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June 2015
opinions
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in this month's column, etiquette expert HOLLY LYNCH relays some outrageous pregnancy stories so incomprehensible that your head may well explode. This month, J. BRYANT STEELE offers some healing advice to our readers in the context of reflection. However, be sure to stay away from Willie Nelson’s new cash crop if you want to salvage your short-term files.
features
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Courtney Hizer’s memory continues to drive HIZER SPIRIT RACING TEAM’S passion to push the limits of all things made to go fast. Wyatt and Julie Mooring show us around their 50-ACRE PROPERTY that has all the bells and whistles a family could ever dream of. Now that Mother Nature is allowing a few more hours of daylight each afternoon, there is no reason why you shouldn’t hit the course and knock a few balls around. JOEDY MCGRAW AND JARRATT BRYAN have just the right tee time for you. We revisit the LOCAL JAM BAND JERRY ON THE MOON, and with a new album in tow, they hit the stage at this year’s Counterpoint Music Festival with the fury of their new-era funk.
Adam Klingensmith from Jerry on the Moon performs at Counterpoint Music Festival. photo by Cameron Flaisch
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E
very April, I sit down in front of my television and take in as much of the Masters Tournament as I possibly can. It’s an event like no other and one that signals the start of spring. Inevitably, as I watch the best of the best navigate Augusta National, I get the itch to dust off my golf clubs and play my version of golf, which looks more like a game of whack-a-mole to be completely honest. Something about watching guys who do nothing but hit golf balls all day – and sometimes still struggle to shoot under par – makes me think I should be able to go out on a whim and string together birdies. That’s the picture I paint in my head but after a few swings and misses, duffs, worm-burners, and shanks, I’m ready to douse that beautiful canvass in lighter fluid and burn it to ash.
Owner&CEO Ian Griffin
Mag Art & Design Ellie Borromeo
Editorial Manager Oliver Robbins
Ian Griffin
OWNER+CEO
publisher’s note
A few years back, after I was particularly inspired by the stars on television, I decided to seek out a good friend of mine to help develop my joke of a golf game. He got me out on the range and watched my swing, made some adjustments, and after a few lessons I felt like I was heading in the right direction. I played twice a week and hit the range at least once a week for over a year and, while my improvement didn’t always show, I just knew I was destined for a breakthrough eventually. One day after posting what, for me, was an outstanding score, I went to the range and proceeded to knock the cover off the ball for about an hour consistently. I couldn’t believe it; I had my breakthrough … in my mind, the game of golf was going to get easier and easier from that moment on. Nothing could have been further from the truth, however. I had a lesson scheduled for the next day and showed up thinking about how I was going to wow my buddy with how well I was striking the ball. I settled over the ball time and time again with focus and the intention of doing everything exactly the way I had the day before, only to send the turf under or around the ball further than the ball itself. What was present in my game less than 24 hours before had completely vanished, and I don’t think anything I’ve encountered in life has ever frustrated me more than I was that day. I played a few rounds after that to see if the golfer I thought I’d become might resurface, but it never happened and, as a result, I haven’t even looked at my golf clubs in a year. After watching Jordan Speith dominate The Masters a few months ago, the itch to play was back again, but not strong enough to make me forget my past failures. However, my chat with local golf enthusiasts Joedy McGraw and Jarratt Bryan for this month’s feature on Northwest Georgia’s golf scene may have flipped the switch again. If I do decide to pick up the sticks and start swinging, let the moles, squirrels and other woodland creatures indigenous to our region be forewarned. The golf courses around here will no longer be a safe dwelling for any of them.
Contributing Editor Tannika Wester
Writers
J. Bryant Steele, Oliver Robbins, Erin deMesquita, Holly Lynch, Dan Tompkins
Executive Photographer Derek Bell, MFA 706.936.0407
Contributing Photographers Christian David Turner Cameron Flaisch
Ad Sales & Client Relations Chris Forino, Shadae Yancey-Warren,
Ad Design & Marketing Concepts Ellie Borromeo, Christian David Turner
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Contact
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Neal Howard Ian Griffin, Owner
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W
hile visiting with some girlfriends recently, the conversation turned to pregnancy. Since one of the friends had recently given birth to twins, the topic was inevitable. Besides the usual talk of layettes, nursing, and labor pains, my friends also started sharing the unusual, shocking, and downright cruel things that have been said to them by otherwise well-mannered strangers. Usually, I’m very uncomfortable during these conversations, having never had children myself. But this time, the topic spoke to my sense of duty to educate the public and improve their social skills. So I started asking questions to find out just what should a person say (or not say) to a pregnant woman. I realized that by inviting that conversation, I was breaking one of my own
rules, but for the benefit of the readers, my friends answered my questions with candor and humor. Every comment I quote in this article was reported to me as an actual exchange that took place. To begin, a wise person should never, ever ask a woman if she is pregnant. No matter how obvious it may seem. There’s a variety of reasons for this rule, but the most basic is that the question is far too personal to ask. In this age of TMI, we’ve lost sight of the boundaries that define personal from public information. Pregnancy is very personal and intimate, despite the public display that accompanies the condition. So even though you can see a belly doesn’t mean you should ask. The second, more obvious reason not to ask: many women still appear pregnant even if they have already had their baby (or worse, have recently suffered a miscarriage). One friend was even asked when the baby is due while she was pushing a grocery cart in the store—with the baby in the cart! A woman’s size should never be a topic of conversation. Never. (Nor should a man’s, quite frankly!) And, if she is pregnant, it’s not appropriate to ask, Wow, how many are in there? or Have you gained a lot ofweight? or Man, you look ready to pop!
Conversely, avoid commenting on how small a woman is, as well. Surely her doctor is monitoring her weight. Whether or not you mean well, refrain from talking about the size of the bump. An extension of this rule is to avoid commentary on the clothing a woman is wearing, which may or may not make her appear pregnant. Flowing dresses are fashionable; consider the possibility that you aren’t up-to-date on the latest trends. If you have confirmation that a friend is, in fact, pregnant, be cautious about the questions you pose to her. As one smart friend of mine pointed out, there are three questions a pregnant woman is asked a million times each day: When are you due? What are you having? What are you going to name him/her? If your friend is forthcoming about her pregnancy and you are curious about the future arrival, try to come up with a more creative way of asking so as not to agitate or overwhelm the poor woman. She has probably answered the due-date question a few times already that day. Simply telling your friend how great she looks will likely invite her to volunteer the information. If she doesn’t offer it, let it drop. You willfind out when the baby arrives, sometime between the second you discover she is pregnant and 40 weeks later. Perhaps the sight of a pregnant (or seemingly pregnant) woman is so intimidating to a person that they lose all ability to engage in civil conversation. I am slightly terrified of pregnant women, believe it or not. They seem so fragile, yet so god-like. The reality, however, is that these ladies are in the midst of a beautiful and wonderful life process.
baby,
you don't know
the half of it
Trends & Traditions with Holly Lynch
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Say something kind—You look beautiful! Even if she is not pregnant, a woman usually appreciates being told she looks good. If you do know for a fact that a woman with whom you are aquainted is pregnant, and you think the two of you are a close enough to ask additional questions, start with, How are you? Read her body language. She may not want to talk about how she’s feeling. If she does, just listen. Resist the urge to tell your own pregnancy story and please, please, Lord help us, do not retell your miscarriage or in-labor stories. Reserve those for infrequent and very intimate times when your friends ask for them specifically. As several of my friends confessed, pregnancy can be a scary time too, so keep things positive. While many women are active during pregnancy, others feel the worst they ever have in their lives. Try to stop yourself from asking or commenting about anything specific, like, Should you really be lifting that 40 lb bag of dog food? Most pregnant women are seeing a doctor more often than anyone else around them, so rest assured that they are well-aware of their personal health and physical limitations. By implying that you know better what she can and cannot do is both judgmental and condescending. Instead, offer to carry the dog food for her in a way that doesn't ring of pity. Many of my pregnant friends have also been told by well-meaning people that perhaps they should exercise more or take a weight-lifting class. For some, pregnancy alone is all the activity a girl can handle. To quote my friend L, “It's all I can do to waddle around my neighborhood during what I consider vigorous exercise while my husband saunters along in flip flops.” Don’t judge. One person’s experience is not another’s.
Also, avoid looking at a woman’s dinner-plate or grocery cart and suggesting she shouldn’t eat this or that. I’ve recently discovered a mile -long list of things a woman shouldn’t eat while she’s pregnant. I also know that babies have come into this world for years, long before the prattling of well-intentioned blogs, the misdiagnoses made via a vast, online medical dictionary, and the day when outspoken strangers suddenly became comfortable offering their two cents on everything we do. Leave the comments about food choices off the table—pun intended. The same holds true for comments about the baby's future health prospects—nursing vs. formula, for instance, or the great vaccination debate. (Delving into what one should/ shouldn’t say to a new parent is an entirely different column.) Keeping your opinion to yourself is the golden rule here. If, for example, you discover the parents of the unborn have decided not to discover the gender of the baby, that’s their business. Same rule applies for the name choice. If your best friend wants to name her baby Osama, that’s certainly her choice by right. Avoid facial expressions that indicate negative emotions, too. The boundaries of personal information also require us to reserve our personal opinions on these personal subjects. For many, personal topics are dealt with using humor. With pregnancy, that’s not always a good choice. For example, my very brave, very tired friend, a mother of four, was shopping with 3 children while pregnant with her fourth. A man in the check-out line ahead of her said, “you know what causes that, right?” gesturing to her swollen belly. I’ll give you a minute to be as shocked as I was. Apparently, joking at a woman’s expense
when she is expecting is just not funny. Another friend reported that men would joke that the unborn child might not belong to her husband. Really? I don’t think I even need to say this, but such comments are just not as amusing to the mother-to-be as you might think. It’s just not appropriate, even as general conversation, to suggest a person has been unfaithful to their spouse. Would that comment have even been made if she hadn’t been pregnant? Most people realize that touching the pregnant belly is not welcome. But it still happens! If you wouldn’t ask to touch a woman’s stomach when she isn’t pregnant, the fact that a baby is inside does not suddenly change the rules. Keep your hands to yourself, unless invited. I admit, touching a pregnant belly is a massive fear of mine (like heights and clowns), so this is an easy rule for me to follow. The most hilarious thing I heard from my sources was this: do not ask to sit on the pregnant woman to help get the baby out. Yes, someone (not a child) asked my friend to do just that. I’m sure he was trying to be helpful or funny. He was neither. In general, be positive with pregnant women. Treat them just as you would treat a lady who isn’t expecting, but perhaps take your kindness one step further. Tell her she’s beautiful. She’s growing a human, after all. Be kind.
Holly Lynch is the owner of The Season Events, a full service catering, event planning, and design company located at 250 Broad Street in Rome.
v3 magazine 13
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Reflection in time
T
here is no shortcut to reflection. Nothing that will fit on a T-shirt or a bumper sticker is a substitute. I write that because this month we can observe Bloomsday, the only day on the secular calendar that invites us to reflect. If, growing up, you never had a teacher who taught you to dig into literature, perhaps you don’t know the singleness of Bloomsday, or of James Joyce’s epic novel “Ulysses,” which comprises a single day, June 16, in the life of everyone’s Everyman, Leopold Bloom, a run-ofthe-mill Irishman who experiences blessedness and confoundment in his ordinary life. I think of Leopold Bloom when I read of Baltimore – a city I have visited often and one that holds fond memories – and its wake of disturbance in yet another fatal shooting of a black man by police officers (half of whom were,
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themselves, black). Like shabby ol’ Leopold Bloom, I have grown weary of this sameness, these shootings, et al. I was pre-adolescent when President John F. Kennedy was assassinated. I was in high school when college students at a place I’d never heard of, Kent State University, were gunned down by National Guardsmen because they were protesting war, far from harm’s way. Yet 23 months earlier, it was National Guardsmen, double-file, bayonets affixed, who covered me and my high school band mates, in Washington, D.C., on a spring day after Martin Luther King Jr., was assassinated. The city was in full riot, and we were told we should get out of town. It would wear down my soul to go on about the whole of it. A life of assassinations, riots, armed guards, sneak attacks, rifles trained on
innocents is … Dare I say it? A pacifist’s equivalent of drawn-out war. But good ol’ Leopold at least had Molly, the lass he’d set his eye on. The last chapter – or “episode,” as Joyce preferred – of “Ulysses” is best known as “Molly’s soliloquy,” and it will be recited the world over this Bloomsday. It’s a long recitation. It sweetly comes down to a single repeated word. “Yes.” Molly has toyed with Leopold to get him to propose marriage, and when he does, she pulls him to her before saying yes. It is that nuanced, poetic allusion to sexual desire that got the novel banned in America for a chunk of the 20th Century. Yet, for all Molly goes on about her lips and breasts, she rhapsodizes at greater length about nature more wondrously than Robert Browning or John Muir ever did. Her lips pout at skeptics and her curls nod for God.
Cents&Sensibility with J. Bryant Steele And when Molly says “yes” over and over, one cannot help but feel there is hope not just for Leopold, but for everyone. Most of our cities that have been rocked recently by killings and riots do not acknowledge Bloomsday. Maybe this year they should. Not because easy answers are within, but because pause and reflection are.
Biz Bits With the creeping legalization of recreational – not just medicinal – marijuana, Willie Nelson has announced that he intends to get into the cash-crop aspect of the business. If that surprises you, please step to the back of the line. In his new memoir, “It’s a Long Story,” Nelson likens marijuana to “a family member or a lifelong friend.” Willie, I love ya, but that’s a real stretch. Maybe you were flush (or stupid) enough to fork over a wad of bills to watch the over-hyped Floyd Mayweather-Manny Pacquiao prize fight on pay-per-view. But you’d pale in comparison to Filipinos, whose government asked citizens to turn off their appliances, even refrigerators, so that everyone with a TV set could watch the fight without shutting down The Philippines’ power grid. Who would say today it was worth it? Their homeland hero lost by unanimous decision. The Chinese government is notorious for its crackdowns. Targets have included intellectuals, journalists and students. The new target is strippers – specifically, strippers at funerals. Apparently, it’s rooted in tradition that the more mourners at your funeral, the smoother your transition into the next life. I’m sure the ancient beliefs, once embedded in well-intentioned values, have been twisted, but some families now think it doesn’t matter if the “mourners” are there out of sincerity or just to watch beautiful women take their clothes off. The more the merrier, so to speak. Here’s a message from an American to Chinese officials: We don’t care for crackdowns. These young women, who would doubtless be doing anything else if they had the opportunity,
should have freedom to take their clothes off out of respect for the dead, while getting paid for it … I purposefully italicized three American values right there … wait … I just realized your disapproval is simply good taste. Pardon my star-spangled interruption. The summer Poetry Night series resumes in the courtyard at Schroeder’s in Rome. Last Thursday evening of each month, now through September. This nook of the state has some wonderful poets but, like anyplace else, it has a number of hacks. But that’s what makes these open readings fun. That, plus trying to order a beer while the next James Dickey is reading. In closing, I want to pay respect to Wayne Minshew, a longtime journalist and advocate for literacy or, perhaps better put, crusader against illiteracy. I grew up turning pages, looking for his
byline in The Atlanta Constitution, which was the newspaper my rural family subscribed to. He was a better-than-competent writer, but that’s not what made him special. What made him special was that he cared: about the responsibility begat to journalists, about aspiring writers and about kids (he might prefer I say young people). Wayne Minshew, of Calhoun, died April 29. May light perpetual shine upon him.
J. Bryant Steele has won awards for business writing, feature writing and opinion columns, and is based in Rome.
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Parker Merrell (helment) and Paul Powell
THE SPIRIT OF SPEED The open terrain of Utah’s Bonneville Salt Flats offers Jim Captain and Villa Hizer the chance to honor the wishes of a dear friend and husband by keeping the gas pedal to the floor and living full speed ahead. TEXT ERIN DEMESQUITA PHOTOS COURTESY OF HIZER RACING SPIRIT
E
very year, motor Gods willing and weather permitting, the crust of a salty soil crunches beneath rubber soles as hot rodders and speed racers from all over the world face the blazing alabaster reflection of the western Utah sun; so begins the annual adventures at the Bonneville Salt Flats. The whir and roar of engines gaining momentum and rocketing across the vast white plains of the Bonneville Speedway looks like something straight out of motorhead heaven, and at least twice a year, speed enthusiasts gather at the flats – once in mid-August for Speed Week and once in mid-September for World of Speed. Since 1987, Rome-based team Hizer Racing Spirit has been determined to make it to one or the other. It began with a goal. Jim Captain of Captain Tire and Auto Repair on Shorter Avenue recalls his good friend, Courtney Hizer, being intrigued by the land speed racing at the Bonneville Salt Flats since childhood. “He was gonna go to Bonneville and set records; that was his goal,” says Captain. Courtney’s wife, Villa, says that he started reading about Bonneville when he was just 13
years old and built his first car, a 1939 Mercury with a modified 1951 Oldsmobile engine, when he was 15. Through mutual friends in 1975, here in Rome, Jim met Courtney and found that they shared several common interests, including cars; so began their friendship in life and partnership in the play and repair of anything fast. At its start in ’87, the team was known as Hinton Performance, and Courtney was the foundation, the fuel, and the sole driver. “If he set a goal, he would get there,” Captain says. “It wasn’t a question of if; it was a question of when. He wanted to build a motorcycle to win the World of Wheels (custom car show). He built a motorcycle and it won the World of Wheels. He wanted to go to Bonneville and set records. He went to Bonneville and set records.” “He reached his goal of becoming a member of the prestigious 200 MPH Club on his first attempt,” Villa adds. “What a thrill to be by my husband’s side when he realized his dream.” Roughly five years back, the team lost that driving force when Courtney passed away. They all knew that the last thing Courtney would have wanted was for them to stop racing. So in the
name of redemption and remembrance, they renamed themselves in his honor and have been breaking records and racing hard ever since. Today, the team includes Villa, Jim, Clint Captain, Paul Powell and Parker Merrill. Although some of its members are on opposite sides of the U.S. (Powell in North Carolina and Merrill in California), the team comes together at least once a year in the interest of friendship, speed and celebration of their shared passion. “When Courtney died, he wanted us to continue,” Jim says, “and Villa’s making it happen.” Hizer Racing Spirit has held eight land speed records out at the Salt Flats, seven of which were set with five different engine combinations and Courtney behind the wheel. The team pushes onward to break more records, and each member gets a turn in the seat. Stretching over 30,000 acres near the Utah-Nevada border, the Bonneville Salt Flats are considered fragile ground, a remnant of ancient Lake Bonneville. Worn by the elemental powers of wind and water, the flat silvery surface, set ablaze by the sun, extends as far as the eye can see, interrupted only by the brown and blue of
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the distant mountains. Of the 30,000 acres, the Speedway itself only inhabits a western chunk, and since the early 1900s, all makes, models, and modified engines have sped the salty surface of this natural phenomenon. With velocity at the Speedway reaching anywhere from the 100s to the 500 and 600 mph range, the vast expanse is perfect for building speed and breaking records. “You get a mile to get started,” Jim explains, “and then you go through five miles of clocked time. It’s an average speed per mile; it’s not how fast you go out the back end.” That first run is the “qualifying run.” If you qualify (you went faster than the record in that class), you’re put in impound with limited time to work on your car before your next race, the “record run.” The two attempts are averaged for speed, and the driver’s only opponent is the clock. From the rumble of take-off to the
release of the parachute, a run only lasts a short matter of minutes. Clubs and classes determine what standards and limitations there are, as well as which records to break next; and don’t worry, there are plenty of records to be shattered. “There are over 500 entrants out there, and probably a couple hundred classes, at least,” Jim explains. Bonneville honors its racers’ accomplishments with induction into the 200, 300 and 400 MPH Clubs, which include some of the most famous names in motorsports. The Bonneville 200 MPH Club website explains that it currently boast of 15 female members, proving that land speed racing is not an exclusive “boys club,” and Villa is visible proof. “The team has built a smaller, two-liter Honda, four-cylinder engine, and modified the pedals for my height,” Villa explains. “The car is not a smooth ride like your daily car and it has an open
cockpit. You must wear a fire suit, helmet and Hans device. It’s a very exhilarating and exciting experience, and I now hold a land speed record. ” (The Hans device is an apparatus worn over the shoulders and around the neck like a collar. Its purpose is to prevent head and neck injuries for drivers who race at high speeds.) The team’s current goals are to elevate Villa and Jim into the 200 MPH Club, and to get their current car over 300 mph.
Villa Hizer and Paul Powell
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“The car is a ’59 Berkley, which is a little, two-seater, British sports car,” Jim explains. “We picked this car because of its size; it’s only four feet wide.” Being that their racing class is considered a modified sport, Jim says that they are required to maintain the original body of the car from the windshield back. “But from there forward, you can extend and change it,” he smiles. The car is now a sleek, deep-emerald green. Sixteen
feet long and two feet high, the driver lays in the seat, “down river” so to speak, with feet extending out in front. “We’re running against big cars, like Corvettes,” Jim says, “but we have a little, bitty car.” Before the Berkley, the team sported a Buick LeSabre, with which they reached 275 mph. Jim laughs as he says that it was the fastest Buick in the world at one time. Before you can “shoot the salt,” you must be
When Courtney died, he "wanted us to continue and Villa’s making it happen. "
ready, and preparing for Bonneville is a process that continues all year long. “Every year, the car and equipment must be cleaned of the corrosive salt, and the engine rebuilt,” explains Villa. “We have a checklist of all we need to take with us. If something breaks, you have to have the parts and machinery to fix it.” The cars and all equipment must be approved. Upon arrival, they go through a very thorough inspection that includes everything from the safety and clothing, to the fire system, to the body of the car. If discrepancies are found, they must be amended and the car must go back through inspection. Villa expresses her respect and gratitude for their engine builder and teammate, Powell. “He has made this all possible,” she says. “His admiration for Courtney and appreciation for what Courtney taught him on and off the track, plus his extraordinary engineering skills, have continued to make Hizer Racing Spirit team well respected by all at Bonneville.” Although the drivers and teams are out at the flats to break records, it is never about breaking morale. There are no secrets, no stink-eyed competitors and no money tied up in gambling hands. “The only thing this is good for, for money, is to spend it,” Jim grins. “What Bonneville is,” he adds, “is a place where you go as fast as you can possibly go … in anything you can imagine. There are people that drive pickup trucks, cars, sports cars and semi-trucks. It’s not a competition. Everybody helps everybody, and everybody is nice.” Villa echoes that sentiment. “The love of driving all different models of cars very fast is the fascination,” she says. “It’s a great group of car addicts enjoying the challenges of engineering and ‘salt gremlins’.” And amongst all the hot rods, motorcycles, roadsters, and belly tankers, the guys and gal of Hizer Racing have been doing this just as long as anybody out there. Since ’87, the team has only missed three years of Bonneville racing. Transmission problems kept them from hitting the Speedway last year, and when the opportunity to race in September rolled around, the rain ruined the chance. When the stars align and everything is ready, Hizer Racing Spirit will return to Bonneville for reasons beyond records. They return to a place where a land speed raceway need not be paved by the hands of man; a place where a common goal is shared and met with camaraderie and support; a place where the memory of a friend and husband is preserved in the glistening grains of its salty soil, the rolling sounds of revving engines, and the crisp blue of a western sky. V VV
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sweet home PANORAMA Just a short drive down Horseleg Creek Road is a property that has offered years of memories to a local family that was dying to turn the key as soon as they laid eyes on this historic homestead. Now, a new family will get to call it home. TEXT DAN TOMPKINS PHOTOS DEREK BELL
F
or Northwest Georgians looking to stretch their legs and get in touch with the natural beauty associated with the Deep South, Hardy Realty’s Brooke Brinson has the perfect place for you. Hidden from stressors and the hustle and bustle of a 9-to-5 is a family-friendly home, located at 31 Orchard Springs Road, Rome, that transcends an ordinary rooftop, swing set and sidewalk. Wyatt and Julie Mooring have raised their three children (Molly, Wyatt Jr. and Mark) in this haven for all things outdoors, and now, they are ready to leave the nest themselves, in hopes of offering a new family the same unforgettable pleasures the home has afforded them over the last 20 years. Down a winding driveway, you are escorted onto the property by mature hardwoods on both sides of the drive. Opening to stunning views of 1,400 feet of Coosa River frontage, cradled in the arms of a 10-acre lake to the right and
flanked by budding gardens and rolling green pasture, is a stately home that seems to be ripped from the pages of “Gone with the Wind.” The ground-level entrance is covered by a southern veranda proper that stretches the length of the house, supported by Corinthian columns that transport visitors to 1852, the year the home was built. What is truly unique about this structure is that the top floor did not always sit on the 50acre plot, where it now perfectly complements the tranquility of the countryside. “The top floor of this home was split in half and moved here to this site in 1991. They built the bottom half before they moved it, and then they placed the old section down on top of it,” Wyatt explains as he moves into the entrance from the round courtyard that welcomes visitors. An interesting tidbit of history about this property is that in its former locale, it served as a makeshift hospital to wounded soldiers during the Battle of McDonough in 1864. Prior
owners purchased the property that was located on Grady Avenue in North Rome in the 80s and, after finding it a more suitable lot, decided to put both halves of the house on the back of massive flatbed trailers and drive it to its current resting place on Orchard Springs Road. A story that makes for great conversation at dinner, indeed. As the tour continues, the Moorings draw attention to one of the four bedrooms that occupies the 5,600 square feet of living space. Julie points out that the walls of this room have a custom treatment. “This is supposed to be a sunset and, if you look over by the bed, you can see that the ceiling changes,” she says about the colors of the room and how they interact with the ceiling. The room is spacious; large French doors invite the tree lines inside to become a part of the décor and chirping birds to be living works of art. “We won’t bore you with the bathrooms,” says Wyatt as he walks into an adjoining bath off
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the first bedroom, “but all of this brick floor is made from the foundation of the original structure.” A true testament to the meticulous way in which the home has been moved, respected, and maintained along its journey, and the vast number of details that make the property unique. Around the corner from an open laundry room is a space Wyatt seems particularly fond of. “This is our wine room, and this is one of my uncle’s wood-working benches,” he says as he points out different family heirlooms, vintage wines and things the couple has collected in their travels. “But what is even more special about this room is that we have some security knowing it is here. When the storms come around April, we come in here. We have 12 inches of concrete all the way around, a steel door, lights, water, batteries and supplies just in case we have to be in here more than three hours. I remember about three years ago, when the storms came through, we were safe in this room.” Moving through the lower level of the home reveals two offices – one for him and, of course, one for her – and a second bedroom flooded with natural light and views of the surrounding landscapes. Each one boasts the same ornate craftsmanship used in mid 19th Century construction. More impressive than the elegance of the home are the stories the Moorings tell as the move from room to room, flipping through the picture books in their minds. “My son got his first deer from this bathroom window,” Wyatt laughs. “This is really a wonderful place to raise kids,” Julie adds. “I remember when [the kids]
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I remember when [the kids] would "hunt, fish, build duck blinds and forts. This home is really made for a family." would hunt, fish, build duck blinds and forts. This home is really made for a family.” Julie also shares a story about her sons, Wyatt Jr. and Mark, catching a glimpse of two turkeys that wandered into a clearing behind the house during a holiday dinner. While she was setting the table, they gathered their rifles and bagged matching gobblers. Wyatt’s face beams with pride as she recalls the day. Upstairs leads down a hallway; an exterior
window on the right wall looks into a fully renovated and modernized kitchen. The home has seen additions over the years; however, the extra spaces marry seamlessly with the old, only evident by the curious placement of an exterior window. The charm of mixing the old with the new is undeniable when passing the stainless steel appliances and looking into a Plexiglass-covered opening in the wall that reveals what is behind the plaster.
the porch, which was once the entrance to the front of the home. The prior owners removed the steps and replaced the railing and planks to match the original decking. We have put storm windows on all of the jib windows except for one because we wanted our guests to be able to use it.” And speaking of guests, this home was host to the Shorter University music department about five years ago. The Moorings allowed them to put a piano on the massive veranda, and guests joined together for conversation while overlooking tables set in the front courtyard. The Moorings have hosted many dinner parties for friends and family, and they talk with each other about having six close friends over later this evening for a night of fellowship and fun. The Rome Area History Museum has held an event at the home, a perfect place since this house is very much a testament to the early times in our fair city. The top half of the home rounds out the rest of the four bedrooms and four full baths, and the tour ends on the screened porch added by the Moorings as a place for preparation and reflection. The large windows open to the back of the property, and the space is positioned just past a small, uncovered section off the kitchen – a perfect place to have morning coffee with a honey-do list or share a glass of wine to enjoy the satisfaction a day’s work. As the Coosa River peeks through the foliage onto a mature grove of trees and the shimmer of the lake, from a wicker rocker everything looks absolutely perfect. “We have celebrated life here,” Julie says with a grateful and accomplished look in her eyes. “We have had lunches after baptisms, graduation parties, bridesmaid’s luncheons and many other events.” It is evident that as they speak about selling to another family, it is much like letting go of an old friend. “We love this place, but we think that kids need to be here,” Wyatt adds with a smile that shows he is at peace with the move. The property also has two other dwellings, a “You can see how the original house was put together and the horsehair in the plaster,” Wyatt says. “The mortar and the tenants are original, and they don’t build them that way anymore.” This modern kitchen blends perfectly with the hints of yesteryear, enhancing the ambiance to create a warm setting with grand views of the lake as a backdrop. Down the hallway is a large, open living room that is perfect for entertaining. On the exterior wall is another unique feature found in homes over 100 years old. “These windows are called jib windows,” explains Wyatt. “All the windows on the second floor across the front of the house raise to about a six-foot level. So, there is a pass through from the inside of the house out onto
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The vastness of the property allows for stunning views as far as the eye can see. Setting foot on this 50-acre plot is like being transported to a welcoming resort with all of the amenities there for you to enjoy at your leisure. Instead of staying for a short time, this massive property is right outside of your front door, adding a world of outdoor activities to the home’s impressive list of features. No house is ever a home until the warm bodies inside give it life and purpose. With a little love, and a lot of respect for nature and its ability to provide moments of sheer bliss, the Moorings hope to pass their home – which has given them a lifelong supply of satisfaction – to the next couple with hopes and dreams to own the ultimate family escape. V VV For more information about this home, or to schedule a private showing, contact Brooke Brinson at 706-409-3838 or email him at bbrinson. hardyrealty.com
cozy garden home Julie uses as a creative space to do art and a full workshop that houses lawn and grounds maintenance equipment. Around a well-worn road lies another house, occupied by the groundskeeper. Further around the bend is a marsh that geese, ducks, deer and turkey call home, surrounded by thick forest that is perfect for a hike. With the lake to the right, kayaks lining its shore, the main house stands picture perfect across the water that is filled with many different species of fish that lie in wait for a hook and worm. To the left is a shooting range, marked for distance and a meadow that beckons for a young boy and his father, with mitts and a ball. And as you continue along the road, the vegetable garden is visible near the rear of the Moorings’ art studio, and a small clearing in the brush of the river bank is slick from the bottoms of kayaks entering the quiet flow if the Coosa River. The fourth and final structure on the property is a fully operational wood shop, a covered space for the man of the house to tinker until his heart is content.
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get tee'd up Golfromega.com is up and running and two local golf enthusiasts rate Northwest Georgia one of the premier places to pitch one onto the green. TEXT IAN GRIFFIN PHOTOS DEREK BELL
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s the sun rises over the hills of Northwest Georgia each and every morning, the sounds of clinking irons and fairway woods, the crunching clatter of cleats on concrete, and the high-pitched buzz of battery-powered carts darting towards the first tee box are reverberating across the landscape. Golf is a sport that is played for a lifetime and, for those who take it seriously, a game that becomes a lifestyle. Here, in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, residents don’t have much of an excuse not to enjoy the great outdoors – and the options to enjoy them are abundant to say the least – but for sporting enthusiasts, golf offers the opportunity to enjoy nature in all of its glory while playing what may seem to be a simple game. The Southeast boasts some of the nation’s premier courses, but the quality of courses right in our back yard sometimes seem to be overlooked. From high-end, 18-hole offerings
such as Barnsley Gardens, Coosa Country Club, and Stonebridge to nine-hole courses such as BEAA and Callier Springs Country Club, there are several local courses that suit all skill levels and budgets. While golf is as popular as it has ever been, the game so many love has suffered a decline in new players over the last seven years. Those numbers have been on the rise recently and, while there is still room for improvement, it’s guys like Joedy McGraw and Jarratt Bryan, co-founders of golfromega.com, that have gotten the ball rolling in the right direction. “My son started playing golf fairly young, and that’s really what sparked my interest in the game,” recalls Bryan. “He plays a lot of Atlanta Junior tournaments and played U.S. Kids tournaments when he was younger, so I’ve seen courses all over the State of Georgia. There are certainly a few exceptions to what I’m about to say but, for the most part, I would look at most of those courses and think that Stonebridge is
as good as any of them, and I know for a fact it is a lot less expensive to play.” “We know there are a lot of different reasons for the decline in new players,” adds McGraw. “Time and money are the two you hear most often, but there are very affordable options. The two nine-hole courses we have here in Rome can be played in under two hours if time is a factor.” McGraw’s home course, BEAA, is one that offers an unbelievably low rate of $5 for unlimited holes if you choose to walk the course instead of riding in a cart. If riding the fairways is your preference, the cost is only $12 for nine holes. That pricing is about as good as it gets, but just about every course in our area offers some program that makes golfing extremely affordable, no matter the quality of the course. That’s where McGraw and Bryan’s brainchild, golfromega.com, becomes a handy tool for golfers looking for the best deals available. A quick trip to the site allows users to access a plethora of information on 13 area courses, v3 magazine 35
was a time when all of the courses’ rates " There and hours were listed in the local papers, but
that stopped for some reason. We thought there needed to be a source of information that was accessible to everyone.
"
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including their membership rates, standard rates and specials. Tournament opportunities for adults and juniors are listed, and a handful of those tournaments make up what is known as the Rome Tour, where points are accumulated and a player of the year is eventually crowned. Local player profiles and a list of hole-inones are also a nice touch, but the main focus is providing as much information about local courses as one site can handle. “There was a time when all of the courses’ rates and hours were listed in the local papers, but that stopped for some reason. We thought there needed to be a source of information that was accessible to everyone,” says McGraw. “It’s free to use, easy to use, and our hope is that it encourages more people to get out and play the game of golf.” With 30 years of experience traveling from tee box to green at courses all over the state, McGraw found a home in Northwest Georgia and has enjoyed playing every course the region has to offer. While his current post as general manager at BEAA doesn’t give him the opportunity to play as much as he would like, he still squeezes in a few rounds a week and enjoys nothing more than mentoring people who are new to the sport. In fact, that’s how he and Bryan became such good friends. “My son showed an interest in playing golf, and I didn’t want him making the same mistakes I did,” recalls Bryan. “We were fortunate enough to find Joedy, and he taught him the fundamentals that are so crucial to a good golf swing. Having that foundation is something I suggest to anyone with a child interested in playing. If they learn the right way, then they don’t have the opportunity to establish the bad habits that a self-taught golfer like myself has.
Joedy has helped me work out some of those kinks over the years, but it sure would have been nice to not have them in the first place.” It certainly seems like a simple game at first glance, but there are many factors that intimidate potential golfers from hitting the fairways with friends for a round. From equipment cost to holding up better golfers on the course while searching for shots gone awry, many who try the game feel pressure, making the sport seemingly impossible to enjoy. McGraw offers a simple solution. “First of all, you have to put things into perspective concerning the separation from yourself and the guys who have been playing for years,” says McGraw. “They hit bad shots, too, and they hit them pretty often. If you are just
(left) Joedy McGraw, (right) Jarratt Bryan
getting started or just haven’t played in a long time, the best thing you can do is spend more time on the range than you do on the course. Get comfortable swinging the clubs first and then find a course that is a little less crowded to develop your game without feeling the pressure of having to rush or impress the players waiting behind you on the tee box. “The two nine-hole courses here in Rome are perfect for new golfers,” he continues. “And I’ll tell you this right now, if you can keep your ball
in the fairway at Calliers or BEAA consistently, you will be just fine when you decide it’s time to graduate to Coosa, Stonebridge or Barnsley.” So, regardless of your status in the golfing world, if there is an interest in learning, casual play or tournament play, you can find everything you need to get started at www.golfromega.com. So dust off your clubs; grab a new or used set, depending on your budget, of course; and get outdoors. The game of a lifetime is calling your name. V VV
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Be Bold Be Unique Be You!
PRINTALAXY join the adventure at www.printalaxy.com v3 magazine 39
band of 40
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With any project that requires cooperation, all parties involved must bring something useful to the table. Jerry on the Moon’s six-man outfit requires their work to be done on a stage.
of brothers TEXT OLIVER ROBBINS PHOTOS CAMERON FLAISCH
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M
usicians and their bandmates are often compared to other things that come together to form something new and different. From garden salads and stews, to boxes of crayons and whatever NBA team LeBron James decides to call his new home, musicians get the rap of being less than whole until they come in contact with a group of others who can fill in the gaps. But one band, composed of lyrically and melodically inclined brethren, is hoping to break the mold. Each talent in Rome’s own Jerry on the Moon (JOTM) is a stand-alone musical meal in his own right, and sitting for a serving of the band’s country-fried, funk-inspired menu fills a listener’s plate. JOTM is not one dish, but a potluck of thoughts and ideas from six strong-willed gentlemen with enough spice to blend in perfect harmony. Let’s eat. JOTM has seen some personnel changes throughout its evolution. Adam Klingensmith and Jack Moss now handle the guitar duties, Steven Powers backbones the bottom of the register on bass, and Jedd Lovel keeps the jam in time on the drums. However, each element of this group brings more to the table than proficiency. Past experiences with other bands,
musical tastes that are as different as flip flops and galoshes, and the ability to somehow meet in the middle have helped them gather steam. “Old Age Comes to Those Who Wait,” their debut album released in 2014, shows the range these guys are able to produce when they sit down to craft a song. But, they did not always have the goal of making music for a living and certainly not with the group they’ve assembled for their recent project. “I wasn’t really serious about music when I started playing with a group of my buddies,” says Moss. “I was only about 16 when I started writing songs. It was really just a lot of jam-centered stuff. Over time, I picked up a few things on the guitar, and we started to get good enough to think about forming a band.” Powers says he was listening to a lot of early-90s music, like alternative rock, when he began jamming with Moss. “That’s kind of where we were when we started the band, and that was the influence for a lot of the things we would write,” he explains. “I was listening to whatever was on the radio. I really didn’t begin digging deeper into different kinds of music and bands – like the off-the-grid, on-the-fringe-type artists – until Jedd and Adam joined the band and we starting playing music together.”
really don’t want to be a band that " Weis genre specific. We just like to play " music that sounds good and feels good. Jedd Lovel
Luke Allmon, Jedd Lovel
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Moss and Powers, JOTM’s founding members, managed to stay true to the music they wanted to play early on, while also finding new ways to evolve their talents. Blues, southern rock, funk and jazz were dumped into Moss and Powers’ laps by newfound friends and bandmates, Lovel and Klingensmith, and they liked what they heard. Although they were new to these genres of music, songs by The Allman Brothers, The Band and Phish would influence them to turn their pop music upside down. Klingensmith and Lovel say they expanded their own horizons after they met Moss and Anthony Avitollo and John Pollard
Powers in a battle of the bands in downtown Rome, a competition that JOTM ultimately won, Powers playfully points out. In addition to a love for the same music, the guitarist and drummer shared many stages before they would eventually settle in with Jerry on the Moon. “Steven and Jack are childhood friends who became musicians together, and Adam and I are the same in that sense,” Lovel explains. “When I started playing drums and booking shows, Adam was right there with me. Adam; two of our friends, Rob and Cameron; and I started
Steven Powers
working on some songs, and we had a pretty serious band called Red Eye Jedi. When Jedi started to disband, we both stopped booking gigs for a while. Still, we never stopped wanting to play music together.” Lovel, who received a snare drum and a hihat for Christmas when he was 8, discovered his passion for kick and snare early on. And Klingensmith loved his six-string so much, he learned to play on a guitar made for righties even though he is a “stone-cold leftie,” Lovel says. So, when he and Klingensmith were no longer playing regular gigs, they sought out other ways to get together and jam from time to time, eventually forming another band with local musician friends just to book a few gigs and nurture the need to groove. But busy schedules and logistics got in the way and the two former Red Eye Jedi members were, once again, without a band. It was after a chance meeting that Powers and Lovel sparked the flame that has seen a steady burn since they decided to create together in 2009. Lovel would be the first to join JOTM after the group lost a drummer, and when a guitar
slot came open, he tapped the person he knew would have the chops to fill that role in their vision for the future of the band – Klingensmith. “Jedd called me up and asked me if I wanted to play some guitar,” says Klingensmith. “I hadn’t played in forever and I needed to play. I had one gig a year at the River Revelry from about 2006 until 2012. I would go sit in with folks and play, but I never really had an outlet. I saw that potential in Jerry on the Moon.” All that was left to do was develop a catalog of music they could play when they booked shows. JOTM members worked to spin covers in a new and fresh way, while Powers and Moss introduced some of their songs to the new guys. But something was missing. So, the foursome reinvented the band, penning new, original songs and composing music that was shaped by everyone from 311 to Bob Dylan. “The music we are writing now has shifted from the reggae to more of a random sound. I’ve always credited our approach to writing a song to whatever music Jack is listening to at that point in his life,” explains Lovel, who partnered with Moss to write many of the songs on “Old Age Comes to Those Who Wait.”
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Jack Moss
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Adam Klingensmith
But perhaps one of the most unique things about JOTM is that there is no lead singer; they all sing, allowing each member to open up their lives to their fans through music. “We listen to our favorite musicians and we will write a few songs to, kind of, celebrate our love for that particular type of music,” Lovel says. “We really don’t want to be a band that is genre specific. We just like to play music that sounds good and feels good.” To add a different dimension to the group, JOTM has enlisted John Pollard on saxophone and Anthony Avitollo on trombone. Now, they are able to further explore the realm of the funk, a style of music they all love. “I’ve always been a part of Jerry on the Moon in my heart,” Pollard jokes. “I mean, I used to look up to these guys.” “Even though you are older than all of us put together,” laughs Powers. “Seriously, though, Jedd would ask me to sit in with the band on some gigs, and I would bring my horn and just play along with them on a few tunes,” Pollard says. “Then, they asked me to play on the album because they really wanted some horn parts. I rode around in the car with Jedd and wrote down some ideas. The rest is history.” Avitollo, a transplant to Rome by way of Philadelphia, was introduced to the band by
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Pollard. “John and I played a show together called ‘Ain’t Misbehaving,’ put on by R.O.M.E. [Rome’s Own Musical Ensemble]. It was a stage show and we played jazz, which is how I met John,” Avitollo recalls. “He came to me and told me about his friends in a band and that they needed a horn section for their album. In the 90s, I played with ska bands and rock bands, so I told him to count me in. “I’ve played for symphonies, musicals and in a lot of other professional settings like that, but there is nothing like an audience’s feedback from a Jerry show,” Avitollo continues. “I’ve never seen so many people stand up and get all crazy because of a trombone solo!” The horns are now a permanent fixture in JOTM sets. As the band continues to grow together, their sound is being recognized for its fresh take on the “jam band” style and has inspired quite a following. Currently booking shows in and around Northwest Georgia, JOTM has opened for notable acts like the Atlanta Rhythm Section, Tauk, Dopapod, Flow Tribe and Copious Jones. More recently, JOTM connected with upand-coming band CBDB, who invited them to perform at a record release party at downtown Atlanta’s Terminal West. You can also catch JOTM at Smith’s Old Bar in Atlanta on a regular basis and, of course, here in Rome at local night
spots on Broad. Last month, Jerry on the Moon performed a set on one of the main stages at Counterpoint Music Festival. Through all of the band’s transitions, they have managed to remain a family first and always give thanks to those who helped them find their love for music. “My dad is one of the biggest Elton John fans I know. When I would ride in the car with him as a kid, Elton John was playing for sure,” Moss recalls. “We would also listen to John Denver, Jim Croce and Neil Young. My dad also really like all of the Motown stuff, like the Temptations and Smokey Robinson. They are all great song writers and I grew up listening to them. “But I noticed all the great song writers were able to give me a feeling when I listened to their music, you know, and that’s how we approach all of the songs we write,” he continued. “These guys have become my brothers over the years and as long as we are together, we have all the material we need to make music people can enjoy.” V VV
For more info about the band; their album, “Old Age Comes to Those Who Wait;” and a list of upcoming concert dates, visit jerryonthemoon.com.
THE REUBEN
Slow-cooked corned beef brisket cooked off to tender perfection, aged swiss cheese & house reuben sauce with grilled onions & sauerkraut served hot on marbled rye bread
OPEN SATURDAYS IN JUNE 510 Broad Street, Rome, GA • 706.314.9544 • www.GetJamwiched.com • OPEN: MON-FRI 11am-3pm
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A Better Life ife for for aa B Better etter P Price rice Spring Spring sale sale 40% store store wide wide 46
v3 magazine
706-528-4186 706-528-4186 415 Broad 415 BroadSt. St.Rome, Rome,GA GA
Hours: Hours:Mon Mon10-5 10-5 Sat Sat10-4 10-4 www.romantradingonline.com www.romantradingonline.com
The Dish 100 Covered Bridge Road Euharlee, GA
PH: 700-383-3383 www.johnnymitchells.com Open everyday from 11am-9pm Johnny Mitchell’s has hand-cut steaks, fesh seafood selections and authentic barbecue slow-smoked over cherry and hickory wood. Come experience the fusion of Southern hospitality and fine dining.
Whatever you are in the mood for, you’ll find a homemade meal at our Smokehouse that will bring you back again!
www.wowcafe.com/rome
2817 Martha Berry Highway Rome, GA 30165
PH: 706.291.8969
Hours: Mon -Thu: 11:00am- 10:00pm Fri - Sat: 11:00am-11:00pm Sun: 11:00am-9:00pm
WOW strives to serve the highest quality of food with the freshest ingredients. You will leave saying “WOW! What a Place!” Famous for: Wings and over 17 signature sauces to choose from!
www.schroedersnewdeli.com 406 Broad Street Rome, GA 30161
300 Broad Street Rome, GA 30161
PH: 706-234-4613
PH: 706-235-0030 www.partridgerestaurant.com
Hours: Mon-Thur: 11:00am-10:00pm
Hours: Mon-Sat: 11:00am-8:30pm
Fri-Sat: 11:00am-10:00pm
Sun: 11:00am-4:30pm
It’s the best in town... Ain’t nothin’
The Partridge Restaurant is like stepping back in time when families gathered at the table with real plates and silverware. Each group of patrons are seated at their individual table and served family-style.
mellow about it! (Draft and Bottled
With our variety of meats and
Beers also offered) Famous for:
vegetables, you are bound to find a delicious dining experience with every visit!
Schroeder’s menu includes sandwiches, calzones, soups, salads, potato skins, nachos, wings, and more. And don’t forget our pizza!
Their Roast Beef Relief!
www.getjamwiched.com 510 Broad Street Rome, GA 30161
PH: 706-314-9544
Like us on FACEBOOK Mon-Fri 11:00am-3:00pm
Jamwich - Serving distinctive sandwiches, salads, and soups. Sandwiches built with the finest ingredients: Boar’s Head meats and cheeses, Zelma’s Blue Ribbon Jams and Jellies, fresh sourdough bread, premium Boars Head thick cut bacon and farm-to-table produce.
595 Riverside Parkway Rome, GA 30161
PH: 706-233-9960 Hours: Sun -Thu: 11:00am-9:00pm
Fri - Sat: 11:00am-10:00pm
Fuddruckers catering can help you feed just about any size group, anytime, anywhere. Our menu will please the most discerning tastes and meet the high standards you require. We know how to make your event spectacular with the WORLD’S GREATEST CATERING.
www.lascalaromega.com 413 Broad Street Rome, GA 30161
PH: 706-238-9000 Hours: Mon - Sat: 6:00pm-10:00pm 400 Block Bar & Lounge: 4:00pm-1:30am Live music each weekend.
La Scala offers both first-rate service and terrific Italian Cuisine in an upscale casual atmosphere. 50% off cafe menu from 4:00-6:00 p.m.
3401 Martha Berry Hwy Rome, GA 30165
PH: 706-291-1881 Hours: Sun -Thu: 11:00am-10:00pm
Fri - Sat: 11:00am-11:00pm Dine in, Take out, or delivery... Authentic Italian is what we do! We have enjoyed great success by providing our guests with a casual, friendly atmosphere and excellent service. In addition to the healthy portions of our food, you will see our entrees range from homemade sandwiches, pizzas and calzones to pastas, chicken, veal and seafood dishes. www.romamiagrill.com
Make it a meal worth remembering. Where to eat in Northwest Georgia.
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Gordon Hospital was honored with an “A” grade in the Hospital Safety Score, which rates how well hospitals protect patients from errors, injuries, and infections. The Hospital Safety Score is compiled under the guidance of the nation’s leading experts on patient safety and is administered by The Leapfrog Group (Leapfrog), an independent industry watchdog. More than 2,500 U.S. general hospitals were assigned scores in the latest ratings with about 31-percent receiving an “A” grade. We are proud to be part of this 31-percent and of the work that our physicians and staff do daily for our patients and their families.
STRAIGHT A’S
A SINCE 2012
HOSPITAL SAFETY SCORE SM
www.gordonhospital.com