Townie 2014 #16

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sepT 19 - OCT 2

16

sepT 19 - OCT 2

The One Book Project is Back!

One Book Thomas County will be happening for the second time in our region, with events kicking off October 2 and running through October 18. According to Annie Jones, owner of the Bookshelf, the goal of the event is to unite the town. “We have a great story this year,” said Jones. “I believe it has the power to bring the community together.”

Whispers.

CHUMS

Grassroots Coffee in Thomasville, Georgia

Psst… big news! Blackberry Patch and

Susan Jones

Oct. 13 Lessons Learned event with area residents sharing stories of personal forgiveness; 6:30p Oct. 14 Criminal Justice Perspectives featuring area lawyers and professors sharing instances of eye witness identifications; 6:00p

I was at an event downtown when I met Susan: gregarious, full of energy and beautiful. She introduced herself as the owner of Black Crow Couture Consignments and later began talking about healthy lifestyle choices and massage therapy… She invited a group of people to her new store. Among the cowboy boots, pumps and flats, mini and maxi dresses, blouses, shorts and slacks, you’ll find photos by Jerry Turner, and funky deformed vinyl record dishes.

Southwest Georgia Technical College in Thomasville, Georgia

When did you arrive in Thomasville? I moved to Thomasville in 1990, then to Denver, CO, in 1997. In February 2013, I moved back to be closer to my mother and stepfather.

Oct. 15 Lunch & Learn where you can bring a brownbag lunch to discuss Picking Cotton with fellow readers; 12:00p

Tell us about your family (dogs, cats and other animals included). I have three beautiful children, one boy and two girls, and a grand child, at 43. I have two cats: Melot is deaf and understands signing, and Pumpkin is an orange cat.

Although the official book launch will not occur until October 2, copies of the book may be purchased ahead of time at The Bookshelf or checked out from the Thomas County Public Library.

Studio 209 in Thomasville, Georgia

Sports? Yes or No? Yes! I was a massage therapist for an NFL and NBA team for several years.

All of the following events from October 2 - October 17 are open and free to the public. The author lecture that will take place on October 18 will be the only ticketed event. The tickets will go on sale on October 2 for $10 and may be purchased at the Mock Trial and One Book launch on October 2, at First Friday outside the Bookshelf on October 3 and at The Bookshelf, Thomasville Center for the Arts and the library until October 18.

Thomas University in Thomasville, Georgia

This is the second year for the One Book partnership with The Bookshelf, Thomas County Public Library and Thomasville Center for the Arts. Last year’s selection was a work of fiction, but this year the selection is an extremely powerful memoir, Picking Cotton: Our Memoir of Injustice and Redemption. The themes of the book are forgiveness, redemption and injustice, which will be seen throughout the One Book events.

Thomas County Public Library in Thomasville, Georgia

Oct. 16 Book Talk where you can learn more about the book with TU professors; 6:30p Oct. 17 Innocence Denied where you can join Innocence Project of Florida executive director Seth Miller at Thomasville On Stage and Company; 6:30p TOSAC in Thomasville, Georgia

One Book Events:

Oct. 18 Author Lecture where you can meet Picking Cotton authors Jennifer Thompson-Cannino & Ronald Cotton; 7:00p

Oct. 2 Mock Trial & One Book Launch; 6:30p

Thomasville Center for the Arts in Thomasville, Georgia

325 N Madison St, Thomasville, GA 31792

For more information, please visit the One Book Thomas County Facebook page.

Oct. 4 Jazz & Poetry event exploring themes of forgiveness, redemption and injustice; 6:30p

On September 27, any ‘Villian presenting a Museum Day Live! ticket can get into the Thomas County Museum of History or the Lapham-Patterson House free of charge. The free admission is being offered as a part of Smithsonian Magazine’s Tenth Annual Museum Day Live! All you’ve got to do is log on and download your free pass at Smithsonian.com/ museumdaylive.

Last year’s event drew over 400,000 participants.

Visitors who present the Museum Day Live! ticket will gain free entrance for two at participating venues for one day only. One ticket is permitted per household, per email address.

The Museum of History is open from 10a to 5p on Saturdays. Tours begin between the hours of 10a and 11:30a and 2p and 3:30p. Visitors can explore the eccentric Resort Era winter cottage, the LaphamPatterson House, built for the Lapham family of Chicago. Tours of the Lapham-Patterson House are available between 10a and 4p on Saturdays.

This event is a part of Smithsonian’s commitment to make learning and the spread of knowledge accessible to everyone. This event will give museums across all 50 states the opportunity to emulate the admission policy of the Smithsonian museums in Washington, D.C.

The Thomas County Museum of History features thirty-five exhibits inside the historic 1923 FlowersRoberts House. Six historic structures on the museum grounds tell the story of Thomas County, ranging from a 1870 log house to the 1896 O.C. Ewart Bowling Alley.

What are you waiting for?

- Denise P.

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F r e e

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r e a d ,

Dreaming Cow are Finalists in the Martha Stewart American Made Awards. Visit each of their Facebook pages for links where you can cast your vote!

We’ve got the winners of the FLAUNT mural competitions inside…take a peek…

Coming soon …the full scoop on the Blue

What is your townie routine? Visiting Brent and Spencer at Grassroots while munching on a bacon balsamic biscuit and sipping a salted caramel frappe.

Coop, and SGD’s Cheese Shop move!

What is your favorite weekend activity? Loading down the convertible with treasures from yard and tag sales.

Boiled peanuts? good or bad? Good! Jerry Turner makes the best boiled peanuts!

Got a Whisper? Tell the Townie at editor@ yourtownie.com...or zip us a message on

Favorite saying, Susanism: “That was like pulling teeth from a catfish!”

Facebook...

- Clay B.

- Denise P.

This Month: Free Admission to History

September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month You have probably seen the gold ribbons all over downtown Thomasville in support of Childhood Cancer Awareness.

September is National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, and Thomasville has many fundraising events to help find a cure.

On September 25th, Barberitos (1428 Remington Avenue) will host an all day fundraiser from 11:00a to 9:00p for CURE Childhood Cancer. CURE Childhood Cancer is dedicated to conquering childhood cancer through funding targeted research and through support of patients and their families.

Already this month there was a car wash and gold bow sale at Big Lots on September 6th and a ChickFil-A fundraiser on September 16th benefitting Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation for Childhood Cancer.

Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation for Childhood Cancer is a unique childhood cancer charity that was started by a child with cancer on a mission to raise money and awareness of childhood cancer causes, primarily research into new treatments and cures and to encourage and empower others, especially children, to get involved and make a difference for children with cancer.

On September 13th, Mimi’s hosted a fundraiser which donated 10% of the proceeds to the CURE Childhood

t h a n k s

t o

Cancer organization.

Childhood Cancer Facts (from www.curechildhoodcancer. org): Cancer is the #1 cause of death by disease of children.

Nearly 16,000 children will be diagnosed with cancer in the next 12 months.

In Georgia, more than 430 children will be diagnosed with cancer this year. 1-in-408 children will be diagnosed with cancer before age 15.

1 out of 5 children with childhood cancer die.

Only 3% of federal funding for cancer research is focused on childhood cancers. Childhood cancer is not one disease.

Childhood cancer is not the same as adult cancer.

Separate research and treatments are required.

For more information about CURE, visit www. curechildhoodcancer.org. For more information about Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation for Childhood Cancer, visit www.alexslemonadestand.org.

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- Denise P.

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sepT 19 - OCT 2

Congratulations to FLAUNT Mural Competition Winners!

Our Staff Publisher Thomasville Townie, LLC Editor in Chief Jennifer Westfield Social Media Denise Purvis Administration Sarah Esra Columnists J. David Bray, Jr. Sarah Esra Matt Hagel Denise Purvis Kelly Samek Contributing Writers Chaise Bishop Clay Byars Wade Chapman Benjamin Gardner Christopher Jones Natalie Kirbo Nancy McCollum Jennifer Westfield Contributing Artists Laura Floyd Benjamin Gardner David Longstreet Copy Editor Abrie Soileau Graphic Design + Website Maintenance Katie Reeves

Georgia Press Association

If you’ve been downtown lately, you may have noticed a collection of beautiful murals, food trucks, art stands, and bright yellow bicycles dotting Jackson Street. You may have felt the creative buzz in the air or seen people spilling into Thomasville on Friday nights for events on the bricks. Welcome to FLAUNT 2014.

This year’s month-long public art exhibit is all about showcasing Thomasville’s developing creative district through an innovative concept of ‘pop up’ shops featuring local artists, performers and food vendors. This unique exhibition invites visitors to get a taste of the area while exploring downtown.

FLAUNT kicked off on September 5th with an opening party on West Jackson. Here, the winners of the mural competition were announced. There were 32 murals in all created by regional artists and Thomasville Center for the Arts’ Young Artist Collective.

Each artist was given a historical image, provided by the Thomas County Historical Society and the Jack Hadley Black History Museum, as an inspiration piece for their creation. Winners from each division took home $1000, and a Thom magazine spread!

The FLAUNT team and the Townie would like to recognize the incredible artists that took home awards this year.

Mural Competition Winner: A Painting from a Photography of a Photograph Being Photographed by John Gleason. Gleason's image was provided by the Jack Hadley Black History Museum and it depicted Dr. and Mrs. Alfred Benjamin Dockett, Sr., who owned and operated Dockett's Pharmacy from 1920-1960 on West Jackson Street. Mrs. Dockett was the first black female to graduate from the Florida A&M University School of Pharmacy.

Mural Competition Runner Up: The Cookie Monster by Chris Lovelady. Lovelady's image was provided by the Thomas County Historical Society and it was of the National Biscuit Company factory (aka Nabisco).

Young Artist Collective Mural Competition Winner: Scholars Academy, Walker Harris, Annalee Jackson, and Ezra Yant, for On the Fence. Their image was provided by the Jack Hadley Black History Museum and it was an AW Moller photograph of young black children perched on a fence during the 1900s.

Young Artist Collective Mural Runner Up: Prep Academy, Asia Gurulè, Raven Haywood, and Erica LeSuer for Sunday Best on Main Street. Their image was provided by the Thomas County Historical Society and it was of the Willie James Williams family in February of 1941.

Pop Up Shop Best in Show: Sturdy Brothers Pop Up Shop Best in Show Runner Up: Casual Chic by Katie Middleton Thomasville Center for the Arts Public Art Director, Darlene Crosby Blackman, was happy to express her excitement for the event. 'We couldn't have asked for a better turnout. We were thrilled with everyone: artists, artisans, sponsors, center members, volunteers and visitors from all over the region. It was great connecting with people who have ties to the Bottom and watch the West Jackson corridor come to life again! We estimate that over 2,000 people viewed the murals on opening weekend. The murals and the developing creative district provide a great glimpse of both Thomasville's history and future.'

If you haven’t made it down to Jackson yet, do yourself a favor and go take a look.

There are still several upcoming opportunities for you to experience FLAUNT. Tonight (September 19th), “A Taste of Greece” will hit the streets with a mix of great food, culture and entertainment. On the 20th, check out the Youth Jam at Bloch Music along with a presentation of "Douglas High School on Parade" by Jack Hadley. At the very least, make sure you take a look at the pop up shops on Fridays from 5:00p – 7:00p.

Your "Picnic" Awaits at TOSAC William Motter Inge was born in 1913. He lived in Kansas. When you enter TOSAC’s Storefront Theater this weekend (September 19th – 21st) and next (September 26th – 28th), you will be in Kansas too. It will be the 1950s, but neither the Korean War, nor the Cold War will rear their ugly heads. This decade, considered to be idyllic by some, and at the beginning of which Mr. Inge was declared one of America’s most promising playwrights (he won an award with that nomenclature) is represented through the lives of eleven characters interacting around the Owens’s house and the Potts’s house.

TOSAC’s dramatization of Inge’s 1953 play is directed by FSU alumnus Caleb Goodman, who quoted to me from the late actor and acting teacher Sanford Meisner, “Acting is living truthfully through imaginary circumstances.” This distillation of the famous Meisner Technique provides a glimpse at Goodman’s destination for his cast and his audience.

Marc Cramer, who directed TOSAC’s “Jungle Book” earlier this year, and will be the character of Howard Bevins during the play, has designed a sturdy, believable set that places our suspended disbelief squarely where ‘we’ should be for the naturalistic style of the evening’s performances. This is realism. The whole stage will be functional. It is Labor Day. The characters are stock, but they are not stereotypes. They will grow within the context of the play, for there is a tension present, mostly muted and asking quietly, are any of us satisfied with what we are given, not merely by God, but more so by the social expectations of milieu? The pretty girl who wonders what good is being pretty anyway, and who maybe doesn’t want to be just a pretty girl, she is here. The jock, who knows if he just had the chance he could be much more, but how will that chance ever come, if at all, he is here too. The younger sister, smart, but not so attractive, and, the list goes on.

Are we what we are born to be, or are we what we are shunted towards by culture, and what is the result when we buck, or even, if we dare to consider bucking the expectations we bear?

Usually in dramatic theatre, there is an identifiable protagonist, by whom action happens and through whom plot develops. Then, enters an antagonist, who acts upon the protagonist precipitating him/her to react, hence the drama moves an audience towards some climax. Here in “Picnic,” no, there are no clear protagonists or antagonists.

To wit, there is a painting at the Phillips Gallery in Washington, DC entitled, Luncheon of the Boating Party by Pierre-Auguste Renoir. It is a large canvas painted in the impressionistic style; everyone is looking at someone else in the painting. No one seems satisfied. Is the life we live, then, truly the life we want to live? Or, is the life we live everyday a vicarious voyeurism, while the life we want to live is enacted for us through the roles and role-playing of others our environment designates to be the ones who live those kinds of lives? These questions can dovetail across the genres.

Goodman has rewritten Inge’s Picnic to be a two-act rather than a three-act drama.

For our Bible-belt and 21st century sensibilities, he has made some changes, but still, the questions Inge presents about our condition, and the answers the play develops toward are all there for the audience to discover. And yet, bear in mind always, while Picnic may hold revelations concerning our lives, life is no Picnic.

- Benjamin G.

don't miss your chance to watch...

FLAUNT will run throughout the month, concluding on Saturday, September 27th with the Yamadeo Reggae Concert. For more information and the full calendar of events, please visit www.thomasvillearts.org/events/flaunt-2014/ or give the TCA a call. We hope to see all of you out on the bricks flaunting your own creative side!

- Chaise B.

Award Winning

The Thomasville Townie publishes the first and third Friday of every month. To advertise, suggest article ideas or contact staff members, please email editor@yourtownie.com.

Printed by the Bainbridge Post Searchlight

Picnic a play by William Inge, directed by Caleb Goodman TOSAC Storefront Theater • 117 S. Broad Street

Friday, September 19th; 8p

Friday, September 26th; 8p

Saturday, September 20th; 8p

Saturday, September 27th; 8p

Sunday, September 21st; 2p

Sunday, September 28th; 2p

Quoted in the ‘Ville What is your favorite thing about fall?

I love everything about the fall--seeing the colors change, wearing big comfy sweaters, and pumpkin-flavored everything, but my absolute favorite thing is decorating for fall and carving pumpkins. –Ivey F. Cooler weather, breaking out my boots, and all of the festivals and carnivals. I love a carnival! –Alex M. The cooler weather. –Chris G. Fall festivals, taking our kids trick-or-treating and Punkin’ Ale from Dogfish Head. –Tanesha H. Fall is my favorite season because it ignites the inspiration for me to be passionate and introspective. –Justin P. -Denise P.

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sepT 19 - OCT 2

Road Trip

The Stylish House thoughts on scale and substance

whirlwind concert, atlanta

The boyfriend, my two pups, and I made a middle-ofthe-week journey to Atlanta. I’ve made this jaunt many times this year, but the purpose for this week’s trip was to attend a Kopecky Family Band concert. I’m sure you’re thinking, “Who is the Kopecky Family Band?”

The easiest way to describe them is that they’re an American Indie-Rock band from Nashville, Tennessee.

We made the trip from Thomasville to Tifton to meet my family for lunch on our way to Atlanta. We ate at a chain restaurant that I dare not mention then headed up via I-75. There are many different paths to take to get from Thomasville to Atlanta, but this is the way that I usually go so that I can see my family on the way. The only fortunate thing about eating in Tifton is that it is plagued with chain-restaurants-a-plenty.

On occasion I like to travel through Albany so that I can hit up Striplings General Store for their delicious beef jerky. It may be $26.99 a pound, but it’s well worth it.

They have other tasty meat products as well. Trust me, “You never sausage a place.”

After our lunch at nameless chain restaurant, we headed on up I-75, only stopping once we got to my friend’s place in the Morningside area of Atlanta. After visiting for a short while and getting the pups acclimated, we headed to Wrecking Bar Brewpub (292 Moreland Ave NE, Atlanta, GA 30307). There are many notable attributes about Wrecking Bar, but the first thing that most people notice is the building in which it is located.

The brewpub portion of Wrecking Bar is located in the basement, which looks like a medieval torture chamber—which is amazing. The house is an old mansion that was build just before 1900.

From the Wrecking Bar Brewpub website, “The Victor H. Kriegshaber House is historically significant for its association with Victor Hugo Kriegshaber, the original owner who commissioned this house to be built just before 1900 and who lived there until 1924.”

The second thing that you might notice once entering is the extensive brew list. Holy Moly. Unfortunately, I cannot partake in the delicious brews, but I did have a tasty libation. I am annoyed with myself for not making note of the name of it more closely, but I believe it was called the Par-Tea Time. It was a concoction of green tea, Campari, some sort of liquor (rum, maybe), and likely something else. What a horrible description, but it was delicious.

For dinner, I had the pastrami sandwich sans bread, which they delivered to me in an adorable, tiny cast iron dish. I sampled my friend’s pork loin and okra as well, but let me say, I preferred the bun-less pastrami with

collard green kimchi. Who doesn’t like a pile of meat for dinner?

After dinner, we headed down to the venue, Vinyl, to see the band. Vinyl is just a small portion of the conglomerate venue space known as Center Stage (1374 West Peachtree Street Atlanta, GA, 30309).

Vinyl itself is quite a small venue, which only holds about 300 people. That is perfect for me because I squirmed myself right up to the stage to see the show.

Unlike seeing a show at Lakewood (now called Aaron’s, but I can’t quite let that go) Amphitheater or at Phillip’s Arena, you can really get up close and personal with your favorite band. I guess that only works for virtually unknown artists or bands that haven’t quite “blown up” yet because a 300 capacity venue fills up pretty quickly.

It was a great show, and I got to take some photos with the band. I had so much fun that I felt terrible the next day. I had to figure out something to make me feel less like death, so I ventured over to Fat Matt’s Rib Shack (1811 Piedmont Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30324). I had never been there before, but my boyfriend and I decided to split half a rack of ribs and get a couple of different sides. I hate that I can’t eat white bread because they threw a couple of fresh pieces on the platter with the ribs, which looked divine. They would have been perfect for sopping up barbecue sauce, so instead of getting tempted to eat them and regretting it the whole way home, I tossed them out. The ribs were the best I have ever had. They were fall-off-the-bone tender and weren’t coated in sauce. The collard greens were also good, but I could have done without the potato salad that we also got. I immediately regretted not getting a whole rack.

I suggested that we go to Noah’s Ark Animal Sanctuary (712 L G Griffin Rd, Locust Grove, GA 30248) on the way back home, but we both agreed it was probably too hot for us and the two pups to go roaming around.

I went to Noah’s Ark on a previous trip back from Atlanta, and I was enamored. If you get a chance, hit it up on your way back down I-75 (or up) if you’re going through Locust Grove. They have a lion, tiger and bear that live together among many other animals. I don’t recommend going when it is terribly hot outside because the entire sanctuary is outdoors.

All-in-all, it was a great 28-hour round-trip journey to Atlanta and back. I recommend Wrecking Bar Brewpub and Fat Matt’s if you’re hungry. Believe me when I say you’re going to want a whole rack of those ribs, though.

- Denise P.

While a great many of us long for the large spaces and defined-use rooms of a vintage house, an equal number of us simply cannot be bothered or do not have that type of space available to us due to availability or cost.

Contemporary living often demands the simplicity of an apartment or condominium. Post graduates, career oriented singles or newlyweds only have so much time, energy and resources at their disposal to create a stylish environment. That being said, don’t let a smaller, more manageable current venue shy you away from a quality, substantial and stylish interior.

Someone, I think the outspoken and divine Dorothy Parker, once said “I would much rather have one good silver spoon than a drawer full of plate.” Or, something along those lines, at least. I can’t find the exact quote.

Regardless of how it was worded or who said it, the meaning is quite clear. It is better, at least in my opinion, to have a few really good pieces than rooms filled with low quality ornaments.

A select few tasteful pieces of art, silver or furniture will say more in a small apartment or condo than just filling it for the sake of filling it with cheap, low-end items. Always.

I, personally, would much rather see a substantial piece of art work, regardless of value or style, alone on a plain white or cream colored wall than masses of ill thought pictures in a confusing jumble throughout the space. Excepting, always, pictures by children or family members when tastefully framed and arranged for their

While many today eschew the thought of maintaining sterling silver, there are many good stainless steel patterns out there, which can be added to as time and funds permit. Or, for fun, haunt thrift and consignment stores for good pieces of mismatched silver plate. Who says everything has to match? Do try to keep to some type of theme, however: all knives in one pattern, forks in another. For china, all dinner plates in one pattern and teacups in another. Pick some unifying quality and stick with it.

Quality pieces of good furniture are not cheap but can be found with some patience and research. Estate sales and auctions are the best and the terrific fun on a weekend afternoon. When using a large piece of furniture in a smaller space, it must be multifunctional. If it is a bed, make sure you can store things underneath. If it is an old table, make sure it can double as a workspace. Turn that old armoire or cupboard into an entertainment center, storage space or bar. Regardless of how creative you get with repurposing, make sure it is a piece you admire and enjoy.

All and all, we don’t have to sacrifice substance with living in a small scale. Elegance and good taste know no bounds. Good, functional, quality pieces can last a lifetime and never go out of style.

-Davey B.

Got a tip for the Townie? Shoot us an email: editor@yourtownie.com

A Taste of Greece: Come for the Food, Leave with the Culture For the first time ever, ‘Villians will get to sample “A Taste of Greece” as a part of FLAUNT on September 19, 2014. The Philotochos Society, ”Friends of the Poor,” will put on the event as the philanthropic and cultural ambassadors of Holy Mother of God Greek Orthodox Church in Tallahassee.

For those of you unfamiliar with the gyro, it is referred to as “the hamburger of Greece.” Unlike the hamburger, the gyro has pita bread instead of a bun. Instead of a meat patty, the pita is filled with a seasoned lamb and beef combination and topped with tomatoes, onions and Tzatziki sauce, a cucumber-garlic yogurt sauce.

Connie Mathes, member of Holy Mother of God Greek Orthodox church and the Philotochos Society, said, “We are very excited and proud to share our culture for the first time in Thomasville, Georgia. Our church family has many residents in the beautiful city of Thomasville and we would love to be involved in the FLAUNT mission to share arts and culture in Thomasville.”

Greek beer, Greek wines, Ouzo and Metaxa (brandy) and soft drinks will be offered for purchase. A great variety of Greek pastries will be offered for purchase including Baklava, Kourambiedes, Galactobureko, and others.

Mathes said that patrons will be able to take home boxes of Greek goodies.

For $10 (advanced) or $12 at the door, ‘Villians can experience a variety of Greek offerings at the event.

“Mike Menexis will play traditional tunes of Greece on the bouzouki, a Greek musical instrument brought to Greece by immigrants from Asia Minor in the early 1900s. Our Hellenic Dancers will perform Greek Folk dances and everyone is encouraged to join in and learn the basic dance steps,” said Mathes.

Poetry: Benjamin Gardner Artist: Antonio Guerrero • www.guerreroart.com

sentimental value.

As far as food goes, your $10 or $12 will buy you a gyro along with Greek seasoned fries. “Our annual Greek Food Festival in Tallahassee provides a vast array of Greek food and pastries, but we have chosen to offer the Gyro Sandwich, as it seems to be the favorite by festival goers,” said Mathes.

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The Holy Mother of God Greek Orthodox Church has an annual Greek Food Festival in Tallahassee that is attended by 20,000 people each year. “We hope to share, in a smaller setting, a hint of our festival which will be held on October 24 & 25. Our church has many Thomasville residents who attend Holy Mother of God Greek Orthodox Church, and we want to extend a warm welcome to our South Georgia friends,” said Mathes.

You can contact Connie Mathes 229-221-1071 with questions and go to hmog.org/atasteofgreece to reserve your spot for A Taste of Greece where, as Mathes stated, “Patrons can look forward to a beautiful Greek setting in your very own Jackson Street neighborhood offering Greek food, pastries, beers, wines, music and dancing.”

-Denise P.

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sepT 19 - OCT 2

Meet the Staffer: Natalie Kirbo

Make a Commitment to Thomasville

What is your educational and work background?

I got my Bachelor of Science at the University of Florida in Wildlife Ecology & Conservation. I thought I would go to vet school but nixed those plans and went to law school at Florida State instead because I liked to read and write.

such as kitchen knives, waxed canvas bags, tobacco slat cutting boards, and more. I was truly impressed by the items coming out of these locals, so I thought a place to sell them all would be amazing. I met a gal who shared my passion and we went about going into business together.

List all of your side projects. Ha! I'm not sure that The Townie has enough pages. I've always called myself a perpetual hobbyist. I currently enjoy my side job of opening a business (soon to open on the square in downtown Bainbridge) full of handmade goodness, my blog, Oysters & Pearls (www.oystersandpearls.net), and I love to cook and bake. I am an amateur stained glass enthusiast, love to do embroidery, and I've just recently taken up knitting, thanks to the Fuzzy Goat here in Thomasville. And I love to write, of course. I think that mostly covers it? Besides fishing, canning, gardening, traveling, and volunteering. Now I'm tired.

What is your favorite thing about fall? Pumpkin spice lattes! Ha. Everything? Boots, scarves (I can't wait to knit one!), jeans, my hair not inflating the second I walk out the door, the usual favorites.

How did you get involved in all of these wonderful hobbies/projects/interests? I'm not really sure, actually. My dad has always been this way, and I guess that's why I'm that way. I have a lot of nervous energy. And I figure if I'm lucky enough to be physically and mentally able to do these things, I had better take advantage.

What interests you about writing? I love that even in this day and age of pictures, video, and internet, writing is still important. It's still the primary method of relaying information or telling a story.

What inspired you to develop Oysters and Pearls? Maiden South? I desperately needed a creative outlet and an outlet to write. I started writing the blog to document my many projects and thrift shopping adventures, share recipes and daily life, along with whatever else I'm up to. It became such a great way to connect to other people in a new town, reconnect with friends from the past, and meet lots of new blogger friends. The idea for Maiden South came from a series of posts about Southern Makers, who were all making beautiful, high-quality goods,

Name your favorite restaurant and dish in Thomasville. Savannah Moon: the artichoke heart salad with a piece of coconut cream pie for dessert.

If you could only complete one of your hobbies for the rest of your life, which one would you pick? Why? Blerg. That's a tough one. Stained glass is hard on your hands, so I probably couldn't do that into old age. I just started knitting, but I feel like it will be a great lifelong hobby. Plus I could clothe myself.

What three adjectives would you say best describe you? Busy. Grateful. Happy.

Pick your poison. How is it prepared? A large glass of Sauvignon blanc.

How did you get involved with The Townie? Our sweet fair Bunny! We became friends after we met on the internet (no, really) and then met in real life at the Cheese Shop for cheese and the aforementioned poison. We were fast friends and she got me on the Townie contributing writer list. I've been a Townie ever since!

How did you end up in Bainbridge? I married a Bainbridge boy. I love Georgia, but I'm still a Florida panhandle girl at heart. :)

2 eggs 3 tablespoons vanilla extract 2 cups bread flour 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1 1/2 teaspoons salt 2 additional tablespoons butter for pan Place a 10-inch cast iron skillet in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 F. Cream together the

I come from the northeast where being “progressive” has a cache. Victoria Park is southwest Georgia. Here, there are

Victoria Park Neighborhood Discovery, Open-House, and Walk-Through Event.

Beginning with the School Board Meeting, Tuesday, September 23rd at 5 p.m.

Harper Elementary School (intersection of Fletcher and Barton Streets).

Contact: Charlotte Christian @ Thomasville Planning & Zoning 229-227-3368 - Benjamin G.

Got a tip for the Townie? Shoot us an email: editor@yourtownie.com

Reader Meet Writer: A Collaborative Event

twelve tablespoons of room temperature butter with the brown sugar. Mix in eggs and vanilla, then the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Remove hot skillet from the oven and add the additional two tablespoons of butter. Carefully swirl or use a pastry brush to coat bottom and sides of the pan. Scoop the blondie mixture into the greased skillet and use an offset spatula to spread the batter. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until the edges are slightly browned and the center is cooked through. Let cool slightly and cut into wedges. Great as is; downright sinful with vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce.

Farm to Table

2 cups packed light brown sugar

Victoria Park will be on display for all of us to see and to tour this Tuesday, September 23rd after 5 p.m. Begin with the School Board meeting at Harper Elementary, then tour the microcosmic community. The Neighborhood Resource Center will be open wide with all the players and planners accounted for: Thomasville-Thomas County Land Bank Authority, Landmarks, Inc., Habitat for Humanity, The City of Thomasville, etc. We’re not talking bells, whistles, and fireworks—no—but serious business for anyone who seeks the blessings of neighborhood, community, access, a safe and clean place to live and work.

The execution is at hand and at the ready for us to inspect for ourselves. Success depends upon people sending a clear message through our interest, our involvement, and our participation. It is not paramount that we ultimately settle our families in Victoria Park, if we but come, then, enough of us will do that. It is in our own best interest that we recognize we are, all of us, part of communities.

I encourage you therefore, to welcome initiatives that welcome people.

- Denise P.

cast iron blondies

12 tablespoons butter, at room temperature

Those tasked with city planning in Thomasville have made a commitment to provide us, the citizenry, with workforce housing in a village-like “location, location, location” for those among us willing to commit to living near the downtown business district. The idea is not to be glitzy or exclusive, but to foster a thriving neighborhood that blends social groups and economic classes, all within a five-to-ten minute walk of downtown. This will not be low-income housing, but, neither is it gentrification. It’s the blending that’s the goal. What blend? America.

no such labels for which to strive, no egos to stroke. This project is sincere [see our premier article on Victoria Park, Townie Issue 15 Page 2]. Victoria Park has been fought for by its proponents. Inclusiveness has won the day— for young families, for workers in the area, for our young professionals, for school employees, for city personnel (staff as well as management), for the downtown crowd, for the bibliophiles, for retirees, and for first time buyers too. The gamut is the thing desired. The variety is the draw. The closeness is the sell. The potential is remarkable.

What is your all-time favorite book? The Great Tide by Rubylea Hall.

Farm to Table There’s something comforting about cooking with cast iron. Maybe it’s the heft of the pan, the way food contrasts with the rich black finish of the metal, or the fact that well cared for pieces can last for decades. Pick up a skillet at Relish and experience the versatility cast iron has to offer with a batch of chewy, delectable blondies. This recipe makes for a thick blondie but can readily be halved--reducing bake time to about 25 minutes-if you prefer a thinner, more cookie-like result.

A city is big, and the word often seems somehow too big. A town is more familiar, inviting, and friendly, hence the name of this newspaper. Consider, now, the concept of a village: cozy, familiar, welcoming. You can walk to everything in a village: your grocer, your bank, your church, your library, your shopping, your restaurants, your courthouse, and your children’s school.

Blondies provide a great basic canvas for an infinite variety of creations. Toss in a cup of chocolate chips or chopped nuts, or try this alternative for snickerdoodle blondies: Add 2 teaspoons cinnamon with the addition of the eggs and vanilla to the batter. In a separate bowl, stir together 3 tablespoons granulated sugar with 1 tablespoon cinnamon. Sprinkle half of this mixture over the batter once it has been spread in the prepared skillet. Sprinkle the remainder over top of the blondies about 10 minutes before the end of baking.

- Kelly S.

The Thomas County Public Library (TCPL) is an interesting space that combines meeting areas, study rooms, ample book shelves, a Heritage Room for local history and genealogy, and fabulous internet access. In the heart of the downtown shopping district along the Broad Street corridor a remarkable book vendor, the Bookshelf, operates in a smaller space, yet, the breadth of its reach is constantly expanding.

The Bookshelf in addition to having ample book shelves, as well, hosts weekly meetings and events for bibliophiles in the broadest sense: a writer’s workshop group, lovers of letters gather here, published authors do signings. Bookshelf proprietor, Annie Jones, and our local librarian, Director of TCPL Nancy Tillinghast, have teamed to collaborate an event for 24 self-published authors from our region – “Reader meet Writer.”

The Master of Ceremonies for this, the Third Annual local of these authors’ fairs will be Jackie Cooper of Mercer University Press. The writers represented are primarily from the Tallahassee, Thomasville, and Valdosta areas. The duration of “Reader meet Writer” is forecasted to be two hours. This writer is dubious. Methinks it will run longer.

After opening remarks from M.C. Cooper, each writer will have three minutes to introduce him/her-self, then the upon any incidences of loquaciousness the round-robin panel can ‘buzz’ whichever writer may be at the dais to conclude their remarks. The second hour will be interactive: buying books, chatting up the writers at their stations, doing the networking that one does at these occasions, and getting one’s books signed.

“Reader meet Writer” will be held Saturday, September

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20th from 10 a.m. until 12 noon in the Flipper Room of the Thomas County Public Library. Below is a list of planned attending authors and their works: Master of Ceremonies: Jackie Cooper – Memory’s Mist Virginia Gwynn – Mother’s Day Sonny Sammons – Road to Echowah Janet Litherland – Forever Is a Long, Long Time George Bauer – The End of Paradise Darryl Bollinger – The Pill Game

Jeff Bauer – Sadie Sapiens Debbie Williams – The Swinging Door Donna Meredith – Wet Work George Encizio – Blocker’s Bluff Diana Janopaul – The Witch’s Get MaryPenelope Young – What Jesus Did

Joyce DeMille – Growing Up in 1940s War-Torn England Kent Thompson – Remembering Florida’s Forgotten Doug Alderson – The Great Florida Seminole Trail Marina Brown – Walking Alone and Airport Sketches: A Week of Lives at the Tallahassee Regional

Robert Parke – Staying Safe in an Unsafe World: A Guide for College Women Randi Shiver – Little Miss Mason Jar Marilyn Baltrus – Brothers and Sisters Dan Pushkar – The Sword of Ker Carol hair Moore – Papa Moles’ Secrets of Happiness Bruce Ballister – Dreamland Diaries Regina Lewis – The Smallest Forest Leslee Horner – Summer of Stars - Benjamin G.

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sepT 19 - OCT 2

Check Out the Great Southern Music Festival If there’s one thing that southerners understand its tradition. We grew up on those passed down for generations through countless nights of story telling and folklore. Each of us can recall the family gatherings, the tables full of downhome cooking, and dancing barefoot in a field to an old bluegrass song. This is a lifestyle that we are fortunate enough to call our own. It is a lifestyle that we should share with anyone who’d like to join us.

Max Tillman understood this notion better than anyone. He wanted to create a place that would facilitate his dream of sharing his love for bluegrass traditions with the world, a gathering place of sorts for friends and family alike. Thus came Picker’s Paradise Park.

A lover of music since he was a little boy, Max carried his talents with him all over the world while serving in the army. Each new stop gave him the opportunity to seek out new friends who shared his passion for music.

He introduced countless people to the sound of bluegrass. Many of those folks made the trip to the states down to our tiny town of Thomasville to hear the music they had fallen in love with. This was the beginning of a large following for Picker’s Paradise Park. With the help of his son Pat, Max would take the park from an old pole barn to a one of a kind music festival, making he and his family’s dream come true.

Over the last 20 years, that festival has grown into the semi annual three-day event better known as the Great Southern Music Festival. Through the years, the Tillman’s have forged great relationships with the town, local bands, and bluegrass fans from all over. Their motto for the weekend is “We love to cook great food, play great music, and enjoy great experiences with others looking to do the same.”

Guests are encouraged to bring their own instruments with them and are guaranteed a late night jam session around a fire. The park can host up to 102 RVs

with hookups for electricity, water and plenty of space.

They can accommodate primitive campers with ease with perfect camping sites provided by the beautiful grounds.

While you’re at Picker’s Paradise Park, be sure to take advantage of the onsite cooking! BBQ and smoked Boston Butts are normally a staple on the menu. Once you’ve grabbed a bite to eat, try your luck at the pond stocked full of fish. Walk the grounds in the evening and pick up some new friends along the way. There are a lot of memories to be made at this festival.

Your next opportunity to experience the fun is October 2nd-4th, just in time for the fall weather. Grab your weekend pass for just $30 and reserve your spot now if you plan to bring an RV. The Tillman’s will treat you just like family from the first time you talk to them. This year’s exciting lineup features: Wildwood Valley Boys Dread Clampitt Swiftwater Midnight Rain The Kenny Hill Band Blue and Lonesome Come out and enjoy something new by supporting this local attraction and its talented musicians. Whether you like traditional bluegrass or progressive tunes, the Great Southern Music Festival has something for you.

This is a weekend you don’t want to miss. Bring your friends and family out to enjoy the welcoming spirit of the bluegrass tradition. Who knows, you might just start a little tradition of your own.

For more information and tickets, please visit www. pickersparadisepark.com to plan your trip today.

- Chaise B.

townie crossword ACROSS 1 Reserve Officers Training Corps 5 American Cancer Society (abbr.)

8 Jaw point 12 Manner 13 Great ape 15 Goddess 16 Dreary 17 Mummer 18 Middle East dweller 19 Slick 21 Stolen money collectors 23 Fertile desert area 25 Ghost's greeting 26 Bottle 29 Aurora 31 Formal statement 35 Queue (2 wds.)

37 Cow sound 39 Mumble 40 Ancient 41 Tarmac 44 Flurry 45 Frock 47 Bad (prefix) 48 Prison where Johnny and June sang like birds 50 Perfume 52 Rio de Janeiro 54 Dried coconut

55 Hearing part 57 Hawaiian 'hello' 59 Lepers 62 Breezes 65 Coming 66 Mom 68 Epochs 70 Indonesian island 71 Shallow area in a river 72 Shrimp 73 Realm 74 Possess 75 Look DOWN 1 Really cool 2 Not yours 3 Trolley 4 Rear train 5 Bett's beau 6 Pet 7 Stuck up person 8 Small goat antelope 9 Not there 10 Persia 11 Clutch 13 Makes hot cereal 14 Take

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20 Shapi's caulking 22 Titan 24 East African country 26 Use dental ____ 27 Spring flower 28 Giant in 'Princess Bride' 30 Turf 32 Grasp 33 English architecture style 34 Perfume 35 Highest trump in some loo 38 Clod 42 Auto 43 Coffee 46 Just why the ball keeps rolling 49 Comfy shoes and lazy dudes 51 Thai 53 Dad (2 wds.)

56 Professional football team 58 Voiced 59 Strange-shaped fruit 60 Shaft 61 Santa call 63 Right 64 Lucid 65 BB association 67 Cut grass 69 Short-term memory Answers on our website @ www.YourTownie.com

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september 5-18 VOLUME 3

september 5-18 VOLUME 3

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Issue No.

Dance Card.

September 19 A Taste of Greece; 5 - 9p Enjoy authentic Greek food, music, and performances

by Mike Menexis and The Hellenic Band and the Hellenic Dancers from Tallahassee.

Tickets are $10 in advance and $12 at the door.

Call Connie for more info 226-1218 September 20 Reader Meet Writer Thomas County Public Library, 201 North Madison Street; 10 a – 12p. Over 20 authors from the North Florida and South Georgia region will sign and sell copies of their latest books and mingle with event attendees.

September 21 Cinema for a Cause Gateway Cinemas, US 19 South; 7a – 11:55p Join Gateway Cinemas in supporting our community.

All proceeds benefit the United Way of Thomas County.

Advance tickets available. Call Rebecca for more info NaGuanda Miller Nobles Concert Thomasville Center for the Arts, 600 East Washington Street; 3p. Enjoy the vocal talents of this lyric soprano and Thomasville native.

Call 226-7404 for more info.

September 26 - 28 Thomasville Kid's Fall Sale 48 Patterson Still Spur; Friday 8a – 8p, Saturday 8a – 1p & 4p – 8p ellenbosman@gotown.net for more info.

October 2, 3, 4 Great Southern Music Festival Pickers Paradise Park, 2217 Maddox Road, Ochlocknee Bring the kids, dogs (on-leash of course), and lawn chairs to enjoy the 10th anniversary edition of this celebration of music and BBQ. For tickets and info call 221-5467 or visit www. pickersparadisepark.com.

October 5 Warrior Run 5k & Fun Run Brookwood School: 301 Cardinal Ridge Road; 7a Runners of all ages can enjoy this inaugural event.

To register or for more info visit www.brookwoodschool.org/page/6376

16

A Sparrow Ailing, Volunteers Please Arise Sister Erlene Douglas was admitted to Archbold Memorial Hospital this past Friday (9/12) for chest discomfort. She runs the Rescue Mission Soup Kitchen—that little red house beside the R/R tracks at 330 Cherokee Street. It is the ministry of the Rescue Mission Soup Kitchen to feed the hunger needs of Thomasville from 1 to 2 p.m. each day during the work week.

Certainly, it is given to the faithful in the Bible that God notices the sparrow, please, if you can help the Soup Kitchen, then regardless of faith, come and volunteer to serve at this time. Your donations of financial aid, disposable serving utensils, and compartmented Styrofoam trays are always appreciated. Right now, it is your time and your labor that are required going forward.

Contact Sister Douglas and/or Brother Dean Cooper at 229-227-9246. And, of course, well wishes are welcome too.

- Benjamin G.

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I managed to clock in eight books for the month of August.

Here's my take on what you might want to read next: The Fever by Megan Abbott. This was an early August selection, so I've been recommending it to readers and customers for about a month, and the description I give is always the same: The Crucible meets Gone Girl (I happened to love both). Megan Abbott writes at a ferocious pace; I stayed up way past my bedtime finishing The Fever, a twisted tale revolving around teenage girls who seem struck by the same frenzied panic and plague -- both physical and emotional. It sounds like the plot to a bad Lifetime movie, but I assure you, Abbott handles the novel with dignity. If you're looking for a good suspense story to close out the summer, this one's for you.

Flying Shoes by Lisa Howorth. Even booksellers need reading recommendations, and I found a mention of Flying Shoes in a recent issue of Garden & Gun. Lisa Howorth is a fellow bookstore owner -her store, Square Books, continues to make the lists of best indie bookshops in the South -- so I figured Flying Shoes would be worth my time. The premise reads like the introduction to a spine-tingling thriller, but I actually think that description does the book a disservice. The novel -- which centers on Mary Byrd Thornton, a woman whose 9-year-old brother was molested and killed in the late eighties -- was based on the murder of Lisa's own brother, but the story doesn't stop there. A crime novel this is not. Instead, Flying Shoes is dark and tangled and at times, oddly funny; Lisa knows the South, and it shows. Her cast is as wide-ranged and varied as the Southerners I know; read the book for those Southern characters alone.

Small Blessings by Martha Woodruff. When people ask what my favorite types of books are, I'm never quite sure what to say. I read a lot, and I try to read a fairly diverse selection of topics and types.

Small Blessings, though, is my kind of book; I found myself cheering for the characters and relishing each page of the story. In the novel, a small town college professor meets his match in a new woman running the campus bookshop; it's not a love story so much as it is a life story, and because of my own small town, small campus dealings, I found a lot to root for in the story. This is my go-to recommendation for fans of The Storied Life of AJ Fikry or the Mitford books. It's just an all-around lovely book.

Defending Jacob by William Landay. So many customers have been recommending this one for ages, and I finally snagged a copy for a plane ride in which I inexplicably ran out of reading material (I blame my misfortune on two delayed flights). I'm glad I had somehow read through my packed bag of books, though, because Defending Jacob was the perfect book for a long flight, and it was just as powerful as all of my fellow readers suggested it would be. District

Attorney Andy Barber finds himself on the other side of the courtroom in William Landay's novel, and he could never have predicted his client: his teenage son Jacob, accused of stabbing a classmate to death in a picture-perfect setting. Every month, I stumble across a book I know would make a fine book club pick, and this is it for August. If you haven't read it yet, now is the time.

True Grit by Charles Portis. I think our entire staff read this one in preparation for our Film Society meeting last month; I had, bizarrely, seen the film version before I'd read the Charles Portis novel, and upon finishing, I couldn't understand how I'd never stumbled across it before. Hannah's got a great review up on our store blog, so all I'll add is my belief that True Grit deserves a spot as one of America's classics, in the bookstore and in the classroom. I can't believe Mattie Ross isn't mentioned alongside her spunky counterparts: Jo March, Anne Shirley, Ramona Quimby, Scout Finch. If you haven't read True Grit, give it a try. Mattie deserves a read.

Friendswood by Rene Steinke. Rene Steinke had me just a few pages into Friendswood -- in one brief paragraph, she completely turns the tables on the plot she's painted: Friendswood, Texas, changes from a small Southern town where neighbors wave hello, to the site of possible toxic petroleum sludge, where neighbors suffer from cancer and physical oddities are the norm. The novel is handled with a deftness that's impressive; Steinke possesses a literary style that makes the novel incredibly readable, but also challenging and thought-provoking. Each chapter is told from a different character's perspective, and their tales of faith and love and passion and environmental advocacy make Friendswood -- both the setting and the novel itself -- incredibly compelling.

A Life Intercepted by Charles Martin.

Thomasville loves Charles Martin. He's a Southern, faith-based writer, and his books fly off our shelves.

This month, we welcomed him to town for the launch of his newest novel, A Life Intercepted, and -- perk of the job alert -- I was able to read a copy before it even hit the shelves. Martin's fans won't be disappointed.

The story covers Martin's typical territory, and it's well-written and easy reading; a bonus? Much of the plot of A Life Intercepted focuses on football, a topic clearly in Martin's realm of expertise -- and one I happen to really enjoy.

Now I See You by Nicole C. Kear. This was our traveling book club's latest selection, and -- oddly -- it was also my only nonfiction pick of the month. Now I See You is self-deprecating and funny, and there'd be nothing unusual about that description, except this is a memoir about going blind. And although Nicole Kear is funny and likable, her story is still heartbreaking; Now I See You won't elicit your pity, though; instead, you'll find yourself laughing and cheering for Nicole as she navigates a world that is rapidly going dark. You want unflinchingly honest?

Here's your next read.

- Annie B. The Bookshelf

What could you do with

A Confident Smile?

303 W. Hansell St., Thomasville 229-227 -1447

www.aconfidentsmile.com

Comix by Laura Floyd

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