V3 September 2015

NWGA'S PREMIER FEATURE MAGAZINE / SEPTEMBER 2015

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H ERITAGE AUTO GRO UP P RESENTS

2 0 1 5 AWA R D S & N W G A C U L I N A RY FA N FA R E

Vote for your favorite restaurants then join us for V3’s 1st annual Taste&Toast event & experience the best food from the best restaurants all over NWGA.

TO VOTE Go to www.v3magazine.com and click on the link for “Taste & Toast”.

Choose one restaurant per category and click the VOTE button at the bottom of each category.

Results in the November 2015 issue of V3 and revealed at our 2015 Taste&Toast Event on November 13th.

Go to v3magazine.com to vote and buy tickets today.

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SEPTEMBER 2015 J. B RYA N T STEELE suggests that the circle of life has nothing to do with six Jeeps on the Sahara and a trapped animal with nowhere to run. That sounds about as dirty as the air in China in the summertime.

K IN D RED H OS PITA L has a new CEO, but Dr. Alfonso Diaz is no stranger to Rome and the excellent level of service associated with the health care facilities that keep us well.

This gentleman is no stranger to notes on the staff. Now, SA M BA LTZ ER will take the podium to lead the Rome Symphony Orchestra into a new age of performance.

Stunning views, starry nights and a sturdy build are only part of the charm Norman and Peg Arey are offering to potential buyers of their CASTL E IN TH E C LOUDS .

The fellas of B L A C KBI R D REVIVA L have just one goal in mind as they descend on Broad Street, and that is to play the tunes that help us fly.

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w w w. c o o s ava l l e y. c o m v3 magazine 7

A Ian Griffin

OWNER+CEO

few months after my son was born, my wife came across a viral video of two comedians that underwent a simulation designed to create the pain of contractions before and during delivery. She handed me her phone and I watched as the two men prepared for their experience, playfully mocking the pain tolerance of women and generally acting like it would be a walk in the park.

They even laughed as the electrodes were stuck to their stomachs and hooked in to the machine, but their chuckles quickly dissipated once the simulation began. With both men rolling onto their sides and curling into the fetal position, the doctor informed

PUBLISHER’S NOTE them that they were feeling the lowest setting and proceeded to steadily move up the scale to the point of delivery.

The best part about the video was watching their wives almost wet their pants laughing at their formerly macho spouses as they squirmed and begged for it all to be over. While I’m sure a good portion, if not all, of the pre-game taunting was for show, the acting stopped once the contractions started, and both gentlemen ate their words in the interview that followed.

As it ended, my wife made a comment that I and all men should have to go through that so that we understood what childbirth felt like, to which I quickly replied, “No, thank you.” While I’m sure there are a large percentage of men that think women overstate the pains of pregnancy and delivery, I am not among them, and I would wager that most fathers that have witnessed the nine-month process of creating a life would side with me as well.

With our third child due in September, I have recently been reminded of why I am grateful to be a man and forever in debt to my mother and wife for bringing me and my children into this world. Apparently, there are women that thrive while pregnant, feeling like a million bucks from conception to delivery … my wife is not one of those, and this third pregnancy has been the toughest of them all. As a husband, you feel pretty helpless in this situation, so all you can do is try to sympathize with what they are going through. I’ve been taking notes on what I would hate about being pregnant if the tables were turned.

The first sign that a new Griffin was on the way came in the form of the sounds of morning sickness. Well into the second trimester, I didn’t need an alarm clock … I could rise and not really shine each day to my wife hovering over a toilet. That eventually passed but what a terrible way to start your day.

As that part subsided, so began the swelling of feet and ankles, making the easiest of tasks labor intensive. She was showing at this point, so another thing I thought would drive me nuts was people I barely knew or didn’t know at all coming up and touching my belly while they talked to me. I know it’s all out of enthusiasm but seriously, that’s personal space so to me “good touch, bad touch” rules apply. She never seemed to flinch but if it were my stomach, hands would be welcome by invitation only.

Then there is the whole straight-out-of-“Alien” deal of having a living creature growing inside your stomach. Very cool but it has to be pretty weird at the same time to see a hand sweep across your stomach from the inside. I just don’t know if I could handle a foot, hand or elbow pressing against my rib cage at random moments during the day.

The icing on the cake is that she even missed out on what I would think would be a huge positive during a pregnancy – eating for two! At about the halfway point, she was diagnosed with gestational diabetes, and I won’t even get started on what a pain that has been. Needless to say, ice cream was off the table and that just doesn’t seem fair to me.

There are plenty of other things I would gripe about but to sum it up, I would be a big fat whiner if I were ever pregnant. My wife, on the other hand, has been an absolute trooper. She let me drag her to six concerts in the summer heat, is working right up to delivery, and has kept a fairly rosy disposition considering how miserable she feels. I know that is a result of the end game – and that every bit of the discomfort is worth it when your baby arrives – but from the outside looking in, I wouldn’t want to trade places. And I don’t need a simulator to prove that point.

Ian Griffin, Owner

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Owner&CEO Ian Griffin

Mag Art & Design Ellie Borromeo

Editorial Manager Oliver Robbins

Contributing Editor Tannika Wester

Writers J. Bryant Steele, Oliver Robbins, Erin deMesquita, Corinna Underwood, Louis Spivak

Executive Photographer Derek Bell, MFA 706.936.0407

Contributing Photographers Christian David Turner Cameron Flaisch

Ad Sales & Client Relations Chris Forino, Diana Davis Morgan

Ad Design & Marketing Concepts Ellie Borromeo, Christian David Turner

Publisher V3 Publications, LLC

Contact One West Fourth Avenue Rome, Ga. 30161 Office Phone 706.235.0748 v3publications@gmail.com

Creator Neal Howard

v3magazine.com

NEW DATE & TIME: Sunday Sept. 27 • 7:30 p.m.

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SO OULD T Thanks to our new neighbor and supporter, Heritage First Bank, The Historic DeSoto Theatre Foundation has the unique opportunity to bring back home one of our very own, the young and acclaimed mezzo-soprano, Jamie Barton, the pride of Rome and Armuchee Georgia. The Historic DeSoto Theatre is excited to kick off its 2015-2016 concert series with Jamie’s Opera performance, reminding us that Rome was one of the South’s important cultural and musical centers in years past, and still is today.

In addition to highlighting the restoration of our beloved theatre with this event, we also have the rare opportunity to help the New York City’s Metropolitan Opera by moving Jamie’s hometown concert date, allowing her to pinch-hit as Giovanna Seymour in Donizetti’s “Anna Bolena”. We could not be more pleased with our SOLD OUT PERFORMANCE! On behalf of the HDTF Board and supporters, we thank Heritage First Bank and all our sponsors for their commitment to the community by helping us create a very special evening in Downtown Rome.

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FOR THE LOVE OF THE GAME CENTS & SENSIBILITY WITH J. BRYANT STEELE 12

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T

here was an unwritten code for killing animals when I was a country boy: You eat what you kill. You skin and gut what you shoot down, or pull out of the river, so your mother can make a supper of it.

We didn’t have to live off the land. My parents had jobs, and there was a grocery store in town.

But I was only one generation removed from family farming, from growing and killing your food. So there were chickens scratching in the yard, cows grazing in the pasture, catfish in the Alcovy River, and small game on hundreds of acres of forest and fields.

I learned to catch and trap and kill. There was excitement in that for a growing boy, but also a sense that I was contributing to the family in some small way. (Although I didn’t get the same satisfaction from shelling butterbeans, which I still maintain is the most monotonous task there is.) In the outdoors, I had the advantage of guns and steel hooks. The animals had a chance – a dwindling chance as I learned to aim better, but still … a chance.

I began to read magazines like Outdoor Life and Sports Afield and dream of big-game hunting someday. Also influencing me – in classrooms – were the exploits of Teddy Roosevelt, who was a U.S. president after all, and Ernest Hemingway.

My interests in big-game hunting and writing were unexpectedly co-joined when I had the chance, during my sophomore year in high school, to meet a man, Charlie Elliott, who hunted big game and wrote about it in some of the magazines I was reading. Mounted on his arching den walls were the heads of deer, elk and other big animals.

A fantasy began: I would one day track really big animals, shoot them, mount their heads in my den and write about it for national magazines.

Right about then, I was doing some minor carpentry work on the house of another man who, I learned, was also a big-game hunter. One day, he asked if I’d like to see his guns.

Of course I would!

We walked down some steps to his basement and over to a wood-paneled wall. He took some kind of metal disc from his jacket and slid it over a spot in the wall only he knew. IFATHER heard OF E a metallic freeing sound, such as a heavy key lady energetic kids, be fit and makes in a padlock, and I was about to enter 007 and join the Land. A section of four-wide paneling slidinopen training would to reveal a small room with a hidden arsenal.

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v3 magazine 13

to dash your dreams (“You’ll never play college ball” … “Your car’s not that fast”).

He solemnly told me that Charlie Elliott never tracked an animal in his life. Guides, real woodsmen, took him into that world out there and set up his photographs and his kills.

As we walked back up the steps from the man’s basement, I felt I was actually descending, metaphorically, into reality.

I later learned that big-game hunters got their trophies not from heroically slaying charging beasts in a jungle but by encircling them in Jeeps in open plains, where they had far less chance than the rabbits and quail I hunted.

I learned that Ernest Hemingway, whose stories I still admire, was a narcissist, a womanizer, a bully and an alcoholic who took his own life – in efficient fashion, or a “clean kill,” as hunters say.

This summer, a Zimbabwean lion named Cecil and a Minnesota dentist named Walter made international headlines. The latter killed the former, who was lured from his wildlife preserve. Cecil suffered for nearly two days before being tracked down, finished off, beheaded and skinned.

If you want to make any justification for trophy hunting, the story of Cecil and Walter is not your trump card.

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Africa’s lion population has diminished by 82 percent just over the last couple of decades. But every day, unnamed elephants are killed solely for their tusks, and anonymous rhinoceroses merely for their horns. Maybe if they had a name, as Cecil did, there would be an outcry, a protest, a stoppage of slaughter.

This may be the least bit of irony I’ll ever attempt, but I’ll quote Charlie Elliott now: “There are heartbeats in the wilderness. They share our moments in the mountains, in the swamps, and in and on the waters of our land, wherever we might be. They are the large part of the reason we are there.”

BIZ BITS Mike Huckabee, the former Arkansas governor and perpetual president-wannabe, recently took a stand on a global issue. Not the struggling Chinese economy, not the Russian military buildup … no, the aspiring leader of the free world said that a 10-year-old Pakistani girl who was raped and impregnated by her stepfather should not be allowed to have an abortion.

It is what the girl, her family and supporters want, but the religiously strict Pakistani courts

have said no. So now we know that Huckabee is concerned, but not compassionate, about a 10-year-old rape victim in a country with which the U.S. has only tenuous relations.

Beijing, China, which hosted the 2008 Summer Olympics, just won the bid for the 2022 Winter Olympics, which is unprecedented and in some minds unwarranted. This is a country that still jails dissidents and whose economy is currently dragging down other nations’, like ours. I guess Beijing’s selling point was, “At least our air pollution isn’t as bad in the winter as in the summer.”

Cape May Brewing Co. in New Jersey is coming out with a new beer to commemorate Pope Francis’ visit to Philadelphia this month.

The new brew is called YOPO for “You Only Pope Once.” For some reason, I don’t think the folks at the Anheuser-Busch Brewery in Cartersville are slapping their foreheads and asking, “Why didn’t we think of that?”

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.

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Brain Gym® | Reiki | Essential Oils 706-506-9636 (call or text) breatheyogatherapy.com beth_novian_hughes@yahoo.com Photo on left by Heather Perkins of Ginger Snaps Photography

WHAT IS

YOGA THERAPY? TEXT BETH N OVIA N H UG H ES

Y

oga therapy is not the same as yoga much like art therapy is not the same as art. When you think of art, you might visualize a studio in which the artist creates and classes are led. Likewise, when thinking of yoga, the first thing that comes to mind might be a studio where the yogi creates and yoga classes are led. Art therapy uses the tools of art in combination with psychology to bring healing to the individual. Similarly, yoga therapy uses the tools of yoga (poses, breathing and meditation) in combination with physical therapy and psychology to bring healing into the body.

A yoga therapist looks at “the issues in the tissues.” For example, many people experiencing stress tend to tense their body. Yoga therapists are trained to help relieve the tension and guide the client to the discovery of why this tension exists. It is through the combination of strengthening, lengthening and relaxing muscles – plus bringing mindful awareness to the issues – that yoga therapy brings healing. Research in yoga therapy has experienced a “three-fold increase in [the] number of publications seen in the last 10 years” (Jeter).

A typical private yoga therapy session consists of an assessment of the physical body and

breath as well as an intake interview. Next, the yoga therapist and the client develop a home practice together. During follow-up visits, the home practice is revised. The time spent in a yoga therapy sessions is not focused on “doing yoga” like one would in a yoga class, but on co-creating a custom practice that the client is then responsible for implementing. Group yoga therapy focuses on a common ailment such as Cancer or Fibromyalgia. These groups are typically very small. Home practices are still assigned to the group, which meets for a few sessions together.

The field of yoga therapy is brand new. Like all new fields, the typical stages of development are the accreditation of schools, the certification of graduates and, finally, the drafting of licensing laws by each of the 50 states. The International Association of Yoga Therapists (IAYT) has begun accrediting schools and, so far, there are 23 worldwide. IAYT has also written a certification for individual yoga therapists (CYT), most of whom have graduated from the 23 accredited programs, and will begin accepting applications for certification next summer. Therefore, as of summer 2016, this field will be ready for state licensure; at that point, the acceptance of medical insurance will not be far behind.

Yoga teachers (not therapists) can register with Yoga Alliance (RYT); teaching yoga is usually the first career step in the field. Later, after gaining a deeper knowledge, the teacher can become a therapist. It is the hope of this yoga therapist that medical professionals will eventually refer to Certified Yoga Therapists where appropriate.

Reference: Jeter, P. E., Slutsky, J., Singh, N., & Khalsa, S. B. S. (2015). Yoga as a Therapeutic Intervention: A Bibliometric Analysis of Published Research Studies from 1967 to 2013. The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine.

BETH NOVIAN HUGHES is a yoga therapist in private practice at the Healing Arts Center of Rome (www.HACRome. com). She recently completed her M.S. in Yoga Therapy through Maryland University of Integrative Health, which is accredited with IAYT and is the only master’s program in the world for yoga therapy. Contact her at 706-5069636 or beth_novian_hughes@yahoo. com or learn more about her work at www.breatheyogatherapy.com.

v3 magazine 17

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D r. A l f o n s o D i a z

CHANGING LANES When Dr. Alfonso Diaz came to Rome for a visit, he never imagined he’d find the perfect place to serve with passion.

Now, as he leaves one of Northwest Georgia’s most respected medical groups, he enters a new phase of discovery.

Leading the way for Kindred Hospital is only part of what excites Dr. Diaz about taking over as CEO. Learning his way is the challenge he is ready to meet, and his medical expertise will surely help him fill the role with ease.

TEXT LOUIS SPIVA K

a world of possibility, V3: With why did you choose medicine and become a doctor?

Originally, I wanted be an architect.

My high school career counselor put me through a series of tests, including solving a Rubik’s cube. Quite quickly both my counselor and I came to the realization that even though I probably would succeed in architecture school, and although any buildings I designed would stand, they would not be original and creative. My other passion was service, and even before I considered architecture, I had wanted to attend the seminary and become a priest. However, being the oldest son, my dad needed for me to pursue a career where I would be able to help support the family. The more I understood how my brain worked, my natural inclination toward science, specifically biology, and my desire to help others, the more medicine became the obvious career choice.

AD:

What can you tell the readers about yourself?

AD: I grew up in a blue-collar family, the old20

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PH OTOS D EREK B EL L

est of four children, with a Cuban father who held traditional values. He always said people fall somewhere on the ladder of life, and our responsibility was to assist those below by giving them a hand up to a higher rung. Because of this instilled belief, I am a team player, I am a constant learner, and I am a Doctor. Helping others has always been one of the central core values of our family.

You graduated from the University of Miami School of Medicine, so how did you end up in Rome, Georgia?

AD: After graduating from medical school in 1977, I did my internal medical residency at Jackson Memorial Hospital affiliated with the University of Miami School of Medicine and after a year as Chief Medical Resident I completed a two year Cardiology Fellowship.

I subsequently joined a single specialty Cardiology Group “Cardiology Diagnostic Associates” and grew my private practice and was very content for almost 10 years albeit working very long hours and managing two separate offices. My sister married an air

traffic controller and was living in Fayetteville GA and she had always wanted for me to come up to Georgia and visit. My accountant advised me to take the trip, and to go to a conference, or schedule an interview, and incorporate professional development with the family visit. There was an opening in Rome for an echocardiology position, and I decided to apply. After three hours of driving on I-285 and seeing the “Gold Dome” several times, I stopped at a gas station to ask directions and became concerned when the attendant had no idea where Rome was, even telling me I was in the wrong country. Thankfully, a police officer came along and had me follow him to SR 41 and I made it safely to Rome. I fell in love with Rome. I fell in love with the job opportunity.

I fell in love with the creative challenges it presented, and I fell in love with the Harbin Clinic.

You have worked at Harbin Clinic for 25 years. When you think back on this season of your life, what will stand out the most?

AD: The people. We had a staff meeting a few nights ago and I pointed out to everyone how much talent we had in the Harbin Clinic with graduates from all over the world and from prestigious academic institutions.

With such high caliber physicians already in Floyd County prior to my arrival and also with me being hired as the point person for developing echocardiology at Harbin, the challenge and the creativity it would require appealed to me.

You look now and we have 4 certified labs; we have 12 certified echo techs, and we perform all echocardiographic imaging modalities including Pediatrics. It’s great to look back and see all the progress. It sort of makes one feel like the guy who created Las Vegas. It was a desert. Then he made Vegas. This was however a team effort and we would have never accomplished what we did without the engagement of dedicated, persevering, and hardworking folks.

After so much time at Harbin, why the transition to Kindred?

AD: As I was preparing for retirement from Harbin, I went to say goodbye to Chad Lovett, the former CEO of Kindred Hospital, who was moving back to Texas to be closer to family. I expected us to have a five-minute visit because I was only going over to say goodbye. However, when I walked into the lobby at Kindred, I saw a portrait of Tony Warren, a brilliant pulmonologist, dear friend, and mentor of mine. He was one of the smartest guys I’ve ever known and responsible for the creation of the LTAC many years earlier. I was standing there looking at Tony’s portrait, and I must have been caught up with my thoughts because several employees came by to ask me, “ How may we help you, sir?”

Eventually, I went to Chad’s office and said to

him, “Chad, tell me everything you can about Kindred.” The more I heard, the more enthralled I became. Their value system on patient care and on quality service lined up so closely with the Harbin Clinic philosophy.

How will your professional experience and expertise as a cardiologist and Chief Medical Officer serve Kindred?

AD: I bring a clinical perspective to Kindred.

Currently, I believe I will be the only CEO of a Kindred Hospital who is also a physician. I can empathize and walk in the shoes of nurses. I know how to work with pharmacists.

I understand the daily life of a medical unit and how allied health personnel work; and I'm obviously very familiar and feel comfortable working alongside other physicians. However, I am going to be re-entering a learning phase of my life, as over the next six months, I become fully immersed in the new culture. Thankfully, Chad assembled a phenomenal team, with tremendous leaders for each department. As the point person, I want to be a resource to the existing experts. With Jennifer Johnstone as Chief Clinical Officer officer, Kody Kimms in charge of pharmacy, along with many other specialists, I want to facilitate the excellent work already being accomplished. It’s an incredible hospital and physical plant already, but for me, it just makes the challenge of improving the facility even more worthwhile.

You’ve spoke a lot about your passion for creativity, your style of leadership, and your heart for service. How does this all fit together moving forward?

AD: I have a lot to learn; I have never managed a hospital before, but I have lived in many hos-

pitals for a long time. For me, as I approach new challenges, I am not relying on my intelligence quotient. I am not relying on my emotional quotient. Instead, I am depending on my CQ, my collaborative quotient and ultimately my SQ or my synchronization quotient which attempts to balance as needed all of these different social dimensions. Everybody is smart, just smart in different areas. Everyone brings a different skill set to the team. We plan to harness that strength in diversity to do great things and make excellent patient care our clear focus.

At Kindred, I don’t want to be sitting in my office. 90% of the time, I want to be out in the community, visiting patients and their families, interacting with staff members. I want to have those conversations with our patrons, asking them how we can better meet their needs.

Specifically, can you share any steps you will take to better meet those needs?

AD: I know there will be a learning curve.

However, I have always been a life-long learner, and to come up against something I don’t know or understand fully yet, well that challenge perfectly fits my personality. I want to be a resource for the hospital staff and I hope to rectify any issues affecting its optimal functioning. One specific example is the dictation center, the facility where doctors can look up patient information, which currently only has one computer. A staff member brought this to my attention and to remove this bottleneck, we are adding some more computers. Small steps yet constant improvement. I may not have become an architect, but I believe I am contributing to a lasting structure. V VV

v3 magazine 21

Liven up your living room because your walls deserve more!

before

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Frame with quality you can trust.

Rome's Best independently owned and operated frame shop Hanging Around Rome by Studio Siri • www.StudioSiri.com • 706-409-3022 • 1205 Dean Ave Rome, GA 30161

v3 magazine 23

Sitting On Top of the World

What started as a weekend getaway has become a property that is too perfect not to enjoy seven days a week. text CORINNA UNDERWOOD photos DEREK BELL

I

magine a Northwest Georgia home that has a rural mountain feel and fantastic views, while being situated at a convenient distance to local amenities. Nestled in the woodlands of John’s Mountain, at 956 Haywood Valley Road, Armuchee, is a hidden gem that blends perfectly with the natural beauty of the landscape. Its owners have created an enchanting vision that weaves the fondness of their travels through Italy with their love of North Georgia.

When Peg and Norman Arey first climbed the 1,050-foot ridge on the mountainside, listened to the wind blow through the trees and took in the breathtaking view of the valleys below, they knew they had to build a weekend home there. They instantly fell in love with the smell of the earth and the pines, feeling that the land was somehow strongly connected to their future. Suddenly, two Atlantans, who until now had thought of squirrels to be wildlife, owned 40 acres of land and had fox and deer for neighbors.

“We are both city people and to build a house up here was really challenging because there was nothing – no electricity, no water, no nothing,” Peg explains. “It took about six or seven months to build the guesthouse.

The main house, once we got it designed, was probably a little over a year.”

Bravely taking on and conquering the challenges of navigating a logging road, well drilling, installing a septic system, and burying utilities, Peg and Norman became the first to build one of the three homes on their side of the mountain. The guest house features a cozy living area, complete with a wood-burning stove as well as central heat and air. The kitchenette is perfect for fixing meals. The loft, which is built for comfort, can be reached by a spiral staircase.

Once their 500-square-foot weekend retreat – now the guest house/studio – was complete, Peg’s next project was to create a garden. A passionate master gardener, she already had ideas but since the house was

26 | HARDY REALTY | HOME FEATURE

built on rock, she couldn’t even dig a hole.

She began gathering rocks from around the property to build a raised bed; next came bags of soil. The garden began with a Mimosa tree and a Curly Willow taken from one of Peg’s flower arrangements. Thirteen years later, the trees offer welcome shade, and with the addition of shrubs and flowers, the garden has become a nature haven with perfect spots for contemplation or soaking up the fantastic view.

Though the Areys didn’t realize it when they built it, one day their weekend retreat would become a more permanent home. In 2001, Norman began covering news for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, where he’d been a sports writer for 25 years. The couple, along with their 65-pound poodle, moved into their

tiny house and began building a larger home alongside. Linked to the guest house by a grape arbor, the 2,200-square-foot, one-story home is a blend of modern and Southwestern architecture. It has a very large double fenced-in yard with a dog door leading to the inside pantry, so pooches are more than welcome. What’s more, it can withstand whatever nature flings at it.

“We knew we’d get all the weather from Alabama; it’s really astonishing up here. The house’s foundations are made from PolySteel.

There are footings made from concrete slabs and there’s radiant heating in the floor,” Peg says pointing at the Italian porcelain tiles. “Then, they stacked up great big Styrofoam blocks that looked like Legos, ran rebar through them and pumped concrete through the whole thing.

When the wind hits [the house], we don’t feel anything.”

With walls almost a foot thick and a roof that has triple hurricane tie-downs, the house is built not only to endure the weather, but also the test of time. Built with energy conservation in mind, the floor is heated radiantly during the winter by a boiler that also provides hot running water. The attic has a small electric furnace designed to fine tune the temperature.

Strategically placed outdoor lighting eliminates light pollution, enabling an unhindered view of the Milky Way. To enhance the stunning panorama of the natural surroundings, the owners attached a whimsical “staircase to nowhere” to the side of the house, allowing a rooftop view.

Since they have always enjoyed gathering

HARDY REALTY | HOME FEATURE | 27

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HARDY REALTY | HOME FEATURE | 29

with friends in their kitchen, the Areys designed their home with one large space for living, cooking and dining. The living room, with its raised Kiva fireplace, is a great place to chat over coffee – its large windows overlooking the garden arbor and the distant valleys.

The sitting room is separated from the cooking area by a long, copper-laminate island, which gives the room a warm glow and allows plenty of room for serving drinks and snacks. Tucked behind the kitchen is a cozy breakfast nook that doubles as an office.

Directly off the living room, the guest room is currently used as library and den, its built-in shelves filled with books and Norman’s collection of antique typewriters. It is complemented by a tub shower and copper sink. From the living area, a short passage leads to a master

suite with two walk-in closets and a bath with a luxurious three-headed shower.

The transition from indoors to outdoors takes place thanks to a large screened-in porch, which offers the perfect place for eating, entertaining or just reading in temperate weather.

Outside, the landscape, designed by Atlanta’s D’Angelo and Associates, is just as beautiful as the surrounding nature. With its raised vegetable beds and fruit trees and vibrant flowers and shrubs, the garden is a brilliant combination of beauty and sustainability.

When the weather is right, social events move outdoors to the 1,800-square-foot pole barn at the side of the guest house. There’s nothing like an evening spent relaxing on the porch swings and gliders, and when it’s raining, listening to the delightful patter on the tin roof.

“We have parties down here that are just lovely,” says Peg with a smile. “There’s a Hungarian bathtub to ice down beer. The only thing that happens out here is fun and entertaining.”

With its 40 acres of forest and 1.5 miles of walking trails, a birthday gift from Norman to Peg, this unique property highlights the best of all four Georgia seasons with impeccable landscaping and remarkable views of the North Georgia valleys. The Areys hope that the new owners will enjoy the peace and beauty of their surroundings as much as they have over the past 13 years. V VV To schedule a showing contact Steve Graves at 770-547-2401, or for information about the property email him at stevedgraves@aol.com Hardy Realty: 706-291-4321

Dedicated. Committed. Caring.

Primary Care

Internal and Family Medicine Kent Van Arsdell, MD Anthony Captain, MD Greg Fisher, PA-C William Hamilton, MD Elisa Jaramillo, MD Scott LePor, DO Maxwell Parrott, MD Joni Yamamoto, MD

Adairsville Family Medicine Byron Littlefield, DO Garrett Post, MD Adult & Pediatric Medical Associates Cynthia Brown, MD Nancy Giammarella, FNP-C Jennifer Smith, FNP-C Dana Stewart, FNP-C

Owasa Family Medicine Joseph Johnson, MD Paul LeBlanc, MD Robert Lester, MD Katherine Naymick, DO Chris Yamamoto, MD Fairmount Family Practice Diane Williams, FNP-C

Urgent Care Pablo Balboa, MD Tara Poteet, FNP-C Katie Schnell, FNP-C

Our physicians provide the highest level of care for our community each and every day. From preventing disease to managing it, they are committed to giving their patients the care that they need and deserve. You can count on them to take exceptional care of you and your family. Our offices are conveniently located and some offer extended hours for your busy schedule. Visit our website to find a location nearest you.

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706.629.2895 | www.gordonhospital.com | 1035 Red Bud Rd | Calhoun, Ga 30701 v3 magazine

7

Great Reasons to Choose

RENAISSANCE MARQUIS & THE HARBOR 1. Caring Staff 2. Largest Suites in Northwest Georgia 3. Affordable Rates 4. Innovative Memory Care Program

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v3 magazine 31

THE TALENTED MR. BALTZER Under the baton of Sam Baltzer, it’s always Masterpiece Theatre.

TEXT J BRYANT STEEL E

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PH OTOS D EREK B EL L

Sam Baltzer

I

magine you could watch a great painter using his brush to create masterpieces. Watch the individual strokes create a whole … the movement from palette to canvas … perhaps hesitation during contemplation.

But painting is not public performance art, except in extremely avant garde settings. Music, on the other hand, is almost pointless without performance, whether from a choir loft, a tavern stage or a concert hall. In the latter case, there is usually a conductor with a baton in one hand, not unlike a painter’s brush, creating a whole from individual parts. The baton jabs or weaves, depending on tempo and the desired mood, or hovers above, raptor-like, while the free hand waggles from below to coax a sustained chord.

Some world-renowned conductors are known for their egos and tempers and grimaces.

Sam Baltzer, when he’s conducting, looks like he’s having so much fun, it isn’t really work.

That belies the countless hours of rehearsal and years of study. But when the audience can catch a glimpse of his face, there is very often a smile such as Wile E. Coyote might display if he ever actually caught The Road Runner.

A case of nerves or cold sweat before a concert?

“With any live event, like a concert, there are about a million things that can go wrong,”

Baltzer says. “Amazingly, however, they usually don’t. In most pieces of music, there might be some treacherous moments where the potential for disaster is greater, and even in ‘easy pieces,’ lightning can strike at any time.

“In some ways, I have an easy job: waving a little stick while everyone else actually makes the music,” he continues. “I’ve learned to trust the musicians to play correctly, and to bail me out if I make a mistake. So, there’s no need to be nervous.”

Baltzer is devoutly followed by talented acolytes and faithful fans of jazz, classical or popular music, the latter genre ranging from Johnny Mercer to Sam Cooke to highlights from a current children’s favorite, the movie “Frozen.” He has a beautiful wife and stage partner. He is also, beginning this fall, the new conductor and artistic director of the Rome Symphony Orchestra.

Patrons of the arts in these parts probably best know Baltzer as the Yoda-like leader of R.O.M.E. (Rome’s Own Musical Ensembles), which includes the NW Georgia Winds, the Chamber Players of the South and the Clock Tower Jazz Ensemble. Each year, Baltzer and R.O.M.E. deliver holiday-themed concerts, be it Halloween, Christmas, Valentine’s Day … a variety you’d be hard-pressed to find close

together in a big city, but in a nutshell in downtown Rome (City Auditorium, The Forum, Centre Hall).

Baltzer was principal trombonist in the RSO from 1988 to 1995. And, in his new role, he says the 2015-2016 R.O.M.E. series will go on as before. In fact, he adds, “There are several concerts that will appear on both the R.O.M.E. and RSO series.

“My vision for the RSO, in one word, is to ‘expand,’” he says. “I’d like to see the RSO expand its season, expand the size of the orchestra, expand the number of rehearsals, expand the literature we perform, expand our outreach programs to young audiences and to communities outside Rome, and expand our audience.

In addition to performing more orchestral masterworks, I’d like to see us expand our pops season, and to reach a younger and more diverse audience. Of course, to do all this, we need to expand our fundraising. Mainly, I’d like to have the RSO have a greater impact in enriching our community.”

Big ambitions for a busy man. (He also teaches music at Georgia Highlands College, where he serves as community arts liaison.)

Maybe he doesn’t need sleep. Or maybe he could be a national spokesman for an energy drink. Or maybe ...

v3 magazine 33

“My wife, Janet, is a true partner. She has great musical sense and listens to a lot of music, and is often the one who comes up with novel themes for concerts,” Baltzer says. “She also likes to decorate the stage … I don’t think she has missed a single concert of mine in nearly 40 years, and so she has a great perspective on what works and what doesn’t, so I very much value her input.”

Baltzer also has his own way of unwinding after a performance, and it doesn’t involve what any of us would imagine.

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“After a concert, my adrenaline count is pretty high, and I usually unwind by helping put away the equipment,” he says. “The manual labor helps me wind down.”

Intriguing story right there. But what about the baton?

“I hold the baton in my right hand because that’s my dominant hand,” he explains, “and it’s easier for me to display the beat pattern with my right hand.”

He actually has four batons. “Two were gifts, and two were purchases. I use a longer one for

conducting large groups and a shorter one for smaller groups,” he says. “My favorite baton is a beautifully crafted piece of hardwood that has a great balance point … it’s just a rather nice stick.”

But if the curtain were rising, the spotlights trained on the podium, the audience hushing, and “the stick” nowhere to be found?

“I could conduct just as well with a pencil!”

V VV

If you don’t let your children order your meal for you at a restaurant, why would you let them plan something as important as your funeral?

Henderson & Sons Funeral Homes “Rome’s Locally Owned Funeral Homes” Barry R. Henderson

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www.hendersonandsons.com North Chapel and Crematory 4900 Martha Berry Hwy Rome, GA 30165 (706) 291-9855

South Chapel 3002 Maple Road Rome, GA 30161 (706) 234-5302

Rome Memorial Park Cemetery 2446 Cedartown Hwy Rome, GA 30161 (706) 290-0990 v3 magazine 35

“I FELT OVERLY TIRED AND IRRITABLE.” For my heart, I choose Redmond.

Karen

Heart Attack Survivor

Women don’t always have the same classic heart attack symptoms as men. Many women may have a feeling that “something isn’t right.” Karen didn’t think she was having a heart attack because she just felt “tired and irritable.” But when she started having pains in her arm and back, thankfully she called 911. The Redmond team was able to resuscitate Karen and provide her with a cardiac stent. Karen says she would not have survived without the emergency heart team at Redmond. She tells everyone to “go immediately” when they have heart symptoms.

Learn more about heart symptoms or tell us your story at

MyRedmondStory.com 501 Redmond Rd NW, Rome, GA 30165 36

v3 magazine

•

(706) 291-0291

•

RedmondRegional.com

A perfect smile starts with a good foundation.

Foundations ORTHODONT ICS The Office of Dr. Jeffrey Crews & Dr. William Bennett

F O U N D AT I O N S O R T H O D O N T I C S We specialize in creating smiles and recognize those that make our community smile.

The Office of Dr. Jeffrey Crews & Dr. William Bennett • 317 Redmond Road NW • Rome, Georgia 30165 • 706-291-2901 foundortho@gmail.com • www.FoundOrtho.com

Mental illness is a treatable medical condition. Unfortunately many people deny its existence. Services are hard to find. Treatment not jail. Walk with others to erase stigma and increase awareness.

Saturday, Oct 10, 2015 • Hertiage Park (behind levee on 2nd Ave.) Registration at 9am • 5K walk at 11am • Refreshment/Entertainment provided Sign up at www.namiwalks.org/rome • For more information call NAMI Rome: 706-506-5010

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BIRDS OF A FEATHER Anyone can play a song, but not many can make you sing. This crew from Chatsworth aims to get you out of your seat and into the groove.

TE X T OLI VER RO BBINS Craig Pratt

|

PHOTOS D EREK B EL L , G EN EVIE LOPEZ , ZOLU PH OTOG RA PH Y

v3 magazine 39

Johnny Briggs

IT

artists from near and far. One foursome that often makes the trek from Chatsworth, Ga., to share their craft is a group of friends that call themselves Blackbird Revival. Just as the name implies, this diverse group wishes to show their rock and roll congregation the way to foot-tapping heaven.

When you first lay eyes on this four piece, it is apparent that it will be no ordinary night at the bar. Ryan Scoggins wields a six-string electric banjo that he strums like a traditional guitar. There is no finger-picking, commonly associated with the five-string variety of banjo often seen in bluegrass sets. Johnny Briggs mans the drums and Richard Hall falls in lockstep with his tempo on the bass. Craig Pratt sways to the music as his fingers pick away at the fretboard of his electric guitar. Then, out of four gentlemen who look like they stepped right out of a CMT video, comes an early-90s R&B song titled “No Diggity,” which was performed and produced

by Blackstreet ft. Dr. Dre and Queen Pen. The surprise almost slaps you out of the bar stool, and to top it all off, they actually give the cover its proper treatment. After a drive up to their practice room in Chatsworth for a chat, the reason for this left-field rendition becomes clear.

Ryan Scoggins, 30 years young, began his music career by falling in love with the country\ southern rock genre. However, a couple of his high school buddies would soon inspire him to change his tune.

“Johnny and I use to hang out quite a bit, and he played in a band. So, when I was about 21, I decided to pick up the guitar because I was around his band all the time,” Scoggins recalls.

“For whatever reasons, Johnny’s band didn’t work out, so he and I formed a bluegrass band

is both encouraging and invigorating to see the streets of Downtown Rome buzzing with its citizens on a daily basis. Locally owned shops are filled with people fingering through racks of clothes, families stroll the sidewalks as their laughter bounces off the historic buildings across the street, and our wonderful eateries on Broad Street fill our bellies with goodies.

A common element of any night on the town in Rome is the tunes that so often accompany the celebration. Even on weeknights, the soothing sound of an acoustic guitar, the hum of an amplifier, or the ring of the ride cymbal pours out of the open windows and doors of popular nightspots and watering holes. The air is alive with music.

It seems that the implementation of the First Friday Concerts and downtown block parties has drawn an inspired pool of musical v3 magazine 41

with another one of our buddies. We started out doing some weddings around the area, but we really didn’t have the focus we have now.”

Somewhere between receptions and bridal parties, Scoggins and Briggs ran into another classmate from Murray County High, Richard Hall.

Hall, 28, had been out of the loop for roughly six years, but he saw an opportunity to connect with a dream he’d had since the was 15 years old.

“Everyone I knew was a guitar player and my ultimate goal was to be in a band,” Hall says.

“So, I picked up the bass because I figured it would be easier to get in a band. Guitar players are a dime-a-dozen. My uncle managed a music store in Dalton, and his brother started giving me bass lessons. Soon, a couple of my friends asked me to join their punk band. I was the singer and filled in on bass from time to time, but we only stayed together for about six months. Ryan, Johnny, and I have known each other for a long time, and even though we never played together, there was already a natural friendship because of our history.”

Briggs, 30, was tasked with playing the harmonica, kick drum, hi-hat and guitar simultaneously for the duo he and Scoggins formed early on, so the addition of a bass player was welcomed by the multi-tasking musician. He

would later take on the duties of drummer, but he was first impacted musically by another artist.

“The first instrument I was inspired by was the bass because Paul McCartney had a bad Rickenbacker and I wanted that set up,” he explains as he reaches into a mini fridge and pulls out two cold brews, “but I think drums are way more fun!

“We really didn’t start making decisions on what instrument we would take on until Craig joined the band. He changed our entire sound,” Briggs continues. “We would always try to find battle of the bands contests and open mics to play for, and we would do well in some of those shows. However, I don’t think we initially took it serious enough to call our music ‘our art.’ We were mostly in it for the beer drinking and the attention.”

As fate would have it, Pratt connected with Blackbird Revival, a band that had not yet found its groove, at a local bar that was hosting an open mic night. As the anchor on guitar, Pratt impressed Scoggins. The two exchanged numbers and when Pratt’s band dismantled, the next step was obvious.

Pratt, 24, got his start by following in the footsteps of the one person many young boys look up to – his old man. “My dad plays in churches, so I picked up the guitar when I was

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9 years old because I wanted to be just like him.

I know what I do now is the polar opposite of what he plays,” laughs Pratt, “but he exposed me to musicians like Chet Atkins and more of the older country stuff. When I met these guys, I was playing in a band that played only folk music. I guess I was an unfaithful musician because when I heard those guys – with a bass player and everything – I jumped ship and got with them.

“I still jam with my buddies in the other band,” continues Pratt, “but this band is like a melting pot of influences. We all have similar tastes but when we write together, we sometimes come up with something that is twangy or a really rockin’ song. I’ve found a lot more freedom to create.”

Musically, their sound is as organic as the way they were all brought together. Briggs, a fan of funk and blues, mixed with the punk-rock roots Hall brings to the table gives an interesting twist to popular covers like “Hey Joe” by Jimi Hendrix. Scoggins, strumming away on the banjo, takes Tracy Chapman’s “Give Me One Reason” down a country road – that is, until Pratt fills the solo with a silky smooth lick.

And the harmonies they create are spot on, as Scoggins and Briggs often share two parts that make it hard to sit still while they play. All of them sing and they all share the responsibility, so they are able to add different layers to the vocals during their stage show.

“We are very versatile but we really lean more toward rock,” says Scoggins.

“I don’t know that I can put a label on it,” Hall chimes in with his finger to his temple.

“Our style is always evolving.”

“One thing I can say about the way we make music is that we are all from the Deep South, so a lot of our music has a country twang,” Pratt adds.

Ryan Scoggins

v3 magazine 43

Richard Hall

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Scoggins laughs. “Hell, I really can’t put a finger on what to call it,” he says, “but what I can say about our band is that we can reach out and touch the younger crowd and the older crowd.

We’ve got folks Craig’s age and younger who love our music and folks my dad’s age enjoy our shows. So when it comes to covers, you can expect just about anything you can imagine.”

“I play with one objective in mind, to have fun and watch others have fun while I’m doing something I love,” Briggs says with a genuine smile. “We want to see the folks who come out to hear us have a great time, and so far we’ve accomplished that goal.”

Blackbird Revival is not a cover band. They have penned some originals and in the two years they have been a group, they have managed to pour a little of themselves into the songs they consider personal accounts of their lives.

“One thing I can say about the songs we write is that they are very relatable,” Scoggins explains. “We’ve got one called ‘Renegade.’

It’s about a truck driver who has to do some questionable things to get by, and he has a woman at home who isn’t very happy about the things he is transporting. But, he can’t stop because the road keeps calling him; he’s gotta make that money.

“We put our heart and soul into all of our songs so, many times, they are very emotional,” he continues. “The songs that are personal to us come out that way because that’s our story, and the strong feelings behind the music often make a great song.”

One of those songs, “Day by Day,” explains the perils of being strapped for cash when bills are due.

A future goal for Blackbird Revival is to get in the studio to record their first album and, as much as they are on the road, it won’t be long before they have put away enough scratch to fund the project.

You can catch them at local night spots like the 400 Block Bar and the Schroeder’s Deli courtyard. And if you want to venture north, you can see them at the Dalton Depot and T-Bone’s in Chattanooga on a regular basis.

“We play a lot of shows north of Rome but I have to say that we had had a great response from the crowds in Rome,” Scoggins says. “They always comment on our harmonies and sometimes, when we go to pay our tab, someone has taken care of everything for us. We really love coming there to play because the love for what we do is always there.”

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.

For upcoming shows and booking information, like Blackbird Revival on Facebook or call Ryan Scoggins at 706-537-3525. v3 magazine 45

According to folklore, Sapphire will protect the wearer from envy. Good luck with that....

Uncorked 2015 Rome Wine & Jazz Festival Friday, October 16, 2015 7:00 pm - 10:00 pm Join us for an evening of fine wine, fabulous food and delightful music in a newly renovated downtown loft with a lovely view of the clocktower.

Information at 706-291-7967.

Tickets may also be purchased online at www.romesymphony.org.

Proceeds benefit the Rome Symphony Orchestra.

Third Annual Charlie Hyde Memorial ALZHEIMER’S AWARENESS GOLF TOURNAMENT

of Cedartown

Agent-John Burnette

Friday the 18th of September at Meadow Lakes Golf Course *Fee: $300 per team *Hole Sponsor: $100 Registration 9:00 am/ShotGun 10:00 am 4 Person Scramble Format

706-291-7236 • 328 Broad St. Rome, Ga. 30161 Elaine@GreenesJewelers.com • www.GreenesJewelers.com

Green fee, cart, long drive men/women, close to pins men/women, awards luncheon, hole-n-one, door prizes, food & beverages provided on course

Visit: www.renaissancemarquis.com Contact: Ben Baker, Marketing Director at 706.936.5435 bbaker@renaissancemarquis.com

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The Dish urlee s Fish House & Oyster Bar

Rome, GA Est. 2012

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, fresh 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

www.lascalaromega.com

406 Broad Street Rome, GA 30161

413 Broad Street Rome, GA 30161

PH: 706-234-4613

PH: 706-238-9000

Hours: Mon-Thur: 11:00am-10:00pm

Hours: Mon - Sat: 6:00pm-10:00pm 400 Block Bar & Lounge: 4:00pm-1:30am

Fri-Sat: 11:00am-10:00pm

Schroeder’s menu includes sandwiches, calzones, soups, salads, potato skins, nachos, wings, and more. And don’t forget our pizza!

It’s the best in town... Ain’t nothin’ mellow about it! (Draft and Bottled

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.

227 Broad Street Rome, Georgia 30161

PH: (706) 204-8173 www.curlees.com Hours: Mon-Thurs: 11:00am-9:00pm Fri-Sat: 11:00am-10:00pm Curlee’s offers casual dining, fresh seafood, hand-cut steaks, chicken and more! It is located on Broad Street in the center of the city, and it has a family-friendly atmosphere!

Takes Reservations, Walk-Ins

Beers also offered) Famous for:

Welcome, Good For Kids, Take

Their Roast Beef Relief!

Out, Catering and Waiter Service

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.

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. v3 magazine 47

67th Annual

COOSA VALLEY

FAIR O C TOBER 6 – O c tober 10, 2015

Family Fun at the Fair

Armbands presale Save up to $9 per Armband when you buy now

Go to CoosaValleyFair.com now and purchase your unlimited ride armbands for just $16* each.

These armbands are valid any day, Tuesday-Saturday, all day! Sale from September 1 through October 5th at midnight. *See website for details and exceptions.

Like Coosa Valley Fair on Facebook / www.coosavalleyfair.com SPONSORED BY THE EXCHANGE CLUB OF ROME

COMING - WADE SHOW, INC. RIDES 48

v3 magazine