Simply Buckhead May 2016

May 2016 ISSUE 38 • FREE

YOUR GUIDE TO LIVING WELL IN ATLANTA

s e i T y l i m Fa d

FOUR FAMILIES WHO HAVE CALLED BUCKHEAD HOME FOR GENERATIONS

SPRING FLING FASHIONS POWER BREAKFAST AT THE WHITE HOUSE

LOCAL SALUTE: FROM ATLANTA TO AFGHANISTAN

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THERE’S ONE THING WORSE THAN KNOWING YOU HAVE LUNG CANCER. NOT KNOWING.

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death because often there are no symptoms until it has spread. The good news is a lung cancer screening can help detect it early when there are more treatment options. Northside Hospital Cancer Institute offers a low dose CT screening if you’re 55 – 80 years old and a current or previous smoker. It’s quick and easy and could save your life.

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Where the Extraordinary Happens Every Day

SIMPLY BUCKHEAD® |

Photo: Scott Reeves

Photo: Scott Reeves

Photo: Sara Hanna Photography

M AY 2 0 1 6

[ C OV E R S T ORY ]

67

Family Ties

FOUR FAMILIES WHO HAVE CALLED BUCKHEAD HOME FOR GENERATIONS

Contents

[ F E AT U RE S ]

20

HOME: ADDRESS FOR A-VENTURA

12 EDITOR’S LETTER

49 SIMPLY ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

A day at home for this growing Brookhaven family is anything but boring

13 SIMPLY NOW

55 SIMPLY DELICIOUS

29 SIMPLY STYLISH

77 SIMPLY HAPPENING

TRAVEL FAR: DOG DAYS OF ASPEN Experience the summer swagger of this quintessential ski town

26

A DAY IN THE LIFE: A FULL PLATE

34

FASHION: STORYBOOK SPRING STYLE

ON STAGE

50 INDIE FILM CHAMPION

What’s cooking with PeachDish founder Hadi Irvani

56

Romance-inspired frocks and garments for the easygoing days of spring

MY BIG FAT GREEK DINER For 68 years, people of Buckhead have begun their day at the White House

Photo: Joshua Gwyn

30

[ DE PA RT M E N T S ]

George Lefont has paved the way for critically acclaimed movies for four decades.

May 2016 | Simply Buckhead

9

s e v i t u c e x E s e l a S With the addition of 17th South to our Simply Buckhead family, we are looking for experienced, self-motivated media sales professionals interested in earning high commissions for their hard work.

Knowledge of Midtown is desirable.

Please forward resumes to: publisher@simplybuckhead.com

YOUR GUIDE TO LIVING WELL IN ATLANTA

Serving Buckhead, Brookhaven, and Sandy Springs MAY 2016 | ISSUE 38 P.O. Box 11633, Atlanta, GA 30355 simplybuckhead.com For advertising rates call: 404.538.9895 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

Giannina Smith Bedford Contributing Editor

Karina Antenucci Creative Director

Alan Platten Vice President, Sales & Marketing

Cheryl Isaacs cheryl.isaacs@simplybuckhead.com Account Executives

Kyle Wilcox Garges kyle.garges@simplybuckhead.com

Bill Garst bill.garst@simplybuckhead.com

Alyson Myerson alyson.myerson@simplybuckhead.com Director of Audience Development

Sarah Blackman indoor • outdoor • kids • pool floats

Sarah Blackman is a born and bred Atlantan and a writer who also works as an actress and model. Throughout her career, she has played a variety of roles that have highlighted both her elegant demeanor and comedic timing. Along with our Simply Pets column, she also writes for Hope For Women magazine and is excited to be a contributor to Simply Buckhead’s new sister publication, 17th South.

She maintains a personal blog called Fat Girl at Heart— because nothing is sexier than a big-hearted gal. You can follow her at fatgirlatheart.me.

Bill Garst Website Development Management

BHG Digital Contributing Writers

Jill Becker Sarah Blackman Wendell Brock H.M. Cauley Carly Cooper Jessica Dauler Lindsay Lambert Day D. Aileen Dodd Jim Farmer Jennifer Bradley Franklin Sarah Gleim Mickey Goodman Kelly Jordan Nicole Letts Margaret Watters Chief Photographer

Sara Hanna sarahanna.com Photographers

Ninh Chau Joshua Gwyn Scott Reeves Fashion Intern

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.

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May 2016 | Simply Buckhead

Abbie Koopote Editorial Intern

Jessica Wise Graphic Designer

Gwantsa Giorgini Copy Editor

H.M. Cauley Copyright © 2016 by Simply Buckhead ®. All rights reserved.

Printed by Walton Press, Inc. Distributed by Distributech and Distribution Services Group.

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Scott I. Zucker

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The Bells proved to be the ideal family for our cover. Not only are they third-generation Buckhead residents, but they were delightful to work with in every way. Allen, Sherry and their kids, Russell, Natalie and William, dressed up in their Sunday best—threads from Sid Mashburn, Ann Mashburn and Banana Republic—and radiated their closeness as a family unit. They posed in their Robert Spiotta-designed sitting room and in Allen’s parents’ red brick garden, just up the street from where the Bells currently live. What you can’t tell from the stylish portrait is that this family is much more than looks. Following the shoot, Simply Buckhead learned—while sitting in the kitchen conversing over macaroons—that the Bells have a strong desire to give back, which explains their charitable work in our community and destinations as far flung as East Congo.

To say we are impressed with this family is an understatement.

Like the others you’ll read about in this Chief Photographer/Producer: Sara Hanna issue, they are a shining example of a Photo assistant: Scott Reeves long-standing Buckead family whom we Stylist: Abbie Koopote hope will stay pillars of our community Hair/Makeup: Julian Reynolds, Julian’s Cosmetics + Skincare for many more generations to come.

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SIMPLY BUCKHEAD®

M AY 2 0 1 6

[ E DI T OR ’ S L E T T E R ]

When I tell people the exotic locales I’ve called home—Brazil, Chile, Australia, to name a few— they respond with awe. Moving around made for an incredibly educational childhood, but I do feel a slight pang of jealousy when I hear someone tell me about friends and neighbors they’ve known for decades or a house they grew up in. When you stake your ground in the same town for generations, there is a historic foundation that you don’t get being a nomad.

The Buckhead families featured in this issue’s cover story are the quintessential example of this. Some of their relatives arrived in our community nearly a century ago. They succeeded in creating fruitful family and business lives and stayed put. Through the years, they watched Buckhead change drastically from rolling meadows to a metropolis, remaining in love with it all the same.

Clay Rolader traces his Buckhead family history as far back as the 1820s. His ancestors were pottery makers and, in the 1920s, established the Rolader Spring Water Company.

Three generations of Roladers were raised in a cabin located at the intersection of Moores Mill Road and Northside Drive that, until recently, was on display at Atlanta History Center.

Dudley Ottley recalls playing with his brother on his grandfather’s farm, where Lenox Square sits today. Mark Boomershine’s grandfather became the owner of Boomershine Pontiac in 1929, which remained in the family until 1999.

Our cover family, the Bells, settled in Atlanta in the early 1900s, eventually making their way to Buckhead. Today, Allen Bell regularly drives by the home that his great-grandfather built on Argonne Drive where the same oak trees remain a century later.

Photo: Sara Hanna Photography

B

y the time I was 13 years old, I’d lived in three countries, attended seven schools and resided at nine different addresses.

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These are just some of the remarkable stories you’ll read in our cover story. In this issue we also highlight Buckhead’s stalwart family-run businesses. These are narratives I can’t claim for my own local history. So far, I’ve lived in Atlanta for almost a decade—the longest I’ve settled anywhere.

It’s not epic compared with the chronicles of the families mentioned above. But, for this wanderer, it’s a good start.

Giannina Smith Bedford editor@simplybuckhead.com CORRECTIONS: In the March/April cover feature, we incorrectly stated the percentage by which Fittery has reduced its clothing return rate. The company did reduce its return rate down to 0.6 percent.

The article also misstated the number of funding rounds Fittery has conducted; it has only done one friends/family/angels funding round and is in the process of raising a round of seed funding. In the same story, the dates of the Kevy launch were incorrect. The company launched in 2012, and a relaunch took place in June 2015. We sincerely regret the errors.

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May 2016 | Simply Buckhead

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A DAY IN THE LIFE

Hadi Irvani (right) tests a recipe for a potential "party in a box" for his PeachDish meal delivery kit company as two of his co-workers look on.

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"Food can be exciting. It's more than just a meal." – Hadi Irvani May 2016 | Simply Buckhead

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Hit the Mat! (with Yogathon)

C

alling all yogis! On Saturday, May 21, hundreds of women will come together to practice a half-day of yoga and support the Atlanta Women’s Foundation (AWF). Striving to end generational poverty, AWF is the only public foundation in Georgia dedicated solely to women and girls. “One of the main goals of the overall event,” explains AWF’s Development and Events Manager Kelley Zinger, “is to increase awareness in our community about the 320,000 women and girls who wake up in poverty every day in the five metro

Atlanta counties of Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Fulton and Gwinnett.”

Taking place outdoors at Chastain Horse Park, Yogathon is a one-of-a-kind fundraising event in which participants will hear from acclaimed yoga teacher and activist Seane Corn, participate in various 20-minute yoga sessions, celebrate personal achievements through intention setting and raise money for AWF. Zinger says, “As a complement to our fall fundraising event, we were looking for a springtime event that would connect with the wider Atlanta community and bring greater awareness of AWF. One area we are focused on is helping women and girls in health and wellness, which led us to the idea of the Yogathon.”

In addition to Corn, Yogathon

will feature nine local instructors.

Leading the communal yoga class alongside Corn are familiar faces from the Buckhead area, including Carly Grace Hinchman, owner of Thunderbolt Power Yoga; Becky Nickerson, owner of Infinity Yoga; and Gina Minyard with Yoga Collective. Tickets to the event are $81 and include four hours of yoga instruction, an event shirt, access to health and wellness vendors, music and more. Yogathon offers advanced yogis and novices alike a mind-body experience aimed at not only warming the muscles, but also the heart.

YOGATHON 7 a.m. – 2 p.m., May 21 Chastain Horse Park 4371 Powers Ferry Road N.W. Atlanta 30327 404.577.5000 atlantawomen.org/ yogathon-participants

NEWS BITES SOUTH CITY KITCHEN DEBUTS IN BUCKHEAD This month, Fifth Group Restaurants will premier its newest South City Kitchen location in Buckhead. Fifth Group Partner Robby Kukler says of the concept, which also has locations in Vinings and Midtown, “Buckhead was a natural next step for us, and what better way to introduce our company and our vision of creating memorable dining experiences than with our most established concept?”

Situated at the base of the 3350 Peachtree Road build-

ing, the 6,000-square-foot restaurant boasts a second floor, open-air patio overlooking Buckhead’s most famous street. Exclusive design features include an eclectic collection of art from local and regional artists along with private dining rooms on the main floor as well as on the mezzanine. The restaurant’s menu will feature traditional items such as she-crab soup along with selections exclusive to the Buckhead location, including inventive dishes inspired by the season. buckhead.southcitykitchen.com

WOW YOUR SPRING SKIN WITH WOO Woo Skincare and Cosmetics is offering enticing facial events at its two Buckhead locations to help you put a little spring in your skincare step. On May 5, receive a complimentary Natura Bissé facial with the purchase of $350 in Natura Bissé products at the West Paces Ferry shop.

Then on May 18 and 19 at the Peachtree Battle location, enjoy a complimentary Darphin facial with a $150 purchase of Darphin products. You can also stop into the beauty bou-

tique any day throughout the month for a visit with makeup artists who will help spruce up your makeup routine. wooskincareandcosmetics.com

FOOD THAT ROCKS Join Taste of Atlanta and TasteATL as they present the first Food that Rocks, a celebration of Sandy Springs’ 10-year anniversary. On May 14, more than 25 of Atlanta’s best restaurants will come together at Hammond Park for a one-night-only event.

Tickets are $55 in advance or $65 at the door and in-

clude food, wine, beer and cocktail tastings, along with local entertainment. Partygoers will enjoy local fare from restaurants such as 5 Seasons, Cibo e Beve, Food 101, Hammocks Trading Company, Maya Steaks and Seafood and more. The event will benefit Sandy Springsbased charities, including Second Helpings Atlanta, Ian’s Friends Foundation and the Georgia Ovarian Cancer Alliance. Put on your dancing shoes and eat, drink and party for a good cause. foodthatrocks.org

May 2016 | Simply Buckhead

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8 years in Afghanistan

STORY:

Mickey Goodman

PHOTO: Scott

Reeves

Buckhead’s Robin and Ruth Howarth aid Afghan army and police

I

n 2007, Buckhead resident Robin Howarth was enjoying lunch with a client at the engineering, environmental and construction firm where he worked when out of the blue, he was asked, “Have you ever considered going to Afghanistan?”

“I gave him a resounding, ‘no,’ until he mentioned the huge bump in salary. Suddenly, the idea seemed appealing enough to take home and discuss with my wife, Ruth,” Robin says.

There was a lot to think about.

For one, they were both in their 60s, an age when many of their Garden Hills neighbors were thinking of retirement. What’s more, living and working in Kabul, Afghanistan, would be extremely risky.

“The more we talked, the more it appealed to our sense of adventure,” Robin says, “and our kids were grown and living on their own.”

After a conversation with senior management, Ruth also was offered a job because of her background working with nonprofits in the U.S. and the couple’s native

England. Their gig was a threemonth residency during which they would help complete generic master plans for bases and compounds for the Afghan army and police that could be easily replicated nationwide.

The Howarths were well suited for the challenge. Both had extensive experience in revitalizing blighted areas (such as Liverpool, U.K.)—skills that were invaluable in war-torn Afghanistan.

“Arriving in Kabul was like being dropped into a cultural time warp,” Robin says. “The chaotic, dusty, pothole-ridden roads were shared by beggars, bedraggled children, goats, ‘Taliban taxis’ and military vehicles that all vied for space to maneuver.

Kids played in the sewage-infested streams, and most Afghans lived in mud huts, tents or even caves.”

In stark contrast, the Howarths, other civilian expats and welleducated Afghan workers lived and worked in a well-appointed but heavily guarded compound where the mini-palace next door was occupied by the deputy prime

minister. “We couldn’t decide if that was a plus or a minus,” Ruth says.

“He had plenty of extra security but was a prime target for anyone trying to undermine the fledgling government.”

Life was far from simple and definitely not for the faint of heart.

Guards and translators accompanied them whenever they left the compound to visit military or police installations. Flak jackets and protective headgear were standard attire. There were constant car bomb and suicide-bomber attacks by the Taliban on Afghan and Coalition “targets,” which resulted in extensive collateral damage. Insider killings made working with the national police particularly treacherous since it was impossible to know if someone was friend or foe.

“The biggest danger came from bikers who would ride beside the military SUVs and stick a magnetic bomb onto the side,” Robin says.

At the end of their three-month stay, the Howarths’ contributions toward designing the master plans had proven so valuable, they were asked

to extend their contract, first for one year, then two, then more. They remained for eight intense years.

But life in Kabul was not all work and no play. The couple developed close friendships with their large Afghan staff. They also saw signs of economic progress as formerly curtained retail stalls morphed into brick-and-mortar shops, banks, offices and mini-grocery stores.

Although they returned to Atlanta in 2015, the Howarths, now in their 70s, are still not content with retirement. “We’re looking for our next career move,” Robin says.

“We regard accumulated wisdom as an invaluable asset and find the more we do, the more energy we have, and the more our creative juices are stimulated.” n

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

May 2016 | Simply Buckhead

17

S I M P LY NOW

TR AV E L N E A R

The Saratoga of

the South Horsing around in Aiken, South Carolina

I

nside a nondescript-looking breakfast hangout called Track Kitchen, located along a dirt road toward the south end of town, a sharplydressed gentleman named Cot Campbell is holding court, recounting the reception he got after his horse, Palace Malice, won the Belmont Stakes in 2013. On the opposite side of the room, a craggy-faced fellow who was one of the original Marlboro Men is hunched down behind a newspaper, having his morning cup of coffee.

Elsewhere, a retired New York investment banker is, like everyone else, bussing his own dishes.

This, in a nutshell, is Aiken, South Carolina, a charming, laid-back sort of place where billionaire Arabian sheiks mingle with dusty stable workers, and no one bats an eye. Noted travel writer Paul Theroux, in his latest book, Deep South, described the city as such: “Aiken was the complete Southern town, and though it was of modest size, it was in character larger than life and had a number of claims on my attention.”

Aiken, which sits just on the other side of the Georgia border about 20 miles east of Augusta and roughly a two-and-a-half-hour drive from Buckhead, was established as a railroad hub back in 1830s. By the 1870s, the city of rolling hills and towering oaks had become a popular winter escape for high-society folks from the North with last names such as Vanderbilt and Astor. It was around this time

18

May 2016 | Simply Buckhead

STORY:

Jill Becker

that Aiken’s rich equestrian culture was born—a culture still thriving to this day.

The Aiken Polo Club, in fact, is one of the oldest in the country, and at its weekly matches during the season, you’ll find pro players from Argentina and beyond galloping up and down the field. Hardly a week goes by in Aiken when you can’t find a horse show, steeplechase race, foxhound hunt or other equestrian event happening somewhere around town.

Head to the Aiken Training Track, and you’ll see some of the country’s top thoroughbreds prepping for upcoming races, including the Kentucky Derby.

Until last September, Sheik Mohammed, the ruler of Dubai, had a multimillion-dollar stable on Audubon Drive.

But Aiken isn’t just for horse lovers.

There’s plenty to hold your attention for a long weekend’s visit, including a thriving arts scene that includes venues such as the Aiken Community Playhouse and Aiken Center for the Arts. Most notably, each March, during a special event called Joye in Aiken, musicians from New York’s prestigious Juilliard School perform a weeklong series of concerts.

One of the city’s most notable attractions is the Hitchcock Woods, a 2,100-acre expanse in the middle of town that’s more than twice the size of Central Park and features 70 miles of walking and, of course, riding trails.

The Aiken Visitors Center contains one of the most historically accurate train museums in the country. The picturesque downtown is lined with boutiques, brewpubs, coffeehouses, restaurants and even a tearoom called La Dolcé, where tastings are lead by internationally certified tea master Lady Kelly MacVean.

An ideal way to explore Aiken is to hop aboard the Saturday morning trolley tour, led by longtime resident Judith Burgess. She’ll regale you with local lore, such as how Fred Astaire used to dance down the steps of the post office after picking up his mail when he lived in Aiken during the '30s and '40s.

When it comes to accommodations, you have your choice of the usual chain hotels, but more fitting is a stay at a historic property such as the Rose Hill Estate, a lovely nine-room inn dating back to 1898, or the luxurious Willcox, once dubbed by Travel+Leisure as one of the 500 best hotels in the world.

Rental homes are a popular option here, too, especially in early April, when Aiken is overrun with golf fans staying in town while attending the Masters at nearby Augusta National.

Wherever you stay and whatever you do, you’re sure to be treated to Aiken’s trademark Southern hospitality.

As one Aikenite told Paul Theroux on his visit to the fair city: “There are no strangers here.” n

s Aiken might be part of the region in western South Carolina they call Thoroughbred Country, but its many charms appeal to more than just the equestrian set.

IF YOU GO...

Aiken Center for the Arts aikencenterforthearts.org Aiken Community Playhouse aikenplayhouse.us Aiken Training Track aikentrainingtrack.com Aiken Trolley Tour 803.644.1907 visitaikensc.com/calendar/ event/aiken_historic_tour Aiken Visitors Center and Train Museum 803.293.7846 visitaikensc.com/whattodo/ detail/aiken_railroad_depot Hitchcock Woods hitchcockwoods.org La Dolcé ladolce-aiken.com Rose Hill Estate rosehillestate.com Track Kitchen 803.641.9628 The Willcox thewillcox.com

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A.I’ve always been a so-called skincare junkie! But in my quest to find the ultimate products, I could never find exactly what I wanted. Plus, I suffered from painful ingrown hairs, so I desperately wanted a solution. Nothing on the market worked, so I started experimenting in my kitchen, became a medical esthetician, and opened Defined Sugaring Studio in Buckhead three and a half years ago. I fell in love with the ancient art of body sugaring and had several “Eureka!” moments where the benefits of sugar in skincare became crystal clear.

Q.You often use the phrase, “Two-Steps to defining your distinctive beauty.” What are those two steps?

A.That’s easy: The Body Exfoliator and Exception-all — in that order.

You have to properly exfoliate with the right blend of natural and organic ingredients. The Body Exfoliator removes the barrier of dead skin cells that clog the skin, uncovering the fresh new skin cells below. This prepares the skin for the amazing benefits of Exception-all, allowing it to penetrate more deeply into areas of the skin that require serious relief. The Body Exfoliator clears the path for Exception-all, so that Exception-all can work to repair those areas.

The Body Exfoliator is unlike any other scrub on the market. Its rich texture and oils have been meticulously crafted to deliver the most exfoliating, hydrating and high performance results. While you could use a lotion after using The Body Exfoliator, it’s not necessary thanks to The Body Exfoliator’s hydrating oils.

The second step to unveiling beautiful skin is to treat irritated areas, such as the face, neck, underarms, or bikini area, with Exception-all. I developed Exceptionall to hydrate, repair the skin, and even out the complexion without clogging the pores.

A.To s olve the all-too-common problems of ingrown hairs, red bumps, razor burn and skin discoloration. Both men and women suffer from ingrown hairs, and this problem is exacerbated by waxing, depilatories, electrolysis, and shaving with a razor.

Men and women stop waxing and shaving! Why? Because waxing irritates the skin, which when done repeatedly (especially not well) can cause chronic skin irritation and scarring. The razor then introduces its own set of problems like nicks and cuts, bacteria, and red, inflamed bumps. Alternate hair removal processes like electrolysis and hair removal creams are no better. Electrolysis can cause scarring, infection, and a condition called hyperpigmentation, which is a darkening of the skin. Creams can burn the skin. Waxing, electrolysis, creams, and shaving may remove undesired hair, but are you willing to pay the price of ingrown hairs and irritated skin? These methods are often self-perpetuating processes that make matters worse. Body sugaring takes waxing, depilatories, electrolysis, and the razor out of the equation while my all-natural and organic products, The Body Exfoliator and Exception-all, soothe irritated skin, reduce inflammation, promote healing, and reduce resistance to hair removal (which makes subsequent hair removal treatments more effective, less painful, and less irritating). Where waxing, shaving, electrolysis, and hair removal creams irritate the skin, my two-step treatment helps soothe and repair it.

www.marlondacurrie.com ��� E. Andrews Drive, Ste ��� ���.���.����

Marlonda Marlonda CurrieCurrie Founder/ Founder/Aesthetician Aesthetician

Q.What about men and women who won’t heed your call to give up waxing or shaving? Can your two-step treatment help provide relief from ingrown hairs and the other skin issues you mentioned?

Absolutely. As a professionally trained sugarist, I’d prefer they choose body sugaring for hair removal because it is a beneficial , healthy, and organic alternative. However, I understand that not everyone will go this route. Those who prefer to shave or wax need The Body Exfoliator and Exception-all even more so than those who sugar! My two-step treatment will help relieve their ingrown hairs, red bumps, discoloration, scarring, and irritated skin – and they’ll have more problem areas than most body sugaring devotees have. No one needs this treatment more than people who shave or wax!

Q.The beauty industry is notoriously challenging for the little guy. What drives you to develop your own skincare line focused on relieving ingrown hairs?

A.I’ve always been a beauty entrepreneur. To me, skincare isn’t a business so much as a calling. I’m creating my dream products, and they provide real relief to a problem most of us just live with. By bringing my products to the market, no matter how challenging it may be, I’m empowering men and women to unveil their healthy, beautiful skin – all without parabens, sulfates, or animal testing.

May 2016 | Simply Buckhead

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TR AV E L FA R

Photo: C2 Photography

S I M P LY NOW

The Aspen Saturday Market attracts tourist and locals to the downtown streets during the warm weather months.

Dog days of Aspen I

dream of skiing more than I actually get on the slopes, but Aspen, Colorado, has always been a snowy locale on my mustvisit list. I thought when I finally met this famously chic ski spot, the vistas would be covered in a white blanket of powder. Fate had other plans, and my introduction occurred in the middle of the summer when I traveled with my husband and infant daughter to visit friends who have made Aspen home. Although the only snow I saw was at the very top of the towering Rocky Mountains, way beyond my reach, I fell in love with the town all the same, discovering that its charm goes way beyond its reputation as a winter wonderland.

For our four-day visit, we set up camp at the Limelight Hotel, a modern boutique property in the center of the downtown action. Across the street from Wagner Park and within walking distance from Aspen Mountain, the hotel puts you just steps from the town's stylish restaurants and upscale shops. One of my

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favorite perks was the Limelight’s incredible breakfast spread (included in the hotel rate). Picture bowls of homemade granola and platters of fresh fruit and sliced meats, along with a rotating selection of hot items ranging from veggie frittatas and steel cut oatmeal to biscuits and gravy. Breakfast is served from 7 to 10 a.m., and I advise waking up early to beat the crowds and have your pick of the best offerings. If a big morning meal isn’t your thing, the hotel’s hand-tossed pizzas are ideal for a laid-back lunch in the Lounge or late night in-room dining after an action-packed day of exploring.

The Limelight also offers a heated outdoor pool and hot tub, as well as a fully equipped gym and complimentary shuttle service to and from Aspen’s Roaring Fork Airport and around town. Personally, I was won over by the adorable wooden crib outfitted in Winnie the Pooh bedding that the staff placed in the room for our daughter prior to our arrival.

The 440-square-foot Deluxe Room also included a desk and sitting area,

Giannina Smith Bedford kitchenette with a refrigerator, Keurig coffeemaker and microwave, as well as a spacious bathroom. The 126room property’s accommodations run the gamut, including rooms with full kitchens and dining rooms, private terraces with mountain views and dog-friendly, one-bedroom casitas— a little something for everyone.

When we weren’t relaxing in our home-away-from-home or strolling the streets window-shopping and eating, we experienced the best of summer in Aspen. Here is just a taste of the non-winter must-do’s.

1. Ride the Gondola.

A ride on the Silver Queen Gondola to the top of Aspen Mountain isn’t just for wintertime. At the peak, take in gorgeous mountain views, snap a family photo and sit down for a meal at the Sundeck restaurant.

Then spend the afternoon hiking, playing lawn games or watching the kids participate in an obstacle course.

Yoga and live music are offered on select days. aspensnowmass.com

Photo: Jeremy Swanson

Experience the summer swagger of this quintessential ski town

2. Visit Maroon Bells. Some of the most photographed mountains in North America are just 10 miles from Aspen up Maroon Creek Road. From mid-June to Oct. 4, the two peaks of the Elk Mountains can only be accessed by public bus ($6 ticket) between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.

Buses leave every half hour from Aspen Highlands Village. Once you reach the drop-off point, there are hiking trails of various skill levels with the stunning peaks as a backdrop.

We opted for the Maroon Lake Scenic Trail, which travels about 1.5 miles each way along the creek flowing into the lake. This is a Kodak moment you can’t miss. aspenchamber.org/explore-aspen/ trip-highlights/maroon-bells

3. Indulge in spa time. Aspen has a number of award-winning spas, including Remède Spa at the St. Regis

Among the fascinating people who live and work at Canterbury Court:

Above: The Remède Spa at the St. Regis Aspen Resort features a not-to-miss confluence waterfall that is just one of its many perks.

Aspen Resort. A short walk from the Limelight Hotel, the 15,000-squarefoot facility features steam caves, cold plunges, a Confluence waterfall and oxygen lounge. All treatments are customized to each guest, ensuring you get the most out of your visit.

My 60-minute facial was topped off with a relaxing warm paraffin foot wrap; décolleté, arm, foot and scalp massages; as well as an eye and lip treatment. Pure heaven.

Below: A ride up the Aspen Mountain gondola offers pinch-me views during all seasons.

Music Lover

Photo: Daniel Bayer

SUMMER BONUS Feast at the Food & Wine Classic If you are in Aspen in June, don’t miss this culinary extravaganza. The inspiration behind the Atlanta Food & Wine Festival, the esteemed epicurean event brings together more than 300 wine and luxury lifestyle brands in a Grand Tasting Pavilion and offers more than 80 cooking demonstrations and wine seminars with world-class chefs and wine experts. This year, it takes place June 17-19 in Wagner Park (across the street from the Limelight Hotel).

Photo: courtesy of Aspen Center for Environmental Studies

foodandwine.com/classic

Volunteer

Exercise Therapist

Teacher

Centerbury Court Ambassador

”

Running 17 exercise classes each week, plus private sessions with people recovering from injury or surgery, would surely exhaust an average person. Of course, Mattie’s far from average. She’s a bundle of energy who loves to dance, works a variety of music into her classes, and joins Canterbury’s walking club whenever she can, especially when they’re training for the annual Peachtree Road 10k.

She says residents and staff are so much like family that she’s always encouraging people to move here.

Mattie invites you to discover her Canterbury Court.

Life is better among friends (404) 261-6611 3750 Peachtree Road, N.E. Atlanta, Georgia 30319

canterburycourt.org Photo: Brett Friel

aspenhistory.org/tours-sites/ ashcroft-ghost-town n

Swimmer

motto is exercise AND socialize. “ MyIT’S ALL ABOUT HAVING FUN!

aspenchamber.org/explore-aspen/ trip-highlights/aspen-saturdaymarket

5. Go back in time at the Ashcroft Ghost Town. Eleven miles South of Aspen on Castle Creek Road, this former silver mining settlement dates back to the 1880s and was once home to approximately 2,000 people. Stroll through the remnants of the town, including a saloon and post office. Guided tours are available daily mid-June through Labor Day. Adult admission is $3, and children 12 and younger are free.

Exercise Specialist since 2005 Dancer

stregisaspen.com

4. Stroll the Aspen Saturday Market.

From mid-June to mid-October, spend your Saturday morning checking out the food and artisan vendors set up along the downtown streets.

Sample fruits, aromatherapy products and gourmet treats (including the mouthwatering Ajax Donuts).

Celebrating 18 years in 2016, the market highlights only Colorado made, grown and produced items.

Mattie Hickey-Middleton

Atlanta’s premier non-profit continuing care retirement community

May 2016 | Simply Buckhead

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S I M P LY NOW

STAYCATION

Above: A vintage teddy bear welcomes you to rest your city-weary soul.

Left: The front porch beckons with lounge chairs and daily wine tastings.

Below: To further enhance diners' farm-to-table experience, Beechwood Inn operates Grow, Cook, Eat Culinary Garden, an organic vegetable, herb and edible flower farm in Rabun County.

Food revival Culinary thumbs elevate a 100-year-old North Georgia inn

L

ooking to explore a new piece of North Georgia country, I took off for a Saturday in Clayton, which sits only an hour and a half north of Buckhead. The main attraction on my visit was the quaint Beechwood Inn that welcomes getting away from the big-city buzz with comfortable accommodations, laid-back lounging and stellar food and wine experiences.

The hillside inn with Black Rock Mountain views is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year.

It still features original heart pine flooring throughout, and if you look carefully at some of the stair treads, you might find centuryold shipping information from the pallets they came in on via train.

Today, the bed-and-breakfast offers guests seven charming rooms and suites, furnished with antiques, within the main house, as well as two cabins that sit on the property’s 8 acres and an additional cabin 10 miles away. I stayed in the secondfloor Lura’s Suite that features a cozy living room with gas fireplace, comfy king bed, a newly-renovated bathroom with barnyard sliding door and a private screened porch with two red rocking chairs. A shout-out for the suite’s thoughtful amenities: the

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softest eco-friendly bamboo towels, a separate black “makeup” towel (for ladies to remove makeup), dive-into 600-thread count sheets (available for purchase in the gift shop) and a desk with a Bluetooth keyboard that connects to your iPad. I had to tip my hat to the inn’s environmental best practices.

The property has an electric vehicle charging station, a designated 5-acre bird sanctuary and an extensive recycling program. They compost the garden waste and cook with organic, locally grown food from eco-responsible sources as much as possible.

Innkeepers Gayle and David Darugh both hail from California and have varied wine and culinary backgrounds. The inn’s wine cellar holds more than 4,000 bottles from around the world, and the couple also produces 300 cases of their own Georgia wine each year in cooperation with nearby Habersham Winery.

Don’t miss the daily “Wine-Thirty” (starting at 5:30 p.m., except for 6:30 p.m. on Saturdays) on the expansive front porch where you’ll have a chance to sample the inn’s own vintages. During my visit, an antipasti of local sausages, cheeses and housepickled shrimp was also served.

Karina Antenucci

I sampled a bright 2016 Beechwood Chardonnay that wasn’t heavily oaked and a full-bodied 2013 Beechwood Cabernet with nice blueberry and blackberry aromas and a long, oaky mouth feel. But the best was yet to come…

The Saturday-only “Farm-to-Table Dinner” for fewer than 20 patrons (note: advance reservation is a must) began at 7:30 p.m. and included Mediterranean-inspired courses of taste-bud heaven, perfectly paired with wines from Italy, Argentina and France. The Darughs are clearly doing something right, as Wine Spectator has given Beechwood its Award of Excellence for eight consecutive years. The celebration of the area’s fresh, local products from farms, orchards, dairies and ranches started with melt-in-your-mouth, house-smoked steelhead trout on homemade spinach fettuccini with preserved lemons, herbs and grated Parmesan. Next was a palatecleansing organic micro greens salad from nearby Trillium Farm with shredded vegetables, pickled beets, toasted pecans and 30-yearaged sherry vinaigrette served with homemade sourdough. The entrée presented garlic-rubbed lamb chops, Charleston gold laurel aged rice

(an heirloom rice from Anson Mills in Columbia, South Carolina) and steamed sugar snap peas. And just when I thought I couldn’t possibly eat anymore, the fourth course’s slice of aged Gouda cheese drizzled with sweet Mugolio pinecone bud syrup from Tuscany appeared. And then came the fluffy Kahlua cheesecake made with local cheese and milk from Spring Ridge Creamery and garnished with vanilla cream.

The next morning, I was still full from the night before, but how could I skip a meal at Beechwood? Breakfast is served promptly from 8 to 9 a.m.— you snooze, you lose—and included a beautiful organic-egg vegetable quiche, hot biscuit, just-right grits and housemade local pork sausage.

If it hadn’t been pouring rain that Sunday morning, I would have headed out for a hike to work off a morsel or two. Instead, I went back to sleep until checkout. n

BEECHWOOD INN 220 Beechwood Drive Clayton 30525 706.782.5485 beechwoodinn.ws Starting at $179 per night Saturday dinners $85 per person

901 Abernathy Rd, Suite 500 Sandy Springs GA 30329 (corner of Abernathy/Barfield/ 400-Serrano Condo Bldg).

Services Balayage Highlighting High Fashion Haircolor Retexturizing treatments Keratin Complex Keratin Therapy Treatments Hair Cutting/Razor cutting Textured hair services/Natural hair Facial waxing

770.628.0328 www.colourbaratlanta.com

The perfect way to practice Spanish over the summer, and for new students to be exposed to the excitement of learning in Spanish.

6 EXCITING WEEKS! OUR CAMPS June 6 - 10: Pirates & Princess: ages 2-6 June 13 - 17: Kids in the Kitchen: ages 2-8* June 20 - 27: In the Garden: ages 2-6 June 27 - July 1: Stars & Stripes / Exploring Science: ages 2-8* July 11 - 15: African Safari: ages 2-6 July 18 - 22: Olympic Games: ages 2-8* * Older Elementary camp open to ages 7&8

ARE HIGHLY INTERACTIVE, LIVELY AND FULL OF SPANISH!

THE SPANISH ACADEMY BUCKHEAD AT COVENANT PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

ENROLL NOW!

TheSpanishAcademy.com/admissions Tuition payment is due upon registration and payment is non-refundable and nontransferable.

LANDSCAPE DESIGN & INSTALLATION HORTICULTURAL SERVICES Info@goinggreenhor ticultural.com www.goinggreenhor ticultural.com

678.446.1976 May 2016 | Simply Buckhead 

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AW, SHUCKS Five oyster dishes to try this season

STORY:

Jessica Dauler

PHOTOS: Sara

Hanna

You either love ’em or hate ’em. There’s not really an in between when it comes to oysters.

If you are amongst the oyster-worshippers, why not venture out and try a variety of chef creations? Buckhead restaurants offer so many varieties to get your slurp on.

1. Atlanta Fish Market: Oysters Rockefeller ($14.50)

East Meets West ($16)

Named after millionaire John D. Rockefeller, one of the richest men in the 19th century who enjoyed intensely rich foods, these oysters do not disappoint. The combination of Dijon mustard, spinach, bacon, breadcrumbs and herbs is baked to perfection and melts in your mouth.

The “East Meets West” combination is a sampling chosen by the chef of six oysters, three from each coasts. East Coast oysters have a smoother, rounder shell and tend to be more briny (salty). West Coast oysters (pictured) have a sharper, more rigid shell and are a bit sweeter. Flavors also can range from mild to buttery and are heavily influenced by the waters and lands where the oysters were raised.

265 Pharr Road N.E. Atlanta 30305 404.262.3165 buckheadrestaurants.com

2. Tavern at Phipps: Buffalo Oysters ($9.95) Perfect for the oyster novice, these bite-sized gulf oysters are fried, tossed in hot sauce and finished with imported, sharp blue cheese.

A firm texture and buffalo-wing-inspired zing allow a hint of oyster flavor to come through without overwhelming your taste buds.

Phipps Plaza 3500 Peachtree Road Atlanta 30326 404.814.9640 thetavernatphipps.com

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3. Chops Lobster Bar:

May 2016 | Simply Buckhead

70 West Paces Ferry Road N.W. Atlanta 30305 404.262.2675 buckheadrestaurants.com

4. The Big Ketch Saltwater Grill: Plain Oysters On the Half Shell (Market Price) Whether you slurp them straight off the shell or prefer a splash of cocktail sauce, oysters on the half shell are a treat for true aficionados.

Experts recommend the slurp method since drinking the juice at the bottom of each shell is part of the experience and enhances the lingering flavor of each oyster.

3729 Roswell Road N.E. Atlanta 30305 404.474.9508 thebigketch.com

5. Bistro Niko: Baked Oysters Florentine ($14) On par with the indulgent French cuisine served at this neighborhood bistro, oysters Florentine are covered with buttery spinach, candied bacon and Pernod, the beloved French anise-flavored aperitif that adds an interesting twist to this classic combination. The fresh spinach flavor lingers after each bite.

3344 Peachtree Road N.E. Atlanta 30326 404.261.6456 buckheadrestaurants.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

PeachDish staffers converge each Thursday in the Buckhead home of company founder Hadi Irvani (center) to perfect and photograph upcoming meal kits.

A full plate

STORY:

What's cooking with PeachDish founder Hadi Irvani

T

Above: Irvani and culinary director Seth Freedman (right), formerly of Bacchanalia, go over a detailed to-do list to ensure clients get the most mouthwatering, easy-tomake meals.

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May 2016 | Simply Buckhead

he pantry in Hadi Irvani’s stylish Buckhead home is so well stocked and organized, it would make Martha Stewart blush—which isn’t surprising, considering that so much of the 33-yearold’s life revolves around food.

Irvani is the founder of PeachDish, a meal kit delivery service that started three years ago in a room above his garage and has since become one of the top companies of its kind in the country, supplying more than 10,000 meals a month to the growing audience of millennials, empty-nesters and more who enjoy the convenience of having their dinner fixings delivered straight to their front doors.

“I’m an economist by training, but I’m a foodie, too,” says Irvani, who graduated from the University of Virginia and had a hand in several other startups, as well as his family’s Okabashi shoe business, before PeachDish. Big, communal meals were a fixture when he was growing up, and so he says, “I just intrinsically like to have people over and entertain.” He’s particularly well known for his dinner parties that get the guests involved in the making of the meal. It’s more meaningful, fun and communal that way, he insists.

Jill Becker

PHOTOS: Sara

Hanna

That belief translates to the concept behind PeachDish, which he founded with the goal of bringing people together over a shared meal.

“I loved the idea of a party in a box,” says Irvani of his company’s Southern-inspired, farm-to-table dishes, even if it’s just an ordinary midweek supper being whipped up by a hard-working couple at the end of a long day. “Food can be exciting.

It’s more than just a meal.”

To prove his point, Irvani invited us to his house on a typical Thursday, which happens to be test kitchen day, when a crew convenes at his two-story, art-filled abode to sample and perfect upcoming recipes, photograph meals and shoot film for the company’s website and YouTube channel. Here’s how the events of Irvani’s day transpired.

sits outside the PeachDish warehouse. The office is a converted shipping container—the kind used on freighter ships to haul goods— that he’s customized with a skylight, marble floors and a stand-up desk. Even though he’s not there, employees begin showing up at Irvani’s house to start the day’s work.

7 a.m. Irvani chats, via Skype, with his web developer in China. Topics include customer wants and needs, mobile optimization and enabling the option of allowing customers to pick their meal kits delivery date.

12:15 p.m. Joining Irvani, company culinary director Seth Freedman and chef Robert Lupo in Irvani’s spacious kitchen is noted Southern food writer and chef Virginia Willis, who is there to film a segment for her seasonal PeachDish offering, smothered and covered chicken with herb grits and celery salad. Working off a detailed schedule taped to the door

9 a.m. After breakfast with a houseguest visiting from Chicago, Irvani heads to his Forest Park office that

11 a.m. Irvani stops by the market to pick up a few items for lunch before heading back to his house to oversee, for one, the shooting of the videos for six new recipes. Lunch is held out on his back patio and consists of a salad of fresh greens, radish, avocado and a squeeze of lemon juice; slices of fresh bread topped with goat cheese; and a bowl of kiwi. A vase of fragrant daphnes from his garden adorns the table.

Irvani's sitting room serves as a makeshift studio as Kate Blohm photographs the finished product for recipe cards and other materials so PeachDish customers can see how the ingredients they receive in the mail should look once they've been chopped, cooked, stirred and served.

details of the lease for the company’s new, larger warehouse out by the airport.

of the pantry, the team continues filming other segments and experimenting with future recipes.

In a light-filled sitting room off the kitchen, amid a myriad of stylish place settings, linens and such, videographer Kate Blohm works with a photographer on a food shoot to obtain images for PeachDish recipe cards. Company nutritionist and communications specialist Mary Alice Shreve is around the corner in the living room, working away on her laptop.

2:30 p.m. Irvani meets with his partner, Judith Winfrey, to go over pressing business, including the

4:30 p.m. The rest of Irvani’s workday is spent following up on correspondence. He personally reads all customer emails, as many as 400 a day, and either sends them to the appropriate person or responds to them directly.

6:45 p.m. Irvani and his friend from out of town decide to stay in and whip up a PeachDish meal for dinner: chicken breasts with Brussels sprouts, apples and dried cherries.

There’s no wine or cocktails with dinner for Irvani, as he’s a teetotaler, but as is frequently the case, there’s some sort of chocolate-y treat for dessert. “My life revolves around eating,” he admits unabashedly. n

Above: Company nutritionist Mary Alice Shreve (right) sits with Freedman, Irvani, and Blohm at a table just across from the room where PeachDish got its start.

May 2016 | Simply Buckhead

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PE TS

FINDING FIDO ATLANTA PET DETECTIVES TO THE RESCUE

C

an’t find your darling dog or your favorite feline friend? If you have ever lost a pet, you know what a terrifying and heartbreaking experience it can be. After you have exhausted the sign posting to no avail, and you need more help, the following pet detectives and psychic can work to locate your beloved lost animal, be it cat or dog.

Carl Washington Pet Detective USA Carl Washington has received national media recognition for his work as a pet detective. He got his start when one of his neighbors’ cats went missing 20 years ago in Virginia. He was familiar with hunting dogs because he grew up training them, so he used one of his tracking dogs to locate the cat. He realized that helping people find their lost animals was his calling in life. Washington still uses tracking dogs to this day.

“My two crime-solving partners are a poodle named CoCo and a Jack Russell terrier named Rocky.

Rocky was trained to listen for the sounds of animals inside of sheds and garages, and CoCo has a keen sense of smell,” Washington says. He guarantees to have your pet back within a day and will travel anywhere in the U.S. (including Buckhead) for a personal pet hunt (starting at $1,290 for 24 hours).

Alternatively, you can complete an online profile of 11 questions and have a do-it-yourself plan ($80) sent to you within two hours of your inquiry.

“After putting together all the information you have provided about your lost pet, I will customize a plan for your search. It's almost as good as my being there doing the hunt, except that you will become my legs, eyes and ears.”

Carl Washington Pet Detective USA 706.792.1854 petdetectiveusa.com

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May 2016 | Simply Buckhead

Brent Atwater Buckhead resident Brent Atwater is perhaps the John Edwards of the pet community.

When she was only 5 years old, her psychic talents were recognized and documented

by Dr. J.B. Rhine, a noted researcher in the field of extrasensory perception (ESP) at Duke University.

Brent has used her intuitive gifts to locate her share of family pets. Unlike most animal communicators who work telepathically, Atwater is able to energetically locate the animals. “Every being has its own specific frequency signature, like radio stations. I ‘tune in’ to the pet’s ‘channel’ using a photograph or an article that was frequently used by that pet,” Atwater says.

She also specializes in helping families with loss by contacting animals that have passed. “One of my pet cases involved a beautiful white Persian cat that had been missing for three days.

I went to the home, saw a photo and held onto some of the cat’s toys. I felt the cat’s signature frequency, and we walked in that direction until we found the cat in the woods,” Atwater explains.

She can give a reading in person or over the phone. Prices start at $250 and can run up to $695, depending on the length of the reading and how much information clients want.

Brent Atwater 404.901.2018 brentatwater.com

STORY:

Sarah Blackman

Tim Link Wagging Tales Tim Link has been searching for missing animals for more than a decade, and while his methods give him the flexibility to work with animals and their families from all over the world, he has many clients in the Buckhead area. While it's not necessary for him to be on location to assist with finding the lost pet, occasionally he does house calls, as every case is different.

To get started with his pet-locating process, owners provide the pet’s name, photo, home address, location from where it went missing, the date it went missing and any information of possible sightings. A general status check consultation ($40) is recommended for pets that have been missing for a while so Link can, through his “intuitive” abilities, determine if they are still alive or not. His initial lost animal consultation ($175) includes an in-depth communication session with the missing animal and map “dowsing,” where he gives a specific area to look for your lost pet based on your location.

This service is recommended for animals that have only been missing for a couple of days.

Link says, “The work that I do with animals and their families is more than just a job to me. It’s my life’s purpose.

There’s nothing better than knowing my efforts helped in reuniting a lost animal with its human companions.”

You can read Link’s advice on animal communication in his latest book, Talking with Dogs and Cats: Joining the Conversation to Improve Behavior and Bond with Your Animals ($14.95), available at Barnes & Noble in Buckhead.

“My book helps people better understand, communicate and bond with their animals. The better you understand your animal, and they understand you, the less likely they will be to leave and go missing,” he says.

Tim Link Wagging Tales 404.422.6355 wagging-tales.com

HOM 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

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HOME

Billiards anyone? Watch out: The Venturas have pool sharks in the family.

Address for a-Ventura P30

Photo: Sara Hanna Photography

The Ventura’s basement offers many amenities that most men would drool over.

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ADDRESS FOR A-VENTURA A day at home for this growing Brookhaven family is anything but boring STORY:

Giannina Smith Bedford

PHOTOS: Sara

Hanna

Above: Joe, Isabel and Allison Ventura relax in the kitchen, one of the many beautifully appointed spaces in their Brookhaven home.

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efore babies, life was a little different.

Allison and Joe Ventura lived in a 2,000-square-foot home in walking distance of the restaurants and shops on Brookhaven’s Dresden Drive, which they visited regularly after a long day’s work.

Now that they have a 2-year-old, Isabel, and her little sister on the way, they live at a different address, just five minutes away, but they spend a lot more time at home.

And who wouldn’t? The three-story, 7,000-square-foot abode built by Rockhaven Homes between 2013 and 2015 has more than enough space to entertain kids of all ages. From an upstairs craft room and outdoor pool to a blow-your-mind basement with a playroom, gym, billiards room, wine tasting space and media and entertainment area, there are diversions for every day of the week.

“We spend a lot more time at home, so we have some different things to do all around,” says Joe, co-founder of IT staffing and consulting firm Principle Solutions Group.

After moving in, they called on Jessica Capallo of the interior design firm Manor & Laine to bring decorative life to the interior. Mixing reclaimed wood and natural textiles, such as burlap and bamboo, with

Above: The living room, which leads to a porch with an outdoor fireplace, is comfy and casual with a coffee table from GJ Styles, a Noir floor lamp and pillows from Lacefield Designs.

leather furnishing and modern lighting, the Venturas created a casual yet stylish residence that reflects the passion they have for the good life. Walls are strewn with images of far-flung locales they’ve visited, baby photos, decorative mementos picked up along the way and custom-made art and decor that reflects their eye-catching style.

“Jessica was really open to listening,” Allison says. “We had a lot of ideas about things we wanted to do, but had no idea how to get them done or who could actually do them. It was really helpful to say, ‘We want to have this piece of art made,’ and she’d say, ‘I have a person who can do that.’”

On the main level, the living room has custom linen curtains, a sisal rug from Fiberworks and brown leather couches the Venturas brought from their previous home. A stone fireplace is flanked by white custom built-ins bedecked with evocative tokens, including a “Love” sculpture the couple purchased in Amsterdam and a typewriter from the late 1930s that belonged to Joe’s grandmother.

“I was pretty happy to have that on display,” Joe says. “We wanted to make it personal and have things that were meaningful to us and not be a bunch of things you’re just decorating your shelves with.”

A casual dining area with a reclaimed wood table from Bungalow Classic and an industrial pendant light fixture from Restoration Hardware links the living room with the open kitchen. Outfitted with a granite-topped island, the kitchen is where

Above: The basement, which leads into the billiards room on the left and wine room on the right, is anchored by a high-top wood table (designed by Capallo) surrounded by tufted barstools with burlap backing from Zentique. Capallo also sourced the vintage flag above the stone fireplace from GJ Styles and the rug from Surya.

Above: Sip a rare vintage in the Venturas’ cozy wine tasting room, adorned in brick, a zinc and bronze mirror from Arteriors and an old world-inspired faux candle chandelier.

Below: This custom art piece by Kristen Davis features one of the Venturas’ favorite sweet sayings, that they love each other “From Alaska to Alaska.”

Left: The wellequipped kitchen includes a Wolf range, Sub-Zero refrigerator, oversized walk-in pantry and sleek gray subway tile backsplash from Walker Zanger.

Below: The billiards room’s oversized artwork is done on reclaimed tin roof panels and depicts the World’s Fair in New York City— Eiffel Tower and all.

“We spend a lot more time at home, so we have some different things to do all around.” – Joe Ventura (Nakuru Linen Velvet Sahara to be exact) that matches a bolster on the bed outfitted in Traditions Linens. From the comfort of their resting place, Joe and Allison have a view of a meaningful piece of art that showcases their favorite saying, “From Alaska to Alaska.”

“That is just something we say to each other, that we love each other ‘From Alaska to Alaska,’” Allison says tenderly.

The Venturas cherish spending time together, but they also enjoy retreating to their own personal spaces. Allison’s is the one-of-a-kind upstairs craft room where the walls, in Benjamin Moore’s Spring Tulips with a Calypso Orange Stripe, feature a mural of large flowers in Valspar’s Ruby Red painted by Atlanta artist Kristen Davis.

It’s the kind of room that lifts your mood as

s

the Venturas cook no-fuss dinners, such as quesadillas and burgers, while Isabel plays in the attached sitting area. Nearby, Capallo converted a basic mudroom into an inviting orange and gray entryway with a bench seat.

The main level also houses the formal dining room, Joe’s study and a photo-lined hallway that leads to the master—a room with a coffered ceiling, walls painted with Sherwin-Williams’ Virtual Taupe and custom, two-toned curtains that incorporate the fabric from the bespoke king headboard Capallo commissioned from Buckhead Upholstery. Measuring 90 inches tall, the diamond-tufted piece is framed in wood, giving the room an elegant, rustic feel. At the foot of the bed is a colonial bench from Noir upholstered in Schumacher fabric

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soon as you enter. A custom-built crafting island, topped with white marble and surrounded by bright green bar stools to match the custom curtains, anchors the space, which also includes a kids-height crafting table and easel for Isabel to flex her artistic muscle. A starburst light fixture finished in antique brass that Allison “fell in love with” adds an extra bit of flair to the creative retreat where mom and daughter spend hours painting, coloring and doing crafts.

“This is my favorite room,” Allison says.

“I gave a picture to Jessica, and she gave it to the painter who free-handed it. It was a little scary because I’d never seen any of the work she’d done before, so I would sneak in and look and be like, ‘Okay, she’s good.’”

When Joe is looking to blow off some steam, the basement’s wine tasting room is where you’ll find him. The small, shotgunlike space with brick walls and plush leather armchairs includes an almost floor-to-ceiling iron wine rack, 100 percent sheepskin hair-on-hide rug and a wine cellar handcrafted from wood reclaimed from a barn in Central Oregon. The couple says having a separate wine cellar allows them to keep the rest of room at a comfortable temperature.

“We can chill the wine in there and have the cellar portion, and the rest we can enjoy as a tasting room,” Joe says.

While you could call the wine room Joe’s man cave, the basement offers many other amenities that most men would drool over. Just outside the wine room’s arched

wood door is a media and entertainment area with three TVs that has sports-viewing heaven written all over it. Adjoining it is a billiards room with a hand-painted oil artwork from Bobo Intriguing Objects that depicts the World’s Fair in New York City.

The open basement, which leads to the pool’s patio, also includes a fireplace and wet bar with a dishwasher, icemaker and beverage chiller. But the home’s ground floor isn’t only for adult fun. Behind a barnyard door from Rustica Hardware is Isabel’s whimsical

playroom where the multi-colored walls, painted by Byron Blake with HomEdit, surround kid-sized playhouses and gigantic stuffed animals. In truth, the Venturas’ home is a recreation area for all ages.

And with a second baby girl arriving in September, there is no doubt each space will get even more use, as will the new nursery the Venturas will soon begin designing. If it incorporates even a fraction of the ingenuity the rest of the home does, she’ll be one lucky little girl. n

Left: A perfect place for “art hour,” the vibrant craft room is furnished with barstools Allison found on Etsy, a lamp from Gallery Designs and a mirror and cabinet from Bungalow 5.

Below: Step into Isabel’s basement playroom, and be transported into a fantasyland of kid-sized adventure.

Above: A sophisticated retreat, the master bedroom features furnishings from Noir, Arteriors and BoBo Intriguing Objects.

JESSICA CAPALLO’S FIVE SENSORY MUST-HAVES FOR A FAMILYFRIENDLY HOME: 1. TOUCH: “Comfort, soft comfy fabrics. Lots of texture to relay a sense of dimension and interest.”

2. SIGHT: “Pops of color and details in position and application to invoke attention to the interior.”

3. SMELL: “Open living spaces where friends and family gather and relax: i.e., open kitchen. Surface spaces for candles, food, beverages and such.”

Allison Ventura’s favorite places to shop for home décor: 1. Sugarboo & Co.: “They specialize in whimsy; what’s not to like about that? Fun home decor, artwork, accessories, mirrors and children’s decor.”

2. BD Jeffries: “Fantastic selection of stylish books.”

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3. Marguerite’s on Dresden: “Local boutique with cute bed and bath accessories.”

4. Logan Gardens: “Amazing outdoor furniture. Located in ADAC (open to the trade only).”

5. Restoration Hardware: “Expansive selection of indoor and outdoor lighting.”

4. SOUND: “Arranging a room to support and encourage conversation and memories.”

5. TASTE: “The ability to blend design, flow and ease of the interior with the personality of the homeowner and client.”

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)!

S I M P LY S T Y LISH

FA S HION

FA S H I O N

Romanceinspired frocks and garments for the easygoing days of spring STORY:

STORYBOOK SPRING STYLE

Ashlyn S. Carter

PHOTOS: Sara STYLING:

Hanna

Abbie Koopote

HAIR AND MAKEUP: Nyssa Green, The Green Room Agency MODELS: Alissandra Diaz and Kelley Swanson, Salt Model & Talent

T

here’s a certain romance to springtime in Atlanta. Maybe it’s because nothing beats those first feels-like-summer days of wearing sandals and sundresses. Or maybe it’s that, as Southerners, we’re well aware of the August humidity to come and celebrate the chance to don heightened hemlines and bare arms without melting. Whatever it is, spring’s fleeting visit, lightness and vibrancy lure us all before the thick Georgia summer sets in.

Stylist Abbie Koopote curated six dreamy springtime looks as charming and fresh as the season itself. For 2016, expect big statement factors to include casual, relaxed silhouettes; sheer lingerie-inspired and embroidered pieces; nautical details such as toggles and rope; wand ruffles that are more slouchy than cutesy.

Beneath the shade canopy of the Atlanta History Center’s opulent 1930s Swan House, we captured springtime fashion in a fresh, airy essence. Here are Koopote’s favorite romantic looks for spring.

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BOHO ROMANCE Shed layers for a flurry of sheer, airy frocks that show a hint of skin. With these sophisticated see-through silhouettes, you can easily elevate both dresses’ casual-cool, as sheer is easy to dress down or up. Koopote found these two looks by San Francisco-based For Love & Lemons that fit the bill. Both are on-trend yet still silver-screen classic. “For spring this year, a lot of designers’ collections revolved around a romantic Victorian feel,” Koopote says. “Designers like Alexander McQueen, Balenciaga, Gucci and Zimmermann are embracing femininity.” Betwixt custom-made lace with strategically placed embroidery, the floral-patterned Desert Nights Maxi frock (right) is fit for a bohemian starlet.

Similarly, the rose-hued Sierra Maxi Dress (left), an elegant show-stopping gown with sheer panels and embroidered flowers, beckons spring evening formality.

For Love & Lemons Desert Nights Maxi Dress, $365; Sierra Maxi Dress, $334; available at Polished & Primped

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EVENING WEAR WHIMSY Flirty, versatile rompers aren’t going anywhere: Neiman Marcus offers an array of options, such as this crisp white look in lace. Flaunt your legs, and while you’re pattern-free, amp up the style by putting the spotlight on your accessories, such as platforms or statement earrings.

Alexis White Romper, $495; available at Neiman Marcus

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LOVE LACE Transition into playful, airy spring evenings with ladylike, pretty lace. A slinky slip dress in a bright red hue is a feminine piece that can be formal or made vacation-ready casual with sandals. The For Love & Lemons dress is romantic and flowy, again echoing that 1970s style cue. Pair with a crossbody bag to play it down, or dress it up with a clutch.

For Love & Lemons Mariposa Red Dress, $266; available at Polished & Primped

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PREPPED FOR THE ‘70S SHOP: Neiman Marcus 3393 Peachtree Road N.E. Atlanta, 30326 404.266.8200 neimanmarcus.com Polished & Primped 401.578.5070 polishedandprimpedshop.com River Mint 2339 Peachtree Road N.E. Atlanta, 30305 678.705.9297 rivermintfinery.com

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Channel the ’70s with this navy and white combo: high-waisted trousers and wispy chiffon blouse, cinched in the front with a flouncy bow. Platform suede heels adorned with tassels and decorative knots transport us back in time, too. Next, a billowy crochet dress is casual enough for a garden party and formal enough for a bride-to-be at her rehearsal dinner. Details such as (more) suede tassels, gold accents and bold earrings are a smart way to complete the look.

Elizabeth and James Navy Top, $295, and White Persil Trouser, $345; Self-Portrait White Dress, $540; Austin Plateau heels in Ink Suede and Vintage Pink, $775; available at Neiman Marcus Avindy Layered Charms, $340; Gold Pendant, $376; Earrings, both $88; available at River Mint

MARIA CORTES-BLEASE

Custom Interiors & Design Custom Window Treatments Bedspreads and Bedding | Pillows | Dust Ruffles

Designer Fabrics from Kravet | Rober t Allen | Scalamandre RM Coco | Fabricut | Barrett | Nor th Point | Osborne Showroom Custom Blinds: Wood | Sheer | Woven

35 Years’ Experience

MEMBER OF

770.356.3977 | www.interior satlanta.com Facebook: mccustominteriorsanddesign

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BE AUTY

FIND OUT WHAT’S NEW IN THE BEAUTY DEPARTMENT NEAR YOU THIS SPRING STORY:

Karina Antenucci

BUCKHEAD

BEAUTIES Lash Lengtheners

Fire Up Relaxation With a nod to its oriental heritage and celebration of the Chinese New Year, The Spa at Mandarin Oriental, Atlanta launched the Year of the Fire Monkey Experience. The 1-hour-and-50-minute spa service ($280-$300, depending on the day of the week) incorporates a number of traditional elements, including hot or cold towels infused with mandarin orange or tangerine oil that symbolizes good tidings, upon arrival. You’ll start your “monkeying around” with a welcome drink of Chinese red dates, honey and goji berries that encourage de-stressing and sleep, followed by a rejuvenating full-body exfoliation incorporating chrysanthemum flowers. After a warm shower with the addition of pomelo water (traditionally used to wash away negative feelings), you’ll be guided into a deep relaxation with a “singing bowl,” where a bowl is gently placed on the abdomen and the singing sound provides stimulation for your energy channels. The soothing massage that follows uses a blend of ylang-ylang, rose and calming chamomile oils. Before leaving the spa, sip a sweet plum tea or taste some of the traditional sweet treats, such as sweetened tangerine, ginger and coconut, popular during Chinese New Year festivities, available in the relaxation areas.

The Spa at Mandarin Oriental, Atlanta 3376 Peachtree Road Atlanta 30326 404.995.7526 mandarinoriental.com/atlanta

Yes to Tomatoes’ Detoxifying Charcoal Mud Musk ($15.99)

HOT INGREDIENT:

Charcoal Charcoal isn’t just for grilling anymore! It’s popping up in skincare products for its healing and detoxifying benefits. Great for skin types that are prone to excess oil and breakouts, Yes to Tomatoes offers a Detoxifying Charcoal Mud Mask ($15.99) that includes a botanical blend of tomato, aloe, watermelon, pumpkin and chamomile extracts for extra skin conditioning and salicylic acid to clear up acne and prevent future breakouts.

Dermalogica’s line also features a Charcoal Rescue Masque ($46) with 5 percent sulfur that promotes cell turnover for brighter skin.

Yes to Tomatoes Target 2539 Piedmont Road N.E. Atlanta 30324 404.720.1081 yestocarrots.com Dermalogica Woo Skincare and Cosmetics 2339-A Peachtree Road Atlanta 30305 404.477.5000 wooskincareandcosmetics.com

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Eyelash extensions are a great way to save time on your makeup applications and beauty regimen during busy summer travels. These lovely lashes come in different lengths, thickness and curl combos and are attached to your individual eyelashes. This helps create a longer, fuller and darker look that feels more natural than store-bought falsies. Anita Desai, owner of the recently opened Buckhead Lash Studio, notes the following best practices will keep your lash extensions in good shape for four to eight weeks.

Classic Eyelash Extensions, with approximately 80-120 lashes per eye, cost $295 at Buckhead Lash Studio.

n KEEP THEM CLEAN.

“Cleanse your lashes thoroughly every day and after swimming or excessive sweating with a gentle, oil-free cleanser to ensure the extensions’ bond stays strong.” n MAKEUP NO-NO.

“Don’t use waterproof cosmetics or oil-based products while you are wearing extensions.” n HANDS OFF!

“Avoid pulling at your lash extensions.”

Buckhead Lash Studio 3872 Roswell Road N.E. Suite A-3 Atlanta 30342 404.254.4097 buckheadlashstudio.com

Fat Fighter Love handles got you questioning your bikini choice? Consider SculpSure, an FDAapproved bodycontouring laser procedure starting at $1,400 for one treatment at WIFH. It’s the first non-invasive laser developed to reduce stubborn fat in areas such as the abdomen, love handles, flanks, inner and outer thighs and virtually any problem area. The 25-minute-per-area service destroys 25 percent of treated fat cells without surgery or downtime. You’ll only feel a strong yet very manageable tingling sensation and alternating hot and cold sensation while the machine’s applicators go about their business administerWIFH ing a light-based energy on your 1140 Hammond Drive N.E. body. Within 12 weeks following Suite 200 treatment, the body naturally Atlanta 30328 eliminates the injured fat cells, re404.832.0300 wifh.com sulting in a slimmer appearance.

An Advanced Weight Loss Practice

. LAP-BAND System . Non-Surgical Gastric Balloon . LINX Reflux System . Thyroid Surgery ®

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. Gallbladder Surgery . Hernia Repair . Robotic Surgery . Parathyroid Surgery

Regain Your Health and Mobility!

We specialize in non-invasive, minimallyinvasive and robotic techniques for advanced weight loss and general surgery procedures.

Let Dr. Srinivasa Gorjala, a board-certified physician, and our on-site dietician help you to live to your full potential with one of our medical or surgical weight loss programs.

For More Information: (404) 250-6691 BariatricInnovationsAtl.com

Our Location: 6135 Barfield Road, Suite 150 Atlanta, GA 30328

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SO YOU THINK YOU CAN TEACH? 4 FITNESS PROFESSIONALS SHARE THEIR TIPS FOR SUCCESS STORY:

Amelia Pavlik

I

could teach this! It’s a thought that has gone through many a mind while sweating it out on the spin-class bike or pulsing at a barre class. But what does it take to teach your favorite fitness classes or personal train like a pro? We spoke with four of the area’s fittest on how they got their gigs at Buckhead and Brookhaven’s hottest studios and their strategies for success.

Photo: Dee Photography

Photo: Christi Sue Photography

Brandon Butler

Becky Cawood YOGA INSTRUCTOR AND TRAINER, BURN STUDIOS AND SCULPTHOUSE Years Teaching/Training: 11 Certifications: Baptiste Yoga Level 1, CrossFit Level 1 and Lagree Fitness (to name a few)

Getting There: Cawood’s first career was event planning, but high heels and suits weren’t her cup of tea. “I was active even before I was in sneakers,” says Cawood. “As a kid, I played tennis, was on the local swim team, and was a competitive gymnast for eight years.

After my collegiate running career at Western Carolina University, I completed my first fitness certification with NCEP (National College of Exercise Professionals)—and haven’t looked back.” Cawood’s gig at Sculpthouse was the result of the owner seeing her Instagram account. She was asked to work at BURN Studios because of her yoga experience and extensive training​.

Training Time: For SculptHouse, Cawood went through the week-long​ Lagree Fitness certification (a Pilatesbased workout) and taught mock classes a few times each week for about three months before the studio opened. She didn’t need to complete any additional training for BURN​, yet she still participates in a variety of yoga workshops and training each year​to stay in practice.

Words of Wisdom: It’s okay to take time to rest.

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Photo: Cat and Zach Photography

FITNESS DESIGN EXPERT/SPORTS PERFORMANCE AND CORE STABILITY TRAINER, PINNACLE FITNESS GYM Years Teaching/Training: 13 Years

Caroline Seagraves LEAD CYCOLOGIST, CYC FITNESS Years Teaching/Training: 1.5 Certifications: National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) personal training and Lagree Fitness

Getting There: After working two years as a fulltime nanny, Seagraves knew her career path needed a new direction. It dawned on her that she could get paid to work out. Her now husband suggested that she earn her personal training certification. Then a friend passed along an email from the Forum Athletic Club announcing that Cyc was going to open a location in the gym. “I watched Cyc’s promo video and thought it was the coolest thing I had ever seen. I loved the challenge so much that when I left [my first class], I called my mom and told her that I was born to teach this,” Seagraves says.

Training Time: From August to November 2014, Seagraves trained from 6 to 10 p.m., Monday through Friday.

In the months that followed, she trained for about two hours daily to keep her endurance in check for when the studio opened in January 2015.

Words of Wisdom: Don’t be afraid to ask for advice.

Everyone starts somewhere.

Certifications: International Sports Sciences Association (ISSA) Certified Personal Trainer, Titleist Performance Institute (TPI) Golf Fitness Certification, Zumba 1 Basic Certification

Getting There: Becoming a fitness trainer was a natural transition, given that Butler played collegiate football at Mississippi State University and Delta State University, and for two years in the Arena Football League and National Indoor Football League. “I loved helping people from all walks of life adapt to a more health-conscious lifestyle. I’m also passionate about inspiring young athletes to reach their full potential,” Butler says. “One day, my mentor mentioned Pinnacle Fitness, and I was intrigued by its Kinesis wall, which allows for a more dynamic resistance training workout.

I felt that it would give me an opportunity to create more creative fitness programs for my clients, and here I am.”

Training Time: Thanks to the experience and certifications Butler had under his belt, he wasn’t required to complete additional training for Pinnacle. But he regularly takes advantage of ongoing educational opportunities.

Words of Wisdom: Continue to educate yourself.

Someone’s health may depend on it.

Photo: Shane Durrance

Jeremy Levison OWNER, BURN STUDIOS Years Teaching/Training: 10 Certifications: Aerobics and Fitness Association of America (AFAA) Heart Zones and personal training certifications

Getting There: Levison is the first to admit that his type-A personality means that he loves being in command of the room, teaching and training clients how to cycle correctly and get maximum results from their workouts. “I taught at two other spots before opening BURN Studios and wanted to combine my entrepreneurial spirit with my passion for fitness and teaching,” Levison says.

“So I created a one-stop studio where clients can enjoy cycling kickboxing and yoga under the same roof.”

Training Time: In addition to earning his certifications, Levison has learned the most from other instructors.

“Taking other instructors’ classes helps me sharpen my own game and allows me to learn what to do and, in some cases, what not to do,” he adds.

Words of Wisdom: Command the room.

SO FLY

STORY:

Karina Antenucci

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uckhead’s first-ever spin studio, Flywheel Sports, opened in 2012 and was a mega hit from the get-go. Because of its success with the Buckhead set, it expanded outposts to Midtown and Alpharetta. This spring, the inaugural Atlanta hotspot, which now also offers body-sculpting barre classes, moves to a brand-new locale within The Shops Buckhead Atlanta.

Here, we speak with Flywheel’s Co-Founder and Creative Director Ruth Zukerman about what’s in store at the new location and what sparked the whole idea for the nationwide high-end cycling fitness brand in the first place.

What inspired the launch of the flagship Flywheel studio in New York in 2010?

I had been teaching indoor cycling for several years and began to feel that it was time to take the workout to the next level. I wanted to take the guesswork out of indoor cycling and help my riders achieve maximum results. I met two incredible people who shared my vision, and together, we joined forces and opened Flywheel, setting the bar for indoor cycling by integrating technology into an effective, empowering and, of course, fun workout.

Why did you initially choose Buckhead as one of Flywheel’s locations?

When selecting a location for a new studio space, our team does a great deal of research. We seek markets that not only embrace boutique fitness and a healthy lifestyle, but also regions that have a united sense of community.

WHERE TO FIND THEM We knew Buckhead fit the bill—it was exciting, as it always is, to introduce the residents Becky Cawood to a form of exercise that was unique. We SculptHouse 3167 Peachtree Road N.E. truly resonated with the community.

Suite Q

Atlanta 30305 Tell us about the new space at 470.553.0080 The Shops Buckhead Atlanta. sculpthouse.com The new studio location is in the heart of Caroline Seagraves residential Buckhead. It is much larger than Cyc Fitness the existing Buckhead location, covering 3393 Peachtree Road NE more than 5,500-plus square feet and (The Forum Athletic Club) Atlanta 30326 boasting 60-plus bikes and 20 FlyBarre mats.

404.698.4343 Additionally, the new studio location will cycfitness.com have seven individual spa showers and 160 Brandon Butler lockers, ensuring ample space for all riders Pinnacle Fitness and ‘pulsers.’ Also, be sure to look out for little 3215 Cains Hill Place N.W. enhancements! Upon entering the stadium, Atlanta 30305 the tech pack, or small computer affixed to 404.228.3705 every bike in the stadium, will now greet riders pinnaclefitnessgym.com by their first names. The stadium will also Jeremy Levison feature special LED lighting that can be manand Becky Cawood aged by instructors, allowing them to play with BURN Fitness 3575 Durden Drive N.E. the color of the lights throughout the ride. n Suite 202 Brookhaven 30319 770.837.0051 livetoburn.com

Flywheel Sports 355 Bolling Way N.E. Atlanta 30305 flywheelsports.com

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TA S TE M A K ER

Swell Caroline Stone Tassel Necklaces, $32.

Pretty

swell

Jewelry designer Amy Rodbell’s creative style pays off, in design and business

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old is the name of the game for Buckhead-based jewelry designer Amy Rodbell. As founder and creative director of Swell Caroline, the former Ralph Lauren stylist and Capitol Hill staffer (for Georgia congressman, the late Hon. Charles Norwood) started the fashion-forward, affordable line out of her home in 2010. Since, it’s grown to placements in more than 200 boutiques, including Buckhead’s Swan Coach House shop, Swoozies, Izzy Maternity and Boxwoods. Here, we get the scoop on the striking style, strategic risks and daring choices that have put her on the path to success.

How did you find yourself in the jewelry business? Was it a goal or a happy accident?

Swell Caroline was absolutely a happy accident.

I retired from my career in commercial real estate to stay home and raise my children.

After my second child was born, I found I was still pulled to work, but I did not want to go back to a full-time career immediately.

Partnering with two other creative women, I launched Swell Caroline as an Internet retailer specializing in bright, preppy jewelry styles.

Creative entrepreneurs Stephanie Fornash (Fornash, Inc.) and Kelly Shatat (Moon & Lola) partnered with us to source their jewelry on a per-order basis. As we grew, I began to design and manufacture our own private label, the Swell Caroline Collection.

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STORY:

Jennifer Bradley Franklin

Where did the name “Swell Caroline” come from?

Both of my grandmothers inspired Swell Caroline, and I wanted this company to exude their joy and Southern charm.

The name was derived from my grandmother, Carolyn, and the Swell was added as a nod to classic, stylish, socially prominent women of days gone by. Around the office, we refer to her as our girl about town.

feeling than to bring a bright spot to someone’s life. We received the sweetest email from actress Lauren Potter’s (“Glee”) mother. Lauren gifted one of our pink Cherry Blossom necklaces to her mother, who had just finished going through treatment for breast cancer. She said that the necklace Lauren gave her reminded her of pink ribbons. It brought tears to my eyes and made me so happy!

Has there been anything surprising about the company’s success?

Everything! I am surprised by the dedication and loyalty of both our staff and customers.

I was also really surprised by the success of our monogrammed styles.

Do you have any words of wisdom for a new designer or would-be entrepreneur?

It sounds cliché, but just do it! Getting input from friends and family is valuable, but if you wait around to craft the perfect venture, you may never actually launch it.

E-commerce is big for you.

What are some of the farthest-flung places you receive orders from?

Initially, our focus was e-commerce, and we have fulfilled more than 15,000 orders over the last five years! From Japan to Australia, we’ve shipped just about everywhere.

Buckhead is Atlanta’s fashion destination.

Where are some of your favorite places?

Buckhead has changed so much over the years, but I am so happy that some of my favorite retailers are thriving here. I adore the Lilly Pulitzer shop, Mint Julep: Woo Skincare & Cosmetics is a favorite. I love blowouts at GlowDry at Powers Ferry Square; my darling hairdresser, Carter Vu; and, of course, Tootsies for fancy dresses! n

Describe the Swell Caroline design ethos in five words.

Bright, joyful, fancy, bold and swell!

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Do you have any noteworthy fans?

I love this question! There is no better

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ON STAGE

George LeFont celebrates his 40th year in the theater business this year.

Indie film champion P50

“You’re only as good as the last movie you show.” - George LeFont

Photo: Joshua Gwyn

May 2016 | Simply Buckhead

49

S I MP LY A & E

ON STAGE

George Lefont has paved the way for critically acclaimed movies for four decades STORY: PHOTO:

Jim Farmer Joshua Gwyn

Indie film champion A

t 77, Buckhead resident George Lefont has done what he loves for a long time—and is not slowing down a bit. The Lefont Sandy Springs movie theater, which he has been running for 12 years, is the latest in a long line of local art house movie venues he has operated, overseeing operations and special events. Through his work he aims to restore the ambiance of classic movie theaters and offer programming alternatives to multiplex fare.

Born in San Francisco, Lefont attended the University of California, Berkeley, in 1956 to get a degree in business administration and accounting. While there, he frequented repertory theaters near the campus where he saw scores of classic films. When he came to Atlanta in 1964, he began a computer software business but eventually sold it in 1987.

He realized his heart was not there.

“I was looking for a new business,” he recalls. “I remembered my days at Berkeley and started The Silver Screen, my first theater. That was in 1976.”

The Silver Screen was located in the Peachtree Battle Shopping Center.

As president of Lefont Theaters, he went on to open and run venues such as The Screening Room on Piedmont Road, Garden Hills Cinema in Buckhead, Ans-

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May 2016 | Simply Buckhead

ley Cinema, the Toco Hills Theater, and Marietta Star Cinema. He also operated the Plaza Theatre and the Tara Theatre for a bit, as well as a fourplex in Athens. Since 2004, Lefont has managed his Sandy Springs theater, alternating crossover Hollywood fare—mainstream movies with an appeal to critics and cinephiles—with the kinds of films he specialized in, such as independent movies, foreign films and documentaries. It’s his only theater now, but at his height in 1986, Lefont had six different locations operating at the same time.

As an independent theater owner, he selects the movies he screens. “I have never delegated that task to anybody,” he says. “I sought advice and consultation.

They reflect my taste, although I keep my taste tied up a little bit, realizing that if I don’t fill a theater with people, I won’t be in business for long.” He gives a film at least a two-week run to find an audience.

A personal highlight was championing Chariots of Fire in 1982. He had been tracking the film—which was released in England in 1981 and the United States the following year—and was a huge fan before it came to Atlanta. “I opened it and moved it into the Tara on an exclusive basis. It later won the Academy Award for Best Picture.

I was having a party during the awards, and all my friends were there, and I literally fainted. People came over to congratulate me while I was on the floor.”

Lefont has lived in Buckhead since moving to Atlanta. He loves the area’s culture and variety of restaurants. His ex-wife Donna runs the theater’s Lefont Film Society that brings additional, acclaimed films to town, and his daughter, Audrey, worked at the theater for a while. He also has two other daughters: Stacey, an attorney; and Paige, a teacher.

His current theater, which is one of the major hubs for the Atlanta Jewish Film Festival, is successful. He attributes that to a great location, ample parking and devoted patrons.

This year marks Lefont’s 40th in the industry. He has survived changes in film equipment and audience behavior and still cherishes what he does. It’s work, though. “You can love film, but it is a business. You have to pay attention to expenses and revenue. It takes constant attention.

I’ve also learned that LEFONT SANDY SPRINGS you’re only as good 5920 Roswell Road, Suite C-103 as the last movie Atlanta 30328 you show. You have 404.255.0100 to have your cuslefonttheaters.com tomer trust you.” n

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S I M P LY A & E

A RT V IE W

An exquisite eye 92-year-old photographer captures images of talent close to home

S

ome careers won’t end no matter how hard someone tries to retire.

Take the example of 92-yearold Clyde May. For more than 50 years, May had a thriving business as a photographer, working in the era when film was developed in a dark room and the concept of having a lens on a phone was unheard of. He learned his way around f-stops and zoom lenses while developing an eye for an image as the assistant director of advertising for the Florida Citrus Commission. After deciding to break out on his own, May researched business climates and decided on Atlanta. In 1963, he moved his wife and two young children to town and set up his own studio in Midtown where his assignments included commercial advertising shots and food photography for local companies and agencies.

“I did that for 37 years and was known for my technical

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May 2016 | Simply Buckhead

expertise,” May recalls.

About 12 years ago, May closed his studio and retired.

“I got out just in time,” he says with a laugh. “Computers were coming in and changing that whole world. So I sold the studio and the equipment.”

Well, not quite all the equipment. May kept a few favorite cameras to take photos for his own enjoyment. Over the years, he’s continued to add to an extensive collection of travel slides, and he still shoots subjects that appeal to his artistic eye. Six years ago, he moved to Buckhead’s Canterbury Court, a continuing care retirement community on Peachtree Road, where he found a wealth of intriguing subjects to put in front of his lens.

“There are so many unique personalities,” May says. “We have a publication we put out monthly called Canterbury Tales, so I started taking some photographs of interesting people for that.”

STORY:

H.M. Cauley PHOTO: Sara Hanna

May took a portrait of a fellow resident who was celebrating her 100th birthday, and soon after it appeared in the Canterbury newsletter, there were requests to do others.

“At first, I thought of it like doing a gallery of portraits, but then my wife came up with the idea of making it a gallery of talents, since there are so many talented people here,” May says.

“And not long after that, someone said, ‘Why not do a book?’”

Last fall, in conjunction with the 50th anniversary of Canterbury Court, May put his collected portraits into a glossy coffeetable book, A Gallery of Talents.

All of the subjects were posed in either their apartments or in the building’s community room.

Each page glows with a colorful portrait of a Canterbury resident shown with a visual that connects to his or her talent: Mary Archer is viewed across the open strings of a baby grand piano;

Edith Wright is at work at her painting table, surrounded by brushes, papers and finished artworks; model shipbuilder Willem Westerman shows off two of his finished Viking boats.

“Talented people who have honed their gifts by years of dedication to the service of beauty are pictured here,” writes resident Margaret Langford in her introduction to the book. “Clyde May, through his own artist’s eye, has captured the essence of these Canterbury Court residents.”

The book has become a bit of a collector’s item, selling to residents and families as well as May’s friends who appreciate the talent he’s still putting to good use. “Everyone,” May says, “has been very receptive.” n

Copies of the book sell for $100 and are available by contacting Canterbury Court: 404.261.6611.

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53

S I M P LY A & E

LITE R A RY

Life after Death New memoir inspires spouses to move beyond grief STORY:

H.M. Cauley

A

fter 16 years of marriage, Myra McElhaney was looking forward to a long retirement with her husband, Phil. The couple, just nearing their 50s, was making plans to travel, pursue passions and fill their newfound free time with adventures.

Those plans imploded in 2009 when McElhaney’s spouse was diagnosed with a brain tumor and died within 18 months. A supportive counselor and core of friends got her through the grief process, but left her asking, “Now what?”

“I had to rebuild every aspect of my life,” she says. “I had lost my primary income. I had to move from our big Alpharetta house to a smaller one. Eventually, our married friends stopped calling. My whole future was a blank slate.”

One of the first steps McElhaney took was reinvigorating her network of contacts. She began by blogging and speaking about her experience and getting back into business networking, where she found engagement and a social life. She also encountered people who said, “You know, I have a friend who recently lost his wife” or “her husband.” And after meeting with many of the bereaved to offer support,

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May 2016 | Simply Buckhead

McElhaney was inspired to compile her own experiences in a blog, Recreating Joy. From those insights came Building a Life You Love after Losing the Love of Your Life, a book that debuted in January and manages to put a humorous spin on some very dark moments.

“When I was widowed, I read other memoirs that usually started at the illness and dragged through the treatments and funeral,” McElhaney says. “I wanted to move beyond that and talk about coming to terms with the fact that the marriage is over.”

So the author leads off with In Bed with Jose Cuervo, a chapter that deals with the practical side of losing a spouse: When do you take the rings off? How do you get rid of the other person’s belongings?

How does someone get over being married to a person who is dead?

“That last one is where most widowed people get lost,” McElhaney says.

“There’s a lot of love lost when going through a divorce, and that ruins the image of love. But when a person dies, it’s hard to move forward because you think it means you don’t love that person anymore. I know I spent two years keeping my husband’s memory alive and acting as if we were still

married, and I had to come terms with the fact that my marriage was over.”

McElhaney, who moved to a Buckhead condo four years ago, also tackles the question of having another relationship. “The chapter on dating is pretty funny,” she admits. “It’s hard for a 58-year-old woman in Buckhead to find a date, no less love or even strong like.”

But she’s out there networking, enjoying her single status and sharing her message of hope with not just those who are widowed.

“I’ve found that when you’re widowed, people say they’re so sorry and bring casseroles or mow your lawn,” she says. “But if you’re divorced, people say, ‘Yeah, get over it.’

To me, loss is loss, and anyone who’s experienced that can find something in my book. And then they Copies of BUILDING A LIFE can go out and enjoy YOU LOVE AFTER LOSING buying themselves THE LOVE OF YOUR LIFE their own Valentine’s are on Amazon or the author’s flowers.” n site, myramcelhaney.com.

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

RESTAURANT REVIEW

My big fat Greek diner P56

The White House has been a Buckhead power-breakfast spot for years. Our critic explains why.

Demos Galaktiadis, who came to America from Greece as a young man, has shepherded White House restaurant on Peachtree Road since 1971.

He gets our vote.

Photo: Sara Hanna Photography

May 2016 | Simply Buckhead

55

S I M P LY D E LICIOUS

R E V IE W

Above: Greek-salad lovers will not be disappointed with the super-fresh version at White House.

Right: The White House breakfast is grand enough for the Oval Office: It comes with two eggs any way; bacon, sausage or ham; grits; and a choice of pancakes or French toast.

MY BIG FAT

GREEK DINER F

or Demos Galaktiadis, the road to the White House began on the Greek island of Icaria and ended on Peachtree Road.

Galaktiadis, a Sandy Springs resident who came to America in 1966 while in his mid-20s, has owned the Buckhead diner known as the White House since 1971.

Founded in 1948, White House moved to its current home 43 years ago. Today it is arguably the neighborhood’s most venerated breakfast nook.

Arrive at this institution on a weekday morning, and you will find Atlanta movers and shakers in starched white shirts and ties huddled over omelets and pancakes.

“We get a lot of lawyers,” our Eisenhower-era server tells us one morning when we ask about White House’s reputation as a powerbreakfast spot. One time, she says with a conspiratorial wink, Justin Bieber dropped by.

But according to 76-year-old Galaktiadis, who runs the place with the help of his granddaughter, Dylan Galaktiadis, and his co-owner, Vana Dragoumaniotis, no one gets “Hail to the Chief” treatment in this budget-friendly room of pink-vinyl booths, retro wood paneling and Greek travel

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May 2016 | Simply Buckhead

For 68 years, people of Buckhead have begun their day at the White House STORY:

posters. Not The Biebs. Not Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton. Not even Sam Massell, the former Atlanta mayor who has been a White House supporter since the ’70s, when it had to vacate its original location to make way for what is now Charlie Loudermilk Park. “Everybody is welcome, and we treat them exactly the same way,” Galaktiadis says in a telephone interview.

The Galaktiadises bought the restaurant from its original owners after working there a few years. (Galaktiadis says the first building was white inside and out, thus the name.)

Over time, the cuisine has evolved into a unique combination of home-style Southern and Greek standards. At lunch, you might have moussaka and collards or fried grouper and a Greek salad, finished off with a dish of banana pudding.

Galaktiadis says that when he and his wife first started cooking at White House in the late ’60s, olive oil was rarely used, and many people were unfamiliar with the classic Greek seasonings of garlic, lemon, parsley and oregano. So the couple used fatback or bacon grease to give flavor to the vegetables. “Today, that is out of the

Wendell Brock PHOTOS: Sara Hanna

question!” Galaktiadis says flatly, referring to the advent of healthy eating.

One day, I enjoyed a nice solo lunch here and was especially smitten by the sweet iced tea, the collards and the simple, fresh-made Greek salad, a beautiful pile of perfectly dressed greens scattered with onions, bell peppers, tomatoes, Greek olives, carrots and feta. I’m looking forward to returning to the lunch counter—maybe for a sandwich, a burger, or more of the generous meat-andtwo-style offerings such as meatloaf, chicken and dumplings or fried chicken livers.

But for now, breakfast is why people vote for the White House. The kids can have pancakes dotted with M&Ms, the adults traditional morning fare of bacon, eggs, pancakes and toast.

For $10.99, you can get a good sampling of what the kitchen does best by ordering The White House Breakfast: two eggs any way; ham, sausage or bacon; grits; plus two hotcakes or French toast. (For $15.30, you may opt for The Presidential Breakfast that comes with an 8-ounce rib eye instead of the bacon, etc.) Though I requested “over-medium eggs” with my White House

Above: The White House biscuits with fried chicken and country gravy are a rib-sticking way to start the day.

Left: The Olympic Omelet is stuffed with healthy veggies (mushroom, spinach, tomato, onion and pepper) and pairs up real nice with a side of hash browns.

Right: Breakfast sandwiches, like this pattymelt-style concoction of sausage, cheese and egg, are emblematic of the kind of classic diner food this Peachtree institution does so well.

Greek-owned restaurants have long been a part of American culture, in small towns and big cities alike. breakfast, they were a bit too runny but still good, and my side of bacon was just the thing for crumbling over the pancakes doused with syrup. (It didn’t occur to me until later that our server, who was a little flummoxed getting our order to the table, never offered the grits that come with this gut-buster, not that I needed them.) On this same morning, my guest had a biscuit sandwich with turkey sausage, scrambled egg and cheddar cheese, and pronounced it dee-licious.

Second time around, I had The Olympic Omelet, stuffed with spinach, tomatoes, onions, mushrooms and peppers and served with a side of tzatziki. Galaktiadis told me later that it’s the most popular omelet in the White House, and I see why. That bad boy is no Michael Dukakis. It’s very tasty and makes you feel as if you’re getting your veggies in.

I also liked the side of hash browns, in a greasy Waffle House kind of way, while my friend devoured a giant portion of chicken and biscuits smothered with country gravy. I would endorse the peppery gravy and the fried chicken, too, though it was basically just chicken fingers. Alas, the biscuits were a little gummy.

So let’s take a poll. Are there better breakfasts in Atlanta? You bet the Elgin Marbles there are! Atlanta is a brunch lover’s paradise, and there are some awfully nice spots serving

mortadella benedicts, honeyed ricotta-stuffed French toast and heady cups of coffee.

But none of these trendy joints have the patina of history, the friendly staff or the sense of community that fills White House. Most likely, Galaktiadis, good politician that he is, will say hello as he breezes past your table, and if it’s near the end of the lunch shift, your server may ask: “Would you like to try the banana pudding?

It’s on the house.” No sweeter words.

Greek-owned restaurants have long been a part of American culture, in small towns and big cities alike, even in the South. I remember having my first Greek salad at The Plaza Restaurant & Oyster Bar in Thomasville, Georgia., when I was a kid. This was likely in the 1970s, though the restaurant opened in 1916, making it the state’s oldest. The oil and vinegar dressing—what, no Thousand Island?— seemed so exotic. My mother popped the salty olives in her mouth and just inhaled that salad. Like the Plaza, the White House is a charming example of what may be a vanishing breed—but not as long as Galaktiadis is in the “oval office.”

“I look forward to coming to work every day,” he says. When he speaks, you know it’s not an empty campaign promise. “It’s our passion and our joy,” he says with obvious affection for the cafe and the community that’s provided him a livelihood all these years. It’s a way of life. n

Below: At White House, you’ll find a cross-section of Atlanta’s populace, from casual professionals to buttoned-up lawyers.

The owners make everybody feel welcome.

WHITE HOUSE RESTAURANT 3172 Peachtree Road N.W., Atlanta 30305 404.237.7601 whitehousediner.com Prices: Breakfast, $6.40-$15.30. Lunch, $6.95-$16.70.

Recommended: The Olympic Omelet. The White House Breakfast. Chicken and biscuits with country gravy. Breakfast sandwich with egg, cheese and turkey sausage. Greek salad. Collards. Iced tea.

Bottom line: Good, straightforward breakfast and Southern grub, with an occasional Greek twist.

May 2016 | Simply Buckhead

57

S I M P LY D E LICIOUS

D R IN KS

“Seeing the way palates are shifting toward craft beers, whiskey is a natural progression.”

– Rick Tapia, J.R. Revelry

BOURBON BOUND STORY:

Kelly Jordan

Rick Tapia has been preparing for his bourbon brand his entire life

I

f you look at Rick Tapia’s background, all roads seemingly lead him to where he is right now: the owner of newly minted, small-batch bourbon brand, J.R. Revelry, sold at liquor stores, such as Tower Beer, Wine and Spirits and Savi Provisions in Buckhead.

Tapia started his career in the alcohol business 19 years ago, first as an auditor, later as a brand manager, and most recently as a salesman. After his sales job took him to Atlanta and he started looking around at trends in the industry, something in him clicked. Perhaps it was time for him to launch a brand of his own.

“There’s an American trend of adopting microbreweries in communities,” he says.

“Seeing the way palates are shifting toward craft beers, whiskey is a natural progression.

Since bourbon can only be made in the United States, it was an obvious choice.”

According to the Distilled Spirits Council 2015 Category Briefing, the growth of U.S. micro-distilleries jumped from 92 in 2010 to more than 750 in 2015, giving support to Tapia’s assessment that it’s a promising time to be a drinker, or to start a company that caters to drinking.

Incorporating his initials (his full name is Jesus Ricardo Tapia) and a little bit of

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May 2016 | Simply Buckhead

cheekiness into the name, Tapia launched J.R. Revelry in January 2015 and has been working his premiere product into liquor stores across the U.S. Honeyed, mellow and with notes of vanilla, caramel and wood, Tapia offers, “If you’re a longtime bourbon drinker, you will accept it. If you’re a bourbon newbie, it won’t palate-shock you.” His initial offering, a 90-proof bourbon, is 45-percent alcohol and retails in the $30 range.

The proud son of Peruvian immigrants, Tapia made it his mission to ensure all aspects of J.R. Revelry were made in the U.S.—from the booze to the bottle. Right now, J.R. Revelry is distilled and aged by a partner distillery in Lawrenceburg, Indiana, and processed and bottled in Nashville, Tennessee. His hope is to transfer J.R. Revelry’s operations to Atlanta and is already scouting out locations across the city.

“The fabric of American cities is changing,” says Tapia, whose home and brand headquarters are in Sandy Springs. “I see a big future for liquor in Atlanta.”

For Tapia, the saccharine sip is best enjoyed neat or with a chunk of ice. “At 90 proof, I’m selling you less water,” he admits.

But Tapia confesses his bourbon is ideal for blending, too. Mint juleps, anyone? n

DETAILS: J.R. Revelry jrrevelry.com Savi Provisions 3655 Roswell Road, Suite 130 Atlanta 30342 404.523.2300 saviprovisions.com Tower Beer, Wine & Spirits 2161 Piedmont Road N.E. Atlanta 30324 404.881.0902 buckhead.towerwinespirits.com

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Thursday June 9th Welcome Party at The Ugly Dog Pub Friday June 10th One Lap of the Mountains Drive Motoring to the Beach Gala at The Bascom ~A Center for Visual Arts Saturday June 11th Highlands Motoring Festival Classic Car Show Music at Kelsey-Hutchinson Park Sunday June 12th

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S I M P LY D E LICIOUS

Culinary News & Notes

BY:

Sarah Gleim Photo: Heidi Geldhauser

Photo: AFWF/Raftermen Photography

FOODIE JOURNAL

Have Your Kids and Eat, Too s Some of Buckhead’s favorite chefs will make appearances at the Atlanta Food & Wine Festival, which hits Midtown the first weekend in June.

ATLANTA FOOD & WINE FESTIVAL RETURNS The Atlanta Food & Wine Festival comes back to Midtown for the sixth year in June with several new elements.

The Learning Experiences will be held again at the Loews Atlanta Hotel, but the popular Tasting Tents have changed. “We moved the Tasting Tents to the Promenade at Piedmont Park,” says festival co-founder Elizabeth Feichter. “It has a grassy area and fountain, and gives us more opportunity for cafe space.” The Friday tents also will be open from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. and will include live local music. Look for Mims Bledsoe of Pie Shop, Zeb Stevenson of Watershed, Nick Leahy of Saltyard and more Buckhead faves who’ll be cooking their goods at one of the three tent days.

The biggest draw could be the pop-up vineyard on 14th Street across from the Four Seasons. It’s the first one ever built in the U.S. and it will be used for special events.

“We are moving the vines from North Georgia and re-planting them,” Feichter says. “It will also remain open for about six weeks after the festival, and we will continue to have events there.”

The 2016 Atlanta Food & Wine Festival runs June 2 through 5. Tickets are available online at atlfoodandwinefestival.com.

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H

aving kids doesn’t mean you can’t spend a night dining out with the family. And it doesn’t mean you have to limit those nights to pizza at Chuck E. Cheese’s either. What’s great about living in Buckhead is the selection of spots that are pretty darn good for mom and dad, and that cater to kids as well.

These are four we think are worth a visit.

Souper Jenny

Danny Meyer’s famed burgers and flat-top dogs are ideal for the kids (even the grown ones). But let’s get real.

They’re just the precursors to what we really go here for: the custard, shakes and “concretes.” Give your kids a dog, and then let them build their own “concrete” with mix-ins like chocolate truffle cookie dough and peanut butter. You can chill with a ShakeMeister Ale or your own frozen custard shake like the Peachtree, a blend of custard, salted caramel and peach.

What kid doesn’t like tomato soup and grilled cheese? They’re practically necessities growing up. Enter Souper Jenny Levinson and her super soups. She just reopened her flagship Buckhead restaurant at the Atlanta History Center. The funky new spot is a cross between a cafe and coffee shop, complete with outdoor patio and bookstore with a children’s section that’s more than twice the size of the former location at Andrews Drive. One thing that hasn’t changed is the menu.

You and your little ones can still get the soups, salads and sandwiches that have made Souper Jenny a go-to for years.

The Colonnade

Pig-N-Chik BBQ

If you want the kids to have a homecooked Southern meal like the ones you grew up on, hit The Colonnade.

The space is always packed, but if you show up Monday through Thursday between 5 and 6:30 p.m., you can order from the early-bird menu and at least save a few bucks. The fried chicken is killer, and the portions are huge, so you’ll leave with plenty of leftovers for lunch tomorrow.

You have a lot of options when it comes to barbecue in this town, but only Pig-n-Chik lets kids under 12 eat for half price. Hit this favorite Sandy Springs joint Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday, and you can pig out on ribs, pulled pork or brisket while your kids fill up for almost nothing. Every other day of the week, the kids’ menu is super cheap—nothing on it costs more than $6. n

Shake Shack

s Kids (and adults!) love the burgers and custards at Shake Shack.

The Colonnade 1879 Cheshire Bridge Road Atlanta 30324 404.874.5642 Pig-N-Chik BBQ 4920 Roswell Road Atlanta 30342 404.255.6368 pignchik.net Shake Shack The Shops Buckhead Atlanta 3035 Peachtree Road Atlanta 30305 470.809.9201 shakeshack.com Souper Jenny Atlanta History Center 130 West Paces Ferry Road Atlanta 30305 404.237.7687 souperjennyatl.com

FOOD NEWS n Mae’s Bakery in Buckhead has been named the official bakery of the Georgia Aquarium. Guests of the aquarium can purchase homemade baked goods, including cookies and cupcakes, from either the Café Aquaria or Seaside Delights concessions.

The sweet-treat shapes will eventually include everything from adorable African penguins to sea lions.

Mae’s Bakery 2770 Lenox Road Atlanta 30324 404.565.0938 maesbakeryatl.com

n Two Buckhead restaurants have added Sunday brunch to their menu options. Portofino’s new brunch menu includes a selection of Italian-American specialties from Executive Chef Matt Marcus from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The Southern Gentleman’s Executive Chef Matthew Ridgway’s Sunday brunch menu, available from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., features entrées such as Maryland deviled crab sandwich, pimento cheese-Dixie bacon omelet and smoked trout rillettes.

Portofino 3199 Paces Ferry Place Atlanta 30305 404.231.1136 portofinoatl.com

The Southern Gentleman The Shops Buckhead Atlanta 3035 Peachtree Road Atlanta 30305 404.939.9845 thesoutherngentlemanatl.com

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May 2016 | Simply Buckhead

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S I M P LY D E LICIOUS

TA S TE MAKER

THE ART OF CREATION Architect-turned-restaurateur Tal Baum brings Italian philosophies to Ponce City Market

B

rookhaven resident Tal Baum opened Bellina Alimentari, a casual Italian restaurant, market and culinary club, in Ponce City Market late last year. But the Israeli restaurant owner and architect was never formally trained in hospitality; rather, she studied architecture in Italy.

“An architect is someone who can create something out of nothing,” Baum says. “I feel like I’ve never abandoned that path. I’ve created something from zero.”

After seven years in Italy studying architecture, working in restaurant kitchens and managing an eyewear brand, Baum moved to Atlanta to be closer to family. “I wanted to bring some of that Italian charm I fell in love with,” she says.

“Cooking is my medication. It’s where I find my zone. I love pleasing people through food. It’s about the company, the experience and the ambience.”

Here, she explains her unusual career path, cooking philosophy and more.

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Why did you transition from architecture to hospitality?

I fell in love with everything related to the Italian culture and food—what a major role food occupies in daily life! I had the privilege to travel all over Europe and eat in the finest restaurants. The experience changed my perspective on what real food is all about. Seasonality, farm-totable and healthy cooking are all embedded in the culture. When I came back to Atlanta, I felt like something was missing [because there were few places one could go to get fresh, seasonal Italian cuisine].

Where did you learn to cook?

I worked in several restaurants while living in Italy and even wrote an Italian cookbook. Restaurants in Italy are very small. I got to know one of the owners as a customer and asked if they needed someone to work in the kitchen, an “unofficial” position shadowing the chef and helping wherever needed. They agreed.

STORY:

Carly Cooper

How have your travels influenced your philosophy at Bellina?

Italian cooking is all about seasonality and using local [products]. This is how our entire menu is built. We work with local suppliers, and our menus change seasonally. We make everything in-house every day.

We don’t use cream or butter, only extra virgin olive oil. [Offerings include lasagna, pesto pasta, farro salad and more.] Our Italian wine list is composed of only natural Italian wines with no sulfates or preservatives.

Where in Buckhead or Brookhaven do you like to eat?

In Buckhead, I really like Seven Lamps. I like their gnocchi. Near home, I usually go out to eat with my two little boys, ages 2.5 and 9 months, and they really like Pure Taqueria.

What do you do in your spare time?

I love to entertain, and I like to spend as much time as possible with my family. I love to travel.

We also love to hike as a family. My parents live in Marietta, and we go to Sope Creek if we can’t get up to the mountains. n

S I M P LY D E LICIOUS

FEATURED RESTAURANTS A sampling of great eats in and around Buckhead BY: Wendell

Brock

PHOTOS:

Sara Hanna

10 DEGREES SOUTH After 15 years on the scene, this Roswell Road establishment is a highly original destination where food and wine from the tip of the Southern Hemisphere are celebrated with flair.

Before we could pose the server with a query on the peri-peri, we got the hard sell on South African reds—particularly the Rupert & Rothschild 2009 “Classique.” The big, full-bodied R&R was the perfect match for the luscious, spicy food that followed. I may not be an expert on South African cuisine, but I’ll wager that nobody makes bobotie (the national dish) like 10 Degrees South. The dish consists of tantalizingly sweet curried ground beef topped with a custardy crust. It’s time to get your head out of the sand and indulge in the kind of stuff our parents enjoyed when “Continental” cuisine was in vogue.

Appetizers: $10-$16 Entrées: $21-$38 10degreessouth.com

BUTTERMILK KITCHEN Chef Suzanne Vizethann offers thoughtfully handcrafted food in a room as pure and simple as its namesake drink. Southern classics are the foundation of this Roswell Road breakfast-and-lunch spot, and you can’t go wrong with the Brunswick

stew, chicken salad, pimento cheese, or the fried chicken biscuit with pepper jelly and pickles. Vizethann’s love of sweet confections really shines at weekend brunch, when folks line up in front of the inviting bright-blue cottage for the likes of toasted blueberry coffeecake and poppy-seed pancakes with strawberries and lemon curd.

Salads and sandwiches: $8.25-$11.50 Breakfast dishes: $8-$13 buttermilkkitchen.com

CHAMA GAUCHA Chama Gaucha is the latest addition to what is turning into a Braziliansteakhouse strip along Piedmont Road.

It has an appealing price point, a wonderfully fresh salad bar and, for meat lovers, an endless parade of gauchos bearing 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. Start with a classic lime caipirinha. Try the meats that look good to you, and remember to pace yourself. The filet and the picanha (thin, delicate strips of prime sirloin) won’t let you down, but the most memorable cut is the rich, succulent, super-fatty meat that’s carved from the beef rib. Heaven.

Dinner: $44.50 (Salad bar only: $24.50) Lunch: $26.50 (Salad bar only: $19.50) chamagaucha.com The chef’s killer fried chicken biscuit with red pepper jelly and pickles at Buttermilk Kitchen hits all the right notes and is worth a special trip.

The only way to get things started at Chama Gaucha are with caipirinhas, such as classic lime (left) or tropical fruit (right).

CO’M VIETNAMESE GRILL In a Buford Highway strip mall on the edge of Brookhaven, Co’m has for some time now been my favorite place for the vibrant, aromatic flavors of the Southeast Asian nation that ownerbrothers Duc and Henry Tran once called home. While Atlanta has pho shops aplenty, the stars here are the rice and noodle dishes, which can be ordered with heavenly grilled meats, chicken or fish. The pièce de résistance, though, is the grilled grape-leaf rolls, stuffed with bits of beef, lamb, salmon, duck or tofu; doused in a pool of sweet-fishy vinaigrette and sprinkled with crushed peanuts and crispy fried scallions. Heaven!

Appetizers: $3-$10 Entrées: $7-$18 comgrillrestaurant.com

FARM BURGER Of the locally pastured gourmet-burger chains, Farm Burger, which has a Buckhead shop on Piedmont Road near Tower Place, has long been a favorite. And it’s hard to imagine a more decadent list of toppings for your grass-fed, dry-aged patty than oxtail marinade, apple slaw, red-bean chili, pork belly, bone marrow, cured lardo, bacon, fried egg or the six kinds of cheese. Keep your eye on the

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blackboard for seasonal specials, too.

In spring, you might get a burger decked out with Vidalias and pesto; in summer, a dollop of peach chutney. While we don’t normally pass on beer-battered onion rings, Farm Burger’s sweet potato fries are irresistible.

Snacks: $2-$4 Burgers: $6.75-$8.50 farmburger.net

JOY CAFÉ Every Sunday at sunrise, Joy Austin Beber goes to her Buckhead café and makes a whopping pile of her greatgrandmother’s biscuits. After church, she serves a hallelujah chorus of a brunch: fluffy buttermilk pancakes; eggs Benedict; and those famous biscuits topped with gravy, sausage and scrambled eggs. I arrived at the 3 p.m. cutoff for the breakfast-y brunch items, and enjoyed a terrific cobb salad with loads of blue cheese, bacon, avocado, boiled egg and grilled chicken. The Joy’s pièce de résistance, though, is the Crack Pie, with its oatmeal-cookie crust and gooey interior. Joy got a kick out of hearing that I am wack for her crack. This selftaught chef keeps it simple and fresh.

Brunch: $7-$14 Lunch: $8-$12 joycafeatl.com

KR SteakBar’s charred octopus is piled atop farro, tomato and bacon.

KR STEAKBAR Atlanta chef Kevin Rathbun’s only Buckhead restaurant feels customtailored for the community. A contemporary nocturnal cubbyhole where small plates rule, wine flows and the air bristles with excitement, the fashionable “steakbar” concept finds Rathbun and chef de cuisine Jessica Gamble fusing two venerable concepts: meat and Italian. Here, nearly everything speaks with a perky Mediterranean lilt: amari-kissed cocktails; steak doused with espresso sauce; heavenly olive-oil cake with almond brittle and citrus cream. (Pastry chef Kylie Akiyama is terrific.) Hidden touches, like the speakeasy-style bar behind the kitchen and a patio that feels like a sunken garden, make us want to continue to explore this romantic spot.

Antipasti: $6-$19 Pasta: $12-$16 Entrées: $18-$68 krsteakbar.com

STARFISH 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 fetazucchini fritters), and your meal will go just swimmingly.

Meze: $8-$14 Mains: $26-$46 (Whole fish: $30 or $36 per pound) buckheadrestaurants.com/kyma

Starfish—which can look just a little lost on the block that houses Restaurant Eugene and Holeman & Finch—is exactly the kind of sushi joint I have been trolling for. In a city where Japanese cuisine can be hit-or-miss and sometimes not the freshest, chefowner Seung K. “Sam” Park’s reticent little pearl is a superior catch—cute and compact as a bento box but with just a hint of luxury. At dinner, we were delighted to see how the kitchen plays around with untraditional ingredients like truffle oil and balsamic vinegar, slicing fish as thin as carpaccio and arranging it in dazzling presentations.

When our flounder sashimi arrived, the server told us to place a dab of the ponzu jelly spiked with cilantro, jalapeño and lime on a strip of the fish and roll it up. Exquisite. Starfish isn’t the kind of place that announces

Join us on the green space for culinary delights from our restaurants!

Advance Tickets: $30 - Day Of Event: $40

Ticket price includes food.

Drink tickets available for purchase at event.

To purchase tickets, www.angelsrescue.org/TasteofTB Benefiting Angels Among Us Pet Rescue

itself with screaming klieg lights or red carpets. But in this culture of excess, sometimes being a little bit under-theradar can be very seductive.

Lunch Entrées: $7-$16 Dinner Entrées: $12-$30 starfishatlanta.com

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

Hungry for more?

Visit the Simply Buckhead website to read all of our Restaurant Reviews! simplybuckhead.com

Participating Restaurants:

TASTE OF TOWN BROOKHAVEN Of

Appetizers: $8-$16 Entrees: $9-$18 at lunch, $20-$35 at dinner watershedrestaurant.com

Enjoy food tastings, wine, beer, cooking demonstrations, music, prizes & more.

FESTIVAL

FOO

dreamy chicken-liver mousse, smoked-trout 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.

CinéBistro, Copper Coin Coffee, Lucky’s Burger & Brew, Marble Slab Creamery, Newk’s, Olde Blind Dog, Olive Bistro, Publix, There Restaurant & Bar, Yogurtland & more

D & FUN

Saturday, May 14th 3-7pm

www.townbrookhaven.net

Conveniently located on Peachtree Rd. adjacent to Oglethorpe University.

May 2016 | Simply Buckhead

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We have moved!

To West Paces Ferry Shopping Center Same location as Publix and OK Cafe

Fine Ladies Attire

CASUAL & DAY WEAR • COCKTAIL BALL GOWNS • MOTHER OF THE BRIDE SIZES 2 T0 24

Over 150 Designers (404)365.0693 1248 A West Paces Ferry Road Atlanta, GA 30327 www.susanleeatlanta.com

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SIMPLY B U CKHEAD COV ER S TORY

s e i T y l i m Fa d

These Buckhead families’ roots run deep, with early generations helping shape one of Atlanta’s most dynamic neighborhoods.

STORY:

Lindsay Lambert Day and Karina Antenucci PHOTOS: Sara Hanna and Scott Reeves

Look in any direction in Buckhead, and you’re likely to see a landscape that looks something like this: gleaming glass storefronts, steady streams of slow-moving traffic, and sky-high cranes by the dozen.

The area is one of Atlanta’s fastest-growing enclaves, and everyone, from restaurateurs to retailers to corporations, is clamoring for an address within its borders. But for all the change in progress here, one constant is a handful of families who have called Buckhead home for many decades, including a few who paved the way for some of the city’s earliest businesses.

Here, meet four families who have called Buckhead home for generations.

May 2016 | Simply Buckhead

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The

Bells

STORY:

B

efore migrating to Buckhead, in the early 1900s, the Bell family was spread across various Atlanta neighborhoods, including Inman Park, Decatur and Ansley Park. Marjorie Smith Bell was the first member of the family who moved to Buckhead in 1913 as a young girl and was one of the first students to attend what is now E. Rivers Elementary (founded in 1917 as Peachtree Heights School). Her father was Shelby Smith, a real estate investor and road builder who was chairman of Fulton County in 1914.

“My great-grandfather oversaw starting the Fulton County Police Department, building new county facilities and more; back then, it was a volunteer position,” says Allen Bell, Marjorie’s grandson and executive director of Atlanta Resource Foundation that provides resources for startup projects around the city.

Shelby built his home, Spotswood Hall, on a hill on Argonne Drive, and it is still there today. “Almost every day, I drive past my great-grandparents’

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Karina Antenucci PHOTO: Sara Hanna

house and see the oak trees that are still growing a century later,” Allen says.

When he was growing up at his parents’ home on Habersham Road, Allen, along with his sister Katie and brother Frank, played all summer long in a creek that springs from the grounds of the Atlanta History Center and flows through the neighborhood. His own three children also played in that same creek that runs behind the house he and his wife, Sherry, purchased 16 years ago on Habersham Park.

Indeed, since arriving in Buckhead, the Bell family has bloomed where they were planted. “The best thing about being in the same neighborhood long-term is you’re able to see the houses that your family has lived in over different generations,” Allen says. “You also get to see the people in your neighborhood and activities that they did over a century, and have long-term role models.”

One role model was Russell Bridges, who founded Northside United Methodist Church and was the founding chairman of Pace Academy’s board of trustees. Allen learned to

swim in his pool. Another one of his heroes was Dr. Vernon Broyles, a pastor at North Avenue Presbyterian Church in Midtown and the founding board chairman of The Westminster Schools. “Nobody remembers the insurance deals that Russell Bridges did or sermons that Pastor Broyles preached, but we can walk through Pace or Westminster Schools and see their generosity of time and influence that continue to strengthen families today,” Allen explains.

But it wasn’t only outside influences that had an impact on the Bells. The reins of faith, service and generosity have been passed down from family member to family member over the years. Allen’s father, Jim, who worked in commercial real estate investment and was one of the first students to attend Morris Brandon Elementary School in 1947, volunteered as president of Atlanta Board of Realtors in 1987, was an elder at Christ Church Presbyterian and has hosted a private men’s Thursday morning fellowship group for more than 40 years.

Allen’s mother, Ida, developed a refuge for women and children

Allen, Sherry, Russell, William and Natalie Bell.

escaping domestic violence, and helped organize Quest Atlanta ‘96, a citywide effort that connected 500 different Atlanta congregations during the Centennial Olympic Games.

Allen’s 17-year-old daughter, Natalie, also is a small group leader at Buckhead church, and every Sunday for nine months of the year, she works with a dozen 7th grade girls there.

Through his position with Buckhead-based Atlanta Resource Foundation, Allen worked with the founder of Whitefield Academy, Chuck Johnston, to move the private, Christ-centered preparatory school from Buckhead to Mableton.

He also is very involved in a number of volunteer boards, including Focused Community Strategies that has been working for more than a decade to revitalize the South Atlanta area.

“Sherry and I very intentionally chose, even while we were building Whitefield, to raise our kids in Buckhead. It’s hard to imagine living anywhere else because of the friendships and family relationships and church that we have here,” Allen says. n

C OV ER STORY

C

lay Rolader’s family name is one of the most recognizable and historic in Buckhead, thanks to his ancestors whose entrepreneurial spirit gave birth to some of the town’s earliest businesses.

The Roladers’ roots in Buckhead were planted when a young William Joseph Rolader, Clay’s great-greatgrandfather, emigrated from Germany in the late 1820s. William Joseph, who became what Clay describes as an “itinerant preacher,” eventually made his way to Fulton County and established a residence with his wife and children near Howell Mill and Paces Ferry roads in 1849.

Thirty years later, his son, William Washington Rolader, purchased 50 acres of land from the Clark Howell estate at the intersection of Moores Mill Road and Northside Drive—a parcel called Red Ridge because of the tint given to the land by red clay.

William Washington later moved onto the site a modest, one-room log cabin he purchased elsewhere. “The family lived there for 60 years, and three

The

generations were raised in that cabin,” says Clay of the structure, which the Roladers expanded over the years to accommodate their growing family.

The Rolader family’s first foray into entrepreneurship came when William Washington married Arrie Cofield, a member of a prominent Georgia pottery family. William Washington set up a pottery enterprise of his own on his Red Ridge land, creating earthenware that was often purchased by local residents and businesses.

Additionally, “They made whiskey jugs for Rose Distillery,” says Clay, adding that he remembers watching future generations of Roladers fire pottery in its kiln as a small boy.

Pottery wasn’t the Roladers’ only endeavor. The industrious family also ran a service station on Northside Drive, “where I can remember buying hamburgers and hot dogs as a kid,” Clay says. The family is, however, arguably best known for its Rolader Spring Water Company, founded in the 1920s by three of William Washington and Arrie Cofield’s sons, Ivon, Homer and Clark, on land that Clark owned near

what today is Beachwood and Randall Mill roads. The outfit drew and bottled water sourced from a spring on the property, then delivered the water to downtown Atlanta businesses “on this incredibly rickety old truck,” Clay says.

The pottery, the spring water business and even the Rolader cabin remained in the family for decades.

The cabin was disassembled in 1991 and reassembled at the Atlanta History Center where it was on display from 2001 to 2014, long before a more modern way of life took newer generations of Roladers in different directions.

“My dad and uncle were the first to go to college,” says Clay, who is president of principal investment firm Fuqua Capital. “My dad (Ivon C. Rolader Jr.) became the second or third orthodontist in Atlanta.”

Clay’s memory is filled with the simple pleasures of a childhood spent in the comfort of a small community.

“I miss the simplicity of it. Buckhead was just a little bitty town,” says the father of four. “It was nothing much compared to the wealth and gran-

s r e d Rola STORY:

STORY:

Family Ties d deur and fancy stores we see today.”

But Buckhead’s growth and glamour have given way to a fulfilling lifestyle that Clay, a jazz musician, and his wife, Karen, fully embrace.

“The number one change for me is entertainment,” Clay says of Buckhead’s development. “I just love that, on any given night, there’s something great to go see in Atlanta, and you can actually get a ticket.”

As for Buckhead’s future, Clay hopes to see a solution to its traffic conundrum. “Buckhead would go back to being wonderful if we had some sort of transit that allowed us to not have all these cars on the road.

Somebody will figure that out, because we’re not going to be able to move shortly. That would be my main wish for Atlanta going forward.”

If future generations of Roladers stay true to their entrepreneurial, industrious roots, that change might not be far away. n

Karen and Clay Rolader (second and

Karina Antenucci PHOTO: Sara Hanna third from left) with some of the

Lindsay Lambert Day PHOTO: Scott Reeves

extended Rolader family including cousins Sally Rolader, Melanie Rolader Kleekamp and Don Rolader plus Clay's siblings Ric, Ellen and Bob.

May 2016 | Simply Buckhead

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s e n i h s r e m Boo The

STORY:

Lindsay Lambert Day

F

or artist Mark Boomershine and his family, the road to life in Buckhead began in the car business. “My grandfather, Walter McKinley Boomershine Sr., who was an Ohio native, fought in France in World War I,” Mark says.

“When he came back, he was sent to Atlanta by General Motors to help revive a struggling automotive dealership called Motors Holdings.”

He proved to be a positive force, ultimately turning the ailing dealership around. In 1929, he became full owner of what would then be known as Boomershine Pontiac, a successful business that remained in the family until 1999.

The elder Boomershine lived with his wife, Nellie, and their four children on Peachtree Road in Buckhead for many years, and, in his 70s, moved to a farm in East Cobb that offered plenty of space for the Tennessee Walking Horses he’d been raising, along with some cattle. The Boomershines’ three grown daughters, Helen, Marie and Margaret, and son, Walter—Mark’s father—bought land from their parents on the farm, too. “It was basically a big family compound,” Mark says.

In the early 1970s, Mark’s parents built their own home there.

Today, Mark, an artist known for his pop-inspired paintings, and his family—his wife Cinda, a Buckhead native, and their two young children, 4-year-old daughter Calypso Belle and 2-year-old son Ryland Walter, or “Rex”—maintain a primary residence in Buckhead, but the foursome is also in the midst of what he calls “an extended temporary move” to Los Angeles, where they relocated eight months ago in order to work with West Coast clients and open new galleries. “We originally moved out for one year, but we’ve got too many great things going on out here, so we decided to stay for an extra year,” Mark says.

Although the temporary move has proved to be good for Mark’s business, he says that Buckhead is

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Calypso Belle, Cinda, Mark and Ryland Walter Boomershine.

still home, and they’ll undoubtedly return after their stint in California comes to an end. “Los Angeles has been great, but we miss our friends,” he says. “One of the things we love about Atlanta and Buckhead is that it can be a big city if you want it to be.

It has the culture, the museums, the art, everything you’d want in a big city, but we can’t go to the grocery store or anywhere without running into somebody we know, so it’s a small town, too.”

The rest of the Boomershine family has scattered in different directions,

though they still call Georgia home.

Mark’s parents live on Lake Lanier; his older sisters, Renee, Jackie and Pat, live in Gainesville, Cartersville and Flowery Branch, Georgia, respectively.

His older sister, Lindsay, who lived in Gainesville, passed away in 2008. It’s likely that when Mark and Cinda return home to Buckhead next year, it will be a welcome occasion all around.

As for what the couple looks forward to when it’s time to come back to Atlanta, he says they miss attending charity events that they often followed up with cocktails at

The St. Regis. But Mark acknowledges the possibility that much will have changed in Buckhead by the time they return home. “Buckhead is a giant construction zone now,” he says.

“Some might say it’s getting too fancy with all of its high-end shops, but I don’t think it hurts—I think it’s fun.”

Mark’s optimism might have something to do with the fact that much of Buckhead’s retail, residential and restaurant growth is within walking distance of the family’s Argon Drive home, thus preserving that smalltown atmosphere they so love. n

C OV ER STORY

Family Ties

W

hen Dudley Ottley was a young boy, he played with his older brother, John, every Sunday on Joyeuse, his grandfather’s country farm in Buckhead.

Seventy-plus years later, there is no longer a blacksmith shop, champion bird dog, Tennessee Walking Horse or pig in sight: The former estate is right in the heart of Buckhead and home to Lenox Square. The railroad line that backs up to the property is the only thing that remains.

The patriarch and first Buckhead resident of the Ottley family, John King Ottley Sr., passed away in 1945 when Dudley was still a child.

Now 81 years old, the founder of Buckhead real estate firm Ottley Properties Inc. fondly recalls a few of his grandfather’s stories and reminisces with his wife, Kay, about growing up in a very different Buckhead.

John Sr. was president of the First National Bank downtown and a prominent businessman, but

he was a country boy at heart. It was only fitting that when a decision-maker from the Federal Reserve Bank in New York came to look at various cities, for the first Southern Fed location in the country that avid hunter John Sr. decided to take him quail hunting instead of on a tour of the city. As it turns out, Atlanta got the Fed decades before any other Southern location. “It was a real coup for the city,” Dudley says.

The Ottleys STORY:

Karina Antenucci PHOTO: Scott Reeves

Dudley and Kay Ottley in their Brookwood Hills home.

A man of firsts, John Sr. was also the first person in Atlanta ever to be kidnapped. He was held for a ransom of around $40,000 in 1933. The ordeal ended when he talked one of the kidnappers into letting him go, and the second kidnapper was arrested. “It hit the papers all over the country,” Dudley says.

The mover and shaker also was one of the founding members of the Piedmont Driving Club, which Dudley and Kay enjoy participating in today. “My grandparents and their friends would all get together on the weekends and ride their horses or horse and carriages out to a farm, which is now Piedmont Park, and have picnics,” Dudley explains.

Brookwood Hills residents Kay and Dudley, who have four children and nine grandchildren, originally met in 1954 at a friend’s birthday party while Kay was attending Northside High School. At the time, Dudley was at Georgia Tech on a football scholarship (after graduating from Morris Brandon High School in its first graduating class). “We’ve been married for 58 years. That’s pretty good isn’t it? She’s finally got me on the straight and arrow,” he chuckles.

Kay grew up on West Wesley Road after her family moved from Savannah and describes the Buckhead scene when she was a teenager: “It was countryside.

People parked on Peachtree Road back then! We had Rusty’s, a drive-in where we went for hamburgers and Cokes. We had a free, good life. We used to ride horses where The Lovett School is now; there was a big cornfield where the football field is. There were no expressways. Everywhere we went was peaceful.”

While Kay and Dudley’s children are spread out across the country, their youngest son Alex still lives in Buckhead with his family, as does Dudley’s brother’s family. Both Alex Ottley, who is an environmental consultant with Contour Environmental, and his cousin James Ottley, who is president of Buckhead Heritage Society, strive to preserve the very land and history that their great-grandfather worked to develop.

Their hearts will always be in Buckhead, but Kay and Dudley are seriously considering a move to Tybee Island.

“I think everything’s changing rapidly in Buckhead. There are too many apartments. But we have grandchildren here, so we’ll see,” Kay says. n

May 2016 | Simply Buckhead

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C OVE R S T ORY

Family Ties d

BUCKHEAD’S

BUSINESS DYNASTIES I

n Buckhead, successful family STORY: D. Aileen Dodd dynasties rule over the boardrooms of some of the most profitable private corporations in the Southeast. Their business acumen and creative talents are passed down through the genetic lottery.

These cultured clans are making millions of dollars providing goods to those who want to splurge on life’s finer things— diamonds, destination dining, custom cars and forward fashions.

Ninety percent of the nation’s business enterprises are family owned and operated, according to the Small Business Association. But only the strong survive. Here’s how family enterprises flourish in Buckhead.

FOOD AND FAMILY Pano Karatassos grew up in a closeknit Greek family that appreciated the social bond created by a good meal.

His father and namesake ran a successful cafe and food import business in Savannah that supplied international delicacies to local restaurants.

He learned the business from the floor up by pushing a broom, stocking shelves in the store and helping in the cafe.

“I did a little bit of everything,” Karatassos says. “I had no choice. My father was a perfectionist. Through my father, I learned to work hard. I learned the meaning of hospitality.”

Karatassos spent four years in the Navy before branching out on his own. He later attended the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, N.Y., which landed him in the kitchens and back offices of some of the world’s finest resorts, including The Everglades Club in Palm Beach, Florida and the Fairmont Le Montreux Palace Hotel in Switzerland.

He wanted more. “I had the urge to open my own restaurant,” he says.

After reconnecting with old friend and fellow chef Paul Albrecht, Karatassos launched what would become the flagship for his new family business. Pano’s & Paul’s opened in Buckhead in 1979 and helped to raise the bar for fine dining in Atlanta. He opened another restaurant six months later, laying the foundation for Buckhead Life Restaurant Group. The company offers fare for all tastes at a host of restaurants, including Atlanta Fish Market, Pricci, Buckhead Diner, Chops Lobster Bar and Kyma, to name a few.

Karatassos created a legacy for his three children who joined him in the business. His son, Niko, worked his way up from a greeter to company president. Pano Jr. is executive chef at Kyma and oversees the quality of cuisine in the group.

“I couldn’t be happier than to work with my children,” Karatassos says.

“We don’t let titles go to our heads.

Everyone rolls up their sleeves.

We enjoy taking care of people and making them feel welcome in our restaurants.” n BUCKHEAD LIFE RESTAURANT GROUP Employees: 1,200 Family members in business: Pano Karatassos, owner and founder; Niko Karatassos, company president; Pano I. Karatassos, executive chef at Kyma and corporate chef for group; and Ann Karatassos, who works in business office.

Benefits of family business: “They have got my back. They are smart. They love the business,” Pano Karatassos says.

Chef Pano (center) with sons and employees Pano Jr. (left) and Niko (right).

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Challenges: “Sometimes our communication is not always the best, but that is in the genes. In the end, we are all on the same page,” Pano says.

A SHINING LEGACY The patriarch of Buckhead-based Universal Diamonds, Amos Agami, came to Atlanta to study engineering at Georgia Tech. And like most college students, he was broke. He took on odd jobs to make some cash until a shift at a jewelry store in 1974 changed his life. Agami, a charmer, convinced a customer looking to buy a $1,000 ring to spend $10,000 instead.

“That was the equivalent of a $60,000 stone today, and it was his first sale,” says Ronnie Agami, CEO of Universal Diamond Corporation and Amos’ eldest son.

From that point on, the elder Agami forgot about engineering and built his future in diamonds. He became a wholesale and retail dealer.

Today, Universal Diamonds carries one of the largest inventories of loose diamonds in the Southeast.

Agami’ sons, Ronnie and Jonathan, joined the family business because it was in their blood.

“There are worse things to be born into,” Ronnie says jokingly. “It is a really fun business. I used to go on appointments and buying trips with my dad as a kid. I would listen to him negotiate purchases. I would watch him take what some would say was a colossal diamond and recut it into something prettier.”

Ronnie studied business at the University of Michigan and interned at Tiffany & Co. in New York before returning home in 2001

Amos Agami (center) used to take sons Ronnie (right) and Jonathan (left) on diamond buying trips as kids.

UNIVERSAL DIAMOND CORPORATION Employees: 10 Family members: Amos Agami, owner and founder; Ronnie Agami, CEO; Jonathan Agami, president.

Benefits of family business: “Trust, respect and love,” Amos says. “It’s very rewarding,” Jonathan says.

Challenges: “Being patient. My brother John and I are very different. We don’t see eye to eye every time, but in the end you have to love each other,” Ronnie says.

to share his expertise. “What I love about this business is you get to meet people at an exciting stage of their lives,” he says. “We try to sell them something gorgeous that they will remember.”

Amos allowed his sons to make their mark on Universal. “He never tried to be our boss,” Ronnie says.

“We are his partners.” n

The Ellis Clan: James E. “Jimmy” Ellis, James "Jim" W. Ellis Jr., Stacey Ellis Hodges and Wesley Ellis.

THE ELLIS EMPIRE James W. Ellis Jr. is the visionary leader who turned a Volkswagen franchise he opened on Peachtree Industrial Boulevard in 1971 into a network of 13 family-owned dealerships serving the Atlanta area today.

The cornerstone for his success is reflected in his business motto, which promises “to deliver an experience to clients in a way that makes them feel like family.” The Ellis Automotive Group employs 1,000 people, including three

generations of Ellises.

The family dealerships— eight that are located just north of Buckhead in Chamblee— grossed nearly $1 billion in sales last year moving 23,000 cars.

“I was in high school when Mr. Ellis founded our first dealership,” says Ellis’ son, James E. “Jimmy” Ellis, president and CEO of the company.

(Yes, he calls his father Mr. Ellis.) "I came to work mopping floors, changing oil and washing cars part-time.”

Upon graduation, Jimmy Ellis took some college courses but didn’t finish because he wanted to stay close to the family business. He took jobs in

A DESIGNER AND HIS DAD

LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON

Designer Miguel Wilson sits behind a desk in his signature store in Phipps Plaza, creating formalwear, custom suits and casual styles that take classic cuts to the next level. He uses intriguing textures and a palette of bold hues and soft pastels to break up the monotony found in most men’s closets.

His flair for design came with his genes. His father, Rafael Escoto, who now works with him, ran a multimillion dollar interior design firm in Washington D.C. and outfitted the businesses and homes of celebs.

Wilson targets similar clients with his high-end fashions. His regular customers are a VIP list of NFL athletes, actors, recording artists and Fortune 500 execs. The Miguel Wilson Wedding Collection has graced the nuptials of "The Real Housewifes of Atlanta" and Hollywood filmmaker Will Packer. Another Wilson original was recently worn by the host of the Latin Grammy’s, Cristian de la Fuente.

But Wilson quickly learned that some of the greatest buzz generated by his fashions comes when his father walks the runway during local shows. It’s a job that the age-defying, white-haired, tan and fit senior got drafted for, but has come to enjoy.

"My father won't tell anyone how old he is, but he sure is a crowd favorite," Wilson says. "He gets a lot of attention."

Escoto is a walking billboard for his son's brand, wearing custom suits

Bob Amick got his start in the food industry hawking hotdogs at football games in West Point, New York. For a college freshman, the work was intriguing. He got paid to serve his customers comfort food they loved that kept them coming back for more.

“It got in my blood and never got out,” Amick says of the food industry.

Amick, who lives in Ansley Park, opened his first white-tablecloth restaurant, the Pleasant Peasant on Peachtree, in 1974. Twenty years later, he was a restaurant magnate with a partnership in 40 dining destinations across the country.

Amick’s knack for transforming spaces into trendy cafes and elegant bistros made him a sought-after talent. He sold his interest in his first business, Peasant Restaurants, and eventually opened his family business, Concentrics Restaurants, which has 15 properties in five states and a consulting division. That gives Amick the freedom to design and manage one-of-a-kind restaurants for hotels and retail developments.

“We have a history of creating great restaurants that are high on quality and low on pretense,” he says.

Amick opened Atlanta’s One Midtown Kitchen 14 years ago to national acclaim for its refreshing approach to classic food and wine.

This was followed by Atlanta’s Two Urban Licks and a network of more successful restaurants.

His Juniper and Ivy Italian eatery was rewarded with high praise from San Diego Magazine that named the property “Restaurant of the Year” in 2015. Amick plans to open several more restaurants by 2017, including concepts in Atlanta, Chicago, Seattle and Florida, among other states.

Amick’s oldest son, Buckhead resident Justin Amick, calls his father’s work “iconic,” but he still wasn’t sure he wanted to follow in his footsteps. His dad didn’t pressure him. After graduating from Tulane University, Justin took an advertising job.

“It took me about a year to realize I was miserable,” he admits. “I called my father and said ‘I want to come work in the company.’”

Bob helped his son learn backoffice duties under the tutelage of Chef Tom Colicchio. Then, Justin moved to Napa Valley to study winemaking. He later won the pres-

service, parts and sales before being promoted to general manager. “I worked my way up through the business with a high school diploma.”

The elder Ellis rewarded his son with a CEO position when he believed he was ready to take charge. “He made it very easy for me to work with him,” Jimmy says of his father. “I couldn’t have asked for a better mentor or boss.”

Jimmy cautioned his children, Stacey and Wesley, to get their college degrees before considering a future in the family enterprise.

He thought they needed something to fall back on in case the auto industry wasn’t a good fit. They still went to work for their dad after earning marketing degrees from West Georgia and Georgia Southern colleges.

Jimmy says he is “fortunate” to have family and trusted employees to carry on the business.

"It is rare to see a business like ours last through the third and hopefully fourth generation.” n

Miguel Wilson and his father Rafael Escoto both have a passion for fashion.

MIGUEL WILSON COLLECTION AND MIGUEL WILSON WEDDING COLLECTION Employees: Miguel Wilson Collection has three full-time employees and several contractors who sew the clothing line.

Family members: Wilson is head designer and CEO and Escoto is a designer and stylist.

Benefits of family business: “It’s so easy for my father to sell me. He gets his clothes from me. He is always meeting people and sending them my store. He has my best interests in mind at all times,” Wilson says.

Challenges of family business: “We do our share of fussing, but my father is a great employee,” Wilson jokes.

and eye-catching accent jewelry wherever he goes.

“He’s my son, and I want to help him,” Escoto says. “I love fashion and working with Miguel.”

Escoto designed his son’s store and works a weekend shift to give Wilson time off. He also works to build the brand.

“It’s a blessing to be able to work with my father,” Wilson says. n

JIM ELLIS DEALERSHIP GROUP Employees: 1,000 Family members: James W. Ellis Jr., founder and board chair; wife, Billie Ellis, secretary and treasurer of corporations; their son, Jimmy Ellis, president and CEO; and their daughters, Kristi Cohron and Karen Black, president and vice-president of the Jim Ellis Foundation respectively and board officers. Jimmy Ellis’s children work in the family business, too. Daughter, Stacey Hodges, is vice president of Audi Atlanta and of corporate directors; son, Wesley Ellis, is vice-president of Jim Ellis Volkswagen Atlanta and Jim Ellis Hyundai; niece, Brooke Gatlin, is director of human resources and employee communications.

Benefits of family business: “Our business and family are intertwined.

It brings a sense of family and community culture to our business,” Jimmy says.

Challenges: “Making sure that everyone understands that the success of the business has to be held as the top priority. If the business is not successful, the family has no support,” Jimmy says.

The restaurant business was a calling for both Justin Amick and his father Bob Amick.

CONCENTRICS RESTAURANTS Employees: 500 Family members: Bob Amick, owner and founder; Rowina Amick, florals; Justin Amick, founder and president of Painted Hospitality, corporate wine consultant and Advanced Sommelier of Concentrics Restaurants; Marisa Amick Anderson, vice-president of marketing; and Hannah Amick, director of public relations.

Benefits of family business: “It’s exhilarating, but it comes with drama.

You take the good and the bad,” Bob says. “It has brought us very close.”

Challenges of working with family: “Learning not to take things personally,” Justin says. “If hurtful things are said, you learn how to let them roll off your back. Family is family.”

tigious Rudd scholarship from the Court of Master Sommeliers that honors the individual who receives the highest combined score on the advanced Sommelier exam. After working in operations helping run the family business for seven years, Justin’s reputation as a connoisseur helped him to launch a venture of his own, The Painted Pin, a boutique bar, bowling and entertainment venue in Buckhead. It earned him and his business partner William Stallworth the honor of being named “Entrepreneurs of the Year” by the Buckhead Business Association in 2016. The duo’s second venture, duckpin bowling venue The Painted Duck, will open in the Westside’s Stockyards Atlanta development in early 2017.

Justin still works with his father, but he is also expanding his own empire. “I am doing everything my dad taught me to do.” n

May 2016 | Simply Buckhead

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COVER ST O RY

BUCKHEAD BURIAL GROUND E

ven in the afterlife, long-time residents choose to remain in Buckhead. At historic Sardis Cemetery, where it’s estimated more than 750 people are buried, gravestones carry their names: Irby, Rolader (read about this family in our cover feature), Collier, Holcombe, Plaster, Mayson, Cheshire, Hicks, Cofield, Hildebrand and many more. These are families who contributed heavily to the development of Buckhead. Here, read a little bit more about those who repose at Sardis Cemetery and their contributions to our community, according to the Buckhead Heritage Society.

Henry Irby (1807-1879) On Dec. 18, 1838, Henry Irby bought land lot 99 of the 17th district from Daniel Johnson for $650. The 202 ½ acres of land surrounded the present intersection of Peachtree, Roswell and West Paces Ferry roads. Irby soon cleared a portion of land and built a general store at the present corner of West Paces Ferry and Roswell roads, with a home nearby. It is often recounted that a buck’s head hanging on a post near his tavern gave Buckhead its name. Irby was initially buried on his property but later moved by his son, Fulton, to the Sardis cemetery.

Rial Bailey Hicks (1827-1902) Hicks was the postmaster of the community’s post office during the 1850s and married Henry Irby’s oldest daughter, Sarah Jane, in 1854.

He later served as a schoolmaster and subsequently managed Irby’s general store. Hicks had a home at the corner of Ivy and Old Ivy roads.

Rev. William Joseph Rolader (1816-1893)

Rolader settled in Buckhead in the mid-1850s after immigrating to America from Germany in 1828. Rolader served as a circuit-riding minister who conducted services at Sardis Church.

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His son, William Washington Rolader, founded Rolader pottery.

Napoleon H. Cheshire (1843-1921) Along with his brother, Cheshire bought a large tract of land along what is now Cheshire Bridge Road after serving in the cavalry during the Civil War. He and his brother established farms in the area and cut the road that bears their name through the surrounding forest to their property.

Wesley Gray Collier (1824-1906) Collier owned land from Peachtree Creek to north of West Wesley Road, a thoroughfare that bears his name. He built the first house north of Peachtree Creek at 2510 Peachtree Road (property that now sits across from Lindbergh Drive). Peachtree Heights Park was developed on land purchased from the estate of Wesley Gray Collier.

James Mathieson (1829-1895) During the Civil War, Mathieson served in the 93rd Iowa Cavalry (Union). After the War, he remained in Atlanta and became supervisor of the Freedman’s Bureau that distributed food to the hungry. He also bought a large piece of property on the west side of Peachtree Road near Piedmont Road. n

Photo: Courtesy of Buckhead Heritage

Family Ties d

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E V E N T S | C H A RI TA B L E | S C E N E

SIMPLY HAPPENING Combat aircraft from the collection of the Commemorative Air Force, like this FG-1D Corsair, will take to the skies over Atlanta during the Dekalb-Peachtree Airport’s Good Neighbor Day event.

Photo: Luigino Caliaro

[ F E AT U RE D E V E N T ]

UP IN THE SKY FREE AIR SHOW WORTH CRANING YOUR NECK FOR tlantans will be flying high come May 14, when the DeKalbPeachtree Airport swings open its gates for the annual Good Neighbor Day festival. Dating back to the ´70s, this exciting event includes live music, various food and drink vendors and a kiddie section with inflatables, a sandcastle building area, playground and more. A bevy of planes will be on display as well, including the World War II-era warbirds the T-6 Texan and C-46 Commando “Tinker Belle.” Some of the planes’ owners will even let you climb aboard for a closer look. But the highlight of the day is definitely the air

show, during which daring pilots from groups such as Tiger Airshows and Team AeroShell, along with the ladies of the Misty Blues All Woman Skydiving Team, take to the skies to perform all sorts of fancy aerobatic maneuvers that will take your breath away. And if you get the GOOD NEIGHBOR DAY flying bug yourself, you May 14; 10 a.m.-5 p.m. can always Free; $10 parking DeKalb-Peachtree Airport arrange to 2000 Airport Road take a plane or Atlanta 30341 helicopter ride 770.936.5440 over the city. pdkairshow.com

Photo: John Willhoff

A

A P-51D Mustang “Red Nose” soars into the wild blue yonder.

– Jill Becker

May 2016 | Simply Buckhead

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S I M P LY H APP E N ING

E V E N TS

Photo: Sara Craig-Goodell

BUZZ KOMEN ATLANTA’S 2016 RACE FOR THE CURE

What’s cooking

Wednesday may be hump day, but it’s now also a great day to pick up some fresh grub at the new midweek Peachtree Road Farmers Market.

Photo: Tiffany Jae

[ F O OD & DRI N K ]

May 7 404.814.0052 komenatlanta.org/race Komen Atlanta’s largest fundraiser, Race for the Cure, takes place Saturday, May 7, at Lenox Square and includes a 5K run/walk (8 a.m. start), a 1-mile walk (7:30 a.m. start) and a festival. The morning concludes with the Survivor & Thriver Strut, honoring those who have beaten, are fighting or who have lost their battle with breast cancer. Registration costs $20-$40.

NEW MARKET DAY OFFERS GOOD EATS MIDWEEK 8 p.m. Not only will you be able to pick up straight-from-the-farm produce, eggs, dairy, meat, bread and more, but there will be weekly restaurant pop-ups from area chefs such as Kevin Gillespie of Gunshow and Terry Koval of Wrecking Bar, along with prepared foods from vendors such as Pine Street Market.

It also will feature tastings from local craft breweries, so you can grab a bite and a brew right on-site. – JB

WEDNESDAYS AT PEACHTREE ROAD FARMERS MARKET Wednesdays through Oct. 26; 4:30-8 p.m.

Free Cathedral of St. Philip 2744 Peachtree Road Atlanta 30305 404.365.1078 peachtreeroadfarmersmarket.com

Photo: Bob Solow

The Peachtree Road Farmers Market, the largest producers-only market in the metro Atlanta area, has been a Buckhead fixture for 10 years. Foodies flock to the site each Saturday to stock their kitchens with fresh fruits, vegetables and more from a host of area growers.

But now you don’t have to wait until the weekend. This year, the market has expanded to include a new day and time: Wednesday evening from 4:30 to

Race for the Cure is expected to draw more than 8,000 people and raise more than $1.1 million for education and research.

ADAC ANNUAL SAMPLE SALE May 13-15 404.231.1720 adacatlanta.com/events Don’t miss out on ADAC’s annual sample sale, where for three days only, you can take home discounted, designer, high-end home furnishings, outdoor furniture, rugs, lighting and accessories. Proceeds benefit Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, and the event is free and open to the public.

Hours are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday.

TASTE OF TOWN BROOKHAVEN

[ N E A R BY ]

Play along

No one is bored with board games when the competition heats up at the annual Game-o-Rama.

NO BATTERIES REQUIRED FOR THIS BOARD-GAME BONANZA

May 14 866.648.1574 townbrookhaven.net Now in its second year, Taste of Town Brookhaven kicks off at 3 p.m. on May 14 and includes tastings from popular local restaurants, sizzling cooking demos, wine, beer, music and more. Event proceeds benefit Angels Among Us Pet Rescue.

BROOKHAVEN BOLT 5K Are you one of those people who gets competitive at the mere sight of a Monopoly board? Does your heart start to race when it’s your turn to guess who-done-it during a game of Clue?

Then you might want to sign up for Game-o-Rama, the mother of all game nights. At this annual event, held from May 26 to 30, gamers from across the Southeast gather to battle it out over

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board games such as Settlers of Catan and Ticket to Ride, card games such as Magic and Hanabi and role-playing games such as Pathfinder and Dungeons & Dragons.

The main gaming room is open 24 hours a day, so you can play around the clock if you like. You can even bring your own games from home and get a match going.

There’s also a flea market where you can buy, sell and trade games. Game on! – JB

GAME-O-RAMA May 26-30, gaming open 24 hours $10-$50 Atlanta Marriott Perimeter Center 246 Perimeter Center Parkway N.E. Atlanta 30346 game-o-rama.com

May 21 470.295.6747 brookhavenbolt.com The popular Brookhaven Bolt, a neighborhood 5K, is open to runners, walkers, strollers and dogs (on leashes). The race ends at a festival with prizes, food, music and a kids’ zone. Registration is $30 until May 20, and the fun starts at 8 a.m.

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.

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S I M P LY H AP P E N ING

CHA R ITAB LE

Rhonda Burrow, Tarcha Curtis

Tammy Kelly, Nancy Howell

Women from all walks of life gathered in support of the American Heart Association.

RED SHOE LUNCHEON

Photos: Ninh Chau

M Angela Harris, Angel Howard

Amy Pollino, Monalisa Chowdhury

Carla and Rock Anderson

ore than 50 attendees donned red stilettos, ballet flats and wedges at the 6th Annual Red Shoe Luncheon benefitting the American Heart Association. Kicking off at Buckhead’s Maggiano’s Little Italy, the fundraiser was founded by Tarcha Curtis two weeks after she was released from the hospital after her first cardiac procedure at just 36 years old. Curtis’s mother was 38 when she found out she had heart disease and died in her early 40s, so the event is a deeply personal one. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, heart disease is the leading cause of death for men and women in the United States. Through ticket sales and personal donations, The Red Shoe Luncheon, which is scheduled around National Heart Health month and Curtis’s mom’s birthday, aims to raise money to fight the growing threat. This year’s event garnered more than $3,000. And it wasn’t just ladies sporting red shoes for the cause. Men from around the community also showed up in red footwear. “The first Red Shoe Luncheon started with just six people in attendance and has slowly grown in numbers,” Curtis says. “I am looking to make this event 10 times as big by 2020, our 10-year anniversary.” - Jessica Wise

Luncheon attendees show off their assortment of ruby red footwear.

Artise and Daniel Ortiz Latonya Johnson, Rhonda Burrow, Katonya Johnson

Shoe-loving community members raised money and awareness for the fight against heart disease.

May 2016 | Simply Buckhead

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Offering: Personal Training | golf fitness Classes | Yoga Classes | ZumbaÂŽ Classes MENTIoN THIs aD FoR a CoMPlIMENTaRy FITNEss assEssMENT by owNER JaMIE boDNER!

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www.pinnaclefitnessgym.com

S I M P LY H AP P E N ING

CHA R ITAB LE

Kristina Blakey

Kelsea Guido, Clara Campbell

More than 200 dresses were donated for Prom Project 6.

Photos: Ninh Chau

PROM IN THE CITY

F

Katherine Logan, Genora Littlejohn

or the sixth year, the Show Me Shoes Foundation, a nonprofit aimed at assisting young girls who have experienced unexpected hardships, presented Prom Project 6. This year’s theme was Prom in the City, an event at the Atlanta Marriott Northwest at Galleria that helped more than 60 young ladies get ready for the biggest event of their high school lives—prom! Excited high school juniors and seniors who were unable to financially afford the luxury of the perfect prom were provided dresses, high heels, accessories and even hair and makeup. The young men who attended the event with their prom dates were also treated to free haircuts and service discounts for the big night. In addition to personal stylists, nail techs, makeup artists and hair stylists, Prom Project 6 showcased sponsors such as radio station HOT 107.9, I Heart Hair Inc. and Garb Shoetique. - Jessica Wise

Monta Spivey, Etik Benjamin

Brichell Blake, Andrea Stewart

LaKia Bryant, Nicole Miller, Anneka Jenkins

Dayina Luxama, Nicole Miller

Brichette Sexton, Skyler Tucker, Aylissa St. John, Dasia Williams

May 2016 | Simply Buckhead

83

S I M P LY H APP E N ING

S CE N E

BELL-ISSIMO Allen and Sherry Bell exchange loving looks in their family’s Buckhead garden.

PHOTO: Sara

84

May 2016 | Simply Buckhead

Hanna

Lake Greenwood

Close enough for a getaway... far enough to just get away!

Small Town Charm; Laid-Back Lifestyle Exceptional Golf and Cultural Activities Recently Featured on HGTV

Call us today to inquire about lodging specials. Realtor referrals welcome.

www.LakeGreenwoodProperty.com | 864-341-7774 | 130 Maxwell Avenue, Suite 100, Greenwood SC 29646

PLEASE DRINK RESPONSIBLY. ©2016 Louisiana Spirits LLC. BAYOU RUM® is a registered trademark of Louisiana Spirits LLC.

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FIND YOUR COMFORT ZONE. LUXURY APARTMENTS IN BUCKHEAD BROADSTONECOURT.COM 3097 MAPL E DRIVE AT LA N TA , GA 3 0 3 0 5

4 70.204.362 7

2420 Peachtree Road NW Atlanta, GA 30305

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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.

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