothing compares to having cancer. Anybody who’s ever had it, knows it. And that ‘C’ word is always in your vocabulary. It never goes away,” said the 52-year-old recipient of a 22-year-old liver.
H E LP S AV E A LI F E
DONATE LIFE
Georgia Transplant Foundation, founded in 1992 by a kidney transplant recipient, is the primary source for transplant patient assistance and support for all solid organ transplantation in the entire state of Georgia. Another important GTF event this month is the fourth annual Art & Soul, featuring more than 50 pieces of original artwork up for auction and a live performance by Flyer. Art & Soul will take place on Sept. 30 from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. at Olde Town Athletic Club in Marietta. For more information about the GTF and their Art & Soul event, please visit www.gatransplant.org.
Sharing the Best of Both Worlds Maybe the additional youth combined with a renewed enthusiasm for life is what keeps Chandler moving non-stop. Working 90-hour weeks as the favorite local chef in America — an honor he won in last year’s ABC-TV’s “Nightline” People’s Platelist competition — Chandler also dedicates his time as a spokesperson for The Georgia Transplant Foundation (GTF). “If it wasn’t for Georgia Transplant, I wouldn’t be sitting here today,” Chandler said. “I do a lot of talking at civic organizations, at churches and schools about my recovery. And this year, I’m involved with the [American Cancer Society’s] Swordsman’s Ball. I actually talk to LifeLink — the people who go and get the livers. Those people are under tremendous pressure to find families of a loved one that is on life support but aren’t on the donor list and try to talk them into donating their organs.” Chandler’s story is full of drama, excitement and conflict, followed by a happy ending and as you might have guessed, incredible Cajun food. Just as the festive beads around his neck represent his past, the bracelet around his wrist represents his future and Chandler has successfully merged the two as only he can with his second annual “Liverversary Party,” hosted by Henry’s Louisiana Grill to benefit the GTF on Sept. 17. “It’s a party for my liver!” he said. For more information or to buy tickets, visit www. gatransplant.org/happenings/calendar/ cajun-celebration PN ptsnorth.com | September 2011 | Points North
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NORTHSIDE VIEW
BILL TANNER A M I C A L O L A S T A T E P A R K M A N A G E R
[ WR I T T EN BY H EATH E R K W B R OW N ]
“[Nature-Deficit
PHOTO COURTESY OF ROBIN HARRISON
Disorder] is a concept addressing the fact that kids [in this generation and potentially the last] are out of touch with the environment. They aren’t playing outside; they’re not chasing lightening bugs.
”
BILL TANNER
Making mud pies or
chasing fireflies was a rite of passage, if not a cherished childhood pastime, for many of us. Can your children say the same? Many of today’s kids spend more time indoors than out and this lack of exposure in the great outdoors has been linked to what Bill Tanner, manager of Amicalola Falls State Park, explained as Nature-Deficit Disorder (NDD). “It’s a concept addressing the fact that kids [in this generation and potentially the last] are out of touch with the environment. They aren’t playing outside; they’re not chasing lightening bugs,” Tanner said. “In the past, we have always been a conduit for that.” The term Nature-Deficit Disorder was coined by Richard Louv, a reputable
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journalist and published author whose book titled “Last Child in the Woods” ignited an international dialogue about the relationship between children and nature by providing a direct link between a lack of nature in the lives of children to disturbing trends such as obesity, attention disorders and depression. That was 2005. Since then, states around the country have joined the No Child Left Inside Coalition, created as a collaborative effort to get children back outside and reconnected to nature. Last October, Georgia held its first No Child Left Inside Summit on Children and the Outdoors to provide an opportunity for decision makers, community leaders, educators and parents to better understand and discuss the connections between youth detachment from
the outdoors, lack of physical exercise and increased health risks. It was also a chance for local leaders to develop program initiatives for our kids. What better place to play locally than a back yard spanning 829 acres? Home to the highest cascading waterfall east of Mississippi and one of Georgia’s busiest parks, Amicalola Falls State Park is without a doubt one of the best places to play outside. “We offer a number of programs that meet the GPS (Georgia Performance Standards),” Tanner said, adding, “teachers know that we will be reinforcing the same things the students have been learning and that we provide a quality experience that ties into what they have been teaching.”
Tanner cited, for example, the opportunity for kids to see a live owl during a lesson on wildlife rehabilitation, which, much like the experience of getting sprayed by the waterfall while climbing the 604 steps to the top of Amicalola Falls, is signiďŹ cantly more meaningful than sitting in a classroom staring at a picture. In addition to hosting memorable special programs and hundreds of ďŹ eld trips, the park also offers environmental experiences like a stream eco-trek (think geocaching) in hopes of demonstrating how today’s kids can embrace Mother Nature and technology at the same time. For older kids and adults in search of an adventure, one option is the Len Foote Hike Inn. And yes, as the name suggests, you have to hike there. If you just want to spend a day in the area, the
Hike Inn Trail is a moderate to strenuous 5.5 miles — each way — from the Visitor Center at Amicalola. Of course, you can always make reservations to fully enjoy the concept of getting back to nature with bunkhouses and creature comforts, a la nature style. Also included in the rate is dinner and breakfast. “My father had me out in the woods hiking, ďŹ shing and hunting, so that time affected my career choice probably more than anything else,â€? said Tanner, who, as a youngster, had the Great Smoky Mountain National Park as part of his back yard. These days, while he loves music, reading and cooking, Tanner’s true passion lies in sharing the outdoors with people of all ages. In addition to approximately 28 years with Georgia State Parks, Tanner, a graduate of the University of
Georgia, has a son and a daughter, both in their twenties, and guess what? “They both love the outdoors,â€? he said proudly. Turns out, making mud pies and chasing ďŹ reies are more important than we thought. PN
For more information on Nature Rocks, a national program to inspire and empower families to play and explore in nature, visit www.naturerocks.org For information on how getting young people outdoors is helping to ease attention disorders, visit www.childrenandnature.org Amicalola Falls State Park http://gastateparks.org/AmicalolaFalls Georgia No Child Left Inside Coalition http://www.gwf.org/ConservationEducation/No ChildLeftInsideCoalition.aspx
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ptsnorth.com | September 2011 | Points North
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Art A TOUR THROUGH ROSWELL’S THRIVING GALLERY DISTRICT
[ WR I T T EN BY SA R A S H E LTO N ]
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walk
In her studio nestled in the base-
Slow and Steady
ment of her art gallery, local jewelry artist Judie Raiford dug through the drawers of her newly acquired workbench. With an excited exclamation, she pulled out the treasure she has been looking for: a tiny pair of work pliers. “I found these in my mom’s garage when I was younger,” Raiford explained. “I have used them to make jewelry my whole career.” Just a few weeks prior, her mother had passed away, giving an extra weight to the pliers she held in her hand and different sentimentality to the artistic jewelry she crafts. This kind of intimacy is not uncommon in the burgeoning art district found in the historic area of downtown Roswell. The artists here are concerned with creating a community of expression, breaking down the wall between artist and patron. There are no stuffy, white box galleries here, no overdressed curators looking to make a sale. This is an intimate community of creators eager to share their inspiration and artistic expression with their peers.
The progression of the art community has been a slow but persistent one. Though some local galleries date back 30 years, at that time they were few and far between. Individuals like Jan Gibbons, the now deceased pioneer artist who convinced the city to start an arts program some 25 years ago, were influential in starting the steady build of the cultural arts world, but the real boom in the community did not begin until about 11 years ago. “There has always been a great tradition of support for arts and culture in the city, but the year 2000 was really a turning point in considering them to be a thriving part of life,” explained Morgan Timmis. Timmis works for the city of Roswell as the Historic and Cultural Affairs Manager and came on board in early 2000, just as the community was taking a renewed interest in the arts. At that time, the city put into motion a Community Cultural Plan, surveying the residents of Roswell to find out their interests in the arts and how to better cater to them.
A
“ the face
of historic Roswell
is changing and art is a huge part of this. I think it is helping revitalize the area and offering something to the next generation.” LAUREN STONE | Ford Smith Fine Arts Gallery
Left to Right: Galleries along Canton Street PHOTO COURTESY OF ROB SMITH
Ford Smith Gallery PHOTO COURTESY OF ROB SMITH
Untitled PAINTING BY JOHN CLIFTON PHOTO COURTESY OF PETER BRANDI GALLERY
“Purple Cosmo” PHOTO COURTESY OF TAYLOR KINZEL GALLERY
“Distant Memory” PAINTING BY FORD SMITH PHOTO COURTESY OF FORD SMITH GALLERY
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Roswell Art walk
Fine Arts Gallery. “I think it is helping revitalize the area and offering something to the next generation.” Breaking down that fourth wall between creator and patron, artists are introducing a more contemporary, accessible type of art, and variety is the defining characteristic. Within a 5-mile radius, you can find everything from photography to sculpture and jewelry to mixed media art. This adds to the draw of the area, with galleries both large and small, contemporary and traditional sharing street space to create a community of art.
The results of the survey ultimately led to founding the city’s first Cultural Arts Board. “We discovered with that survey that the community really cares about the arts and wants to nurture them and see them grow here in our area,” Timmis said. “Volunteers on our Cultural Arts Board are working with the city to see this happen.” The board meets regularly to come up with new and innovative ways to put Roswell on the map, not just as a quaint, historic district but also a destination for culture and arts. “In a community of our size, to have so many incredible groups is a magnificent statement about our rich history and progressive arts and cultural community,” said Sharon Moskowitz, member and former chair of the Cultural Arts Board. Now the city and its artists are working together to grow and revitalize the community into an arts district. With monthly festivals and increased appeal from tourists, the city of Roswell is delivering a new kind of artistic destination, one that focuses on the development of a community as a whole. “The face of historic Roswell is changing and art is a huge part of this,” stated Lauren Stone at The Ford Smith
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A Variety of Artistic Venues The largest art centers in the city are born out of the Culture and Arts department of the city of Roswell. Located on Woodstock Road, the Roswell Visual Arts Center is the studio leading the brigade to build Roswell into a vibrant art community. Now in its 19th year in existence, the Visual Arts Center was the first facility built in the metro Atlanta area specifically dedicated to the creation and promotion of the visual arts. The center boasts more than 10 rotating exhibitions a year as well as available classrooms for beginner to advanced level artists. After experiencing a wave of growth over the last 12 years, the center branched out to include the Roswell Arts Center West in 2003, a neighboring facility dedicated solely to the production and display of the ceramic arts. The Arts Center West consists of specialized space designed to accommodate the creation of ceramic arts. Featuring studio space for instruction and creation in sculpting, pottery and glaze, the center also features a gallery space to exhibit the work created by students and members of the Roswell Clay Collective. While facilities like these focus on instruction to nurture and develop new artists in the community, galleries like the Ann Jackson Gallery on Canton Street offer a glimpse into the history and diversity of the Roswell art world. Opened by Jackson in 1971, this was the first gallery in the historic downtown district and proved to be
Clockwise from top left: “The Dancer” PAINTING BY GABALAIVIE PHOTO COURTESY OF PETER BRANDI GALLERY
“A Prayer for a Child” PAINTING BY DR. SEUSS PHOTO COURTESY OF ANN JACKSON GALLERY
“Summer Jewels” PAINTING BY FORD SMITH PHOTO COURTESY OF FORD SMITH GALLERY
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Roswell Art walk
Raiford Gallery PHOTO COURTESY OF RAIFORD GALLERY
instrumental in putting Roswell on the map as an art destination. Now run by Jackson’s daughters and fellow artists Valerie and Victoria, the gallery prominently features paintings by Jackson family members and other local artists. “We used word of mouth as our best advertiser,” artist and family member Victoria Jackson said. “Our gallery really helped start the conversation about art in the area.” The most unique topic of that art conversation for the gallery is an in-depth display of artwork by renowned author and illustrator Dr. Seuss. The Ann Jackson Gallery is the only one in Georgia to display and sell Seuss’ work and proudly features his drawings, paintings and sculptures throughout their two-story space. Sharing street space with the Ann Jackson Gallery is the more traditional Peter Brandi Gallery. Open 29 years now, this gallery is right behind the Jackson family in longevity in the area. Brandi gathers work from local artists, compiling a more classical collection for his gallery, which features mostly decorative oil paintings. New work arrives almost weekly so the selection is always changing. Work from Brandi’s gallery is reaching outside the parameters of Roswell; all the artwork from the Ritz-Carlton in Buckhead was chosen from the Peter Brandi Gallery. “This was huge for us and for Roswell,” said staffer Lisa Nicholson. “It really helps point tourists to Roswell as an arts and culture destination.” Nestled just across the street is a more contemporary space housing the work of local artist Ford Smith. Smith opened his gallery seven years ago to appeal to the next generation of art collectors in the area. As an abstract expressionist artist, he features light as a centerpiece to most of his paintings. Smith is arguably the most recognizable name to come out of Roswell, with his work being shown internationally for 10 years now. Though nearly all of the art at his gallery is original from the artist himself, he occasionally brings in work from his international peers to offer a new flavor to the Roswell art community. Adjacent to Ford Smith is the Taylor Kinzel Gallery, a smaller space housing a variety of work. From jewelry and pottery to paintings and photography, Kinzel’s space offers art for any patron. In almost its eighth year of existence, the gallery houses pieces from both local and regional artists. All the work at Kinzel’s gallery is unique, original art selected to bring a sense of artistic awareness to the historic district. “There is a charm about this area,” Mary Kinzel said. “And that makes it a great place to showcase local art as well as artists of the South.” Stepping outside the Square Those willing to venture slightly outside of Roswell Square will find two of the most unique gallery experiences in the area. Synergy Fine Art is co-owned by local artists Barbara Rush and Shannon Schneider. They share their space with
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Points North | September 2011 | ptsnorth.com
Roswell Art walk UPCOMING ART EVENTS IN ROSWELL ALIVE AFTER FIVE: Monthly event held every third Thursday of the month through October from 5 to 9 p.m. in downtown Roswell. Shops, restaurants and galleries open their doors and offer discounts to those attending the street festival. www.aliveafterfiveroswell.com GALLERYGOROUND: A program of monthly rotating arts exhibits presented in the lobby of the Roswell Visual Arts Center. www.roswellgov.com pARTners Power Lunch: A lunch sponsored by the Cultural Arts Board for local artists and community leaders to meet together and discuss the arts and culture world of Roswell. Open to the public at a $10 charge. www.roswellgov.com ROSWELL CLAY COLLECTIVE AND ROSWELL VISUAL ARTS CENTER: Weekly classes are held at both the Visual Arts Center and Roswell Arts Center West. Classes range from beginner to advanced level artists and cover most types of artistic form. www.roswellclaycollective.com; www.roswellgov.com ROSWELL ARTS FESTIVAL: The 45th annual Roswell Arts Festival will be held Sept. 18 and 19 at the Roswell Town Square. The festival features art vendors, local performers and children’s art activities, and raises funds for the Roswell Visual Arts Center and other Roswell organizations. www.roswellartsfestival.com
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Points North | September 2011 | ptsnorth.com
three other artists, Sherri Martin, Christine Kazmier and Eugenia Gurevich, with each creator offering a different style of expression under one roof. From Rush’s more contemporary to Schneider’s more impressionistic style to Gurevich’s more political expression, this is perhaps the most diversity to be found under one roof. The most unique feature of the gallery is that it doubles as studio space for resident artists. Though you might go to see the art display, you will find yourself a part of the creative process as surrounding artists continue to paint as customers peruse. “Art is very intimate,” Schneider explained. “I think it’s important for people to connect with the artist, to get something personal from the experience and to understand the story in the creation of the work.” This emphasis on the story behind the creation of art spreads down Canton Street to Raiford Galleries. Built and operated by artist Judie Raiford for more than 14 years, this gallery boasts the widest variety of artistic expression in the area. In addition to her originally handcrafted jewelry, Raiford selects contemporary arts, crafts, furniture and even household items to display and sell in her space. “I really think art should be everywhere in the home,” she said. “I don’t want anything mass produced — there is no story there. I want to see the story and the person behind the art I have, down to the cups I drink out of or the necklace I [wear].” This sense of personal connection is indicative of the vibe in Roswell’s art district. The creative world here is accessible, as are artists of professional caliber without the air of stuffy professionalism about them. Together, they are putting the city on the map and bursting at the seams as their community continues to move toward a greater revitalization of the art district. “There’s no doubt about it, we are growing,” Barbara Rush said. “There are artists in every nook and cranny of historic Roswell. They are painting in their studios, in their homes, in restaurants and antique shops. There is art everywhere here. You just have to come and see.” PN
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Points North | September 2011 | ptsnorth.com
st of Ar e r o t A F .ATURE #EN TER 0RE SENTS
HEE C O O H ATTA H #
±!
.
E R U A T T A URE IN . ! TR IN [ WR ITTEN BY KATI E VAL ENTI NE ]
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ids run down
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winding con-
crete paths, laughing and tagging
one another. A little girl stops short and stares in awe at a bald eagle, then scampers off to catch up with her parents. An artist fiddles with his son’s action figure while he answers questions about his artwork. This casual, family-friendly scene isn’t what you’d expect at an art exhibit, but most art exhibits don’t have their pieces hanging from trees or nestled among native plants, either. The Chattahoochee Nature Center (CNC) in Roswell is hosting its first art exhibition, “Art In Nature, Nature in Art,” from now through December. The show is open to art and nature lovers of all ages, and a ticket to the CNC ($8 for adults, $5 for kids) provides access to all the artwork.
“System Within” by Chris Giesler PHOTO COURTESY OF CHATTAHOOCHEE NATURE CENTER
ptsnorth.com | September 2011 | Points North
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#HATTAHOOCHEE .ATURE #ENTER
( ! .ATURAL 0ROGRESSION For Maureen Cowie, vice president of the Board of Trustees at CNC, adding an art exhibit to the Center just seemed, well, natural. She had seen artwork in the natural spaces of her native New York, and thought the shaded paths and grassy fields of the Center would make beautiful settings for sculpture and drawings. “When I got involved with the Center, I always thought that it had perfect spaces to put big pieces of art,” she said. So she posed the idea to George Long, a local artist and art curator and a member of CNC. Long loved it. He saw the nature center as an untapped resource for an exhibit like this, and agreed to curate the show. “The space is just beautiful,” he said. “It’s laid out so that there are vignettes that are just natural for placing sculpture.”
Long met with Cowie and the other board members, and together they planned the show. The seven artists Long and Cowie chose participated for no fee — Cowie and her husband sponsored the show themselves, so they had a limited budget — but Long had no trouble convincing them to take part. Many of the artists live in metro Atlanta and are involved with CNC, and by participating in the exhibit, some were able to display their work in ways they never had before.
! 5NIQUE %XHIBITION Sarah Emerson, a Roswell-based artist whose paintings and drawings have been shown around the world, jumped at the idea to portray her artwork in a natural setting. She uses imagery from nature in her artwork, rearranging it to fit with her own interpretation of the outdoors. At the nature center, she was able to combine her interpretation of nature — a piece called “Flatbrush” — with the landscape. In this piece, which she completed especially for the show, red vinyl foxes and deer frolic across a large corner window in the CNC’s Discovery Center, illuminated by the afternoon sun. Like Emerson’s window, the rest of the artwork at CNC blends naturally into its surroundings. Renditions of native plant seeds, about 20 times their natural size, speckle the garden. Three
PHOTOS COURTESY OF CHATTAHOOCHEE NATURE CENTER
32
“Flatbrush” by Sarah Emerson
“System Within” by Chris Giesler
Points North | September 2011 | ptsnorth.com
#HATTAHOOCHEE .ATURE #ENTER
Charlie Smith – The Tunnel of Transformation. Smith’s bronze, arched sculpture stands in a clearing at the Chattahoochee Nature Center (CNC). It invites viewers to walk through it in hopes that they see life a little differently on the other side.
( oblong structures made of kudzu hang from a great branching tree, looking as if they could be home to a colony of bees or an exotic bird. The artwork has no plaques, no short blurbs about the artists or the meaning of the pieces. It adds to the beauty of the center but doesn’t upstage it — an accomplishment Long aimed for. “One of the goals for laying out the show is that we wanted things to feel somewhat integrated,” he said. “We wanted things to feel like they actually sprouted there and were developed right there and we were really able to achieve that.”
! 4IME OF 'ROWTH
PHOTO COURTESY OF CHATTAHOOCHEE NATURE CENTER
The exhibit comes on the heels of some major changes for CNC. Since the 1970s, it’s been a place for metro Atlanta families to slow down, feed some ducks and relax by the Chattahoochee
34
THE SCULPTURES EXPLAINED
John Tindel – Cocoon. Tindel’s beehive-like sculptures are made entirely of kudzu. They were created in nature and now return to nature at CNC, but the invasive vine makes viewers wonder — is the medium natural or man-made? Debra Fritts – I Thirst. Fritts groups three vessels, each able to hold water, by the lake at CNC. Out of each vessel’s turquoise center comes a face, as if submerged by water – a symbol of how important the resource is to life. Sarah Emerson – Flatbrush. Emerson’s red vinyl deer, foxes and birds are displayed on a large corner window in the Discovery Center. Emerson created this piece specifically for CNC, and it blends effortlessly into its surroundings. George Long – Two Headed Ass. Long’s piece is what it sounds like — a donkey with two heads. It’s a commentary on human nature that can be interpreted differently from person to person. Corrina Sephora Mensoff – Boat Nest, Elevation of Divergence. Mensoff combines the natural with the industrial in her piece. Her boat nest is made of papyrus and is suspended by metal ladders, and the eggs inside are silver and pointed. Chris Giesler – A System Within. Giesler’s large sculptures of native seeds are scattered throughout the garden at CNC. The sculptures’ size reflects seeds’ integral role in the ecosystem.
“Two Headed Ass” by George Long
Points North | September 2011 | ptsnorth.com
HEATH SLOCUM, winner of The Barclays in 2009 and McGladrey Classic in 2010, PLAYS HERE. TOM GLAVINE, two-time Cy Young Award winner and 1995 World Series champion, PLAYS HERE. JOHN SMOLTZ, Cy Young Award winner and 1995 World Series champion, PLAYS HERE. JON BARRY, former 1st-round pick of the Celtics and winner of 2011 Chick-fil-A Bowl Challenge golf tournament, PLAYS HERE. MORTEN ANDERSEN, the NFL’s all-time leading scorer and placekicker for the 1998 NFC Champion Falcons, PLAYS HERE. Member since 2007, BOBBY KAUFMANN, winner of our 2011 Member-Guest tournament, PLAYS HERE.
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River. But in the last few years, the center has grown to be a staple of environmental education in Cobb County. It recently raised more than $10 million through its capital campaign, eliciting sponsors like the Turner Foundation and the Robert W. Woodruff Foundation. With that money, it added a new Discovery Center — a building with a theater, store, reception hall and education room. The expansion helps visitors learn about the world around them, which is an opportunity that Cowie said is invaluable for many kids. “For a lot of the inner city school children, it’s the only time they get to experience nature,” she said. “We have a place that people can come to, to be exposed to the natural world, and I think that’s just great.” Cowie and Long are planning on continuing the art exhibits indefinitely, hosting a different one every six months. Cowie said she hopes the exhibits will bring more people to the center. But most of all, she hopes the peaceful, positive energy of the center will get people to recognize the beauty of nature. “I hope [the exhibit] will just expand people’s vision of what art is,” she said. “Art isn’t just going to a museum and looking at a few paintings. Art is all around us.” PN
F O R M O R E I N F O R M AT I O N : Chattahoochee Nature Center 770-992-2055 www.chattnaturecenter.org
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Points North | September 2011 | ptsnorth.com
Let’s See That Smile! t 4FSWJOH UIF %FOUBM /FFET PG $IJMESFO "HFT UP t 4UBUF PG UIF "SU 'BDJMJUZ t *OUFSOFU "DDFTT 8* '* t 5FFOT )BWF 5IFJS 0XO 8JOH t 4DIPPM 'PSNT PHOTO COURTESY OF CITY OF SUWANEE
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art collection? With Suwanee SculpTour, you can do just that. Take a stroll through downtown Suwanee’s Town Center and check out 15 different sculptures on loan to the city by various artists. With more that 30 sculptures submitted for consideration, each piece of art was selected by the Suwanee Public Arts Commission and chosen based on criteria such as quality of workmanship, originality and structural soundness. Between the dozen artists selected to participate, many different materials were used in each sculpture including steel, concrete, ďŹ berglass and even a phone booth. With names such as “Dreams of Flying,â€? “Catching the Windâ€? and “Magic Rain,â€? these works of art are sure to inspire your creative side. Once you’ve taken it all in, you can vote for your favorite masterpiece online, through QR codes on the pieces themselves, or by paper ballot. The sculpture with the most votes by March 2012 will be purchased by the city, making it a permanent ďŹ xture for residents and visitors to enjoy. And if your favorite sculpture doesn’t win, you are in luck, as all sculptures are available for purchase. For details about each artist and their work, or to vote today, Visit www.suwanee.com/whatsnew.sculptour.php. – Ashley Brechtel
ptsnorth.com | September 2011 | Points North
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ALPHARETTA DENTIST DR. GEORGE MACMASTER JOINS [ WRITTEN BY CARL DANBURY, JR. ]
“Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.” – I Peter 4:10
Asking highly educated
and skilled medical professionals to spend $3,500 to travel to Kenya, to treat patients in remote areas where there is a prevalence of hepatitis, HIV, bacterial/protozoal diarrhea, isolated cases of malaria, typhoid and Rift Valley fever, and to sacrifice a week’s worth of income is a difficult undertaking. The 410 Bridge makes those difficult requests on a regular basis. The non-profit organization, founded by Alpharetta’s Lanny Donoho in 2006, provides holistic community development and sustainable solutions primarily in Kenya and Haiti. One of the medical professionals that responded to the plea was Dr. George MacMaster, a pediatric dentist who founded Alpharetta Children’s Dentistry in 1989. Donoho’s wife Peggy, who knew MacMaster from years of treating her three children, approached him about practicing in Kenya a few years ago. “They had sent thousands of people to Kenya
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Points North | September 2011 | ptsnorth.com
to serve, but no medical or no dental initiatives prior to this trip, and they wanted to do it,” MacMaster explained. He attended a meeting and told members of the organization he thought he could encourage other physicians and dentists to lend a hand, too. “Shows how naïve I am,” MacMaster said. He asked a number of his peers to join him on the first medical mission and none accepted. MacMaster tried again prior to his second trip and again found no takers. “410 had the logistics worked out, transportation, lodging and all that. All I had to do was get the dentistry supplies, but that was a long list: antibiotics, needles, gauze, forceps and anesthetics. We brought everything from here. And it’s not really dentistry, as we know it, they are really just extractions. Most of these people had never seen a dentist in their life prior to our arrival,” MacMaster said.
THE 410 BRIDGE
TO SERVE OTHERS IN KENYA MacMast
er and a p atient
Sterilization of instruments, suctioning blood and quality lighting also were issues during the first trip. “ T h e y h ad a generator but no other power source at the time. If it’s up and running, they have power. But I also needed to know how to sterilize the instruments with Hepatitis A and B and HIV so rampant there. I went online and found a lot of information, including that steam under pressure contributes to sterilization. I ordered a stainless steel pressure cooker from Amazon, tested instruments prior to leaving and they came out sterile. We heated the pressure cooker there with a propane torch,” MacMaster related.
PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF DR. GEORGE MACMASTER
Remotely Effective MacMaster and the team of volunteers arrived at the Segera Mission, 155 miles north of Nairobi, and found a concrete building. They treated dental patients on a regular hospital bed, not exactly suitable for difficult procedures. During his second trip to Kenya in April 2010, MacMaster brought $150 folding massage tables with headrests, making the ability to treat patients a bit easier. The tables cost more to ship on the airplane than they cost to purchase. He also brought a compressor, which provided the ability to drill and use suction. “Now it is an extraordinarily well supplied dental ptsnorth.com | September 2011 | Points North
39
Dr. George MacMaster
clinic. They must have $10,000 in instruments,” MacMaster offered. While he and his team are pediatric dentists in his two Northside offices (Alpharetta and Johns Creek), most of the dental work he provided in Kenya was for adults. “Most of the cases I saw there, I would refer to an oral surgeon here. There were some very difficult extractions,” he said. One patient who had an abscessed tooth found upon its extraction that the 10-year-long headache he had experienced also was gone H OW YO U C A N H E LP The 410 Bridge will hold two days later. But in the midst of his first its annual golf tournament visit, MacMaster found more difficult and — to raise funds and to celdisturbing medical conditions than teeth ebrate its achievements in fractured at the gum line or abscesses. Kenya and Haiti — Monday MacMaster spotted a two-and-aSept. 26 at Hawks Ridge half year-old boy barely able to keep his Golf Club in Ball Ground. Participants will enjoy head up in his mother’s arms. The mother breakfast, lunch and the supported his head with her forearm and opportunity to win exciting elbow, but the child should have been prizes. A few playing spots walking on his own at his age. Unforremain and an incredible tunately, a regular diet of rice, tea and silent auction is planned. contaminated water can cause protein Call or e-mail Dianne Kaseta at 404-574-9308, deficiency, an endemic problem in many dianne@410bridge.org to African countries. MacMaster attempted register. to engineer a program to provide needy children with Plumpy Nut, a form of protein-enriched peanut paste, but it was difficult to track the results. In rural Kenya, schistosomiasis, a type of parasite brought on by contaminated water, is a given. “I asked the Kenyan doctor at the clinic how he knew which kids had worms. He said they all have worms. There is no testing required, you just have to treat them for it. Treatments usually [with Praziquantel] last three months. It’s episodic,” MacMaster related. “They can’t boil water because they don’t have metal pots. There are very few trees, and
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what they do have is usually used for warmth (Segera Mission is 6,000 feet above sea level). After the water is boiled, they will need another clean container to put it in. They don’t have that either. It’s a cascade of problems. Sewage is another problem.” MacMaster used bottled water to irrigate during the dental procedures because he couldn’t use the infected water. “The impact of their water is massive,” he said. Go Deep or Go Home In the past month, through The 410 Bridge and its cooperative partners, several communities in Kenya now have clean water after drilling wells and installing water filtration systems. That’s no easy task in a country where 82 percent of the population (41.6 million) lives in rural areas, where 93 percent of the roads are unpaved, where 40 percent subsist on less than $2 per day, and approximately 42 percent of the entire population is under the age of 15. Average life expectancy for a Kenyan is just 58 years old. Kurt Kandler, executive director of The 410 Bridge, said his organization’s unique collaborative efforts help communities to empower and enable change. “We are less [focused] about what we do for the people in Kenya and Haiti and more about what they do for themselves,” Kandler said. “The Kenyans really don’t need us to dig trenches, build schools or work on water tanks, they can do that on their own, but what they do need is a relationship with us and we need relationships with them. That connection piece is very, very powerful. That’s the most transformational thing that has happened with Dr. Mac. He just recognized the joy and the love he felt while he was there serving the people.” The 410 Bridge offers people the ability to go deep in a particular place, whether through service or donations. “While many organizations are spread all over the world
doing what they do, The 410 Bridge is about a particular place, working in communities in a holistic way, which means we’re a mile deep and an inch wide, not an inch deep and a mile wide,” Kandler explained of Donoho’s organization. As the founder of BigStuf Christian camps for students, Donoho took several college students to Africa as part of their pre-camp training and during a walk through the Kenyan slums, was inspired to provide a bridge between a nation in need and the people of American churches, communities and families. In sharing his vision, Donoho discovered a number of people and organizations that shared his calling. “Everyone [is] relating to [the] same group of people [and] making an impact on them. They can help with a particular need by raising money or raising awareness. School and education are the next biggest priority. Education is the backbone of development,” Kandler said. A Fateful/Faithful Journey MacMaster said that the Kenyans with whom he interacted were a polite, gentle people. He beamed when talking about the children’s smiles but grew a bit melancholy when discussing their living conditions. He talked about the wildlife he saw, marveling at his visages of zebras, camels, giraffes, lions and elephants. He discussed wanting to return to Kenya and how the third medical/dental mission was cancelled twice due to lack of participation from peers.
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Dr. George MacMaster
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MacMaster encourages more participation and said the optimal medical-dental excursion with The 410 Bridge would include two dentists (preferably oral surgeons), a dental assistant, four physicians including two general surgeons, nurses, a dermatologist, an internist, an ophthalmologist and laypeople who donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t necessarily need a medical background. While MacMaster has faith, he doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t believe itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s necessary to participate in this, or other ministries. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I have this ability and I just feel I should be using it. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s one thing that really irritates me about trying to get others to participate. Oral surgeons are much more skilled than I am. They could probably do three times as much as I can. They have extraordinary skills. They can put faces back together if they need to,â&#x20AC;? MacMaster offered. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t said this to others, except in conďŹ dence, but it is almost as if the education was wasted. If you just want to stay here, take wisdom teeth out and make a $1 million a year â&#x20AC;&#x201D; that just seems so uninteresting. If you have that ability and skill, it seems like a crime not to use it to its fullest extent somehow,â&#x20AC;? he said. Kandler said those who serve, receive gratiďŹ cation in many forms. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not about the work we do, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s about the relationships we foster,â&#x20AC;? he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Sharing life is the most impactful way for any American that goes and serves. A home visit, a meeting with a parent or a grandparent who is taking care of seven or eight kids, to see the joy on their face in the midst of having nothing, is amazing.â&#x20AC;? PN
F O R M O R E I N F O R M AT I O N
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The 410 Bridge 35 Old Canton St. Alpharetta 770-664-4949 www.410bridge.org
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C O L L EGE www.oglethorpe.edu www.oglethorpeblog.org
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OGLETHORPE UNIVERSITY
Discover the best of both worlds at Oglethorpe University. AT OGLETHORPE UNIVERSITY, our strength comes from being a small university in a great city, the extraordinary dedication of a faculty ranked among the top in the country, and a commitment to students making a difference on campus and around the world. In our case, small is your opportunity to be exceptional. Founded in 1835, Oglethorpe is located on a beautiful, self-contained Gothic campus near Atlanta’s Buckhead neighborhood. Oglethorpe enrolls 1,100 students representing 34 states and 28 countries. Our academically rigorous programs include more than 28 majors, one graduate program, and signature programs including Urban Ecology, Study Abroad, Rich Urban Leadership Program, the
Honors Program, and a partnership with Georgia Shakespeare, our professional theatre-in-residence. “Oglethorpe embodies the traditional private liberal arts school, yet with an urban edge.” – U.S. News & World Report Oglethorpe emphasizes intellectual curiosity, close collaboration among faculty and students, and active learning through hands-on, experiential opportunities. Oglethorpe is committed to supporting students’ success in a diverse community characterized by civility, caring, inquiry, and tolerance. Named after James Edward Oglethorpe, the founder of Georgia
and a great civic leader who boldly stood against slavery, Oglethorpe is grounded in public purpose—to produce leaders who think independently, analyze critically, communicate effectively, and act ethically. Our Center for Civic Engagement is at the heart of our public mission—integrating service learning, student internships, urban field study, civic leadership, and cultural study trips around the country and the globe. Oglethorpe’s students are nurtured to become talented and motivated graduates prepared to “make a life, make a living, and make a difference.” Find out more about Oglethorpe University at www.oglethorpe.edu. Discover our many stories at www.oglethorpeblog.org.
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COLLE G E
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KENNESAW STATE UNIVERSITY’S COLLEGE OF CONTINUING AND PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION
KENNESAW STATE University’s College of Continuing and Professional Education offers 42 profession-specific training certificate programs, with no SAT/ACT required. Perhaps you are a high school graduate who is looking for a career. Maybe you want to change careers,
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Points North | September 2011 | ptsnorth.com
770.423.6765 • ccpe.kennesaw.edu
re-enter the workforce, or just want to improve your résumé and marketability. We have something for you. Most of the certificate programs can be completed in a year or less and put you on the path to a career with growth potential. Both the medical and paralegal job fields are growing significantly. The Department of Labor projects that paralegal jobs will increase by 28 percent through 2016 and pharmacy technician jobs will increase by 31 percent through 2018. The College certificate programs and the length of time needed to complete training are: EKG Technician – seven weeks; Certified Nursing Assistant, Medical Office Assistant and Medical Billing and
Coding – three months; Personal Trainer – four months; TESOL – eight months; Culinary Apprenticeship – nine months; and Paralegal – 12 months, just to name a few. Our instructors are top notch and active in their respective fields so the knowledge you gain is current and based on their real world experience. The KSU name on your certificate is well known and respected. Obtaining the education and certificate in your chosen field from KSU opens doors to a bright future. For more information about the College of Continuing and Professional Education’s certificate programs, please call 770-423-6765 or visit ccpe.kennesaw.edu.
C O L L EGE Alpharetta Center • 3705 Brookside Parkway Alpharetta, Georgia 30022-4408 • 678.240.6000
GEORGIA PERIMETER COLLEGE continues to expand at Alpharetta Center, offering more classes and services than ever before at its North Fulton County location. GPC opened a full college center in fall 2010, and construction completed in summer 2010 and 2011 includes new classrooms, expanded academic and student services, an office of student life, a book store, an open computer lab, a library and offices for financial aid, testing services, student financial services, advising and counseling, enrollment and registration services and public safety. But GPC hasn’t lost touch with Georgia State University — a good neighbor at Alpharetta Center — in collaborative educational efforts be-
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tween the two institutions. A 2 + 2 business program allows students to earn a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration. With this degree program, participating students take their first two years at Georgia Perimeter College’s Alpharetta Center, then their remaining two years at the neighboring GSU Alpharetta Center located just across the parking lot. The degree offered at Alpharetta includes concentrations in accounting and marketing. Georgia Perimeter and Georgia State have added a 2 + 2 in early childhood education program at Alpharetta Center, and are developing other partnered programs in criminal justice and social work. GPC Alpharetta Center contin-
ues to grow and remains committed to serving the local community while providing an excellent college education to increasing numbers of students throughout the North Metro area. For further information about Georgia Perimeter College’s Alpharetta Center, visit www.gpc.edu or call 678-240-6000.
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THE POINTS NORTH STAFF SHARES THEIR FAVORITE BBQ JOINTS IN GEORGIA
[
W R I TTE N BY TH E E D I TORS OF P OI N T S N ORT H A N D C O NTR I B U T I N G W RI T E R H A L E Y M C N E A L
]
One thing is for sure, true Southerners
are passionate about their barbecue. Whether you hail from North Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, or right here in the great state of Georgia, the process of smoking pork is more than just a skill, it’s an art form. So we’ve sniffed out the best lip-smacking barbecue joints around town. Each of our selections is locally owned and operated and smokes up some darn good pork and delicious sauces. And if by chance we missed your personal pork pick, let us know, as we will never turn down an excuse to eat barbecue.
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PHOTOS COURTESY OF ROB SMITH
Bub-Ba-Q Now as you can expect, a man named Bubba was born to make barbecue. And he has the countless trophies to prove it! William “Bubba” Latimer opened his first restaurant, Bub-BaQ, in Jasper in 2005 and the following year entered his first professional barbecue contest where he proudly was awarded the Grand Champion prize. You could say he took to barbecue competitions like a pig to mud, and has been recognized time and time again for his now nationally known, award-winning flavors. In 2009, he opened his second location in Woodstock, and has since competed in enough competitions to fill the restaurant to the brim with trophies. But you can’t eat a trophy, so let’s get to the main event — his popular pork plate. Bub-Ba-Q’s finely shredded pork is seasoned and smoked so well that you barely need one of the four sauces on the table. But despite that fact, I encourage you to dabble anyway with their delicious offerings — sweet, vinegar, mustard or hot and spicy. I personally can’t decide between sweet, vinegar, or hot and spicy, but for me, the mustard is an acquired taste that doesn’t suit my palate. And while South Carolinians may refute that opinion, that’s just fine, as that’s the beauty of barbecue — no one sauce is best, it’s whichever one you fancy. As for other entrées, beef brisket, chicken, ribs and sausage are available in an array of sandwich, plate or burger options. In the mood for a twist? How ‘bout the Hog-A-Chong-A — A Bubba original with a flour tortilla filled with meat, sauce, beans and pepper jack cheese, deep fried and then topped with Brunswick stew. If you like a tomatobased Brunswick stew, then this stew is for you! If not, never fear as the sides offer heaps of Southern favorites like baked
beans, fried mac & cheese, collard greens, fried okra, corn fritters, potato salad and corn on the cob. Oh, and the daily selection of cakes, pies and cobblers will assuredly get you asking for a doggie bag, even if the dog ends up whining in the corner as you munch on it at home. And as an added bonus the staff is as sweet as the tea on the table. Bubba, you’ve done good! Locations at 10020 Ga. 92, Woodstock and 1976 Hwy. 53 W., Jasper; www.bub-ba-q.com.
The award-winning Bub-Ba-Q in Woodtock whips up a mean pork plate and his original Hog-A-Chong-A.
‘Cue As a general consensus, the more of a hole in the wall a restaurant looks, the better the barbecue. However, ’Cue breaks the golden rule with a fun and comfy ambiance that smacks of sophistication. It feels as though you’ve walked into a Western drinking hole with its tin roof accents and charming scenic photos splashed on the walls. ’Cue Barbecue opened in Milton in 2009 by two local couples, Paul and Doreen Doster from Alpharetta and John
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BBQ
‘Cue’s tasty BBQ Ribs PHOTO COURTESY OF WAYNE SLOOP
Heirloom BBQ PHOTO COURTESY OF CARL DANBURY, JR.
As for the accompaniments, if their mashed sweet potatoes with a splash of bourbon is on the specials board, then be sure to plop that on your plate. The seasonal fruit cobbler is always scrumptious, but The Bananas Doster, a fresh spin on Bananas Foster whipped up with their homemade vanilla pudding, puts this restaurant in the running for best dessert in the Northside, too! Locations at 13700 Hwy. 9, Milton and 1370 Buford Hwy., Cumming; www.cuebarbecue.com
‘Cue PHOTO COURTESY OF WAYNE SLOOP
and Beth Gray from Roswell, and has found such great success they’ve opened a second location in Cumming. This restaurant prides itself on the fact that everything is homemade, except for the ice cream that tops their scrumptious fruit cobblers. They even bake fresh bread each morning and cut the corn right off the cob! The meat is slow cooked in a Southern Pride Smoker and seasoned with the smoke of hickory wood. They don’t sauce the meat in the kitchen, they leave that for their guests to decide at the table, whether it is the tomato-based Kansas City-style sweet sauce, the North Carolina-style vinegar-based sauce that’s both spicy and sweet, or a South Carolina-style mustard sauce. The barbecue pork can be enjoyed chopped or sliced, as a sandwich, or on a salad, nachos or pizza. The barbecue chicken is amazing, too, plump and juicy and begging to be devoured. ’Cue also serves up beef briskets, homemade sausage, grilled bologna and baby back ribs.
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Heirloom Market BBQ In the shadow of the west side Perimeter nestled cozily next to Akers Mill Food Store, Heirloom Market BBQ is certainly worthy of being passed along to future generations. Chefowners Cody Taylor and Jiyeon Lee have created a sensation with their variety of barbecue offerings including the mustardbased South Carolina sandwich, which we sampled recently along with a few ribs and fried okra. Topped with an incredible Asian-style cole slaw and South Carolina sauce, this version of a barbecue sandwich will have you yearning for seconds. The meaty ribs were seasoned perfectly and easily could have been enjoyed without sauce, although the Tennessee-style “table” sauce added a bit of sweetness and smoky flavor. Heirloom is closed on Sunday and Monday, but if you are planning to stop for lunch anytime soon, we suggest arriving as soon as the doors swing open at 11 a.m., or after 2 p.m. when the crowd subsides in the cramped space. Best of all, Heirloom offers rather swift takeaway service and catering for parties of 10 or more. If you need some tasty morsels for your tailgate party this football season, Heirloom offers per-pound prices that will put a smile on your face just like the barbecue itself. 2243 Akers Mill Rd., Atlanta, www.heirloommarketbbq.com Smokejack Southern Grill and BBQ Sure, any restaurant can provide you with food that fills you up, but if you find one that fills your stomach and your heart, you’ve
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found a real treasure. I found my treasure at Smokejack. With its original location in historic Alpharetta, and a second in Cumming, this eatery boasts the best in Southern food that stretches far from the reach of your simple pulled pork sandwiches. Their succulent menu is the product of owner Dave Filipowicz’s long Southeast journey from Kansas City to Georgia, stopping at 28 barbecue places along the way to experience the many styles of this smoked sensation. And fortunately for us, his road trip paid off as he has really created something great. It’s a restaurant that takes the flavors of various styles of barbecue, tweaks them a little to make them their own, and dishes out extraordinary cuisine daily. “Barbecue is so particular. It’s a matter of what you grew up on and where you feel comfortable — it’s a personal thing,” Filipowicz said. For this reason, Smokejack doesn’t focus on a particular style, but instead he provides diners with multiple twists. For instance, as I indulged in a “Baby Zilla,” as he calls it (a pulled pork sandwich with cole slaw, pickle relish and Carolina sauce), he also brought two ramekins of the Kansas City sauce, one with Pacia peppers and one without, just so I could try it. It’s true, all the flavors are unique and each is satisfying. I believe he has found a way to tickle the taste buds of barbecue enthusiasts from all over the South.
PHOTO COURTESY OF SMOKEJACK
Mojo smoke combo with pulled pork shoulder, sliced beef brisket, smoked roasted chicken, wood grilled vegetables and corn pudding.
PHOTO COURTESY OF ROBIN HARRISON
Along with my smaller version of the Pork-Zilla sandwich, I also tried the macaroni and cheese, corn pudding and the restaurant’s famous fried pickles. Each one has a taste that played with my heartstrings and took me back to my childhood. I also tested out the baked beans, locally grown Gouda cheese grits and collard greens (which, of course, are not complete if not accompanied with in-house jarred pepper sauce). With turkey, brisket, chicken, seafood and pork, which are paired with an array of vegetables including the Southern staples of sweet potatoes and “maters ‘n cukes,” (that’s tomatoes and cucumbers), it’s clear barbecue enthusiasts will be satisfied by one dish or another. Locations at 29 S. Main St., Alpharetta and 5063 Post Road, Cumming; www.smokejackbbq.com
With an obsession for PRIME STEAKS, FRESH SEAFOOD and FINE WINE, your experience at Ray’s Killer Creek will be a truly MEMORABLE one.
1700 Mansell Road, Alpharetta, GA 30009 | 770-649-0064 | Raysrestaurants.com
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BBQ S AU C E S O F THE SOUTH In the world of barbecue connoisseurs, the sauce is as important as the pork it slathers. And since Georgia doesn’t appear to pick favorites — it’s clear we like em’ all — check out our quick cheat sheet on the Sauces of the South. Memphis: Similar to the Kansas City style, this sauce typically tops the list of pleasing
Colonel Poole’s Bar-B-Q PHOTOS COURTESY OF JULIE HOSTETTER
the most palates with its sweet taste combined with vinegar and tomato, as well as a splash of brown sugar, molasses and mustard thrown in for good measure.
pepper flakes or cayenne as well as salt and pepper to add a little spice to each bite. South Carolina: The folks in this area break with tradition and create a yellow mustard- and vinegar-based sauce with sugar and spices. Texas: Adding in some ingredients such as chili peppers, black pepper and onions, it’s clear these Southern spitfires like a little kick to their barbecue.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF ISTOCKPHOTO.COM | © JANEFF
North Carolina: A tangy vinegar base reigns supreme in this region with a dash of red
Alabama: What makes these folks stand out from the crowd is the South’s one and only white barbecue sauce with a mayonnaise base.
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Colonel Poole’s Bar-B-Q No story about Georgia’s homegrown barbecue is complete without making a pilgrimage to the “Pig Hall of Fame” in Ellijay in the North Georgia Mountains. Colonel Poole is as legendary as the “pigs on the hill” that put his little barbecue joint on the map. Oscar and Edna Poole borrowed $3,500 and opened their pork shack more than 20 years ago. When state authorities would not allow him to put a sign by the highway, he just planted pigs on the steep hill behind his restaurant. First it was just family, then customers wanted to join in the fun and add their John Hancocks to the archives of barbecue history, and now there are more than 3,000 pigs on that dang hill! And while the old shack is long gone, a wood cabin with rooms called Taj-ma-hog and Hog-Rock-Café welcome guests, as does the Colonel’s famous “Pig-Mobyil,” a converted 1976 Plymouth Volare with some pig-tastic upgrades.
As you step inside, heaps of Southern hospitality are served alongside chopped pork, fried pies and a Brunswick Stew my husband decreed the best in Georgia. Oh, and their mac n’ cheese and homemade desserts will make you squeal in delight. Just one caveat: The barbecue comes out sauced with Cattleman Smoky sauce, but I suggest you ask for no sauce and choose at the table, where the peppery Colonel Poole’s Original Recipe BBQ Sauce and his sweet barbecue concoction await. Even at the age of 81, this “Colonel Sanders of Pork” still acts like a spring chicken and pops in regularly to chat with customers. So, if you haven’t visited this little slice of Americana, holy smokes, it’s time for a road trip. And if you want to live high on the hog and plant your own pig in the hill, the Colonel has only three conditions — “An honest face, good intentions and five dollars.” 164 Craig St., East Ellijay; www.poolesbarbq.com. PN
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I am a few years from 40
NOT JUST
SKIN DEEP Learn How Good VASCULAR HEALTH Can Save Your Life
[ W R I T T EN BY THE E D I TO R S O F P O I NT S N ORT H MAGAZINE ]
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Points North | September 2011 | ptsnorth.com
(which direction, I won’t say). I eat well. I don’t have high blood pressure. I don’t have diabetes and my cholesterol isn’t high either. I am a few pounds from 120 (again, not saying which direction). And I love to run, so the word sedentary only applies to the hours when I’m writing. Yet I recently learned that none of these factors necessarily equate to a clean bill of vascular health. What did that mean, exactly? Vascular disease, at its very basic, describes blood vessel diseases. When disease occurs in the arteries — blood vessels that carry oxygenated blood away from the heart to the vital organs, the brain and the legs — it’s called arterial disease. And when disease occurs in the veins — blood vessels that carry blood from the body back to the heart — it’s considered venous disease. Sounds simple, right? But here is where it gets complicated. Vascular conditions and diseases can involve more than one of the body’s systems or structures at a time, which means many types of physicians treat vascular problems. Specialists in vascular medicine and/or surgery work closely with physicians in other specialties, such as internal medicine, interventional radiology and cardiology, among others. To clear up any confusion about vascular health, I spoke to some of Atlanta’s finest specialists in a range of medical capacities and while we’ve barely skimmed the surface, perhaps you’ll learn a few things about types of vascular disease, risk factors and impressive advancements in the various treatments for the diseases.
“If a patient has vascular
ALL ABOUT
ARTERIAL AS WE’VE BECOME EDUCATED in heart health over the years, we’ve grown accustomed to hearing about hardening of the arteries, or atherosclerosis, which occurs when vessels become blocked, narrowed or weakened over time. But the most common disease of the arteries is surprisingly not coronary, as you might expect — it’s peripheral vascular disease (PVD), often used interchangeably as peripheral arterial disease (PAD), a slow and progressive circulation disorder that most frequently affects the legs and feet. More than half of the people with PVD are asymptomatic according to the Vascular Disease Foundation, and, by the time they start to see outward indications, an artery could be narrowed by 60 percent or more. Even once the symptoms begin, many people simply dismiss them as part of getting older. The first noticeable symptom might be a painful cramping of leg muscles during walking, yet when a person rests, the cramping goes away. Other individuals might dodge the cramps altogether but experience numbness, weakness or heaviness in the muscles, among other symptoms. “If a patient has vascular disease in the legs, there’s a 40 percent chance to have disease in the heart [as well],” said Dr. Nydia Bladuell, an interventional cardiologist with WellStar Medical Group, Cardiovascular Medicine. “Among the risk factors of peripheral vascular disease are hypertension, cholesterol, cigarette smoking, diabetes, coronary artery disease, obesity and stress, but not having these factors does not preclude you from cardiovascular disease, which also has to do with genetics,” Bladuell warned. She also was quick to assert “women generally have good cholesterol until they hit menopause and then that hormonal protection they’ve always had is gone.” Bladuell, a firm believer in exercise as a key to vascular health, also provided a few tips such as taking a coronary calcium score test. “It’s an out-of-pocket test that can save the life of many people. It gives you an idea of where [those who have never had any known cardiology issues] are as far as risk and it takes less than 5 minutes.”
disease in the legs, there’s a 40 percent chance to have disease in the heart [as well].
”
DR. NYDIA BLADUELL | Interventional Cardiologist, Wellstar Medical Group, Cardiovascular Medicine
DR. ALAN WOLFE, a surgeon with Northeast Georgia Physicians Group (NGPG) Cardiovascular & Thoracic Surgeons emphasized the importance of accurately monitoring one’s blood pressure and echoed the risk associated with genetics and vascular disease. “The calcification process [in arteries] is a natural process that comes with aging, but people with genetic predisposition may begin developing this [condition] from the time they are an infant. So if you have a family history, be aggressive in both your evaluation and subsequent treatment, even if you are asymptomatic.” Wolfe specializes in a highly specialized type of cardiovascular surgery called minimally invasive port access valve reconstruction — an alternative only available at a handful of hospitals in the United States. “Reconstruction restores the [mitral or aortal valve] as close to its natural state as possible,” Wolfe said, adding that the benefits of this procedure rather than traditional open-heart surgery include a 1.5 inch incision versus a 10 to 12-inch incision, less blood loss and trauma for your body, and the ability to resume normal activities within days rather than months. Between Wolfe and Dr. Jeff Marshall, who is an interventional cardiologist and the primary investigator for the first robotic-assisted coronary angioplasty in Georgia, Northeast Georgia Medical Center in Gainesville along with Northeast Georgia Heart Center have soared into national recognition. “We are one of seven centers in the world to do this,” Marshall said. “We are researching the safety of these robotic assisted procedures and the premise [of the trial] is to prove that we can use robotics to do angioplasty.” Since mid-May of this year when the first robotic-assisted coronary angioplasty was completed in the state, five more have been added to the local total. “I believe that eventually robots will help in the most complicated vascular surgeries. Smart machines may make medical procedures more precise — the potential for this could be quite big.”
DR. JAMES K. ELSEY, a vascular surgeon with Gwinnett Medical Center, spoke of peripheral aortic aneurysms and forewarned that hardening of the arteries increases the risk for both transient ischemic attacks (TIAs) and stroke. “You should be concerned if you have dizziness, visual disturbances, weakness, collapse, discoordination — any change of function in the body,” Elsey said. Although a TIA does not cause brain tissue to die like it does during a stroke and the symptoms of TIAs do not last as long as those of a stroke, a TIA is considered to be a warning that you may have a true stroke one day.
ptsnorth.com | September 2011 | Points North
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Vascular Health
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JUST LIKE ARTERIES, veins have valves, but blood coming from the legs doesn’t exactly have a pump and is constantly fighting gravity. “Calf muscles squeeze veins and push the blood up,” explained Dr. Louis Prevosti of Vein Atlanta. “When valves fail or aren’t working properly, blood goes the wrong direction in the veins.” As a result, venous disorders and diseases can occur and what we learned is that they are not to be dismissed as purely a cosmetic fix. “Eighty percent of people who see me don’t do so for cosmetic problems,” said Prevosti. “It’s estimated that venous reflux disease is five times more common than peripheral arterial disease and [it’s] two times as common as coronary disease. Yet very few people understand what causes it.” Unlike arterial disease, the risk factors are not able to be altered by lifestyle changes such as dieting and exercise. Instead, uncontrollable factors such as heredity (if one of your parents has it, there’s a 50 percent chance you’ll have it, too); gender (females are at risk due to hormones, particularly progesterone); multiple pregnancies (primarily due to hormones, though weight of the uterus and increase flow of blood through the veins during that time also contribute); careers that require standing such as anyone in the food industry, medical professions, flight attendants and factory workers; and the last factor is, of course, age. “Age 20 and under, there’s an 18 percent chance; by the age of 40, the chance is
“Eighty percent of people who see me don’t do so
for cosmetic problems. It’s estimated that venous reflux disease is five times more common than peripheral arterial disease and [it’s] two times as common as coronary disease. DR. LOUIS PREVOSTI | Vein Atlanta
”
up to 40 percent for women; by age 60, it climbs to 70 percent,” Prevosti said, adding that the risk is about half of that percentage for men.
SO, WHAT IS VENOUS REFLUX DISEASE and if more than 25 million Americans suffer from it, why don’t they seek treatment? “People may have symptoms of venous disease and not even know it,” said Dr. Lisa Perez, medical director at Circulatory Centers, which has one location in Roswell and a second set to open in Johns Creek later this year. “These symptoms could include achiness, fatigue or some swelling in the legs. Some even suffer from symptoms of Restless Leg Syndrome.” “One of the main triggers of venous disease is venous reflux. Reflux is the backflow of blood into veins causing the veins to dilate and blood to pool in the legs. This can lead to unsightly and painful varicose veins. If the reflux is severe and longstanding it can eventually lead to chronic venous insufficiency. In that case, there is chronic pooling of blood and increased pressure in the veins that can lead to skin changes (discolored thickened leathery skin), pain and tissue damage that results in ulcerations,” Perez explained. “Many patients are not aware that their treatments, most likely, will be covered by insurance,” she continued. “In the past, treatments were very invasive with a long and often painful recovery period, but in the past five years, the field has changed. With the development of new laser technology, almost ptsnorth.com | September 2011 | Points North
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Vascular Health Dr. Timani
TWO Sensational September Specials! 1. MICRODERMABRASION • Schedule 3 treatments and pay only $250, (a $375 value) ! • Reveal glowing skin! • Improved skin texture and tone 2. VEINWAVE TREATMENT 30% OFF! • The special is back due to patient demand! • FDA cleared treatment • Treats spider veins on the legs and face • Treats rosacea • No bandaging or scarring Call today to reserve your appointment!
General Dermatology Pediatric Dermatology Surgical Dermatology Cosmetic Dermatology Dermatopathology 6300 Hospital Parkway, Suite 100 | Johns Creek, GA 30097 770.771.6591 | www.johnscreekdermatology.com
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all procedures are done in the office with little to no down time for the patient.” The initial consult at Circulatory Centers is a “no charge consult,” which means your legs will be assessed while you discuss any problems or symptoms you might have and they will often be able to determine whether insurance will cover your treatments. The initial consult does not include an ultrasound, but according to both doctors, ultrasounds are often covered by insurance.
THE PRIMARY TREATMENT for venous reflux is to re-route blood through healthy veins. Gone are the days of barbaric vein stripping and in its place are minimally invasive procedures such as endovenous laser ablation (EVLA), a procedure that heats the lining within the vein, causing it to collapse, shrink and eventually to disappear. The best part is that it takes no more than 30 to 45 minutes in the office, the pressure in those veins is eliminated, circulation improves and patients are encouraged to walk and resume normal activities. While spider veins can be associated with larger underlying varicose veins, oftentimes spider veins are simply unsightly annoyances. Most common treatment is sclerotherapy, during which a chemical is injected via a tiny needle into the veins; however, Johns Creek Dermatology also offers Veinwave, a simple, affordable alternative to laser and light-based treatments used in Europe for more than eight years and recently cleared by the FDA for the States. Thermocoagulation (heat produced by high-energy electric current) is said to be a tolerable procedure for spider veins that requires no bandaging, bruising, scarring and no hyper or hypo pigmentation, so it can be done on all skin types. While the treated veins disappear, this treatment does not prevent new ones from forming. PN
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Cowgirl Up Autumn is Perfect for Art and Adventure at Montana’s Triple Creek Ranch [ W R I T T E N BY B R E H U M P H R I E S ]
of an old Western movie, albeit a much more amicable one. Rather than gunslingers, the competitors in this little “Quick Draw” were artists, paintbrushes and pastels poised and hands ready to sculpt. Each would have a mere five minutes to create a masterful work of art before moving on to try their hand at another artist’s medium while onlookers watched from the sidelines, sipping whiskey from highball glasses. This friendly competition was the culmination of an Artist Workshop Weekend at Triple Creek Ranch, a rustic yet elegant Relais & Chateaux resort in Darby, Mont. Taking place each October, these workshops allow guests to learn from some of the country’s best Western genre artists in a casual environment amidst the glorious setting of autumn in Montana’s
PHOTOS COURTESY OF TRIPLE CREEK RANCH
It was like a showdown scene
Bitterroot Mountain Range. The four-day, three-night weekends include art demonstrations and hands-on sessions, guided tours of Triple Creek’s extensive Western art collection, an art exhibition and all the everyday luxuries available at this all-inclusive resort, such as gourmet meals, house wine, beer and spirits and on-ranch activities. ptsnorth.com | September 2011 | Points North
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| TRIPLE CREEK RANCH, MONT.
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TRIPLE CREEK RANCH PHOTO COURTESY OF
While I had come to test my artistic ability at the workshop, my husband and I were both anxious to escape suburbia for a weekend of adventure (and maybe a little R&R) in the great outdoors at this intimate Montana hideaway. Ponderosa Playground Though the average high here in October is 62 degrees, the temperature was unseasonably warm when we arrived at Triple Creek. At 70 degrees, the weather was just perfect for a late afternoon ride around the ranch in our personal golf cart and a little fishing from the banks of the property’s lower pond. For luck, my husband brandished a Trout Slayer ale, brewed in nearby Missoula, while I sipped a red Cotes du Rhone from a plastic wine glass and relished the lazy breeze as I watched him hook his first cutthroat, a species of trout common in this area. This luxurious, adults-only guest ranch offers top-notch hospitality, but complete freedom, too, making guests feel at home in all the right ways while waiting on them hand and foot when necessary or desired. We loved the freedom to grab our beverage of choice from the bar in the lodge and take the golf cart out on our own explorations of the property, along dirt paths to two stocked ponds and up into the Bitterroot National Forest that borders the property on three sides. Triple Creek Ranch spans 600 acres on the side of Trapper Peak, the tallest mountain in Western Montana. In addition to the three creeks for which it is named — Baker, House and No Name Creek — the property features two stocked ponds, plenty of hiking trails, a barn and corral filled with horses, a heated pool and fitness center, tennis courts, a putting green and a lodge with world-class restaurant, lounge and library. To accommodate a maximum
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capacity of 60 guests, 23 cabins are scattered throughout the Ponderosa pines, each with wood-burning fireplaces, kitchenettes, porches, private or semi-private hot tubs, unique Western décor, satellite televisions, a collection of books, and fruit, trail mix and freshly baked cookies delivered daily. Owners Craig and Barbara Barrett’s second property, the nearby CB Ranch, adds an additional 26,000 acres on which Triple Creek guests can play. A working cattle ranch, CB Ranch spans across 8 miles of Bitterroot River frontage and into the foothills of the Sapphire Mountains. In a place where hunting is huge, CB Ranch remains a private preserve, making it a safe haven for hundreds of animals like wild elk, deer, wolves, badgers, otters and eagles. Wild Encounters After our first day at Triple Creek, we had already seen wild turkeys, plenty of chipmunks and even a herd of elk below the lodge at dusk, but these creatures were so accustomed to encountering humans that they barely acknowledged our presence, so we set out on a guided nature tour at the CB Ranch to seek wildlife in their natural environment. As soon as we entered the gates, a group of whitetail deer scattered across a hill. As we rode along, I felt like we were playing a camouflaged version of “Where’s Waldo” as my eyes searched the landscape for more and spotted a second group of mule deer up on a hill. As our suburban crawled up the ridge for a better view of the ranch down below, we caught our first glimpse of a herd of elk about 50 strong. They took off running when they heard us approach, but settled into a spot near a line of trees. For the best view, we hopped out of the car to take a peek through a spotting scope, which made the majestic creatures seem close enough to touch. Back at Triple Creek, we met a wrangler at the corral who introduced us to our horses for a riding excursion. After climbing aboard Napper, I soon learned that my horse had been appropriately named as he lagged a bit behind the group, but he was good for me, an inexperienced rider, taking the steep slopes slowly and putting me at ease. As we traversed the Triple Creek property on horseback, we stumbled upon
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Flying Horses & Fine Dining Fishing is such a popular pastime here that Triple Creek hosts Orvis fly fishing classes each spring, but this fall weekend, the art workshop was the featured affair. The festivities began with a cocktail reception at Elk Meadow, the private residence of the Barretts and the epitome of rustic elegance, with exquisite log-cabin style architecture with a two-tiered deck affording sweeping mountain views. As we sipped bubbly and surveyed the Barrett’s extensive personal collection of Western art, I relished the opportunity to get to know my fellow guests and the featured artists — sculptor Greg Kelsey, acrylic painter Jean Richardson and pastel artist Steve Oiestad. The next day, we all gathered together in Ponderosa, a secluded three-bedroom cabin with a colorful view of the changing leaves, making it an appropriate spot for artistic inspiration. Here, we divided into groups to work with an artist of our choice, and I opted to work with Richardson. Famous for her abstract paintings of horses, many in midgallop, this talented artist makes it look like the regal animals are flying off the canvas. Though I had never worked with acrylics before, Richardson’s step-by-step instructions helped
ptsnorth.com | September 2011 | Points North
| TRIPLE CREEK RANCH, MONT.
the ranch’s resident herd of elk in the woods, a magical moment that left me breathless. Also included in your stay are activities such as horseshoes, hiking, fly-casting lessons, birding tours and onproperty fishing. For additional fees, guests can also enjoy off-ranch horseback rides, cattle drives, white water rafting, scenic float trips, ATV tours, in-cabin massages, heli-hiking, mountain biking, photography safaris and guided steelhead fishing or trout fishing excursions. Triple Creek is an Orvis-endorsed lodge, meaning guests have use of Orvis brand rods and reels, “the Cadillac of fishing equipment” according to my husband, who was anxious to get back on the water. He enlisted the service of Fly Fishing Always for a guided float trip down the Bitterroot River, which flows north through the Bitterroot Valley and into the Clark Fork of the Columbia River. He described the day as yet another scene from a Wild West film, with the brisk water cutting through the rocky terrain and a canyon towering above on one side. Along with outfitter Rick Thomas and his “boat dog,” Brodie, my husband spent a day in a fisherman’s paradise, and returned with tales of rainbow, brown and cutthroat trout.
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PHOTO COURTESY OF TRIPLE CREEK RANCH
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Acrylic artist Jean Richardson and Triple Creek guests during an Artist Workshop Weekend
me create a miniature painting I was proud of — a single horse standing tall against a backdrop of bright reds and golds inspired by the fall color around me. Of course, all that art and adventure will certainly encourage your appetite, and dining at Triple Creek turned out to be my altogether favorite activity. The food here is phenomenal, paying special tribute to Northwest regional fare in menus that change every other day or even nightly. Dinners are particularly decadent, with four different courses, plenty of wild game and local produce whenever possible. Though you never know what might be available when you walk in the dining room, my favorite meals included an oyster clam stew with sun-dried tomatoes and an entrée of cornmeal-stuffed quail. A selection of house wines offers plenty of variety to pair nicely with you meals, but if you’re in the mood for something specific, a wine cellar offers approximately 2,000 bottles from around the world for purchase. At breakfast, be sure to order the elk sausage, even if it’s not on the menu, and take advantage of room service. This is a particularly excellent option for a lazy Sunday morning of baconcheddar pancakes by the fire in the comfort of your own cabin before departure. Though we never actually lit the fire in our own cabin, the weather was on the verge of a drastic change and snow was in the forecast as we prepared to leave. I left with memories of Triple Creek Ranch draped in fall color, but I could just as easily picture how cozy it would appear blanketed in white with wisps of smoke snaking out of the chimneys of each little cabin in the woods. PN
F O R M O R E I N F O R M AT I O N Triple Creek Ranch 2011 Artist Workshop Weekends - ÊUÊ/ ÊUÊ 9 - ÊUÊ"1/ // ,
take place Oct. 6 – 9, 13 – 16 and 27 – 30. www.triplecreekranch.com Fly Fishing Always www.flyfishingalways.com
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CALENDAR
[ C O M P I L E D BY B R O O KE HUMPHRIE S ]
SEPTEMBER
PERFORMING ARTS TH E R E D V E LV E T C A K E WA R
[Sept. 9 – 24] The Polk Street Players open their 33rd season with the story of the Verdeen cousins of Sweetgum, Texas, as a family reunion erupts in chaos. St. James Episcopal Church, Marietta, 770-218-9669
I NTO TH E WO O D S [Sept. 11] Winning “Best Book” and “Best Actress” at the Tony Awards, this musical sensation captures our hearts with the fairy tales posing the chilling question of what happens next when you get what you wish for. Alliance Theater, 404-733-5000, www.alliancetheatre.org
O N G O LD E N P O N D [Sept. 11] For the 40th year in a row, a couple returns to their beloved home in the
Maine woods, but this time a new guest appears that teaches them some of life’s lessons. Theatre in the Square, Marietta, www.theatreinthesquare.com
ANNIE GET YO U R G U N [Sept. 15 – 25] Let the romantic story unfold of Frank Butler and the sharpshooter, Annie Oakley. Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show presents this classic Broadway musical. Center Theatre at the MJCCA, 678-812-4002, www.atlantajcc.org
TH E U G LY D U C K LI N G [Sept. 18] The beloved classic returns with a two-person cast designed to capture the eyes of younger audiences as the story unfolds about a bird who just doesn’t quite fit in. The Center for Puppetry Arts, 404-873-3391, www.puppet.org
PHOTO COURTESY OF LYNN CROW PHOTOGRAPHY
Calendar submissions should be sent to calendar@ptsnorth.com two full months prior to the month in which the event will occur. Please note that dates and times might change.
G H O S T W R ITE R
F I N E A R T S H OW
[Sept. 28 – Oct. 30] Is a famous author really dictating the story as his secretary types it up, or is someone else behind the writing? Try to draw your own conclusions as this romantic mystery unfolds. Theatre in the Square, Marietta, 770-422-8369, www.theatreinthesquare.com
[Sept. 24 – Oct. 9] Taking place on Saturday and Sunday for three weekends in a row, this special home show combines fine art from a fabulous line-up of artists alongside superb interior design. Twin Creeks, Big Canoe, www.bigcanoe.com
ART/EXHIBITS
R E S I D E NT S A R TI S T S ’ E X H I B ITI O N [Sept. 10 – 24] Here is your chance to go behind the scenes and explore contemporary works in oil, acrylic, mixed media and weaving created by talented professional artists. Gallery 4463, Acworth, 404-808-9971, www.gallery4463.com
ATL A NTA A R T S F E S TI VA L [Sept. 17 – 18] With more than 200 artists representing 12 different mediums including jewelry, painting, photography and ceramics, this opportunity is one art lovers surely do not want to miss! Festivities include live entertainment, plus fun food and beverage options. Piedmont Park, 770-941-9660, www.atlantaartsfestival.com
PHOTO COURTESY OF PEACHTREEPIX.COM
TH R O U G H TH E LE N S
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[S E P T. 1 5 – 2 5 ] Annie Get Your Gun Points North | September 2011 | ptsnorth.com
[SE P T. 8] Party In The Kitchen
[Sept. 24 – 25] The Sawnee Artists Association presents this second annual juried exhibit and fine art photography sale, with select images expressing the theme “Visions of the Southern Appalachians.” Windermere Lodge, 770-644-5850, www.sawneeart.org/throughthe lens.html
C R O S S R OA D S AT C R A B A P P LE [Oct. 1] Score your most unique antique at the Crossroads at Crabapple Antique and Art Festival, featuring 50 American Country Antique Dealers from 6 states and 50 local juried artists. Historic Community of Crabapple, www.crossroadsatcrabapple festival.com
CONCERTS/ COMEDY TH E R E TU R N
[Sept. 11] Concerts by the Springs concludes this month with this renowned Beatles cover band. Kick up your heels at the free concert on the lawn! Heritage Sandy Springs, 404-851-9111, www.heritagesandysprings.org
S K I D R OW S H OW [Sept. 16] Closing out the Summer Rock Series, this rock ‘n’ roll band has worked their way to the top and is ready to share their musical talent with the masses. Wild Bills Atlanta, 678-473-1000, www.wildbillsatlanta.com
ATL A NTA BALALAIK A SOCIETY CONCERT [Sept. 24] The Atlanta Balalaika Society is proud
N A S H V I LLE S O N GW R ITE R ’ S TO U R [Sept. 30 – Oct. 1] The Chukkar Farm Concert Series continues with these special evenings featuring Georgia’s own James Castro. Chukkar Farm & Polo Club, 678-665-0040, www.homebydark.com
M A K E A M OV E [Oct. 1] Atlanta-based Christian band Third Day will perform selections from their newest album, as well as long-time fan favorites and radio hits, along with artists Steven Curtis Chapman, Tenth Avenue North and Trevor Morgan. Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre, 404-733-5010, www.vzwamp.com
CHARITY EVENTS
PA R T Y I N TH E K IT C H E N [Sept. 8] Many of the city’s most well known chefs are uniting for this 8th annual event to benefit Open Hand’s community nutrition programs. Guests will eat their hearts out with a wide assortment of delectable dishes. The evening also includes dancing, cocktails and an auction. Mason Murer Fine Art, 404-419-3333, www.openhandatlanta.org
C H I LD R E N ’ S C O N S I G N M E NT S A LE [Sept. 9 – 10] Find gently worn fall and winter children’s clothing and accessories, plus maternity clothing, baby equipment, nursery décor, toys and more. Proceeds will benefit Roswell United Methodist Church Preschool and donated items will benefit The Foster Care Support Foundation. Roswell United Methodist Church, 770-853-2333, www.rumc.com/rumck
PHOTO COURTESY OF JIM FITTS
to present this anniversary concert, dedicated to the preservation of Russian and Eastern European folk music. Roswell Cultural Arts Center, 404-325-2449, www.atlantabalalaika.com
[SE P T. 2 3 ] The Humane Event
G R E AT LO C O M OTI V E CHASE 5K
R I D E F O R P R O S TATE C A N C E R AWA R E N E S S
[Sept. 10] This 5K race, which benefits the Southern Museum, starts at the Kennesaw First Baptist Church and finishes in historic downtown Kennesaw, just in time for Taste of Kennesaw! In addition, a 1-mile fun run and tot trot will take place. Kennesaw Museum Foundation, 770-427-2117, www.greatlocomotiverace.com
[Sept. 17] Come out for the motorcycle ride to stop cancer. The ride begins at Killer Creek Harley-Davidson in Alpharetta and ends at Oak Grove Road in Dahlonega. All proceeds will benefit the Prostate Cancer Coalition for research in Georgia. Killer Creek Harley-Davidson, Alpharetta, 770-682-2099, www.rccancercenters.com
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CALENDAR TH E H U M A N E E V E NT [Sept. 23] This second annual fundraiser is ready to set the bar even higher this year in order to increase awareness and support for the Atlanta Humane Society. Presented by the 1873 Society Club, the evening includes cuisine and cocktails overlooking the Midtown skyline. Summerour Studio, Atlanta, 404-875-5331, www.atlantahumane.org
B R I A N PA R K S WA LK AND FUN RUN [Oct. 1] Pull together a team of friends to
honor the life of “team player” Brian Parks at this first annual event, which benefits Blue Skies Ministries and The Brian Parks Foundation’s mission to provide scholarships for students facing difficulties. Forsyth High School, www.brianparksfoundation.org
R AC E F O R H A B ITAT [Oct. 1] Mt. Bethel is drawing up construction plans — and door prizes — to build their next two Habitat for Humanity homes. Participate in this special race to help less fortunate families find a home of their own. Mt. Bethel United Methodist Church,
Saturday, October 1, 2011 9 am -5 pm
Enjoy an old-fashioned festival featuring American Country Antiques and Juried Artists, Roaming Musicians, Food and Fun.
100 EXHIBITORS
Marietta, 770-314-0130, www.habitatroadrace.com
SPECIAL EVENTS C H I C K- F I L- A K I C KO F F G A M E FA N N I G HT
[Sept. 2] Join fellow college football fanatics as the season kicks off at this special sports-themed celebration featuring live music, a cash bar, food for purchase and special appearances by the University of Georgia and Boise State cheerleading squads. Georgia Aquarium, www.georgia aquarium.org/cfabowlfans
LOV E TH E L A K E F E S TI VA L [Sept. 3 – 4] Unwind and enjoy the last glimpse of summer at the annual Love the Lake Festival at Cauble Park featuring ski demonstrations, festival food, arts and crafts and other entertainment. Cauble Park, Acworth, 770-917-1234, www.acworthbusiness.org
TA S TE O F K E N N E S AW [Sept. 10] With more than 40 restaurants, kids’ activities and a free concert, there is no better way to spend a day with the family. All proceeds will benefit
north atlanta dance academy Featuring ultra-spacious studios with observation access. Proven Excellence in dance training since 1997. Pre Ballet program from ages 3 through 6 Comprehensive Pre-Professional Ballet Program: Ballet, Pointe, Variations, Partnering, Dance History, Music Theory Accelerated Ballet Program: Ballet, Pointe, Character, Modern Contemporary Program: Ballet, Modern, Jazz, Tap, Hip-Hop New Musical Theater Program: Jazz, Tap, Contemporary, Acting, Voice featuring Annual Musical Performance
The Historic Community of Crabapple is located 5 miles North of Roswell, GA and 3 miles West of Alpharetta, GA Directions: Mapquest - 790 Mayfield Road, Milton, GA 30004 Details: www.crabapplefestival.com | Free Parking & Admission Sponsored by the City of Milton and the Crabapple Community Association
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Open School: All dance forms available. Geared for the casual student.
Registration Ongoing. Call now for full details: 770-772-8000
10700 State Bridge Road, Suite 13 | Johns Creek, Georgia 30022 www.NorthAtlantaDanceAcademy.com | northatlantad658@bellsouth.net
four local charities. Admission is free and food samples range from 50 cents to $4. Downtown Kennesaw, 770-423-1330, http://www.kennesaw.com/ taste-of-kennesaw/
[Sept. 11] Young athletes are invited to compete in this triathlon with the intended purpose of inspiring and motivating them through sports. Wills Park, Alpharetta, www.ironkids.com
TA S TE O F SMYRNA [Sept. 17] Come satisfy your cravings at the “Festival of Delectable” that fulfills your desire for food samples and live entertainment. Acoustic music from Scott Thompson will sway the crowd while enjoying great cuisine from 25 different restaurants. Village Green, 770-423-1330, www.smyrnacity.com
M U N I C H O N M A R I E T TA S TR E E T
PHOTO COURTESY OF PWP STUDIO
IRONKIDS A LP H A R E T TA
Daryl Pulis. Roswell Area Park, www.roswellgardenclub.com
PA P E R M I LL M A R K E T [Oct. 1 – 2] Peruse art, handcrafted jewelry, fashion accessories, vintage furnishings, garden whatnots and unusual
[SE P T. 1 7 – O C T. 3 0 ] Munich on Marietta Street one-of-a-kind finds at this popular pop-up market. Paper Mill Village, Marietta, www.papermillmarket.com
F I E LD O F G R E E N S F E S TI VA L [Oct. 2] Taste locally grown food prepared by
30 featured chefs from Atlanta and Athens at this sixth annual farm-totable festival. The fun also includes music, kid’s activities, farm walks and street food vendors, with proceeds benefitting sustainable farmers. Whippoorwill Hollow Organic Farm, Walnut Grove, Ga., www.fieldofgreensfestival.com
[Sept. 17 – Oct. 30] Enjoy the ultimate celebration of Germany’s famed beer festival right here at home with Der Biergarten’s version of Oktoberfest. Each room of this Atlanta restaurant will feature a different German draft beer, live bands will encourage you to kick up your heels and reusable beer boots will be available for purchase. Der Biergarten, Atlanta, 404-521- 2728, www.derbiergarten.com
FA LL C O NTA I N E R GARDENING [Sept. 24] The North Fulton Masters Gardeners can help brighten your living space with a multi-topic series of gardening classes. Heritage Sandy Springs, 404-851-9111, www.heritagessandysprings.org
R O S W E LL G A R D E N C LU B [Sept. 27] Want to learn how to develop an environmentally-friendly garden for the do-it-yourself-gardener while still maintaining a low budget? Join the club. This month’s meeting features local garden show expert and columnist ptsnorth.com | September 2011 | Points North
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Watch A Movie at the Mansion. Imagine a romantic evening with that special someone in an actual English garden with a cocktail in hand before settling down at sunset to enjoy a classic film. Sounds charming, doesn’t it? On Sept. 16, you can munch on gourmet movie fare at The Mansion on Peachtree as you watch the dashing Cary Grant on the big screen in “North by Northwest.” Food and beverage packages are available for $40 per person and the fun begins at 7 p.m. with a pre-screening reception. Call 404-995-7500 or visit www.rwmansiononpeachtree.com for more information.
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PHOTO COURTESY OF KAY VINSON “LOST IN TRANSLATION”
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[ WRIT T EN BY ASHL EY BRE CHTE L ]
Tempt Your Taste Buds. Bring your appetite to the 4th annual Taste of Johns Creek, taking place Sept. 25 at Chattahoochee High School. Savor samples from more than than 50 restaurants, including Bagel Boys Café, Chips Authentic Southern Cookin, Kozmo Gastro Pub, Luciano’s Ristorante Italiano and Sugo. While you’re at it, enjoy a hospitality tent, Kidz Zone, food and presentation contests and entertainment by local artists Mandy Gawley and Tyna Q. Visit www.tasteofjc.com for more information. Stroll through Sacred Spaces. Atlanta Preservation Center will offer a free tour of Atlanta’s architectural and cultural history Sept. 22 – 25. The tour will feature eight unique religious spaces including turn-of-the-century, mid-century modern, modern, Christian, Jewish and Muslim sites. The tour will open with a showing of the documentary, “Andre’s Lives” at the Ahavath Achim Synagogue followed by a tour of the site. To learn more, call 404-688-3353 ext. 14 or visit www.preserveatlanta.com. Expand Your Art Collection. Check out downtown Marietta’s newest art gallery, 2 Rules Fine Art, which opens Sept. 2 with the gallery’s premiere group art show, Function: Repurposed. Owned by mother-daughter duo Lois and Becky Rule, 2 Rules Fine Art aims to bridge the gap between fine art and great design. The opening exhibition features a variety of work such as textile design, wood & type collections, etchings, paintings and more. For more information, please call 770-609-9278 or visit www.2rulesfineart.com. Pay Homage to Motherhood. This month, the 14th Street Playhouse debuts “Motherhood the Musical,” showing Sept. 22 – Nov. 20. Brought to you by the creators of the highly popular “Menopause the Musical,” this new theatrical sensation chronicles four local women acting out the triumphs and pitfalls of motherhood in a comical yet thought-provoking performance. Call the Box Office at 404-733-5000 or visit www.14thstplayhouse.org for more information.