TiftonScene NOVEMBER • DECMEBER 2013
M
• ???
A
G
A
Z
I
N
E
Christmas at Our House
• Christmas ‘addictions’ • Literary Christmas in Georgia • ‘One Starry Night’ at Northside • Bringing international flair to your kitchen during the holidays
Cypress Pond Seasons Memory Care Wing Now Open
CYPRESS POND OFFERS PERSONAL CARE, RESPITE (TEMPORARY) CARE AND AT-HOME CARE THROUGH CYPRESS POND AT HOME.
SENIOR LIVING COMMUNITY 833173
TiftonScene M
A
G
A
Z
I
N
Volume 8 • No. 5
E
CO N T R I B U TO R S Angye Morrison is the editor of The Tifton Gazette. Morrison is a Georgia native who hails from Lincoln County, and is an avid high school football fan, as well as the Georgia Bulldogs. She is a graduate of Augusta State University, and has worked at newspapers in Georgia and Florida, as a reporter, photographer, paginator and editor. “Christmas is my absolute favorite holiday. There’s no better time to restore your faith in mankind. Christmas is a season when people are more generous, laugh more and there’s just an overall feeling of anticipation and joy. You just can’t beat this time of year!”
Publisher/Ad Director DAN SUTTON Editor ANGYE MORRISON Graphics Coordinator IRIS HARBIN Design/Layout DEREK SCHAPER Contributors STEVE CARTER MIKE CHASON LATASHA FORD BECKY TAYLOR CHRISTINE TIBBETTS Circulation RACHEL WAINWRIGHT
Tifton Scene Magazine is published bimonthly at 211 N. Tift Ave., Tifton, GA 31794 by The Tifton Gazette p: 229.382.4321 • f: 229.387.7322 P.O. Box 708 • Tifton, GA 31793-0708 email: angye.morrison@gaflnews.com www.tiftongazette.com Letters and all editorial contributions may be sent to the above address or emailed to angye.morrison@gaflnews.com TiftonScene is not responsible for unsolicited submissions. Reproduction or use of any article, photo or graphic content, without the express permission of the publisher is prohibited. Advertising rates and ad specifications available by contacting: • Jody Benson, Ext. 1932 • Kitty Stone, Ext. 1910 • George Moody, Ext. 1929 • Chelsea Fowler, Ext. 1928 Newsstand: $3.00 Subscription (six editions per year): $12.00
A Magazine with Personality!
Latasha Ford has been with The Gazette for more than two years as a reporter (three years on August 16 to be exact). Ford started August 16, 2010, fresh out of college. She graduated from Turner County High School in Ashburn in 2006, where she was involved in yearbook and journalism. In 2010, she earned her bachelor’s degree in English with a concentration in professional writing from Georgia Southwestern State University in Americus. While at GSW, she was involved with the literary and visual arts magazine, Sirocco, for three years. “I have many great memories with my family on Christmas Day, such as enjoying the day my baby sister had her very first Christmas. She played more with the wrapping paper than her actual gifts. Another one of my favorite Christmas memories would have to be when Santa got me a shiny new big-girl bicycle. After opening all of my gifts, my parents revealed the big surprise, which I was hoping for. During the holidays, my parents have always made sure that my sister and I had the best Christmas ever, but most importantly, we spent quality time as a family appreciating each other and God’s blessings.”
Becky Taylor joined the sports department of The Tifton Gazette in September 2012. She was reared in Berrien County and developed a love of sports, starting with the 1991 Atlanta Braves and an invitation to keep basketball scorebooks for Nashville Middle a year later. She graduated from Berrien High, attended ABAC and finished Valdosta State with a degree in History. Five years later, she found herself in Athens and later graduated from the University of Georgia with a degree in Newspapers. Prior to joining The Gazette, she worked some with Georgia Public Broadcasting for the in-production “As If We Were Ghosts” and has done research for the Georgia Athletic Coaches Association. “My favorite Christmas memories were going to Toys ‘R’ Us in Tallahassee. That was the nearest one back then and was kids’ heaven. Walls and walls of nothing but toys! My parents would split up when we got there. One would take me and the other would shop. It must have been impossible to time as there were no cell phones. Sometimes, there would be a cross up and I had to pretend, with great difficulty, that I did not see that Barbie Corvette in the cart.”
Christine Tibbetts started life in New Jersey and ventured west in 1966 for the University of Missouri School of Journalism. Tifton became home in1978. Her professional focus for 30 years was marketing and public relations for the arts and education, for healthcare and early childhood education, plus a healthy dose of community activism and political advocacy. You can find her work for the Equal Rights Amendment on record in the Library of Congress. Crafting stories of places near and far dominates Tibbetts’ work now. “Every Christmas turned out happier than my fifth grade year; that one’s my litmus test for pleasure ever after. I so wanted a three-speed English racer to bicycle to school and ride with my friends. Acted brave when it was not under the tree, but abandoned my manners when I opened the gift from my Episcopal church godmother: saddle bag for a bike. Mother gruffly commanded me to gather the gift wrap and take it to the kitchen; that’s where the bike waited.”
Steve Carter grew up loving newspapers and began working for his hometown paper in Ocilla when he was a sophomore at Irwin County High School. Besides working there, Carter has also worked as a student sports information director at Albany State University, as a scorer for the minor league South Georgia Sharpshooters basketball team and in several capacities for the Albany Polecats. During his time in school, Carter was the 1988 Staff Member of the Year with award-winning paper at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College, The Stallion. Carter began working at the Gazette in 1999, and has served in several capacities, including sports editor and assistant news editor. He is currently the pagination supervisor for The Gazette. “I have always loved Christmas. My biggest problem has always been wanting to give the presents I buy my family and friends to them early. When I buy someone something I want to go ahead and give it to them. My biggest joy now is watching my nieces and nephews get their stuff. That’s always fun for me.” NOVEMBER•DECEMBER 2013 | TiftonScene
3
835105
contents NOVEMBER•DECEMBER 2013
8 12 14 16 20 23 26
FEATURE Turner’s ‘addiction’ to Christmas decorations
FEATURE Beckhams’ family photo Christmas cards
COOKING FEATURE Cast Iron Chef Cook-Off at the Brooks County Skillet Festival
TRAVEL Experience a literary Christmas in Georgia
DINING Chef Jaco Toledo-Gerrish brings international flair to local restaurant
FEATURE ‘One Starry Night’ production transforms lives
FEATURE Best Christmas Ever ON THE COVER Christmas at our house evokes different images for everyone, but Christmas is all about the same feelings for everyone – joy, excitement, memories and generosity, all tied up with a bow. photo by Hope Baldwin
NOVEMBER•DECEMBER 2013 | TiftonScene
5
memorandum
C
hristmas – what a great time of year. It seems everywhere you look, people are smiling…happy…downright jolly. We all feel like kids again. One of my favorite Christmas memories involves some red pocketbooks. I was a little bitty thing, and all I wanted was a shiny new red purse. I don’t remember any of this…I’ve been told that’s what I wanted. And I got not one, not two, but three of those shiny purses. I was in heaven! The best part of Christmas, at least for me, was the anticipation. It seemed to take forever for Christmas to arrive each year when I was a child. And then on Christmas Eve, time slowed down even more. One Christmas, after having received an alarm clock for my birthday the previous May, I decided to set my alarm and get up every hour to see if Santa had come. I discovered at some point during the night that he had been there. I could look in our living room and see the dimly-lit outlines of bicycles and other items laying around the room. I knew there were things in that room awaiting me – just beyond my grasp – and it was killing me. So I continued to get up, every hour on the hour, and go into my parents’ room to ask if we could get up and open our presents yet. I was continually told to go back to bed in an increasingly annoyed tone by my mother. My alarm clock disappeared after that night. In this issue, we have an interview with Jaco ToledoGerrish, chef at the Hilton Garden Inn. He’s giving us a look at not only what’s cooking there, but what he enjoys cooking during the holidays, all with an international flair. We also have a look inside a local production “One Starry Night,” now in its third year, and produced and hosted by Northside Baptist Church. The event is free and all are welcome. It’s a unique trip back in time to Bethlehem and the manger, and you’ll meet some interesting characters along the way. And we also feature stories about different or unusual Christmas traditions. Find out why the Beckham family Christmas card is the hottest ticket around each holiday season, and how a local man expresses his love of all things seasonal by decorating his home and yard. Last but certainly not least, we asked our readers to share photos and comments of their Best Christmas Ever. You’ll enjoy checking those out. We hope that you enjoy this special Christmas edition of Tifton Scene, and that you and yours have a wonderful, joyous holiday season. Angye Morrison, Editor
833338
6
TiftonScene | NOVEMBER•DECEMBER 2013
“My recovery time from my hip replacement was fast with the great therapy I received at Rehabilitation Center of South Georgia!” • Cardiac Recovery Program • Specialized Wound Care Program • Stroke Recovery Program • Orthopedic Program • Comprehensive Alzheimer’s/Dementia Care • Palliative & Respite Care
jx Åt~x çÉâÜ Üx{tu|Ä|àtà|ÉÇ xÇ}ÉçtuÄx |Ç t ÑÄtvx çÉâ vtÇ vtÄÄ {ÉÅxA
The Best Physical, Occupational, and Speech Therapy in Middle Georgia!
2002 Tift Avenue North Tifton, Georgia
229-382-7400
834133
FEATURE
Christmas decorations are Turner’s ‘addiction’
Christmas decorations are simply “my addiction,” says Lee Turner. Turner, a Tift County resident, lives on the Ty Ty-Sparks Road. Before moving into the county, Turner was known for his extensive Christmas decorations at his Tifton home. After moving into the county last year, Turner was unable to put the same dedication into his craft. “This will be my first year back in full swing,” said Turner.
8
Turner added his addiction began during his childhood. “I just loved Christmas lights as a kid,” said Turner. “I was always amazed by the lights.” That led to, “(me) starting to collect carolers and Santa Clauses, and I eventually started putting up eight or nine Christmas trees. I have cut back now though. I only do 2 or 3.” Planning on a full onslaught at his country home, Turner said his job as
TiftonScene | NOVEMBER•DECEMBER 2013
manager of the local Cracker Barrel restaurant helps. “I go through and collect so many decorations that some of the people at work jokingly call me a ‘Christmas hoarder,’ “ said Turner. “It does allow me to try to always get the first pick of new decorations.” Among his favorite decorations are a set of carolers that are about 3 feet tall.
“I went to school at the University of Tennessee and I have some Christmas stuff from there I am also really proud of,” he said. Two of his most prized possessions will come out this year. “I have an 8-foot high Santa Claus and a 7-foot high Mrs. Santa I am excited about putting up this year,” said Tucker. All of his decorations could come out this year.”I have a lot more room now than I did in the city. We will have reindeer, sleighs and a lot of other things out.” Tucker added that he hopes his small section of Tift County could become a southern North Pole. “I have some neighbors that really enjoy decorating for Christmas, as well,” he said. Besides the spectators he hopes his display will have, Tucker added one other thing. “When I lived in the city, Georgia Power loved me during Christmas. This year it will be Colquitt EMC,” he said with a chuckle.
835119
NOVEMBER•DECEMBER 2013 | TiftonScene
9
Macie Hood & Rob Miller gistry Your Hometown Bridal Re 2013
1019 Love Avenue 51 Tifton, GA • 229-238-28room ridal Show Come In and See Our B In Tifton Voted Best Gift Shop
November 2, 2013
Danielle Edwards & David Beranek
November 9, 2013 Place your engagement or wedding photo on this page for only $50. Please call 382-4321 for more information.
833286
ne 1, ed Tompkins • Ju Raleigh Hall & Jar ake Edore • June 8, 2013 Bl & on ne 8, 2013 Haiden Huds Joseph Hardy • Ju Heather Hullett & Joshua Roberts • June 8, 2013 ds & Georganne Swor • June 15, 2013 & Elliot Sumner June 22, 2013 Samantha Wright all Detera Marsh • ne 22, 2013 & u ea nn Bo sa ys Al James Vickers • Ju 29, 2013 ne Amber Bruner & & CJ Schofill • Ju 13, 2013 y to ur Co y Brittan one • July St is Kr & n so hn Amanda Jo July 20, 2013 & Shelby Jarrell • st 10, 2013 Heather Sumner gu Au • sic Mu l ae ch Kristy Baker & Mi nt Graves • August 10, 2013 Ga 10, 2013 Jessica Baxter & tt Davis • August Jodie Sumner & Magene King • August 24, 2013 Eu Charnele Smith & Stephens • August 31, 2013 ul 13 Pa & lls We Sara • September 7, 20 Chance Carpenter 13 Heather Busbin & ane McBrayer • September 14, 20 13 Jenna Justice & Sh rrey Edwards • September 28, 20 To Lindsey Holten & Boone Webster • October 5, 2013 Ashly Stone & ber 12, 2013 Reed Hall • Octo ber 19, 2013 Kristen Chung & to Oc Tony Lindsey • tober 26, 2013 Jennifer Herin & Oc • on ns bi Ro John ber 2, 2013 Kristian Swain & b Miller • Novem ber 2, 2013 Macie Hood & Ro m ve No • Ryan Futch Rachel Rousey & vid Beranek • November 9, 2013 Da & s rd wa Ed e vember 9, 2013 Daniell Patrick Fallin • No mber 9, 2013 Cecilia Estella & ve No • r Mike Poole Bess Marshall & vember 16, 2013 Russell Coker • Nomber 23, 2013 & s bb Gi ey ds Lin n Salter • Nove Bailey Joiner & Be r Klepal • November 23, 2013 ylo Ta & ay Gr r 23, 2013 Brittany Cravey • Novembe Emily Roig & Brett n Elder • November 30, 2013 Warre Angela Moore & mber 14, 2013 Josh Miley • Dece mber 21, 2013 & an Slo Dana ce De • e yn Jacob Ma 28, 2013 Meagan Royal & son • December an Sw ee rll Ha & n 13 so 20 , hn 28 Jo r E. be da m Aman Borowski • Dece Erin Evans & Dan & Eric Webb • March 8 , 2014 Laci-Jae McKinnon Thomas Ganas March 15, 2014 & Jenna Willingham Andrew Stinson • April 5, 2014 & ky lec ste Ko en ril 12, 2014 ist Kr ith Thrasher • Ap 19, 2014 Ke & k ra Ho ne An ril Ap • je Ha l ae Mich , 2014 Kade Rodgers & minque • April 26 Do y se Ca & ng Kristen de Jo
833146
CLIFFORD A. WALKER DMD Office Hours, By Appointment
Monday, Tuesday & Thursday 9 AM - 5:30 PM Wednesday & Friday 9 AM - 1 PM
We accept Visa & Mastercard • Most Insurances Accepted
200 W. 12th Street • Tifton, GA
382-5015
If No Answer • 382-1729
NOVEMBER•DECEMBER 2013 | TiftonScene 833333 11
Family photos – fun & serious FEATURE
make for great Christmas traditions to share
C
by BECKY TAYLOR
hristmas is a time of tradition. Some people set up lights, some decorate multiple trees. Some visit multiple Santa Clauses. For Stacey Beckham, it is Christmas cards. Not just the amount of cards sent, but the way they look. Since 2003, she has sent out personalized cards featuring her children, Chase and Jackson, and sometimes her husband, Chris, and herself.
Each year has featured a different design. It started as just a way to communicate with family. “We started when our first child was born. He’s 11, so 12 years. We wanted to send everybody a new picture of Chase. I had done some graphic design. “After a couple of years, people started wanting to be on the mailing list and it snowballed.” Over the years, the cards have featured designs and themes from photos of the chil-
2003
dren in the shape of a tree, “silent” night with their hands clasped over their mouths, a top 10 list of things they have done over the past year, an all seasons greeting, a “blooper reel” and caricatures. “Sometimes pictures pictures are so funny we have to use them,” she said of the blooper edition. That one shows Jackson and Chase not being perfect angels for the formal photo. Beckham said she sometimes has an idea in mind, such
as the one for all seasons, but usually not. “Sometimes it’s a spontaneous thing. Sometimes, a merging of ideas, but usually spontaneous.” She is not willing to spill the beans on this year’s idea, but did drop one hint: “a picture perfect holiday season.” Her husband and children have been supportive. “They accept it as one of my quirks.” She knows it will eventually end as her sons are preteens.
2005 2006 2004
12
TiftonScene | NOVEMBER•DECEMBER 2013
“I’m doing it as long as I can. Until the mom’s not cool anymore.” Chris has never raised any objections over the designs. “He is usually up for whatever,” she said. “He’s agreeable. He doesn’t like to be in the pictures.” She admits that she does not want to be in front of the camera, either. Chris did put his foot down for one thing — the size of the list. It is down to 100, after reaching a high of 150. “He had to address (the cards),” she joked. The cards have a printed message inside them, but envelopes are personally labeled. Even the kids are involved in the process of send-
ing them out. One stuffs the envelopes and another affixes the stamps. She has a helpful hint for the envelopes: “peel and stick is the way to go.” Of course, she also uses Christmas stamps. Receiving cards is as special to her as giving them. “We love them. We hang them up all season. I love seeing a red envelope at Christmastime. You know, somebody thought of you. We all race to the mailbox. We take bets. Which family is going to send first?” The Beckhams do not limit their Christmas spirit to just one tradition. They visit Callaway Gardens’ display annually.
Christmas eve is spent at her mother’s home, where they open gifts. That night, they attend midnight mass. Christmas Day is reserved for traditional gift opening and the family lounges around in pajamas while Stacey fixes brunch for the four of them. After lunch, they visit Chris’ family. There was another tradition. “Until two years ago, we’d go to Waffle House.” That started because it was the only option available for the young married couple when they traveled on Dec. 25. After a family discussion about which traditions they wanted to continue, the kids said they pre-
2007
2009
ferred to skip that one. So now, she cooks. And what’s Christmas without the movies? She said the kids have their favorites: Elf and The Polar Express. Some of the yule spirit has even spilled over to their youngest son, Jackson. She said of his nutcracker collection, “He probably has 15 or 20 of them.” The two of them are even going to see The Nutcracker this year in Atlanta. She said she enjoys the holiday because of how it brings them closer. “It’s just a time where there’s more focus on spending time together.”
2011
2008
2012 2010
NOVEMBER•DECEMBER 2013 | TiftonScene
13
FESTIVAL
Cast Iron Chef cook-off launches annual southwest Georgia tradition by CHRISTINE TIBBETTS
Three Georgia chefs captured top honors in Quitman in the first annual Cast Iron Chef Cook-Off as part of the Brooks County Skillet Festival, winning two of three heats against three chefs from Florida. All six chefs prepared dishes for judging in front of bleachers full of foodie enthusiasts; their ingredients were unknown until opening bell for each heat. The only advance information was the ingredients would all come from within a 150-mile radius of Quitman and a random drawing would assign chefs to the sweet or savory or salty competition. “Recipes can’t be provided because this is think-on-your-feet cuisine,” said competition organizer Hope S. Philbrick, a journalist based in Atlanta, recognized for columns and reporting in food and spirits publications. “Competition among professional chefs offers a rare up-close-and-personal glimpse to what might be happening in the kitchen of your favorite resort or hotel or stand-alone kitchen,” Philbrick said. “Watching Cast Iron Chef under a southwest Georgia tent is ever so much more engaging than being in the living room in front of the TV,” Philbrick said.
Chef Jason Brumfiel creating a take on pecan pies with his sweets mystery box of ingredients. 14
TiftonScene | NOVEMBER•DECEMBER 2013
Cast iron skillet with collard greens
Cook-off banner referencing Georgia-Florida competition theme
Using cast iron skillets weighing 15 to 20 pounds, chefs coped with gnats, questions from interested observers and distractions from a bustling festival all around the cooking tents. The only chef among the six observed pulling out a small notebook and jotting down some concept was Jason Brumfiel, executive chef at The King and Prince Beach & Golf Resort on St. Simons Island. His
win in the final sweets competition pushed Georgia into the win column. Second Harvest Food Bank in Brooks County received $500 because the Georgia team of chefs prevailed. Georgia chefs in the Cast Iron competition were Brumfiel from The King and Prince, Jeff Sommer, executive sous chef at The Ritz-Carlton Lodge, Reynolds Plantation in Greensboro, and Keira Moritz, chef and owner of Steel Magnolias in Valdosta. Among the farms and gardens within 150 miles providing ingredients for the cook-off are locations in Pavo, Lakeland, Morven, Valdosta, Dixie, Nankin, Quitman and Stockton. Savory “mystery box” contents included Exum pecans from Morven, cane syrup from Four Oaks Farms in Quitman,
Gayla’s Grits and Georgia Olive Oil from Lakeland, eggplant, bell pepper and collard greens from H & H Produce in Valdosta, chorizo from Sunset Farms in Valdosta, pork chops from Thompson Farms in Dixie and Ziegler’s honey from Stockton. Florida chefs competing in the Cast Iron Chef Cook-Off were Tim Creehan, proprietor of Cuvee Bistro in Destin, Jimmy McManus, executive chef of Legendary, Inc. overseeing culinary operations throughout Destin, and Daven Wardynski, executive chef of the Omni Amelia Island Plantation.
Uniforms Linen Service/Doormats Restaurants/Businesses Doctors Offices/Healthcare Facilites Table Cloth Rental NOVEMBER•DECEMBER 2013 | TiftonScene
833326
115 Chestnutt Ave. • Tifton, GA • (229) 382-4353 • 1 (800) 852-7107
15
TRAVEL
Experience in a literary sort of way
Christmas in Georgia by CHRISTINE TIBBETTS
R
ead your way through Christmas this year, or take a little trip within Georgia’s borders imagining yourself in the footsteps of authors and their characters. Christmas in Georgia by Celestine Sibley might already be on your family bookshelf. She chose five Peach State locations in 1964 to weave her holiday tales, including the coastal Golden Isles and north Georgia’s Blue Ridge mountains. For you in 2013 that might translate to a night or two at The King and Prince Beach and Golf Resort on St. Simons Island. Holiday time there includes a 30-foot tree in the lobby, which is undergoing massive changes, so the look and feel will be brand new if you’ve journeyed there before.
16
TiftonScene | NOVEMBER•DECEMBER 2013
Executive Chef Jason Brumfiel guides fresh, organic, grass-fed and other local ingredients into his King and Prince cuisine, and he won top honors at the Iron Chef competition at Quitman’s Iron Skillet Festival in October. The Santa Express scenic railway did not run from Blue Ridge to McCaysville in Sibley’s tale, but does now, ending up at the Christmas is Here! shop with a professional Santa known internationally the rest of the year for his hand-hewn bowl making. November 29 – December 24 are the Santa dates, but the train runs year-round. Milledgeville would be a lovely holiday location, with a bustling downtown, the Old Governor’s Mansion restored and fur-
Downtown Atlanta during the holidays Photo courtesy ExploreGeorgia.org
nished in exquisite detail and the Old Capitol Museum with carefully-curated, interesting exhibits. I heartily recommend lunch or dinner at aubri lane’s in downtown. Read or re-read some Flannery O’Connor before you go and stop in at Andalusia, the home where she raised peacocks and wrote books and short stories including A Good Man is Hard to Find. The Andalusia home is modest and clearly depicts her life devoted to writing and lecturing after developing lupus. Visits include strolling the nature path O’Connor loved, rocking on the long front porch, admiring the peacocks and musing under massive trees reflecting on her views.
B’rer Rabbit in Eatonton Uncle Remus Museum Photo by G. W. Tibbetts
Christmas Stories from Georgia opens up many Peach State travel ideas with two centuries of storytelling from 17 authors. Dorothy Dodge Robbins and Kenneth Robbins pulled these tales together, wrapped in a cover depicting a very traditional fireplace and Christmas tree scene. Ferrol Sams was a Georgia author who might have a tome or two on your shelf. Read his family story of ritual and tradition, from his own childhood in Fayette County to holidays he spent with grandchildren before his death in January of this year. Christmas Gift! is the title. Keep an eye on Peachtree City in Fayette County, long recognized as a successful planned city and now emerging as a film desti-
NOVEMBER•DECEMBER 2013 | TiftonScene
17
Savannah historic carriage rides - Savannah Forsyth Park • Photo courtesy of ExploreGeorgia.org
nation, seeing itself as Hollywood of the South. Maybe Run with the Horsemen or The Whisper of the River will be movies soon. Mary Kay Andrews came to Tifton last year, thanks to the Tifton-Tift County Public Library Foundation. Maybe you could go to Savannah immersed in her book Christmas Bliss. Hold on to this line of Andrews’: “‘Twas the night before Christmas and Savannah was breezy... seems BeBe’s been holding a big secret back that would make Santa’s reindeer stop dead in their tracks.” Joel Chandler Harris is one of 17 authors in the collection titled A Conscript’s Christmas. Two fine choices for travel to experience his voice and philosophies: Wren’s Nest in Atlanta and Uncle Remus Museum in Eatonton. Amy Blackmarr grew up in Ocilla so if you choose to read her Going to Ground: simple
18
life on a Georgia pond, inspiration for a day trip of fishing close to home might take over your holiday. Or, head north to Dahlonega where the square always seems to me to be bustling and the wineries and inns are welcoming. A favorite of mine just outside of Dahlonega is Forrest Hills Mountain Resort. The book angle? Blackmarr’s Haunting Dahlonega. Stay north and hike a bit of the Appalachian Trail between chapters of Above the Fall Line, which Blackmarr wrote living in a cabin just off the Trail. Family traditions fill the pages of Jimmy Carter’s Christmas in Plains, and travel to Archery, his boyhood home as well as Plains are an easy enough drive. Easier still would be a holiday excursion on the Sam Shortline from Cordele in 1949 vintage train cars. Bells over Plains is the holiday theme on
TiftonScene | NOVEMBER•DECEMBER 2013
the train Dec. 10 and 11. Surely caring for the earth fits into Christmas notions so reading The Seed Underground and Ecology of a Cracker Childhood by Georgia writer Janisse Ray might be a good idea. Visiting her organic farm named Red Earth in Reidsville is fun too. Anticipate new Red Earth opportunities perhaps in the spring
Wren’s Nest in Atlanta Photo courtesy of ExploreGeorgia.org
of 2014. Margaret Mitchell’s home in Atlanta welcomes visitors and Gone With The Wind lovers can now immerse in the story in Jonesboro’s Road to Tara Museum and throughout Clayton County with arts, culture, history and nature as the official home of Gone with the Wind.
To Whom the Angel Spoke is Terry Kay’s book, for readers age six and up with distinctly different voices from all three shepherds right outside of Bethlehem. The author is from Royston, a little northeast Georgia city in three counties. Ty Cobb grew up there as well, if your holiday needs a baseball destination. Reading – and traveling – with children blends new memories with beloved traditions and The Twelve Days of Christmas in Georgia by Susan Rosson Spain takes cousins ages 4 – 10 all over the state. For readers wanting to recreate the journeys in this book that means gathering inspiration for the destinations with Elizbeth O. Dulemba’s illustrations: 1) Amicalola Falls, the beginning of the Appalachian Trail
2) Gold Museum in Dahlonega 3) Stone Mountain 4) Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site, Dr. King’s boyhood home 5) Centennial Olympic Park with ice-skating 6) Center for Puppetry Arts, Atlanta 7) Tybee Island and the Marine Science Center 8) Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge 9) Habitat for Humanity’s Global Village, Discovery Center, Americus 10) Callaway Gardens Cecil B. Day Butterfly Center, Pine Mountain 11) Georgia Music Hall of Fame in Macon plans to reopen in a new location) 12) Kangaroo Conservation Center in Dawsonville (formerly receiving visitors, no focused on conservation)
King & Prince 30-foot lobby Christmas Tree, St. Simons Island Photo courtesy King & Prince
Books as gifts Forrest Hills Mountain Resort near Dahlonega snowy gazebo Photo courtesy Forrest Hills
A reading Christmas with or without related travel might just include these titles with ties to Georgia, recommended by the Georgia Center for the Book, Georgia’s state affiliate to the Center for the Book at the Library of Congress.
A Prayer Journal, Flannery O’Connor with editor William Sessions (ties to Milledgeville and Andalusia) From Mud to Jug: The folk potters and pottery of Northeast Georgia by John Burrison The Gourd Girls by Priscilla Wilson (set near Dahlonega) Cross Roads of Conflict: A Guide to Civil War Sites in Georgia by Barry Brown and Gordon Elwell Island Time: An illustrated history of St. Simons Island by Jingle Davis, photographer Benjamin Galland Milledgeville Old Governor’s Mansion Photo courtesy ExploreGeorgia.org
Dear Old U-G-A by Carrol Dadisman
NOVEMBER•DECEMBER 2013 | TiftonScene
19
DINING
Chef brings international flair to local restaurant, shares holiday recipes
by LATASHA FORD
H
ilton Garden Inn of Tifton has a new head chef who has been cooking for more than 10 years and eight years professionally. Jaco Toledo-Gerrish was born in the United States but grew up in Colombia, South America. This is where his cooking skills were developed, as well as in Israel. He said his family was big on cooking, especially his uncle who started his own restaurant, Donde Bupos’, from scratch. Toledo-Gerrish said he worked for his uncle and learned a lot from him. He also had a
20
Mediterranean influence from working at a restaurant in Israel. Toledo-Gerrish has been with Hilton Garden Inn of Tifton for a year and a half. He says they offer specials every day, which includes an appetizer, entree and fish. “We try to give people different options,” he said. He said they tend to do more American cooking, but they do offer Italian and French inspired dishes. He also does a lot of Mediterranean cooking. He noted nothing comes pre-packaged. “We try to stay away from that,” he
TiftonScene | NOVEMBER•DECEMBER 2013
said, adding they also do banquets and other events. Toledo-Gerrish said one of their most sold items is the crispy salmon. He said their steaks are also the best. They come in fresh, not frozen. For Thanksgiving and Christmas, he said they will have Christmas inspired dishes and holiday treats. He commented that he loves Christmas. Toledo-Gerrish provided some South American Christmas recipes inspired by home, which he enjoys making around the “best time of the year.”
Natilla
• The mixture will get very thick and hard to stir and turn a medium caramel brown. If you scrape a spatula along the bottom of the pot, you should be able to see the bottom for several seconds before the mixture closes in on itself. Remove from heat. Take out the cinnamon sticks and stir in the butter and vanilla (and nuts, if desired). • Pour mixture into a greased 8-inch square pyrex pan or in any greased mold. Let cool. • Cut into 1-2 inch square pieces, sprinkle with cinnamon, if desired, and serve.
(custard-like dessert best served together with the Buñuelos recipe) Ingredients: 4 cups whole milk 8 ounces panela, or 1 cup packed dark brown sugar 3-4 cinnamon sticks 1/2 tsp. baking soda 1/2 tsp. salt 1 cup cornstarch 2 tbsp. butter 1 cup frozen fresh shredded coconut (optional) 1 teaspoon vanilla 3/4 cup chopped nuts (optional) Preparation: • Pour the milk into a heavy-bottomed pot. Dissolve the cornstarch in the milk over low heat. Grate the panela and add to the milk mixture or add the brown sugar to the milk mixture. Add the baking soda, cinnamon sticks and salt. • Heat the milk/sugar mixture over low heat, stirring until it starts to thicken. Add the coconut (optional). Cook at barely a simmer for 20-25 minutes, stirring constantly until mixture has thickened. Stir constantly so that the corn starch doesn’t clump and the mixture doesn’t burn.
Colombian Buñuelos Ingredients: 1 1/2 cup Maseca 1 lb. white Mexican cheese 1 1/2 cup corn starch 2 tbsp. baking powder 1/4 cup sugar 3 eggs 1/4 cup water Preparation: • In a bowl, add the cheese and break apart using hands. Once ready, add the corn starch, bak-
Colombian Rice Pudding Ingredients: 2 cups uncooked rice 12 cups milk 1/2 cup sugar 1 cup sweetened condensed milk 1 tsp. vanilla extract Optional: 6 cinnamon sticks Cinnamon
ing powder, sugar, Maseca, eggs and water. Mix all of these ingredients and begin to knead until the dough is smooth, soft and slightly damp. • When the dough is ready, divide into 30 equal portions and shape into balls 3 cm in diameter each, ensuring that each ball remains round without cracks. • Fry in a pot with hot oil until dark golden brown. Drain excess oil on paper towels and serve hot.
Preparation: • Boil the milk (with cinnamon sticks, if desired). When boiling, add the rice and lower the heat to a minimum. Let it cook until the rice is almost done and has absorbed the milk, stirring continuously. Mix in the condensed milk with vanilla extract. Then, pour this mixture into the pot with the rice. Stir until it thickens. Pour the mixture into a bowl and refrigerate for an hour.
NOVEMBER•DECEMBER 2013 | TiftonScene
21
833285
825089
833042
22
TiftonScene | SEPTEMBER•OCTOBER 2013
FEATURE
‘One Starry Night’ is all it takes to change a life
W
hat started with the desire to go above and beyond has blossomed into a night that transforms lives. One Starry Night, a Christmas production at Northside Baptist Church now in its third year, features more than 200 cast members. According to Northside Worship Pastor Brian Broome, the church originally did a production each Christmas for its church members. “The choir would perform for the church. But we just really felt convicted to do something for our community and to get our entire church involved in doing something for our community, and to get the message of Jesus out,” he said. After partnering up with Krista Staton, children’s director at Northside, Broome said they came up with the idea for One Starry Night. “Instead of just being entertainment for our church each year, we wanted to do something that would impact our community. We did research on what some other people were doing, and we came up with this. It’s a journey that steps back in time to the night of Jesus’ birth, and basically tells the entire story. It’s a walk-through journey,” he said. He added that Savannah Christian Church in Savannah helped with scripts, as well as ideas and general guidance. The first year of the production, Broome said they were overwhelmed with the response.
Visitors walking through the One Starry Night production at Northside Baptist Church will be able to interact with characters, including the Roman soldiers leading them to King Herod.
SEPTEMBER•OCTOBER 2013 | TiftonScene
23
“There were people who waited more than two hours to go through, and they waited outside. So last year, we moved it outside,” he added. In 2012, when the numbers nearly reached 2,500, people waited in the sanctuary to walk through the outdoor production, which was more comfortable for them. The church also provided entertainment, which included local bands and videos. The same will be offered this year. Upon arrival, visitors will register and will be assigned to a “tribe.” Each person will be given census papers, a character, profession and hometown. A Roman soldier will lead the tribes on the journey, and two tribes will go through the production at one time, which will cut the wait time in half, Broome said. “The whole point of the journey is to take part in King Herod’s census and pay their taxes. It draws you into being a part of the journey. As you go through the marketplace, you ‘ll see people selling necklaces and spices, and the innkeeper will tell you, ‘I’m sorry I have no room for you,’ but he will provide you with a snack while you’re there,” Broome said. Eventually, the travelers will wind up at the stable. “The journey leads you to a stable, and a baby in a manger. That baby was Jesus, who grew up to be a man and was crucified. We have a crucifixion scene, and an empty tomb. The whole gospel of Jesus is presented,” Broome said. The cast began rehearsing in early October, and will continue through the Wednesday prior to opening night. The original script, provided by Savannah Christian, has been edited to fit what Northside can do and accommodate. In addition to the many props and sets that are part of the production, Broome said there is a team that makes the costumes, which have collected over the past couple of years. This year, they are adding an additional 50-plus costumes, since the cast has grown. But the night isn’t about the costumes, the sets or the numbers. It’s about the message, and allowing those taking the journey to truly experience the gospel.
24
TiftonScene | NOVEMBER•DECEMBER 2013
‘One Starry Night’
“We want people to feel like they are actually a part of it. When a Roman soldier asks them a question, we want them to answer it. When King Herod is speaking to them, he’s speaking to them, not about them. That’s the idea,” Broome said. “It’s funny at parts, sad at parts and scary at parts. There’s a whole range of emotions.” The production will be Dec. 13, 14 and 15. Doors open at 6 p.m. each night, and the parking lot will close at 8:30 p.m. The event is free and open to the public, and Broome said they are hoping as many people as possible will attend. They have considered charging a fee, he commented, but that’s not really the church’s mission. “(The production is) done well enough that we could charge, but that’s not our vision for what we want to do. We wanted to do something for our community that isn’t as ‘invasive’ as coming to church on Sunday morning. There’s less pressure than that. We want people to bring a friend that maybe doesn’t go to church,” he said. “Our hope is that it will bring people who are far from God to a place where they can hear about who He is and learn a little more about who He is and maybe make a decision to follow Him.”
833148
835422
NOVEMBER•DECEMBER 2013 | TiftonScene
25
‘One Starry Night’ As members of each“tribe”work their way through the recreated city of Bethlehem, they will travel through the marketplace, where they will experience what it was like to live during the time of Jesus. Visitors will be approached by characters portraying fishermen, basket weavers, and people selling food and other items. There’s even a stop at the inn, where the innkeeper offers a snack to the weary travelers.
26
TiftonScene | NOVEMBER•DECEMBER 2013
832988˙
NOVEMBER•DECEMBER 2013 | TiftonScene
27
Best Christmas Ever My mother worked for the United States Agency for International Development in Monrovia, Liberia when I was young. The grocery store, Abijoudi, had some cut pine trees for sale for the holiday. They weren’t in the best of shape in the store so Mom decided we would use a palm tree for a Christmas tree. We drove across the country to the village of a friend and looked at palm trees growing around the village. We dug up one tree. The root ball sat on the back bumper of the VW bug and the branches were tied down to the front bumper. We drove back to Monrovia with the tree tied to the car. Got home and the tree was too big to go inside the house. So we dug up a palm tree in the back yard and brought it into the house. The palm tree didn’t survive so we ended up getting one of the pine trees from the grocery store. Duncan McClusky Tifton
I woke up Christmas morning to get ready for work, and as I started to brush my teeth, I noticed something sparkling in the mirror. I ran out of the bathroom and asked Stefan what was going on, and his response was, "When I said I'll love you always and forever, I mean it. Will you marry me?" By far the best Christmas ever! Of course I was a little late to work, but it was so worth it! Ashley and Stefan Foremes Tifton
Christine Tibbetts’ great-granddaughter Ella Caroline Tibbetts receiving a bike for Christmas. Tibbetts recalled a Christmas from her childhood when she had asked for a bike, and wasn’t so sure she’d get one. She did, and was glad to see her great-granddaughter share that same Christmas joy.
28
TiftonScene | NOVEMBER•DECEMBER 2013
Sometimes the best snow is the snow you find only in the South – in the cotton field. And in the South, the cotton “snow” in the fields is likely the only snow we’ll see. The last time Tifton saw snow was February 2010. Photo by Hope Baldwin
“Let me Represent YOU in your Business Transaction whether Buying, Selling or Leasing.”
Call or come by today!
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
833852
B&W PAINT 833960
and Wallcovering
Paint & Paint Supplies
382-0245 Hours: Monday - Friday 7 AM - 5:30 PM
602 N. Central Ave. • Tifton (Old Bus Station)
BROTHER CHARLIE’S
Store Quality Used Clothing Used Furniture, Appliances, Electronics, Household Items All proceeds go to provide support for Brother Charlies’ Rescue Centers’ Habilitative Homeless Programs
OPEN: MONDAY - SATURDAY 9AM - 6PM 833103
833041
DONATIONS ACCEPTED. WILL PICKUP LARGER ITEMS.
345 Commerce Way • Tifton • 382-0577 NOVEMBER•DECEMBER 2013 | TiftonScene
29
KEEP POWERING YOUR BUSINESS WITH PUSH TO TALK. Connect immediately and get the job done with powerful iDEN Push To Talk from SouthernLINC Wireless.
1606 River Street Valdosta, GA 31601 229-247-4108 1515 Rebel Road Tifton, GA 31793 229-382-3913
MOTOROLA MO TO ROLAand andthetheStylized ty S lizedMMLogo Logoarearetrademarks trademarksororregistered registeredtrademarks trademarksofofMotorola Motorola TTrademark rademarkHolding, Holding,LLC. LLC.©2013 ©2013Southern SouthernCommunications CommunicationsServices, Services,Inc. Inc.d/b/a d/b/a SouthernLINC Wireless. reserved. SouthernLINC Wireless.AllAllrights rese rv ed.SCS-10510-8/13 SCS-10510-8/13 30 TiftonScene |rights NOVEMBER•DECEMBER 2013
Think Locally.
When you shop and invest locally, it’s good for everyone in our community. The same goes for banking too. We offer world class financial services that we can tailor to suit your local needs, after all we are a place you know and that knows you. Bank locally. Bank with us.
CBC
COMMERCIAL BANKING COMPANY Member FDIC
Valdosta
Hahira
Moultrie
Tifton
3462 North Valdosta Road - 1215 Baytree Road - Valdosta / 110 West Main St. - Hahira 635 Veterans Parkway North - Moultrie / 729 West 2nd Street - Tifton
229-242-7600 - www.cbcbank.com
Where Excellence Is Standard.
833944
833948
833104