Points North November 2016

In this November 2016

Issue 198

ISSUE

POINTS NORTH Atlanta

8

22

Celebrating 16 Years & Counting

Familiar Faces They’re the people we count on, the people pushing boundaries and the people that can’t say “no.” They’re neighbors, colleagues, mentors, parents, siblings, spouses, daughters and sons. Globally minded but deeply rooted in Georgia, they are seven locals you should know.

22

Cycle of Life

35

Creative Customs

Born in Germany 50-some years ago, a Johns Creek mother returned with her son for a spinning adventure she’ll never forget. Traveling 30 miles per day by bike along the country’s Main River, they discovered quaint towns, distracting detours and natural beauty around every bend.

In eager anticipation of the holiday season, we collected treasured memories from our staff members.

Reminding us that one tradition doesn’t fit all, you’ll find favorite moments ranging from sport competitions and belying warm winters to the comfort of homemade cookies and the art of caroling.

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EDITOR’S LETTER GUY’S TIME DUE NORTH AFTERTHOUGHTS

ON THE COVER Compilation by Robin Harrison | For individual image credits, see pages 8 through 21.

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTIONS 45 Our Annual Holiday Gift Guide 48 Holiday Events and Attractions

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PHOTO COURTESY OF ZACH WILLARD; ARTWORK COURTESY OF HUFF HARRINGTON FINE ART, LORRAINE CHRISTIE, “ARE YOU SURE” 24-BY-24

4 | POINTS NORTH | November 2016

Editor’s LETTER

PointsNorth Atlanta PRESIDENT / CEO Witt Beckman PUBLISHER Carl Danbury Jr.

A Call to Action

EDITOR Heather KW Brown

C

CREATIVE DIRECTOR Robin Harrison SENIOR ART DIRECTOR Shannah J. Smith

CRABMEAT CASSEROLE AND GERMAN GOULASH. Even with established family traditions of my own, those four words still define the holidays for me. Beginning with my first year in college, my maternal grandmother would call when she started her search for the best lump crabmeat in town. Forget the turkey, the stuffing, the dressing and the cranberries … what had my attention at the Thanksgiving table was always her crabmeat casserole. Maybe I loved how it deviated from the norm or simply because it was her special dish, but the season didn’t officially start until that phone call.

Much like our all-time favorite flicks, the scene on Christmas Eve played out exactly the same every year. My sister and I loaded the car with packages from my parents, drove to my paternal grandmother’s house, where we stashed them under her tree and dove into the eggnog — not the “adult” eggnog, of course. Following a delicious German feast, we relocated to another room to sing Christmas carols as my grandmother played the piano, imploring us to sing louder until the time came to open our goodies.

I can’t name a single wrapped present from the many she gave over the years, but plates of her German Goulash and the sound of carols on the piano will forever be cherished gifts.

On the topic of favorites, all of us at Points North Atlanta are sharing stories and long-standing traditions that continue to bring us joy, whether it’s friendly competition or mouthwatering recipes.

For a fun and touching account of family coming full circle, we follow one of our own on a sentimental journey with her son through Germany, where they explore her birthplace by bike.

If that notion doesn’t inspire you to go the distance, Northside Names, a new spin on our Savvy & Successful Women of the Northside, just might. This year, we’ve cranked up the spotlight to feature men who are making an impact in our communities as well. You’ll likely recognize these familiar faces and now you’ll know their narratives.

The good that each of these individuals is doing has a global ripple effect for which we are grateful, but holidays are about celebrating simple acts of thoughtfulness. As I’ve realized over the years, even a quick call can make a difference.

ASSOCIATE EDITOR Colleen Ann McNally CONTRIBUTING WRITER Jennifer Colosimo EDITORIAL INTERNS Niko Berry Brenna Needham ADVERTISING 770-844-0969 sales@pointsnorthatlanta.com SENIOR MEDIA CONSULTANT Karen Poulsen ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE George Colmant CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Tiffany Willard

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HEATHER KW BROWN, EDITOR heather@pointsnorthatlanta.com

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PHOTO COURTESY OF ERIN WHITTLE PHOTOGRAPHY

6 | POINTS NORTH | November 2016

Notable

NORTHSIDERS

P U T T I N G FA C E S T O N A M E S YO U M I G H T N O T K N OW

DANA SPINOLA: GIVING BACK IN STYLE

written by COLLEEN ANN MCNALLY

D

ANA SPINOLA is the type

of girlfriend whose closet any woman would love to raid. Even before becoming the founder and CEO of fab’rik, a leading fashion franchise, it’s easy to suspect she was the go-to gal for that feel-good outfit we always need for an interview, for a date night or when those hopes didn’t pan out and a dose of retail therapy was in order.

In a way, I feel like I’ve already done that, considering I’m among the shopping “addicts” who have frequented one of her boutiques since opening in 2002. Yet, as I sat across from the CEO in the company’s Buckhead office, I learned that yes, people must turn to her often, but more so because her heart is at least two sizes bigger than her closet.

Now with 41 stores in 14 states – and counting – the fab’rik team has outgrown the command center along East Shadlowlawn Avenue and is in the process of moving. The new, larger space will also serve as a permanent home to free fab’rik, the nonprofit Spinola co-founded in 2009.

Her mission? To provide free shopping sprees that restore dignity, confidence and

hope to young ladies who have lost their own.

To understand the concept, first it’s important to note that Spinola believes clothes can change lives. They certainly have changed hers. “[There are] moments in life when you remember what you had on … it attaches to that time. It makes you feel special,” she said, recalling the dress she had on the day she met her husband. In a story that rivals blockbuster romantic comedies, she approached him as a total stranger. It happened to be the same day she launched the company, and her first words to him were a declaration that they were going to get married.

“If you want to know my personality, that’s my personality,” Spinola said.

Flash-forward 14 years, they have three boys together as well as a daughter they adopted from Ethiopia.

“I used to tell my story so differently, I guess more of my résumé story,” she said.

Spinola graduated from the University of Georgia and began a lucrative career with Deloitte. “My real story is that I grew up in Roswell and had the most amazing parents in the world, but they were two hippie artists and we didn’t have any money.

They didn’t go to college and they were just living their passion painting. My mom made all of my clothing.”

Spinola said it never occurred to her as a child that she was poor. Her homemade clothing made her feel like the best-dressed person in the world, but she remembers seeing the movie “Pretty Woman” and relating to the perception of not feeling rich enough to shop in high-end stores.

“I had never stepped foot in a boutique,” she said. “I remember thinking, ‘I wonder if I can create that kind of place where you get a glass of Champagne, where they are like ‘Mrs. Spinola, I’m so glad you’re here and we pulled some things we think you’ll love’ and walk your bag around, umbrella to the car and all that for a $40 shirt.”

So, the idea for fab’rik – “high style with heart, without the sticker shock or attitude” – was born, but it took many bank rejections and business plan revisions before the first store became a reality.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF DANA SPINOLA

November 2016 | PointsNorthAtlanta.com | 9

NOTABLE NORTHSIDER S

“I realized there are no rules. You don’t have to be at Neiman Marcus for someone to offer you a glass of Champagne.”

At first, customers were shocked, assuming price tags were missing a zero. Spinola was surprised, too, as the brand’s success grew beyond herself. “I kept waiting for a place where I’d have to sacrifice something,” she said. Instead, she continues to give.

Plenty of Northsiders have been wowed by that experience, but most are still learning the impact their purchases can have. fab’rik recently launched a

special line named for Spinola’s daughter, Asher. These styles benefit Project 82 Kenya, an organization that rescues abandoned children and gives them a home and a family of their own. Sales help to provide a child with basic needs, healthcare and developmental therapy.

Back in Atlanta, free fab’rik is working hard to bring feelings of confidence and faith to women who’ve endured the most challenging of circumstances. Through their weekly free sprees and a mobile boutique that travels to safe houses, they are giving deserving ladies (some

escaped victims of sex trafficking, others that have recently lost their jobs), the chance to have their own “Pretty Woman” experience for a $0 price tag. free fab'rik has been overwhelmed by donations of gently used clothing and volunteer hours, and Spinola has countless stories of change as a result.

An example was when one girl asked Spinola, "Is this what [beautiful] feels like?"

“As you get older, the definition of beauty changes,” Spinola said. “I remember when I was younger, feeling beautiful after I finished a race. I was a marathon runner, and it was that feeling of personal exhaustion – I gave everything.”

Her go-to uniform is distressed jeans, an awesome printed top and Moto jacket, and while she’s a firm believer in the power of high, high heels, she said even an amazing dress is no longer enough to pull off the feeling without passion and purpose behind it.

“When I serve, I feel like I’m doing what I’m supposed to be doing and I feel that inside beauty, like I have a beautiful soul.”

These emotions came to her when she traveled to Haiti after the 2010 earthquake and reoccur during trips to Africa every year, where there’s no makeup, but plenty of bugs, sweat and moments of awe.

Another popular topic of conversation at dinner parties is Spinola’s 20 chickens that live in a coop in her Buckhead back yard. It’s hard to picture her gathering fresh eggs in heels, but she admittedly has done so while on a conference call.

“You only live one time, and I want to get it all done,” she said with a glowing smile. That’s a look that never goes out of style.

FOR MORE INFORMATION fabrikstyle.com freefabrik.org PHOTOS COURTESY OF DANA SPINOLA

10 | POINTS NORTH | November 2016

FEATURE HEADER

NOTABLE NORTHSIDER S

EVAN TOPOREK:

A DECISION MAKER written by COLLEEN ANN MCNALLY

As

CEO OF A GLOBAL

corporation, the most challenging decision Alternative Apparel’s Evan Toporek made to date was in May 2015 when he chose to move their Los Angeles, Calif. outpost under the same roof as the Atlanta office. While Toporek’s team did what they could to help those employees find other places to work, jobs and investments in people were lost.

There was authenticity in Toporek’s voice when he recalled it to me, just as there was lightness when he talked about the company’s family atmosphere, including 10 dogs lounging by desks outside his door or an employee’s baby shower happening the same day.

The revamped, Norcross headquarters for this stylish and sustainable basics brand is hidden within an unassuming building, tucked just a few miles from I-85.

I first met Toporek there for a tour shortly after the move. Once inside, I could sense the palpable buzz of creativity in the air and left with mental notes of how I would design my own dream office space (yoga break room, anyone?). I was also reminded how little details often make the biggest difference.

Sure, there are a few magazine covers with national titles and A-list celebrities clothed in Alternative framed near the front door to the showroom, but more striking is the chalkboard wall in the café packed with written messages such as, “Do it with passion or not at all.”

This is a common thread that has tied to the company’s mission since day one. It’s an aesthetic that brings to life “less is more.” When Alternative first started in Atlanta 21 years ago, they set out to replicate the perfectly broken-in softness of a thrift store tee, but with high-quality, innovative materials – environmentally

12 | POINTS NORTH | November 2016

FEATURE HEADER

friendly fabrics, organic cotton and low-impact dyes. The brand continues to exist in the sweet spot of staying ahead of its time, yet remaining timeless. For example, their “Rocky” hoodie pays tribute to the 1976 film classic and the way its title character’s iconic, non-descript hoodie became synonymous with hard knocks and hard work ethic, cementing its prominence in mainstream culture.

Following an industrial engineering degree from Georgia Tech Institute of Technology and five years in the consulting world, Toporek came on board with the company in 1998. He served as chief operating officer and president before his 2011 appointment to CEO. “I’m a third generation garmento. My father and grandfather owned a camouflage clothing company and military fatigues company, respectively, so I guess it was in my blood,” Toporek said.

Proximity to and the number of direct flights from Hartsfield-Jackson have also been key to their success, Toporek shared. There’s also a lower cost of living compared to California or New York, yet an emerging creative class that rivals these bigger markets.

“Atlanta seems to be the perfect intersection of opportunity,” he said. “There is a deep pool of talent, spanning the range from design to finance. We don’t need to pay recruiters and we don’t need to relocate when we hire.”

Within the last year, they’ve partnered with SanMar, the largest imprintable sportswear supplier as well as new-age, digital delivery retailers like Stitch Fix and have started rolling out their trademarked Basics Bar at Bloomingdale’s, with a dozen

or so different silhouettes in many colors that are constantly refreshed.

Today’s younger shoppers may relate more to the 2012 stir that a hoodie caused when Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg chose to don one while meeting with Wall Street investors ahead of the initial public offering. Whether or not Zuckerberg meant to make a fashion statement, Alternative continues to play with the concept that their staples give consumers a choice to identify as a non-conformist.

Thinking out of the box, as a start-up must, is something Toporek embraces – both for his own business, and for a varied mix of others including Unify Water, Point 3 Basketball, Babiators and UGallery for which he sits on the advisory boards.

“I love the resourcefulness of start ups,” he said. He is frequently contacted by other entrepreneurs and aims to have at least a lunch a week, encouraging the opportunity to be externally focused and get his brain picked.

For someone with a schedule as busy as his, it’s disarming that Toporek’s demeanor is as laid-back as his attire. As he walked me through aisle after aisle of stories-tall shelves packed with cardboardboxed inventory in the warehouse, I truly started to get a hint at Alternative’s scope. But for Toporek, clear perspective comes when traveling abroad. Worldwide Responsible Accredited Production (WRAP), an independent, nonprofit team of global social compliance experts, certifies many of the factories they work with.

Recently, he visited one of their most productive factories, located in the Dominican Republic.

“To see 800 factory workers, all making our products, earning fair wages, in a great working environment, you realize the work we are doing is positively impacting more than just our 125 employees. It’s helping sustain many communities around the world.”

When not traveling for work, Toporek said he likes to catch flights for fun. He recently visited Jackson Hole, Wyo. for a family vacation and Maine for a kayaking excursion with his wife. Around town, you might catch him cheering on Georgia Tech football and coaching his kids’ teams.

You might also spot him at Ponce City Market this holiday season, where Alternative is popping up a shop starting this month.

“Please come see us and see if you love what we do as much as we love what we do,” he said.

FOR MORE INFORMATION alternativeapparel.com

PHOTOS COURTESY OF ALTERNATIVE APPAREL

November 2016 | PointsNorthAtlanta.com | 13

JOY ROHADFOX: PAVING NEW ROADS written by JENNIFER COLOSIMO

If

YOU’RE IN THE MARKET

for a role model in today’s world, you don’t have to resort to fictional Disney heroines. There’s a real-life wonder woman living right here in our neck of the woods.

Her name is Joy Rohadfox and she’s the president and CEO of Rohadfox Construction Control Services Corporation (RCCSC).

That’s right, she’s a woman at the helm of a company in a stereotypically maledominated industry … and she has quickly

14 | POINTS NORTH | November 2016

become one of the best, earning respect from the field, including the men.

It wasn’t Rohadfox’s dream to one day own and operate a construction company, but it was the family business.

Her father started RCCSC 40 years ago in Los Angeles, Calif., building a legacy that included completing the Los Angeles Airport Tom Bradley International Terminal ahead of schedule and on budget prior to the 1984 Olympics.

After Rohadfox took over the company in 2001, they made the move to Atlanta. She grew up with three brothers who each worked in various sectors of the industry, or for her father’s company, but Rohadfox was taking a different path, studying biology and public health. She wasn’t the obvious successor, but in her eyes, it made the most sense.

“My father’s health started failing in

1998,” Rohadfox said. “Then, he was in a car accident, and I decided it was time for him to go and rest.”

His guiding principals stay with her, and she will be the first to tell you she couldn’t be afraid to get her hands dirty.

“You have to do exactly what anybody else will do,” she said. “I had the best mentor in the world, my father. He never allowed me to be sad or to complain. He would tell me, ‘These are the cards you’ve been dealt, so go ahead and inflate the cards.’ He taught me to stay on top of my game and continue to learn, stay up on the latest technology and not to wear my emotions on my shoulders.”

Rohadfox is constantly on the road, maintaining and building relationships, and challenging the mindset that she belongs in the office or offsite because she’s a woman.

FEATURE HEADER NOTABLE NORTHSIDER S In fact, she’s been very much at the forefront, establishing a new reputation for her minority-led company. Under her leadership, Rohadfox Construction has continued to handle projects in rail and transit systems, roads and highways, aviation and more including holding a 15-year Capital Improvement Program contract with Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport and serving as part of the MARTA Joint Venture team since 2007.

At the airport, they are responsible for projects on the fifth runway and the international terminal including routine inspections, civil flight inspections, scheduling and cost estimating. With MARTA, they are a part of the general engineering consulting team handling maintenance, electrical engineering and scheduling.

Globally, RCCSC has worked with clients ranging from the Afghanistan Construction Logistic Unit to the African Development Bank and is currently working with the Federal Highway Administration, conducting inspections for roads and bridges internationally.

“I am always looking at ways we can do a better job building infrastructures for individuals,” she said. “I’d like to expand our projects, to include working at parks and recreation spaces, with public works or the [Georgia Department of Transportation] and become more involved with other major projects within the city.”

As she describes her job, RCCSC exists to ensure that the taxpayers are getting what they expect. If there is a major program happening, it’s their job to make sure that the project happens efficiently and economically. It has even inspired

her to get back to her public health roots – she will work toward a master’s degree in public health at Mercer University next year. She fully admits that she loves school and the idea of reinventing herself every few years, ultimately hoping she can examine how infrastructure affects society as a whole.

“It’s a proud moment for me, doing this job,” Rohadfox said. “I used to hear my father say, ‘building infrastructure is really about helping individuals,’ so watching the MARTA trains, or seeing work [being done] at the airport or in the watershed department means we’re bringing clean water to the citizens of Atlanta and helping them get to school or get to work. Ultimately, it’s about helping mankind.”

In more ways than one, her mission continues to move us.

FOR MORE INFORMATION rohadfox.com

PHOTOS COURTESY OF JOY ROHADFOX

November 2016 | PointsNorthAtlanta.com | 15

NOTABLE NORTHSIDER S

JASON ULSETH OUR RIVER’S KEEPER

written by JENNIFER COLOSIMO

W

HEN YOU MEET JASON

Ulseth, it’s immediately evident you’ve come face-to-face with a true outdoorsman – and he won’t deny it. In fact, he’ll regale you with stories from driving around The University of Georgia’s campus as the only guy with a canoe strapped to his roof. That made it easier to throw a few lines in between classes, or get down to the river before the crowd. He’ll go back even further, recounting weekends in his childhood spending, as he put it, “any possible minute I could,” along the Chattahoochee River, trout fishing and boating with his dad.

Now, with a bachelor’s degree in environmental sciences and a greater knowledge of his impact on the river, he still enjoys it with his own family – albeit intermittently, as now his interactions include regularly testing, continually monitoring,

patrolling and protecting it. Life on the river is no longer just a hobby, it’s his job.

He’s the Riverkeeper.

Ulseth assumed the role at the end of 2014, after nearly five years working for the Georgia Environmental Protection Division and the Georgia Soil and Water Conservation Commission.

“It was a great introduction into the world of environmental protection,” Ulseth said. “But I learned how underfunded and understaffed those agencies are, making them very inefficient at doing their job, which is protecting the environment.”

Ulseth was constantly coming in contact with people working at Chattahoochee Riverkeeper (CRK), and saw firsthand how effective the nonprofit organization could be without the restraints of funding, resources and red tape. He was very impressed and in 2007, jumped at the chance to fill the role of Technical Programs Director, allowing him to run all of the organization’s water-quality monitoring and enforcement type programs.

The Riverkeeper and Executive Director, at the time, was the founder Sally Bethea.

At the end of 2014, as the CRK celebrated its 20th anniversary, Bethea retired. The organization split her duties – it had grown

quite a bit since 1994, when it was “just Sally and her canoe” – and Ulseth became the new Riverkeeper.

Under his new title, his to-do list included much more than fieldwork. It now meant he would be the lead advocate for the river when it came to battling big businesses and correcting consumers’ bad habits on a state-wide level, all in pursuit of preserving the Riverkeeper’s mission of protecting the Chattahoochee River and securing enough water for current and future generations.

“A lot of people don’t realize that the Chattahoochee River is one of the smallest rivers in the country to supply water to a major metro area,” Ulseth said. “So, it’s important for people to establish their own connection with the river [and] better understand what changes they can make to help the cause.”

That cause includes improving and maintaining both the quality and quantity of water in the river. I learned that “flushables” aren’t necessarily all biodegradable, and that washing ice cream or salad dressing down the sink is just as bad as emptying leftover grease into the same drain. It all goes to the sewer, and when that gets backed up, it spills into the river.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF JASON ULSETH

16 | POINTS NORTH | November 2016

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NOTABLE NORTHSIDER S

And, whether I get my hands wet or not, 80 percent of my life is a result of the Chattahoochee River. To illustrate further, he explained that every time I run the faucet, take a shower or water the yard, it uses water from “the Hooch.” That’s the water I drink, so what happens if it runs out?

Yet consumer habits are not even the biggest worry for the Riverkeeper.

“The largest source of pollution in the watershed is storm-water runoff,” Ulseth said. “When it rains, it washes all of the pollutants that accumulate on our driveways, parking lots and industrial construction areas into the river. We work hard to educate and address all the different industrial facilities throughout the watershed.”

One way they do that is through state laws that govern what businesses have to do with the runoff. The CRK is part of a stakeholder group negotiating the terms of new laws that will go into effect later this year.

The long-term vision is for all of the waterways within the Chattahoochee River basin to meet all water-quality standards – simply, to be fishable, swimmable and drinkable. That’s going to take a lot more monitoring and regulating, but as Ulseth said, it’s leaps and bounds from where it was 20 years ago. Since then, nearly $2 billion has been invested in sewer infrastructure and the river is significantly cleaner than it has been in a very long time. Of course, Ulseth and his team know there is still a long way to go.

Beyond courtroom deals and enforcing new standards, they lead on-the-water classrooms that teach young children about how their daily habits affect rivers and lakes. Fundraisers help support the efforts of testing, cleanup and maintenance, while hundreds of volunteers make it possible to keep tabs on almost the entire length of The Chattahoochee – from a tiny stream near Helen all the way to the Apalachicola Bay on the Florida panhandle.

With a footprint like that, I can’t wait to get my hands (and feet) wet.

FOR MORE INFORMATION chattahoochee.org

18 | POINTS NORTH | November 2016

JAN COLLINS: A SOCIETY SAVANT

T

HERE’S AN UNSPOKEN

formula for hitting it off with someone you meet for the first time. For Jan Collins and me, it started over a platter of pimento cheese at the newly renamed Southern Bistro in her neighborhood of Sandy Springs. We added in familiar bits about upbringing, alma maters and lake life along the way, but as I reached the conclusion of our lunch, I realized there was another variable at play – a wistful yearning to have spent a little more time on her side of town, simply to have had the chance to know a woman like her.

written by JENNIFER COLOSIMO People that do know her say she radiates positive energy, has a hand in all things Sandy Springs and showcases both with a big smile and a warm spirit.

To illustrate those sentiments, Collins is a founding member of the city’s largest philanthropic organization to date – The Sandy Springs Society – which has raised more than $3 million for the city since it was started in 1988. At that time, the area was an unincorporated suburb of Atlanta – but Collins and 15 fellow community leaders had a vision to organize a group of women who would use their collective

FEATURE HEADER

RON WALLACE: THE RETIREE WHO DOESN’T QUIT written by JENNIFER COLOSIMO

M

ANY OF OUR READERS

talents to fundraise for local needs, beginning with Heritage Sandy Springs and forming long-lasting friendships along the way.

Not only a Georgia Bulldog fan, Collins is also an avid football fan – once an Atlanta Falcons season ticket holder, still one for the Dawgs, a weekly Friday night high school football fan and someone who prefers to attend games with the boys, so she can “focus on the field, not frilly conversation.” She’s a lover of good food.

She loves to read. She has a new puppy that she walks every night. And, akin to my own heart, she spends countless weekends on Lake Rabun with her six grandchildren.

Both of her children live in Sandy Springs, and “Gran Jan” rarely misses an opportunity to hang out with her grandkids.

She’ll tell you, nothing she does is without them in mind and luckily, what benefits her family does a lot of good for the greater community as well.

Even tap dancing, which she does several times a week in addition to performances with the Dream Supremes at the Atlanta Dream games inside Philips Arena, has become a way to give back.

Collins competed in the 2014 Dancing Stars of Atlanta benefit for the Alzheimer’s Association and raised more than $50,000.

Her encore performance included chairing the event last year, attracting 1,000 people to Cobb Galleria and another $800,000 for the cause.

Although that project occupied much of her time, what has her most excited this year is her role in the stakeholders group for Sandy Springs’ new city center project, City Springs, currently under construction.

Holding a special place in the heart of a dancer is its inclusion of a new performing arts center.

“I grew up twirling and dancing. My one goal in life was to twirl,” Collins said, who has a résumé that includes drama teacher, English teacher, speech teacher and child actor. “I come from a long line of actors – my mother taught drama and my daughter is a professional actress. I always say our family is just looking for an audience. People say that the fear of speaking in public is the greatest fear – well, that doesn’t run in our family at all.”

Aside from the performing arts center, the city center’s 15-acre tract at Roswell Road and Mount Vernon Highway plans to include six chef-driven restaurants and the new city hall. With three of the things Collins loves most listed at one address, we can bet on where to find her – that is until she sets her sights (and tap shoes) on something else to benefit the neighborhood. We can’t wait to hear what it is.

FOR MORE INFORMATION sandyspringssociety.org citysprings.com

may recognize his name from our review of his latest book “Leadership Lessons from a UPS Driver: Delivering a Culture of We, Not Me.” Others know Ron Wallace because they’re satisfied residents of Milton – a city he helped found 10 years ago. Others may know about one or two of the other hats he currently wears, but I found myself most impressed not with his journey from United Parcel Service, Inc. driver to former president of the company, but what he’s done with his time since he retired.

The number of jobs, nominated positions and day-job-like hobbies he’s held since “his real one,” as he calls it, can’t be adequately described using the word “impressive.” I found my admiration for him growing throughout the course of the few hours I spent inside his gorgeous, multi-thousand square-foot home.

For me, what was most interesting is that in his 13 years as a retiree, Wallace has actually started careers in many other fields. Right off the bat, he pursued a longtime interest in law enforcement.

Still today – with teenaged grandchildren – he does his part protecting the city by working the night shift for Milton City police. In fact, his squad car is in the garage. He said it was something he was always passionate about, and is partially to credit for why Milton’s department can tout a response time of less than 9 minutes.

He’s helped countless elected officials win their campaigns, was asked to expedite the city of Johns Creek’s own foundation and is often solicited to chair or offer guidance to other new city commissions. He’s still trying to master the art of saying “no.”

Between the spaces on his calendar packed with meetings, Wallace has also started a music business out of

PHOTOS COURTESY OF JAN COLLINS; CITY SPRINGS

November 2016 | PointsNorthAtlanta.com | 19

FEATURE HEADER

CLAIRE ANGELLE:

A FOREIGN AFFAIR written by JENNIFER COLOSIMO

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Nashville. Currently, he’s got two promising acts – both who interviewed in his private in-home studio and are currently recording albums. And, although he guesses the music business is what he’ll ride out most passionately in the coming years, he is still in the middle of wrapping a movie based on “Irish Pubs in America,” a book he collaboratively published with fellow Milton resident Robert Meyers.

While on a tour of his home, I discovered more of Wallace’s hats – he played European football out of college, was a master bungee jumper and racecar driver (he has one of those in the garage too.) On the quieter end, he and his wife spent years collecting antiques, many of which are displayed throughout their home.

I asked him, “Don’t you want to just relax and play golf?” as I assumed most retirees look forward to doing once their careers come to an end.

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“I don’t like golf,” he said, adding that he doesn’t really have the itch to travel either. Instead, he likes staying busy, constantly challenging himself, turning interests into projects and projects into jobs. Yes, his experience as a CEO has helped him delegate with precision, surround himself with top-notch talent and manage his time wisely, but it certainly hasn’t helped him want to put less on his plate. In fact, Wallace owns the plates at Olde Blind Dog (both Milton and Brookhaven locations), Avalon’s Branch & Barrel and the new Indigo in Crabapple. He also owns a commercial construction company and remains very active in the development and well-being of Milton.

And while you can read all about his leadership advice, entrepreneurial spirit and opinions on etiquette in the good ole days (that book is in the works) in the books he’s published, in my opinion, a conversation at home in a rare quiet moment is where the real Ron Wallace truly captivates. It also – disclaimer, here – encourages you to skip tonight’s TV routine in favor of something a little more productive. Maybe I won’t be launching a music business tomorrow, but I’m certainly inspired to reach for my fullest potential.

FOR MORE INFORMATION leadershiplessonsbyronwallace.com cityofmiltonga.us

LAIRE ANGELLE often tells people that she’s from Nantes, France. It’s not entirely true, but makes sense, like how we Northsiders simply claim an Atlanta address to outof-staters. Nantes was the biggest city near her home in the semi-rural Coueron.

Tucked into the northwestern part of the country, it’s not globally known for anything other than the childhood home of ornithologist John James Audubon.

Besides bird watching, which she did aplenty, it’s best identified as a place for rich family ties, simple values, delicious seafood, rolling acres and an appreciation for a slower pace of life.

Now an Atlanta transplant, Angelle moves at a much faster pace and most of her bird watching is limited to the soaring winged creatures seen from her 29th-floor office in downtown. Still, she carries her unique background and resulting personality into a lot of boardrooms, where the combination has helped change how our city is recognized worldwide.

It started with her own flight across the Atlantic Ocean. She met her husband, a Louisiana native, on a trip and decided to make the move to America.

“I had always been fascinated by the U.S. and by American culture,” Angelle said. “I wanted to explore my horizons, but of course had strict geographical guidelines from my Southerner husband.”

That left Atlanta – with an opening at The French Trade Commission – as the land of opportunity. In 2007, she gathered everything she wanted into two suitcases, made a brief stop in her husband’s hometown of Lafayette and moved with him to Atlanta. She helped French companies establish a presence in America before taking on a greater public relations role with The French Consulate General. There, she spent six years doing press, commu-

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nications, special events, fundraising and political affairs.

“Growing up in a rural area in France, looking at the American city skyline on TV, it inspired a lot of dreams,” Angelle said.

“The optimism in the air was very galvanizing, so even though there is always a sentiment of fear from having to pave your path without your social network and wondering, ‘will I succeed,’ I have a keen sense of adventure, so I was mostly excited.”

That excitement included the appointment of Consul General, Pascal Le Deunff, in 2009.

“He empowered me to find innovative ways to increase the visibility of France in the [Southeast U.S.],” she said. “France was already known for [its] cuisine and art; we wanted to promote the innovative aspect of France.” Together, they launched France-Atlanta, a packed two weeks of French-American events that showcases the French’s innovative spirit in culture, science and humanitarian affairs. Angelle and her team recruited 50 local partners, including Mayor Kasim Reed, who was one of the biggest champions of this idea ... and of Angelle’s skills as well.

Shortly after, Reed hired her to run the Mayor’s Office of International Affairs. As director, she could hyperfocus her efforts to ensure Atlanta was seen as a globally competitive city.

“We leverage our connections throughout the world to make sure [Atlanta’s] visibility and presence is growing,” Angelle said. But that didn’t just mean focusing on the city’s businesses.

“You can’t be pro business and not be pro people,” she added. “Mayor Reed asked us to look at ways to create a favorable environment for foreign-operated businesses.” The assignment launched several projects that brought thousands of jobs to Atlantans, inspiring a special group of entrepreneurial women and earning Angelle a reputation as one of the most influential people of Atlanta – not to mention, as of July 1 this year – as an American citizen.

Her drive to help people included the launch of WEI (Women’s Entrepreneurial Initiative), an incubator of 15 woman-run, local businesses getting mentorship, financial assistance and guidance to strengthen their overall business model as well as learning international trading, so they’re in a better position to succeed after the program. Angelle has also helped promote entrepreneurship among the foreign-born population, teaching languages, creating housing, establishing a climate of trust between law enforcement, creating room for dialogues, civic engagement, citizenship and more. Lastly, she’s part of a team that has worked to bring more than $32 million in new investments

to the city. To you and me, that means a lot of jobs.

“I think I have the best job in the city,” Angelle said. “It’s very diverse and even though we focus on international business and trade, I try to have a very transversal view of what it means to be an international city.” They work very closely with the airport to attract new international routes, more tourists and large-scale, international events, as well as to use film and entertainment as a medium to promote Atlanta outside of our borders.

“We’re sending the message that we welcome diversity to the city of Atlanta, enriching the fabric of the city,” Angelle said. “Atlanta has the second fastest growing international population in the country. Really, if we empower our foreign-born population, they are creating business at a faster pace. It creates economic opportunities for all Atlantans.

To see the real impact of the opportunities that we’re able to create as a result of foreign investment in the city is the most rewarding aspect of this job.”

Those opportunities include the majority of her fellow Frenchmen, who live on the Northside, plus several foreign-owned companies that have made the Northside their U.S. headquarters.

In her free time, you can spot Angelle enjoying the newly refurbished in-town neighborhoods around Krog Street Market and Ponce City Market or getting a taste for even more things international along Buford Highway. PN FOR MORE INFORMATION atlantaga.gov weiatlanta.com

PHOTOS COURTESY OF RON WALLACE; CLAIRE ANGELLE

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PHOTO COURTESY OF ADOBESTOCK.COM

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Full

CIRCLE A TWO-WHEELED TOUR THROUGH GERMANY

written and photographed by TIFFANY WILLARD unless otherwise noted

I reached across to pinch my left arm to make sure this was real. Yes, there were years of dreaming about this trip.

And hours of research. And sleepless nights worrying if it would all come together just right. But that moment when we wheeled our pack-laden bikes onto the path along the Main River was the moment my whole body seemed to be jumping up and down and singing some silent aria from the old church on the hill above us. Our adventure was actually beginning.

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MY SON AND I LANDED IN GERMANY to experience some of its beautiful nature.

With more than 200 long-distance cycling trails covering more than 43,000 miles and 125,000 miles of hiking trails, getting outdoors is a favorite family activity for Germans. While we came to get up close and personal with the roots of local beech trees, I also came to get back to my own roots, as I was born in this country some 50 years ago.

WONDERS OF WÜRZBURG

Seventy-five miles southeast of Frankfurt lies the university town of Würzburg.

While it lays claim to that distinction, as well as being the capital of the Franconian wine region, it is endearing to me for the fact that it’s my birthplace. With a father in the third infantry in 1960, my parents were stationed there for the first two years of my life. One quick return visit in my 20s never allowed me to locate my first home, so I knew I had to include Würzburg on this itinerary.

Arriving at the train station and being greeted by the Golden Arches, our initial impression was indifferent. One cobbled street over, though, we were immersed in

FROM TOP TO BOTTOM: The Alte Mainbrücke in Würzburg; The author in front of her childhood home

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a curvy, winding maze of trams, Baroque buildings and flower stalls. Old Town is a mix of Gothic, Romanesque, Renaissance, Baroque and Modern architecture. A nearly 20-minute barrage of aerial bombs in 1945 destroyed 90 percent of the city, and the women — because the men were all away at war — took to rebuilding it almost immediately with historical accuracy.

The favorite gathering spot in Würzburg is atop the Old Main Bridge. “Alte Mainbrücke,” in German, is also the name of the restaurant that sits directly on the bridge. While the food may be tasty, we never made it that far. The walk-up wine bar dispenses heaping glasses of the best local wines, allowing you to enjoy “wein” outdoors along the bridge, watching the sunset while listening to buskers with guitars play popular tunes. With the Marienburg Fortress to your right and the sounds of Old Town to your left, the gentle current of the Main River beckons you to enjoy another glass.

The Main River also beckoned me to bike. The next three days would be spent cycling the Main Radweg (“Cycleway”), a five-star bike path, to the town of Bamberg.

Hoping to have some great conversations with my son, void of technology, I knew biking along the river promised a flat trail with nothing but beautiful scenery and quaint towns to distract us. Our plan was PHOTOS COURTESY OF ZACH WILLARD

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to bike about 30 miles per day, stopping along the way for sightseeing, a glass of wine or an afternoon cup of tea accompanied by the obligatory sweet treat.

Backpacks stuffed and bungee-corded to our bikes after a good night’s sleep, we stepped into the light drizzle and headed toward the river. The weather might have been soaking through my leggings, but it couldn’t dampen my spirit. We navigated the slippery cobbled streets and arrived at the river just as the rain stopped. It must be a sign, I thought. A few send-off photos and practice runs to ensure we could keep the bikes upright with the added weight of our bags, and we were off. As we left Würzburg, a local train whizzed by on our left. The trail, a wide-paved path hugging the river and offering some shade, was otherwise quiet. Soon enough, the river was babbling and so were we.

DEUTSCHLAND DETOURS

FROM TOP TO BOTTOM: Bikes packed and loaded for the adventure; Voit’s Bakery in Ochsenfurt

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Our first stop, about 30 minutes later, was the tiny town of Randersacker for a quick look at its beautiful old church. The deep ruts of the hilly cobblestone streets proved challenging for our tires, so we pushed the bikes to the center of the hamlet. An hour farther down the trail, we crossed a stone bridge and stopped in Ochsenfurt to see its timbered houses and the clock in its town hall tower. As the clock strikes noon, figures appear and dance to music in a choreographed play that’s been entertaining viewers since 1497.

The rain started again, so we parked our bikes and ducked into Voit’s Bakery next door. Herr Voit bakes bread daily in traditional ovens that are now disappearing in lieu of newer, fancier technology. It’s obvious he and his wife love their work, as they greeted each customer warmly. We ended up in the kitchen, getting a firsthand look at the ovens and a sample of the cookies that had just come out of them.

It’s hard to pull yourself from such a warm environment only to plunge yourself into cold rain again, but we had to move on to meet our daily mileage goal. The rain became a mist and our clothes were drying as we rolled into Kitzingen with its ancient

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leaning tower. As legend has it, the tower was built during a drought, so the workers used wine to make the mortar, which could not properly support the heavy stones. We rode through yellow fields of rapeseed, a flowering plant used in biofuel production and an ideal stop for a photo op. Back on the path, wide enough to ride side by side, we talked and laughed as we easily pedaled. Small towns popped up along the trail every 15 minutes or less, but our destination for the day was Dettelbach, and we were ready to change clothes and have a meal, so we biked on.

Dettelbach is known for its wine. It’s also known for a local specialty called “musskatzinen,” a gingerbread-type cookie made with nutmeg. We were treated to both as we searched for a room for the 28 | POINTS NORTH | November 2016

night at the tourist information center/ library/wine tasting room. The combination of these three businesses in one building was a mystery, but we weren’t complaining.

We headed to a local gasthaus with traditional Bavarian foods for dinner. Walking around the quiet town, we discovered the nearly complete, medieval town wall with its 30 stone towers.

The next morning was cool but clear, and we experienced probably the most beautiful section of our ride. Hugging the river, only feet from its edge, the path turned to packed gravel. The current was so slow that the water looked like glass, reflecting the trees and sky, making it impossible to know where reality stopped and the water began.

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: White asparagus, a German favorite; Wine festival in Bamberg; Biking in Bavaria

We detoured to visit the town of Volkach and its pedestrian zone of shops and restaurants. Just outside town is the Maria im Weingarten Church. In service since the 13th century, the church is reached by walking uphill though a vineyard of Müller-Thurgau and Reisling grapes.

Back on the path, headwinds slowed us to half our normal speed and conversation halted as we struggled to push ahead. The path merged with a road and ran through several small towns, abruptly stopping at the river, where we joined two cars and a fellow biker on a ferry to cross the expanse.

We temporarily lost the trail and

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BREAKING AWAY FOR

BERLIN BIG CITIES OFFER PLENTY OF OUTDOOR FUN, and Berlin is no exception.

This bike-friendly city can easily be toured on two wheels, with almost 20

percent of its total daily traffic belonging to bikers. Strike out on your own, or enjoy a guided English speaking tour from Berlin on Bike. Touring on a bike allows you to get into small areas typical tours can’t and get up close and personal with the local culture.

With more than 2,500 parks in the city, there are plenty of opportunities to surround yourself with nature and wiggle your toes in the grass.

Tiergarten, in the city center, is the most popular with hikers, bikers and sunbathers enjoying its 520 acres of paths and greenspace. On Sundays, locals and tourists alike can be found in Mauerpark, browsing through flea market finds and enjoying Bear Pit Karaoke, an open-air amphitheater where anyone can try out their vocal prowess.

Zoo Berlin, with more than 1,500 different species on 86 acres, is considered one of the best in the world, and a day visit can easily consume the calories ingested from one of the city’s famous donner kebab or curry wurst stands. But the primo outdoor eatery in the city is Burgermeister.

This ornate green structure was once a city toilet. Although that fact does nothing for the appetite, it’s quickly forgotten once you bite into hands down the best burger you will ever eat. Lines form at this well-known institution at all hours, and many visitors confess to stopping by on their way home from a club at 3 a.m.

A trip to Berlin would not be complete without a visit to a section of the Wall. Eastside Gallery is a mile-long stretch bordering the Spree River. In 1990, 105 artists from around the world were invited to graffiti the standing section with political, social and humanitarian themes. The result is an entertaining and thought-provoking walk through an important time in German and world history.

The Norman Foster-designed glass dome on the Reichstag is a modern and educational addition to Berlin’s active scene. A 20-minute audio tour introduces visitors to the sights of the city as they climb the ramp that circles the dome to the top. From this vantage point, most of the city’s historical sights come into view and it becomes clear that nearly one-fifth of the city is covered in trees.

All this activity, and you’ll be searching for a place to rest your head.

Skip the chains and book into the privately owned 125-room Savoy Hotel in the city’s theater district. The oldest hotel in Berlin, the Savoy was home away from home for famous regulars like Greta Garbo and Henry Miller, who have suites named after them. Most of the year, the weather allows for the windows to be open to the quiet sounds of nature outside. During the hot months of summer, be sure to book a room on the sixth floor as these are the only ones with air conditioning. If you just can’t sleep, the hotel’s in-room information package includes two jogging routes through the area to tire you out. But after an active day in Berlin, I’m not sure you’ll have that problem. visitberlin.de/en PHOTO COURTESY OF ZACH WILLARD

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CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Covered-wagon ride in Kellerwald-Edersee National Park; Biking past fields of flowering rapeseed; Wildtier Park vulture

although maps did not help us find the way, we stuck to the gravel path along the river, believing it would put us back on track. The path morphed into a 6-inch mountain bike trail through grassy fields before our gamble paid off and we emerged from the wilderness with the town of Schweinfurt and the Main Radweg on the horizon. Cafés and pubs lined the river in Schweinfurt, where we grabbed an afternoon snack. We continued into Hassfurt, found a hotel room, then headed out to a dinner of wurst, wine and wienerschnitzel, because biking all day means you can eat and drink anything you want.

On day three, we spied a poster advertising a wine festival in Bamberg. That settled it. The medieval town of Bamberg was our next stop. Booths with local wines

competed for our attention as a band dressed like the 1950’s “Happy Days” cast sang sock hop music and everyone was compelled to do “The Twist.” We shared a picnic table with locals and refilled our glasses regularly. Everyone was having

uninhibited fun, and we almost forgot we weren’t locals, until we realized we were among the few that actually knew all the words to the American songs.

We repeated it all over again the next day, only with beer. The Bergkirchweih is PHOTO COURTESY OF ZACH WILLARD

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Germany’s oldest and one of its favorite beer festivals. It may be a bit smaller than Oktoberfest in Munich, but its heart is just as big. Nestled into the hillside over Erlangen, this is a German festival with few international tourists. Brews comes in large, liter-filled steins and pretzels are large enough to wear around your neck. Carnival rides entertain families, while numerous bands with sounds ranging from Oompah to American rock encourage beer sales and audience sing-alongs. It’s impossible to have a bad day at a beer festival, and impossible to leave early to pedal onward. Finally, we purchased train tickets for our bikes and ourselves to Nuremberg, our final stop.

PARKS AND PEDESTRIANS If the thought of touring Germany’s outdoors by bike is too ambitious for you, hiking through one of 16 national parks is another way to experience its natural beauty. With every building in the country seemingly more than 200 years old, it came as a surprise to me that their park system was created only 42 years ago. While we currently celebrate the centennial of the U.S. National Park Service, Germany is taking measures to preserve these large tracts of land and return them to their original glory.

In the past, most of central Europe was covered in beech trees. Settlers in the area introduced other species such as spruce and Douglas fir, and the indigenous beech was significantly choked out. A major effort is underway to restore the forests to their original state, and once-threatened wildlife is also returning, as visitors can experience at Kellerwald-Edersee National Park.

Once used as royal hunting grounds, Kellerwald-Edersee is the youngest of the country’s parks. 66,000 tourists per year hike its 22 square miles, a quarter of which have been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, protecting one of the largest beech forests in central Europe.

Solitude, interrupted only by the sweet, musky smell of wild boar, is what you will find here. For a cool retreat from the land,

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SmartFlyer TO GET SOME INSIDE SCOOP for our Northside jetsetters, we caught up with Jean Pickard, adventure expert and lead agent for SmartFlyer, a luxury travel agency. Their Buckhead location specializes in finding/booking trending and up-and-coming destinations, adventure travel tips and hot spots, packing advice, financial tips for a bucket list trip and much more. Here is what she shared with us about the evolution of adventure travel: “Adventure travel has come a long way since Lars Eric Lindblad took the first group of citizen tourists to Antarctica in 1966. In the early days, ‘adventure travel’ meant enduring hardships and discomfort, but the reward was to see places that very few, if any, tourists had ever seen. It’s a lot easier now and yet the thrill of doing something you’ve never done or going somewhere you’ve never been, is still very enticing.”

“For some, [this type of travel] means snorkeling the reef or kayaking in Key West; for others, it’s camping on an ice floe to see polar bears and beluga whales. But for most of us, it’s somewhere in between — it’s zip lining in Costa Rica or rafting the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon or hiking the Waimea Canyon on the island of Kauai. Or further afield, it’s an African safari, mountain biking in Croatia or skiing in Zermatt. The truth is, no matter what your definition of adventure travel may be, it’s the chance to get outside your comfort zone and to end your day with a satisfaction that you have done or seen something new. And that renews the spirit.”

Curious how to find the right place or the right people to send you? Pickard suggests finding a good travel agent that is committed to your safety and to the communities in which they operate.

After all, it’s all about the experience and you want it to be awesome! smartflyer.com

32 | POINTS NORTH | November 2016

hop on a boat or jump into the cold waters of Lake Edersee.

Small towns dot the landscape around the park. The Brothers Grimm visited this area and the timbered houses and the deep woods they encountered inspired many of their fairy tales. Nearby, Wildtier Park introduces visitors to breeds of animals that used to roam the woods, and others that still do, but the star attraction is the Birds of Prey show held daily on a cliff overlooking the lake and hills beyond. Not like any bird show you’ve seen before, wild hawks and vultures join the park’s inhabitants, circling overhead as chicken pieces are thrown in the air. They swoop and dive and soar en mass, just over the crowd’s heads. The clowns of the show, however, are the buzzards that enjoy being flung off the cliff by the handler, only to return like a child saying, “Do it again.” The entire show is in German, but the antics of the birds need no interpretation.

On the western German border lies Eifel National Park. This beautiful gem was off limits to Germans for 60 years after WWII while it was used by the Belgians for military training grounds. Bullet holes can still be seen in the rock walls used for rifle practice. Large craters, now masked by leaves and vegetation, are left from Ally bombs dropped during the conflict, but in 2004, the land was returned to Germany and the park was created as a gift to the German people.

With more than 60 miles of biking paths, 150 miles of hiking trails and two cross country ski trails, nature abounds to entertain and captivate visitors. The Wilderness Trail is a 53-mile adventure

that attracts many to the area. Over four days, hikers circle the park, stopping in small towns each night for food, lodging and an official Trail stamp. At the end of the journey, each hiker gets a certificate of completion and the satisfaction of a hike well done.

High on a hill within the park lies Vogelsang, a former Nazi education camp, where 1,000 future party officers were sent to be indoctrinated with the ideology of the times. Now a museum, the center aims to be a destination for people from all countries to come discuss peace. From the museum’s vantage point, the park below and the setting sun offer a peaceful end to a busy day of outdoor activity.

The night brings its own set of outdoor activities. Labeled as one of only 39 Certified Dark Sky Parks in the world, The Eifel beckons you to look up. In this protected nocturnal environment with an unusually large number of starry nights, you can see the Milky Way through high-powered telescopes at the observatory, or on a ranger-led night hike.

Indeed, the sky’s the limit on outdoor adventures in Germany. The excitement of new sites, different languages, fine wines, hefty beer and localized foods makes the adventure even more fun. So pick a region, a bike, a path (give yourself a little pinch) and go. PN FOR MORE INFORMATION germany.travel facebook.com/BaeckereiVoit wildtierpark.de nationalpark-eifel.de hotel-savoy.com/en

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12 IN 2016

PHOTOS COURTESY OF

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WE CIRCLE THE SAME DAYS ON OUR CALENDARS EVERY YEAR, so how do we stay so excited as those dates draw closer?

Well, we tend to think it has a lot to do with tradition. Each household finds new and unique ways to make the festive seasons their own. From the games you play to the foods you eat to the songs you sing, traditions shared with loved ones are often at the very heart of the holidays.

We asked our staff to share some of their own cherished memories. Perhaps this compilation, a beloved list ranging from sport competitions and belying warm winters to classic Christmas movies and the art of caroling, will spark you to start or tell your own traditions this month.

NOTHING SAYS HOLIDAYS LIKE A LITTLE FRIENDLY COMPETITION as celebrated by SHANNAH J. SMITH EVER SINCE I WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL, my parents have hosted my mom’s family for Thanksgiving. It is the highlight of the season for me — not only because it is the best meal of the year, but because I think our day is unique in various ways.

My dad designed and built his dream home in south Fulton County when I was 8 years old. It’s an underground house, with the exception of the southfacing side, which boasts a huge greenhouse that spans almost the entire length of the house. With a group ranging in size from 30 to 50 guests, it is the ideal space for all of us to fit in a single room and enjoy our meal together. One of my favorite memories is when all the men sat on the side of the table that faced the sun. Hats and sunglasses were handed out to help with the glare. They may have been a bit uncomfortable, but they were gracious in their plight.

In my family, we don’t let the turkey put us to sleep. Throughout the years, we’ve enjoyed ping pong tournaments, rounds of golf and archery. When the weather has been less conducive, we’ve enjoyed laughing at each other’s erroneous definitions while playing Balderdash. For many years, the tradition was PHOTOS COURTESY OF SHIRLEY JERNIGAN; ROSALIND HILLHOUSE

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to leash up the dogs, pull out the strollers for the little ones and take a walk to the bridge on a quiet, neighboring road with almost everyone in the family.

Currently, our favorite trend is playing volleyball until the sun sets. The net is set up between two trees and the boundaries are haphazardly marked. We have no referees, so we rely heavily on the honor system as to what is in- and out-ofbounds. We are a stubborn group that feels everyone needs to play for the entire game, so we make up our own rotations that often include nine players on each side, as opposed to the normal six. Younger players are allowed to serve from their chosen location, and my 60-year-old uncle comes ready with his knee pads.

For years, my cousin insisted that we play boys versus girls, and I can’t think of a single year that the girls have won. Given my competitive nature, I was

extremely happy when we went a different route last year, and I finally got to be a part of the winning side.

After all the activity, we finish it off with another round of leftovers, often so stuffed that we don’t know why we are eating again. We hug and say our goodbyes, knowing that there are some we won’t see until next Thanksgiving. It’s a day of jubilee, a day to eat the fat and drink the sweet, a day to celebrate family in our special way — and for that I am truly grateful.

THE START OF SOMETHING SWEET as celebrated by COLLEEN ANN MCNALLY SO MANY FLAVORS ARE MARKED IN my mind when I think of the months of November and December. There’s the anticipation before tasting the buttery

warmth of oyster stew on Christmas Eve. The scent of the milk, cream and oyster liquor simmering on the stove for hours mixes with that of honey-glazed ham warming in the oven – both teasing us until we sit down for a late dinner that tides us through midnight mass. There’s the satisfaction from a roast. There’s the tingle of a Champagne toast.

But for me, only one taste truly signifies the start of the holiday season, and appropriate to how most things happen in my family’s household, it doesn’t fit a schedule. Since grade school, I remember getting off the bus and coming home to a surprise batch of ginger creams on the counter. Other years, we spent all Sunday afternoon mixing ingredients, scooping batter and licking more icing from spoons than what actually made it on top of the cookies. Usually sometime just before or after Halloween, we can’t wait any longer to make a batch. They are tastier than any store-bought candy, but healthful moms

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HOLIDAY TRADITIONS AMERICAN GINGER CREAMS may be leery when they see what comprises the powdered-sugar frosting.

The recipe used to create our cookies year after year is based on one published in Suzanne Worsham’s 1987 “Cooking with Heart in Hand” – or at least I think it was. What pages haven’t fallen out of the plastic ring-bound cookbook are yellowed and stained and rest on a shelf in my parents’ kitchen. We reference a photocopy that has been annotated with my mother’s amendments, as the original yielded a whopping 11 dozen cookies. Still, our reduced measurements are more than plenty and we often pass off containers

to favored neighbors and friends.

We freeze a portion of the others, but within a couple weeks — a few, if we’re lucky — the ginger creams have disappeared.

We have a tendency to eat them with coffee in the morning, pack them in our lunches and polish off another one or two after dinner until they’re gone.

Once we’re out, that’s it until next year — maybe because of slight stomachaches, maybe because of the timeconsuming baking process, maybe because that’s tradition.

Years ago, when I left for college, my mom sent

38 | POINTS NORTH | November 2016

shared by COLLEEN ANN MCNALLY 3/4 cup molasses

POWDERED

1 cup sugar

SUGAR FROSTING

3/4 tablespoon baking soda 3/4 cup lard or vegetable

1 cup powdered sugar

shortening

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup cold coffee

1/2 tablespoons milk

3/4 teaspoon ginger 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Mix powdered sugar,

3/4 teaspoon cloves

vanilla and milk,

2 1/4 cup flour

1 tablespoon at a time, until spreadable (mixture

Mix ingredients in the order

will thicken slightly as

listed. Dough will be so stiff

it sets).

a spoon will stand upright.

Drop by teaspoons onto a lightly greased cookie sheet. Bake in 375-degree oven for 12 minutes. When cool, cookies may be frosted.

me off with a book of family recipes, my own photocopy for recreating our beloved fall treat. Carless at the time, I recruited a friend to take me grocery shopping for cookie supplies. After loading up on bags, she dropped me back off at my dorm, only to realize I’d left my printed copy of the recipe on the passenger seat.

She said she couldn’t find it when I inquired the next day, but I suspect she kept it for herself. I didn’t mind.

Now, I have back-up copies and for good measure, will share here, too. Remember – there’s plenty of sweetness to go around.

THE FIRE THAT KEEPS ON BURNIN’ as celebrated by GEORGE COLMANT THE WHOLE FAMILY always gathers at the home of my aunt and uncle in Columbus, Ga., where smells of a roasting turkey, homemade biscuits and pumpkin pie fill the air. There has always been a roaring fire in the fireplace regardless of the temperature outside. I do recall many a holiday where the air conditioning was going full blast, but without fail, there was still a fire burning in the fireplace.

FOOTBALL FEVER as celebrated by CARL DANBURY, JR. ONE OF MY FAVORITE holiday traditions was

my inclusion on Thanksgiving Day morning in a touch-football game with my best friend’s family. They had a huge family with a long roster of all age groups, and all participated. First, we played against the very youngest kids of the family, playing on our knees for awhile, before turning our attentions to the grown-ups’ game. These were spirited, competitive affairs that included the four sisters and

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fairer cousins, as well as some very, very good athletes. The game was over by 11 a.m., and still left the rest of the day for my family’s gathering. It was great tradition that I still treasure.

A HUNTING WE WILL GO as celebrated by WITT BECKMAN I GET UP EARLY and go hunting on Thanksgiving morning, then go back for Thanksgiving dinner afterward. The reverse order just doesn’t work — if you eat before and try to hunt, you’re so full, you can’t move!

SINGING LOUD FOR ALL TO HEAR as celebrated by TIFFANY WILLARD EVERY YEAR SINCE MY son was small, we’ve gathered neighbors together on a Saturday night in December to go Christmas caroling.

Years ago, I made songbooks with about 30 popular songs, including “Rudolph the Red

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GLUEHWEIN (MULLED WINE) shared by TIFFANY WILLARD 3/4 cup water 3/4 cup white sugar 1 cinnamon stick 1 orange 10 whole cloves 1 750 mL bottle red wine In a saucepan, combine the water, sugar and cinnamon stick. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer. Cut the orange in half, and squeeze the juice into the simmering water. Push the cloves into the outside of the orange peel and place the peel in the simmering liquid. Continue simmering for 30 minutes, until thick and syrupy. Pour in the wine and heat until steaming but not simmering. Serve hot in mugs. Makes six 4-ounce servings.

Nose Reindeer”, “O Holy Night” and even “Feliz Navidad.”

My favorite post-holiday-sale find is a Santa costume, and I unearth the jacket and hat to get into the spirit.

Armed with jingle bells and flashlights, our mob of carolers goes door to door spreading holiday cheer and inviting those who answer to join in the singing.

The youngest run ahead to be the first to each front door and ring the bell, and parents with adult beverages amble along behind.

As doors open, voices old and young combine to offer holiday cheer, even if we aren’t always in tune. We take requests from the most eager homeowners, and leave them with a round of “We Wish You

a Merry Christmas.” Several hours later, with toes and fingers numb to the cold, we head back to my house for a party.

Old TV recordings of Rudolph, Frosty and The Grinch run on repeat for the kids, with hot chocolate, cider and cookies to get them all pumped up just in time for bed. It’s a combination that would normally send parents running, but instead they let the rules slip as they dig into the hors d’oeuvres and hot wine. Garnered from a Christmas-time trip to Germany years ago with my mom, the Gluhwein combines red wine with oranges, cloves, cinnamon and sugar. Served warm, it goes down well on cold nights and helps keep the conversation flowing amid all the chaos.

Caroling is a tradition that was more prominent in years gone by and rarely seen today.

It’s a great way to get friends together, a great outdoor activity for families and a great way for me to show my PHOTOS COURTESY OF TIFFANY WILLARD

40 | POINTS NORTH | November 2016

HOLIDAY TRADITIONS

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IN REGARDS TO ANNUAL holiday traditions, Christmas Eve and Christmas morning has to be our family’s favorite. It all begins on the evening of the 24th when we make our way to worship with friends and family. We participate in giving thanks and praising God for all He has done and continues to do in our lives and we join with all the members of the congregation in the annual candlelight service as we sing “Silent Night.”

It really is quite beautiful. It’s usually at this moment that my wife Jill makes the comment, “Now, it feels like Christmas!”

After socializing with our friends and exchanging pleasantries and small gifts, we head home. Even though it’s 10 or 10:30 p.m. by then, we still attempt to keep our eyelids open just long enough to watch one of the many Christmas specials, such as “It’s a Wonderful Life” or “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” (the animated version, of course). We finally make it to bed … and to sleep … at some point.

My children are now in their 20s, but it has always been

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November 2016 | PointsNorthAtlanta.com | 41

HOLIDAY TRADITIONS

a rule at our house that no one gets up and goes down stairs until 8 a.m. Sorry for the shock, all you early risers! We all head down the stairs together and claim our spaces, but no one tears into the gifts just yet. We take a brief moment to remember what Christmas is all about.

I’ll read the story of the birth of Jesus from the book of Luke, after which we’ll pray and sing together.

The children then begin the gift unwrapping mayhem by digging into their stockings first. They may be in their 20s, but they still express just as much joy and excitement as they did when they were small children. As a matter of fact, so do Jill and I. Each year, one of us takes on the joy of playing Santa Claus and

passing out the gifts.

We enjoy watching as each family member opens a gift in turn, gives a little smile, and then gives a hug to the one responsible for getting them the present.

After chaos has ensued with boxes, bows and wrapping paper reeking havoc on our living room floor, we clean up. At the same time, Jill steps into the kitchen to get another cup of coffee and to check on our breakfast of Sister Schubert’s Cinnamon Rolls and Sausage Wrap Rolls. Yum! I can taste it now!

Eventually breakfast fades into preparation for lunch and lunch eventually leads to leftovers, which tend to last for several days, but then again, so does our Christmas spirit. PN PHOTOS COURTESY OF ROBIN HARRISON

42 | POINTS NORTH | November 2016

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OUR ANNUAL HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE

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THE ULTIMATE DINING CARD. IT’S WORTH EVERY MOMENT. With every Ultimate Dining Card purchase between, Nov. 1, and Jan. 31, guests will receive 20% more added value on every purchase.

BUCKHEAD LIFE RESTAURANT GROUP embodies the spirit of giving with the return of the highly anticipated “20% More” holiday promotion for the Ultimate Dining Card. Ultimate Dining Cards never expire and work in all BLRG restaurants, including the new Lobster Bar Sea Grille in Miami Beach, Fla. which will open in 2017. For all cards registered online, BLRG offers complimentary replacement for lost or stolen cards. Purchase the Ultimate Card online with their new mobile-friendly website at buckheadrestaurants.com, call or go by any BLRG restaurant. Free shipping offered for online purchases. Complimentary gift boxes available for in-restaurant purchases.

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WEARABLE ART INSPIRED BY YOU

When looking for the perfect gift for a friend or yourself, they’ve got you covered. For holiday parties, nights out or weddings, they’ll have something special to fit your personality. Something fresh, something bold and mostly something that shows the world who you are!

BOHEMIA IS A GROWING, family-owned boutique that caters to women of all ages by combining artistic style, beauty and bohemian spirit.

Discover their location in the Alpharetta Crossing Shopping Center at Haynes Bridge and Old Milton Parkway (near Starbucks and Bagel Boys). They offer affordable, gorgeous fashions for each season along with custom jewelry, artwork, home decor, candles and handmade soaps.

Their personal shoppers will help you put together the perfect gifts for your loved ones.

EXCITING GIFTS THAT EVERYONE WANTS TO OPEN FIRST. ATLANTA HOBBY specializes in remote control aircraft, boats, cars, helicopters and drones. They are a fullservice supplier and offer training, upgrades repairs and maintenance.

Click, call or come by the shop located off exit 13 from GA 400 – go west then make the first left past the Dollar General.

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GIVE THE GIFT OF ADVENTURE GIVE THE GIFT THAT LASTS ALL YEAR — a Fernbank Membership! Your gift includes unlimited free museum visits, including access to the all-new outdoor experiences in WildWoods and Fernbank Forest, plus special exhibitions, family adventure days, and discounts in the Museum Store, the Fernbank Café and the Giant Screen Theater.

OUR ANNUAL HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE

GLASSES WITH PEWTER INITIALS ELEGANTLY CASUAL OR CASUALLY ELEGANT? You be the judge. These seeded glass pieces with pewter initials are at home with Chinet and BBQ as easily as your fine china and a rack of lamb.

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COZY UP TO HER NEW FAVORITE BOUTIQUE

A FRESH ADDITION to the downtown Crabapple district, Hello Lovely is your destination for stylish clothing, accessories and gifts. Look for their yellow building at the intersection of Crabapple Road and Birmingham Highway across from Milton’s side patio.

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Present this ad for 20% off one full-priced item.

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HOLIDAY E V E N T S & AT T R A C T I O N S

“

with

CHILDHOOD MEMORIES LOVE of KINDRED

&

BECOME A CHILD AGAIN at

Christmastime.“ — Laura Ingalls Wilder

48 | POINTS NORTH | November 2016

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

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NOVEMBER NOV. 12/13 T I TA N T I D I N G S C H R I S T M A S G I F T S H OW

Blessed Trinity High School On Saturday from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. and Sunday from D P XQWLO S P Ɠ QG WKDW SHUIHFW JLIW DQG VKRS DW PRUH WKDQ GLIIHUHQW YHQGRUV RIIHULQJ PDQ\ XQLTXH LWHPV VXFK DV KRPH DQG KROLGD\ G«FRU DUW MHZHOU\ SRWWHU\ FKLOGUHQōV LWHPV DFFHVVRULHV DQG PXFK PRUH 1RZ LQ LWV Ɠ IWK \HDU WKLV JLIW VKRZ LV FRP SOHWHO\ LQGRRUV DQG KDV SOHQW\ RI SDUNLQJ VR QR QHHG WR ZRUU\ DERXW ZHDWKHU RU KDYLQJ WR ULGH D VKXWWOH ,Q DGGLWLRQ WR YHQGRUV HQMR\ KRXUO\ UDIŴ HV D KXJH EDNH VDOH DQG IXOO VHUYLFH FRQFHVVLRQV Ŋ DOO IRU IUHH DGPLV VLRQ %OHVVHG 7ULQLW\ LV ORFDWHG DW :RRGVWRFN 5RDG LQ 5RVZHOO EHKLQG WKH +RPH 'HSRW RQ +LJKZD\ b bbtcatholic.org

NOV. 18 L A N I E RWO R L D W I N T E R A DV E N T U R E

Lanier Islands /LYLQJ LQ WKH 6RXWK GRHVQōW VWRS XV *HRUJLDQV IURP Ɠ QGLQJ ZD\V WR KDYH DOO WKH IXQ RI SOD\LQJ LQ VRPH GHHS VQRZ ZLWKRXW WKH VWUXJJOH RI KDYLQJ WR VKRYHO WKH GULYHZD\ Ɠ UVW /DQLHU:RUOG :LQWHU $GYHQWXUH LV FRPLQJ EDFN WR WRZQ EHJLQQLQJ 1RY DQG LV ELJJHU WKDQ HYHU 7KLV \HDU DGPLVVLRQ WR WKH IDPRXV PLOH EHDXWLIXO /LJKW 7RXU DW :LQWHU $GYHQWXUH LV SHU FDU HYHU QLJKW DQG DGYDQFH SDVVHV FDQ EH SXUFKDVHG RQOLQH DW IRU MXVW SHU FDU

$OO JXHVWV DUH LQYLWHG WR VWRS DW WKH +ROLGD\ PHOTO COURTESY OF LANIER ISLANDS

November 2016 | PointsNorthAtlanta.com | 49

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

HOLIDAY EVENTS & ATTRACTIONS

Atlanta: Broadway in

Village for visits with Santa, chances to catch beloved holiday classics on one of the ELJJHVW Ĺ´ DW VFUHHQV LQ WRZQ RSSRUWXQLWLHV to dine on tasty holiday treats and catch a special viewing of a live nativity as part of their Light Tour gate admission. For those of us who wish to incorporate all the “advenWXUHĹ? LQWR RXU QLJKW WKH FRVW LV MXVW SHU DGXOW FKLOG DERYH LQFKHV WDOO RU SHU FKLOG XQGHU LQFKHV DIWHU S P and includes snow play zones, speed slides, EXEEOH VNDWLQJ XQOLPLWHG FDUQLYDO ULGHV Ć“ UH pits for s’mores making, and so much more.

We are not sure there is anywhere else you can cram this much holiday cheer into just one trip. 770-945-8787, lanierislands.com

NOV. 18/19

NOV. 18/19/20

THOMAS KINK ADE MASTER HIGHLIGHTER EVENT

O N E - M A N S H OW: A N N A R A Z M O U VS K AYA

Parsons Gallery

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&RPH WR 3DUVRQV *DOOHU\ RQ 1RY DQG bWR PHHW D 0DVWHU +LJKOLJKWHU $UWLVW b Enjoy watching her paint as she highlights your newly purchased Kinkade limitededition canvas. Have your picture made ZLWK KHU DQG HQMR\ UHIUHVKPHQWV b5HFHLYH D

Historic Roswell’s Vinings Gallery is pleased to welcome Anna Razmouvskaya back to the gallery for an artist show the ZHHNHQG RIb1RYHPEHU WKURXJK Best known for her classic, romantic Ɠ JXUHV ZLWK D VHQVH RI HOHJDQFH DQG JUDFH Razmouvskaya’s work is distinctly Renaissance in feeling, but refreshingly modern due to her signature expressive, dynamic technique. Born at the height of the Cold War, Razmouvskaya was exposed to very different worlds. She experienced the austere world of the communist regime alongside the sophisticated and feminine LQŴ XHQFH RI KHU IDVKLRQ FRQVFLRXV PRWKHU She excelled at art school, and enjoyed the freedom of learning and perfecting her technique in a variety of different media.

Of particular interest to her were the SRUWUDLW PDVWHUV RI WKH ODWH WK FHQWXU\ including John Singer Sargent, the Russian painter Valentin Serov, and earlier masters such as Peter Paul Rubens and Rembrandt.

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She is a great believer in art’s power to heal, transform and inspire others in their journey. Experience Razmouvskaya and her artwork for yourself while she is in town this month. 770-299-1122, viningsgallery.com

The Nutcracker 2016 ENTERTAINING FOR THE ENTIRE FAMILY !

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FLEETWOOD DANCE THEATRE, INC. presents

DEC. 9 & 10: Friday and Saturday @ 8 p.m.

DEC. 10: Saturday @ 11 a.m. & 3 p.m.

DEC. 11: Sunday @ 2:30 p.m.

“A Christmas

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50 | POINTS NORTH | November 2016

November 2016 | PointsNorthAtlanta.com | 51

HOLIDAY EVENTS & ATTRACTIONS T he Forum on

rk Peachtree Pa

way

Believe is a night of music, magic, and miracles that will leave you in awe and wonder… experience the greatest story ever told and the possibility to BELIEVE

DECEMBER 10 & 11 7 P.M. EACH NIGHT + 3 P.M. MATINEE ON SATURDAY TICKETS GO ON SALE NOVEMBER 6 Ticket prices start at $15 per person and are available online at NACFonline.com

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Produced by MOUNT PISGAH UNITED METHODIST CHURCH CREATIVE ARTS TEAM & featuring illusionist and storyteller HARRIS III

NOV. 24 T H A N K S G I V I N G DAY B U F F E T A N D OV E R N I G H T PAC K AG E

Château Élan Enjoy a sumptuous Thanksgiving Feast served from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m. for $85 per adult and $25 for children ages 6 through 11 (children ages 5 and under are free). Reservations are required. Extend your holiday with the Thanksgiving Package, starting at $269 plus tax. Whether you arrive Nov. 23 or 24, the package includes deluxe overnight accommodations in the Inn at Château Élan and the Thanksgiving Buffet for two in Versailles. 678-425-0900 x 41, chateauelan.com

NOV. 24 – DEC. 4 B ROA DWAY I N AT L A N TA’S “A C H R I S T M A S S T O RY ”

The Fox Theatre :H DOO NQRZ DQG ORYH WKH FODVVLF KROLGD\ Ɠ OP ŏ$ Christmas Story” that plays on a loop every day from Thanksgiving to New Year’s, but did you know it was a musical? This holiday season Ralphie, the leg lamp and the Red Ryder come to life right before your eyes RQ WKH VWDJH RI $WODQWDōV )DEXORXV )R[ 7KHDWHU 7KH musical will have you laughing and dancing along from beginning to end – what better way to get in the holiday spirit? Catch all the fun at one of the nine performances scheduled between Nov. 29 and Dec. 4. Tickets are already on sale, so step away from that IUHH]LQJ Ŵ DJSROH DQG JHW \RXUV EHIRUH WKH\ōUH JRQH 1-855-285-8499, broadwayinatlanta.com/christmas

NOV. 26 H O L I DAY PA R A D E A N D T R E E L I G H T I N G

The Forum on Peachtree Parkway For those that don’t miss the lighting The Forum on Peachtree Parkway’s gigantic tree each year, be sure PHOTO COURTESY OF THE FORUM ONPHOTOS PEACHTREE COURTESY PARKWAY OF

52 | POINTS NORTH | November 2016

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

ALL SEASON LONG

PICK YOUR PER FECT TR EE

Scottsdale Farms Garden Center, located in the heart of Milton, is the perfect family destination for the Christmas season. Choose a Christmas tree and a handcrafted wreath from their Enchanted Forest. Delivery and set up are available if needed. Unique gifts and holiday décor are also for sale inside their barn. Your family can enjoy farm animals, hayrides, a petting zoo, face painting and roasting marshmallows. And don’t miss their special visitor — Santa! Check their website for a schedule. 770-777-5875, scottsdalefarms.com

to note that celebration which has typically fallen on Black Friday in the past is schedule for Saturday evening this year. The fun begins at 4:30 p.m. with a Holiday Parade along Peachtree Corners Circle Road to the Trader’s Joes. From there, keep your troops merry and bright by moving to the Tree Lighting Celebration, just outside Barnes & Noble. The tree, and smiles, will light up at twilight. Check their website for more details. 770-368-8811, theforumonpeachtree.com

NOV. 27 T R E E L I G H T I N G C E L E B R AT I O N

The Collection at Forsyth Come visit Santa and Mrs. Claus for kids’ activities, caroling and carriage rides from 3 to 6 p.m. Enjoy live music, storytime and carriage rides with Santa full of big smiles and scoping out your shopping route. The chances for a priceless holiday picture are endless, as long as you bring your own camera. 770-781-0333, collectionforsyth.com PHOTOS COURTESY OF

November 2016 | PointsNorthAtlanta.com | 53

HOLIDAY EVENTS & ATTRACTIONS

DECEMBER DEC. 2 “ S PA R K L E! A C E L E B R AT I O N O F K I DS , C R E AT I V I T Y A N D M AG I C �

City of Norcross It’s the most wonderful time of the year!

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DEC. 2/3/4 T H E G E O RG I A B A L L E T â&#x20AC;&#x2122;S â&#x20AC;&#x153; T H E N U T C R AC K E R â&#x20AC;?

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winter favorite is sure to enthrall all with dueling soldiers, enchanting fairies, H[TXLVLWH GDQFLQJ VQRZĹ´ DNHV DQG DQ DEVR OXWHO\ PDJQLĆ&#x201C; FHQW JURZLQJ &KULVWPDV WUHH :DWFK WKH MRXUQH\ RI &ODUD DV VKH PDNHV KHU way into the Land of Sweets. %HIRUHb6DWXUGD\Ĺ?VbHYHQLQJ SHUIRUPDQFH KRS RQ WKH -ROO\ 7UROOH\ WR 0DULHWWD 6TXDUH (QMR\ VSHFLDO RIIHUV H[FOXVLYHO\ IRU 7UROOH\ ULGHUV EHIRUH KHDGLQJ EDFN IRU WKHb S P bVKRZ 770-528-0881, georgiaballet.org

DEC. 3/4 O N E - M A N S H OW: T H O M A S A RV I D

Vinings Gallery Americaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s (and Atlantaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s) favorite painter RI ZLQH UHWXUQV WR 9LQLQJV *DOOHU\ IRU KLV annual one-man show and holiday kick-off.

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place in the new Canton Street location on 'HF IURPb WR S P DQG RQ 'HF IURPb WR S P 770-545-8887, viningsgallery.com

DEC. 3/10 S A N TA O N T H E C H I M N E Y

Hendersonville, N.C. +DYH \RXU NLGV JURZQ D OLWWOH VNHSWLFDO as a result of never actually seeing Santa Claus sneak into the house? Say no more. +HQGHUVRQYLOOH 1 & KDV \RX FRYHUHG %ULQJ WKH ZKROH IDPLO\ WR WKHLU EHDXWLIXO &KLPQH\ 5RFN 3DUN DQG VHH 6DQWD SUDFWLFH his chimney sliding to prepare for the big GD\ 6DQWD RQ WKH &KLPQH\ DW &KLPQH\ 5RFN 3DUN IHDWXUHV 6DQWD VKLPP\LQJ GRZQ RQH RI

save e t he dat A unique marketplace featuring all handmade, one-of-a-kind products including home dĂŠcor, fashion accessories, custom jewelry, gourmet SURGXFWV VSD ERG\ FKLOGUHQ¡V JLIWV DQG WKRVH KDUG WR Ă&#x20AC;QG PHQ¡V JLIWV Buy One Ticket, Get One Free Online with Promo Code: Pointsnorth

D E C . 9 t o 11 C O B B G A L L E R I A C EN T R E T W O G A L L E R I A PAR K WAY â&#x20AC;˘ AT LANTA ShoppeArtisan.com 54 | POINTS NORTH | November 2016

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest chimneys with multiple 200-foot rappels, a Santa and Mrs. Claus meet-and-greet, live holiday music, hot cocoa, cookies and kidsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; activities.

Come be a part of the fun from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

800-277-9611, chimneyrockpark.com

DEC. 9/10/11 F L E E T WO O D DA N C E T H E AT R E â&#x20AC;&#x2122;S â&#x20AC;&#x153; T H E N U T C R AC K E R â&#x20AC;?

Blessed Trinity Catholic High School )OHHWZRRGb'DQFH 7KHDWUH ,QF SUHVHQWV WKHLU WK DQQXDO SURGXFWLRQ RI Ĺ?7KH 1XWFUDFNHUĹ?b'HF DQG DW WKH %OHVVHG 7ULQLW\ &DWKROLF +LJK 6FKRRO 3HU IRUPLQJ $UWV &HQWHU 7KH PHPEHU FDVW KDV EHHQ rehearsing since August in preparation for this holiday FODVVLF 7KH FRPSDQ\ GDQFHUV VSHQG \HDUV WUDLQLQJ IRU the opportunity to audition for the lead roles as Sugar 3OXP )DLU\ DQG GHZGURS ,W LV VXFK DQ DFFRPSOLVKPHQW to see young girls start in kindergarten as gingerbread dancers and reach their senior year performing the lead roles.

7KH 6DWXUGD\b D P bSHUIRUPDQFH LV IRU *LUO and Boy Scout troops to attend. At the conclusion of the ballet, they will have a behind -he-scenes tour of KRZ WKH WHFKQLFDO DVSHFWV RI WKH VKRZ UXQ 7KH VFRXWV will also receive a patch. 404-309-7735, IGWLFNHWV#EHOOVRXWK QHWb

DEC. 9/10/11 S H O PPE A R T I S A N â&#x20AC;&#x2122;S H O L I DAY M A R K E T

Cobb Galleria 7KH VHFRQG DQQXDO 6KRSSH $UWLVDQ +ROLGD\ 0DUNHW returns to Atlanta and will feature the seasonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s best and brightest holiday market for discerning shoppers. +HOG DW WKH &REE *DOOHULD &HQWUH 6KRSSH $UWLVDQ ZLOO VKRZFDVH D FXUDWHG VHOHFWLRQ RI WKH Ć&#x201C; QHVW KDQGPDGH goods made by artists from all of the U.S. â&#x20AC;&#x201C; including home dĂŠcor, menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s gifts, jewelry and accessories, spa products, clothing and childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s products. :H OLYH LQ D ZRUOG RI PDVV SURGXFHG SURGXFWV ,WĹ?V UHIUHVKLQJ WR Ć&#x201C; QG LWHPV WKDW KDYH EHHQ PDGH E\ KDQG PHOTOSCOURTESY PHOTO COURTESYOF OFSHOPPE ARTISAN

November 2016 | PointsNorthAtlanta.com | 55

NOVEMBER 18th & 19th

HOLIDAY EVENTS & ATTRACTIONS

10 AM - 5 PM

THOMAS KINKADE

event

MASTER HIGHLIGHTER

Have your newly purchased canvas piece highlighted by a Master Highlighter artist FREE now through the event. Highlighting makes each painting more unique and valuable.

SPECIAL OFFER REFRESHMENTS DOOR PRIZES

Shoppe Artisan’s Holiday Market creates an environment for just that.

Hours for this year’s market are Dec. 9 from noon to 8 p.m., Dec. 10 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Dec. 11 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Purchase your ticket online with promo code “Pointsnorth” and receive another ticket for free.

770-559-0293, shoppeartisan.com

DEC. 11 CO O K I E C A PE R & I N N T O U R

Hendersonville, N.C.

527 LAKELAND PLAZA CUMMING 770-888-9924

parsonsthomaskinkadegallery.com

If you’re in the mood to get out of Atlanta for the weekend, look no further than Hendersonville, N.C. Come celebrate the most wonderful time of the year in this beautiful town with some holiday events you won’t want to miss. You can add a little history to your holiday season by checking out Hendersonville’s Cookie Caper & Inn Tour. The tour features a stroll through town with stops at the town’s historic inns and guests will collect a tasty treat at each destination, because what is Christmastime without some cookies? Visit their website for a full calendar of seasonal events, from Santa’s Gourmet Hot Chocolates Workshops to a New Year’s Ever Party at Burntshirt Vineyard. 828-697-3088, hendersonvillenc.gov

DEC 10/11 “BELIEVE”

Mount Pisgah United Methodist Church The North Atlanta Christmas Festival has been reimagined in a way that will lead people to believe in the magic of Christmas once more. “Believe” is an award-winning experience, inspired by the Mount Pisgah United Methodist Church’s creative arts team, along with illusionist and storyteller Harris III. This night of music, magic and miracles will leave you in awe and wonder as you experience the greatest story ever told in a completely new light in collaboration with Harris III. He has appeared on TEDx and spotlit stages throughout the world. Harris’ stories and illusions will help us all recapture the miracle of Christmas.

The 2016 “Believe” takes place Dec. 10 and 11 with show times at 7:00 p.m. each night a 3:00 p.m. matinee on Saturday. Ticket prices start at $15 per person and go on sale online Nov. 6. Performances take place at the church’s North Campus, located at 2850 Old Alabama Road in Johns Creek, Georgia.

678-336-3170, nacfonline.com Q PHOTOS COURTESY OF

56 | POINTS NORTH | November 2016

FLOWER of the MONTH C

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12 months of beautiful flowers once a month for a year for the price of 10 months.

CALL 404-228-7903 TO ORDER.

MAKING MAGIC HAPPEN Tune into Atlanta Bon Vivant on Atlanta and Company every Tuesday to see Sean in action.

FOR MORE INFORMATION AND TO SEE BEHIND THE SCENE PHOTOS.

facebook.com/seanokeefeevents twitter.com/seosays instagram.com/seanokeefeevents

404-228-7903 | seanokeefeevents.com November 2016 | PointsNorthAtlanta.com | 57

Guyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s TIME

COMPROMISE OR DIVISION?

written by CARL DANBURY, JR.

58 | POINTS NORTH | November 2016

I

In the past six years or so, I have met an inordinate number of people who I would have never guessed in a million years would become friends of mine. In the prior 52 years of my life, many of the people I knew had a common link of some sort, making it virtually inevitable that we would develop close, inseparable friendships. But what about those with whom you have the scantest of shared interests or commonality?

November 2016 | PointsNorthAtlanta.com | 59

Guy’s TIME

What about those who have a different political view, an odd way of expressing themselves, a different sexual orientation or alternative belief system?

During the past 18 months, the political debates, unfortunate circumstances, senseless deaths, racial tensions and unwillingness to take a stroll in someone else’s contrarian shoes has led to some very ugly incidents. Not a week goes by, sometimes it seems like only a minute, without some interminable event that drives a stake in the heart of moderate American behavior or idealism. There are two poles on our earth but few can reside there. Today, the extreme left and the extreme right share a commonality, in that they each have an ugliness about them, and they are both extreme. But, no one should try to live in the extreme.

Compromise doesn’t rely upon bickering or not listening to dissenting points of view. The old adage that you have

60 | POINTS NORTH | November 2016

to meet somewhere in the middle means an equatorial position, not the North or South Pole. So, let’s for a moment look at a common sense approach to compromise, trying to end legislative gridlock and kick into gear a new beginning to enact change that will enable us to move forward moderately, rather than the vast chasm of polarization that exists today.

Imagine a political opponent was like one of the friends I previously mentioned.

Maybe it’s a friend who grew up in an abusive relationship, watched his mother get beaten by her husband, and eventually came to the realization that he was homosexual. Maybe he was belittled by his father for taking his mother’s side, for “choosing” an alternative sexual lifestyle, for not being masculine enough or one of the boys?

What if you accepted this guy as a friend by accepting him for who he is rather than who he isn’t? What if you came to understand why he believes what he believes, why he doesn’t see things exactly like you do, or others do? What if you compromised for a meaningful relationship?

Maybe he could overlook your tendency to chauvinism and you could accept that he is different than you in some ways, but much alike in others? Maybe he could overlook your penchant for maintaining the status quo and you could understand his desire to enact change? What if he shared your zeal for fundraising, and you found that common ground outweighed any differences you might have? What if his cynical sense of humor and dry wit mirrored yours, would it truly matter if your view of social security wasn’t exact?

What if you differed on how to fund the Affordable Care Act, yet you both knew someone who passed away due to ovarian cancer and you both wanted to raise money for that devastating disease?

The point is that overlooking your differences to discover a commonality could lead to a meaningful, lasting relationship.

Acceptance of one another’s shortcomings and viewpoints can lead to mutual appreciation that may benefit each of you.

How is solving this relationship puzzle any different than political compromise?

In an excerpt from “Compromise & The Common Good” published in 2013 by the American Academy of Art and Sciences, professors Amy Gutmann and Dennis Thompson maintained: “Classic compromises serve the common good not only by improving on the status quo from the agreeing parties’ particular perspectives, but also by contributing to a robust democratic process.

The goods in a classic compromise are not all held in common; yet all parties benefit from the compromise and value the process by which it is reached. The agreement itself demands the sacrifice of some goods that each party believes should be, but are not, shared.

COMPR OMISE OR DIVISION?

In the polarized politics of our time, the prospects for consensual agreements based solely on common ground or containing only common goods are increasingly bleak…

Yet the classic compromise today offers the best hope for political progress. The major issues in current legislative debates represent deep divisions on fundamental questions about the role of government, the nature of justice, and the liberties, rights, and responsibilities of citizens. The broad issues on which many Americans generally favor legislative compromise – taxation, government spending, health care, cost controls, job creation, immigration – are unlikely to be addressed at all if legislators hold out for common ground.”

Another salient point they espoused in this work is memorable. “The resistance to democratic compromise is anchored in an uncompromising mindset, a cluster of attitudes and arguments that encourage principled tenacity (standing on principle) and mutual mistrust (suspecting opponents).

This mindset is conducive to campaigning but inimical to governing.”

This hindrance influences political debate but it also is the very basis of personal prejudice. Unwillingness to truly learn about what others, who are very different from you, face along with an “uncompromising mindset” creates ill will and intemperance. The fundamental principle for relationships, political or personal, comes from a willingness to accept.

Without acceptance, without compromise, walls are built and bridges are rendered ineffective. Theologian, scholar and author Joseph Fort Newton understood this more than 100 years ago, when he wrote, “People are lonely because they build walls instead of bridges.”

While it seems not much has changed in the past century, maybe now is as good a time as any to consider it.. PN

November 2016 | PointsNorthAtlanta.com | 61

Due NORTH Set the date for Nov. 11 for your opportunity to catch a glimpse of the world as Lorraine Christie sees it: “rich with color and quality.”

Learn WE ARE ALWAYS excited to announce new events around town and when you add the word “grits” to pretty much anything, well, let’s just say we don’t waste much time. We doubt any of you will either on Nov. 12 when the first annual “Grits Fest” comes to town.

Presented by the Roswell and Sweet Apple Farmers & Artisans Markets, in collaboration

2016

Experience ENIGMATIC and alluring; evocative and romantic; emotional and powerful. All of these words fail to capture the stirring beauty of Lorraine Christie’s works on display at Buckhead’s Huff Harrington Fine Arts Gallery. Her upcoming show “Time Suspended” seeks to explore through painting the nuance, beauty and complexity of relationships, set against the romantic backdrop of the city.

Christie is well regarded in the artistic community for her ability to communicate from

multiple perspectives often unconsidered by other artists.

Of note in “Time Suspended” is her deliberate effort to capture the male perspective on emotions and romance as well as the challenges of navigating and expressing them.

Set the date for Nov. 11 for your first opportunity to catch a glimpse of the world as Christie sees it: “rich with color and quality.” Each of the pieces is a conversation about love, communication and relationships. Opening night starts at 6 and ends at 8 p.m.; complimentary sips and bites will be available. huffharrington.com – Niko Berry

o ROsWEll and sWEEt APPLE fARMERs mARkEts benefitting

the COttage schOOL ROsWELL, GA

with the Cherokee County Farm Bureau, “Grits Fest” will be held from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the campus of the Cottage School in Roswell, which borders the Chattahoochee National Forest, just minutes from GA 400.

This outdoor festival (with an indoor rain option) will bring chefs and farmers throughout the state together, as local corn for grits is being harvested and ground. Wellknown chefs and restaurants like Woody Back at Table and Main, Mel Toledo at Foundation Social Eatery, Todd Hogan at Branch & Barrel, Daniel Porubiansky at Century House Tavern, Derek Dollar at Milton’s Cuisine & Cocktails and John Flagella at Seed, just to name a few, will be providing small bites of a grits-based dish or a dish served with grits, using grits grown in Georgia. After tasting the entries, attendees will vote on their favorite dish for the “People’s Choice” award. In addition to a happy palate, the afternoon will also offer cooking demos, live music, a Farmers Market & artisan booths as well as the Jekyll Brewing beer tent.

Tickets are $10 per person or $25 per car (max 4 adults and 6 people per carload ticket) and will allow for unlimited tasting from the participating chefs and restaurants. Those

PHOTOS COURTESY OF HUFF HARRINGTON | LORRAINE CHRISTIE; MILTON’S CUISINE & COCKTAILS’ SHRIMP & GRITS; CYNTHIA GRAUBART | PATRICK HEAGNEY

62 | POINTS NORTH | November 2016

November 2016

who just wish to shop at the markets do not need to purchase tickets, but will not be able to taste the dishes.

The mission of the event is to promote and increase awareness for culinary, agricultural and educational endeavors. This year, proceeds from the ticket sales and profits from the beer sales will benefit The Cottage School and their developing culinary and technical skills programs for their high school students.

For the latest dish on what to expect and links for tickets visit sweetapplefarmers market.com/grits-fest-2016 or the Sweet Apple Farmers Market Facebook event page.

Read NORTH ATLANTA is home to many promising writers and November, National Novel Writer’s Month, is the time to meet them.

ON NOV. 5, consider attending the 25th anniversary of the Book Festival of the Marcus

Jewish Community Center of Atlanta (MJCAA). Head over to the MJCAA for live music from Kenny Loggins, traditional Jewish cuisine and to meet a coterie of local authors including Peter Bergen, Andy Cohen, Yael Dayan, Jonathan Safran Foer, Daniel Gordis, Shep Gordon, Alice Hoffman, Carson Kressley, and Jeffrey Toobin. atlantajcc.org IF THAT DOESN’T SATIATE your stack of need-to-read novels for the cooler months ahead, consider the Milton Literary Festival. Attend the Nov. 11 inaugural kick-off event for tasting, book signings and live music.

Hear from award-winning guest speakers and enjoy wine provided in partnership with Wilbur & Rudy’s Farmtable. Then, go home for some shut-eye, but only to return for the main event Nov. 12 when the festival kicks into full swing. Listen to 30-plus best selling authors sharing their insights in panels, polish your literary skills at writing workshops

November 2016 | PointsNorthAtlanta.com | 63

Due NORTH Perched off Windward Parkway, Secreto’s flavor combinations await exploration and its cozy yet modern atmosphere is worth divulging.

being held all day, and take a first look at musical scenes crafted by local playwrights.

Then, have a bite to eat at a luncheon panel hosted by chefs and cookbook authors. miltonliteraryfestival.weebly. com SPEAKING OF THE LATTER, be on the lookout for a new title by Cynthia Graubart from The University of North Carolina Press. A winner of the James Beard Book Award for American Cooking for “Mastering the Art of Southern” which she co-authored with Nathalie Dupree, Graubart’s latest is simply named “Chicken: A Savor The South Cookbook.” For a sneak peek at the collection of delectable recipes starring yardbirds from all across the Southeast, visit pointsnorthatlanta.com/ cynthia-graubart-chicken.

Just don’t be surprised if you’re soon yearning for a taste of her take on Biscuit-Topped Chicken Pot Pies, perfect for a cool November night.

– Niko Berry

plate of the white chocolate raspberry tiramisu completely clean.

If you’re looking for a new lunch spot, date night destination or gathering ground for a night out with the girls, look no more. Perched off Windward Parkway, Secreto’s flavor combinations await exploration and its cozy yet modern atmosphere is worth divulging. No secrets here: it’s beckoning us back for many reasons – and there’s a very good chance that turkey and dumplings might be involved. secretokitchen.com – Brenna Needham

Taste SECRETO, which translates from Spanish to “secret”, was exactly that to us until recently.

Opened in June 2016 and helmed by Executive Chef Boyd A. Rose, the restaurant offers a unique twist on classic, farm-fresh Southern dishes that Northsiders have followed from his tenure at nearby restaurants Etris Kitchen & Bar, Milton’s and Rainwater.

With the recommendations from Chef Rose leading the way, we spent an afternoon tasting his innovative flavors.

Fried green tomatoes stuffed with pimento cheese and topped with a strawberry jalapeño jam were followed by his Bang Bang Shrimp with Asian flair. Next, we delved into the chef’s locally famed fried chicken and it did not disappoint; the chicken and mashed potatoes were topped with gravy infused with jalapeños and smoked bacon, giving it a flavor unlike any gravy I’ve had. Whether or not we saved room for dessert was debatable, but still we scraped the

Sip FEW THINGS beat sipping a glass of wine for a good cause, especially when it goes back to one of our communities. The Mill Kitchen and Bar will host “The Grandiose Grape Wine Event” on Nov. 12 from 1 to 5 p.m. The event, which will include more than 30 wineries, 100 wines, food and live music in an outdoor tented venue will donate a percentage of its proceeds to The Drake House and Chattahoochee Nature Center.

Complimentary valet parking will be available as will a VIP room, where attendees are privy to select premium wines and appetizers with their pre-paid VIP ticket. The VIP package, at $100 a person, includes early entrance at 1 p.m., an expanded menu, PHOTOS COURTESY OF SECRETO | PAULO JUNIOR; ROADIE

64 | POINTS NORTH | November 2016

November 2016

samples of reserve wine, a Grandiose Grape T-shirt and wine glass as well as a $25 gift card for The Mill Kitchen & Bar. General admission is $65 a person, starts at 2 p.m. and includes wine tasting, food, and a Grandiose Grape glass.

Tickets are available on xorbia.com

Move WHETHER PLAYING Santa’s helper, overpacked for holiday travel or on an end-of-year cleaning spree, there’s a new, faster, cheaper and friendlier way to get your stuff from point A to point B. Roadie is an Atlanta-based shipping community that works as an app on your smartphone and utilizes excess capacity in passenger vehicles, connecting people with stuff to send with drivers already heading that direction. The world’s first neighbor-to-neighbor shipping network, they ship local and long haul, same day, next day and even on weekends. After launching in January 2015, the concept was quickly embraced and in all 50 states just three

months later. By tapping into the more than one billion square feet of excess capacity in passenger vehicles already on the road, Roadie brings disruptive innovation to the $90 billion shipping industry. The service connects people with stuff to send with drivers heading in the right direction – a concept that reminds us of Uber, but for your things.

Roadie’s model enables efficient, low cost delivery for senders and rewards drivers for trips they were already taking. It’s quickly becoming the go-to delivery solution for large, awkward or delicate items. From patio furniture to pets, Roadie makes ‘out-of-the box’ delivery as easy and convenient as ordering a pizza.

Plus, both the sender and receiver can track deliveries in real-time via smartphone and goods are protected up to $10,000 through UPS Capital.

Pricing is determined by distance and urgency, in addition to size. Most local “Gigs” will cost between $8 and $50, and long distance requests with oversized items can pay up to $650 and even more for delivering pets. That’s a movement we can get behind. roadie.com

ESCAPE TO THE

Mountains.

Indulge in RUSTIC ELEGANCE. The

White Birch Inn

GEORGIA’S PREMIER WINE COUNTRY INN www.beechwoodinn.ws 706.782.5485

28 E Savannah Street Clayton, Georgia 30525 www.thewhitebirchinn.net (706) 782-4444

November 2016 | PointsNorthAtlanta.com | 65

After THOUGHTS

GIVING

GRATITUDE TO

“My son is graduating from college this semester! I’m so happy for him, and that’s one big expense we can put behind us.”

— Tiffany

“Capturing the diverse talents behind some of our community’s best and brightest left me feeling lucky that my job and passion are one in the same.

I’m grateful for those that share their stories with us and our loyal readers that make it all possible.”

— Colleen

“It’s that time of year again, when the leaves start falling and all you want to do is cuddle up with a blanket and a hot drink. I love looking back on the previous year to remember for what I’m thankful.

This year, I’m thankful that I have my sister and nephew in Georgia with me (yay!), that I’m now a proud University of Georgia alumna, and of course, for my wonderful loved ones.”

— Brenna

Share your answer with us on social media using #PNAfterThoughts

66 | POINTS NORTH | November 2016

“I am most thankful for a happy and healthy family, myself included and especially for my cute, sweet granddaughter.

On a larger scale, I am thankful for living in the land of the free and home of the brave!”

— George