www.yourtownie.com
FREE
Issue No.
MAY 20 - June 2 VOLUME 5
9
Farmer’s Daughter Vineyards Opens Tasting Room on Broad Farmer’s Daughter Vineyards’ {FDV} tasting room is now open at 106 Broad Street. With its welcoming comfort, stylish ambience and laidback environment, FDV is the kind of place where you can bring your whole family but still feel like you’re having a date night. Owners Reneé and Clayton Moss put a lot of love into what they do on their third-generation family farm, and they want to share it with all of Thomasville. On their nearly 9-acre vineyard in Pelham, they grow three varieties of French-American hybrid wine grapes {NOT muscadine}, and handcraft their wines from start to finish. The tasting room features three white wines and one red. “When we moved to SWGA, we chose Thomasville for our home for all the reasons you can imagine. It was love at first sight! And it’s funny how things come full circle. I’ve always felt good in our building. I loved it when it was SGD, and we’ve always admired that business,” said Reneé. Reneé and Clayton resided in Atlanta when Clayton’s father approached them about his retirement from the farm, and Clayton possibly taking over. Reneé said that Clayton put a lot of thought into moving back to SWGA. They agreed that it would be a better place to raise children. “The culture and food and people are great [in Atlanta], but we wanted to be surrounded by cousins and grandparents and aunts and uncles. And now we are,” said Reneé. “Our team is our family. And it was really important that we find some key locals to work at FDV who can convey the passion we have for what we do and for our town and family,” she said. FDV is named after the Moss’ daughter, and the wines are each named after a different facet of her personality. The white wines {from
The festival will run October 19 to 31 and the annual gala is set for the 21. Additional film selections are still in the works, but we’ve got the inside scoop on what will definitely be on the docket. A Millionaire’s Unit, a documentary PBS won’t air until the end of 2017, is the story of a group of Yale Juniors who left school to join up during the First World War and who eventually founded the Naval Air Corps. The group was comprised of young men from Cleveland or the Northeast but who were members of families that had, and still have, hunting plantations in and around the ‘Ville. These families have been extremely generous to our area and started the Georgia-Florida Field Trials, among other things.
MAY 20 - June 2 VOLUME 5
The stylish house I used to be such the flower snob.
sweet to dry} are called Hellraiser, Troublemaker and Bombshell. The red wine is called Knockout. You can try all four of them at the tasting room for $7. Individual glasses range from $6-8 and individual bottles range from $16-22. They also have cheese plates and chocolate tastings available. I am naturally very inquisitive and obviously a very big fan of wine, so I dropped by to take in the atmosphere and taste some wines. {Of course I tasted the wines. Would you expect anything less?} One thing you'll notice upon entering FDV is how the space is completely transformed. It may be the same space that housed both SGD cheese shop and Gin Creek, but it has a brand new, open look. I tried the $7 wine sampling and really enjoyed the Bombshell and the red, Knockout. “One of the great things about a progressive small town is that you can see the impact of your actions. It’s the best feeling to know that everything we do and create and touch has a chance of helping shape our town. We’re pretty emotional about it,” said Reneé.
It was easier then, though, to have fresh cut flowers regularly. There was an abundance of flowers growing all over Savannah. Camellias, azaleas, hydrangeas. In the yard, in the lane, even the side of the road. I was privileged, when I lived a different sort of life in Durham, to have a cutting garden and a helper. So, fresh cut flowers or greenery all the time. Divine! But, who has the time for that these days? Not me, certainly. I was taught a floral lesson some years ago I will share with you. Do Not Be Afraid of Silks. Silk flowers have come a long way, baby. Gone are the days of the fakey, color-never-found-in-nature look. More appropriate for a cemetery than a drawing room. Today’s silks are good. Really good. Done correctly and with some common sense, you can have a fresh flower or greenery look any time. Here are some Do’s and Don’ts I have found helpful over the years. I Do stick with simple, regional choices that could have come from your own garden.
FDV’s tasting room is open M-W from 1-6p, Th 1-7p, and F-Sa 1-8p. Come by, bring the kids, and check out the Kid Zone which includes a flat-screen TV with AppleTV and access to the Moss’s kids’ whole library. Reneé describes the area as “kid heaven.”
I Do change them out seasonally. Daisy’s don’t go with Christmas.
“We wanted a place where families could come in and check out the wine without feeling like the kids are either a worry or a disturbance to others. We love kids!” said Reneé.
I Do Not feel restricted by the body of the floral. Cut and shape it to your taste or vase size.
For more information, check out their Facebook page or visit them online at http://farmersdaughtervineyards.com/.
- Denise P.
A Covey Film Fest {Super} Sneak Peek Grab your calendars and get ready to check out this year’s Covey Film Festival lineup, featuring several fresh-from-Sundance flicks and Thomasville tie-ins galore.
FREE
Covey is the signature fundraiser for the Thomasville Community Resource Center, a nonprofit that provides direct support to underprivileged children and families in Thomasville. To learn more about all things Covey or about TCRC, visit coveyfilmfestival.com.
- Jennifer W.
Work at the LP House! The Thomas County Historical Society seeks a qualified candidate to conduct tours and assist in programming at the 1885 Victorian Lapham-Patterson House, located here in the 'Ville. The job requires hands-on experience assisting in the interpretation of the house as well as the development, facilitation and evaluation of public programs for children, families and adults. Duties include conducting guided tours of the House on Fridays from 1p to 5p and Saturdays from 10a to 5p. There may also be occasion to assist Museum staff in planning and conducting programs for families at the Lapham-Patterson House and the Museum of History. The ideal candidate should be should be comfortable speaking to the public; they will need to be flexible, mature, reliable, creative and a team player as the Lapham-Patterson House develops new programming for the community. They are required to have experience in giving tours. Working with volunteers and/or children is preferred and an interest in museum education and local history is helpful. To apply, please email a single PDF document with cover letter and resume to Anne McCudden, Executive Director, Thomas County Historical Society, at anne@thomascountyhistory.org. No phone calls please.
t o
I Do Not be afraid to mix blossoms with greenery. Just like fresh cuttings. For cleaning, try putting them in the dishwasher, weighted down, and run a rinse cycle. Keeps them fresh looking and dust free.
- John David Bray, Jr. is an award-winning columnist and Project Manager/Designer at Landford Thompson Interiors. He sees clients in Thomasville by appointment. www.landfordthompsoninteriors.com
Covey organizers have exciting plans for the rest of the festival, thanks to underwriting support, including additional film screenings, their yearly gala, a high school film competition and a selection of guest speakers + professionals from the film industry.
F r e e
I Do Not choose something so exotic it lends itself to looking silly or contrived.
Everyone appreciates the look of fresh flowers but not everyone has the time or the access. I hope these hacks help you fill the house with stylish arrangements.
Other for-sure films this year include Zarafa; Mustang; The Fundamentals of Caring, with Paul Rudd + Thomasville-raised Megan Ferguson; and The Girl in the Book, written and directed by Marya Cohn, a cousin of the ‘Ville’s own Julia Singletary.
+
I Do invest in quality. Cheap is cheap and looks it.
r e a d ,
NOW SERVING LUNCH. CHECK OUT OUR MID-DAY MENU FROM 11 AM - 4 PM | TUESDAY - SATURDAY
The Townie awarded by georgia press association {!} On Friday, June 3, Townie staffers will attend the Georgia Press Association's yearly Better Newspaper Contest awards banquet. We are beyond proud to announce that for the second time in three years, we've placed in the special editions category for Our 2015 Due South special edition (Place TBA). Our dear Davey Bray has has also won for Best Lifestyle Column, for "The Stylish House." We're proud of our writers and staff and thankful to our advertisers!
t h a n k s
t o
Farm to Table Farm to Table: Delight! Banana Pudding The best part of banana pudding are the cookies hidden inside, and I won’t hear any arguments to the contrary. You may wonder why you should go to the trouble of making your own vanilla wafer cookies, but try this simple recipe once and I think you’ll be convinced.
Banana Pudding F F F F F F F F F F
5 bananas 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice 1 ounce banana liqueur {optional} 5 cups milk 1 1/2 cups sugar 8 egg yolks, beaten 1/2 cup cornstarch 2 tablespoons butter 1 teaspoon vanilla extract vanilla
Break up three of the bananas into a food processor or blender. Add lemon juice and banana liqueur, if using. Set aside. In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, stir together milk, sugar, and egg yolks. Place cornstarch in a small mixing bowl. When milk mixture comes to a simmer, reduce heat to medium-low and place about 1/2 cup of the hot mixture in the bowl with the cornstarch. Stir until a thin, very smooth slurry is formed, adding additional liquid if needed. Drizzle into the saucepan and stir as mixture thickens. Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture begins to bubble. Remove from heat and stir in butter and vanilla. When lukewarm, stir in banana purée. In a 13-by-9-inch glass or ceramic dish, layer pudding with about two dozen of the vanilla cookies and the remaining banana, sliced. Chill, then enjoy.
Vanilla Cookies 1 cup butter 2/3 cup sugar 1 egg, beaten 2 tablespoons vanilla bean paste {or 1 1/2 tablespoons vanilla extract and seeds scraped from 2 vanilla pods} F 2 1/4 cup all-purpose flour F F F F
Cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Sift in flour and stir just until combined. Using floured hands, shape into two logs, wrap in wax paper or parchment, and refrigerate until chilled through {at least six hours}. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350°F. Remove cookie dough from refrigerator and slice into even rounds {a quarter inch or so thick}. Place on a parchment or silicon matlined cookie sheet and bake 15-18 minutes or until golden brown at the edges. Yields 3-5 dozen depending on thickness and mysterious losses during dough stage.
- Kelly S.
The Death of a Servant Leader: Brother Cooper Lee Dean On Wednesday, May 11th the Rescue Mission Soup Kitchen held a Memorial Service to mourn the passing and commemorate the life of Brother Cooper Lee Dean. His good and Godly nature, his quiet, easy, steadfastness were all remembered, but most of all his example of servant leadership to a calling moved those gathered in his honor. Sister Erlene Douglas recalled him as her “Godson” because in life he was as the son God gifted to her: respectful, loyal, loving and obedient unto death. Cooper Lee Dean is already dearly missed, but for those gathered this past Wednesday afternoon, how wonderful and welldeserved came the acknowledgements of within whose everlasting arms Brother Cooper now rests.
- Benjamin G
t h e s e :
Our Clients Are Our Friends
branding / logo design / graphic design photography / video
113 E. Jackson St
Clay Byars
designer - creator - owner byarsclay@gmail.com 229 977-4615 tri-bstudio.com
LUNCH
229 West Jackson Street | Thomasville, Georgia Phone (229) 236-9463 | BACCHUSTHOMASVILLE.COM
Phone 229-226-3911 www.keysouth.com
to advertise, contact yourtownie@gmail.com
Downtown Thomasville
TUES- SAT
11 am - 2 pm
BRUNCH
SATURDAY
9 am - 1 pm
DINNER
HAPPY HOUR
5:30 pm - close
5:30 - 7 pm
THUR S - SAT
THUR S - SAT