March/April 2016 ISSUE 37 • FREE
YOUR GUIDE TO LIVING WELL IN ATLANTA
BUCKHEAD’S
BRIGHTEST
TECH
ICONS 6 LOCAL START-UPS LAUNCH COOL NEW APPS
INTRODUCING BRIAN FROM THE BERT SHOW
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The InnovaTor of evenT PlannIng Meet 23 year old Atlanta transplant Diamonique Danner, CEO and Founder of an app soon to revolutionize the event planning industry: EventCircle. Using his experience from his days as an event photographer, Diamonique sought to innovate the way event planning is done and how the everyday person finds the professionals they need to make those events happen, no matter what the occasion. Here is what the brains behind EventCircle had to say:
What inspired you to come up With an app like this?
“It’s really simple actually, I was once told a quote I will never forget, ‘If you want to be successful, find a hole in the market and fill it’. When I was an event photographer, I kept seeing these problems, these holes, in how we plan events. I got to see firsthand how these problems affect the event planning process, from having a convenient way to find the event professionals we need to actually being able to book them without the extra loopholes, EventCircle is the solution to these problems.”
For those that are curious to knoW about apps and the app building process, hoW hard is it to build an app?
“It is a difficult process, especially if you don’t have any prior knowledge of coding and things of that nature, however what makes the process easier is hiring a good team of people that are experienced that can share their knowledge with you along the way. I hired a great team that have not only helped me build an app, they helped me build myself as a CEO. An app is more than the technical stuff, it’s also the people behind it.”
What advice Would you give to other startups and entrepreneurs entering the tech space?
I would say to them be prepared for a journey that isn’t necessarily about the destination, it’s about the milestones you have to reach to get there. Each milestone, whether it be gaining new knowledge about a subject or reaching a milestone in your business plan, is essential to how your business will succeed in the future. If you aren’t tech savvy, take the time to gain a basic understanding of what it is you want to do, and surround yourself with people that have the knowledge to help you along the way. Oh, and be prepared for sleep to be a foreign concept (laughs)!
SIMPLY BUCKHEAD® |
MARCH/APRIL 2016
Photos: Sara Hanna Photography
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[ C OV E R S T ORY ]
BUCKHEAD’S BRIGHTEST TECH ICONS 6 LOCAL START-UPS LAUNCH COOL NEW APPS
Contents [ F E AT U RE S ]
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[ DE PA RT M E N T S ]
REAL ESTATE: BUCKHEAD OR BUST Real estate experts weigh in on our exclusive ZIP codes
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TRAVEL NEAR: KEY NOTES
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TRAVEL FAR: BELLE OF THE BALL
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MURDER! MAYHEM! MYSTERY!
Laidback luxury found within the U.S.A.’s southernmost isles
15 EDITOR’S LETTER
57 SIMPLY ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
17 SIMPLY NOW
65 SIMPLY DELICIOUS
37 SIMPLY STYLISH
87 SIMPLY HAPPENING
SIMPLY APPROVED
St. Kitt’s weaves an eco-yarn
Sisters in Crime are on the case
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LIFE’S A BUFFET Chama Gaucha brings (another) taste of Brazil to Buckhead
30 JUICE DU JOUR Find your happy and healthy taste in Buckhead March/April 2016 | Simply Buckhead
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YOUR GUIDE TO LIVING WELL IN ATLANTA
Serving Buckhead, Brookhaven, and Sandy Springs MARCH/APRIL 2016 | ISSUE 37 P.O. Box 11633, Atlanta, GA 30355 simplybuckhead.com For advertising rates call: 404.538.9895
Advertising
Publisher and Founder
[ F E AT U RE D C ON T RI B U T OR ]
Joanne Hayes Chief Financial Officer
Sonny Hayes Editor-In-Chief
For information, email us at
Giannina Smith Bedford
advertising@simplybuckhead.com
Contributing Editor
Karina Antenucci
or call 404-538-9895
Creative Director
Alan Platten Vice President, Sales & Marketing
Cheryl Isaacs cheryl.isaacs@simplybuckhead.com Account Executives
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Bill Garst bill.garst@simplybuckhead.com
Alyson Myerson alyson.myerson@simplybuckhead.com Director of Audience Development
Jessica Dauler Jessica Dauler is the founder of jessicashops.com, a resource for deals and ways to save on retail, restaurants and travel purchases. Well known from her radio show segments on Atlanta’s Q100, Star 94 and WSB radio, Dauler also writes a weekly column for Deal Spotter in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. She’s showcased new products and businesses on TV for more than a decade, appearing on CNN, HLN, CBS, FOX and The Travel Channel. She lives in Brookhaven and loves traveling, spending time outdoors with her dogs, attending store and restaurant openings, and of course, shopping! In this issue, she pens the Simply Approved department.
Jaime Lin Weinstein Website Development Management
BHG Digital Contributing Writers
Jill Becker Sarah Blackman Wendell Brock H.M. Cauley Carly Cooper Jessica Dauler Jim Farmer Jennifer Bradley Franklin Sarah Gleim Mickey Goodman Kelly Jordan Kai Whipple Chief Photographer
Sara Hanna sarahanna.com Photographers
Natrice Miller Scott Reeves Fashion Intern
Abbie Koopote Intern
Jessica Wise Graphic Designer
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Scott I. Zucker We welcome all contributions, but we assume no responsibility for unsolicited material. No portion of this publication can be reproduced in whole or in part without prior written permission. Copyright © 2016 by Simply Buckhead®. All rights reserved. Printed by Walton Press, Inc. Distributed by Distributech, Network Communications, Inc., and Distribution Services Group.
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[ B E H I N D T H E C OV E R ] On a rainy afternoon in Buckhead, the talented team behind our glamtech cover shoot was tucked away in Sara Hanna Photography Studios, working their magic. Armed with chic fashions from Neiman Marcus (selected by the Scott Reeves, Abbie Koopote, Julian Reynolds, discerning eye Ashley Carestia, Sara Hanna and Joanne Hayes celebrate the wrap of the March/April issue cover shoot. of stylist Abbie Koopote), sleek hair from Richie Arpino and bold makeup from Julian Reynolds, our stunning model, Ashley Carestia, worked the camera flawlessly. We watched as Chief Photographer Sara Hanna’s creative Producers: Joanne Hayes, vision came to life through captivatGiannina Smith Bedford, Sara Hanna ing frames conveying the allure of tech Chief Photographer: Sara Hanna apps. A stretch you say? Maybe the Photo assistant: Scott Reeves Stylist: Abbie Koopote glasses of effervescent Cava consumed Model: Ashley Carestia, Click Models during the shoot helped draw the Hair: Richie Arpino of Richie Arpino Salon parallel, but take a look at the finished Makeup: Julian Reynolds, product and be the judge. Like the Julian’s Cosmetics + Skincare entrancing screen of our mobile devices, Wardrobe: Neiman Marcus, Lenox Square Shot onsite at Sara Hanna Photography Studios this cover is hard to look away from.
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[ E DI T OR ’ S L E T T E R ]
I
or when accidently leaving my mobile device at home didn’t mean my day fell into shambles. Technology can sometimes muck up communication channels (I mean, does anyone pick up the phone anymore?), but I admit that if it weren’t for some of my favorite apps, I would get lost every time I got in the car, forget to pay the babysitter and fail to answer all my time-sensitive emails. Technology aims to assist us in getting work done or checking to-dos off the list. It’s a reality of today’s world, both in business and personal lives. If there is a need that can be filled by the push of a button, a tech-savvy brain is out there to make it happen. And the smarty-pants creating these applications aren’t all based in Silicon Valley. Some are in our very own backyard where the burgeoning start-up scene is bolstered by state-ofthe-art hubs such as Buckhead’s Atlanta Tech Village. In this issue, we share their stories of success. From an application that helps drive new leads for small business to another that serves as a calendar-like, digital application to display creative across all media, the apps born here run the gamut. Some make business more efficient, and others ensure you purchase a perfectly tailored suit online. If you never thought you’d be able to send a text message 25 years into the future, well now that is possible, thanks to Buckhead-based app Incubate. Reading through these stories, I’m convinced the sky is the limit for what technology can help us do. Just don’t forget, every once in a while, to pick up the phone.
Giannina Smith Bedford editor@simplybuckhead.com
Photo: Sara Hanna Photography
often dream of going back to a time when smartphones weren’t an extra appendage
We cover all corners of Buckhead.
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WE MEAN BUSINESS Looking to network? Make new connections in Buckhead? There’s just one organization for you
The Buckhead Business Association brings together newsmakers, business leaders and rising stars in the community to discuss and take action on the issues that matter to the Buckhead community. Be seen. Join today.
CORRECTIONS: On page 82 of our January/February Buzz events calendar, we incorrectly captioned an image as being “Laura Camacho and the Athens Tango Project.” On page 51 of our January/February issue, we incorrectly captioned an image “David Miller of Buckhead-based Capital Partners.” David Miller is actually CEO of Buckhead-based Peachtree Capital.
Visit www.buckheadbusiness.org to learn more.
March/April 2016 | Simply Buckhead
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March/April 2016 | Simply Buckhead
E V E N T S | L O C A L S A L U T E | T R AV E L | A P P R O V E D | A D AY I N T H E L I F E | P E T S
SIMPLY NOW
TRAVEL FAR
Belle of the ball P26
The minute I glimpsed Belle Mont Farm ... I knew I’d
Kittitian Hill is perched high on Mount Liamuiga in St. Kitts, affording arresting views of the Caribbean. On a clear day, guests can even see neighboring island, St. Eustatius.
be captivated for the duration of my four-day visit. March/April 2016 | Simply Buckhead
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Ultimately, it’s your experience that matters. To be sure, we’re proud of our 28 years of experience in senior living. But, to us, what really matters is your experience at our communities. We do everything with that idea clearly in mind. So, go ahead, enjoy yourself with great social opportunities and amenities. Savor fine dining every day. And feel assured that assisted living services are always available if needed. We invite you to experience The Piedmont for yourself at a complimentary lunch and tour. Please call 404.448.1921 to schedule.
Ask about our Assisted Living services. Supportive services are available at The Piedmont. See how a little help can give you so much peace of mind.
I n de p e n de n t & A s s i s t e d L i v i ng
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March/April 2016 | Simply Buckhead
S I M P LY NOW
E V E N TS
The men's and women's choirs known jointly as Voices of Note perform together for the first time March 18 and 19, with a goal of expanding people's hearts and minds through song.
[ F E AT U R E D E V E N T ]
IN PERFECT HARMONY LOCAL CHOIRS COME TOGETHER TO PROMOTE UNITY
T
he melodious sound of 140-plus singers will ring out March 18 and 19 as part of the Peachtree Road United Methodist Church’s annual music series. Titled And Justice For All, the trio of concerts features the first-ever combined performance of the Atlanta Gay Men's Chorus and the Atlanta Women's Chorus, known collectively as Voices of Note. Musical selections from And Justice For All focus around a theme of unification. “They depict conflict, nationalism, war, peace and the overcoming of adversity,” explains Atlanta Gay Men’s Chorus Artistic Director Kevin Robison.
“There’s a spiritual element, though not defined as such, and the music is certainly multicultural. It ranges from an Irish folk tune about fighting for country to a piece about Sudanese basket weavers expressing the pain and hope they experienced in the famine of the 1980s.” The highlight of the performances will be the world premiere of “Libertad,” an original work composed by Robison. A 25-minute, four-movement piece for mixed chorus, string orchestra, piano and percussion, it was inspired by the writings of Walt Whitman. “The word ‘libertad’ is one Whitman used in his
poetry,” Robison says. “Whitman was writing way ahead of his time, and the words chosen for ‘Libertad’ meet common thematic criteria: equanimity, injustice, social change and empowerment.” Scott Atchison, music director at the Peachtree Road United Methodist Church for the last three decades, has taken strides to introduce an increasingly diverse and wide-ranging selection of performances to audiences over the years, and is looking forward to showcasing these choirs and compositions, adding, “The PRUMC sanctuary is a remarkable place for music making.” – Jill Becker
AND JUSTICE FOR ALL March 18 at 8 p.m., March 19 at 2 and 8 p.m. $30-$35 Peachtree Road United Methodist Church 3180 Peachtree Road Atlanta 30305 voicesofnote.org
March/April 2016 | Simply Buckhead
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S I M P LY NOW
E V E N TS
[ FA M I LY-F R I E N DLY ] PANCAKES, PANCAKES!
Real page turners
The play based on Eric Carle's classic kids' book Pancakes, Pancakes! explores the joy of cooking.
June 1-July 3, 2016 Free-$15 Alliance Theatre 1280 Peachtree Street N.E. Atlanta 30309 404.733.4650 alliancetheatre.org
TWO VENUES SHOWCASE THE WORK OF A RENOWNED CHILDREN’S BOOK ARTIST an up-close look at a collection of his handcrafted creations at a retrospective titled “I See a Story,” opening at the High Museum of Art on April 2. The High is the only venue for this exhibit, which is running in conjunction with the world premiere of the play Pancakes, Pancakes!, based on the Carle book of the same name, at the Alliance Theatre starting June 1. Tickets range in price from free for children younger than 5 years old to $19.50 for the exhibit, and $15 for the play for adults. – JB
More than 80 of the collages that endeared us to the works of author/illustrator Eric Carle will hang on the walls of the High Museum of Art in a new exhibit. I SEE A STORY: THE ART OF ERIC CARLE April 2, 2016-Jan. 8, 2017 Free-$19.50 High Museum of Art 1280 Peachtree Street N.E. Atlanta 30309 404.733.4444 high.org
Photo: Kristin Angel
Raise your hand if you haven’t read The Very Hungry Caterpillar. Yeah, we didn’t think so. The beloved tale is one of the 20 best-selling children’s books of all time (a copy is reportedly sold somewhere in the world every 30 seconds!), thanks in large part to the fanciful and colorful illustrations that fill its pages. The designs are the work of author Eric Carle, whose signature layered collages grace the more than 70 books he wrote during his 50-year career. Now fans of his art, both young and old, can get
Can't recycle glass items curbside anymore? Bring them to Keep Atlanta Beautiful's monthly recycling drop-off, where they collect hundreds of thousands of pounds of electronics, metals, paper, paint and more each year.
[ F RE E E V E N T ]
A clean
SWEEP MONTHLY RECYCLING EVENT HELPS SAVE THE PLANET Get into the Earth Day (April 22) and spring-cleaning spirit early this year by taking advantage of Keep Atlanta Beautiful’s free recycling
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event, held on the first Saturday each month in Buckhead. De-clutter your life while supporting the environment by dropping off old paint cans, aluminum, Styrofoam, cardboard, tires, magazines, electronics, appliances and other items you may have lying around that can’t be recycled curbside. “Recycling keeps materials
March/April 2016 | Simply Buckhead
out of landfills, where some materials take decades to decompose, and reduces energy use by not having to make new products from virgin materials,” says Peggy Denby, Keep Atlanta Beautiful’s executive director. In 2015 alone, some 4,250 residents visited the Buckhead drop-off. Now it’s time to do your part. - JB
BUCKHEAD RECYCLING DROP-OFF March 5 and April 2, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Free, although there is a charge for certain items Second-Ponce de Leon Baptist Church 2715 Peachtree Road N.E. Atlanta 30305 404.249.5853 keepatlantabeautiful.org
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SERV volunteer Tom Sullivan hands out 10-year water purifiers to residents of Lodwar, Africa.
Providing Life’s Essentials Brookhaven’s Tom Sullivan volunteers at SERV For the last three years, Brookhaven resident and former Star94 radio host Tom Sullivan has used his talents to emcee the annual SERV International Ball, a fundraising event that highlights service to others. Sullivan went on his first SERV mission trip to the Dominican Republic in February of 2013. He became so involved that he traveled that October to Africa where SERV has established an orphanage in the remote village of Lodwar, Kenya. It houses 50 children abandoned by years of war and famine. “We’ve also provided 10 million freeze-dried meals that sustain life for a day at a cost of only 5 cents each,” he says. The project that excites Sullivan the most is bringing clean water to an area known as “The Village of Forgotten People,” so named because it’s located 10 miles away from the only water
source. “Seeing women carry heavy buckets of filthy river water daily was heartbreaking,” Sullivan says. “We vowed to drill a well.” Thanks to Sullivan's fundraising videos, that vow became reality. In the summer of 2015, SERV dug a well just 20 feet from where villagers prayed it would be. “It was a thrill to be there in September just a month after the first water was pumped,” he says. “To ensure that the water is drinkable, we also donate filters that purify 1 million gallons of water, enough to last a family up to 10 years.” Funding comes through the SERV Ball, donations and purchases at SERV Stores that sell closeout liquidations. “One hundred percent of the donations we receive go to fund SERV projects.” l For more information, visit servone.org.
Helping Cool Girls Become Cooler Women
David and Julie Abes at the 2015 Hope for a Cure gala that raises money for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Association.
Devastating Diagnosis
Photo: Ben Rose Photography
BY:
Parents David and Julie Abes swing into action to work for a cure When the 2-year-old son of Sandy Springs resident David Abes was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes (TID), the Buckhead Life Restaurant Group COO and his wife, Julie, immediately became involved with JDRF (formerly the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation). “It’s the leading non-governmental organization focused on type 1 diabetes research and is committed to improving the lives of patients and finding a cure,” Abes says. He’s been a board member for 12 years, and his wife is head of outreach. Both are heavily involved in raising funds through events, such as the annual Hope for a Cure Gala every Mother’s Day weekend, the annual One Walk and other chapter events.
More than 80 cents from every dollar of the $98 million raised nationwide goes into research. Additionally, Julie Abes visits newly-diagnosed patients and their parents to offer encouragement and support. Now 16 years old and doing well, their son, Mitchell, leads an active lifestyle, thanks in part to research funded by JDRF. “There have been so many advancements in terms of improved insulin and the insulin pump,” Abes says. “The most promising new research is focused on developing an artificial pancreas that will automatically deliver insulin therapy as needed.” l For more information, visit georgia.jdrf.org.
Cool Girl volunteers ham it up at the Pink Pin Bowl fundraiser at Midtown Bowl.
Dwayne Holt gives a quarter century of support Dwayne Holt, southeastern director of operations at Commercial Real Estate Services Worldwide (better known as CBRE) in Buckhead, has been active in The Cool Girls of East Lake since 2012. “For a 25-year-old organization that has worked with over 6,000 disadvantaged girls, The Cool Girls is Atlanta’s best kept secret,” he says. A board member and volunteer, he and CBRE have raised more than $75,000 for the 501c3 nonprofit. The organization was launched in 1989 when East Lake Meadows was one of Atlanta’s most violent communities. A handful of volunteers
from Epiphany Episcopal Church created a safe place for kids to go after school. Soon thereafter, several girls who called themselves The Cool Girls formed a separate group. “Over the years, The Cool Girls’ program focus has expanded to include mentoring, fitness, an introduction to technology, college tours and more,” says Tanya Egins, executive director. “Members of the American Association of University Women offer tutoring for high schoolers. High achievers who remain active throughout their school years are eligible for college scholarships.”
The organization’s largest fundraising event, Cool Girls Become Cool Women Hot Pink Party, will be held Saturday, April 23, at Loews Atlanta Hotel. The adult-only event with an expected 450 in attendance is open to the public and honors the Cool Woman of the Year, the Cool Volunteer of the Year and the Cool Girl of the Year. l For more information, visit thecoolgirlshotpinkparty.com and coolgirls.org.
Want to nominate a volunteer, company or nonprofit that makes Buckhead, Sandy Springs or Brookhaven a better place to live? Please contact: editor@simplybuckhead.com
March/April 2016 | Simply Buckhead
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TR AV E L N E A R
s Relaxation, found on Little Palm Island's shores.
KEY NOTES
s Each Little Palm Island Resort and Spa's bungalow suite comes with an ocean view, and there are no telephones, televisions or alarm clocks to distract from tranquility.
Laidback luxury found within the U.S.A.’s southernmost isles
T
hose who prefer luxury travel may shy away from the lower Florida Keys, known for their quaint bed and breakfasts and quirky vibe. Au contraire— whether you prefer to stay within the colorful and bustling town of Key West or a tranquil island that’s cutoff from the rest of the world, the lower Keys offer a couple of unforgettable upscale diamonds in the rough. Situated on a 5.5-acre private island, Little Palm Island Resort & Spa feels like it could be located in the Caribbean rather than just a 20-minute motor-yacht ride from Little Torch Key. The romantic getaway, with 30 thatched-roof bungalow-style suites complete with private outdoor showers, four-poster king-size beds
s A SpaTerre treatment room features a warm East-meets-West style.
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and soaking tubs, is never inhabited by more than 60 guests at a time. Though there is Wi-Fi throughout the property, cell phone usage is discouraged in public areas to inspire cutting off from the mobile world. And there is every opportunity to do just that. Lounging is what you do here. Bring a good book and seek solace on a hammock outside your bungalow, on a lounge chair at the small beach overlooking the crystal-blue ocean or by the pool shaded by lush Jamaican coconut palms where attendants bring you Gumby Slumbers (Captain Morgan’s Parrot Bay coconut and spiced rums, pineapple, orange and cranberry juice with shredded coconut on top) on demand. For a change of scenery, grab a kayak and paddle around the island, passing a mangrove forest inhabited by birds galore (there are about 100 species of visiting birds on the island). Or check out a motorized paddleboat, and float in the salt water for a while. Another great option: Snorkeling ($90 per person) or scuba diving ($185 per person, inclusive of all equipment) is top-notch, what with Looe Key National
March/April 2016 | Simply Buckhead
Marine Sanctuary’s coral reef a mere 20-minute boat ride from Little Palm’s shores. The water is warm and the marine life, including parrotfish, manta rays and, if you’re lucky to see one, reef sharks, is abundant. After your swim session, book a service at SpaTerre, the resort’s boutique four-treatment-room spa that offers Asian-inspired ambiance with Indonesian teak furnishings and therapies. Indulge in the 110minute Javanese Royal Treatment ($325) that includes a Balinese massage using jasmine-scented oil, hydrating warm yogurt massage, rice and turmeric scrub, scented shower and a soak in a flower-petal bath. Everything exceeds expectations at Little Palm Island, including the food. Order from menus featuring French and Pan Latin flavors in your room, poolside (lunch only) or at The Dining Room restaurant that offers indoor, patio and beach seating. The menu changes seasonally, but you’ll find dishes such as yellowtail snapper ceviche with passion fruit and coconut gelee, and Moulard duck confit of leg with French lentils, pea shoots, shaved truffles and Dijon mustard vinaigrette. If you do choose to dine at the pool or on the beach, be on the lookout for Key Deer (miniature deer) that like to bum a bread roll if you don’t shoo them away fast enough! Other than potentially making off with your next bite, though, they are completely harmless and quite cute with their big doe eyes.
STORY:
Karina Antenucci
s The writer and her husband stand as far south as you can go on land within the continental U.S. of A.
No trip to the Keys is complete without a visit to vibrant Key West, just a 30-minute drive from Little Torch Key. Shuttle boats run from Little Palm Island every 30 minutes back to the mainland, and transportation can be arranged from there if you didn’t valet a car with the resort. To stay within the heart of the action (a must if it’s your first time here) with shops, bars, art galleries and restaurants steps away, check in to La Concha Key West in Old Town. The landmark hotel, which has hosted literary celebrities such as Ernest Hemingway and Tennessee Williams over the years, underwent a full renovation in 2014 that updated its 160 guest rooms and 14 suites to a more chic, modern sensibility. A great way to kickoff your stay is
s Top Spa welcomes lounging in front of panoramic views of Key West.
t Enjoy a tasting or pick up a sommelier-
recommended vintage at Wine-O.
WITH 7 DIFFERENT FLOOR PLAN OPTIONS, THE RESIDENCES AT CHASTAIN OFFER A BOUTIQUE COLLECTION OF APARTMENT HOMES WITH MODERN, OPEN LAYOUTS TO FIT ANY LIFESTYLE. OUR ONE AND TWO BEDROOM PLANS RANGE FROM 721 SQUARE FEET TO 1408 SQUARE FEET.
to head downstairs to the hotel’s glam (think red leather couches, modern bar and large chandeliers) wine shop, tasting room and lounge, Wine-O, for a wine tasting, artisanal cheese and fruit board and good Duval Street people watching. From there, you can take to the streets—some quiet and residential, others wild with partiers—to explore the continental U.S.A.’s southernmost point (photo time!). For a pampering break in between bellying up to Key West’s abundant bar scene, pay a visit to La Concha’s Top Spa. Situated atop the highest point in town, the new all-suite spa with floor-to-ceiling windows offers breathtaking, panoramic views— a great spot to be at sunset. Each of the six luxurious suites can accommodate a couple and includes amenities, such as a private bathroom with rain shower, balcony, Bose speakers with iPod dock, a mini fridge stocked with water and fresh juices, and a lounge area with a 55-inch flat-screen television. Try the signature Warm Seashell Massage ($160 for one 50-minute treatment and 40 additional minutes to chill in the suite), a twist on the ubiquitous hot stone massage that
uses smooth seashells and aromatherapy oils to work out your kinks. The 50-minute High Point Hydrating Facial also doesn’t disappoint; your esthetician layers on products that boost oxygen levels in the skin to revitalize your complexion and gives you a divine face massage that loosens all the tension points in your visage. Afterwards, order lunch en suite, and let the relaxation percolate. From boats and beaches to bars, a visit to the Keys is like something out of a Jimmy Buffet song, but with luxurious locales to lay your head after a day well done. n DETAILS: Little Palm Island Resort & Spa From $1,190 per night 28500 Overseas Highway Mile Marker 28.5 Little Torch Key 33042 305.872.2524 littlepalmisland.com Top Spa, Wine-O and La Concha Key West From $239 per night 430 Duval Street Key West 33040 305.280.0222 (spa) 305.296.2991 (hotel) laconchakeywest.com
C O N TA C T U S TO RESERVE YOUR NEW APARTMENT HOME
4011 Roswell Road Atlanta, GA 30342
404.600.1433 FEATURES & AMENITIES INCLUDE: Cyber cafe with coffee lounge
9 foot ceilings
Fully-equipped fitness center
Whirlpool® stainless steel
Wi-Fi enabled amenity areas
appliances
Resor t-Style pool with
Built-in microwave ovens
tanning ledge
Gourmet kitchen with tile backsplash
Outdoor living room with
Two designer cabinetry options
fireplace & flat-screen TV
Granite countertops in kitchen/bath
On-site trail access to the
Garden tubs with tile surrounds
Blue Heron Nature Preser ve
Ceramic tile flooring in baths
Convenient controlled access
Washer/Dryer
and gated entry
Generous closet space
www.liveatchastain.com A desirable residential neighborhood with over 250 acres of green space and amenities at its core. Close to arts, sports, pavilions, playgrounds and Atlanta’s most celebrated outdoor amphitheater. A vibrant community all just steps away.
March/April 2016 | Simply Buckhead
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TR AV E L FA R
Belle of the ball ST. KITT’S WEAVES AN ECO-YARN
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hen I read the first chapter of a book, I can immediately tell whether or not it will capture my imagination. Can you? The minute I glimpsed Belle Mont Farm, the stunning first phase of the $600 million, 400-acre Kittitian Hill eco-resort on the verdant slopes of Mount Liamuiga in St. Kitts, I knew I’d be captivated for the duration of my four-day visit. The name of the game here is a dual objective of true rejuvenation and connecting with the natural beauty of the island. That it would deliver in a big way was apparent on the approach. I was welcomed at the Potting Shed, a replica of a traditional Kittitian farm building and non-traditional reception desk, then whisked to my free-standing guest house, perched 1,000 feet above sea level. We traveled in a solar-powered golf cart—no missions are allowed on property. Designed by world-renowned
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architect Bill Bensley, my temporary home-away-from-home was full of delights. It featured a cozy bedroom with a soaring timbered ceiling, daybeds on a wrap-around veranda, and a private plunge pool with sweeping views of the sea and, on a clear day, little-known neighboring islands St. Eustatius and Saba. The washroom, with rain shower and ultra-deep claw-footed tub, is situated outdoors, surrounded by lush palms and banana trees for privacy. The fridge was stocked with still and sparkling water (filtered onproperty in reusable bottles) and pineapple juice from the farm’s productive fruit trees. Genius touches are packed in, including a blackout curtain that doubles as a floor-to-ceiling projector screen where you can watch all the Netflix you want. To discover the heart of the resort, visit the organic farm for which the property is named. Head farmer Yahson Tafari is growing what you
March/April 2016 | Simply Buckhead
STORY:
Above: Belle Mont Farm at Kittitian Hill is anchored by the main pool, a study in serenity.
Jennifer Bradley Franklin
might expect in the Caribbean—avocado, mango, passion fruit, banana and so much more. By working with shoots of climatized plants, his team has had great success with kohlrabi, flax, rhubarb, fennel, Okinawa spinach, eggplant and even berries, all things not generally associated with the region. “Sun is so important for photosynthesis [that] even non-native plants are more flavorful,” the Rastafarian farmer explained on the sun-drenched day he showed me around. While I’m typically abysmal at meditating, I decided to give it a try here. Just after sunrise, I met Jamaican-born spa director Nickie Myers by one of the private villa’s pools. As she led our intimate group in a few simple stretches, she encouraged us to set an intention for the session and to simply notice thoughts as they passed, rather than judging or fighting them. During 45 minutes, submitting to Nickie’s gentle encouragement
to “Breathe in compassion, breathe out judgment,” I found a place of forgiveness and release about a particularly stressful situation back home in Atlanta. To cement my euphoria, I later enjoyed a sublime massage and learned about the plans for the yet-to-be-built Mango Walk Spa, to be tucked among 300-year-old mango trees with a series of salt baths, steam rooms and plunge pools. Guests visiting in 2017 should be able to take full advantage, though eight treatment cottages will be ready this winter. The dining experiences here are a real highlight. Under the inventive leadership of French-born Chef Christophe Letard, the Caribbean ingredients really sing. He oversees just-plucked-from-the-sea fare at Arthur’s on the beach, communal dining under the stars on The Farm and creative, simple fare at The Kitchen. Chef is committed to using ingredients from the farm and island
For The Sole is Atlanta’s premier massage Retreat Come in and experience our rejuvenating foot massage, or if you need something more comprehensive you may enjoy our full body massage. Foot Massage Therapy Above: Guest houses are adorned with original paintings by local artist (and British expat) Kate Spencer and feature spectacular views of the sea beyond the infinity plunge pool. Below: Spectacular washrooms are a signature of world-renowned architect Bill Bensley, and the open-air designs at Belle Mont Farm don't disappoint.
30 min $25 60 min $40 90 min $60
Body Massage Therapy
60 min $70 90 min $100 120 min $120
$10.00 Off a 60 Min foot massage session $20.00 off a 90min Body massage session.
Key Benefits MUSCLE RELAXATION TENSION RELIEF STRESS REDUCTION INCREASED BLOOD CIRCULATION INCREASED PRODUCTION OF SEROTONIN BETTER SLEEP
Above: The working farm, for which Belle Mont is named, is an idyllic setting for convivial meals under a vibrant sky.
when possible, but at a minimum he’s sourcing almost everything from the region, save a few spices, olive oil, cheese and wine. The result is surprising, interesting and delicious. Case in point: peanuts and coconut oil transformed locally-caught gar into a tasty riff on traditional French sole meunière. In the next year, the resort will introduce Red Rum Bar with more than 1,000 rare vintage rums and Coco House, where the culinary masterminds will create multi-course experiential dining. It may take a tiny bit of imagination to envision the masterpiece Kittitian Hill is sure to become, but from this alluring first chapter, I’ll be thrilled with however the story progresses. It’s sure to be a good one n BELLE MONT FARM AT KITTITIAN HILL kittitianhill.com
GOOD TO KNOW l Belle Mont Farm guests
have access to the Yu Lounge (yulounge.com) adjacent to St. Kitt's RLB International Airport that serves as a private arrivals and departures lounge. You’ll be picked up on the tarmac, can enjoy private customs check-in, snacks and topshelf drinks while you wait. The international airport that services both St. Kitts and Nevis leaves a bit to be desired: Don’t plan on grabbing much more than a bottle of local rum or bag of chips on your way out.
l
l The native green monkeys
are quite cheeky and not above helping themselves to a snack. Make sure to lock your doors.
6690 ROSWELL RD #550, SANDY SPRINGS, GA 30328 404-254-3768 | www.FTSole.com | info@FTSole.com
March/April 2016 | Simply Buckhead
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STAYCATION
Left: The Ritz-Carlton, Buckhead, has cut an elegant figure on Peachtree Road across from Lenox Square since 1984.
To the Ritz, please, James! Stately Buckhead hotel offers abundant opportunities for relaxation and luxury
G
ive me a hotel where I can squirrel away for a weekend, hidden from civilization, and I am a happy camper. The crisp white sheets, the room service, the blackout shades, the “do-notdisturb” signs. Bellhop, take me away! Disappearing for a day or two doesn’t have to be complicated, either: Just set up an out-of-the-office email; send the dogs and kids to a sitter; throw some comfy clothes into a bag; call Uber and—voila!—vanish. On two different occasions over the past year, I’ve essentially done just that, indulging in a bachelor weekend par excellence at the regal Ritz-Carlton, Buckhead. Hotels always fascinate me. The lobbies and public spaces pulsate with people on the go, but behind every closed door is a story, a narrative, a sense of mystery. Once you step inside a Ritz elevator, each with its own little crystal chandelier, you are whisked away to a private, “members-only”-style experience where the hustle and bustle give way to elegant luxury. Open since 1984, the 22-story hotel boasts 510 handsomely appointed rooms and suites. The most magnifi-
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cent digs on the property, the RitzCarlton Suite, comes with a grand piano, billiard table, panoramic city views and a whopping 1,800 square feet of space. (That’s bigger than many homes, including my own.) Depending on your mood, you can ensconce yourself on the Club or Wellness Level and never leave. If you want a massage, just tiptoe down the 9th-floor corridor of the spa wing, and let the healing hands soothe your aches. If you don’t feel like dining out, the Club Level Lounge, on the 18th floor, operates like a cruise-ship buffet, offering breakfast, lunch, afternoon snacks, evening hors d’oeuvres and a decadent pre-bed dessert bar. Such options are highly enticing when you want to wrap your head in a turban, don sunshades and channel your inner Garbo. (Privacy, please!) Should you feel like dealing with people (God forbid), there is world-class shopping at both Lenox Square, directly across Peachtree, and Phipps Plaza, across Lenox Road. You won’t encounter crowds at the Ritz’s commodious indoor saline pool, but you will find butler service on weekends. (Free sunglass clean-
March/April 2016 | Simply Buckhead
STORY:
Above: The lobby and other common areas of the hotel are inviting and sumptuously decorated. Right: Champagne and caviar can be had at Sunday brunch or from the Friday Caviar Cart in the Club Level Lounge.
Wendell Brock
ing, anyone?) And on Saturdays at 8 p.m., families can enjoy a Dive-In movie with popcorn. With these and many other amenities in mind, here’s a look at a few experiences that made my recent RitzCarlton stay-cations truly memorable. TYING ONE ON Bow ties are de rigueur at the Ritz. Yet how many guys can knot one correctly? With that in the mind, the hotel offers bow-tie tutorials from 6 to 7 p.m. each Friday and Saturday in the main lobby. To help you soothe out the frayed edges, a bottle of bourbon sits at the ready. If bowties aren’t your thing, it’s amusing to watch from the couches nearby. I got myself in a dither trying to follow the kind-hearted instructor’s gentle lesson, but in the end, patience paid off. A couple of fellows milling around sheepishly admired the tangerine-colored bow around my neck. “Nice job.” My reward: A glass of Four Roses Small Batch on the rocks. If the bourbon gets you all tingly, consider moving on to the Lobby Lounge. The beautifully decorated, wood-paneled room is one of the city’s great hotel bars. Here you can sip a Sazerac or a Ritz Tea (mint and
chamomile-and-citron-infused vodka with lemon and ginger beer) and nibble from delightful little dishes filled with cheese wafers, nuts and other salty snacks. From the vantage point of a leather armchair, you may also enjoy everything from crab cakes to steak-frites until quite late in the evening. High tea is poured Wednesday through Sunday afternoons, and some seriously good jazz can be heard Thursdays through Sundays. SPA BLISS The minute you step from the elevator into the Wellness Level, the therapy begins. That’s because the air of the entire spa floor is saturated with the soothing aroma of body products made of fragrant rosemary and mint. What a heavenly smell. While the rooms are equipped with yoga mats, inspirational reading material and videos, the spa itself is just down a hall so quiet you can hear a pin drop. Arriving at 9 a.m. on a Sunday morning, I was offered champagne or a mimosa and ushered into a beautiful relaxation area decorated with gauzy curtains and tufted chaise lounges. I wanted to linger here all day. Jill, my masseuse, had other plans. Her
Above: The spa lounge is a splendid place to wile away the minutes before and after treatments.
Below: The Club Level Lounge beckons visitors to get comfy and check out the everchanging spread of good things to eat and drink.
brisk handiwork revealed shoulders knotted up like that bowtie. But 50 minutes later, I had been reduced to putty. After forcing myself to take a long walk down Peachtree, I was ready for brunch. Or was I? FOOD OF THE GODS Two words of advice: Pace yourself. I had heard great things about the Ritz’s famous Sunday brunch, but I had no idea how sumptuous it would be. Champagne and caviar. A seafood bar piled with oysters, shrimp, smoked salmon and crab. I would have been happy with these cold delicacies alone. But then I would have missed the endless presentation of charcuterie and cheese, omelets and waffles, pastries and bread, salads and sushi, yogurt and fruit, and hot foods galore: prime rib, roasted duck, shrimp and grits, and the most luscious creamed corn ever. (It was loaded with bacon.) And for dessert: killer crème brûlée, key lime tart, chestnut cake, eclairs. Three hours later, my guest and I managed to waddle off without assistance. Quite a memorable finale to a fantasy getaway. The only downside: It was time to go home. n
Below: Sunday brunch presentations are eye-popping and hard to resist. Desserts? Yes, please. We'll have one of each.
THE RITZ-CARLTON, BUCKHEAD 3434 Peachtree Road N.E. Atlanta 30326 404.237.2700 ritzcarlton.com/buckhead
March/April 2016 | Simply Buckhead
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A PP ROV E D
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JUICE DU JOUR Find your happy and healthy taste in Buckhead Similar to the green-smoothie trend that never quite went away, juicing looks like it’s here to stay. Find out just how revitalizing it can be to drink your fruits, vegetables and even nuts by incorporating these popular blends into your diet to support overall health and wellness.
1. Arden's Garden Paradise ($3.99) If you are worried about taste when you start adding juice to your diet, try a blend that includes some fruit. Paradise pressed juice contains sweet apple, in addition to carrots, beets, kale, celery and cucumber, which makes it easy on the tastebuds while it fills you up with important vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and folic acid—all the makings for healthy skin and body. 3757 Roswell Road N.E. Atlanta 30342 404.844.4477 ardensgarden.com
2. Dtox ImmuniTEA and Cure Shot ($13.25) Feeling a bit rundown? Help yourself heal with ImmuniTEA, a pressed juice that stimulates the immune system with healing ingredients including ginger, Echinacea and zinc to help kick whatever is ailing you. Throw in a Cure Shot, which you must drink quickly due to its strong medicinal herb flavor that comes from a combination of garlic, oregano and lemon. Dtox claims one quick shot can be effective in ridding you of a cold in eight to 12 hours. 102 West Paces Ferry Road N.W. Atlanta 30305 855.981.3869 dtoxjuice.com
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March/April 2016 | Simply Buckhead
STORY:
Jessica Dauler
PHOTO: Sara
Hanna
3. Whole Foods Harvest Soul Chewable Juice ($7.99)
5. Bamboo Juices
If drinking juice doesn't satisfy your food cravings, try chewing it. This line of Chewable Juices is made of blended superfood juices. Each bottle contains bite-sized morsels of organic nuts, seeds and berries. Staple ingredients include chia and flax seeds, goji berries, spinach and pineapple. They are perfect as a snack or a full meal and are low in sugar and high in fiber and protein.
Of course, almond milk blends are not fruit- or vegetable-based, but because nut milks have become so popular at juice bars, we would be remiss to exclude them. Used as meal replacements or protein options, they are a vital part of the clean-eating movement. If you are looking for a healthy coffee option, try the Mocha with an addicting combination of organic almonds, organic fair trade coffee, raw cacao and Mocha-alkalized almond milk. This coffee nut milk will energize, uplift and keep you buzzing the whole day. Free daily delivery is available in Buckhead.
77 West Paces Ferry Road N.W. Atlanta 30305 855.204.0007 wholefoodsmarket.com
4. Roots Juices Fat Fighter ($8) Be the lean machine you were meant to be with this fat-fighting recipe. Grapefruit is considered a natural fat fighter and, combined with cayenne pepper, is touted as one of the best ways to lose weight quickly, boost energy and enhance overall wellbeing. You’ll love the spicy, tart combination and be one step closer to that bikini body. 3400 Around Lenox Road N.E., Suite 202A Atlanta 30326 888.666.0290 rootspressedjuices.com
Mocha ($10)
678.884.5000 bamboojuices.com
Leza Bennett Owner & Founder of The Perfect Brows by Leza
DEDICATED TO CREATING BEAUTIFUL BROWS! Eyebrows are the frame of the eyes and face, and Leza is the most sought after eyebrow artist in Atlanta. The Perfect Brows by Leza was voted best brows studio in Atlanta for 2013 and 2014, featured in Simply Buckhead Magazine as the Publisher Joanne Hayes’ favorite treatment, and recently voted the best brow studio by the Atlantan for 2015. Whether you’re having your brows threaded, waxed or tweezed, Leza and her team feel no one should leave The Perfect Brows until their brows are perfect, because they’re “dedicated to creating beautiful brows.” The Perfect Brows – now offering Brow Extensions. Call for details! Buckhead Studio, 56 E. Andrews Suite 27, Atlanta, GA 30305 404.816.LEZA(5392) theperfectbrows@yahoo.com www.theperfectbrows.com Tues 11-4pm • Wed 11-6pm • Thur 11-7pm Fri 11-6pm • Sat 10-4pm
S I M P LY NOW
A DAY IN THE LIFE
Ten-year-old Owen Vaccaro is already an acting pro, with two hit movies under his belt STORY:
YOUNG GUN
Jill Becker
I
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LITTLE GUY, BIG TALENT we chat, he occasionally turns to his mom for guidance, but proves to be exceptionally well-spoken, funny, smart and polite. And despite the success he’s achieved so far, he seems perfectly grounded. His day had started out normally enough, he tells me. He got up, ate breakfast and went to school. But by lunchtime, a news crew from 11Alive was following him around, filming him for an upcoming interview. After school, he went home for a bit, messed around on his mom’s iPad and played with his Great Dane, Dempsey. Then it was on to the studio for his regular Tuesday voice lesson. Afterward, he ate dinner, practiced his vocabulary flashcards, and then
March/April 2016 | Simply Buckhead
read for about 30 minutes (his current favorites are the Harry Potter and Magic Tree House series) in his beachthemed bedroom before lights out. On Mondays after school, Owen takes an acting class, and once or twice a week he auditions for new roles, which he typically does on tape either at his house or at a local studio called Catapult. His week may also be filled learning lines, meeting casting directors, attending rehearsals, and simply doing the stuff every other kid his age does—jumping on the trampoline and watching funny cat videos (he wants to have a cat some day and even writes persuasive essays for his parents on being a responsible cat owner).
Photos: Hilary Bronwyn Gayle © 2015 Paramount Pictures. All Rights Reserved.
Above: On the set of Daddy's Home, Owen Vaccaro watchs playback of a scene with director Sean Anders (pointing) and co-star Scarlett Estevez.
Photo: Kelsey Edwards
t is an unseasonably warm December afternoon in New York City when Buckhead-based actor Owen Vaccaro steps out of his chauffeured car and makes his way onto the red carpet for the premiere of his new movie, Daddy’s Home. As he stops to pose for pictures in front of the waiting gallery of photographers, he hobnobs with Will Ferrell, Mark Wahlberg and several other co-stars from the hit film. Cut to a few days later, and Owen is on location for his next project, the setting of which is a fourth-grade classroom at Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School in Sandy Springs. But this isn’t for any film or TV role. Owen is a student there. Just 10 years old, Owen Vaccaro caught the acting bug after his first grade teacher suggested he sign up for classes at M.Z. Stageworks, a local theater arts school. His passion for it was immediately apparent, and soon he was appearing in local stage productions of The Little Mermaid, Peter Pan and Hairspray, which led to commercial and film work. His first on-screen role, at age 7, was in a Ford commercial. “I got to sit on a bench and eat ice cream all day,” he remembers of the shoot. His latest project is Mother’s Day, a big-budget movie shot in Atlanta last fall that is scheduled for release April 29. In it, he was directed by the legendary Garry Marshall and appears alongside a star-studded cast that includes Kate Hudson, Jennifer Aniston and Julia Roberts. “I play a kid with two moms,” Owen says of his role. One of the most memorable scenes he had to shoot involved his having to wear a nude skin suit and pop out of a giant fake womb. (“Let’s call it an egg,” he says bashfully.) Wanting to know what it’s like to be such a seasoned performer at such a young age, I meet with Owen and his mom, Alli, at Jan Smith Studios, just before Owen’s weekly singing lesson. Decked out in a button-down shirt, blazer, jeans and black-rimmed Ray-Ban glasses, he certainly looks the part of a snappy young actor. As
In Daddy's Home, Vaccaro not only holds his own against veteran actors like Linda Cardellini (middle), but also blockbuster stars Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg.
His schedule varies, of course, when he’s on set. It can sometimes be a long, 14-hour day, but there are numerous breaks throughout, most of which he’ll spend working with a tutor in order to keep up with his schoolwork. The rest of the time when he’s not filming, he jokes around with the other kids on set, plays video games, watches movies or takes field trips to area attractions. One of his favorite activities is to raid the food and beverage in craft services. “I want to be an actor for life,” says Owen, when asked about his career goals. Judging from his enthusiasm and already strong body of work, he seems to be well on his way. n
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PE TS
HIGH TECH PETS THE COOLEST PET GADGETS IN BUCKHEAD
STORY:
Sarah Blackman
P
et products have surely advanced with the upswing of technology. Our loyal friends’ safety and playtime can benefit from investing in state-of-the-art products. Here are some of the coolest pet tech tools to play with.
Fido the Filmmaker
Hydration Station
If you love making home movies, now you can get your dog in on the fun! The Sony Action Camera Dog Harness Mount ($44.99) lets you see your adventures from your pooch’s point of view. It fits best on medium to large dogs over 33 pounds. The camera is not included, but the harness is compatible with all models of Sony cameras.
The H2O 4K9 Dog Water Bottle & Travel Bowl ($25) is a sophisticated capsule designed specifically for your dog. It includes a bottle made of self-insulating, food-grade stainless steel to keep 25 ounces of water nice and cool. The BPA-free twist-off lid turns into a drinking bowl and is shaped to fit a dog’s muzzle. It’s great for those long hikes and road trips so that you always have access to clean, safe drinking water for your beloved fur baby.
Dick’s Sporting Goods 3535 Peachtree Road Atlanta 30326 404.267.0200 dickssportinggoods.com
Bark Fifth Avenue 690 Miami Circle N.E., Suite 625 Atlanta 30324 404.803.1771 barkfifthave.com
PET PARADE TECH-SAVVY DOG WALKING, AT YOUR SERVICE
Light Up Their Lives Is Fluffy constantly roaming too far from her scratching post? Does Barkley have a tendency to run off into the night? Keep an eye on them with the Orvis LED Safety Collar Light ($19.50), a luminous gem that fastens to their collars, is waterproof up to 330 feet, is impact resistant and has a 250-hour battery life. It is visible up to 3 miles away, which is especially great for those nighttime beach walks on summer vacation. You have a choice between a steady light and a flashing mode. Orvis 3275 Peachtree Road Atlanta 30305 404.841.0093 orvis.com
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March/April 2016 | Simply Buckhead
Alfie Dog Walking is a convenient mobile service that comes to wherever your pooch is. Digital offerings include convenient online scheduling and invoicing, GPS tracking and real-time notifications. Emails are sent to you at the beginning and end of your appointment. The final email includes a link to a detailed report on behavior and potty business, as well as a map with tracked points so you can see their route. The three standard options include a quick, under 20-minute walk, a 20-minute stroll and a 45-plus-minute hike. Additional services include pet sitting, overnight stays and a pet taxi for when you don’t have time to bring your pet to the vet or groomer. Alfie Dog services are available from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. every day. The cost for dog walking ranges from $18 to $38. Alfie Dog Walking 770.712.0871 alfiepets.com
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March/April 2016 | Simply Buckhead 
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Carolina Herrera show, Fall Collections, New York, April 1982
THROUGH APRIL 1, 2016 also on view
Daniel Lismore: Be Yourself; Everyone Else Is Already Taken
1600 PEACHTREE ST. NW窶ポ窶アTLANTA 窶ポ窶ゴCADFASH.ORG
RE A L E S TAT E | FA S H ION | B E AU T Y | W E L L N E S S | TA S T E M A K E R
SIMPLY STYLISH
REAL ESTATE
Buckhead or Bust P38
Condos at the Mandarin Oriental, Atlanta start at $2.2 million. This model property is decorated by Atlanta interior designer Barbara Westbrook.
“Last year was great for the luxury condo market, with new construction and existing condo sales seeing record levels of appreciation.” – Karen Rodriguez
March/April 2016 | Simply Buckhead
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S I M P LY S T Y LIS H
HOM E
REAL E S TATE
Real estate experts weigh in on our exclusive ZIP codes
BUCKHEAD OR BUST STORY:
Giannina Smith Bedford
W
hen I’m out of town and tell others that I live in Atlanta, I’m often asked, “Do you live in Buckhead?” Our community has name recognition that stretches across the country, thanks to its signature panache that is bolstered by world-renowned shopping and stellar cuisine, not to mention picturesque residential areas and highly-ranked schools. That is why, through the ebbs and flows of the real estate market, Buckhead remains a desirable place to call home, and the development of luxury condos and apartments seems to have no end. In this special feature, we take a look at Buckhead’s residential real estate and hear from top experts about what it takes to make this sought-after ’hood home sweet home.
HOMES EXPERT: Debra
Johnston
Luxury collection specialist for the Buckhead office of Berkshire Hathaway
square foot, and that is up about 6.4 percent from the prior year. This year, we will be seeing more new construction projects as the demand increases for housing options intown. What is the best time of year to buy a home?
It varies depending on the buyers and what they are looking for. The spring market will have the largest amount of inventory at current market pricing. Summer will have less competition and pricing that is slightly more competitive. Winter is a great time for deals and moving inventory—properties that may need some renovation and land deals.
REPORT ON BUCKHEAD’S HOME MARKET:
What are some of the “hot hoods” intown that are always popular?
The buyers coming into the Buckhead market are a mixture of locals and relocations from out of state. Common threads are emerging in relation to lifestyle and overall look and feel. Buyers are asking for newer, transitional finishes, particularly focused on the kitchen and master bath. Natural stone finishes such as honed marble, quartz for counters, lighter colors, higher ceilings, and hardwood or stone flooring are some examples. Scaled-down, higherquality and interesting architecture is what buyers are looking for in Buckhead. They also love outdoor spaces that can function as entertaining areas for family and friends. Privacy and pools are popular as well.
There are a few “hot” hoods. Ansley Park is on fire with limited inventory. Brookhaven is always desirable. In Buckhead, there are quite a few like Chastain, Garden Hills and Peachtree Hills. Chastain had a record year of closed inventory of about 105 properties in 2015. Tuxedo Park is very desirable in the higher end.
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What is the average cost of a single-family home in Buckhead?
Forecast for 2016?
According to Trend Graphix, the average sales price for homes in Buckhead, specifically in ZIP codes 30327, 30305 and 30342, is a little over $1 million on average, which is up 6.1 percent from the prior year. Prices averaged about $252 per
Last year was a record sales year for me. I think that 2016 is going to be even stronger in Atlanta. Neighborhoods have stronger sold comparables from the last six months, so it is a perfect time for sellers to get their properties listed.
March/April 2016 | Simply Buckhead
CONDOS EXPERT: Karen
Rodriguez
Founder and CEO of KORA, a full-service real estate consulting firm and brokerage specializing in the luxury condominium market
REPORT ON BUCKHEAD’S CONDO MARKET:
Last year was great for the luxury condo market, with new construction and existing condo sales seeing record levels of appreciation. However, towards the end of 2015, pricing seemed to have stabilized in the resale market. There is still a lack of inventory, which will continue to be a problem in 2016. The market seems to be ripe for new projects. What is the average cost of a condo in Buckhead?
$339,000, a slight increase from $328,000 in 2014 (according to FMLS).
What are some of the “hot properties” that are seeing a lot of interest?
The top buildings in Buckhead in the luxury condo market continue to be St. Regis, Ritz-Carlton Residences, Sovereign and The Residences at Mandarin Oriental, Atlanta. What is your forecast for 2016?
Pricing in Buckhead will begin to normalize as we began to see in the fourth quarter of 2015; however, as long as there is no new inventory, the resale market will continue to do well.
APARTMENTS EXPERT: David
Stockert
President, CEO and director of Post Properties
with office, retail, restaurants and shops. It’s a much more integrated, intown community that we have today, and it’s fun to be part of that. There are a lot of apartment projects being built in Buckhead. Do you think this will lead to oversaturation?
When Atlanta was a much younger city, it was thought of as a suburbanoriented place, and it was a poster child for suburban sprawl. We still have a lot going on in the suburbs, but we have a lot more interesting apartments being developed in urban locations that combine residential
For the period Jan. 1 to Oct. 31, 2015 (Source: Buckhead Coalition)
HOMES BY THE NUMBERS
It’s a response to demand. Developers, we always miss the mark a little bit. So by the end of the cycle, will we have overbuilt a little bit? I think we will. That typically happens, but I don’t see any looming disaster out there. For the most part, the product that is being developed is meeting demand and is leasing quite well.
412
Number of single-family homes in Buckhead sold for under $1 million
$250,700 Average sales
263
$6 million Price of the most expensive home to sell in Buckhead at 2000 Garraux Road in Aug. 2015
What is the average rent of an apartment in Buckhead?
$1,049,540 Average sales
It’s hard to draw an average. It depends very much on the project and its age. If you look at product that is … built in the last 15 years, the average rent is $1,800 to $1,900 a unit. You can find communities in Buckhead that can be rented for $1,300 a unit, but they are properties built back in the ’90s or even the late ’80s, so they are quite a bit older. The brand new products, the new high-rises in particular, those are going to have average unit rates that are $2,000 and up. What are some of the “hot properties” in Buckhead?
How have you seen the apartment industry in Atlanta change over the years?
BUCKHEAD REAL ESTATE DATA
The ones that get [attention] tend to be the high-rises. We opened one called The High Rise at Post Alexander, and it’s doing really well. There is also Cyan on Peachtree Street, The SkyHouse Buckhead and The Residence Buckhead Atlanta. We’ve entered a period when, because of land scarcity, more and more of what gets built as residential in Buckhead is going to be high-rise, and the projects are all going to be pretty neat. n
price for a single-family home in the 10-county metro area
Number of single-family homes in Buckhead sold for more than $1 million
price of a single-family home in Buckhead
$3.1 million Price of the 10th most expensive home, sold in June 2015 at 2865 Habersham Road
CONDOS BY THE NUMBERS
1,084
Number of multifamily condos or townhouses sold in Buckhead for under $1 million
49
Number of multi-family condos or townhouses sold in Buckhead for more than $1 million
$352,424 AVERAGE SALES PRICE OF A MULTI-FAMILY CONDO OR TOWNHOUSE SOLD IN BUCKHEAD
$5,056,584 The price of the most expensive condo, sold in Buckhead at 88 West Paces Ferry Road (The St. Regis Atlanta) in May 2015 $2.59 million The price of the 10th most expensive condo, sold at 88 West Paces in March 2015
DID YOU KNOW? Of the top 10 condos sold between January and October 2015, seven were at 88 West Paces at The St. Regis Atlanta.
APARTMENT GROWTH
3,877
units were proposed or started this year, which is a 38 percent increase in the number units in Buckhead over those at the beginning of the year ( 10,099 ).
March/April 2016 | Simply Buckhead
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S I M P LY S T Y LISH
FA S HION
MOTIVATED
BY
STYLE Francesca Nelo is Buckhead’s newest rising fashion star
F
Laura Carson Miller
rancesca Nelo (at far right) came from humble beginnings and fashion was not a big part of her local community in Nigeria. For her, fashion was an outlet and the only way she knew how to express herself artistically. “I began sketching fashion designs in my home country before I knew what Vogue magazine was,” says Nelo, Buckhead resident and owner of fashion brand Cesca Nelo. “I had curated a 100-page sketchbook with my own custom designs at the age of 12.” At 14, she and her family moved to the United States, and her initial goal was to become an attorney. But things changed quickly while she was studying at Georgia State University. Nelo began wardrobe styling as a hobby and rediscovered her childhood love for fashion. “While attending GSU, I dressed like it was Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week,” Nelo says of her haute couture-inspired ensembles that included anything with ruffles and bright colors, recreations of different runway looks by Marc Jacobs, Proenza Schouler, Oscar de la Renta and Alexander Wang. Instead of following a fashion track, though, Nelo graduated with a degree in International Relations. “I love helping others, and I have always had great interest in the work of the United Nations. I volunteer my time with local organizations like Open Hand Atlanta, helping people in my community. I plan on starting my own organization in the near future to help young entrepreneurs find resources to start their own
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businesses,” Nelo says. In 2010, she founded Style by Cesca, a fashion arts firm that produces fashion shows and specializes in wardrobe styling, personal shopping and coaching aspiring models. She still operates the firm today. Four years later, she launched Cesca Nelo and began creating women’s contemporary clothing designs that are currently sold online. Confident, fearless women inspire Nelo’s designs that largely focus on sleek, structured dresses created to accentuate a woman’s best attributes. Her Spring/Summer collection will have dresses with more movement and color blocking. “Every woman deserves to feel confident because we can do it all. I am inspired by the people I meet and their styles; the colors I see when I go jogging; the shapes of the beautiful structures in my neighborhood and my community as a whole,” she says. “With a pair of heels and a fabulous dress, I feel like I can conquer the world.” Some of her favorite places to view great fashion in the Buckhead area include The Shops Buckhead Atlanta. “Brands like Etro, Alice + Olivia, Helmut Lang and Theory opening stores in Buckhead are a sign of great things to come in our community,” Nelo says of the area’s retail growth. What’s next for her in 2016? Nelo looks forward to launching a collection for men and CESCA NELO opening her 404.910.6382 first store in cescanelo.com Buckhead. n
March/April 2016 | Simply Buckhead
Photo: Cooper Penn
STORY:
SPRING STYLE NELO SHARES THE DETAILS THAT ARE MAKING FASHION WAVES THIS SPRING s OFF-THE-SHOULDER TOPS/DRESSES “With an off-the-shoulder dress/top, I recommend keeping the bottom of the outfit fitted and refraining from showing too much skin, so the focus is on the beautiful shoulder detail. This is actually a slimming technique I recommend to my clients with curves. My off-the-shoulder Vita dress in black and white with a bold Stephanie Bijoux necklace is a great example of how to wear this look.”
LIGHTWEIGHT DENIM “Lightweight denim is my go-to look for effortless style. White, straight-leg pants (I recommend jeans), a light denim shirt, a pair of boldly colored pumps and an F&W style handbag is my complete resort look. A look like this will have you feeling as fabulous as Victoria Beckham. It is a perfect outfit for a date (especially the first).”
PAPERBAG-WAIST PANTS “The paperbag-waist look [a high waistline where the belt or cinching is placed below some fabric at the top] was all over the spring/summer 2016 runway. I recommend a fitted top with this look, otherwise you might appear bigger than your actual size. Think bigger at the bottom, smaller at the top.”
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S I M P LY S T Y LISH
BE AUTY
10 SKIN-SAVING TIPS FROM BUCKHEAD LEADING DERMATOLOGIST RUTLEDGE FORNEY STORY:
Karina Antenucci
SUN SMARTS B
efore you step out into the sunshine this spring, do a quick audit of your sun-care and skin-checkup routines. Dr. Rutledge Forney, founder of Dermatology Affiliates with locations in Buckhead, Midtown and East Cobb, offers 10 ways to keep your and your family’s skin healthy this year and for many more to come.
5. Workday routine.
As it turns out, some sunscreens are faster at blocking ultraviolet rays than others. Dr. Forney recommends looking for titanium dioxide or zinc oxide on the ingredients label as these natural elements work fast to reflect light off of the skin.
You may be inclined to apply sunscreen only when you’re heading to the park or lake, but consider your day-to-day routine as well. “Studies have shown that people who use SPF every day, whether they think they need it or not, cut their risk of melanoma in half over 8 years,” Dr. Forney says.
2. Play by the numbers. Are you still choosing SPF 15? Get with the times. The American Academy of Dermatology endorses a sun protection factor (SPF)—a measure of how well a sunscreen protects you from sunburn— of at least 30 for daily use. Dr. Forney also supports using SPF 50 or higher if you’re going to the beach, pool or ski slopes.
3. Take a shot. Apply about a shot glass full of sunscreen to cover exposed areas of your body. “Most people only put on one-quarter to one-half of the recommended amount of sunscreen, which means that an SPF 30 is really only equivalent to SPF 8 to 15,” Dr. Forney explains. “If you start with an 8-ounce bottle of sunscreen, it should be empty after a week at the beach if you are outside more than two hours a day!”
4. Reapplication situation. Sunscreens are not waterproof or sweat-proof, ever. Longer-lasting ones, Dr. Forney notes, are usually labeled “sport” or “sweat/water resistant.” This means you’ll need to reapply every 80 minutes, depending on the ingredients.
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6. Don’t get caught. For the times when you weren’t expecting to be out in the sun, Dr. Forney suggests keeping a wide-brimmed hat in the car just as you may stash away an umbrella. “It’s easier to grab a hat from the trunk than keep a bottle of sunscreen there, which will get yucky from the heat,” she notes.
7. Apply some apparel. Rash guards or swim shirts with ultraviolet protection factor (UPF) 50 were invented by surfers but now are seen at pools, beaches and water parks on everyone from infants to adults. Dr. Forney advocates checking out coolibar.com, which has all sorts of lightweight UPF 50 apparel, including cute sundresses and driving gloves.
SIDESTEP SKIN CANCER 8. Know your ABCDEs. “The most important warning signal is a flat mole that changes color or
March/April 2016 | Simply Buckhead
shape,” Dr. Forney says. Moles that are raised up very seldom turn cancerous. Look for the ABCDEs of melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer: a flat mole that is asymmetric, has changing borders, develops multiple colors, has a dimension larger than a pencil eraser or evolves.
9. Be on the lookout. “Basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma are two common skin cancers that also need to be treated promptly to prevent spread,” Dr. Forney says. Look out for a persistent lesion in a sun-exposed area that lasts longer than six weeks, is tender or bleeds easily, may grow rapidly and is red, brown or clear.
10. Get your spots checked. If you have had significant tanning bed use or have many moles, a lot of sun exposure or a family history of skin cancer, go get a full-body exam with a board-certified dermatologist. “Discuss the best strategy at that visit for how often you should see a dermatologist in the future—whether that’s once a year or some other interval,” Dr. Forney says. TOP TIP: If you have a suspicious spot on your skin, call a dermatologist immediately. Don’t wait several weeks for an appointment for a full-body exam; most derms will see you quickly for a worrisome spot. n
SUNSCREEN SELECTS These three products meet Dr. Forney’s criteria for both SPF—30 or above—and ingredients zinc oxide or titanium dioxide.
s
Goddess Garden Organics Facial Natural Sunscreen, SPF 30, available for $18 at CVS Pharmacy. Skin Medica Total Defense and Repair Broad Spectrum Sunscreen, SPF 34, available for $65 at Dermatology Affiliates in Buckhead.
t
1. Screen your sunscreen.
t EltaMD UV Clear Tinted BroadSpectrum, SPF 46, available for $34 at Aya Medical Spa at Phipps Plaza. DERMATOLOGY AFFILIATES 3131 Maple Drive Suite 102 Atlanta 30305 404.816.7900 dermatologyaffiliates.com
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March/April 2016 | Simply Buckhead
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WE LLN E S S
Photo: Sara Hanna Photography
S I M P LY S T Y LIS H
Simply Buckhead’s publisher takes us on a journey to a more holistic lifestyle STORY:
Joanne Hayes
Wellness within I
to supplements—turmeric for joint comfort, red yeast rice for high cholesterol, Siberian rhubarb for nighttime sweats, B12 for energy levels, to name a few—with stellar results. I now have no joint pain, my cholesterol is under control and the hot flashes are gone.
consider myself healthy. I exercise and eat well, but with age, I’ve started to face my fair share of health issues: genetic high cholesterol, early osteoarthritis and a hip replacement (resulting from congenital hip dysplasia), not to mention post-menopausal sleep deficit. Eighteen months ago, I started researching holistic options to treat my ailments, and the natural alternatives brought me to a happier and healthier place. Here’s a look at the steps I took to change my life.
Said farewell to metal fillings
Insurance may not cover natural medications such as vitamins and supplements, but I’ve learned that the investment value in preventative health is priceless. Many of us will go out and buy a pair of expensive shoes or a new car, but don’t stop to realize that investing in our health is what makes enjoying life’s luxuries possible. Under a doctor’s care, I decided to rid myself of my prescriptions for arthritis, cholesterol and sleep issues. Instead, I turned
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Photo: Sara Hanna Photography
Pitched the prescriptions
As a child, I struggled with soft tooth enamel and lots of cavities. This led to several amalgam fillings (“silver” fillings made from a mixture of mercury, silver, tin and copper). Research now shows these are harmful, particularly the mercury which makes up about 50 percent of the formation. Mercury can carry into the body and bloodstream in the form of a vapor, which is inhaled and absorbed by s Dr. Michaela McKenzie
of Buckhead’s Dazzling Smiles.
March/April 2016 | Simply Buckhead
the lungs. This can result in mercury toxicity, a condition that affects the brain, kidneys and other organs. For advice on how to make my mouth healthy, I turned to Dr. Michaela McKenzie, a certified cosmetic dentist who runs Dazzling Smiles, a mercury-free biological dentist practice in Buckhead. In biological dentistry, decisions are made with the big picture in mind. Rather than simply treating a dental problem, the techniques, materials and care are based on whole-body health. Dr. McKenzie’s goal is to provide effective dental treatments in the safest, healthiest manner, and she did just that by removing all my old mercury fillings and replacing my stained and damaged upper teeth with beautiful allceramic veneers and crowns.
Got hooked-on-tonics I’ve read a bit over the years about tonics and their benefits and was curious to learn more. Tramell Smith, a trainer at Buckhead’s Pinnacle Fitness and the subject of the March
t Tramell Smith
of Buckhead’s Pinnacle Fitness.
22 episode of the new A&E reality show, Fit to Fat to Fit, shared his knowledge with me. A competitive bodybuilder, Smith grew interested in tonics while researching probiotics and holistic medicines as a means to alleviate joint soreness and aches from weightlifting. He experimented with different ingredients at home to create a tonic he touts as being a bacteria-killing antibiotic, an anti-inflammatory and a potent antiviral formula. He says it helps cure colds and flu, and improve blood and lymph circulation. When Smith began making his own tonic, he was already using ingredients such as turmeric, ginger and apple cider vinegar for their health properties, and knew that including them in a single concoction would ensure he got them into his system daily. Eight weeks ago, I started taking this
TRAMELL’S MASTER TONIC YIELDS: 32 ounces (192 teaspoons), enough to last almost 6 months INGREDIENTS: 1/2 cup chopped garlic 1/4 cup chopped purple onions 2 Habanero peppers 1 cup chopped ginger 1 cup chopped turmeric root Juice of 1 lime Juice of 1 lemon 2 Tablespoons horseradish root 32-ounce bottle of Bragg Organic Apple Cider Vinegar
Photo: Sara Hanna Photography
DIRECTIONS: Place all ingredients, except vinegar, in a food processor until it’s the consistency of a relish. Pour vinegar over the relish. Seal and let it sit seven to 10 days, longer for more potency. Strain and store in a bottle at room temperature. Drink 1 teaspoon daily, on its own, or in a “tea” with 6 ounces hot water and honey to taste. The strained leftover ingredients can also be dried and made into powder for “Tonic Seasoning” or mixed with olive oil as a dressing or marinade.
“Master Tonic” (one teaspoon a day) and am looking forward to enjoying its positive results.
Detoxed my dwelling Along with these internal changes, I took a closer look at detoxifying my surroundings. To start, I turned to the Environmental Working Group, a nonprofit research and advocacy organization with a mission to empower people to live healthier lives in healthier environments. According to EWG, Americans are polluted with hundreds of industrial chemicals, including known carcinogens and substances that are toxic to the brain or reproductive system, resulting in babies being born prepolluted when they enter the world. EWG aims to expose and reverse this dangerous course by educating the public and building a system of public health safeguards requiring companies to prove their products are safe in order to get, or stay, on the market. The average person uses 10 personal care products daily, applying approximately 126 unique ingredients on our skin. These take just 26 seconds to get into the bloodstream. By applying EWG’s
claim to my own life, I discovered that within the first two hours I was awake, I’d used 19 personal care, cleaning and food products. With an average of six ingredients per item, that’s a whopping 114 products that touch my skin each morning. To get some advice on how to minimize the chemicals in my daily life, I turned to Buckhead resident, international environment advocate and eco-living expert Laura Turner Seydel, who is also a busy wife and mom of three: JH: While building your home, the first LEED gold certified home in the Southeast, you, your father (Ted Turner), and your son participated in the first ever intergenerational toxic burden study that tests chemical toxicity in the body. What was the lesson? LTS: We were already committed to the process, and the results were shocking. My son tested high for flame retardant and Teflon. I had high levels of artificial musk from cosmetics and personal care products, and Dad was in the 95th percentile for mercury and 85th percentile for lead. After this, we looked at products to reduce our carbon footprint, like low VOC paints, kitchen cabinets not made with formaldehyde, which take 15 years to off-gas. JH: When and why did you become involved with EWG? LTS: More than two decades ago, I saw the documentary by EWG founder Ken Cooke, 10 Americans, where 10 individuals chosen from a cross-section of socio-economic demographics had their blood tested for chemicals and toxins. Over 300 industrial chemicals were found in each, and many, like PCB’s, were banned 20 to 30 years ago. Our family foundation began supporting their work, and I joined the board nearly eight years ago. I want to educate women [especially] and drive them to the EWG website where they can learn how to limit their children’s exposure to cocktail chemicals in our environment. Chronic childhood diseases are epidemic, and I want to share the knowledge I have with others. JH: What do you feel is the single most important item to be aware of in our surroundings? LTS: Food is really critical. Hippocrates said “Food is thy medicine,” and eating right can ward off toxins and diseases. We should eat organic as much as possible where it makes
LAURA TURNER SEYDEL INTERNATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL ADVOCATE AND ECO-LIVING EXPERT
sense and fits in your budget. Atlanta has local government and community agencies coming together to make organic produce more available to lower-income communities through community gardens.
JH: Are there “over-the-counter” tests to warn us of any imminent danger? LTS: There are lots of companies that can test for mold, which is a problem here in the South. But there is also a third-party verification company, Greenguard, which comes in and tests products for the home, like mattresses, furniture and carpeting, and lets you know which are off-gassing.
JH: Do you love to cook? LTS: I do love to cook, but don’t get to cook as often as I would like. When I cook, it’s all from scratch.
JH: Do I need to reevaluate my cleaning products? LTS: EWG has a Green Cleaning Guide, updated annually, but for pennies on the dollar, you can make your own products with ingredients such as lemon, baking soda, and vinegar, which are potent natural antibacterial cleansers. JH: Are there other issues in the home you are passionate about? LTS: Yes, fluoride in drinking water. While proponents say it’s efficacious in preventing cavities, research shows it is as much a developmental neurotoxin as lead or mercury. Over 210 million Americans are exposed to fluoride in drinking water. JH: What about makeup? LTS: The FDA did a study on over 100 different lipsticks, and 99 percent contained lead in trace amounts. It’s not required to be on the label. Women continue to use products because of brand name or performance, not realizing that no amount of a developmental neurotoxin is safe.
JH: What are your tips for staying healthy when you travel? LTS: I’ve built a foundation by taking Omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins D and B12 for boosting my immune system and making sure my hormones are in balance. I’m also now taking a supplement when I travel to protect me against EMF radioactive waves found on airplanes. EMF radiation is a topic I am concerned and want to be more informed about.
JH: Our readers will want to know, what’s your favorite restaurant in Buckhead? LTS: I love the bison at Ted’s Montana Grill; it’s higher in protein and iron than beef and has less fat and cholesterol than chicken or fish. I like True Food Kitchen, Café Anis, Café Sunflower for vegan fare, R. Thomas for the Thai Quinoa Bowl with Vegetables, and Bistro Niko for a romantic date night. We’re very blessed in Buckhead with great restaurants. n Laura Turner Seydel’s recommended research: wellnesswithinyourwalls.com ewg.org DETAILS: Dr. Michaela McKenzie Dazzling Smiles 2986 Grandview Avenue Atlanta 30305 404.900.5175 dazzlingsmiles.org Pinnacle Fitness 3215 Cains Hill Place N.W. 404.228.3705 pinnaclefitnessgym.com Laura Turner Seydel lauraseydel.com
March/April 2016 | Simply Buckhead
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S I M P LY S T Y LIS H
TA S TE M A K ER
Left: Mickey Wilcox of Mickey Lynn in her Buckhead studio.
Designing
Right: Blue Peruvian opal (top) and white African opal and etched copper Tibetan mantra (prayer) beads (bottom) are highlighted in Mickey Lynn’s summer 2016 collection.
sustainable style Mickey Lynn jewelry encompasses a love of Earth
B
uckhead resident Mickey Lynn Wilcox inherited her mother’s love of jewelry. During her childhood, her mother had a short-lived jewelry business that sparked Wilcox’s fire for designing pieces for herself and others. In 2008, Wilcox launched the artisan jewelry line Mickey Lynn with business and life partner Seth Shindeldecker. Her specialty is working with natural stones, such as agate and druzy, and mixed metals. Sustainability and fair labor practices are important to the jewelry brand: It sources stones from mines that respect both their workers and the planet. Skilled artists in Wilcox’s Buckhead studio handcraft all of the designs, from earrings to necklaces. Here, Wilcox speaks about Mickey Lynn’s style influences and which local haunts she favors.
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Tell us about your journey to launching Mickey Lynn. After spending 10 years at Delta as a systems engineer, I left and finally made the leap to being a designer full-time. Of course, it is definitely challenging and scary at times to own my own business, but ultimately it has been the most fulfilling time in my life. How has Mickey Lynn grown beyond your website? We are sold in more than 350 retailers throughout the country and some international destinations, such as Korea, Canada and Australia, as well. We are mostly sold in independent specialty boutiques, such as Huff Harrington Home, Dora Rae and Frolic in the Buckhead area, but also in a few larger retailers, such as Anthropologie and Garnet Hill. How does where you live and work influence your personal style? Seth and I live in the Peachtree Hills area at the Aramore on Peachtree Road, and work half a mile away on Bennett Street in the same building as MOCA and other artists. We’ve lived here for 11 years and love the prime location and proximity to the best shopping, restaurants and culture
STORY:
Laura Carson Miller
in the city. It’s the perfect balance that I think definitely influences my love for a boho-chic style. What are some of your favorite destinations in Buckhead? I love independently owned boutiques. A couple of my favorites are Luna and Frolic. Craig Richards from St. Cecilia is creating some of the most beautiful and delicious food in the city, and R. Thomas has always been a staple for as long as I’ve lived here. Brunch at Anis Bistro is a must whenever we have out-of-town guests. What trends will we see for spring 2016 in your jewelry collection? My designs are not centered on the latest trends, but I do take note of what’s coming down the runway. You’ll see some of the influences trickle into our collection. For spring and summer, I’m using a lot of African white opal; I love the look and fresh feel of ivory and gold together. We’re also using a lot of blue Peruvian opal to add a splash of color to our MICKEY LYNN summer collection while comple404.214.6077 menting the rest of our line that mickeylynn.com has more of a neutral palette. n
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March/April 2016 | Simply Buckhead
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S I M P LY S T Y LIS H
TA S TE M A K ER
Gypsy soul STORY:
Karina Antenucci
J
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Photo: Lady Flashback
Buckhead entrepreneur Jennifer Lingvall talks and walks wellness
ennifer Lingvall’s entrepreneurial spirit sparked early in life. The 35-year-old Indiana native and Buckhead resident co-founded an interior design studio in Chicago in 2005 at 24 years old. Then, 8 years ago, she fell in love with Atlanta. Here, she co-founded A Social Mess, a Buckhead-based event company that produces and promotes a few wild parties for its closest thousand-ish “friends” each year. Around the same time in 2009, Lingvall also launched One Love Generation, a nonprofit empowering teens to inspire positive social change through art, service and awareness, which she has since sold. But it wasn’t until after beating breast cancer at the end of 2012 that she was inspired to turn her focus to creating something in the wellness realm. Last year, Lingvall formed Wigwam, a company that curates wellness experiences. A wigwam is a Native American ceremonial space. The name is meant to reflect the spirit of a powerful space where individuals gather to honor their bodies, minds and spirits. She kicked off the new venture with a threeweekend festival at the Chattahoochee Nature Center in Sandy Springs, followed by goodfor-you retreats and workshops throughout the year. Each event spotlights Atlanta’s most beloved fitness instructors, clean-eating chefs, wellness experts and local adventures. Here’s what she has to say about ATL’s wellness community, the inspiration behind Wigwam and what’s in store for you at the next festival in April.
For now, the coasts remain ahead of the game when it comes to having a mindset that is beneficial for the planet as a whole. But much like Atlanta’s growth in the film industry, the wellness trend is quickly gaining momentum.
Do you think Atlanta’s wellness community differs from other cities, and if so, how? Atlanta is a big city but small town. I think the wellness community follows suit. It’s growing rapidly and is exciting because of all of the creatives, entrepreneurs and young people moving and staying here—with everyone having one degree of separation.
What is in store for the 2016 festival? We want to continue to connect the dots between some of the best wellness resources Atlanta has to offer over a single weekend. We have curated the festival based on how our guests responded to 2015 adventures and speakers. It will be a fine-tuned experience with new surprises in store!
March/April 2016 | Simply Buckhead
What made you launch a wellness festival? I’ve had an interest in wellness since 2008, but it really came into play when I was diagnosed with an aggressive breast cancer in 2012. I approached healing with a combination of Eastern and Western medicine; in addition to chemo, I explored every resource I could get my hands on: detox plans, Chinese teas, sound therapy, acupuncture, meditation, yoga, ion-cleansing footbaths, essential oils, juicing, hypnotherapy … you name it. With the help of my “army,” I won the 20-percent-chance underdog fight. I have a knack for presenting experiences in a fun way. Wigwam was initially inspired by the brilliant resources I was lucky enough to cross paths with. What was both the greatest surprise and lesson that came out of launching last year’s Wigwam? I was surprised to see the healing-based therapy classes like NLP [neuro-linguistic programming], sound therapy and vision mapping filled quickly. It leads me to believe there is a need for connecting like-minded folks.
Jennifer’s Fave Wellness Hangouts l Atlanta Center for Holistic and Integrative Medicine,
atlantaholisticmedicine.com l Breadwinner Café and Bakery breadwinnercafe.com l Chattahoochee River Walks
atlantatrails.com/chattahoochee-river-trails l Dance 101 dance101.org l Juicy Jenny juicyjennyatl.com l Peachtree Road Farmers Market
peachtreeroadfarmersmarket.com l Treat Your Feet Massage & Spa treatyourfeetatl.com l Yoga Collective atlyogacollective.com
What is your mission for the wellness retreats and experiences you’ve launched outside of the main festival? The retreats are a way to encourage folks to see and be the best version of themselves, then to give them tools and resources to move forward with confidence. Currently, each retreat has an over-arching theme (resolutions, relationships, purpose, etc.), and all guest speakers and experiences support that theme. What are your personal go-to wellness rituals or services? Take a moment to thank myself at the end of each workout. Retreat on a personal level. Try new experiences that make me uncomfortable. Create goals for the year with my husband, career and self. Based on your experiences, what’s one piece of advice you’d give everyone on the planet? Take risks. n
WIGWAM FESTIVAL 2016 April 24-26 Chattahoochee Nature Center 9135 Willeo Road Roswell 30075 wigwamfest.com
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July/August 2015 | Simply Buckhead
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Federal law and read it before signing anything. No Federal agency has judged the merits or value, if any, of this property. Void where prohibited by law. WARNING: THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF REAL ESTATE HAS NOT INSPECTED, EXAMINED, OR DISQUALIFIED THIS OFFERING. An offering statement has been filed with the Iowa Real Estate Commission and a copy of such statement is available from OLDC upon request. OLDC properties have been registered with the Massachusetts Board of Registration of Real Estate Brokers and Salesmen at 1000 Washington Street, Suite 710, Boston, Massachusetts 02118-6100 and the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection at 1700 G Street NW, Washi53 ngton, D.C. 20552. Certain2015 OLDC properties areBuckhead registered with the Department of Law of the State of New York. THE COMPLETE OFFERING TERMS ARE IN AN OFFERING PLAN AVAILABLE FROM SPONSOR. FILE NO. H14-0001. July/August | Simply
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SIMPLY ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
LITERARY
Murder! Mayhem! Mystery! P62
“Some of the biggest names in the business have been happy to talk to us and give advice.” - Lisa Malice
Sisters in Crime members Lisa Malice, Anne Lovett Sullivan and Louise Richardson are part of the group that meets monthly to discuss mystery and crime writing. Photo: Scott Reeves
March/April 2016 | Simply Buckhead
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S I MP LY A & E
ON STAGE
A new morning voice Buckhead and “The Bert Show” welcome comedian Brian Moote STORY:
Jim Farmer
N
ow that being an on-air radio personality is his profession, Brian Moote can look back and chuckle somewhat. It’s certainly nothing he ever grew up aiming for. In early January, Moote joined Q100’s very popular “The Bert Show,” syndicated in 17 markets across the country, as part of a morning trio that includes host Bert Weiss and co-host Kristin Klingshirn. It’s a high-profile job that came together quickly last fall, yet the road there has not been linear. After growing up on a farm in Whidbey Island, Washington, he attended the University of La Verne from 2000 to 2004. He briefly played basketball there and hung out on the set of a radio show with a friend. Ultimately, he earned a psychology degree but did so without any idea of what he would do with it. For a while after college, he taught special education classes for at-risk youth and at night started performing stand-up comedy. In 2007, he moved to Boston to get a master’s degree in social work from Boston College. Then he relocated to Los Angeles to do more stand-up and some television, including MTV’s “Money From Strangers.” In 2014, he was in the right spot—
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March/April 2016 | Simply Buckhead
performing on the road in Seattle— and auditioned to become one of the co-hosts of the “Jackie, Marco and Moote” show on Click 98.9 FM. He’s been working in radio since and loves it. When he heard of the opening created when Jeff Dauler left “The Bert Show” last fall, he contacted the station. “That kind of job just doesn’t come open,” he says. “It’s rare.” The next day he interviewed with Cumulus Media and “The Bert Show” crew. After a few visits, he accepted the job and moved from Seattle. His first day was fun, although nerve racking. “It is a big show,” he admits. He had been listening and getting used to the format and made sure he wasn’t too overeager that morning. It clicked immediately. “We have a natural chemistry, like we are friends talking,” he says. “No one is trying to outdo each other. We didn’t have that awkwardness; I did not feel like an outsider.” Although he performed stand-up at Midtown’s Laughing Skull Lounge in 2011, he wasn’t overly familiar with Atlanta before moving here. Yet he’s quickly taken to it. “People in Atlanta are very talkative and chatty. In Seattle and in other places I have lived, if you
try and strike up a conversation with them, they give you a look like you are a murderer or something.” Moote’s wife, Katie, a singer who was featured on “The X Factor” in the United Kingdom in 2010, just opened a boutique spa in Buckhead called P.S. Love from London. The two moved into a Buckhead apartment in December and are excited to be in an area where a lot is going on. As long as his days can get—it’s not uncommon for him to arrive at the station at 5 a.m.—he still loves doing standup at night around town. Even when he does, though, he’s in bed no later than 10 p.m. so he can have the requisite energy and charm the next morning. n
Not just a morning voice, Brian continues to perform stand-up comedy.
March/April 2016 | Simply Buckhead 
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S I M P LY A & E
A RT V IE W
Above: Artist Anne Vincent creates unique pieces of wearable art in her Buckhead home. Left: Art or fashion? Both! This plush, midcalf coat is made of hand-dyed silk, Merino wool, silk roving, wool locks and found fabrics. And it has no seams, and is fully reversible.
Right: Scarves are in, especially when they’re a one-of-a-kind art piece. This creation by artist Anne Vincent is handdyed silk that, if flattened, would be 12-feet long and 3-feet wide. Right: The artist works in her Buckhead studio, carved out a portion of the basement. A board covered with ideas provides inspirations for future projects.
Wearable art Buckhead designer creates one-of-a-kind clothes
A
rt isn’t always just on a wall or pedestal to be admired. For Buckhead artist Anne Vincent, art is a practical and important element in daily life, a creation that can be taken along wherever the owner goes. Vincent, who retired two years ago from a 35-year career as an interior designer, works exclusively in textiles, coming up with new fabrics that can be used in a myriad of functional ways. That passion dates back to her youngest years, growing up in Florida. “I started sewing clothes for my Barbie dolls when I was six, and I’ve been sewing and knitting ever since. At one point, I even studied weaving.” After a one-day purse-making class at the Chastain Arts Center 12 years ago, Vincent was captivated by the
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March/April 2016 | Simply Buckhead
STORY:
H.M. Cauley
process of designing and making something tangible. “That was when I fell in love with textiles and got into felting, the oldest of the textile arts that’s had a resurgence in the last 15 years or so.” Felting is the process of separating the fibers found in wool. “I use olive oil soap to make the wool fibers open up, then manipulate them by rubbing, rolling or scrubbing them. They then shrink way down, which gives them a fantastic texture.” Vincent uses the wool to make scarves, wraps, shawls and jackets that are usually finished with two layers of hand-dyed silk and one of Merino wool, so each item is about a third wool and two-thirds silk. Prices range from $150 for a scarf to $1,850 for a coat. “I really design mostly for what
I like and what my friends wear,” she says. “We travel a lot, so wearability and packability are important. I’m working now on organza vests that are hand-dyed, and I also want to do capes that you can dress up or down. And since I can’t get the designer out of me, I’m also interested in couch pillows, throws and table runners.” Vincent might spend several days working on one item in her studio that occupies half her garage. “It’s next to the laundry room, and that has become more of a dye studio,” she says with a laugh. “I’m always developing my own color schemes based on things I see everywhere, particularly in nature. The space works fine, but like every artist, my dream is to have a loft with skylights.” n
Anne Vincent’s handmade clothing items can be found at the Signature Shop and Gallery, 3267 Roswell Road, and online at annevincent.com. From March 11 to 13, she will be one of the exhibiting artists at the American Craft Council Show at the Cobb Galleria Centre. Information about show times, tickets and directions is online at craftcouncil.org.
March/April 2016 | Simply Buckhead 
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S I M P LY A & E
LITE R A RY
Lisa Malice (far left), Anne Lovett Sullivan (center) and Louise Richardson are part of the Sisters in Crime Atlanta chapter whose members are working on their own stories as well as reading some of the newest books in the genre.
Murder! Mayhem! Mystery! Sisters in Crime are on the case
T
hey don’t meet on dark and stormy nights, and they’re not prone to skulking around, examining everything with magnifying glasses. But they do know a bit more than most people about poisons, weapons, forensic evidence and how to tell a dastardly good tale. Members of the Atlanta chapter of the national Sisters in Crime club have been coming together for about 20 years to share their particular literary passion: crime of all sorts. Published authors, novice writers and fans of the mystery genre—including several men— meet monthly to discuss their projects and to learn some insider skills from experts in the writing and crime fields. “I really enjoy the speakers,” says Louise Richardson, a Brookhaven resident and past president who joined about six years ago. “We’ve had a number of local writers who have spoken on a variety of topics— marketing, writing as a business and the craft. And we’ve had crime experts, investigators and profilers as well.” Among the featured speakers have
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STORY:
been well-known mystery writers, says the current president, Lisa Malice. “Some of the biggest names in the business, like Tess Gerritsen (author of the Rizzoli and Isles series), have been happy to talk to us and give advice,” she says. “In fact, Sisters in Crime was started by Sara Paretsky to support women crime writers. We now have 52 chapters across the country.” Malice, who confirms that her last name is real and just happens to be perfect for a mystery writer, learned about the group in 2011 from local author Kathy Hogan Trocheck, who uses the pen name Mary Kay Andrews. “I decided to commit myself to fulltime writing and to try my hand at a mystery,” Malice says. “I’m now working on a third draft of a story and getting ready to send it to a story editor.” Richardson didn’t come to the group with a project either, and now she’s got several ideas in progress. “In fact, I had never tried anything in this genre, but I wanted to do it, and this group got me reading more crime stories and mysteries.”
H.M. Cauley PHOTO: Scott Reeves Sandy Springs resident Anne Lovett Sullivan, a Sister for about 5 years, learned about the club from another writers’ group. “I was working on a mystery and wanted to be around other mystery writers,” she says. “And I’m the kind of person who likes to solve things, so solving the crime attracted me. Now I’ve finished a mystery set partly in Buckhead and am making contacts to get it published.” Meetings are held on the second Saturday of each month starting at 10:30 a.m. at the Smyrna Public Library. After the business portion, the speaker and members sit down for lunch at a nearby restaurant. And guests are always welcome, with or without a magnifying glass. n
The next Sisters in Crime meeting will be held March 12. Smyrna Public Library 100 Village Green Circle Smyrna 30080 770.431.2860 sistersincrimeatlantachapter.com
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RE V I E W | DRI N K S | F O ODI E J OU RNA L | TA S T E M A K E R | RE S TAU R A N T S
SIMPLY DELICIOUS
The only way to get things started at Chama Gaucha are with caipirinhas, such as classic lime (left) or tropical fruit (right).
RESTAURANT REVIEW
Photo: Sara Hanna Photography
Life’s a buffet P66
If meat is your thing, you’ll be in heaven at Chama Gaucha. March/April 2016 | Simply Buckhead
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S I M P LY D E LICIOUS
R E V IE W
Right: Before the meat fest, you’ll want to stop by the super-fresh salad bar, featuring everything from asparagus and roasted tomatoes to the classic wedge, Caesar and shrimp cocktail. Below: Side dishes of sweet caramelized bananas, mashed potatoes and crispy polenta appear at the table just as the gauchos begin to circle.
LIFE’S A
BUFFET E
ven in America, where binge eating often feels like a competitive sport, “buffet” can be a pejorative term. If you don’t believe me, mention Golden Corral or Old Country Buffet to a CrossFit junkie. It’s like flinging holy water on a vampire. They hiss. They scream. They curl up like bacon on filet mignon. All that said, Americans don’t own the buffet culture, nor does an occasional trip to an all-you-can-eatery guarantee you to be a porker. Just look at the Brazilians (please!). “Tall and tan and young and lovely,” they think nothing of spending a morning at Ipanema, then slipping out of their wet bikinis and into a nice hot churrascaria (as the South American-style, all-you-can-eat steakhouses are known). There, the caipirinhas flow, the salad bar goes on for miles, and the carnal lust is palpable. All eyes are on the servers, men in gaucho attire bearing endless skewers of flame-kissed prime rib, pork loin, sausage, lamb, chicken, shrimp, and on and on—all you care to eat for a set price. I’ve noted that buffet-loving Southerners (Texans included) have taken quite a shine to this promenade of juicy hunks. In
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Chama Gaucha brings (another) taste of Brazil to Buckhead STORY:
Wendell Brock PHOTOS: Sara Hanna
Buckhead alone, there are two Brazilian meat palaces on Piedmont Road. East of Peachtree, an outpost of the Brazilian chain Fogo de Chão sits on the choice strip of restaurant real estate that includes Buckhead Diner and Kyma, while to the west of the city’s main artery is Chama Gaucha. Opened in April of last year, it’s one of four restaurants from a much smaller, Houston-based company. After scarfing meat for years at Fogo, where I have nice memories of birthday parties and family dinners, I’ve turned my eye on Chama Gaucha, which feels a little fresher and has a slightly lower price point ($45.50 for the total package at dinner vs. $51.50 at Fogo). Though I had a relatively quiet early dinner at Chama Gaucha back in November, a recent Saturday night visit was a little more frenetic. Waiting until the last minute to make a reservation, we took the earliest slot we could get (9 p.m.), then showed up about an hour early hoping they could work us in. Sure enough, before we could take more than a couple of sips of our drinks, our beeper flashed red, and the orgy of eating began. Though Chama Gaucha offers all kinds of
cocktails, from bourbon lemonade to mango-jalapeño margaritas to green-tea martinis, I always start with a traditional caipirinha. Made of nothing more than cachaça (sugarcane-based white rum), lime and sugar, it’s the national cocktail of Brazil. Chama Gaucha gets the caipirinha right, though if on a busy night the bartender doesn’t take the time to dissolve the sugar, you may need to take a spoon and stir. You may also request a caipirinha made with passion fruit, pineapple and other tropical flavors. Or maybe you’d prefer wine or beer. Me, I stick to the classic. Inevitably, when I find myself at a churrascaria, I say I’d be perfectly content with just the salad bar. (Yeah, right. Funny how that never happens.) But seriously, Chama Gaucha’s lineup of pristine greens, asparagus, beets, cucumber, broccoli, hearts of palm, cheese, charcuterie and every kind of salad accouterment you can think of is a dazzler. I especially love the cool, ceviche-like shrimp in tangy tomato sauce, the tabbouleh, the crunchy curls of bacon and—of all things—the chicken salad, which is just a tad sweet and heavy on the mayo (in a good way). While I appreciate the hat-tip to my home state, the so-called Georgia
Above: Rib-eye, sausage and pork ribs (shown here with mashed potatoes) are among the numerous meat choices at Chama Gaucha. Left: Gauchos deliver the meat— like this bottom sirloin—tableside. Right: The meats at Chama Gaucha are grilled rotisserie style over an open flame.
If you are feeling adventurous, I suggest you try a bit of everything, then ask for more of the cuts that really please. Salad—with pecans and strawberries, grapes and whatnot—would probably be more at home at the Swan Coach House than a rodízio. When it comes to the meat service, if you are feeling adventurous, I suggest you try a bit of everything, then ask for more of the cuts that really please. Of these main-course offerings, the beef rib is, hands down, the be-still-my-heart best cut. I’m a farm boy from South Georgia, and this tasted like the cow of my childhood: rich, succulent and tallow-y. (I don’t even want to think about the fat content.) You might skip the bottom sirloin (a dryer cut), but do try the famous picanha (thin, delicate slices of prime sirloin). I enjoyed the filet and the petite lamb chops, but I don’t think the Parmesan-encrusted pork loin worked— the flavors seem to fight one another. The prime rib was tasty but not essential; the sausage could have been plumper and juicier. Every dinner comes with a trio of sides: rich, cheesy mashed potatoes; wonderfully sweet caramelized bananas; crispy, fried polenta, all good. Do ask for a side of the perky chimichurri sauce and the horseradish cream, which I could spread on just about anything, from potatoes to beef.
I’ve never been able to think about dessert at Chama Gaucha. But if you must have something sweet or happen to be celebrating a birthday, there are plenty of options: flan, crème brûlée, cheesecake, papaya cream, tres leches, molten-chocolate cake and so on. In the end, Chama Gaucha is a welcome addition to Atlanta’s churrascaria scene. Overall, the food is delicious, though you’ll have a better experience and more attentive service if you go when the place is not slammed. On the Saturday we were there, we got plenty of shrimp, sausage, chicken and so on, but it was well into the meal before we saw the beef. And while I am a salt lover who thinks that a fine cut of meat needs little else, after a while, you start to notice a sameness to the flavor profile, as if salt and garlic are their own food group here. All that said, if meat is your thing, you’ll be in heaven at Chama Gaucha. Like Southerners, Brazilians love to talk, and they love to eat. So don’t think of this as an opportunity to binge. Take breathers between courses. Pace yourself. Walk around. Stretch. Talk with friends. Order another caipirinha. Then eat some more. “Buffet” should not be a negative term but a philosophy: When life hands you abundance and variety, take time to savor and enjoy. n
Above: Papaya cream is doused with creme de cassis, a fruity finish to a decadent meal. CHAMA GAUCHA 3365 Piedmont Road N.E., Suite 1350, Atlanta 30305 404.842.0011 chamagaucha.com Prices: Dinner: $44.50. Lunch: $26.50. Salad bar only: Dinner: $24.50. Lunch: $19.50 Recommended: Caipirinhas. Pao de queijo (cheese bread). Caramelized bananas. Salad bar. Beef rib, picanha, filet mignon, lamb chops, drumsticks, shrimp. Bottom line: South meets South America, deliciously.
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D R IN KS
Patio and Tuna Tartare hotos: Heidi Geldhauser
Left: Creature Comforts offers a rotation of fruited berliner-weisse beers, like this Tart Cherry Athena Paradiso. Right: What pairs well with a sour sip? A sunny patio, like the one at Le Bilboquet. Below: Orpheus Brewing’s Tart Plum Saison is an easyto-drink sour with fruity undertones.
PAIRING TIP: Liefmans’ Kriek-Brut
“This is one of the best sour Belgian beers on the market. We offer it on our beverage menu. It pairs best with dishes like our tuna tartare and crab and avocado salad, and is enjoyed best on the patio.” –JON SKINNER, GENERAL MANAGER AT LE BILBOQUET
PUCKER UP! Add a fresh new flavor to your spring beer lineup with sour beers.
Y
ou may have noticed sour beers sliding onto the beverage lists of your favorite Buckhead restaurants and bars such as Le Bilboquet and Cook Hall. Take a sip, and you’ll discover an acidic, sour, funky and oftentimes fruity palate. While new to many of us, this flavorful style of beer has actually been around for centuries. Until the 1800s, nearly all beers exhibited some aspect of sourness due to exposure to acidic microorganisms and wild yeasts in the air. During a beer revolution, brewers learned how to isolate yeasts and create a clean beer absent of unwanted bacteria and yeasts, thus preventing that sour flavor. After World War II, many small craft breweries still practicing these old methods were destroyed, so sours became much more scarce. In just the last few years, we’ve seen a rediscovery and resurgence of these methods. Today, brewers intentionally add an element of sourness to their beers in a variety of ways. During open fermentation, for instance, brewers allow their work to sour by placing
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STORY:
Kelly Jordan
NEW TO SOURS? TRY THESE! NIK KATZ RECOMMENDS:
it in an open vessel that is exposed to the air (be it inside the brewery or the air outside), which allows bacteria, natural yeasts and flavors floating around to get into the beer. Brewers can also add in specific yeasts, additives (such as fruit) and bacteria with acidic characteristics, such as lactobacillus, pediococcus and acetobacter, to assist in souring the beer. What you end up with is a wide range of sour beers that vary from light, fruity and slightly tangy to astringent, mouth-puckering ales. “For those out there who are beer nerds or at least are willing to try something different, it is a very unique and delicious style that is quite uncommon,” advises Nik Katz, former general manager at Buckhead’s American Food and Beverage. “Its tart/sour taste lends itself to pairing with food probably more so than any other style of beer, with maybe stouts/porters pairing with desserts being the exception.” Midtown Atlanta-based Orpheus Brewing, for instance, hangs its reputation on its large selection of sour saison ales such as the tart,
plummy Atalanta, the fig-infused Sykophantes and the summery Wandering Blues (a blueberry sour). “I distinctly remember my first sour beer. It was a Duchesse De Bourgogne (a Flemish red ale),” says Jason Pellett, president and brewmaster at Orpheus Brewing. “It was so different from anything I had ever tasted.” That was the main reason Pellett started home-brewing, and it became the impetus for opening Orpheus. These fun, flavorful suds often contain elements of fruit or spice and are delicious with food. Cheers to a delicious spring and summer! n
DETAILS: Le Bilboquet 3035 Peachtree Road N.E. Atlanta 30305 404.869.9944 lebilboquetatlanta.com Orpheus Brewing 1440 Dutch Valley Place N.E. Atlanta 30324 orpheusbrewing.com
Russian River Brewing Company’s Supplication
“Master brewer Vinnie Cilurzo uses pinot noir barrels as part of the aging process, and often another fermentation, which adds another level of complexity and flavor.” Jester King Brewery’s Cerveza de Tempranillo
“They take beer-making seriously, and the result is epic!” Orpheus Brewing’s Sykophantes
“It’s a great sour ale with subtle fig flavor that actually makes it slightly more approachable for those afraid of the unique sour flavor.” JASON PELLETT RECOMMENDS: Creature Comforts’ Athena Paradiso
“They are always introducing different versions of this, but it’s always good.” Three Taverns’ Raspberry Sour Asylum Oude Gueuze Tilquin à L’Ancienne
Introducing London Sells Atlanta Perginia London is a REALTOR® with Keller Williams First Atlanta. Perginia relocated to Atlanta from Salt Lake City, Utah in October 2014 and has been a licensed real estate agent since arriving. She specializes in the luxury real estate market working with both buyers and sellers. Perginia is a member of the Atlanta Board of REALTORS®, the Georgia Assosciation of REALTORS®, and the National Association of REALTORS®. Licensed REALTOR in SLC with over 20 years of Sales Experience. “I believe in hard work and commitment to every buyer and seller!” Perginia is a native of Chicago, IL. She enjoys all things real estate, traveling, reading, networking & socializing, and spending quality time with her family.
Cell 801-879-8536 | Office 404 531 5700 200 Glenridge Point Parkway, Suite 100 Atlanta GA 30342
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W
hen food and technology meet, it’s not always a good thing. For instance, whether or not genetically modified foods are safe is about as hotly contested a debate as any other. But then there are times when technology combines with our food world to deliver a homerun. We found a few great apps and online tools that simplify the way we shop and eat out in Buckhead.
Instacart When you’re desperate for groceries but can’t leave the house (sick child, on deadline), you can place a grocery order via Instacart and have it delivered within the hour, or at the time of your choosing. The service works with several stores in Buckhead and Brookhaven, including Whole Foods Market, Publix, Kroger and Costco. instacart.com
Caviar If you’d rather just have a meal from a Buckhead restaurant delivered, check out Caviar. The company teamed up with tons of the best spots in the area to offer exclusive delivery—think Qing Mu, Meehan’s Buckhead, NaanStop Buckhead, Eclipse di Luna and more. You can order online or on the free mobile app, and keep track of your order via Caviar’s built-in GPS tracking feature. trycaviar.com
SPRING MENU TRENDS We asked some of Buckhead’s top chefs what they see trending for spring. Here’s what they told us.
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FORD FRY
Ford Fry, Ford Fry Restaurants
SUZANNE VIZETHANN
“I think serving fish that may not be the ‘popular’ species will be much more prevalent. For instance, look for Pacific or Gulf yellowfin tuna instead of bluefin tuna, or opah, another great fish served rare to medium rare. We’ll see new varieties of fish like turbot instead of Atlantic halibut. I also think we will start seeing more chef-driven, quick-service restaurants pop up.”
Suzanne Vizethann, Buttermilk Kitchen “I think you will start or should start to see smaller portions of food offered. Chefs are buying more grass-fed, natural products, which tend to be smaller than conventional [sizes] due to lack of hormones. ‘Less is more’ is an important philosophy that chefs and customers need to adopt.”
Shaun Doty, Bantam + Biddy “I think there will be continued interest and awareness by our community in the wonderful diversity of cultures and cuisines on Buford Highway. Also, real pastured eggs from White Oak Pastures and others will be making their debut on top local chefs’ menus. And super foods will continue to find their way onto menus in new and innovative ways.”
Ford Fry Restaurants 404.355.5311 fordfry.com Buttermilk Kitchen 4225 Roswell Road Atlanta 30342 678.732.3274 buttermilkkitchen.com Bantam + Biddy Lenox Square 3393 Peachtree Road Unit 3065B Atlanta 30326 404.841.7559 bantamandbiddy.com
SHAUN DOTY
FOOD NEWS
Living Social Restaurants Plus For those nights when you’re ready to get out of the house, Living Social launched Restaurants Plus to let customers eat at great restaurants and save money. All you have to do is sign up on the website and pay with your registered credit card. Then you’ll start earning 30 percent cash back at Buckhead and Sandy Springs restaurants, such as Gordon Biersch, Meehan’s Public House and Food 101. livingsocial.com
Sarah Gleim
Photo: Sarah Dorio
FOOD MEETS TECH
BY:
n Fifth Group Restaurants is breaking ground again in Buckhead, this time to open a third location of its award-winning European restaurant Ecco. It’s slated to open near Phipps Plaza in mid-2017. Plus, the restaurant group’s third outpost of South City Kitchen is scheduled to open in May on the lower level of the PulteGroup building at 3350 Peachtree Road in Buckhead.
Photo: Sara Hanna Photography
s Instacart sends its shoppers to pick up groceries (seen here at Whole Foods Market) for clients who place their order online.
Culinary News & Notes
Photo: Emily Schultz
FOODIE JOURNAL
n Brookhaven and Buckhead are now home to the new doughnut shop Bon Glaze. The two locales, which opened early this year in Brookleigh Marketplace and Powers Ferry Square, feature 20 different fresh-made doughnuts, two Belgian waffles and Bon Bons (doughnut holes), plus woodsmoked bacon by the slice. What’s not to love? Bon Glaze Brookleigh Market 3575 Durden Drive Brookhaven 30319 678.691.4534
Powers Ferry Square 3792 Roswell Road Atlanta 30342 404.662.1415 bonglaze.com
s A gooey Bon Glaze doughnut with bacon on top.
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TA S TE MAKER
SWEET GENIUS When it comes to culinary creations, Rosalyn James takes the cake STORY:
Carly Cooper
A
How did you get into the food business? My father is a chef—he cooked for 54 years—so I’ve always been around it. I’ve been drawing and painting since I was a kid. I fused food and art together. People really like to take pictures of food, so I want to give them a real keepsake and a conversation piece. Then I started seeking out other professionals in the trade to help me master the craft. I studied fashion merchandising and sewed and painted through school. I was working in interior design, then the housing market crashed. I studied cake making and carving under celebrity chef James Parker and Ray Duey of the Food Network. I took their class twice. I’ve always done everything; switching between things actually keeps my skills set sharp and gives me creative challenges. Tell us about Southern Sassy Cooking. The book is based on the four things farmed in Georgia: peaches, pecans, peanuts and Vidalia onions. When my siblings and I were kids and people would visit us in Smyrna, we would send them home with those items. They were a big part of my history. I wanted to do a Southern cookbook different from every other Southern cookbook. I have candied bacon, Vidalia onion ice cream, fried green tomatoes with peach chut-
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ney and peanut butter-spicy barbecue ribs in the book. There’s nothing normal in there. The cookbook is about bringing families together and bringing the Sunday dinner back. I wanted to do simple recipes with 10 items or fewer—items that most people would already have in their house. What’s next for you? I have another cookbook planned with a lot of old recipes from my aunt who passed away from cancer. She was an excellent cook and a true socialite in Atlanta. She was the first person who taught me that food had style. The way she laid out platters and dishes was beautiful. She wrote Dorothy’s Kitchen in 1996 to raise money for a daycare center. It had recipes for dill salmon, pineapple ham loaf, chicken gumbo and chicken barley soup. I’m going to remake her cookbook this year to raise money for cancer research. What are some of the most memorable cake designs you’ve created? I did a cake for Mayor Kasim Reed. I took his bio and designed a cake based on it. It had the city of Atlanta skyline on the bottom layer, the colleges he went to on the second tier and a replica of the person on top of the capitol building downtown on the top. It was 5 feet high!
Photo: Daniel Fowler, American Technologies
self-described culinary artist, Rosalyn James (a.k.a. Rozz) combined her passion for art with her love of food. A Vinings resident, she’s known around the city for overthe-top cakes designed to celebrate her clients’ personalities. She’s been known to create frosted replicas of designer handbags, high heels from chocolate, and cake-y college mascots for notable clients such as Usher, stars of the Real Housewives and NBA legend Charles Oakley. “When you design a cake for someone, they should see themselves in it and no one else. The cake has to fit the person,” James says. Last year, James released a cookbook, Southern Sassy Cooking (Amazon, $15.95), but she’s not stopping there!
I made a cake for the Rising Seniors foundation, a working symposium for high school students. It was a chocolate replica of a Heisman trophy holding the Super Bowl trophy, all on a stack of books. It represented the importance of building your foundation on education, and then anything is possible. What’s your creative process? How do you go about working with a new client? I do my homework and ask about you. If I’m doing a dish for you and you’re having friends over, I’m going to ask where your friends are from. Then I’m going to sketch the cake design to make sure you like it. What kind of charities do you work with? I just helped run the kitchen for Hosea Feed the Hungry. I’ve done cakes for Curing Kids Cancer for their Christmas celebration. Two weeks ago, I was cooking grilled pimento cheese sandwiches and peanut broccoli slaw for former president Jimmy Carter as part of a benefit lunch for the Friends of Jimmy Carter National Historic Site Foundation. What do you do in your spare time? I have two boys, ages 17 and 16. They keep me busy. n
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FEATURED RESTAURANTS A sampling of great eats in and around Buckhead BY: Wendell
Brock
PHOTOS:
Sara Hanna
THE BUCKET SHOP CAFÉ Atlanta’s answer to TV’s “Cheers,” this casual, family-owned spot across from Lenox Square is a game-day institution with seriously good pub grub, friendly prices and spirited, efficient service. Burgers, wings and sandwiches of all kinds dominate the menu. But one dish on the starting lineup deserves a special trophy: the chicken rolls. Perhaps they sound like a fusion experiment, but in fact, these crispy, deep-fried egg roll wrappers stuffed with chicken, cheese, sour cream, chives and Tex-Mex sauce (salsa mixed with ranch) are downright addictive. The Bucket Shop team gets extra points for its solid, ever-changing list of local craft brews. Starters: $6-$13 Sandwiches and burgers: $9- $13 Entrées: $12-$18 bucketshopcafe.com
BABYLON CAFÉ When Iraqi native Saad Marwad and his wife, Kelly Rafia, opened Babylon Café in 2014, the city’s foodie community started to buzz about the couple’s fresh, flavorful repertoire of Middle Eastern classics, from falafel and hummus to kebabs and baklava. While the starters are quite good—try the fattoush salad, the lentil soup and the eggplant badenjan—the earthy, long-simmered stews are unlike anything else in town.
We like the herb-based qurma sabzi with super-tender lamb shank and the bamia (okra and tomatoes) with oxtail. Don’t leave with out a sip of the aniseflavored aperitif called “arak” and a bite of kanafeh, a sweet made of shredded phyllo, housemade sweet cheese, roseand orange-water syrup and pistachios. Appetizers and sides: $2-$7 Entrées: $12-$20 babyloncafeatl.com
DAVIO’S NORTHERN ITALIAN STEAKHOUSE With its handmade pasta, terrific steaks and foundation of classic Italian dishes, the Atlanta outpost of Massachusetts-based chef-preneur Steve DiFillippo sets a higher-thanusual standard for a mall restaurant. Fine-food lovers flock to Phipps Plaza for Davio’s delicious fried calamari, tagliatelle Bolognese, and warm spinach salad like ravenous shoppers on the hunt for Louis Vuitton bags, Tiffany silver and Dior gowns. And they can do no better than the buttery medallion of impeccably grilled top sirloin, slathered with Gorgonzola and paired with wilted spinach and sea-saltand-truffle-oil fries. No wonder the Davio’s menu is as tantalizing as the shoe department at Nordstrom. Appetizers and salads: $9-$16 Pastas, entrées and steaks: $18-$48 davios.com/atl Davio’s tagliatelle is smothered in a classic Bolognese sauce, made from braised veal, beef, pork and tomato.
A mix-and-match assortment of sweets at Kyma: baklava with pistachio ice cream; Greek donuts; and yogurt with honey and walnuts.
DEL FRISCO’S GRILLE While the Texas-based chain is known for superb steaks, fusion appetizers and flatbreads, we think the burgers are sensational. In particular, the Pimento Cheese Burger, an uptown riff on the Big Mac, is a tower of juicy deliciousness: two patties with lettuce, tomato and pickle; plus housemade “sloppy sauce” (it’s like a smooth Thousand Island); plus two generous smears of pimento cheese, which slides down the stack and seals in all that juicy goodness. Del Frisco’s gets special points for packaging: The burger sits coyly in a partly open paper wrapper, while the fries are in a little paper cone on the side. A cold frothy draft beer is the clincher. Appetizers: $7-$16.50 Sandwiches & flatbreads: $12.50-$18 Steaks: $29.50-$39.50 delfriscosgrille.com/atlanta
HAL’S “THE STEAKHOUSE” Looking on the outside like a highend strip joint topped with a Bourbon Street balcony, Hal’s has built its cachet around its loyal clientele, old-school style, impeccable service and terrific food. Owner Hal Nowak is a New Orleans native, and in his eponymous enterprise—with its shrimp rémoulade, oysters bordelaise and booze-soaked bread pudding—he has created Atlanta’s answer to Galatoire’s.
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This may be your grandparents’ favorite restaurant, but in an age where everything old is new again, it also boasts a youthful clientele that appreciates its straightforward food, strong drinks and speakeasy atmosphere. Appetizers and salads: $9-$24 Entrées and steaks: $24-$50 hals.net
GEORGIA GRILLE Many years after its opening, Georgia Grille remains true to Atlanta-born owner Karen Hilliard’s original vision, which means she still splashes the bright flavors of Santa Fe onto the plates of her happy and devoted customers. The Frenchtrained Hilliard dresses her creations in voluptuous cream sauces accented with smoky poblanos or tart tomatillos—and drizzles them with colorful squirt-bottle squiggles of flavor. We dug her smokedpollo enchiladas, which are stuffed with onion and sour cream, smothered with green-chile sauce and tomato salsa and served with a little salad in a taco-shell cup. The flat-iron steak, rubbed with salt and spices and cooked until its crust is charred, was another solid choice. Atlanta has plenty of regional restaurants, but a good Southwestern place is hard to find. Hilliard, who lives in nearby Peachtree Hills, knows what her neighbors want, and she dares not let them down. Entrées: $15-$31 georgiagrille.com
KYMA The name means “wave,” and that’s exactly what executive chef Pano I. Karatassos has been doing at his family’s stellar Greek seafood restaurant since 2002. From marides (tiny, “French fry”-size white fish) to Greek specimens grilled whole (try the barbounia or bronzino), Kyma excels at delivering the kind of simple, unadorned flavors you’ll encounter on a patio by the Aegean. Order a glass of Greek wine (there are many options) and a few classic meze for sharing (we like the dolmades, spanakopita, cuttlefish stuffed with lamb stew, and the feta-zucchini fritters), and your meal will go just swimmingly.
The famous fried chicken at Watershed on Peachtree is served with biscuits and honey; you’ll want to ask for a side of mac and cheese, too.
Meze: $8-$14 Mains: $26-$46 (Whole fish: $30 or $36 per pound) buckheadrestaurants.com/kyma
NEWK’S EATERY This Mississippi-based chain has popped up in the Atlanta market, and though it looks like a fast-food joint, it tastes like homemade. Salads—from shrimp rémoulade salad to a delicious steak-and-blue-cheese version to old-fashioned chicken salad—are a standout. At this casual, family friendly, crowd-pleasing spot you can also get sandwiches, pizzas and mac-and-cheese but, refreshingly, no burgers! We are pretty crazy about the sausage-and-pepperoni pie, with its thin crust and warm and gooey toppings. And who can resist a crispy rice treat with chocolate and peanut butter? Not us. Salads, sandwiches and pizzas: $7-$11 newks.com
PANAHAR BANGLADESHI CUISINE Anyone who has a passing familiarity with Indian food will feel right at home at this exotic-yet-homespun Buford Highway hole-in-the-wall. The $9.99 lunch buffet is a delicious way to sample the flavorful, aromatic cuisine of Bangladesh, which often uses less spice and more coconut milk than its sister region in Northern India. At dinner, you may take advantage of the BYOB policy, bringing wine or beer to wash down the highly appealing biryanis, kormas, tandooris and other delights of the Bengali table, including many here with beef. Appetizers: $4-$6 Mains: $11-$15 panaharbangladeshi.com
PORTOFINO We often dream about this slightly-offPaces Ferry slice of Italy, where execu-
tive chef Matt Marcus’ earthy cooking evokes Liguria while staying smartly anchored in America. (And sometimes the American South.) Since 2000, this neighborhood gem has been a primo spot for feasting on the vibrant flavors of its Italian Riviera namesake. Veal-and-ricotta meatballs, fried artichokes, luxurious pastas, polenta with shrimp, limoncello cheesecake: It’s the sort of wonderfully comforting, hand-crafted fare that satisfies our longing for La Bella Vita when a trip to Italy is simply not in the cards. Soups, salads and antipasto: $7-$14 Pastas and entrées: $18-$29 portofinoatl.com
TAKA SUSHI AND PASSION Chef Taka Moriuchi learned from perhaps the most famously finicky and cult-inspiring Japanese chef Atlanta has ever known: Sotohiro Kosugi, owner of Buckhead’s legendary (but now shuttered) Soto Japanese Restaurant. Today, Moriuchi holds court at his own Pharr Road sushi bar, where his impeccably fresh fish and hot and cold appetizers compare to the best Japanese food in town. The only difference: His prices won’t shipwreck your budget. Among our faves, the UPS roll is a delicious nod to the Atlanta-based Big Brown fleet, and the black cod and okra tempura are packages you’ll be happy to see arrive at your table. Appetizers: $6-$20 Nigiri: $2.50-$11 Sushi rolls: $4.50-$19.50 takasushiatlanta.com
TED’S MONTANA GRILL
riff: bacon-and-egg pizza, if you will.
We love everything about the housemade dill pickles; the fat onion rings with horseradish dipping sauce; the Arnold Palmers; and the all-American, stick-a-flag-in-it, “where the buffalo roam” burgers. Yep, we’re talking bison, baby. It’s leaner than beef, yet richer and moister, somehow. The Ted’s burger that really rocks our world is the Blue Creek: Inspired by owner Ted Turner’s Blue Creek Ranch in Nebraska, it comes with bacon crumbles and blue cheese. And that’s all it needs. Just ask for a side of rings and a little ramekin of that horsey sauce.
Salads and small plates: $9-$12 Pastas and pie: $13-$16 thirteenpies.com
Appetizers: $5-$14 Burgers: $12-$19 tedsmontanagrill.com
THIRTEEN PIES This modern gourmet-pizza parlor in the posh Buckhead Atlanta development is a welcome addition to this pie-struck town. The room is beautiful, the cocktails memorable, the small plates and housemade pastas stuffed with fresh, vibrant, Mediterranean flavors. But what really shines are the pizzas—thin, crisp, and small enough so that each bite of mushroom or lamb sausage counts. The Iberian, with fennel salami, “old” manchego, smoked provolone, yellow tomatoes and other Spanish ingredients, is a perennial crowd-pleaser, while the Spotted Trotter Guanciale and Farm Egg is a deliciously rustic, sunny-side-up breakfast
WATERSHED ON PEACHTREE Co-owned by Indigo Girl Emily Saliers and restaurateur Ross Jones, Watershed is a restaurant with a storied, personality-driven past. It started as a walk-up sandwich shop in Decatur, won a James Beard Award for chef Scott Peacock and moved to Buckhead in 2012. Recently, chef Zeb Stevenson took over the kitchen, and his Southern and sometimes French-accented food is a decided improvement over predecessor Joe Truex. We are crazy about the dreamy chicken-liver mousse, smokedtrout brandade and Appalachian cider beans, a cassoulet-like play on pork and beans. A self-taught cook who brings soul, excitement and the occasional spark of genius, Stevenson is less interested in replicating the greatest hits of the past than cooking straight from the heart. We should all respect that. Appetizers: $8-$16 Entrees: $9-$18 at lunch, $20-$35 at dinner watershedrestaurant.com
Hungry for more? Visit the Simply Buckhead website to read all of our Restaurant Reviews! simplybuckhead.com
March/April 2016 | Simply Buckhead
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SIMPLY B U CKHEAD COV ER S TORY
SILICON VALLEY OF THE
SOUTH
Six local startups could become the next darlings of the tech world
STORY:
Sarah Gleim PHOTOS: Sara Hanna
Just 10 years ago, Buckhead—and Atlanta for that matter—would hardly have been considered one of the key technology hubs in the country. But that’s changing. And fast. Today, thanks to special tax incentives, an influx of cash from venture capitalists and angel investors such as software entrepreneur David Cummings, and impressive startup incubators such as Buckhead’s Atlanta Tech Village and Tech Square Labs, Atlanta is making a name for itself as the Silicon Valley of the South. And the blueprint is working. The city has already seen a wealth of startup stories that end with huge acquisitions: Oracle purchased Atlanta social media marketer Vitrue in 2012; Pardot, which specializes in online leads, was sold to ExactTarget (now Salesforce Marketing Cloud) for just under $100 million in 2012; and VMWare acquired AirWatch for $1.54 billion in 2014. Those kinds of numbers, while impressive, still don’t quite compete with the kind of cash thrown around in San Francisco, but that doesn’t seem to deter startups in the slightest—and definitely not the six companies we talk to here that are continuing to help put Atlanta—and Buckhead—on the technology map.
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KEVY kevy.com Brooke Beach
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or any business, nothing is more important than getting leads. But for small businesses focussed on e-commerce, new leads can mean the difference between staying open or closing down. Knowing what your customers’ wants and needs are—and being able to pinpoint marketing specifically to them— is invaluable to driving revenue.
At least that’s what the Kevy team at Atlanta’s Tech Village has learned since its initial launch in 2013. Kevy’s original objective was creating a cloud-based application that synced data among a variety of programs commonly used by e-commerce businesses. “What we learned, though,” says 27-year-old Kevy CEO and co-founder Brooke Beach, “is that the bottom line is our customers are online retailers. What they want is marketing automation—something to help drive revenue.” That’s when the next generation of Kevy was born in November 2015.
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Today, Kevy focuses on business-tobusiness marketing automation for online retailers. Think of it as email marketing on steroids. Online retailers use Kevy to do everything from sending emails with specific discounts to specific buyers on their client lists, to creating dynamic pop-up offers to website visitors based on those customers’ past buying preferences. There’s even an option to target customers living in a precise area, i.e. a 20-mile radius of the storefront. While other digital marketing platforms such as MailChimp are popular with online retailers, Beach says Kevy offers something they don’t.
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“Our wow factor is that we can tie back to the penny how much revenue each campaign brought in for the store, so a retailer knows if one works and one doesn’t,” she says. So far, Kevy is targeting mid-market businesses such as Stupid Cancer, Blinc Makeup and Go2 Outfitters, and customers pay a monthly fee based on their number of contacts. But Beach says they have plans to bring in big enterprise customers such as local Atlanta companies Spanx and Carter’s. “We can handle them,” she says. “It’s more about getting in front of them.” And considering online retail sales were estimated at only
about 7 percent of all sales this year, Beach says, Kevy is very well positioned to increase its customer base in the future. Kevy’s future is also well positioned thanks to its team of successful leaders such as CEO Beach and co-founder David Cummings, who also steered the prosperous sale of his startup, Pardot. So far, Kevy has raised $400,000 in a seed round. Being in Buckhead and Atlanta Tech Village also doesn’t hurt. “It’s fantastic here. We are all in the startup scene together,” Beach says. “It’s a close-knit community. In some sense, we all act as one.” n
ATOMIZED atomized.com
Chris Gomersall
A
tomized CEO Chris Gomersall is used to working with creatives. His resume includes some of the biggest brands in marketing and advertising. He was a creative strategist at both Instagram and Facebook, and during his tenure as executive vice president of creative at Atlanta-based Moxie, he worked with global companies such as Verizon, Coca-Cola, L’Oréal and Disney, among others. While at Facebook and Instagram in both Los Angeles and Atlanta, part of his job was teaching brand leaders how to best utilize the products so their advertising would look clean and slick. “I kept seeing the same problem over and over,” he says. “None of them had a way to organize their creative for meetings. They had folders full of papers and art on walls and hard drives, even in emails.” That’s when he says a light bulb went off, and the idea for Buckhead-based Atomized was born. Gomersall says he envisioned a calendar-like, digital application that would display a view of a company’s creative across all media—social, print, TV and online. But more than that, the calendar view would be real time, with a live view of how their photos, videos and ads look, how long they run, and how they compare to others running at the same time, allowing the marketing and ad teams to make changes if necessary. “Don Draper had it easy,” Gomersall says. “Now we have all of these different distribution methods that can’t be copies of each other. Facebook and Instagram might look similar, but just a slight tweak to an ad on those platforms can make a huge difference in its results.” Gomersall began working on Atomized while at Facebook and officially launched the company in January 2015 after two rounds of seed funding, one in February 2014 that raised $600,000 and a second in October that year raising another $855,000. A third round this past October raised an additional $2 million. Most investors are from the Atlanta area, and some include investors from Twitter and Facebook, Gomersall says. Atomized charges companies a licensing fee for use of its cloud-based software that’s compatible on everything from a tablet to a large screen. The company is currently partnering with CineMassive, an Atlanta-based company that developed a high-resolution, touchscreen video wall. “We loaded our software onto the video wall, and it was just larger than life,” Gomersall says. In the next six months, the Atomized team, which now includes 10 full-time and 20 part-time employees, will focus on growing its technology, sales and account management teams. “Once you get good clients, you have to keep them,” he says. “Our clients have wish lists, so we have to continue building features they want.” And good clients Atomized has: Companies such as Arby’s, Adult Swim, The Home Depot, Cartoon Network, Warner Brothers and more have jumped on board after realizing how it can transform their creative teams. “The cost of hardware is plummeting, but the cost of marketing is skyrocketing,” Gomersall says. “Big companies can afford a war-room that includes all of their marketing in one place, and this essentially takes all of the creative paperwork and digitalizes it.” n
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FITTERY
fittery.com
Catherine Iger and Greg Vilines
O
rdering clothes online may seem superconvenient, until you actually get them, and they don’t fit. Then you have to pack them back up and return them. What’s convenient about that? Nothing. And if you’re a guy with a difficult-to-fit body type, forget about ordering anything online, right? Well, not if Brookhaven resident Catherine Iger and her business partner Greg Vilines have anything to say about it. They are the founders of Atlanta-based Fittery, an e-commerce site that’s doing something no other is doing: helping men buy clothes online that actually fit your body type. How? It’s pretty simple, with a complicated algorithm behind it. All users have to do is fill out a profile and answer some questions about their body measurements—height, weight, shirt size, collar size, etc. Then clothes are rated
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based on what will fit that user best. And it’s free. “Each item has a rating for how well it’s going to fit you after you fill out the profile,” Iger explains. “Shirts from different brands might fit differently, so the star rating will change.” Iger and Vilines, who worked together at Autotrader from 2008 to 2014, decided to create Fittery because they were interested in solving problems in e-commerce (and both also have difficult body types to fit). “The clothing return rate for online purchases is 30 to 40 percent,” Iger says. “It’s a huge problem that nobody was resolving. But it’s a symptom of larger problem and that is the people who are shopping just want clothes that fit.” Fittery, which launched in August of 2015 and is closing on its second round of seed funding, is keeping things small. Currently, its focus is on men’s dress and casual shirts, but the plan is to expand to a full line of menswear, and eventually
to include women’s fashion as well. “We wanted to start off slowly to make sure the algorithm is accurate,” Iger says. Brands available through the site include J.Crew, Boden, Brooks Brothers, Lands’ End, Monaco and more. Once a user finds the shirt tailored for his body type, the purchase takes place on the brand’s site, something Iger says they hope to change in the future by adding a universal cart on fittery.com. So far, brands have been receptive to the concept and have seen a reduction in their return rates on purchases through Fittery to 25 percent. Another perk for brands is the data they can receive from using the service. “When brands design clothing, they have no idea what consumers look like. What we can now tell them is ‘This is how your cut looks compared to competitors’,” Iger says. “Having that insight is huge for them.” n
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e’ve all had to schedule conference calls for multiple teams. And that almost always leads to email after email to coordinate schedules— just call it email tag. This was a frustration Calendly’s 34-year-old CEO Tope Awotona knew all too well while working in enterprise software sales. “I sold software to big organizations like AFLAC, Blue Cross Blue Shield and other Fortune 500 companies and was always arranging meetings,” he says. “There was so much back and forth. It would take more time to schedule the meeting than the actual meeting itself.” That’s when he thought there had to be a better way. But after doing research, he realized few solid solutions existed. “There were appointment scheduling tools for the health and beauty industry, but there weren’t a lot of other good options available,” Awotona says. “Those out there were too expensive and didn’t work well.” The more he tried to find a solution, the more he discovered a big opening in the marketplace. So he threw caution to the wind and decided to launch one himself. What he created is Calendly, an online calendar tool that links to your Outlook, Office 365 and Google+ account(s). Users create rules around availability and then send invitees a URL with specific
appointment times. You can designate 15-, 30- and 60-minute intervals to make scheduling simple, but Calendly can be customized for more specific times, as well. The cloud-based app took Awotona and his team about six months to build in 2013, and by 2015 Calendly had more than 2 million subscribers with that customer base growing every month. Two options are available: a free and a premium subscription, which costs between $8 per user (billed annually) and $10 (billed monthly). “The premium subscription gives you more ways to customize and funnel people into different buckets,” Awotona says. “Clients love it because it saves everybody time.” Revenue and the team of 10 at Calendly also are growing. “This time last year we had $100,000 in revenue,” Awotona says. “Now we have $1 million.” Like so many others, Calendly is based in Buckhead’s Atlanta Tech Village. “When I was looking for office space, I knew I wanted to be
here because it’s full of very passionate people working on groundbreaking stuff,” he says. “What’s made me even happier is the community and the way it attracts very talented people.” Atlanta Tech Village now uses Calendly to schedule tours for its facility. So what’s the 2016 goal for Calendly and Awotona? He says it’s to continue adding clients in custom-
er-facing roles—sales people, recruiters, financial services and customer service. Those are the ones scheduling the most meetings with two people in two organizations. But he also plans to continue expanding the product and mastering its marketing. “We know there are still many millions who don’t know we are here,” he says. “We are anxious to find those people.” n
CALENDLY calendly.com
Tope Awotona
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GATHER
gatherhere.com
Nicholas Miller
I
f you’ve worked a day in the service industry, you know how tough it can be, and not just for servers and cooks in a restaurant. Event planning is hard work, too, whether it’s a team dinner for 10 or a corporate event for 200.
So any way to simplify the process for the venue and event planner is a win-win. That’s what 28-year-old CEO Nicholas Miller and 31-yearold Vice President Alex Lassiter set out to do when they launched Gather in 2013. The goal was to simplify event planning for midmarket venues such as restaurants, bowling alleys and wineries. “Our product is cloud-based software that venues across the country use to manage their events,” Miller explains. “Anything they need to do related to events, like send proposals or collect payments, they can do through Gather.” Miller and Lassiter got the idea for Gather after working in corporate
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event planning. “We knew the pain of calling around and figuring out menu planning, availability, accommodations,” Miller says. “There was no central way to do that.” Soon they began to talk to heavy hitters in the Atlanta restaurant industry and learned they, too, didn’t have a way to organize the data around their events, which can be upwards of 30 percent of their revenue. Miller and Lassiter got commitments from five initial customers to build a platform and launched Gather with Concentrics Restaurants, Murphy’s and Castellucci Hospitality Group in July 2013. Ford Fry Restaurants jumped on board soon after that. Gather automates event management: New leads that come in via phone, email and the restaurant’s website are collected in Gather, which saves time and keeps everything in one place and organized. The entire process is handled through the program, from establishing a quote and developing a menu
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to signing the contract. If a venue doesn’t have a process in place for handling events, Miller says their main goal is to help that team understand event management and how successful it can be. But it goes a step further than just planning and gives subscribers information and data they didn’t have before. “Event planners can log in to the reporting module and create metrics on how many leads have come in, how many events are booked, etc.,” Miller says. “It’s so useful for venues.” So far, business has been booming. In January, the company raised $2.5 million in new funding led by Storm Ventures. Miller says they plan
to use the capital for product development, sales and marketing, and to double the size of the team, which now includes 25 employees. Many of the top restaurants and venues in Buckhead have signed on, including Seven Lamps, Buckhead Life Restaurant Group, Gordon Biersch, The Painted Pin, Southern Gentlemen and Gypsy Kitchen. Swan Coach House and Atlanta Tech Village also are subscribers. Over the next five years, Miller says they hope to continue to expand their users and help drive more customers to their clients. “We also want to serve the event planners,” he says, “and help them find our customers.” n
INCUBATE myincubate.com
Michael McCluney
I
magine a digital time capsule that lets you send and receive texts, photos, videos and emails—in the future. That’s Incubate: The Time Delay Messenger in a nutshell, and it all started when Founder and CEO Michael McCluney’s friend had triplets. “He was losing his mind with 3-month old triplets,” McCluney says. “I kept telling him he should capture some of the crazy moments and share them with his kids in the future when they would appreciate them.” But the struggling parents’ lives were far too crazy to even think about recording the antics of their new babies, let alone breaking the videos out when they were older. So McCluney decided he would create something that could. The free app, which McCluney and his team launched in Atlanta Tech Village in March of last year, is simple to use and allows anyone to schedule messages up to 25 years in advance. Theoretically, grandparents can send their grandchildren messages for special holidays in case they aren’t around. The program works even for those too young to have phones; parents can start an “Incubate Nursery” account for them. McCluney says it’s been particularly well received by members of the military. “They’re able to leave messages for their families before they are deployed,” he says. “These guys have no idea if they’ll have access to communicative devices on holidays, so the app lets them know their families will get messages on these special days. We love this idea.” The only catch is both parties have to download the app. Users always know the total number of messages that are “incubating,” but not who sent them or when they’ll be delivered, McCluney says. The app also tested particularly well in the bridal market. “We did a nationwide survey for the concept, and the wedding industry tested stronger than any other,” McCluney says. “Brides want to be able to continually relive their wedding date.” So the company recently launched a concept tailored just for brides and grooms: IncubateMyWedding.com. It allows them to invite guests to download the app, send them messages, and have guests who choose to download the app to send well wishes via text, voice, pictures or videos to the bride and groom at the date of their choosing. While McCluney didn’t want to discuss how many subscribers Incubate has so far, he did say the team has been successful in its current round of funding. “We are in a $500,000 round, and we’ve raised $280,000.” And if you’re wondering what would happen to messages sent if Incubate ever dissolves, McCluney says they are working on a system with a third party that stores the messages separately so users will continue to receive them in future no matter what. Pretty cool. n
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ATL’S TECH TITAN STORY:
Sarah Gleim
S
imply Buckhead chats technology with Buckhead software entrepreneur David Cummings, the founder of the 103,000-squarefoot Atlanta Tech Village, the largest technology entrepreneur center in the Southeast. A partner of technology investment company Atlanta Ventures, this well-known name happens to be an investor in many of the startups we profile in our cover feature, including Kevy and Calendly. One of his many successful ventures occurred in 2007 when he co-founded Pardot, a company he sold in 2012 to ExactTarget for just under $100 million. ExactTarget was later acquired by Salesforce.com. Today, Cummings is considered one of the leaders in Atlanta’s—and the nation’s—tech scene.
Where are you originally from? When did you move to Atlanta? I was born and raised in Tallahassee, Florida, and went to college at Duke University. I moved to Atlanta after graduation in 2002. Growing up in Tallahassee, Atlanta was always the big city we’d go to for sports, shopping and entertainment so I always liked it. In college, my first company’s biggest customer was based in Buckhead so they helped make it easy to move to Atlanta and meet people.
Success begets success. More entrepreneurs are building successful companies that then spawn more, and the cycle perpetuates. In a few sentences, can you describe Pardot and how you came about forming the company? Pardot helps companies generate and nurture leads online. Back in 2007, most of the digital marketing tools were geared towards the [business-tocustomer] marketer and ignored the [business-to-business] marketer.
of entrepreneurs who could help each other and increase the likelihood of success. More entrepreneurial density results in more success.
How would you characterize the tech scene when you first moved here? Now? It was much smaller and less connected when I moved here. Due to Twitter and meetups, the community is more connected now.
Tell us about your decision to sell Pardot. What made you finally take the plunge? We didn’t plan on selling the company, but an acquirer came along and made us an offer we couldn’t refuse.
What have been some of the biggest successes at Atlanta Tech Village? Yik Yak, SalesLoft and Clockwise MD are three Village graduates that are doing great.
What do you think is the driving force behind the growth in the Atlanta tech scene?
What was the driving force behind your founding Atlanta Tech Village? I always wanted a tighter community
What Atlanta companies are you currently most excited about? Why? I’m partial to ones in the Tech Village like
Terminus (terminus.com), Rigor (rigor. com), and WideAngle (wideangle.com). Those startups are exciting because they have 100-plus customers who love the product, are growing super fast and have great leadership. What do you see as the necessities for the Atlanta tech community to continue to thrive? I have no doubt we’ll continue to thrive due to the talented people, can-do attitude and great way of life in Atlanta. n
ATLANTA TECH VILLAGE BY THE NUMBERS Companies that call ATV home.
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Monthly membership fee for a “hot desk” (first come, first serve desks available daily).
Village Mentors and Advisors guiding and counseling ATV members.
20+ Fully equipped conference rooms with large screen TVs, Apple TV and creative whiteboard walls.
10+ Weekly workshops, lunch and learns and networking events.
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In-house venture capital groups.
$400 Monthly membership fee for a “reserve desk” (designated desk, reserved parking and mail service).
$850+: Monthly membership fee for a 2-plus person office (private office space, reserved parking and mail service).
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Help us End Childhood Hunger at the
28th Annual
Taste of e Nation for NO KID HUNGRY
Join us for an evening of culinary creations and enchanting libations from 50 of Atlanta’s top restaurants. Together, we will end childhood hunger in America.
THURSDAY, APRIL 28, 2016 GEORGIA AQUARIUM VIP $350 – 6:30 to 10 pm General Admission $250 - 7:30 to 10 pm * Black tie optional * ................................................................ H O N O R A RY CH AIR Ed Roland
EVEN T CH AIRMEN Pano Karatassos,
Musician (Collective Soul, Ed Roland and the Sweet Tea Project)
Buckhead Life Restaurant Group and
EVEN T EMCEES Christine Pullara & Jenn Hobby
George McKerrow, Ted’s Montana Grill
................................................................
www.atlantataste.org
THANK YOU TO OUR LOCAL SPONSORS PR E M I E R
PL ATI NU M
MEDIA
DIAMO ND
G O LD
SILVER
BRO NZ E A & D Linens | Cook’s Warehouse Delta Air Lines | Eventologie Imagineair | Tommy & Chantal Bagwell
B U Z Z | C H A RI TA B L E | S C E N E
SIMPLY HAPPENING
SPOTLIGHT:
BROOKHAVEN BLOOMS
Face painting, a 5K run/1K walk and a “Pet Parade” are a few of the things to look forward to at the Cherry Blossom Festival.
Cherry blossoms bring fun-filled festivities for all 2nd Annual Brookhaven Cherry Blossom Festival April 2-3 Blackburn Park 3493 Ashford Dunwoody Road Brookhaven 30319 brookcherryfest.org
Cherry blossoms are a symbol of hope, renewal and the beauty of life. Join the city of Brookhaven as it celebrates the beautiful blooms with the 2nd Annual Brookhaven Cherry Blossom Festival at Blackburn Park on April 2 from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. and April 3 from 11 a.m. to
6 p.m. The public is invited to enjoy this free celebration of the city’s official tree. Nestled in the heart of Blackburn Park’s blooming cherry trees, the spring festival includes a 5K run/1K walk, a “Children’s Village” and an arts and crafts market.
A “Pet Parade” with a costume contest will offer prizes, and a “Pet World” area will have adoptions, dog shows and workshops on how to take better care of pets. There will also be food and live music entertainment for the whole family. – Kai Whipple
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S I M P LY H APP E N ING
Events, exhibits, galas and more
BY:
Kai Whipple
Photo: Sara Hanna Photography
BUZZ
Green-clad Fadó patrons enjoy St. Patrick’s Day festivities.
ST. PATRICK’S DAY BASH March 17 Fadó Irish Pub 273 Buckhead Avenue Atlanta 30305 404.841.0066 fadoirishpub.com Get ready to toast the luck of the Irish! Fadó Irish Pub shows us all how to get into the spirit and paint the town green by offering a full lineup of festivities for five days leading up to St. Patrick’s Day. All the fun takes place from 1 to 5 p.m. Thursday, March 17, when guests will enjoy live music by Justin and the country group Josh Brannon Band. A parade and performance by the Drake School of Irish Dancers will also keep those Irish eyes smiling. A limited menu and beer selection will be available. Tickets for this 21-and-over event are $15.
MAGIC MONDAY: EGG HUNT ON THE FARM March 14 Atlanta History Center 130 West Paces Ferry Road N.W. Atlanta 30305 404.814.4000 atlantahistorycenter.com A sure sign that spring is in full swing at Atlanta History Center is the arrival of Atlanta Easter Bunny. For this annual event, he’ll be at the center’s Smith Family Farm, where costumed guides bring history to life. From 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., kids will have a ball as they win prizes, participate
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The kiddos hunt for eggs at Atlanta History Center.
in games and crafts and visit the Easter Bunny. The egg hunt is a part of the Magic Monday monthly program series hosted by the center for children 18 months to 5 years. Admission is free for members, $6.50 for adults and $5.50 for children. Discounted rates are available for groups with 10 or more children.
27TH ANNUAL WINGS OF MERCY BALL March 19 St. Regis Atlanta 88 West Paces Ferry Road N.W. Atlanta 30305 678.843.8676 mercyatlanta.org Mercy Care Atlanta, a member of Saint Joseph’s Health System and Trinity Health, is a health center with 14 clinic locations throughout the metro area. For 27 years, the community has demonstrated its support for Mercy Care Atlanta through the Annual Wings of Mercy Ball, one of its signature fundraising events. On Saturday, March 19, at 6:30 p.m., the black-tie affair at The St. Regis Atlanta will feature an Alice in Wonderland Mad Hatter’s theme and include cocktails, a seated dinner, silent auction and a live band for everyone to enjoy. Proceeds from the ball will go toward promoting the cornerstone services of Mercy Care, such as assisting the homeless and uninsured populations of Atlanta. Tickets are $500 per person and $1,500 for a party of two. Various levels of sponsorship are also available.
March/April 2016 | Simply Buckhead
JUNIOR LEAGUE OF ATLANTA’S 19TH ANNUAL TOUR OF KITCHENS March 19-20 404.261.7799 jlatlanta.org What’s your favorite kitchen style? On Saturday, March 19, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday, March 20, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., the Junior League of Atlanta inspires your kitchen design dreams with the 19th Annual Tour of Kitchens. The event encompasses 14 homes throughout Buckhead, Brookhaven, Decatur, Ansley Park and Dunwoody. Guests will see sensational examples of fashionable and functional kitchen designs and enjoy food stations and tasty cocktails. There will be cooking demonstrations from some of Atlanta’s most innovative professional chefs, such as Joey Ward of Gunshow, Cameron Thompson of Farm Burger and Stephanie Alderete of Nikolai’s Roof. The Tour of Kitchens has raised more than $1.8 million to promote the Junior League of Atlanta’s mission of volunteerism and community improvement. Tickets are $40 (valid for both days), and children 5 years old and younger are free.
THE LION, THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE Through March 20 Alliance Theatre at the Woodruff 1280 Peachtree Street N.E. Atlanta 30309 404.733.4650 alliancetheatre.org
The Alliance Theatre at the Woodruff brings “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe” to life onstage.
See author C.S. Lewis’s words come to life on stage through the magical production of “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.” Through March 20, audiences journey into the fantastic and mysterious world of four siblings as they discover a land beyond the wardrobe with talking beasts, lions, dwarfs, fauns and an evil queen. This imaginative tale teaches us all about the gift of love, renewal, hope and faith. The audience will also enjoy an “AfterWords” portion of the evening, when they have the chance to interact with the cast through a moderated questionand-answer session after the play. Ticket pricing for adults is $35 and $20 for kids.
EDIN 6TH ANNUAL CELEBRITY DANCE CHALLENGE April 14 Buckhead Theatre 3110 Roswell Road Atlanta 30305 404.465.3385 myedin.org/cdc What do renowned athlete Evander Holyfield, CamiCake entrepreneur Audra Hall and CNN’s Christi Paul all have in common? They’ll be dancing the night away at Eating Disorders Information Network’s (EDIN) Annual Celebrity Dance Challenge, which will be emceed by Mara Davis of Atlanta Eats Radio and Bert Weiss of Q100. The aim of the nonprofit is to
bring awareness to positive self-esteem and its impact on fighting various eating disorders. Inspired by popular shows such as “Dancing with the Stars” and “So You Think You Can Dance,” local celebrities partner with professional dancers and compete for fan votes. The event commences at 7 p.m. with a cocktail reception, and the dance challenge begins at 8 p.m. Priority seating is $75, and lower-level seating is $25.
ANNUAL SPRING BENEFIT EMERALD GALA – A CELEBRATION OF IRELAND April 16 Atlanta International School 2890 North Fulton Drive Atlanta 30305 404.841.3887 aischool.org/springbenefit On April 16, the Atlanta International School hosts more than 500 members and friends at its annual spring benefit. This year, the elegant black-tie affair on the school’s main campus features a seated dinner showcasing the culinary delights of Ireland and the U.K., as well as dancing, live entertainment and a silent auction. Proceeds from the gala go toward financialaid scholarships and the preservation of historical buildings on campus. Tickets are $200 per person. Members of the 1984 Club, a leadership giving society, may receive complimentary tickets to the event.
The highesT poinT of fiTness!
EXPERIENCE THE DIFFERENCE Pinnacle fitness is the Premier Personal Training fitness Center in the Buckhead area of Atlanta, georgia with revolutionary equipment including the only Kinesis Wall in the area. At Pinnacle fitness, you will be carefully guided by professional, certified trainers and a staff dedicated to your personal fitness and wellness program, which also includes nutritional guidance by a licensed dietician. It’s no wonder that members often define Pinnacle Fitness as a New York or LA facility with Southern charm - and with a commitment to have each of its members reach their own Pinnacle of fitness.
Offering: Personal Training | golf fitness Classes | Yoga Classes | ZumbaÂŽ Classes MENTIoN THIs aD FoR a CoMPlIMENTaRy FITNEss assEssMENT by owNER JaMIE boDNER!
404.238.7539 Located in Buckhead at 3215 Cains Hill Place NW
www.pinnaclefitnessgym.com
S I M P LY H AP P E N ING
CHA R ITAB LE
Radio personality Yvonne Monet
Hundreds of community members dressed in Southern chic attire showed up to support Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. Photos: Natrice Miller
CHOA’S THE SOUTHERN CHILL
Jim Chasteen, P.J. Wade
C Amanda Szwast, lead singer of Goat Rodeo
hildren’s Healthcare of Atlanta hosted its first annual The Southern Chill fundraiser at the American Spirit Works facility in the trendy Sweetwater Design District. Clad in “Southern chic” attire, 600 patrons gathered at special event space The Stave Room in support of CHOA’s 100 years of service to children’s health. The themed evening included bourbon tastings, Southern fare, a silent auction and live tunes from local artists Goat Rodeo. A heads-or-tails competition had participants vying to take home a Yeti cooler packed with Southern libations. Sponsors that included Southern Partner, Big Green Egg and Sid Mashburn help put on this not-so-typical cocktail party, which raised more than $115,000 for CHOA. - Jessica Wise
Bonnie Chandler, Emily Federico, Katie Ryan
John and Laura Pemberton, Jared and Sherri Lisenby
Doug and Trudy Kremer, Carrie Lanier, Heather Gill
Kellam Mattie, Melissa Howard
Aimee Price, Charles Freund
Attendees packed their plates with fried green tomatoes, pulled-pork sliders and macaroni and cheese prepared by Soiree Catering and Events.
Zach Rike, Meg and James Connoly, Kelly Rike
March/April 2016 | Simply Buckhead
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Located in the Hear t of Buckhead www.UFEBuckhead.com Call today to schedule design consultation 404.626.8097
FLOR AL ARTISTRY AND EVENT DESIGN linens
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lighting
March/April 2016 | Simply Buckhead
draping
ceiling treatments
furniture & accessories
S I M P LY H AP P E N ING
CHA R ITAB LE
Scott Hutchison, Pat Murphy, Steve Dils, Chip Roach
Amy Geddes, Jen Booth
Photos: Scott Reeves
Mark and Jenny Fritz, Hugh Rader, Austin Chase, Jeremy Adams, Ethan Armentrout
CASINO ROYALE Jenn Hoffman, Kyle Motter, Dany Koe, Pat Murphy
Annie Lewis, Ellis Murray, William Linginfelter
Jenna Schulten, Hugh Rader, Chereda Miller, Jamarr Zellner, Marc Seals, Dionnie Bolar, Jeff Pollock, Kimberly Parmer
M
ore than 150 attendees called on lady luck during Casino Royale, a fundraiser hosted by the Atlanta Commercial Board of Realtors’ Young Council of Realtors (YCR). The city’s up-and-coming commercial real estate professionals gathered at The Ivy Buckhead to network amidst lively games of blackjack, craps, roulette and Texas hold ’em. A series of raffles also kept the fun going and helped raise $2,500 for Andee’s Army, a charity that provides financial assistance to families of young patients receiving treatment for brain injuries. Raffle prizes included an office chair and gift cards to local businesses. Sponsored by companies such as Atlanta Property Group and Clarion Partners, Casino Royale is just one of the many events YCR hosts throughout the year to encourage young starters in the real estate business to network and build their careers. - Jessica Wise
Jamarr Zellner, Dionnie Bolar, Stephan Ramunni, Kyle Motter
Chris Wagner, Brooke Gothard, Brian Boyd
Heather Lamb, Liz Koteles, Nicole Goldsmith, Chrissy Smith, Lauren Harper Green, Brooke Gothard, Shannon Price, Annie Lewis
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S I M P LY H APP E N ING
S CE N E
WINK, WINK Ten-year-old Owen Vaccaro shows off his gregarious personality with one look at the camera. Get to know this rising young actor on page 32. PHOTO: Kelsey
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March/April 2016 | Simply Buckhead
Edwards
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From that big, juicy, cut-it-with-a-butter-knife, fit-for-aking filet mignon that you can only get at the swankiest steakhouse in Buckhead to that discovered-by-theroadside southern-fried comfort food that’d make your grandma question her cooking skills, Atlanta Eats has the dish on what can’t be missed in and around Atlanta. Yeah, we’re gonna make your mouth water.
atlantaeats.com
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March/April 2016 | Simply Buckhead
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*BTI International Review of Spirits Award: Platinum Medal – 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2014. enjoy elit™ responsibly. elit™ by Stolichnaya® Ultra Premium Vodka. 40% Alc/Vol. (80 proof). Distilled from Grain. Stoli Group USA, LLC, New York, NY ©2016 Spirits International, B.V.
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407 Mill House Road, Sparta GA, 31087 430± A C RE E XE CU T I V E E S TAT E | L I S T $ 2, 450, 000 • Also includes a 3 bedroom river house and a one bedroom lake cabin • Near the Masters / Augusta National and Reynolds Plantation • Greek Revival style main home • Over a mile of Ogeechee River frontage • Large pecan grove, pasture land, and large lake • Outstanding hunting and fishing on the property • Helipad and helicopter garage • 4-Car attached garage and many outbuildings for storage Bryant Green | Glenda Green
The Bryant Green Team
770.597.5711 Virtual Home Tour at Homescenes.com. Tour ID #5634863
BRYANT.GREEN@BHHSGEORGIA.COM
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Georgia Properties Gainesville Office | 200 West Academy Street, Gainesville, GA 30501 | 770-536-3007
©2016 An independently operated subsidiary of HomeServices of America, Inc., a Berkshire Hathaway affiliate, and a franchisee of BHH Affiliates, LLC. Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices and the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices symbol are registered service marks of HomeServices of America, Inc. ® Information deemed reliable but not warranted and is subject to error. Equal Housing Opportunity. www.BHHSGEORGIA.COM -Mar/Apr 2016
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Let us add a splash of color to your weekend escape. Let us serve you a Southern classic like you’ve never tasted before. Let us transport you to a place where you feel worlds away. Let us show you more ways to make a long weekend last forever.
Escape to the lake or explore the city with The Ritz-Carlton hotels in Georgia. Our Southern hospitality will provide the perfect setting for shopping, golf, and sightseeing. For reservations, contact your travel professional, call 1-800-542-8680 or visit ritzcarlton.com/georgia.
ATLANTA BUCKHEAD REYNOLDS, LAKE OCONEE
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