Pease Foundation advocates for disable athletes

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The Ironman Duo: Kyle and Brent Pease advocate for disabled athletes

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At left, Kyle Pease with his brother, Brent. They started the Kyle Pease Foundation – a nonprofit that helps disabled athletes participate and succeed in sports – in 2011.

BY SAMMIE PURCELL

The first time Kyle Pease watched his brother, Brent, complete an Ironman, it was 2010. The Pease family had traveled to Louisville, Ky. to watch Brent compete, and Kyle was feeling particularly proud of himself.

“I felt like a grown up,” said Kyle, 36, a Buckhead resident. “It was the first time that I organized my own trip, with my caregiver. I booked my own hotel. I felt like I had a lot of swag. Like nobody could tell me anything.”

Watching his brother compete in the race, which includes a 2.4-mile swim, a 112mile bike ride, and a 26.2-mile run, Kyle said he felt something more than a sense of kinship or support. The concept of fighting against his own body felt all too familiar.

“The Ironman is what I go through everyday,” said Kyle, who was diagnosed with cerebral palsy when he was six months old and now uses a wheelchair. “They were pushing their bodies until they couldn’t go anymore, to find the finish line. I was like, that’s what I go through on a day-today basis.”

Kyle, Brent, and Kyle’s twin brother, Evan, grew up in the Morningside area of Atlanta, where sports were a daily part of life. Growing up, Kyle said, the brothers watched sports like other kids watch Saturday morning cartoons.

“We grew up in a very inclusive household,” said Kyle. “Sports was our primary love.”

That combination of inclusivity and a love of sports is part of what led Kyle to graduate from Kennesaw State University in 2008 with a degree in Sports Management. It’s also what led Kyle and Brent to start the Kyle Pease Foundation – a nonprofit that helps disabled athletes participate and succeed in sports – in 2011. The inspiration and love of athletics had always been there. For Kyle, watching Brent complete his first Ironman was just the final straw.

“When I want to do something, nobody’s going to stop me from doing it,” Kyle said.

While that first Iron Man in Louisville

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Food photographer shares his Top 5 iconic dishes

Photographer Andrew Thomas Lee’s work revolves around food culture and the role it plays in people’s lives.

“Beautiful plates are always nice, but learning what it took to get there is what really interests me,” he says. “I love shooting food, working with cooks, and being a part of the Atlanta restaurant scene and food community.”

Lee also shoots portraits of musicians, and other creative work. His photographs have appeared in publications such as Esquire, Bon Appetit, Food & Wine, People, Atlanta, Garden & Gun, New York Times, and The Wall Street Journal. He has also shot 14 cookbooks with various authors and chefs.

Lee shared his list of his Top 5 iconic dishes in Atlanta:

1. Caviar & Middlins at Kimball House.

If you would have said caviar and fancy grits, there’s a chance I’d say that wouldn’t work. I’m definitely wrong on that. This dish is one of my favorites in Atlanta, and I order it every time I’m there. Caviar, egg yolk, potato crumble, and preserved lemon on top of creamy Carolina gold rice grits. The pro move is to also order the fried chicken skins for scooping. It’s gluttonous and amazing.

2. Comfy Chicken Biscuit at Homegrown.

If you don’t already know– this is a must-have for anyone living in or visiting Atlanta. Fried chicken served on top of biscuits with sausage gravy and orange slices on the side to add some acid to this rich, indulgent breakfast gem. If you have time for a nap, then by all means get the whole order. The pro tip is that you can order a “half comfy” and pair it with eggs or something lighter.

3. Smoked Chicken Wings at Fox Bros Bar-B-Q.

Everyone has their opinion on chicken wings, and mine is that these are my favorite in Atlanta. I order them every time I’m with friends watching sports (Go Braves!), or my wife and I will split an order of 24 for takeout dinner. My tip here is sauce on the side, and get some Alabama White Sauce for dipping.

4. Black Spaghetti at BoccaLupo.

Bruce does an incredible job with pasta at this Inman Park staple, and this dish is a classic example. The spaghetti is black from using squid ink in the dough. The sweet, red shrimp and hot, Calabrese sausage crumbles give this pasta just a little heat. I could eat it by the bucket. I always tell myself I’m not going to order it and try something new, but it always ends up at our table.

5. The 20″ Cheese Pie at Glide Pizza.

We have no shortage of good pizza in Atlanta, but the pizza Rob Birdsong is doing over at this Inman Park pizza window is amazing. I love their classic cheese with a side of pizza ranch. Their giant pies use great ingredients and have that crisp that I find is missing from other local places. Pro tip: heat up the leftover slices on a pizza stone in your oven. Almost as good!