V3 September

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SEPT 2016

C OLUMNS

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J. Bryant Steele shares why he decided to show the world his talents through the written word and why he always remembers to floss. Finding an acquaintance is easy, but Holly Lynch says finding family outside of blood relatives is the gift of a lifetime. V3 welcomes Jim Alred, local sports enthusiast, to the list of monthly columns as he shares his reasons for loving all things sports.

FE ATURE S

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Rome’s Cotton Block now has a place where all can come to be creative and carefree, Swerve: Off the Path. Glen Getchell is heading a new model for educating our youth now available through Providence Preparatory Academy, providing kids with a fresh prospective on learning. If you are a little monster who fits perfectly into a red and white ball, beware. Northwest Georgians are on the prowl, equipped with the new app, “Pokémon Go.” Pridemore & Cox Orthodontics gives deserving kids the gift that, quite frankly, keeps on giving. The barbecue joint in Euharlee that everyone talks about has not fizzled out. Johnny Mitchell’s Smokehouse is doggone good and has moved their good-to-the-bone operation to a new locale.


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OWNER & CEO Ian Griffin EDITORIAL MANAGER Oliver Robbins MAG ART & DESIGN Ellie Borromeo CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Tannika Wester

publisher's note

ian griffin owner and ceo

Last month, my good friend and colleague, Oliver Robbins, penned his first publisher’s note in our annual SEC Preview that comes along each August. This particular issue is always chock-full of my opinions as it is, so I thought it would be nice to have someone else’s voice welcoming our readers to what I admit is my favorite edition of our magazine each year. Oliver manages the editorial staff at V3 and is an invaluable member of the team here. He has an ability to really connect with people, which stems from the fact that he never asks a question he doesn’t genuinely want to hear the answer to. It doesn’t matter if you’re a stranger or close friend, if you share a thought with Mr. Robbins, he is going to listen, digest it, and offer his advice or opinion in a manner that allows you to digest it in return without fail. Outside of the work we do in putting this publication together, I have come to cherish my chats with Oliver about the state of the world we live in, a topic I steer clear of in this note 99.9 percent of the time. Because I’ve subscribed to the “don’t discuss politics and religion and you can be friends with everyone” mantra, I try to do just that. But during a conversation with my friend a few weeks ago, something hit me like a ton of bricks that I just couldn’t shake. As we talked about racial tensions in the world and the senseless violence between what I honestly believe is the minority of law enforcement and the black community, Oliver shared with me some of the struggles he has endured as a black man trying to succeed. He then explained that he believed working for V3 had opened a lot of doors for him and thanked me for giving him the opportunity to work here. I was appreciative of the thanks, but caught off guard that hiring an individual who was qualified for a position could have that kind of impact … black, white, blue or purple. To me, Oliver represents just about everything good in people, so choosing him as someone to represent this company was a no-brainer and one of the best decisions I ever made. Even though I was raised to believe that people are people, no matter what color, how could a white kid born to a middle-class family possibly understand what life is like for anyone of another color, creed or sexual orientation … unless I asked them? What happens when people from two different walks of life really listen to each other’s perspective is progress.

Ian Griffin, Owner

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WRITERS J. Bryant Steele, Oliver Robbins, Erin deMesquita, Holly Lynch Corinna Underwood, Tripp Durden, Greg Howard, Cecil Disharoon, Lauren Jones-Hillman, Jim Alred EXECUTIVE PHOTOGRAPHERS Derek Bell Cameron Flaisch PHOTOGRAPHERS Caleb Timmerman Ellie Borromeo AD SALES & CLIENT RELATIONS Chris Forino AD DESIGN Laura Allshouse Ellie Borromeo PUBLISHER V3 Publications, LLC CONTACT One West Fourth Avenue Rome, Ga. 30161 Office Phone 706.235.0748 v3publications@gmail.com CREATOR Neal Howard

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Career Goals Writer:

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WRITE OR WRONG Cents&Sensibility with J. Bryant Steele I have learned through conversations with my children (in their early 20s) that they have plans, which is more than I could say for myself when I was that age. It is a great relief for a parent to learn this, and I know it worried my parents when the most complete answer I could give to their questions was that I wanted to be a writer. My senior year in high school, we were all supposed to have a career discussion with the guidance counselor. By then, it should have been clear to anyone that my passion lay in stringing words together. But the counselor’s advice was to major in business administration. I realize that’s practical advice – unless you want to be a poet! At least my senior-year English teacher en-

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couraged me to be a writer. She and I had just one quibble: Whenever I used a sentence fragment, she wanted me to write “SF” in the margin with a red pen. If I failed to indicate a sentence fragment in the margins, she would lower my grade. I suppose she was trying to grant me some creative license while still going “by the book.” I finally said to her, “Miss Robinson, you know that I know a sentence fragment when I write one. I don’t see why I have to fuss with indicating it.” She wouldn’t relent and kept taking off points for my lack of SF in the margins. I know now, later in life and wiser, that women are just like that. (Sidebar: Miss Robinson also taught me to

be sneaky. Her class was right before lunch. She hated the cafeteria food and, for whatever reason, didn’t bother to bring her own lunch. I had a car and I always parked it beside an outbuilding that nobody monitored. I always finished the daily writing assignments early. A perfect storm awaited. I can’t remember how it began, but it became routine for Miss Robinson to catch my eye, beckon me with her finger and hand me $3. I would drive to Dairy Queen, purchase a cheeseburger, fries, and shake, and sneak it back into the school before the lunch bell rang. The lesson I took from the experience was that if you make good grades and don’t talk out of turn, you can get away with a lot of stuff.) I headed off to college wondering if my writing


would hold at a higher level, or if I could use sentence fragments without fear. My freshman English class began at 7 a.m. (There should be some kind of rule, in America if not throughout the world, that college freshmen shouldn’t even have to be awake at 7 a.m., much less in class. But there I was.) An early assignment was to write a sonnet. I loved Shakespeare in high school (my classmates didn’t), and I had kinda gotten into John Donne on my own, but I didn’t write in iambic pentameter at all. My style was free verse or, as I call it, broken meter. But given the assignment, I set out to write three quatrains followed by a couplet. The following Monday (at 7 a.m., I remind you), the teacher told us that we had mostly followed direction and mostly adhered to sonnet form, but he had singled out one work to read aloud. I was thrilled moments later to hear the words I had written being spoken. At times, people tried to get me to go into sales. I briefly did pretty well in retail, but I was a bust in real estate and auto sales. If I’m going to pull the wool over your eyes, I’ll be at a keyboard, not in a passenger seat or a sparkling kitchen. A few years ago, I was in a relationship with a woman from West Rome. Several people said we were a good – even perfect – match. After she broke off the romance, a casual friend emailed me to say, “I knew she wasn’t right for you. You have the soul of a poet.” My flippant reply was: “Which poet’s soul do I have? I’ll gladly give it back.” But the point was well-taken. In the romance department, despite old stereotypes, women usually aren’t on the same staircase as men.

I have known only one woman (my current flame) who shared poetry with me. We were having wine at a bar a few months ago, and a man tried to hit on her. She leaned back on her stool to introduce me, then excused herself to go powder her nose, or whatever the hell it is that women do when they excuse themselves. The chastened man looked at me and asked, “What led you to become a writer?” I used to hate questions like that. Am I supposed to answer that I pulled a sword out of a stone? Or that a dove settled on my head and made a halo? But I have come up with a pat answer: “Writing is the most fun you can have with your clothes on.” It has a way of making people either laugh or shut up. Recently at Kroger, I ran into a former associate who said, “I always enjoy your writing in V3.” Maybe that’s what “led” me to be a writer. Because no one ever says, “I always enjoy watching you sell a microwave oven.” Back to my point: My kids have more defined goals than I did at their age. I’m relieved about that. But I also recently was making an omelet for my son, and he didn’t want a tomato in it! I guess I still have work to do. It’s good to have purpose in your life.

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be, like, “Golly, I wonder what else dad was wrong about.” My best guess on the history of flossing is that some entrepreneurial type, several decades ago, was chewing on a toothpick after supper, watching his cat bat around a ball of yarn, and had a brainstorm: “I wonder how much money I could make if I convinced people that pulling skinny yarn between their teeth would prevent gum disease?” Once upon a time in Atlanta, my dental hygienist was a pretty, buxom, older blonde named Sharon who had a soothing effect as she leaned in to floss between my teeth and pick at them with a pointed metal thingy. To this day, she is the only woman I’ve allowed to put sharp instruments in my mouth. To heck with the feds. I’m going to keep flossing, if only to remind me of Sharon. I went to a store early the other day and had to wait in line. As I finally checked out, I made chit chat with the clerk. “I thought I’d be your only customer at this time of day.” “No. Everybody comes early to avoid the rush later.” Mull that a moment before you turn the page.

J. Bryant Steele has won awards for business reporting, feature writing and opinion columns, and is based in Rome. *The views expressed in this column are those of the writer, and do not represent the opinions of V3 Magazine.

The federal government has quietly dropped its admonishment to floss daily. I hope my kids didn’t hear that piece of news. They would

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Sibling Revelry


Trends& Traditions with Holly Lynch At a recent sales presentation, I referred to my business partner, Ray, as my brother. The clients asked whether we had a family business, so I had to explain my meaning. My parents blessed me with an older sister. Some might say I was a gift to her since I came along second, but in truth, having each other is a mutual blessing. We got along fairly well as children and teens. As adults, however, our bond is greater. Without my sister, there’s no telling how many checks I would’ve bounced my freshman year of college. I would not have had a place to live when my first marriage dissolved. I wouldn’t have learned about the joy of Caribbean beaches. She shares my history, knows my secrets, supports my dreams and calms my fears. If anyone has ever had my back, it’s her. Well out in the real world, I don’t have the luxury of seeing my sister every day. We live an hour apart, have jobs and families that require our attention, and do our best to keep in touch through technology and frequent visits. But I do see my coworkers every day. We spend 50 hours and six days a week together. We talk. We know each other’s families. We eat meals together and have often celebrated birthdays and other holidays together, simply because we were working together. We are as much family as any group of people can be. We have been brought together by both circumstance and by choice. Like any family, we get annoyed by each other. Everyone has habits that at least one of us wishes would go away. There’s whistling, whining and worry. We fuss at each other, and we tattletale just like little kids. We slam doors and go silent. But the next day, we come back. Yes, it’s a job and everyone needs to get paid. But for most of us, we love this business and we love each other. We talk about plans for the future and fears for the present. After a few days or a week off, we miss each other.

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In other jobs, I’ve had some incredible support systems – people who became the only reason to even go in to work that day. When my office was downtown, shared with two other businesses, I became the house mother to the three shops. The guys who owned the other businesses called me their work wife. I handled light bulbs and paper towel needs for the shop. We each used our skills to support the others. With all these family connections to those we work with, it’s no wonder I referred to Ray as my brother. It was an easy sentence and felt completely natural. Like my sister, he has my back. So that’s what I explained to the clients. According to social media, I have over 1,600 friends. But the ones I would (and have) call on in an emergency aren’t even on Facebook. Your “real” friends, your circle of trust, are the few who really know you and love you anyway. They are the ones who will call you out when you’re wrong and fight for you when you’re right. Those relationships are the ones worth working hard to keep. So, I ask you to consider your friends, especially if you do not have a sibling by family connection, and think of those who would be easy to introduce as a sister or brother. Thank them. Praise them. Celebrate the relationship

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that has withstood time, distance, differences of opinions and any other obstacles. Think of those who you have gotten angry with, but loved anyway. Think of those who have risked your friendship by being honest with you when you weren’t being honest with yourself. This column is meant for you to think of those friends; the family we have chosen for ourselves. Find your brother from another mother. Claim that sister that your parents didn’t give you. A crisis will often reveal these relationships to you, so take time now, before the crisis, to reach out. Time goes by quickly, and an opportunity can be gone in an instant. Make the call. Stop by for the visit. A friend who has become a brother or sister deserves a little celebration. Revelry, by definition, is a noisy affair. So let’s make some noise for those families we create for ourselves.

Holly Lynch is the owner of The Season Events, a full service catering, event planning and design company located at 300 Glenn Milner Blvd. in Rome. *The views expressed in this column are those of the writer, and do not represent the opinions of V3 Magazine.

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Spectator Sports For the Love of the Game with Jim Alred

“T

here is nothing as special as watching greatness.” – Sean Astin I write this after my third cup of coffee this morning and as my bleary eyes try to focus on the computer screen. Last night, I stayed up way past my bedtime. And as I pay the price today, I’d do it again and again and again. In fact, I’ve done this my entire life. And I find it interesting that the actor who brought the story of underdog walk-on Rudy Ruettiger to life in film offers a quote, which fits my reason for skipping sleep. Instead ofsleeping, I stood riveted to the TV, watching Michael Phelps, Katie Ledecky and the Final Five, as they now want to be known as, not only win gold medals in the Rio Olympics, but also dominate their competition along the way. All my life, sports have captivated me. I’ve been lucky to parlay an almost unhealthy obsession with it into a more-than-two-decade career covering sports. At Auburn University, the head of the journalism program, Jerry Brown, once asked me in his newspaper management class why I wanted to cover sports. My answer at such a young age couldn’t do his far-ranging question justice.

I choose sports because it offers a glimpse into the heart of the athletes. For every performance, dominating or not, the athletes, coaches and more sacrifice of themselves to get better. And when those athletes achieve results, they can often be transcendent. Phelps’ 21 gold medals and counting (remember, my deadline for this came before the Rio Olympics ended) represent a pinnacle in human achievement, at least in swimming terms. Ledecky’s precocious performances offer us all a preview of what we might see over the next four to eight years. I’ve already blocked time off my schedule to try to watch all of Usain Bolt’s races on the track. Like Phelps, Bolt offers us a once-in-a-lifetime glimpse at a human reaching heights almost beyond expectation. And when he leaves the scene, track and field will lose a bit of luster. And this version of the U.S. women’s gymnastics team, at least for now, enters the records books as the best this or any other country has produced. But this isn’t a new thing for me. I’ve been this way ever since I can remember. Listening to a radio broadcast of an Auburn football game, my dad turned to me and

told me the freshman running back, who had just broken off a big run, had a chance to be something special. The back’s name was Bo Jackson. And my dad’s prognostication proved to be a massive understatement, and I reveled in every triumph Bo had at Auburn and beyond. And, of course, covering sports locally allowed me a chance to see many great athletes. A sophomore from Adairsville caught my eye in both football and basketball. That athlete, Vic Beasley, now plays for the Atlanta Falcons after an All-American career at Clemson. An eighth-grade running back impressed me at a middle school football game. By now that back, Nick Chubb, should be back to bruising SEC defenses for Georgia. Watching these players grow and achieve success is fun, and I can’t wait to see the next great athlete. Like many, I harbored the dreams of competing in the Olympics. Needless to say, I didn’t make it. But I’ve had opportunities to see and run with Olympians. One such time came on a chilly morning at Berry College. My plans of a nice, easy 11-mile run got blown away when 2012 Olympian Janet Cherobon-Bawcom showed up. I ran beside her and Jay Stephenson for maybe two miles. They were running easy. I was running hard trying to keep up. Bawcom was friendly and fun to run with. At some point, Jay and Janet picked up the pace. I looked down at my watch for a second and then looked back up. In an instant, they were seemingly a quarter mile in front of me. Bawcom’s figure quickly faded into the distance, but the memory is there. That’s why I chose to stay awake – so I can watch these great athletes and hold on to the memory. And my answer to Dr. Brown’s question is easy. You’ve already read it courtesy of the guy who played Rudy. I cover sports because there is nothing as special as watching greatness. *The views expressed in this column are those of the writer, and do not represent the opinions of V3 Magazine.

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P

O Romans, Where Art Thou?

If letting go of stress and having an absolute blast is in your wheelhouse, then these two ladies are in business to make you smile. TEXT Oliver Robbins

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P HOTO S Cameron Flaisch

ablo Picasso once said, “Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up.” Every soul remembers the smell of a freshly opened box of crayons, the feel of Play-Doh rolled in the palm of a hand and figuring out that all the colors in a paint set don’t really create a rainbow when smudged together on a paper plate. Art creates strong and lasting memories that connect us all, regardless of boundaries set by societal ills and ideologies. Two local educators have set out to remind their neighbors, family members, and friends just how helpful the arts can be, setting you free from stress and offering a new way to look at the world around you. Holly Chaffin and Val Featherston, owners of Swerve: Off the Path (108 Broad Street, Rome), have set up shop in the thriving Cotton Block of Downtown Rome, hoping to share an area of education they believe lives in us all. Both Chaffin and Featherston are career educators in the arts. Chaffin found Rome from the Atlanta area by way of Berry College, where she earned her B.F.A. and later a Master’s in Art Education. After spending 12 years teaching at Cartersville Primary (in Bartow Co.) and the past eight years at West End Elementary in Rome, she is well-versed in teaching her students all mediums of art. Featherston is a New England transplant, and has lived in Rome for over 30 years. She is also a Berry graduate, earning her B.F.A. there and, later, a master’s degree from Lesley University and an Ed.S. from Nova Southeastern University. A teacher at Cave Spring Elementary and self-proclaimed career student, Featherston continues to take courses at Reinhardt University seeking a M.F.A. degree in creative writing. Before teaching at Cave Spring Elementary she was an educator at the Berry Lab for three years and at St. Mary’s Catholic School for three years. Their voices are warm, inviting and reassuring as they welcome and instruct guests. All around the room are pieces of the past, reclaimed and repurposed, creating a whimsical studio that inspires the senses. Metallic beer kegs serve as stools around a glass-top table whose base is the wheel system from an old conveyer belt. A comfy sitting area with a mosaic tile table welcomes visitors to create and share some down time. The walls are lined with paintings, pottery and everything pretty, all for sale and created by Chaffin, Featherston, and Featherston’s husband, John. Further into the eclectic studio are shelves of unfinished pottery. From tea pots to turtles, the chalky white surfaces of the pieces beg for


glaze colors as one by one they are plucked from their resting place and transformed with color. A long, bar-height table stretches the length of the back of the room, lined with stools and everything one would need to paint at each station. At the rear, just before the outdoor area, stands an easel holding a canvas that is beginning to come to life. Thin outlines of an octopus are half filled with deep red, and the emerald green ocean fades into the ending brush strokes of the last person occupying the stool in front of the canvas. Outside the cozy corner reserved for the canvas lies an oasis within the textured brick walls of historic downtown buildings. Completely enclosed and beautifully decorated is an area designed especially for those who wish to be artistic outside. A deck overlooks the wooden porch, which is complete with work stations and chairs. An asymmetrical canvas is stretched over the area, shielding crafters from the sun and creating a warm glow of natural light.

something from nothing requires your brain to cross over to an area that can be fine-tuned by the arts.” “People who have never experienced creating something do not realize how much it frees you,” Chaffin explains. “Your mind becomes free of the stress and clutter of everyday life. We often hear people say that they get lost in the work they do while visiting Swerve. And what’s even more exciting is that there is no good and bad. There is no pass or fail. Everything created in this building is beautiful because there will never be another piece like it in the world. We want people to be fearless and know that we are here to guide them, not judge them.” Chaffin shares a story about a mother and daughter who came in recently. She recalls them giggling as they shared the experience and made memories, another benefit of combining art and a social space to enjoy creativity.

“Some view their time at Swerve as a meditation,” says Featherston. “Oftentimes, as you focus on the work in front of you, challenges or problems you are working to solve in your profession become clear. It is liberating when your hands and mind are busy being creative and all of these answers sort of come to you.” Chaffin and Featherston talk fondly about their time teaching little ones in the classroom and the love primary and elementary-aged students have for art. Then, as children grow older and judgement and criticism become apparent to them, they begin to find fault in their work. The finger painting they were so proud of in second grade is not good enough anymore. “When we feel the strain of judgement, we start shrinking. Once we start to shrink, we become fearful,” Featherston explains. “We feel that any art is deeply personal and we encourage everyone to love what they do. We want people to know that they can begin at their beginning. We all start at different places in everything we do. So, there is no need to feel restrained by judgement in any facet of life. Art can assist with the development of this mentality.” Chaffin and Featherston are longtime friends who discovered their passion for art by getting

As Chaffin and Featherston look out over the courtyard, they smile at what their dreams have lead them to do. “Teaching and sharing art are important parts of what we do here at Swerve,” says Chaffin. “It’s a way of thinking,” Featherston adds, “and it is one that people in other fields think they don’t practice. However, because they are human, they are tapping into what the arts teach us. Innovation, creativity, ingenuity and making something from nothing are important parts of every profession. That concept of making

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involved with the art community at Berry College. Chaffin has done work with the Rome Area Council for the Arts and lent her skill to many local galleries, including the Magic Factory and the Art Center, both formerly located on Broad Street. “I tried to get a job outside of the arts after I left the Magic Factory, which was a gallery opened by Kay Clark who had moved here from New York,” Chaffin says. “I worked in an office cubicle. I made it a week. I knew it was just not for me. No way! From there, I continued to work in the art community and I have never looked back. Swerve is a goal that both Val and I have had for quite some time now.” “For me, art was not my first love,” Featherston laughs, “until I signed up for a clay class at Berry with Jere Lykins. I’m pretty sure I failed, because I had no experience with art. But, it was one of those transitional periods in my life. After I touched the clay and began to create with it, I knew I was home.” This clay class has led to a life defined by art for Featherston. Now, she sees it as her calling and has been active in the local art community for decades. Patrons are welcome to book Swerve for parties, office get-togethers or simply an afternoon of fun. From mosaics to beadwork, almost anything one wishes to learn about art is possible. Also, for less structured time, you can walk in and work whenever their doors are open. Swerve can also bring the art to you. With appropriate notice, Chaffin and Featherston will arrange for your group to create at your desired location. They handle all the supplies, the set up and the instruction for your entire group. Holly Chaffin and Val Featherston

And after the kiddos are fast asleep, or for a romantic evening, adults are welcome to bring wine or beer to enjoy while creating something beautiful. Catering can be paired with your party as well. Although Swerve does not serve food, they are happy to assist in getting your favorite eats to the table, just in time to unwind.

Workshops ranging from sculpting to mosaics are available at Swerve as they seek to make a place for all things art. Pottery, altered books, printmaking, fairy homes and furniture are also areas that they are happy to assist you with. Local artists should note that Swerve does not charge a fee to use the space for workshops and they can display their work in the gallery to sell for a specified length of time. Their aim is to share something that has meant the world to them, and they want to involve the community as much as they can. “Val and I had always talked about opening a space for art. We’ve known each other for a while, and during our Friday night dinners at Schroeder’s Deli, we would dream about this place,” Chaffin smiles. “We are both very happy to be a part of Rome’s art community, and we hope to be able to provide a place where all can feel comfortable creating.”

To make an appointment or to book a party for the upcoming holiday season, call at 706-346-5429 or visit swervearts.com for more information. Be sure to like “Swerve: Off the Path” on Facebook.

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Q&A

" What these kids are learning is how to properly manage their time. This model is preparing kids to be able to navigate their future college experience.

Education 2.0 PROVIDENCE PREPARATORY ACADEMY is a University-Model School that takes pride in its parent-centered curriculum and Christian virtues. Providence brings both experienced teachers and parents together to educate children and prepare them for life beyond elementary school, all while allowing families to grow closer together. Glen Getchell takes his responsibilities to heart as the new headmaster of Providence Preparatory Academy, bringing to the table years of experience gained serving as the former headmaster for Unity Christian School before starting his own small business, Getchell Consulting Group. He is a devout family man, working alongside his wife, Laura, to raise their son, Wil, 15, and daughter, Ellie, 13, to be future leaders with Christian values. Getchell has lived in Rome for 21 years and is an active member of the community. He has a passion for helping others grow physically and spiritually, serving as a CrossFit and leadership coach in his spare time. The longtime educator wholeheartedly believes the key to educating our youth is found in the home. TEXT Greg Howard

PHOTO S Cameron Flaisch

V3: What drew you to take on the responsibilities as headmaster of Providence Preparatory Academy? Glen Getchell: My own children went to school here – after I left Unity – and so I got a taste of the University Model. I started serving on the board while doing some consulting, and it became apparent that it was time for me to step back into a formal role as an administrator of a school. I firmly believe, being that my kids are still in the model, that it was a wonderful time to engage in something that was just beginning,

as well as introduce a concept of education to this community and help families. When it’s all said and done, [the University Model] really gives families a lot of control over their children’s schedule and the time they have to spend working on schooling. The desire I had to come here was because I believe that there are a lot of families out there that if they knew how convenient the model was, and how it is something they could actually accomplish at home, they would do it. There are many families who are frustrated with the amount of time their kids spend doing

homework or whatever it may be, and this model allows you to decide when that work will be done and take back control over your kids' study time. Obviously you are a family man yourself. Tell me some more about your own kids. Both of my children are competitive gymnasts, so they practice five days a week in the evenings – meaning we were really struggling to find a way to go to the gym while maintaining a five-day-a-week school curriculum. So, this model allowed us to use an entire school day to catch up on work from the previous night after a long afternoon at the gym. As a sophomore, Wil is getting four to seven hours of work he needs to do under our authority at home. For those who may have never heard of the University Model of education, how would you explain it? So, it’s actually a copyrighted model – there are just under 100 University-Model Schools in the country today – but basically the model is preparing kids for the experience they will have in college, starting at a young age. So in elementary school, the kids are in school two days a week and three days at home. The parents are the primary influence in the students’ lives. As the kids get older,

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technology these days, but when you allow the kids to be off campus to learn, then there are opportunities outside of the direction of the teacher to learn concepts through external resources. The parent can pull in the resources for their child that could be something different than the teacher may have thought of on their own. So, I might be sitting at home with my son as he’s trying to learn a concept in Algebra II, and I can go online with him, and we can figure it out using Khan Academy or other resources. He could be learning something from the top Algebra II teacher in the world from a YouTube video, and he doesn’t have to sit there with his hand up and say he’s confused and hope the teacher can explain it. External resources and (parental) resources are huge when it comes to this model. the parents still have guidance over their academic program, but they don’t need to be as involved. With a first-grader, you might be sitting with your child working them through a math lesson, but by the time they get into the sixth grade – with the teachers and how they design the lesson plans – it becomes more student oriented and the parent becomes more of a mentor. What these kids are learning is how to properly manage their time. This model is preparing kids to be able to navigate their future college experience. If someone were to ask you what your personal thoughts were on how we can better educate our youth, what would you tell them? How does this model help? To me, the key to any educational endeavor is the parents. If children are getting supported at home, they can really thrive. There is a reason and a purpose for every model of education – whether it be a public school or a private school. There are different groups of people with different needs. Where this model really thrives is for that family who wants to have much more involvement in what their children are learning, allowing them to be the primarily influence in their child’s life. If you look at a traditional education, a child is going to be under the influence of a teacher for more hours in a day than they would with their parent. This model really does allow that parent to be the primary influencer in their child’s life. In a traditional academic environment, teachers teach to a class of children as opposed to the individual, unique child. However in this model, you make more of class time – you take away all the distractions, yet they still go to school where they learn to navigate and

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manage with other people in the classroom. They still have to do what the teacher says – they need to know when to sit still or not to sit still, when to raise their hand or not raise their hand – so they are learning all the social aspects of how to be under the authority of someone else in class, yet you can still choose to teach your children exactly how you wish to teach them the other days of the week. Now that I’ve seen this model work, I realize that a student doesn't have to be in school five days a week to learn. If they have the structure and support, they can learn anywhere. The University Model is, to say the least, a different approach to educating our youth. What other special approaches to education does Providence Preparatory Academy take? Well, I think the opportunity to gain external learning sources. All schools are going to use

Going back to you personally and your responsibilities as headmaster, what do you hope to bring to the academy? I think the biggest thing would be experience. I’ve helped grow a school before and I love the challenge of starting something that’s relatively new. When you walk around [the academy] other than being small right now, it’s a normal school. I want to help people in this community realize that a school like Providence is something that they can utilize. I feel a particular desire to help Mike, Pam and Peggie – all people who helped to start this school – build on their own dream. I’d love to see this be a thriving educational option in this community. I want it to be a very strong and credible school that parents are proud to send their kids to.


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SAVING PRIVA


ATE POKÉMON Have you noticed the Pokémon Special on the menu boards of Broad Street? Well, it’s not the fresh catch of the day. But wait, maybe it is.

T E X T Tripp Durden P H OTO S Cameron Flaisch


O

ver the last couple of months, there have been countless reports of strange sightings across the Greater Rome area. Large groups of people have been spotted walking around with their faces down, phones in hand, completely absorbed in what is happening on the screens of their devices. These groups will often walk down Broad Street in one direction only to suddenly and simultaneously change course, heading to a different spot or storefront. To the outsider, this behavior may seem a random. To those in the know, it makes perfect sense. The truth is, these groups of people can see things to which the rest of us are blind. They are privy to the location of hidden items and secret monsters via an app that has taken over the landscape. They are caught up in a phenomenon that is almost 20 years old – a craze that does not show signs of slowing down any time soon. They are all chasing the Pokémon Master. The 90s saw a rise in the popularity of Japanese cartoons and comics. Shows like “Dragon Ball Z,” “Yu-Gi-Oh” and “Inuyasha” stole the hearts of children and livened their imaginations; however, one exploded in a way that none of the others did. “Pokémon” was a force to be reckoned with. Based in a world full of magical creatures with special powers, “Pokémon” is about a young boy named Ashe Ketchum who dreams of being a master Pokémon trainer. The show follows him on his adventures as

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Pikachú in Swift&Finch

“ I’ve seen upwards of 10 to 15 people in here playing at one time. It’s not just kids either; people of all ages have been playing at Swift. he catches, trains and battles his way through the Pokémon league. The franchise would go onto produce its own trading card game, toys, and movies in addition to being picked up by one of the world’s most well-known video game companies, Nintendo. Nintendo produced over 40 Pokémon games across multiple generations of systems and, as of 2015, had grossed over $60 billion from video games alone. So, it comes as no surprise that their newest game, “Pokémon Go,” has what seems like half the world glued to their phones. This

time, Nintendo has modernized the gaming experience for fans using Augmented Reality (AR); instead of moving a character around a setting comprised of computer-generated surroundings, you become the character and the game lives in your world. AR is the first step towards virtual reality. For example, when playing “Pokémon Go,” players can find Pokémon in places that are real landmarks. Broad Street is covered with them, which is why you see people with cell phones traveling in packs and pointing out the elusive creatures. “Pokémon Go” is revolutionary because it puts the user in the driver’s seat instead of a small, animated figure on the screen; this has completely changed the way people play and experience video games. Those of us who grew up playing "Pokémon" have taken to the app with an all-new fervor for the popular franchise, engrossed by the idea of getting to become a Pokémon Master ourselves. “As a kid, I always wanted to be Ash Ketchum,” said 18-year-old John Spranza. “My brother and I loved Pokémon. ‘Pokémon Go’ has made me feel like a kid all over again.” Spranza and his younger brother, Nick,

enjoy searching for Pokémon downtown and collecting items from “PokéStops,” which can be found at local businesses and landmarks. PokéStops are sort of like pit stops for players and are essential to the way the game works. You can stop at these designated areas to collect supplies that can be used in the game. “My phone battery dies constantly, so sometimes we go to Swift & Finch to plug them in and recharge them,” says Spranza. “Luckily, Swift is a PokéStop.” Through these designated PokéStops, the game is having a positive impact on the business community. Andrew Lowry, a barista at Swift & Finch, has seen a clear uptick in business since the game first exploded onto the scene. “I noticed people playing almost immediately,” he says. “That is actually how I first heard about the game. I’ve seen upwards of 10 to 15 people in here playing at one time. It’s not just kids either; people of all ages have been playing at Swift.” Lowry began playing because of the hype he saw building around the game, both online and in his social circles. “I never played growing up,” he says. “It was a bit after my v3 magazine 31


Pikachú training for battle in Wright Athletic with Corey Pitts

time … I love that the game forces people to be communal and get out of their house. It helps you meet people and gets folks out of their normal surroundings. I saw almost 100 people playing in the middle of the night at Myrtle Hill. That’s insane!” Nintendo designed the game to be social and – unlike most video games – “Pokémon Go” encourages physical activity. The game maps out your city using GPS and only allows you to gain experience and supplies if you visit the landmarks and destinations in person. Players are also rewarded for distance walked. “Pokémon Go” is a big deal not just because it has made Nintendo tons of money, but because it is giving us a hint as to where video games are headed in the future. For a long time, video games have been seen in a negative light because of the way they isolate people. Gamers are often portrayed as lazy or unmotivated. Thanks to “Pokémon Go,” that stigma is changing. The game is having a positive impact in the lives of would-be Pokémon Masters as well as local businesses. And while not all of the news surrounding this new phenomenon has been positive, like the guy who crashed his car while playing, it seems the good outweighs the bad. Players young and old are building relationships thanks to the invisible monsters hidden all around our town. It seems that “Pokémon Go” is really going places.

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Want to see more Pikachú? Check out V3's facebook and instagram for a behind-the-scenes look into this process. And look out for participation in future shoots!


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Million Dollar Smiles

TE X T Corinna Underwood PH OTO S C ameron Flaisch and provided by Pridemore&Cox Orthodontics

True passion for people makes one want to share it with the world. Dr. Ryan Cox is all about sharing, especially right here at home.

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Y

our smile directly affects your confidence and self-esteem, which is why a bright, healthy smile is important, especially for young people. Dr. Ryan J. Cox of Pridemore & Cox Orthodontics realized this from an early age. After having extensive orthodontic work as a child, he developed an interest in the profession and asked his orthodontist if he could shadow him to learn more. Before long, the young Ryan Cox began working after school, making retainers and bleaching trays and keeping records. He followed his passion through college, ultimately graduating from the University of Alabama with a doctorate degree and certificate in orthodontics and dentofacial orthopedics. Cox’s commitment to excellence is reflected in the fact that Pridemore & Cox has been voted the Rome News-Tribune Reader’s Choice Best Orthodontist of Rome five times. He is truly dedicated to bringing positive change to the lives of his patients, and he loves to see their confidence and self-esteem grow. “I feel blessed to live and work in such a wonderful community and am proud to offer excellence in orthodontics in a family friendly atmosphere,” he says. “I am inspired by the moment when our patients see their amazing new smile.” Always looking for ways to use his talent to serve others, Dr. Cox has been involved in several mission trips around the world since he began his dental career. He also got involved with the Smile for a Lifetime Foundation, a national nonprofit organization that seeks to provide quality orthodontic treatment to young people who are unable to achieve a healthy, confident smile without financial assistance.

" These kids are receiving new smiles that will carry them into the future, giving them confidence to achieve their goals and dreams.

Smile for a Lifetime (S4L) is comprised of 165 chapters in 45 states, with each helping six or more young people between the ages of 11 and 18 per year. By the end of 2015, S4L had donated around $25 million in orthodontic services. Dr. Cox and his team have been working with S4L for the past two years. “Last year, we were able to start treatment on eight deserving children at our practice through our Smile for a Lifetime program,” he says. “These kids are receiving new smiles that will carry them into the future, giving them confidence to achieve their goals and dreams.”


It was then that he came up with a great idea. Instead of asking his recipients to pay it forward with money, he asks them to support their local community by committing 10 hours of their time to community service in an area of their choosing, whether it is their church, school, a local shelter or another charitable organization. This way, every child selected for the S4L program realizes that he or she has the power to impact the community in a positive way. “I believe giving is not always about money; it’s about understanding other people’s struggles and caring enough to help out,” says

Dr. Cox. “Therefore, my team and I donate our time and talents free of cost. I have also made arrangements with several orthodontic supply companies to donate braces and auxiliaries used in treatment.”

To learn more about the Rome chapter of Smile for a Lifetime or find out how you can help, contact Andrea Weaver at Pridemore & Cox Orthodontics by calling 706-234-0877.

To be eligible for the S4L program, a child must have a significant aesthetic need for braces and be able to demonstrate financial need. Applications are submitted on an ongoing basis and reviewed quarterly by an independent board of directors who selects each candidate. S4L covers any orthodontics that can be corrected with braces and appliances. Dr. Cox says that many organizations that donate orthodontic treatment ask the recipients to pay it forward by contributing a small amount to cover the cost of the next child to be treated, typically around $600. “When I was forming and structuring our Smile for a Lifetime chapter, this bothered me,” he says. “How would someone who is truly in need of a free service be able to come up with that amount of money? Forbes magazine recently wrote an article stating that 63 percent of Americans do not have enough money in their bank account to cover a $500 emergency, so how will these patients come up with $600?”

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Settling in has not been easy for these masters of the pit because folks are piling up at the doors for a taste. T E X T Lauren Jones-Hillman P H OTO S C ameron Flaisch

v3 magazine 41


A

mid the clinking of silverware against plates, the friendly murmur of suppertime banter and the ever-present, mouthwatering smell of slow-cooking meats, Johnny Mitchell’s Smokehouse has earned its place as a staple restaurant of the South, coaxing diners near and far to tuck in around the table under the classic, little red roof. In the warmly lit dining area, it’s not uncommon for restaurateurs Jill and Johnny Mitchell to sit down with patrons and talk awhile, whether it’s about life, memories or the inspiration behind the latest creative item on the menu. At the Smokehouse, customers feel as if they are transported back in time to their grandmother’s table, no matter where they’re from. Johnny Mitchell describes himself as a native-born son of Atlanta and comes from a long line of fine cooks of Southern cuisine, while Jill Mitchell hails from California’s San Joaquin Valley, the result being that their dinner tables are stacked with the smoky flavors of different cultural influences. “We mix classic barbecue and new flavors, and with the influence of my growing up in California, that’s a fun combination,” says Jill. “We love to play with our food, so there’s always wacky, creative stuff on our menu.” One creative plate is the Johnny Mitchell’s Smokehouse Brisket Quesadilla, which is currently on Georgia’s “100 Plates Locals Love” list. The tender, smoked brisket served in crispy, golden quesadillas with three homemade salsas and sour cream is a flavor-packed southwestern barbecue fiesta that makes diners swoon. “The green salsa is my favorite with that,” adds Jill.

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Johnny smokes the meat all night, seven days a week, in a big smoker out back, on hickory and local wild cherry wood. Another unique dish the restaurant serves is smoked tofu. “That tends to blow people’s minds,” says Jill. “It’s marinated and smoked, so vegans can have a barbecue sandwich, too. Just put sauce on it, and you’re eating barbecue. There’s always one vegetarian person in every family and people freak out because they don’t know what to feed them, but here, there’s something for everyone.” Wanting to offer a cornbread of sorts, the Mitchells opted for preparing authentic Johnny Cakes, a classic cornbread made on a griddle. There’s also toast slathered in a garlic-parmesan butter, and one piece is never enough. “We recently launched the Tri Tip which is California style barbecue,” Jill says. “It’s roast beef essentially, but it’s what California people think of when you say ‘barbecue.’” Their pork barbecue, of course, is the classic choice, and with five of Johnny’s signature homemade sauces, barbecue has never tasted so savory. The Mitchells have a blast experimenting and trying new things while helping others expand their taste buds’ horizons. Each month,

they hold a Chef ’s Table, which is a dinner pairing menu, and in August they highlighted Indian cuisine. “It had eight courses and everything from chicken tikka masala, mulligatawny soup, and lamb korma,” Jill said. But the Johnny Mitchell’s Smokehouse menu in all its creativity wasn’t always what it is now. Jill says it’s taken more than 10 years - and three restaurant locations - for the Smokehouse to grow and evolve. It’s been more than 30 years since she and Johnny started their restaurant adventure at the Dining Room in Lake Arrowhead, something Jill says they never actually wanted in the first place. “We never wanted to run a restaurant because we are both smarter than that,” she laughs. “We got tricked into it. We bought our partners out at Lake Arrowhead and they bailed on us. We were the last ones standing. We were in so deep, we couldn’t get out then.” Together, they learned through trial and error how to run a restaurant in a gated community. “It was really hard because the gate could turn people away. Being open to the public inside a gated community was … special.”


" She was so lost and so lonely, and we took her in and fed her on a day the restaurant wasn’t open. And she never knew (we weren’t open) until the very end. I just am so grateful that my life can have an impact like that.

But Jill says these challenges taught her and Johnny how to create a community within the community. “There are lifelong friendships flourishing now because people met their neighbors at the restaurant,” she says. “They tell stories about that. It had a meaningful impact on their lives to have a place within their community to go and be entertained and meet people.” Having inherited “a really terrible” Italian menu, once they bought out their partners, Johnny and Jill began working on the menu

patrons love to this day. After Lake Arrowhead, the restaurant moved to Euharlee. “We had already created the Johnny Mitchell’s Smokehouse brand with the little red roof, and the little building out there had a red roof and a broken brick floor,” Jill says. “It was really great; we were out there eight years. Everything we had learned about creating community helped us survive because we were the only restaurant in the area. We had to brand ourselves as a destination worthy of people driving out there to eat.” But after nearly a decade of success in Euharlee, a failed septic system sent the couple on a search for a new location once again. Now,

v3 magazine 43


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they have landed in Cartersville where they feel the most at home, Jill says. Johnny Mitchell’s Smokehouse has a twofold mission. One is to create community and serve food infused with love. The second is to nurture a staff of hard workers and prepare them for the workforce beyond the restaurant floor. “By definition, working at a restaurant is ‘what you do in the meantime,’” Jill explains. “We help people get where they need to be. We are a first-time employer and we are a second-chance employer. It puts people on their feet, helps get them through school and move on to their next thing. They learn everything they need to be a good employee for their next employer, and when they graduate in their field, I hire them again. Being of service like that, I think, is invaluable for both parties. You get to impact lives and change people.” It seems that creating communities and impacting lives weren’t necessarily the top two items on their to-do lists when Johnny and Jill fell into the restaurant business, but it happened nonetheless. Jill recalls a day years ago when she felt the full force of her calling. “One lady wandered in; it was a day that we were not really open. It was years ago,” she says. “She was so lost and so lonely, and we took her in and fed her on a day the restaurant wasn’t open. And she never knew (we weren’t open) until the very end. I just am so grateful that my life can have an impact like that.” There’s a difference between a job and a vocation. Through three decades of tweaking menus, changing locations, building their mission, trucking through the hardest times and coasting along the best, the owners of Johnny’s Smokehouse know there’s no place they’d rather be than serving up a delicious meal, with you at their table. “It turns out this is what we’re meant to be doing,” Jill says. “That helps when things get really hard, to know you’re doing what you were meant to do.”

Coosa Valley Home Health Care, an Amedisys company, is in the business of helping our patients maintain and improve their quality of life-at home. Home is the place where family, friends and familiar surroundings make patients feel most comfortable - and recover faster. With more than two decades of experience in the health care industry, we understand the importance of delivering high-quality services to patients in their homes. Choose Coosa Valley for all your home care needs.

Visit Johnny Mitchell’s Smokehouse online at johnnymitchellssmokehouse.com or visit their new location at 650 Henderson Drive #403, Cartersville, Georgia.

v3 magazine 45


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650 DrDr #403 650 Henderson 650Henderson Henderson #403 Dr #403 406 Broad Street 406 Broad 100 Covered Bridge Road 406 Broad Street 406 Broad StreetStreet Cartersville, GA Cartersville, GA Cartersville, Rome, GA 30161 Rome, GA 30161 Euharlee, GAGA Rome, GA 30161 Rome, GA 30161 PH: 770-334-3431 PH: PH:770-334-3431 770-334-3431 PH: 700-334-3431 PH: 706-234-4613 PH: 706-234-4613 PH: 706-234-4613 www.johnnymitchells.com PH: 706-234-4613 www.johnnymitchells.com www.johnnymitchells.com www.johnnymitchells.com Hours: Mon-Thur: 11:00amHours:Mon-Thur: Mon-Thur: 11:00am-9:00pm Hours: 11:00am9 :00pm 9 :00pm Open everyday from 11am-9pm Hours: Mon-Thur: 11:00am- 9 :00pm

413413 Broad Street 413 Broad Street 413 Broad Street Broad Street Rome, GA 30161 Rome, GA30161 30161 Rome, GA Rome, GA 30161 PH: 706-238-9000 PH: 706-238-9000

706-238-9000 PH:PH: 706-238-9000

Sat: 6:00pm-10:00pm Hours:Hours: Mon - Mon Sat:- 6:00pm-10:00pm Hours: Mon Sat: 6:00pm-10:00pm Hours: MonBlock - Sat:- 6:00pm-10:00pm 400 & Lounge : 4:00pm-1:30am Fri-Sat: 11:00am-10:00pm 400 Block Bar &Bar Lounge : 4:00pm-1:30am Fri-Sat: 11:00am-10:00pm Fri-Sat: 11:00am-10:00pm Live music each weekend. 400 Block Bar & Lounge : 4:00pm-1:30am 400 Block Bar & Lounge : 4:00pm-1:30am Fri-Sat: 11:00am-10:00pm Live music each weekend. Sun : 11:30 3:00pm Sun: 11:30am-3:00pm Johnny Mitchell’s has hand-cut LiveLive music each each weekend. weekend. Sun : 11:30 - 3:00pm steaks,has fresh seafood selections and Johnny Mitchell’s hand-cut Lamusic Scala offers both first-rate Johnny Mitchell’s has hand-cut Sun :Schroeder’s 11:30 - 3:00pm menu includes steaks, fresh seafood seafoodselections selections and La Scala offers both first-rate slow-smoked Schroeder’s menu includes steaks, fesh and La Scala offers offers bothterrific first-rate steaks, freshauthentic seafoodbarbecue selections and La service Scala bothItalian first-rate and Cuisine in Schroeder’s menu includes authentic barbecue slow-smoked sandwiches,menu calzones, soups, salads, service and terrific Italian Cuisine in Schroeder’s includes over cherry and hickory wood. Come authentic barbecue slow-smoked authentic barbecue slow-smoked sandwiches,calzones, calzones, soups, salads, service and terrific Italian CuisineCuisine in an upscale casual atmosphere. service and terrific Italian in sandwiches, soups, salads, over cherry and hickory wood. Come experience the fusion of Southern sandwiches, potato skins, nachos, wings, and more. over cherry and hickory wood. Come calzones, soups, salads, over cherry and hickory wood. Come anupscale upscalecasual casual atmosphere. potatoskins, skins,nachos, nachos, wings, wings, and and more. more. off cafe menu an atmosphere. experience the fusion of Southern hospitality and fine dining. potato an 50% upscale casual atmosphere. And don’t forget our pizza! It’s the best experience the fusion of Southern experience the fusion of Southern potato skins, nachos, wings, and more. 50%off off cafe menu p.m. Anddon’t don’tforget ourpizza! pizza! It’sthe the hospitality fine dining. from cafe menu Whatever you are in the mood for, And our best try our 50%50% hospitalityand and fine inforget town...and for a It’s sweet treat, off 4:00-6:00 cafe menu hospitality and finedining. dining. And don’t forget our pizza! It’s the best from4:00-6:00 4:00-6:00 p.m. best in town... and for a sweet treat, Whatever you are in the mood for, you’ll find a homemade meal at our from p.m. Cheesecake Calzone! (Draft & Bottled in town...and for a sweet treat, try our Whatever you areare in the mood for, for, from 4:00-6:00 p.m. Whatever you in the mood in town...and for a sweet treat, try our try our Cheesecake Calzone! Beers & Wine also offered) Famous Smokehouse that will bring youCheesecake you’ll find aa homemade meal at our Calzone! (Draft &(Draft Bottled you’ll find homemade meal at our you’ll find a homemade meal at our Cheesecake Calzone! (Draft & Bottled for:Beers Roast Beef back again! and Bottled WineRelief! also offered) Beers & Wine also &offered) Famous Smokehouse that will will bring you Smokehouse that bring you Beers & Wine also offered) Famous Smokehouse that will bring you Famous for: Their Roast Beef Relief! for: Roast Beef Relief! back again! back again! for: Roast Beef Relief! back again!

Open everyday 11am-9pm Open everydayfrom from 11am-9pm Open everyday from 11am-9pm Johnny Mitchell’s has hand-cut

www.getjamwiched.com 510 Broad Street 2817 Martha Berry Highway Rome, GA 30161 Rome, GA 30165 PH: 706-314-9544 www.wowcafe.com/rome www.getjamwiched.com PH: 706.291.8969 www.wowcafe.com/rome www.getjamwiched.com 510 Like us on FACEBOOK Hours: -Thu: 11:00am- 10:00pm 510 Broad Street www.wowcafe.com/rome 2817Martha Martha BerryMon Highway www.getjamwiched.com 510 Broad Street 2817 Berry Highway www.wowcafe.com/rome

Fri - Sat: 11:00am-11:00pm

Rome,Martha GA 30165 30165 2817 Berry Rome, GA Sun:Highway 11:00am-9:00pm PH:706.291.8969 706.291.8969 Rome, GA 30165 PH:

MonSat 11:00am-3:00pm Rome, GA 30161 BroadGA Street Rome, 30161 Jamwich - Serving distinctive Rome, GA 30161 PH: 706-314-9544 PH: 706-314-9544

sandwiches, salads, and soups. PH: Like706-314-9544 us on Like us onFACEBOOK FACEBOOK Hours: Mon -Thu:11:00am11:00am- 10:00pm PH: 706.291.8969 Hours: Mon -Thu: WOW strives10:00pm to serve the highest Sandwiches built with the finest us on FACEBOOK Fri -- Sat: 11:00am-11:00pm Mon-Sat.11:00am-3:00pm MonSatLike 11:00am-3:00pm Sat: 11:00am-11:00pm Hours:Fri Mon -Thu: 11:00am10:00pm quality of food with the freshest Sun: Boar’s Head meats and Sun: 11:00am-9:00pm Mon- Satingredients: Fri 11:00am-9:00pm - Sat: 11:00am-11:00pm Jamwich -11:00am-3:00pm Serving distinctive You will leave saying Jamwich - Serving distinctive Sun: ingredients. 11:00am-9:00pm cheeses, Zelma’s Blue Ribbon Jams Jamwich Serving distinctive sandwiches, salads, and salads, andsoups. soups. a Place!” Famous sandwiches, WOWstrives strives “WOW! to serve serveWhat the and Jellies, fresh sourdough bread, WOW to the highest highest sandwiches, salads, and soups. Sandwiches built Sandwiches built with with the the finest finest for: Wings and over 17 signature premium Boars Head thick cut bacon quality food with thefreshest freshest WOWofof strives to serve the highest quality food with the Sandwiches built with the finest ingredients: Boar’s Head meats and sauces to choose from! ingredients:and Boar’s Head meats and farm-to-table produce. ingredients. You will leave saying quality of food the freshest ingredients. You with will leave saying ingredients: Boar’s Head meats and cheeses, Zelma’s Blue Ribbon Jams cheeses, Zelma’s Blue Ribbon Jams “WOW! What aYou Place!” Famous ingredients. will leave saying “WOW! What a Place!” Famous and Jellies, fresh sourdough bread, cheeses, Zelma’s Blue Ribbon Jams and Jellies, fresh sourdough bread, for: Wings and a over 17 signature “WOW! What Place!” Famous for: Wings and over 17 signature premium Boarsfresh Head thick and Jellies, bread, premium Boars Headsourdough thickcut cutbacon bacon sauces to choose from! for: Wings and over 17 signature sauces to choose from! and farm-to-table produce. premium Boarsproduce. Head thick cut bacon and farm-to-table sauces to choose from! and farm-to-table produce.

595 Riverside Parkway Rome, GA 30161

PH: 706-233-9960 595 Riverside Hours: SunParkway -Thu: 11:00am-9:00pm 595 Riverside Parkway Rome, Fri - Sat:Parkway 11:00am-10:00pm 595 GA Riverside Rome, GA30161 30161 Rome, GA 30161 Fuddruckers catering can help PH: 706-233-9960

PH: 706-233-9960 you feed just about any size group, Hours: Sun -Thu: PH: 706-233-9960 Hours: Sun -Thu:11:00am-9:00pm 11:00am-9:00pm FriFri - Sat: 11:00am-10:00pm anytime, anywhere. Our menu will Hours: Sun -Thu: 11:00am-9:00pm - Sat: 11:00am-10:00pm Frithe - Sat: please most11:00am-10:00pm discerning tastes Fuddruckers catering cancan helphelp Fuddruckers catering andjust meet the high standards you you feed any group, Fuddruckers can help you feed justabout aboutcatering anysize size group,

We about know how tosize make anytime, anywhere. Our will yourequire. feed just any group, anytime, anywhere. Ourmenu menu will your event discerning spectaculartastes with the please the anytime, anywhere. Our tastes menu will please themost most discerning WORLD’S GREATEST CATERING. and meet the standards you tastes thehigh most discerning andplease meet the high standards you require. We know how to make and meet the high standards require. We know how to make you your event spectacular with to themake require. We know how your event spectacular with the WORLD’S GREATEST CATERING. your event spectacular with the WORLD’S GREATEST CATERING.

WORLD’S GREATEST CATERING.

Rome, GA Est. GA 2012Est. 2012 Rome,

227 Broad Street 227 Broad Street 227 Broad Street 227 Broad Street Rome, Georgia 30161 Rome, Georgia 30161 Rome, GA 30161 Rome, Georgia 30161

PH:(706) (706) 204-8173 204-8173 PH: PH: 706-204-8173 PH: (706) 204-8173 www.curlees.com www.curlees.com www.curlees.com www.curlees.com

Hours:Mon-Thurs: Mon-Thurs: 11:00am-9:00pm 11:00am-9:00pm Hours: Hours: Mon-Thurs: 11:00am-9:00pm Hours: Mon-Thurs: 11:00am-9:00pm Fri-Sat: 11:00am-10:00pm Fri-Sat: 11:00am-10:00pm Fri-Sat: 11:00am-10:00pm Fri-Sat: Curlee’s offers casual11:00am-10:00pm dining, Curlee’s offers casual dining, Curlee’s offers casual dining, fresh fresh seafood, hand-cut steaks, Curlee’s offers casual dining, fresh seafood, hand-cut steaks, chicken and more! It is located onand fresh seafood, hand-cut steaks, seafood, hand-cut steaks, chicken chicken and more! It is located Broad Street in more! the center theon city,on chicken and It isofStreet located more! It is located on Broad Broad Street in the center of the and it has a family-friendly atmo- city, Broad Street in the center of the city, sphere! and it has a family-friendly atmoin the center of the city, and it has a and it has a family-friendly atmosphere! Takes Reservations, Walk-Ins family-friendly atmo-sphere! sphere! Takes Reservations, Walk-Ins Welcome, Good For Kids, Take Takes Reservations, Walk-Ins Takes Reservations, Walk-Ins Out, Catering Waiter Service Welcome, Goodand For Kids, Take Welcome, Good For Kids, Take Welcome, Good For Kids, Take Out, Catering andWaiter Waiter Service Out, Catering and Service Out, Catering and Waiter Service

3401 Martha Berry Hwy Rome, GA 30165

PH: 706-291-1881 Hours: Sun -Thu: 11:00am-10:00pm 3401 Martha Hwy Call or Text YourBerry Order to: Fri - 30165 Sat: 11:00am-11:00pm 3401GA Martha Berry Hwy Rome, PH: 706-237-8320. Dine in, Take out, or delivery... Rome, GA 30165

PH: 706-291-1881 Lunches: Wed/Thurs/Fri in Downtown Rome Authentic Italian is what we do! We PH: 706-291-1881 Hours: Sun -Thu: 11:00am-10:00pm Food Truck Friday: 11am-2:00pm have enjoyed great success by @ 2nd Hours: 11:00am-10:00pm Fri Sun - Sat:-Thu: 11:00am-11:00pm providing our guests a casual, Ave.with & 2nd Street Friout, - Sat: 11:00am-11:00pm Dine in, Take orand delivery... friendly atmosphere excellent Friday Nights @ River Dog Outpost Dine in, Take out, or delivery... Authentic istowhat we do! We service. InItalian addition the healthy Saturday Late Nights on Broad Street Authentic Italian is what we do! We have enjoyed great portions of our food,success you will by see our Delivery through Roman Food Delivery have enjoyed great success by providing our guests with a casual, entrees range from homemade Checkproviding out our full weekly schedule & our guests with a casual, sandwiches, pizzas and to friendly atmosphere and calzones excellent rotating menu at: eatspeakcheesey.com pastas, chicken, veal and seafood friendly atmosphere and excellent service. In addition to the healthy dishContact us about booking, catering, and es. www.romamiagrill.com service. In addition thesee healthy portions of our food, youtowill our private events at : hillery@speakcheesey.com portions offrom our food, you will see our entrees range homemade MULTIPLE GOOD EATS to entreesTRUCKS. range homemade sandwiches, pizzasfrom and calzones

sandwiches, pizzas and calzones to pastas, chicken, veal and seafood dishpastas, chicken, veal and seafood dishes. www.romamiagrill.com es. www.romamiagrill.com

Make it a meal worth remembering. Where to eat in Northwest Georgia.

Make it a meal worth remembering. Where to eat in Northwest Georgia. Make it a meal worth remembering. Where to eat in Northwest Georgia. Make it a meal worth remembering. Where to eat in Northwest Georgia. v3 magazine 47


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