The Red & Black | April 6, 2023

New chapter on the avenue

Alpha Xi Delta to re-establish at UGA for fall recruitment

The Gamma Upsilon chapter of Alpha Xi Delta sorority will be re-established at the University of Georgia in fall 2023 and plans to recruit a full chapter.

The reinstatement was announced on March 2 via the UGA Panhellenic Instagram account. Alpha Xi Delta will be the 20th sorority in UGA’s Panhellenic Council. The chapter, which was previously on campus from 1960-1974, closed due to a decline in membership. Membership decline was a national trend among fraternities and sororities during this time, according to Kara Rex, assistant director of Greek life and advisor to Panhellenic at UGA.

After the UGA Panhellenic Council contacted Alpha Xi Delta with interest in re-establishing the chapter on campus, the sorority visited campus in February 2023 to give a presentation on who they are and how they would go about re-establishment. They were then selected to join, which catalyzed the organization’s own efforts for re-establishment. In the coming months, they will table and participate in campus events to promote the chapter, according to Rex.

initiated members and 129 active chapters, according to their website.

Revving up for recruitment

Alpha Xi Delta will partially participate in formal recruitment, also known as rush, in the fall of 2023. They will participate in the first round, which consists of each sorority presenting a video describing who they are and what the organization is about to potential new members.

Alpha Xi Delta will then put their recruitment on hold until after formal rush is finished, beginning their own events the day after bid day.

They will have their own recruitment process that will be largely similar to regular rush, according to Heather Chibuk, Alpha Xi Delta’s national director of membership growth and marketing. Other chapters across the state and Southeastern Conference, such as Auburn University and the University of South Carolina, will participate in and support the recruitment process since there will not be members already in the chapter to run recruitment. Potential new members can participate in regular recruitment or register just for Alpha Xi Delta recruitment, but they are not guaranteed acceptance.

“I definitely think that joining a new chapter from the ground up is a very unique opportunity,” Felts said. “I think it’s a very special experience that you get to come into this chapter, you get to maybe serve in an officer role right away that you might not have the opportunity to do if you were to join an already existing chapter.”

The organization is looking to recruit freshmen to seniors members in order to have a chapter size comparable to other sororities and to be able to have a full executive board, according to Chibuk.

“Everyone is excited about this opportunity to come back and also be at such a university and a community that values fraternity and sorority life experience,” Lauren Felts, Alpha Xi Delta’s national director of communications and marketing, said.

Alpha Xi Delta was founded on April 17, 1893 at Lombard College in Galesburg, Illinois. It has more than 162,000

“It is a great experience for those upperclassmen who are already leaders on campus, who want to continue to grow and add more to their experience at Georgia,” Chibuk said.

Alpha Xi Delta is also currently in the process of creating an Alumni Advisory Board for the new Gamma Upsilon chapter, Chibuk said.

Doing things differently

Besides running their recruitment a bit differently than other Panhellenic sororities, Alpha Xi Delta will also put a bit of a spin on another staple of sorority life: bigs and littles. They will have a twin program. Normally, after a year in a sorority, members take on a little. Since Gamma Upsilon will be in its first year next year and will not have any members who have been involved longer than any of the others, members will get a twin.

Like other Panhellenic sororities, Alpha Xi Delta participates in philanthropy. They do not have a partnership with a specific organization but rather a focus, called the Kindly Hearts Initiative, which is dedicated to supporting children experiencing homelessness or foster care. Chapters raise money and participate in service events for organizations that support the focus of the initiative, including ones in their communities.

Alpha Xi Delta currently seeks a house for the Gamma Upsilon chapter. They are hoping to find a house on South Milledge Avenue, where most of UGA’s other sorority houses are located.

FAST FACTS

X Alpha Xi Delta’s flower is a pink rose.

X The sorority colors are double blue (light blue and dark blue) and gold.

X BetXi Bear has been the organization’s mascot since 1989.

X Alpha Xi Delta’s motto is “The Pen is Mightier Than the Sword.”

X There were 10 members of the founding chapter at Lombard College.

Everyone is excited about this opportunity to come back”

Lauren Felts | Alpha Xi Delta director of commumications and marketing

Scenes from round three of Panhellenic sorority recruitment at the University of Georgia on Aug. 16, 2022. SIDNEY CHANSAMONE/STAFF

Allison Mawn

Kindercore is no more

Turmoil and change at local record pressing plant

Lilly Kersh

After years of turmoil among ownership and investors, Kindercore Vinyl is no more. The record pressing plant that put Athens on the map for vinyl manufacturing has been replaced by Classic City Vinyl Works, and none of Kindercore’s founders remain at the operation.

The plant, located on Fritz Mar Lane in North Athens, was born from the ashes of the Kindercore Records music label of the mid ‘90s.

Although the facility still operates as Georgia’s only record pressing factory, the legacy of Kindercore as Athens’ namesake for local music and vinyl manufacturing has ended. With management and ownership at odds, its demise was as profound and storied as its rise.

“Kindercore Vinyl, just like Kindercore Records, existed for a period of time. And during that period of time, for both those businesses, there were good things and bad things and success and failures,” Ryan Lewis, a co-founder of Kindercore, said. “But overall, I’m really proud of what the businesses did, and the impact that they had on the community and on the arts in general.”

Lewis and Dan Geller founded the Kindercore label in 1996, releasing music by local groups such as of Montreal and Japancakes before reaching a national scope and moving to New York in 1998. The label ultimately came to an end in 2003, but its heyday as a hallmark of ‘90s Athens music never faded from the founders’ memory.

In 2016, Lewis and Geller partnered with recording engineer Bill Fortenberry and former record store owner Cash Carter to revive Kindercore as a record pressing plant. The group secured a team of investors and on Halloween of 2017, the plant pressed their first record, “Start the Panic” by The Agenda, the debut album of Lewis’ former band. Since then, the company has made vinyls for national and international artists like Paul McCartney, Willie Nelson, Halsey and Athens’ own R.E.M.

“We shattered so many of the goals that we had for ourselves, and I think it was because everyone was so personally dedicated to it. But that’s not particularly sustainable in an unforgiving business like manufacturing,” Lewis said. Friendly foreclosure

Despite success and national recognition, the financial realities of running a pressing plant became unfeasible for Kindercore’s founders, and investors ousted the previous management to rebuild it as Classic City Vinyl Works.

According to Carter, Kindercore fell behind on orders and payments to vendors over the past few years due to failing and expensive machinery, a shortage of PVC, the material that records are made of, and complications from the pandemic.

In August 2020, Michael Greig Thomas was brought into Kindercore as a management consultant. Greig Thomas said he believes original management pressed quality records but didn’t have a grasp on how many records they needed to produce to breakeven. Getting out of debt involved tripling manufacturing through hard work and long hours and bringing in big projects for artists like Halsey and Paul McCartney.

But in 2022, the company still faced financial difficulties, and according to Carter, the chief operating officer at the time, he faced barriers from investors to update failing equipment. Underneath financial agreements lies a fundamental difference in the philosophies of the investors and the company’s founders.

“[Kindercore] was more like a band,” Lewis said. “It was the same DIY indie thing that had led us to start the record label … [The investors] wanted to run a numbers business that was just putting out as much product as possible … It was just incompatible.”

While the investors may not have seen eye to eye with the plant’s founders, Greig Thomas also believes the company’s financial situation needed intervention.

“To the credit of the investor group, they did put more funds in on a couple occasions. I just don’t think that the management team that was in place necessarily knew how to make it successful,” Greig Thomas said.

Ultimately, the company would need support to keep presses operating. George Fontaine Sr., a co-founder of the Georgia Theatre, University of Georgia Music Business Program and owner of the independent label New West Records, was a limited partner in Kindercore Vinyl as part of the investor group.

Fontaine stepped in as a majority shareholder to recapitalize the company and turn the financial situation around. According to Carter, the sale has been referred to his lawyer as a “friendly foreclosure.”

“I wanted to keep this thing operating in Athens,” Fontaine said. “It’s a good thing for Athens, and that’s why I stepped up.”

Fontaine brought in Scott Hughes as a managing partner in fall 2022. Hughes has worked in music for over 20 years and co-founded a music streaming and digital downloading service, PassAlong Networks. Splitting his time between Nashville and Athens, he is the only investor involved in the company’s day-to-day operations.

In October 2022, about a month after Hughes was brought in, Carter, the last remaining founder at the plant, was fired. Carter said he was not given a reason for his termination.

“The prior management had made enormous mistakes,” Hughes said. “[They] drove this company into the ground … I’ve never been sworn at by so many people by email by people frustrated with Kindercore.”

However, without a background in manufacturing or vinyl and facing failing equipment, turnover in management and a loss of the company’s knowledge base, Hughes has a lot of work cut out for him. According to Lewis, safety at the plant and product quality have declined at the company. But Fontaine sees Hughes as essential to the company’s future.

“[Hughes] has a career in turning around businesses,” Fontaine said. “He understands the music business.”

Greig Thomas believes while some may take issue with the change in ownership at the plant, Hughes is doing the best he can with a difficult task and that the situation at the company needed to change.

“[The founders] that had this very indie dream maybe lacked a little bit of the corporate desire,” Greig Thomas said. “There was a lot of stuff that was neglected … People were underpaid… It wasn’t perfect. They should have been out of business.”

The company continued to operate at a loss into 2023 as the investors sought to dig Kindercore out from its imminent financial grave. From Greig Thomas’ perspective, Fontaine’s action protected jobs and saved the company, which has around 40 employees.

Geller owns the legal rights to the name Kindercore and took the name with him. The plant now operates as Classic City Vinyl Works. But more than a change in ownership shares and business licenses, the new company represents a transition in principles and visions for the pressing plant.

Personal over professional

In its recent history, Kindercore Vinyl has been fraught with personal animosities, tensions and disputes among management that have made the work environment dysfunctional.

“My experience with Kindercore and Classic City was that the personal would pervade over the professional,” Greig Thomas said. “There was [constant] sniping back and forth between the heads of the department. They really made it challenging to be there.”

By the end of 2020, Lewis began working from home as a result of the tensions after a long history of handling the day-to-day operations as president.

“When there were disagreements … It all felt personal to everybody,” Lewis said. “I think part of the friend-based nature of the business was its biggest downfall.”

In addition, Carter butted heads with investors. He is considering legal action against the company and is fighting against a noncompete clause in his contract that seeks to keep him from working in record pressing.

“They didn’t want me but then they don’t want me to work as their competition,” Carter said. “I need to work. I have kids, I have a family. And that’s really where it’s really bothered me.”

Personal feuds and miscommunication have contributed to the company’s difficulties, and a loss of functional management had made it hard to operate the business, according to those involved in operating the plant.

“I think that the original debt was in no small part a combination of the board and the management not communicating, working together enough,” Greig Thomas said. “There’s always been a lot of opportunities for people to just speak, sit down and talk and instead it’s been emails and lawyers.”

Setting the record straight

Record pressing in Athens will continue without Kindercore. For many involved, the change in name is important to separate the fundamentally different companies.

“I wish [Classic City Vinyl Works] the best, but it’s not the company that we started,” Lewis said. “It’s not an artist-run, musician-operated business in the same way that it was before. And the focus is on trying to turn a quick profit versus trying to build a lasting quality business.”

While the company is by no means thriving after a tumultuous past few years, Classic City Vinyl Works will continue to fulfill the record manufacturing piece of the Athens music puzzle. But the new chapter will be written by different authors.

“I’d like to honor Ryan, Dan and Cash for bringing vinyl record pressing to Athens,” Hughes said. “We are honored to continue that.”

A record being pressed in October 2022. JESSICA GRATIGNY/STAFF

Hear my voice

Legislators use trans hate for political gain

Jamie Thompson

There’s no such thing as “transgender ideology.” We’ve heard the phrase a lot recently, often followed by “think of the children” in the same breath. All across the country, politicians and legislators are enacting bans and restrictions on gender-affirming healthcare. They justify these measures by crying about the transgender ideology, a supposed epidemic corrupting our youth. There’s no ideology. There are only trans people.

These cries echo the fear of the “gay agenda.” It’s the same song, different targeted community, and they can’t even be bothered to change all of the words. Think of the children. Which children?

Many of these healthcare bans carve out convenient exceptions to allow “corrective” surgeries on intersex children, those who are born with both female and male biological traits, which isn’t medically necessary but often damaging and traumatic. Who’s thinking about them?

I could pull out any number of medical studies and statistics to validate my existence and defend my younger trans siblings. Several studies have found the rate of detransitioning, or the rate that youth regret altering their gender, to be around 1%. But even within that 1%, most of them detransition because of factors like financial difficulties or a lack of social support, and many end up resuming their transition later in life. Among those that do realize transitioning isn’t for them, many of them express that they still don’t regret the experience.

I could make those arguments, but I’ve seen too many friends and allies repeat the statistics until they turned blue in the face. I won’t waste my time. For the people who care, those studies and more are only a quick internet search away. Those arguments have been made again and again, by people more qualified than me. Instead, I want to illuminate the human side of this issue.

My story isn’t uncommon in the trans community. When I was growing up, I knew I was different, even before I had the vocabu -

What’s for lunch?

lary to explain it. Recently, one of my cousins pulled me aside and told me that I was a miserable little kid. He didn’t understand my transition at first, but when he saw me, he realized it didn’t matter. He didn’t have to understand because he could see how much happier I was.

Perhaps I would’ve been a happier child if I’d had access to gender-affirming care or at least been allowed to cut my hair and use a different name. Puberty was even worse for me than others, and puberty blockers would’ve saved me so much pain. Even if I’d turned out to be wrong, the effects are reversible. I suffered so much unnecessarily, and these laws mean that many more children will continue suffering too.

We, as trans people, are not mutilating bodies. I’m participating in the hallowed and human act of creation. As Michelangelo coaxed sculptures from stone, I’m making my body my own so that it actually matches who I am as a person. I’m not an ideology or an epidemic. I’m a son, a brother, an uncle and a boyfriend. I was a little boy once, too.

Even if you think the restrictions on healthcare for minors aren’t an issue, I need you to understand that it won’t stop there. States are already expanding on their restrictions, now focusing on patients over the age of 18. The Texas State House is considering a bill that could jail doctors for providing gender-affirming care — or even referring them to another provider — to those under 26. This was never about protecting children. The people writing these laws want everyone like me eradicated, and they will not stop there. Being transgender right now feels like being a canary in a coal mine. I’ll die before I let anyone force me to be something I’m not. My life is my own, and my body is my own. I have the right to live authentically and be happy. I’m prepared to go down singing. If they silence me, who will take up my song? Will you?

Jamie Thompson is a senior English major and an ambassador for the Pride Center at UGA.

Students share importance of healthy eating on campus

Maggie

Abboud

As I walk through Bolton Dining Commons, trying to decide what I should eat for lunch, I constantly ask myself: What is in this specific dish? Dining Services at the University of Georgia offer a variety of foods for their meal-plan users. While they do provide menu tags that indicate if the foods are vegan, meatless, heart healthy or halal, and provide food allergen information, those indication cards lack the nutrient and contents of the meals themselves.

UGA provides students with dining hall menus through Nutrislice, a website that allows users to “build your plate.”

Through the site, students can select the dining hall where they plan to eat and view the menus for the day. However, most of the time, students are so busy during the day that they lack the free time to pre-plan what they will eat for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

While some dining halls like Bolton provide QR codes for some dishes, I propose that the nutrients and contents of all

Spring 2023 Staff

Parker Allen freshman undecided major “Oftentimes, when I look for the menu tag and nutrient labeling on foods in the dining halls, they’re not easily accessible. So, yes, I definitely feel like having the nutrients and contents listed in the dining halls would help to make good decisions on meals as well provide an easy way to calculate the total meal aspects and macronutrients.”

the meals served in any of the dining halls be provided to students by any means necessary, out of safety and convenience for the students.

The Red & Black asked students about their personal dining hall experiences and whether they think displaying nutritional content informa -

tion in dining halls is viable and effective.

Maggie Abboud is a freshman microbiology major.

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Corrections

avoid it just in case.”

Daniel Bulos

fifth-year management and risk management and insurance major “While I’m not someone who dives deep into the facts behind every single thing that I eat, I feel like it would be nice to get a good idea about what I consume on a daily basis. I think it would be a great help for people to see the contents of food in terms of protein or fat in order to know what to eat or avoid if they chose to pay attention.”

Areeb Khan freshman biology major

“Since I only eat halal foods, if the contents of the foods served at the dining halls was given, it would make it a lot easier for me to know which foods I am actually able to eat. I have come pretty close to eating foods that are not halal, and if there was an indication that there was gelatin in the food, this situation would have been avoided. ”

As a student-run news organization with the mission of training journalists, we know that mistakes happen and we do our best to correct them as quickly as possible.

If you spot a factual error, please let us know by sending a correction to editor@randb. com. Corrections to items in print editions are published in the next possible print issue. Corrections for online-only articles are posted at redandblack.com/corrections.

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Athens Tango Project ilumina la cultura Argentina en Athens

Isabella Aranda

Desde el 2012, Laura Camacho ha traído una porción de Sudamérica al sur de Estados Unidos a través del Athens Tango Project. Inspirada en la música de su infancia en Argentina, Camacho mezcla la música del tango tradicional con nuevas melodías. El proyecto lanzó su primer EP, “Para Compartir,” en enero del 2023.

Camacho fundó el Athens Tango Project hace más de diez años, tocando el bajo en el conjunto. Inició el proyecto compartiendo su conocimiento del tango, que es a la vez un género musical y un baile social, con otros músicos en una interpretación mixta de música y baile. Desde entonces, el proyecto ha sido una colaboración de múltiples músicos, con la misión de compartir la cultura argentina y los orígenes del tango con el público local.

Camacho enseña tango de una manera que enfatiza no solo la música sino también la cultura, creyendo que el tango está hecho de la emoción que los músicos evocan a través de su instrumento.

“Tienes que traer esa [emoción] allí. Porque solo será el 25% de lo que digo lo que se traducirá[en] la música. Y creo que tiene que estar ahí. De lo contrario, ¿qué estás haciendo si no estás poniendo un poco de emoción allí?” dijo Camacho.

Desde Buenos Aires, Argentina, Pablo Aslan ha conocido a Camacho a través de su trabajo como bajistas de tango. Aslan elogia la dedicación del Athens Tango Project a la música.

“Cualquiera que toque tango fuera de Argentina tiene el desafío de encontrar gente que entienda la música, que sepa tocar la música, que tenga el compromiso de aprenderla. Eso es realmente lo que me llamó la atención, que encontró un grupo de músicos que estaban comprometidos,” dijo Aslan.

El Athens Tango Project funciona como una máquina con múltiples partes móviles, todas armonizadas junto con Camacho como capitán. Conoce bien la forma en que debe sonar el tango y atribuye gran parte de su influencia en el tango a su abuela, a quien vio bailar tango en Buenos Aires, Argentina.

“Tenía muchas ganas de que me tomaran como algo que venía de la gente, venía de las calles. Se elevó con músicos de formación más clásica [a lo largo de] los años, pero es música de la gente, para la gente,” dijo Camacho.

Después de su primer sencillo, “Oblivion,” el grupo se reunió durante la pandemia para crear su nuevo EP. Apropiadamente llamado "Para Compartir", que significa "To Be Shared", el EP presenta una mezcla de tango con influencias del rock.

En canciones como “Drive,” originalmente compuesta por R.E.M. de Athens, “Para Compartir” produce una innovación que mantiene la autenticidad del tango al tiempo que incorpora sonidos nuevos y creativos. En consonancia con la misión del grupo, su música une el tango con la cultura musical de Athens para crear melodías excéntricas.

El pianista y compositor Emiliano Messiez conoció a Camacho en un festival de tango en Filadelfia mientras tocaba en la orquesta de Messiez como invitada especial. Desde entonces, Messiez ha seguido el trabajo del Athens Tango Project.

“Por lo general, cuando hablamos de tango, esperamos encontrar argentinos tocando.

[En el proyecto de Athens] encuentras gente de todo el mundo tocando... No todos saben cómo tocarlo,pero estos muchachos saben,” dijo Messiez.

Athens Tango Project illuminates Argentinian culture in Athens

Since 2012, Laura Camacho has brought a slice of South America to the American South through the Athens Tango Project. Inspired by the music of her childhood in Argentina, Camacho mixes traditional tango music with new melodies. The project released its first EP, “Para Compartir,” in January 2023.

Camacho founded the Athens Tango Project over ten years ago, playing bass in the ensemble. She started the project by sharing her knowledge of tango, which is both a music genre and a social dance, with other musicians in a mixed performance of music and dance. Since then, the project has been a collaboration of multiple musicians, with a mission of sharing Argentinian culture and the origins of tango to local audiences.

Camacho teaches tango in a way that emphasizes not just the music but the culture, believing that tango is made of the emotion that musicians evoke through their instrument.

“You have to bring that [emotion] in there. Because it’s only going to be 25% of what I’m saying that’s gonna be translated [in] the music. And I think it has to be there. Otherwise, what are you doing if you’re not putting a little bit of emotion in there?” Camacho said.

From Buenos Aires, Argentina, Pablo Aslan has known Camacho through their work as tango bassists. Aslan commends the Athens Tango Project’s dedication to the music.

“Anybody who plays tango outside of Argentina has the challenge of finding people who understand the music, who can play the music, who have the commitment to learn it. That’s really what struck me, that she found a group of musicians who were committed,” Aslan said.

The Athens Tango Project works as a machine with multiple moving parts, all harmonizing together with Camacho as the captain. She is well versed in the way in which tango should sound and credits a lot of her influence in tango to her grandmother, who she watched dance to tango in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

“I really wanted to be taken as something that came from the people, came from the streets. It got elevated with more classically trained musicians [over] the years, but it’s music from the people, for the people,” Camacho said.

After their first single, “Oblivion,” the group came together during the pandemic to create their newest EP. Fittingly named “Para Compartir,” which means “To Be Shared,” the EP brings forth a blend of tango with rock influences.

In songs such as “Drive,” originally composed by Athens’ R.E.M., “Para Compartir” produces innovation that maintains the authenticity of the tango while incorporating new and creative sounds. In alignment with the group’s mission, their music unites tango with the music culture of Athens to create eccentric melodies.

Pianist and composer Emiliano Messiez met Camacho at a tango festival in Philadelphia while playing in Messiez’s orchestra as a special guest. From then on, Messiez has followed the work of the Athens Tango Project.

“Usually when we talk about tango, we expect to find Argentinians playing. [In the Athens project] you find people from all over the world playing ... Not everyone knows how to play it, but these guys know,” Messiez said.

Isabella Aranda

Members of the Athens Tango Project outside of Flicker Theatre and Bar.

COURTESY/SUZANNAH EVANS FOR FLAGPOLE Miembros del Athens Tango Project fuera del Flicker Theatre and Bar. CORTESÍA/SUZANNAH EVANS PARA FLAGPOLE

A new No. 1 Jaden Woods seizes top spot in Georgia’s rotation

Owen Warden

At the top of the fifth inning, Jaden Woods returned to the mound once again. Coming off a disastrous opening day, Georgia’s new No. 1 had already broken his career high in strikeouts.

And yet, the junior left-hander carried himself as he always had; calm, collected and focused on the task at hand.

Woods struck out the final two batters he faced, stretching his total to 11. Despite the accomplishment, Woods remained humble.

“It means a lot,” Woods said after defeating Princeton in his second appearance of the season. “But, we have a long way to go in the season so I kind of really thought about it as just the beginning.”

And just the beginning it was, as exactly three weeks later, he did it again. He allowed a few runs against South Carolina and Georgia ultimately lost, but still, another excellent pitching performance and exactly what Georgia needed.

“I thought Jaden was outstanding and deserved to win,” head coach Scott Stricklin said. “He was right there… He was on line for the win, and just, unfortunately, we didn’t get it done together.”

Woods had to step up for a Bulldogs team that has lost eight pitchers since 2020. Four left after Wood’s sophomore season in 2022, including last year’s ace, Jonathan Cannon.

Despite the task as the new leader in the bullpen, Woods has only been playing baseball for a short time. Originally falling in love with lacrosse in Alpharetta, Georgia there were no teams to play on after he moved back to Warner Robins, Georgia.

As a lefty, he was finally convinced to play baseball in 8th grade. Woods was originally a righty until a burn as a ninemonth-old forced him to switch dominant hands. Woods utilized this coincidence to full effect and dove right into baseball getting better and more confident each year.

“Jaden is just a natural competitor,” Shonto Woods, Jaden Woods’ mom said. “He’s a busy person. He doesn’t like to sit. I could never imagine him having a job sitting at a desk ever. He’s just a busy competitive spirit in anything and he excels at almost anything he does athletically.”

In preparation for the role, Woods spent his summer working with Team USA, making him the ninth Bulldog to do so. The value of getting to work with such talent was not lost on Woods.

“It was definitely life-changing,” Woods said. “I mean, just being around just some of the best guys in the nation… Just being able to be with them, see how they move, you know? And I guess, feeling like I belong there.”

When the team reconvened in the fall, it was clear to his coaches and teammates Woods had taken a step up.

“Jaden is absolutely electric,” redshirt freshman Charlie

Condon said before the season. “I mean his stuff, it’s unlike anything I’ve really seen. The life of his fastball and the breaking pitch he’s developed. He’s gonna be an absolute weapon this year.”

That celebratory energy is instead fed to supporting his teammates. There is no better example of this than his relationship with fellow starter Liam Sullivan. Sullivan, in the game after Woods set his career high, also had an 11-strikeout, bounce-back performance and a no-hitter through seven innings.

“It just made me want to have a better day,” Sullivan said regarding watching Woods’ performance in the game the day prior. “I actually told Jaden before the game … ‘I’m gonna go five innings with 12 strikeouts today,’ I was just kind of messing with him.”

Woods’ calm demeanor is a staple of his game, something that his mom said has been a constant since he was a baby. “He doesn’t believe in celebrating,” Shonto Woods said. “He’s never. There’s one clip and talking about it always brings tears to my eyes. Because he’s so excited. One time, and I love it. It touches my heart because that’s not my child every day. So it’s good. It’s not sad. It’s good.”

Brothers on the back nine Maxwell and David Ford’s sibling connection

Cooper Burke

Brothers Maxwell and David Ford are rising up the ranks of collegiate golf, one putt at a time, despite the fact that they attend schools over 300 miles apart. They are twothirds of a set of triplets — their sister, Abigail, is a sophomore at the University of Georgia — a competitive connection that fueled them in their youth and still propels them today.

“It’s a huge reason I am successful,” David Ford said. “I grew up being compared [to him], competed all the time, and developed a competitive side, he was better than me for the longest time. I hated losing to him, and I still do.”

Maxwell and David Ford play for the University of Georgia and University of North Carolina golf teams, respectively. The Ford brothers have taken their upbringing and parlayed it into successful freshman campaigns at their schools. David Ford won the Jones Cup with a long final-round birdie putt, ushering in the new year with a “great feeling.”

This helped him grab the reins of a Chapel Hill golf team in need of respect from their peers. Often having solid teams with players like Davis Love III, yet struggling to establish itself as a contender in the NCAA golf landscape. With Ford at the helm, the Tar Heels finished last season ranked fifth in the NCAA.

For Maxwell Ford, this meant anchoring a pivotal role on the University of Georgia golf team. As a sophomore, Ford filled the shoes of Davis Thompson and followed the likes of Kevin Kisner, Bubba Watson, Hudson Swafford and others. A year of experience playing in the NCAA golf championships at Grayhawk in Scottsdale, Arizona is only going to help Maxwell and the Bulldogs.

“This is the third year that it’s been there,” Maxwell Ford said. “So I played it last year. And then we’ll go out there in a month just to practice out there and play some practice rounds. It’s a beast — hopefully we can all play really well out there.”

The brothers from Peachtree Corners, Georgia, grew up playing against each other. Being close in age and constantly competing against one another can place a strain on any relationship, but the brothers are closer now that there’s a physical dis -

tance between them.

“We were not super close because we were compared so much throughout our lives,” David Ford said. “We would just go to the course for four hours, then go to our rooms and just kind of be alone. Having him my whole life to compete against, I don’t know that much of a difference against other people.”

Maxwell Ford shares a similar sentiment.

“I mean, once we’re at the tournament, it’s kind of more like, he’s just another guy in the field,” Maxwell Ford said. “I’ll probably look and see what he’s doing or something like that. But once we’re there, it’s kind of just like, play and see what happens, and it doesn’t really make me any more nervous or anything like that.”

The two said they were much closer now that they do not see each other as much. They like to rely on each other as friends now that they are not playing as often, but that doesn’t mean they take it easy on each

other out on the course.

“Sully and I, we talk a lot of ‘stuff’ to each other,” Woods said. “Just the competitiveness, I feel like it makes us better as a group.”

Amidst a rough season for the Bulldogs, Woods is still showing out as he prepares for the MLB draft in July.

“Very proud of him,” Shonto Woods said. “...It’s just such a sweet, interesting moment to be able to sit on the front row. I wouldn’t change a single part.”

“He beat me twice, and I beat him once,” Maxwell Ford said. “He’s had a lot of success. So it’s not necessarily more about him beating me. But it’s good that he’s had a lot of success. And it’s fun to watch him. I’m happy for him.”

David Ford said that the separation for the two has given him a new appreciation for his brother, away from the competitive landscape of the golf course. Maxwell Ford feels that the competition between him and his brother has pushed him to be a better golfer and be more introspective about his game.

“I’ve been in that competitive mindset all my life,” Maxwell Ford said.

This “competitive mindset” seems to have helped Maxwell Ford, as he has recorded several strong rounds, including a 1-under 215 showing at the Southern Collegiate in Las Vegas, a round that helped him usher in a strong start to the spring season

after an “okay” fall campaign.

However, the sophomore has realized that continued growth in the game of golf is a special thing, especially when you have the spotlight pointed at you.

“I think anytime you’re on TV is really cool,” Maxwell Ford said. “I like to have the cameras around, I think ‘I need to keep doing what I’m doing.’”

Maxwell Ford certainly hasn’t shied away from the spotlight and neither has David Ford. Both of them have their eyes set on something bigger.

“The only goal I have is winning a national championship,” David Ford said.

David Ford’s dreams aren’t out of reach. The North Carolina team entered the month of April ranked second in the NCAA, according to Golfweek. Georgia, ranked No. 24, will also likely factor into the men’s golf NCAA championships from May 26 through the 31st, so the brothers might get to tee off against each other once again.

Jaden is absolutely electric.

Charlie Condon |Redshirt freshman

Jaden Woods pitches during Georgia’s season-opener against Jacksonville State on Feb. 17, 2023. LANDEN TODD/CONTRIBUTOR

Maxwell Ford lines up a putt during the Linger Longer Invitational on March 21, 2023. MADY MERTENS/CONTRIBUTOR

From player to coach

Meet women’s tennis associate head coach Drake Bernstein

R&B: What do you personally try to do to help keep that culture here at UGA?

DB: You know, I think it’s having old teammates come back. I participate in as much alumni stuff as we can. We had a big reunion in November where we all came back and played some doubles. We’ve traveled to Fort Worth to play alumni championships there.

R&B: Is there something you personally took away from playing under coach Diaz and implemented into your coaching style?

DB: Yeah, he was great in helping us understand where tennis fit in the big scheme of life. I think as a college coach, that’s something that’s a big part of all of our jobs is to help put this tennis thing into perspective and, you know, help our players understand that it’s a gift and it’s an honor to play at Georgia.

R&B: I also saw that you spent a year with Alabama and their women’s tennis team. How was that experience different from the culture and experience here at UGA?

Ayaan Bakaly

The associate head coach of the Georgia women’s tennis team, Drake Bernstein, has spent the past 11 years with the team. Bernstein, who played for Georgia himself from 2007-2011, is among only 14 players in Bulldog history to win over 100 singles matches according to georgiadogs.com. Bernstein sat down with The Red & Black and talked about his time with Georgia tennis.

The Red & Black: You started off your career playing tennis here at UGA under coach Manuel Diaz. What ultimately led you to pick UGA?

Drake Bernstein: I was considering other SEC schools and then I came on my visit and it was probably about an hour into my visit just hanging out with the guys [when] I called my parents and said, “This is where I’m going.” For me, I wasn’t the most sought-after recruit, but you know, I looked at the stadium and said, ‘If I’ve ever played one match here, then it was worth it to come,’ and things worked out.

R&B: Would you say the culture is different now compared to what it was 10-12 years ago?

DB: I think that it’s really similar, it’s always been a brotherhood.

I think Manny [Diaz] taking the torch from coach Miguel in that sense, and the only thing that’s different is we got new people being added in every year. We’ve got a group text with all the alumni. It’s just a group of brothers.

DB: We had a great year at Alabama and had a great head coach there who I was working under, Jenny Mainz. I mean, she was fantastic and a lot of it was similar where we’re just trying to build a close team. Obviously, getting to do it at home is a little bit extra special here in Athens, but it was a good year there. I definitely learned a lot about how college tennis works and how the coaching side of it works. That was really a year of transition for me, coming out as a player to a coach. I think similarly in ways like Georgia. I think that tennis is more than just another sport. Obviously, if you look out here at the stadium, you look at the crowds that we get, it’s a big deal. It’s nice to be able to do that again on home courts.

R&B: What would you say is different about the transition from player to coach and the mindset you have going into matches?

DB: I think there’s a lot more preparation as a coach. In terms of now, it’s my job to understand an entire team rather than just myself, and communicating with every player is different. Some people need a lot of info, some people don’t need much at all. Some need emotionally charged information, and some need very little emotion so I think just understanding the whole team picture is definitely a big part of that transition.

R&B: You’ve been at UGA for 11 years now, what keeps bringing you back to UGA instead of pursuing other opportunities?

DB: I mean, I think it’s the people here. I think it’s the girls that we have in the locker room. It’s kind of like my first love in you know, in athletics, it’s never going to get old. This is the only place that I ever want to be, and there’s no changing that anytime soon.

R&B: From this point on, what should fans expect from not only you but from the team as well?

DB: I think that, just expect us to compete and give it everything we got, that’s what we’re doing. We’re trying to do this thing together. We’re trying to do it with more than just ourselves in the locker room. We want this to be a community sport. We want this to be something that people can get excited about coming out on Friday nights, Sunday afternoons, being a part of that and that’s what helps keep us pushing. We want to do it together with everybody around here.

Bernstein’s time in Athens

Sept. 2007 Bernstein began freshman season with Georgia.

May 2008 Georgia won men’s tennis NCAA championship

Feb. 2011 Bernstein won 100th singles match with Georgia, one of 14 players in school history to reach that mark

April 2011 Bernstein named to the All-SEC second team.

May 2011 Bernstein graduated from Georgia with a degree in sports management

Sept. 2011 Bernstein hired to be the assistant women’s tennis coach at the University of Alabama

July 2012 Bernstein hired as associate head coach of the women’s tennis program at the University of Georgia

April 2013 Bernstein helped coach Georgia women’s tennis to an SEC championship

April 2014 Bernstein helped coach Georgia women’s tennis to an SEC tournament title

Feb. 2019 Bernstein helped coach Georgia women’s tennis to an ITA National Indoor Championship.

April 2019 Bernstein helped coach Georgia women’s tennis to a second SEC championship in his tenure

April 2021 Bernstein helped coach Georgia women’s tennis to a third SEC championship in his tenure

April 2021 Bernstein helped coach Georgia women’s tennis to a second SEC tournament title in his tenure

April 2022 Bernstein ended his 10th season as associate head coach of the Georgia women’s tennis team

Drake Bernstein watches Georgia tennis players during a match against Tennessee on March 24, 2023. LANEY MARTIN/CONTRIBUTOR

BEFOREYOUPUTON YOURCAPANDGOWN...

ALUMNI.UGA.EDU/NEWGRADS

‘ART IS A FORM OF FREEDOM’

Georgia Museum of Art engages incarcerated women

STORY ON PAGE B3

MUSIC

Springtime tunes

The Asymptomatics release two indie singles

The Asymptomatics, a local indie rock band, has been putting out music for their fans — referred to as “a-holes” – since 2022. On Feb. 28, the group added two singles to their discography. The first track, “Weeds,” begins with the subtle sounds of chirping birds and trickling water to set the natural, dreamy tone for the rest of the song.

It has a sweet, relaxed melody that pairs perfectly with the warming Athens weather. At one point, the song is interrupted for an almost ragtime-resembling piano solo, giving “Weeds” an easygoing vintage feel.

The second song of the release, “Revert Back To Nothing,” has a slightly harder edge. Like “Weeds,” this track flows along smoothly. However, it offers grittier and more powerful lyrics like “Motivation/in rotation/downward spiral/why so vile?”

Though the lyrics pack more punch than its preceding track, “Revert Back To Nothing” manages to balance them out with another lulling background melody.

Accompanying the two songs is eye-catching cover art with colorful psychedelic images. A great eye in a patterned sky watches over a band of cartoon frogs dancing around a mushroom hourglass — a symbol of the lighthearted and versatile sounds of The Asymptomatics’ latest project.

The two songs are easy to enjoy and complement each other effortlessly, equally calming as they are energizing. The only critique to be given to The Asymptomatics’ work is that there are only two singles. The releases accompany their 2022 EP “Modern Ooze” and other singles released last year.

— Elliot Yood

Experience it yourself: “Weeds” and “Revert Back to Nothing” are streaming on all platforms, available for downloading and listening.

Rating:

TASTE TEST

Dawg dough

Alumni Cookie Dough's controversial Bullard's Buckeye Crunch

A cookie dough named after Javon Bullard has a lot to live up to, but does Alumni

Cookie Dough’s newest flavor ‘Bullard’s Buckeye Crunch’ fall short?

Bullard is a defensive back for Georgia and was the defensive MVP of the Bulldogs’ wins over Ohio State in the Peach Bowl and TCU in the national championship.

Alumni has faced backlash from Ohio State fans for the flavor, but outside of the controversy, how does it taste?

This flavor is inspired by Bullard’s hit on Ohio State wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. late in the third quarter of the Peach Bowl. A flag was initially thrown for targeting on the play, but after review the call was overturned. Harrison Jr. sustained a concussion on the play.

After a long day of classes I headed to Alumni Cookie Dough on North Thomas Street to try it. The flavor consisted of a brownie batter dough with buckeye pieces and Oreos.

Overall the cookie dough was sweet but not too overpowering. I wish there were more Oreo and buckeye pieces throughout the dough, but it isn’t too much of a con.

I really enjoyed the brownie flavor dough, it truly tasted like brownies and not like chocolate. I would definitely recommend this flavor if you are looking for a peanut butter chocolate fix.

— Kelly Gago

Experience it yourself: Bullard’s Buckeye Crunch will be available at the Athens location until April 15, the day of the annual G-Day game. Alumni Cookie Dough is located at 480 N. Thomas St in Athens, and is open 3-9 p.m. on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 3-10 p.m. on Thursdays and 1-11 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.

Rating:

VISUAL ARTS

Femininity in art

Student artist imbues womanhood in work

At first glance of University of Georgia student artist Catie Cook’s work, you may only see glitter, hair curlers and stilettos. But upon closer look, it is evident that Cook shows talent and versatility in bold statements of hyper-femininity.

Cook is a senior studio art major with an emphasis in drawing and painting. Her portfolio includes a wide range of art styles, from still lifes and human bodies to landscapes and collages. A common theme throughout her work is femininity.

Sometimes this is blatantly portrayed in paintings of girls dripping in diamonds, passionately kissing handsome men or women clothed in translucent, fuzzy slip dresses. Other times, Cook effortlessly communicates feelings of femininity in unexpected places, such as in natural landscape pieces that use soft tones and gentle lines, or in collections where she paints groups of animals like dogs and swans.

For an artist to so consistently imbue style and personality into her work regardless of the medium is nothing short of masterful. Cook’s art also proves that feminine does not always mean soft or gentle. Pieces like “The World’s Most Famous Doll Having The Time of Her Life” use pink and purple tones with shiny accents to depict a packaged Barbie Doll on a table strewn with objects like a satin high heel, a cake that reads “Fuck” and a pack of birth control pills.

This work represents her hyper-feminine focus and forces viewers to accept how unapologetically, spectacularly girly the piece is in an almost over-the-top way.

— Elliot Yood

Experience it yourself: Cook’s art can be seen online at catie-cook-art.square.site and on Instagram at @catie_cook_ art. Cook will also exhibit works at the Lamar Dodd School of Art’s Exit Show, Where The Sidewalk Ends, from April 7-14.

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

LOCATION

Fun and games

Local board game café offers food and entertainment

The Rook & Pawn in downtown Athens has a cozy feel to it, inspired by board game cafés popular in Europe. It’s a great spot to hang out with a group of friends and pick from over 800 board and card games while enjoying food and drink.

The interior has a rustic and vintage aesthetic. Adding to the comfy vibe is a selection of comfort food, including a variety of sandwiches, sides and snacks. Coffee options range from espresso to unique mixes and roasts, along with soda, wine and beer.

The thing that sets this café apart from your average coffee shop is not the food — it’s the board games. For a $7 fee, customers can choose from a large bookshelf of games, from classics like Monopoly and Connect Four to more niche options like Lord of the Rings Trivia. The café’s long hours, open until 11 p.m. on weekdays and 1 a.m. on weekends, mean you can challenge your friends to games late into the night.

The Rook & Pawn is also a place to relax and study. With large cushioned chairs, the space is a relaxing setting to unwind and study for your next midterm or final, or simply read your favorite book. The shop also hosts weekly events, including a trivia night every Thursday at 6 p.m. For an entertaining game night, a cozy spot on a rainy day or a bite to eat with friends, The Rook & Pawn is a unique local option with something for everyone.

— Gianna Uvari

Experience it yourself: The Rook & Pawn is open from 11a.m. - 11p.m. Mondays through Fridays and 11 a.m. - 1 a.m. on Saturdays and Sundays, located at 294 W Washington St. Suite 300.

Rating:

Freedom in expression

Incarcerated women collaborate on Georgia Museum of Art exhibition

Allison Mawn

Words emblazoned on a wall of the Georgia Museum of Art read: “People question if art is related to freedom. I personally believe that art is a form of freedom. Freedom as in you are free to express what or how you’re feeling…You can make what you believe to be beautiful, even if it’s not beautiful to anybody else.”

The inscription is part of the “Art is a form of freedom” exhibition, a collection of pieces already belonging to the museum, accentuated with prose and poetry by approximately 22 anonymous women incarcerated at Whitworth Women’s Facility in Hartwell, Georgia.

The project has given the incarcerated women a new platform to express themselves and has created an ongoing conversation between the incarcerated, the university and Athens communities. The works and written responses highlight themes of identity, motherhood, incarceration, home, childhood, social issues, memory and mysteries.

The exhibit is the result of collaboration between GMOA, multiple departments at the University of Georgia, the Georgia Department of Corrections and Common Good Atlanta, a group that provides access to higher education to currently and formerly incarcerated people by connecting Georgia’s colleges and prisons.

“Viewed together, the art and writing offer new ways to understand the far-reaching impacts of arts access and higher education in the carceral system,” the exhibit’s description reads.

ing for Social Justice in which she sought to bring her collaborative efforts to life once more through her students, Common Good Atlanta and GMOA. This effort has been in progress since December 2019.

“We do a lot of collaborative projects with UGA courses and professors and students and members of the community, but we’re not always able to have an exhibition that comes out of those projects. So it was really nice to be able to do that in this case,” Steinmann said.

Art for everyone

The art itself is as varied as the women who participated in the project — there are paintings, sculptures and prints, artists from a variety of countries and socioeconomic backgrounds and a range of subject matter. Katie Landers, a former GMOA intern, helped Young narrow down the list of possible works to focus on groups that are underrepresented in the museum’s permanent collection.

Each piece is accompanied by multiple written responses from the participants. Due to efforts to minimize harm and in accordance with the Georgia Department of Corrections’ only request for the project, the women’s names were not included in the exhibition.

seums or art, according to a GMOA press release. According to the exhibition, more than 2 million Americans are incarcerated, and in Georgia, 968 out of every 100,000 people are incarcerated.

In order to make the art accessible to the women at Whitworth, Young’s students created cards for each piece of work. One side showed an image of the work, and the other side included information about the work, the artist, historical context, writing prompts and a UGA student’s testimony on why they liked the piece.

According to Steinmann, GMOA’s informal slogan, “Art for everyone,” rings true through the project.

Besides the women’s written responses, the exhibition also includes nine pieces by women from Whitworth. “The Mirror Project” invited the women at Whitworth to consider the idea of reflection and create collages around mirrors from the prison commissary.

“[‘The Mirror Project’ was] a way of letting them create something that became their own signature in the absence of language,” Young said.

Due to limited space, not all the art that the women responded to was included in the exhibition. GMOA has created a booklet compiling all the works of art and responses for visitors to explore.

The exhibit invites museum visitors to engage with the idea of freedom. There is a section that provides pencil, paper and a place to hang responses to the question: “What does freedom look like to you?”

Young said that this was another way for the exhibition to bring conversation to life.

“What I love about the exhibition is that it uses art as a point of departure for us to connect with each other,” Steinmann said.

Experience the exhibit

At the heart of all this lies Young’s passion for helping people reflect and discover who they are, her love for teaching and bringing higher education to incarcerated people, and her appreciation for all those who have helped to bring this collaboration to life.

Community collaboration

The project was born from the work of Caroline Young, a lecturer in the UGA English department. Students in Young’s classes worked with Callan Steinmann, GMOA’s associate curator of education, to create art kits to share with the women at Whitworth. As part of their Common Good classes, the incarcerated women discussed, reflected on and wrote about the pieces, several of which made it into the final exhibition.

“I really saw this potential of having communities work with each other across time and space,” Young said. Young has volunteered with Common Good Atlanta since 2017. Her combination of art and incarcerated people’s writing began with a poetry class she taught at the Georgia Institute of Technology where she created an exhibition similar to “Art is a form of freedom” based on poetry from incarcerated men.

Once Young came to UGA, she began a class called Writ-

Discover & Celebrate the Night!

International Dark Sky Week

April 15-22, 2023

Learn more: https://idsw.darksky.org/

One piece is accompanied by a letter written as a group from the women to the exhibition visitors. It invites people to “allow the feelings to flow as you walk in our shoes and embark on our journeys.”

The letter accompanies a piece titled “The Blue Lady,” which, according to Young, all of the women agreed to include. The photograph is a close-up of a woman’s face in dark blue lighting, her eyes looking to the side and her lips parted. When no one could find the right words for a response to the piece, the group collaborated on a letter.

Incarcerated people do not typically have access to mu-

“I stepped foot into Whitworth Women’s Facility and all the pieces of my life fell into place,” Young said. “It’s like teaching in that space is using all of the best experience and skills that I have to offer.”

The exhibition will be available to view through July 2, but Young’s work will not stop there. Currently, she has three UGA classes with 58 students that are creating written and video responses to the exhibition.

She plans to then have her summer classes take these reviews, as well as responses from the audience participation section, and create a film capturing the full experience of the exhibition, which will be shown to the women at Whitworth.

“This is how art liberates us; it carries what we need to express,” Young said.

Throughout the exhibition’s time at GMOA, there will be multiple supplementary events. On April 18 at 5:30 p.m. in GMOA’s auditorium, 10 Common Good alum will read the work of the Whitworth women who can’t be there to read it themselves.

This is how art liberates us; it carries what we need to express.

Caroline Young | Lecturer, UGA English department

“The Blue Lady” by Amalia Amaki. FELIX SCHEYER/CONTRIBUTOR

A visitor looks at the “Art is a form of freedom” exhibit at the Georgia Museum of Art. FELIX SCHEYER/CONTRIBU TOR

Collages with mirrors on display in the exhibit. FELIX SCHEYER/CONTRIBUTOR

Taste of Prince Avenue

The stretch from downtown to the Loop is dotted with longtime favorites and recent newcomers

AGUA LINDA

1376 Prince Ave.

TEX-MEX • $$

Loyal crowds wait in line to splurge on huge TexMex platters, traditional dishes and generously poured margaritas at this Prince Avenue restaurant with a new rooftop patio. Fan-favorites are also available from the La Carreta food truck, which makes stops about.

ATHENTIC BREWING CO.

108 Park Ave.

CRAFT BEER • $

The newest addition to Athens’ beer scene is located in Normaltown and officially opened in August 2020. The brewery offers indoor and patio seating and also sells cans of beer to take home. The company has a variety of beers, including fruit-filled Berliner Weisse and a coffee and cream-inspired brown ale.

AUTOMATIC PIZZA

1397 Prince Ave.

PIZZA AND SALADS • $

Automatic Pizza offers New York-style pizza by the slice or pie, subs, salads, cannoli and beer and wine options. The building is a renovated gas station and adds a retro-style atmosphere.

LOS COMPADRES

1380 Prince Ave.

SPECIALTY GROCERY

This specialty grocery store has been in business since 1990. Manuel Robledo is one of the co-founders of the store, and is also a co-founder of Agua Linda. With a strong Hispanic customer base, Los Compadres is known for its fresh meat and produce options, and offers a variety of products from several locations, including Peru, Venezuela, Puerto Rico, Argentina, Mexico and more.

DAILY GROCERIES

523 Prince Ave.

LOCAL GROCERY

Daily Groceries, Inc. was established in 1992 and officially merged with Daily Groceries Co-op in 2000, serving the Athens community for the past three decades with many locally-sourced and locally produced food options for a variety of customers.

FARM BURGER

100 Prince Ave., Suite 102 BURGERS • $

The restaurant sources meat and other ingredients from local farmers for a menu of grass-fed beef hamburgers, vegan burgers, salads and fries.

Farm Burger opened its new Prince Avenue loca-

tion in January after its farm-to-table predecessor, Farm 255, closed in 2013.

HENDERSHOT’S

237 Prince Ave. COFFEE, BAR • $

This Prince Avenue location is a coffee shop by day, bar by night, and a popular spot for food pop-ups and local markets.

HI-LO LOUNGE

1354 Prince Ave. BAR FOOD • $

A neighborhood favorite thanks to a cozy vibe with a sizable beer list and creative cocktails, HiLo serves more than bar staples — try the Cincinnati chili or the smoky tempeh.

J’S BOTTLE SHOP

1452 Prince Ave. LIQUOR STORE

The Prince Avenue location of this local liquor store chain offers a wide selection of beers, wines, spirits and cigars. J’s Bottle Shop also offers wine tastings and classes with their in-house sommelier, Alejandro.

JOURNEY JUICE 1428 Prince Ave. COLD-PRESSED JUICES • $

This locally owned store offers raw, cold-pressed fruit and vegetable juices and three flavors of almond milk. Using local, naturally grown produce whenever possible, Journey Juice offers in-store pickup and free home delivery for orders of five or more juices.

THE LARK WINESPACE

493 Prince Ave. WINE AND SUPPLIES • $$

This Prince Avenue shop is operated by Krista Lark Slater, a certified sommelier — a wine professional who is trained and knowledgeable of the culture and tastes of wines.

PRICING GUIDE

¢ Entree + Sides, under $10 $ Entree + Sides, $10-20 $$ Entree + Sides, $20-30 $$$ Entree + Sides, over $30 Restaurants and businesses are independently reviewed by The Red & Black’s Eat & Drink and Guides staffs. Listings and recommendations have no connection to advertising. Send comments or feedback to dining@randb.com.

MELANIE VELASQUEZ/STAFF

MARTI’S AT MIDDAY

1280 Prince Ave.

LUNCH AND TAKEOUT • $

Huge salads and hearty sandwiches for here or to-go are the draw at this cheery cafe with a small indoor area and sunny patio.

NORMAL BAR

1365 Prince Ave.

DRINKS • $ A mellow bar catering to Normaltown locals, this place has an enormous main room and a small outdoor area perfect for date night.

THE OLD PAL

1320 Prince Ave.

COCKTAILS • $

Wood-paneled and serious about mixology, this Normaltown bar has a nice selection of whiskeys. Always wanted to try absinthe or pastis? This is the Athens destination to do so.

NEW POQUITOS MEXICAN RESTAURANT

195 Prince Ave.

MEXICAN • $-$$

Birria, carnitas, posole and more come to Prince Avenue from the former owners of The Grit and Pedro de Paz of Ted’s Most Best.

PUNTA CANA LATIN GRILL

367 Prince Ave., Suite 1

DOMINICAN • $

This Dominican restaurant offers a variety of dishes featuring longaniza, a Dominican sausage, and other Caribbean cuisines. Extra hungry? Add a side of fried yuca or sweet maduros to your order.

SEABEAR OYSTER BAR

297 Prince Ave., Suite 10

SEAFOOD • $$

Go for the namesake shellfish; stay for the fried clam strips, lobster roll and fish po’boy. Linger longer for the frozen negroni and tiki drinks.

SIPS ESPRESSO CAFE

1390 Prince Ave.

COFFEE • ¢ Located in Normaltown across from the UGA Health Sciences Campus, Sips features a patio and take-out window, and is great for relaxing.

SQUARE ONE FISH CO.

1298 Prince Ave.

SEAFOOD • $$$

Square One previously operated downtown; now reincarnated in

Normaltown, the restaurant is drawing former regulars as well as new customers. Options include the extravagant seafood tower appetizer, a raw bar, daily fish specials, steaks and crab legs.

TAQUERIA DEL SOL

334 Prince Ave.

CREATIVE TACOS • $

The fast-Mexican Atlanta outpost slings the ever-popular fish tacos and pork green chile enchiladas with speed and precision. The line moves quickly.

TAPPED

297 Prince Ave. WINE TASTING • $-$$

The lounge and bar offers a wide variety of wine on tap to sip and try. Tapped also offers regular wine tastings and classes.

VIVA! ARGENTINE CUISINE

247 Prince Ave.

ARGENTINE • $ Owner Gaby Lindsey’s mother, Elena, is the inspiration for the flavors and spirit of this restaurant with offerings that include empanadas and sandwiches as well as steaks, chops and a signature sausage plate. Don’t miss the changing cupcake menu.

Chain Reaction

The unique Athens spots along Prince Avenue are interspersed with a wide range of chains, including:

CAPTAIN D’S

CHICK-FIL-A

DUNKIN

FIREHOUSE SUBS

THE FLYING BISCUIT CAFE

KRYSTAL MCDONALD’S SUBWAY POPEYE’S WENDY’S

WEDNESDAY - SATURDAY 11:30AM - 9PM

247 Prince Ave, Athens, GA 30601 LOCATED AT THE BOTTLEWORKS

706-850-8284

ARGENTINE SOUTHERN FUSION vivaargentine.net

Moving up Prince

Daily Groceries Co-op announced its plans to move up the street on Prince Avenue later this year. Currently located at 523 Prince Ave., the organic grocer and co-op plans to move to 1190 Prince Ave. on July 1, 2023, settling into its new home base next to The Flying Biscuit Café.

Daily Groceries is Athens’ only community-owned grocery store, according to its GoFundMe. It opened in 1992 after the closure of Bell’s Grocery Store left a hole in the community. It moved locations once in 1997, but it has always called Prince Avenue home. This move is not a new idea; it has been in the works for multiple years.

The new location will have a lot more to offer. Daily Groceries plans to expand the deli section, which houses ready to eat sandwiches and pizzas that customers can

bake at home. With more floor space, it will be able to support more local vendors and have more diversity in its options.

“There’s only so much space in the existing location for local vendors to sell stuff,” Troy Simon, one of the board members of Daily Groceries, said. “They sort of jam stuff in where they can, but in the new space, the plan is to have greatly expanded options.”

Simon expects Daily Groceries will have the additional space to explore entirely new products, like a local florist or an in-house coffee roaster. The larger building is “just going to break it wide open for the possibilities,” Simon said.

On March 23, 2023, Daily Groceries created a GoFundMe with a goal of raising $150,000 for its move. As of April 4, it has raised $25,508.

“Fundraising is going well. It’s, I think, in a week and a half, we’ve achieved nearly 20% of our goal. So I think that’s huge, “ Shelley Ruth, general manager of Daily Groceries, said.

The GoFundMe details the reasons for the move. These include: a bigger space with more parking, achieving greater buying power and expanding the inventory.

“The move is about expansion. And it’s about being able to have that volume purchasing discount that the big stores get that we don’t, and that discount would be passed on to our customers. We’re nonprofit, I don’t think that’s emphasized,” Ruth said.

“We’ve seen local favorites — The Grit, Heirloom Cafe and Collective Harvest — close their doors in the past year, and we lost Ike & Jane’s not long before that,” the GoFundMe said. “The Prince Ave corridor is still one of Athens’ treasures despite these losses, and we like to think that Daily Groceries has helped make it that way.”

Ruth said the move will happen whether or not the

GoFundMe goal is met.

“You know, our mission has always been the same. If anything, I’ve seen an increase in a desire to be a part of an independent grocery store that really focuses on local food. I think that’s getting stronger and stronger,” Ruth said.

Regarding the move, the store plans to close for one night at its current location, then open the new day at the next one.

“We get a lot of questions about this [current] location and we will be open and going strong and fully stocked until the move,” Ruth said. “We’re going to close the doors one night, load up the truck and go and open over there.”

Simon became involved with the store because he raises chickens and asked the store if it had extra vegetables being composted. Before long, the produce that was going to his chickens helped create the eggs that were being sold at Daily Groceries. This arrangement began around 2014, and Simon recently joined the board.

Simon said the current location is “not a long term sustainable space because there’s just not enough room on the shelves to cover the number of employees you need to pay.” Simon pointed towards the rising cost of rent on Prince Avenue as another reason for the move.

Simon encouraged people to show support, whether through the GoFundMe now or through shopping at and checking out the new store in the future. He said it all comes down to having a local grocery store — another spot where you can support lots of local businesses — and to the community will decide whether they continue supporting.

“It’s exciting, and we’re doing it no matter what,” Ruth said. “We’re gonna raise our money to the best of our ability and we’re gonna get it. Whatever we get, we’re gonna be grateful. And we’re gonna make a move no matter what. It’s a way for our co-op to expand on our community.”

Ellie Pool