January/February 2016 ISSUE 36 • FREE
YOUR GUIDE TO LIVING WELL IN ATLANTA
THE
MONEY ISSUE
DOLLARS
BY DECADE
WISE WORDS FROM BUCKHEAD’S FINANCIAL FIXERS
Bonus: Clark Howard dishes on traveling on a dime
A DAY IN THE LIFE OF LEGOLAND’S MASTER BUILDER
AT HOME: A SEA ISLAND ESCAPE KYMA’S GREEK GASTRONOMY
Together...We Make a
DIFFERENCE.
Giving back is an integral part of who we are as an organization. IBERIABANK is proud to continue Georgia Commerce Bank’s commitment of making a difference in the lives of our clients, our civic and non-profit partners, and our neighbors in need throughout the Atlanta community.
“IBERIABANK has been a wonderful partner for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Atlanta. We are grateful for IBERIABANK’s generous financial support, which allows us to fulfill our mission of changing the lives of children facing adversity for the better, forever.” - Janice McKenzie-Crayton, President & CEO Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Atlanta
“MedShare’s local and global impact is fulfilled with the generosity of partners like IBERIABANK. It is through collaborations like this, that MedShare is able to address global health disparities and care for victims of catastrophic events around the world, while serving local Safety Net Clinics throughout Georgia.”
"IBERIABANK has been a critical volunteer partner, customer, and financial supporter of Bobby Dodd Institute. With IBERIABANK’s generous support, BDI provided job training, employment connections, and vocational support to more than 1,000 people with disabilities and disadvantages last year." - Wayne McMillian, President & CEO Bobby Dodd Institute
- Charles Redding, President & CEO MedShare
“IBERIABANK has been with The Giving Kitchen (TGK) since day one. Their role in the creation of our 501c3 charity with a fine dining restaurant subsidiary, Staplehouse, has been invaluable. Our organization provides emergency assistance to restaurant workers facing unexpected hardships. IBERIABANK serves to TGK what we serve to restaurant workers: peace of mind.” - Stephanie Galer, Executive Director The Giving Kitchen
“Support from IBERIABANK helps us offer expert, compassionate psychiatric care. Their sponsorship enables adults struggling with mental illness to engage fully in treatment, grow, recover, and reclaim their lives.” - Beth Finnerty, President & CEO Skyland Trail
9 Atlanta area locations | www.iberiabank.com | Member FDIC
Let us help you breathe easier about your financial future. Text “oxygen” to 89800
Visit Us: oXYGenFinancial.net
Call Us: (800)355-9318
You are the CEO of your family finances. Every good CEO needs a Private CFOTM by their side.
BREATHE EASIER®
How much money will you need in retirement? How do you recreate a paycheck when you make work optional? How can you protect your assets? How much do you need to save? Time is your most valuable commodity. Let us help you have more of it. Get your complimentary no-obligation meeting today by texting “oxygen” to 89800, calling us at (800)355-9318 or visiting us online at http://www.oxygenfinancial.net. Check out Ted Jenkin’s Lifestyle Advice on the Simply Buckhead website at www.simplybuckhead.com Fee Based Financial Advice Wealth Management Tax Management & Planning Employee Benefits Online Personal Financial Dashboard 401(k) Plans & Rollovers Education Accounts Budget Planning
3060 Peachtree Rd. NE Atlanta, GA 30305
678.222.2320 oXYGenFinancial.net
Securities and Investment Advisory Services offered through NFP Advisor Services, LLC (NFPAS), Member FINRA/SIPC. Oxygen Financial is not affiliated with NFPAS. NFPAS does not provide tax or legal advice.
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for the love of home
BUCKHEAD 631 Miami Circle NE ALPHARETTA 53 South Main Street
californiaclosets.com 7 70 . 4 4 9 . 6 1 4 1
LAWRENCEVILLE 5155-A Sugarloaf Parkway
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Luxury Real Estate Redefined Luxury is a life well lived in a home worthy of your greatest aspirations
LuxuryRedefined.com | 404.671.4195 Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Georgia Properties Š2015 An independently operated subsidiary of HomeServices of America, Inc., a Berkshire Hathaway affiliate, and a franchisee of BHH Affiliates, LLC. Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices and the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices symbol are registered service marks of HomeServices of America, Inc. Ž Information deemed reliable but not warranted and is subject to error. Equal Housing Opportunity. www.BHHSGEORGIA.COM - SUMMER 2015
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Let us plan a wedding celebration that’s traditional or anything but. Let us imagine a menu that adds a new twist to an old family recipe. Let us position the sunset over the lake for your walk down the aisle. Let us write the next chapter of your enduring love story.
We invite you to plan your wedding with us, at one of Georgia’s most elegant locations for inspired celebrations. To learn more, please call The Ritz-Carlton, Atlanta at 404-527-4483, Buckhead at 404-495-2684 or Reynolds, Lake Oconee at 706-467-7115, or visit ritzcarlton.com/georgiaweddings.
ATLANTA BUCKHEAD REYNOLDS, LAKE OCONEE
© 2015 The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, LLC
LES COPAINS
NOW OPEN Akris · Alice + Olivia · American Food and Beverage · Bella Bag · Billy Reid · Bonobos · Brunello Cucinelli · CACAO · Canali · Christian Louboutin Corso Coffee · Davidoff of Geneva since 1911 · Denim & Soul · Diptyque · Dolce Italian · Doraku Sushi · Engel & Völkers · Etro · Fadó Irish Pub · Georgetown Cupcake Gypsy Kitchen · Helmut Lang · Hermès · Intermix · Jimmy Choo · Jonathan Adler · La Perla · Le Bilboquet · Les Copains · L’Occitane · Moncler · Planet Blue · Qing Mu Scoop NYC · Shake Shack · The Southern Gentleman · Theory · Thirteen Pies · Tod’s · Vilebrequin · Warby Parker PREMIERING SOON Dior · Tom Ford · American Cut · Ferguson Bath, Kitchen & Lighting Gallery
PARTIAL LISTING
3035 Peachtree Road NW, Atlanta, GA 30305 Concierge · Valet Parking · Gift Cards Available 404-939-9290 TheShopsBuckheadAtlanta.com
539 WEST PACES FERRY 680 WEST PACES FERRY 700 WEST PACES FERRY 1920 WEST PACES FERRY
TOP 5 BUCKHEAD 2015
Represented Buyers
#1 INDIVIDUAL AGENT IN BUCKHEAD OFFICE |
EXTENSIVE NET WORK
S
imply the best in real estate. From penthouses to mid century modern to classic estates, Debra provides all of her clients with exceptional service, knowledge of
the market, professionalism and creativity with a passion for real estate. As a result of her accomplishments and record sales for 2015, Debra continues to be one of the top agents in Buckhead. Being a recipient of the Chairman’s Circle Platinum award ranks her in the top 1% in the company worldwide.
DEBRA JOHNSTON 404-312-1959 DebraAJohnston.com BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY HOMESERVICES GEORGIA PROPERTIES ©2015 An independently operated subsidiary of HomeServices of America, Inc., a Berkshire Hathaway affiliate, and a franchisee of BHH Affiliates, LLC. Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices and the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices symbol are registered service marks of HomeServices of America, Inc.® Equal Housing Opportunity.
SIMPLY BUCKHEAD® |
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2016
Photos: Sara Hanna Photography
71 [ C OV E R S T ORY ]
THE MONEY ISSUE
DOLLARS BY DECADE: WISE WORDS FROM BUCKHEAD’S FINANCIAL FIXERS
Contents [ F E AT U RE S ]
HOME: AN ISLAND HOME WITH HEART
13 ED’S LETTER
51 SIMPLY ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
In the coastal Georgia resort community of Sea Island, Tom and Jennifer Bell have created a soul-filled family escape
15 SIMPLY NOW
59 SIMPLY DELICIOUS
33 SIMPLY STYLISH
81 SIMPLY HAPPENING
24 26
TRAVEL FAR: ALOHA, Y’ALL!
54
RESCUED ART
A first visit to Hawaii awakens all senses
SIMPLY APPROVED
STAYCATION: FARM TO FORK Rabun County is a hotbed for grazing quality cuisine
A Buckhead firm finds homes for collection
60
MAKING WAVES Kyma serves Greek seafood with contemporary panache
Photo: Sara Hanna Photography
34
[ DE PA RT M E N T S ]
28 HOT TO SHOT Toasty cocktails warm from the inside out January/February 2016 | Simply Buckhead
9
Contact us at: publisher@simplybuckhead.com YOUR GUIDE TO LIVING WELL IN ATLANTA
Serving Buckhead, Brookhaven, and Sandy Springs JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2016 | ISSUE 36 P.O. Box 11633, Atlanta, GA 30355 simplybuckhead.com For advertising rates call: 404.538.9895 Publisher and Founder
[ F E AT U RE D C ON T RI B U T OR ]
Joanne Hayes Chief Financial Officer
Sonny Hayes Editor-In-Chief
For advertising information, email us at advertising@simplybuckhead.com or call 404-538-9895
Giannina Smith Bedford Contributing Editor
Karina Antenucci Creative Director
Alan Platten Vice President, Sales & Marketing
Cheryl Isaacs cheryl.isaacs@simplybuckhead.com Account Executives
Kyle Wilcox Garges kyle.garges@simplybuckhead.com
Jill Becker Contributing writer Jill Becker got her start in the publishing business at another regional publication, Texas Monthly magazine. Her 10year gig there was followed by a decade-long stint as an editor at American Way, the inflight magazine for American Airlines. “Working for an airline provided a particularly appealing job perk—free flight benefits, which I took full advantage of,” Becker says. Today, as a full-time freelance writer and editor, Becker covers travel and just about every other topic imaginable for outlets such as cnn.com and SUCCESS magazine. In this issue, she introduces our new Day in the Life department that highlights the ins and outs of a typical day of an interesting area resident. “I’ve always been strangely fascinated by people’s careers and how they got into them,” Becker admits.
Alyson Myerson alyson.myerson@simplybuckhead.com Director of Audience Development
Jaime Lin Weinstein Website Development Management
BHG Digital Contributing Writers
Jill Becker Sarah Blackman Wendell Brock H.M. Cauley Carly Cooper Jessica Dauler D. Aileen Dodd Jim Farmer Jennifer Bradley Franklin Sarah Gleim Mickey Goodman Lindsay Lambert Kelly Skinner Jordan Kai Whipple Chief Photographer
Sara Hanna sarahanna.com Photographers
Ninh Chau Scott Reeves Intern
Jessica Wise Graphic Designer
Gwantsa Giorgini Copy Editor
H.M. Cauley Legal Counsel
Scott I. Zucker
We welcome all contributions, but we assume no responsibility for unsolicited material. No portion of this publication can be reproduced in whole or in part without prior written permission. Copyright © 2016 by Simply Buckhead®. All rights reserved. Printed by Walton Press, Inc. Distributed by Distributech, Network Communications, Inc., and Distribution Services Group.
10
January/February 2016 | Simply Buckhead
FIND US ONLINE Read Simply Buckhead online at
SimplyBuckhead.com Facebook facebook.com “Like” us at LivingWellATL
Twitter twitter.com Follow us @SimplyBuckhead
Holistic Intuitive Ayurvedic Health Specialist tm
transforming
specializing in women’s emotional health using natural modalities
gedalia genin
PhD
Stress, Anxiety, Depression, Grief and Loss? I invite you to an intro talk tuesday, Jan. 19th at 7pm in Brookhaven. “Riding the Waves of Emotion” - Essential Oils, how they can benefit your mood, energy and focus. Gedaliahhealingarts.com/testimonials B r o o k h Av e n
Atlanta Center for Holistic and Integrative medicine 404-814-9808 M A r i e t tA
Instagram instagram.com Follow us @SimplyBuckhead
Paper mill Village 678-357-3443
[ B E H I N D T H E C OV E R ] Cover model Kruz Mendoza absolutely stole the hearts of the Simply Buckhead team at this issue’s cover shoot. He walked in a playful 5 year old, but as soon as hair by the talented Richie Arpino and wardrobe by up-and-coming stylist Abbie KooProducers: Joanne Hayes, pote began, he was all business. Giannina Smith Bedford, Sara Hanna Chief Photographer: Sara Hanna With his proud mom looking on, he Stylist: Abbie Koopote sat patiently behind a makeshift desk Model: Kruz Mendoza, Presence Models & Talent Hair: Richie Arpino of Richie Arpino Salon surrounded by vintage office props Wardrobe: Von Maur, Perimeter Mall while Koopote tucked and fluffed Shot onsite at Sara Hanna Photography Studios his clothes and accessories. All dimples and smiles, he didn’t offer a second delay when asked to make a serious face, sit up or shift from side to side. His magnetic grin got a little bigger when Chief Photographer Sara Hanna requested he hold up stacks of faux money (to match his dollar bills tie) and pick up the rotary phone to pretend he was making a call. Mendoza nailed the role of a mini-Warren Buffet, but switched right back into his sweet self as soon as the shoot was a wrap—and he got his hands on a chocolate chip cookie.
JH JAMES HURLEY DESIGNS Floral • Events • Interiors • Gardens
[ P RO U D M E M B E R OF ]
[ P RO U D S P ON S OR OF ]
404.817.7773 jameshurleydesigns.com Call us for a complimentary consultation.
January/February 2016 | Simply Buckhead
11
What life does to your body, we undo. Chiropractic is key to a healthy lifestyle. When pain is actively managed, patients feel better, sleep better, and are better equipped to deal with the demands of everyday life. And, maintenance care helps prevent pain, improve nerve communication and keep your joints—and therefore you— moving at your best.
NO APPOINTMENTS NO INSURANCE NEEDED OPEN EVENINGS & WEEKENDS
Who can benefit from routine chiropractic? Thirty-four million Americans seek chiropractic care each year. Growing children to active seniors benefit from chiropractic’s safe, natural and drug-free approach to pain relief and prevention. Chiropractic can help with: • Back Pain
• Leg Pain / Sciatica
• Arthritis and Bursitis
• Neck Pain / “Text Neck”
• Knee, Ankle & Foot Pain
• Fibromyalgia
• Headaches
• Shoulder, Arm, Elbow & Wrist Pain
• Carpel Tunnel Syndrome
Why The Joint® Chiropractic? The Joint Chiropractic is redefining the chiropractic consumer experience by providing quality care— on your terms, not ours. We make quality chiropractic care convenient and affordable for patients seeking pain relief and on-going wellness. • The Joint requires our doctors of chiropractic to deliver the highest standards of care. Our chiropractors are licensed health professionals trained to locate and correct joint restrictions (subluxations) of the spine and extremities, thereby helping our patients to lead a more healthy, active lifestyle. • At your initial visit, you will receive a consultation, exam and adjustment. Your doctor will deliver a personalized treatment plan to help relieve your pain and keep you feeling good. • We focus on patient care not insurance processing, and pass the savings on to you. Affordable plans and packages make visits less expensive than the typical insurance co-pay. • And, The Joint makes it easy. Our no appointment policy and convenient evening and weekend hours and locations make care more accessible.
To learn more and find the clinic near you, visit thejoint.com
RELIEF. ON SO MANY LEVELS.
TM
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SIMPLY BUCKHEAD® JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2016
[ E DI T OR ’ S L E T T E R ]
M
I love to spend it, but saving it, making it and managing it are not areas in which I excel. Don’t get me wrong: I’m careful with money, but the ins and outs of planning my financial future is a language I don’t speak. If it weren’t for my business-savvy husband (the son of an accountant), I would probably be hiding cash under my mattress. That’s safe, right?
Photo: Sara Hanna Photography
oney is one subject I really don’t like to talk about.
Whether we like it or not, money matters affect us all. It goes without saying, but we have to save and invest our hard-earned green in ways that will benefit us in the future—a time when there is no telling what challenges may come our way. And the sooner we start, the better. That is what you’ll hear from the financial experts we called on for this “Money Issue” in which we offer a decade-by-decade guide chock-full of tips, advice and warnings to help get you on a fruitful financial path in the new year. From what to do right out of college until the days you’re paying off your kids’ college loans, we cover it all. Read ahead to gain valuable insight into topics such as purchasing a home, paying off debt, creating a budget and raising money-wise kids. Being fiscally responsible doesn’t mean all work and no play, however, so we asked consumer expert and Buckhead resident Clark Howard to weigh in on how to score travel deals all year long so we can reward ourselves for hard work. After all, who wants to be counting pennies into their Golden Years? Definitely not me.
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January/February 2016 | Simply Buckhead
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E V E N T S | L O C A L S A L U T E | T R AV E L | A P P R O V E D | P E T S
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A DAY IN THE LIFE
What's it like to hold the title of master LEGO builder? Aries Viera reveals how the job stacks up.
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Photo: Sara Hanna Photography
of art that both children and adults legitimately appreciate." – Aries Viera January/February 2016 | Simply Buckhead
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[ F E AT U R E D E V E N T ] The temperature in Atlanta on Feb. 13 might be frosty and participants may not be wearing much, but the Cupid's Undie Run warms hearts by helping raise money for the Children's Tumor Foundation.
FREEZING FOR A REASON RUNNERS STRIP TO THEIR SKIVVIES FOR A GOOD CAUSE
O
n Feb. 13, you might just run into a bunch of half-naked people ambling past the Whole Foods on West Paces Ferry, or in front of The Buckhead Theatre, or over by Souper Jenny. But don’t fret; it’s not a gang of crazed stripper zombies ready to pillage the neighborhood like something straight out of “The Walking Dead.” It’s actually some of your fellow residents decked out in their drawers to participate in the Cupid’s Undie Run, an annual event that raises money for the Children’s Tumor Foundation. Now in its sixth year (its fifth in Atlanta), the event is a 1-mile-long-ish
fun run that takes place in more than 35 cities across the country. The event was co-founded by former Atlantan Chad Leathers, who came up with the idea after his little brother, Drew, became a paraplegic while battling neurofibromatosis, a genetic disorder that causes tumors to form on nerve tissue throughout the body. The day’s festivities kick off at noon, when the underwear- and costume-clad participants head to Big Sky Buckhead bar and restaurant for the pre-race party, where they can fuel up for the frigid dash (those who raise at least $250, either as a
team or individually, can take advantage of the open bar). Inside, Big Sky’s resident DJ spins hot tracks, while the folks from Q100 radio station keep things lively outside. At 2 p.m., the group heads to the starting line for their epic jog through the streets of Buckhead. After the run, awards are given out, but there aren’t actually any trophies for speed. Instead, honors go to Best Undies, Best Manscaping and Mr. and Mrs. Cupid. Then it’s on to the pantsoptional after-party. This is one event that truly puts some hilarity in charity. – Jill Becker
CUPID’S UNDIE RUN Feb. 13, festivities begin at noon Entry fee $40-$55 (must be 21 or older)
Big Sky Buckhead 3201 Cains Hill Place N.W. Buckhead 30305 cupidsundierun.com/ city/atlanta
January/February 2016 | Simply Buckhead
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S I M P LY NOW
E V E N TS
[ FA M I LY-F R I E N DLY ]
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of the ball PROUD DADS TWIRL THEIR PRECIOUS LITTLE GIRLS AT AN ANNUAL FATHER-DAUGHTER DANCE The young ladies, dressed in their finest frocks, are being spun around the dance floor by their handsome partners as a DJ spins a selection of tunes old and new, fast and slow. It’s enough to make you let out a collective “Awwww.” That’s because at this particular party, the couples showing off their best moves are a bunch of dads and their school-age daughters. The event, to be held Feb. 6, is the Daddy Daughter Dance
put on each year by the Sandy Springs Recreation and Parks Department. Open to all girls in grades kindergarten through fifth attending school in Sandy Springs, and their patriarchal escorts, it includes refreshments, door prizes, dance contests and musical games. Admission gets you a goodie bag for each of the little lasses, along with a souvenir father-daughter photo for a cherished memento. – JB
DADDY DAUGHTER DANCE Feb. 6, 6-8 p.m. $35 per duo Spalding Drive Charter Elementary School 130 W. Spalding Drive N.E. Sandy Springs 30328 770.730.5600 sandyspringsga.gov
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WITH 7 DIFFERENT FLOOR PLAN OPTIONS, THE RESIDENCES AT CHASTAIN OFFER A BOUTIQUE COLLECTION OF APARTMENT HOMES WITH MODERN, OPEN LAYOUTS TO FIT ANY LIFESTYLE. OUR ONE AND TWO BEDROOM PLANS RANGE FROM 721 SQUARE FEET TO 1408 SQUARE FEET.
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January/February 2016 | Simply Buckhead
S I M P LY NOW
LOCAL SALUTE BY:
Mickey Goodman
Maggie Frederick trains future paraathletes to compete at the highest level through BlazeSports.
Blazing a Trail Adaptive sports program changes lives Maggie Frederick of Buckhead was born with spinal bifida, but using a wheelchair hasn’t stopped her from living a full life and becoming an elite athlete. Her passion for sports began at age 6 when she participated in the opening ceremony of the 1996 Paralympic Games in Atlanta. “Seeing people like me take part in the Games encouraged me to compete in track, swimming and basketball,” she says. “BlazeSports America (the legacy organization of the 1996 Paralympic Games) was a place where wheelchairs ‘disappeared,’ and I felt like a regular kid.” Frederick received an athletic scholarship to the University of Illinois’ adaptive sports program, and following graduation, did an internship at nonprofit Blaze-
Sports. “It felt like home, and I was lucky to be hired full time,” she says. “BlazeSports shaped who I am and made me realize that I could do anything, including living alone and traveling.” BlazeSports serves athletes with physical disabilities in the metro Atlanta area, as well as internationally in 11 countries. It is also a member of the United States Olympic Committee. “Maggie is one of the best examples I know of the power of sport,” says BlazeSports Executive Director Cynthia Frisina. “She is a valuable team member and our point person with alumni and volunteers, and coaches our adaptive teams.” l For more information, visit blazesports.org.
Breast Cancer Benefactor Local doctor raises funds for the cause For the past three years, Dr. Mark Deutsch, founder of Perimeter Plastic Surgery in Sandy Springs, has donated a portion of the proceeds from all breast surgeries during October (Breast Cancer Awareness Month) to Susan G. Komen Greater Atlanta. Dr. Deutsch, his staff and patients also sponsor and participate in the Race for the Cure every Mother’s Day Weekend. “My mother is a breast cancer survivor, and since surgery and reconstruction are such a large part of my practice, I wanted to give back to an organization that has helped so many,” says Dr. Deutsch. “Seventy-five percent of the net
funds raised by Komen Atlanta stay in the metro area,” says Executive Director Cati Diamond Stone, a Sandy Springs resident. “The remaining 25 percent goes directly to research. This year, $450,000 was granted to Georgia Tech. Last year, the same amount went to Emory University Hospital.” Stone, who was diagnosed with Stage 3 breast cancer, credits her survival to Herceptin, a drug developed with research funding from Susan G. Komen. Once the former attorney recovered, she went to work for Komen Atlanta. “Dr. Deutsch and his staff not only provide financial support;
Photo: Carlos Maldonado of Kamera Photography
Photo: Amiee Gottlieb
Andrea Harden's mission is to help women look and feel beautiful—particularly former military personnel.
From Boots to Beauty Helping women feel pretty A decorated Air Force veteran of 12 years, Andrea Harden was one of a few women in her squadron during deployments in Dhafra, UAE and Al Udeid, Qatar and looking pretty was at the bottom of her “to-do” list. Now lead aesthetician at White Salon and Spa in Buckhead, Harden’s journey was circuitous. Married to an air traffic controller and mother to a 5-year-old son, she resigned from the service in 2013 but wanted to continue helping others, particularly veterans. “I studied nursing and quickly discovered I wasn’t well-suited. I wanted to take all the patients home,” she says. A classmate suggested she explore a career as a licensed aesthetician. “It was perfect and combined the ‘science-y’ things I liked about nursing while helping people,” she says.
Harden continues to work with veterans and offers free services for military brides and grooms during Brides Across America’s twice annual “National Gown Giveaway.” She also volunteers with The Still Standing Foundation, a nonprofit whose mission is to empower victims of domestic violence to become survivors. Each year at their annual fundraising event, “Purple Affair,” Harden offers free pampering for survivors. “Andrea is caring and giving— a perfect fit for the salon where I want employees to feel like family,” says Max Sanchez, owner of White Salon and Spa. “She also has all the qualifications needed for a top registered aesthetician.” l For more information, visit whitesalonandspa.co.
Dr. Mark Deutsch, staff and patients join forces to raise funds for Komen Atlanta.
they also roll up their sleeves and volunteer,” she says. The team is among the sponsors of Komen’s annual fundraiser “Bubbles and Bling” on Jan. 30 at 7 p.m. at The Foundry at Puritan Mill. Monies raised at the ’80s-themed event will benefit women in Atlanta. l For more information, visit komenatlanta.org and perimeterplasticsurgery.com.
Want to nominate a volunteer, company or nonprofit that makes Buckhead, Sandy Springs or Brookhaven a better place to live? Please contact: editor@simplybuckhead.com
January/February 2016 | Simply Buckhead
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TR AV E L N E A R
Photo: Gulf Shores and Orange Beach Tourism
S I M P LY NOW
Above: The snow white beaches of Gulf Shores and Orange Beach are a magnet for families who come to relax, eat and play.
Left: Alcohol infused cakes from The Rum Sisters are decadently delicious and remain fresh for four weeks.
Right: Every dish at Fisher's tastes even better than it looks, especially when paired with a specialty drink.
A hidden gem no more Eat your way through Gulf Shores and Orange Beach
E
very summer when my kids were young, we migrated to the glorious sugar-white sand beaches along Gulf Shores and Orange Beach on the southern border of Alabama. The stark beauty of the 32 miles of natural coastline and no-frills atmosphere drew us in. Fast-forward 20 years. I am joining writer friends on this same stretch of paradise for a girls’ getaway and food frenzy. But I can’t tell a lie. No longer the sleepy beaches of yore, Gulf Shores and Orange Beach have morphed into a vacationer’s paradise with countless lavish condos such as The Beach Club Resort and Spa, our 3-bedroom home away from home, and Turquoise Place, an ultra luxurious property where we met friends for a gourmet dinner prepared by Executive Chef Brody Olive of Spectrum Resorts. We began with appetizers of garlic pepper calamari and a fried green tomato and crab stack, followed by our entrée—a fork-tender, pan roasted filet mignon with succulent baby carrots and baby Yukon potatoes. It was an auspicious beginning to our foodie weekend. The next morning, we headed for brunch spot Brick and Spoon where
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the tagline “A morning ritual that is anything but routine,” describes it perfectly. We began with a Trio, three shots of vodka, each infused with a different flavor, accompanied by soft shell crab BLTs and a decadent side of beignets. In between meals, we strolled along the shoreline, mesmerized by the pounding waves and glistening white sand, and took refreshing dips in the pool and pampering soaks in the warm hot tub waters. We made reservations for dinner at Fisher’s, named one of Southern Living magazine’s “Best 100 in the South,” and upon arrival began the meal with a round of signature cocktails, all with funky names such as my bubbly Through the Porthole (St. Germaine, vodka, pear simple syrup, lemon, Ornella Malone Prosecco) and Spank the Rose (a tangy concoction of New Amsterdam Gin, grapefruit, lime, and plum and anise bitters). I pronounced my grilled swordfish served with smoked tomato butter, crispy Brussels sprouts and shiitake mushrooms as “best choice,” but the grilled yellow fin tuna with summer succotash and seared jumbo scallops with roasted cauliflower ordered
January/February 2016 | Simply Buckhead
STORY:
by the others ran a close second. For lunch the following day we visit LuLu’s, a family-friendly restaurant where diners flock for their famous seafood gumbo, Crab Melt and Pa-menna Cheeseburgers (half-pound burgers seasoned with salsa pepper and served on a bun with pimento cheese, bacon and fried green tomatoes. A pile of hot French fries makes the dish a perennial favorite). LuLu’s also offers menus for customers with food allergies (dairy free, gluten free, egg free, shellfish, seafood and soy-free)— all cooked separately. No visit to Gulf Shores and Orange Beach is complete without stops at The Chocolate Corner and The Rum Sisters. The former offers a cornucopia of chocolates, ranging from gourmet truffles to decadent sundaes, shakes and coffees, all made and sold in-house (sadly, no web sales). The latter is a gourmet bakery specializing in alcohol-infused cakes that can be shipped nationwide made with rum, bourbon or Kahlua and have a 4-week shelf life. On the last evening, we headed to The Wharf Uncorked, an annual 3-day
Mickey Goodman wine and food festival held each September in Orange Beach. With 150 wine offerings and samples from top restaurants, we compiled a list for our next trip, then relaxed on our balcony, sipped chilled Prosecco and toasted to friendship, the Technicolor sky and our next Gulf getaway. n
IF YOU GO... Getting there: Fly to Pensacola or Mobile, then rent a car; or opt for the easy 5-hour drive from Atlanta.
Where to stay: The Beach Club Resort and Spa thebeachclub.spectrumresorts.com Turquoise Place turquoiseplace.spectrumresorts.com
Where to eat: Fisher’s Upstairs fishersobm.com LuLu’s at Homeport Marina lulubuffett.com Brick and Spoon brickandspoonrestaurant.com Rum Sisters rumsisters.com For more information: gulfshores.com; orangebeach.com
Photo: Gulf Shores and Orange Beach Tourism
By Lee Bryan, That Puppet Guy
Above: The annual September Wharf Uncorked on Orange Beach offers samplings from 150 local restaurants and watering holes.
of Atlanta, GA
Another foodie adventure…
NO BLUFFING The Inn at Palmetto Bluff delivers on its epicurean pledge STORY:
T
Below: The "Dust on the Bottle" wine dinner was set in the Inn's candlelit cellar.
Giannina Smith Bedford
he Inn at Palmetto Bluff, a pristine
By Thistle Theatre of Seattle, WA
waterfront property about a four-
and-a half hour drive from Buckhead, has gained accolades for its familyfriendly attitude, unparalleled service and award-winning spa. The 20,000acre development also has an array of residences ranging from multi-million
and heirloom apple soup sprinkled with
dollar compounds to more traditional
puffed ancient grains. Slightly sweet and
single-family homes. But this wasn’t the
refreshing, it was a great palate starter.
reason I visited. Built as an estate more
Next was the Benton’s bacon-wrapped
than a century ago, the resort, purchased
monkfish with artichoke, olives, charred
by Montage Hotels & Resorts in 2014, is a
octopus and a red wine reduction with
relaxing slice of heaven that is also a food
a lovely pour of French Oak-aged Miner
and wine lover’s retreat. During a recent
Gary’s Vineyard Pinot Noir (Monterey
stay, I had the pleasure of experiencing
2012), a dark-red fruit vintage with a bit
the resort’s culinary side through an in-
of spice. Luckily, the food portions were
timate wine dinner held in the property’s
pleasingly small, so I still had room for the
cellar. Coined “Dust on the Bottle,” the
48-hour braised short ribs, chanterelle
meal was presided over by Dave Miner of
mushrooms, Brussels sprouts leaves and
Napa Valley’s Miner Family Winery. About
celery root dish that came next. I’m not a
20 diners—a mix of hotel guests and
big carnivore, but this piece of meat was
residents lucky enough to call Palmetto
absolutely divine, especially followed by a
Bluff home—gathered beneath the main
sip of the Miner Oracle (Napa Valley 2002),
reception area in a candlelit space to
my favorite wine of the evening that
enjoy an extravagant four-course meal
pays homage to Miner’s late uncle and
with wine pairings from the aforemen-
mentor, Robert Miner, a founder of Oracle
tioned California vineyard.
software. The finishing course—an El Rey
The evening started with a reception
Chocolate pot de créme with red wine
featuring the crisp Miner Sauvignon Blanc
“air” and vanilla salt—was too beautiful and
(Napa Valley 2013) and bites of crab cakes
delicious to resist. I finished it off with a
and quail eggs. After getting to know each
few swallows of the Miner Cabernet Franc
other, we sat at the long, elegantly dressed
(Napa Valley 2011) and vowed to return to
table where Miner introduced himself
this exclusive resort not for the spa, service
and told us about his family winery where
or family offerings, but for another mind-
he started working in 1993. First a wine
blowing foodie adventure.
consumer and collector, Miner explained his laid-back philosophy about vino, which he believes is meant to be
For a list of upcoming food events, visit montagehotels.com/palmettobluff/ dining/food-wine-events.
unpretentious and serve as a compliment to delicious food. I love wine, but I don’t consider myself a knowledgeable connoisseur by any means, so Miner immediately put me at ease to enjoy the “unpretentious” evening ahead. First up was the Miner Viognier (California 2013), paired with a pumpkin
Written and directed by Jon Ludwig
INN AT PALMETTO BLUFF 19 Village Park Square Bluffton, South Carolina 29910 800.501.7405 palmettobluff.com
1404 Spring Street NW Atlanta, GA 30309 Limited FREE Parking • MARTA Accessible (Arts Center Station) Advance purchase is highly recommended as many shows sell out quickly. Season supported in part by: Fulton County Board of Commissioners; the City of Atlanta Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs; and Georgia Council for the Arts through appropriations of Georgia General Assembly. GCA is a partner agency of the National Endowment for the Arts. Photos by Thom Stanley, Diane Pavelin and Clay Walker Kermit the Frog © 2015 Disney. Gobo Fraggle © 2015 The Jim Henson Company. Bhima courtesy Center for Puppetry Arts. Gumby © 2015 Premavision, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
January/February 2016 | Simply Buckhead
23
S I M P LY NOW
TR AV E L FA R
Above: The beach at Waikiki is frequently frantic, but when the sun sets on Honolulu, time stops, if only for a moment.
Below: A view of the Pacific from Mauna Kea Beach Hotel, on the Big Island of Hawaii.
Left: A tombstone in the cemetery beside Kona's Painted Church is hung with a single pink lei.
Aloha, y’all! A FIRST VISIT TO HAWAII AWAKENS ALL SENSES
W
e’re not even halfway into our nine-day jaunt around The Aloha State, and we’ve already sipped Kona coffee, chased waterfalls, hiked lava holes and wended our way up and down the side of a volcano in a rental car. Nearing the end of a bright, crystalline December day on the island of Hawaii (aka the Big Island), we arrive at Volcano House, a rustic inn, restaurant and cocktail lounge overlooking the Halema‘uma‘u Crater at the top of Kilauea, the most active of the five volcanoes that form this enchanted isle. Perching ourselves on barstools beside the panoramic window of Uncle George’s Lounge inside the lodge, we order Blue Hawaiians and Volcanoes and stare at the wisps of smokes trailing from the crater, which will soon glow like a fiery jacko’-lantern. With apologies to James Taylor: I’ve seen fire, and I’ve seen rain. I’ve seen sunny days that I thought would never end. But I’ll be darned if I ever thought I’d see a view like this. Aloha! And welcome to Hawaii, me! If I had to pick a moment that defined my miraculous maiden voyage to this isolated Pacific paradise, this would be it. And if I
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STORY & PHOTOS:
had to choose a pair of traveling companions, I could not do better than my friends Dan and Steve. Former Atlantans who now live in New York City, they are the besttraveled people I know. So when they invited me to join them on their fourteenth visit to the fiftieth state, it was a one-of-a-kind hula-palooza that I couldn’t dare miss. These intrepid adventurers have mastered the art of the nine-day blitz: They always opt to spend a good chunk of time on a single island and end the stay with a Honolulu weekend. Lucky for me, they let me pick the island, and The Big Island beckoned. (Next time: Maui.) It would take an encyclopedia for me to describe every palm-swept moment, meal and Mai Tai. So here is an annotated tip sheet of some of the most memorable experiences of our two port o’ calls: THE BIG ISLAND 1. The Painted Church. Start your stay on the sunny, Kona side of the island, where high- and lowend resorts are plentiful. Grab a cup of delicious local coffee, and head to this tiny gem-like church and graveyard, where the dead have a view of
January/February 2016 | Simply Buckhead
Wendell Brock
the Pacific for all eternity. Officially known as St. Benedict, the church was founded by a Belgian priest in 1899, at a time when most Hawaiians could not read English. The priest instructed them in Christianity by painting lovely scenes on the church walls. The graveyard is studded with simple white crosses and the occasional marble tombstone. I saw one such marker hung with a single pink lei. 2. Resort drive & dinner at the Four Seasons. Even if you can’t afford a posh hotel, you can stop for a look-see and dinner. About 45 minutes north of Kona, through a landscape of hardened black lava, is the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel, opened by Laurance S. Rockefeller in 1965 and recently restored to its retro grandeur. I could have lingered forever among the floating stairways, meandering koi ponds, Buddha statues and gorgeous palms. But we had dinner reservations at the not-too-shabby Four Seasons nearby. At the al fresco ‘Ulu Ocean Grill by the Pacific, you can sip cocktails, nosh on sushi and divinely fresh local fish (miso-glazed kampachi, roasted pineapple mahi) and
finish with pineapple poke prepared tableside. To go with that crazygood dessert of compressed vanilla pineapple, Meyer-lemon pound cake, goat-cheese ice cream and white chocolate crunchy brittle, what better than a cup of Kona? Brews from four nearby farms on the menu. 3. Lunch at Merriman’s & Akaka State Falls Park. Driving west toward Hilo, we toured Parker Ranch (Hawaii’s largest) and had lunch at Merriman’s Waimea, chef Peter Merriman’s flagship restaurant. There, I had my first bite of Hawaiian barbecue (kalua pig, served with macadamia rice), and for dessert, we indulged in pineapple and toasted macadamia bread pudding and lilikoi (passion fruit) mousse with macadamia shortbread. This was plenty to hold us over for the drive to Akaka Falls, a breathtaking, 442-foot spray that’s more than twice as tall as Niagara. 4. Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. The best thing to do here is just drive around, from the top of the volcano to ocean’s edge. Don’t forget to trip through the lava holes and stop off
Above: Honolulu is lovely and everything, but for the most panoramic views, drive east, along the Pali Highway.
a fried egg and brown gravy. That was the original. The version I tried— with teriyaki pork and a sunny side up egg—was delicious, filling and cheap. What better way to top off this flavor bomb than a visit to the Mauna Loa Macadamia Nut Corp., about 5 miles south of Hilo? After driving through miles of orchards, we peeked into the nut shelling and packing plant and then stopped by the kitchen/gift shop for some treats. My favorite guilty pleasure? The Cookies & Crème-flavored mac nuts! I know, right? Come on and do the maca-loco-moco with me!
Above: Hawaiians love their barbecue, too! The kalua pig at Merriman's Waimea is served with macadamia rice and does not disappoint.
for a drink at Volcano House, the rustic lodge that dates back to 1849. 5. Loco moco and mac nuts. One day for lunch, we stopped at Cafe 100, a little walk-up restaurant in Hilo famous for its 30 kinds of loco mocos. Loco moco, lest you didn’t know, is one of those weird, only-inHawaii dishes consisting of a scoop of rice topped with a hamburger patty,
Above: The view of Halema‘uma‘u Crater at the top of Kilauea, the most active of the five volcanoes on the Big Island of Hawaii, is breathtaking.
HONOLULU 1. Helena’s Hawaiian Food. This local-eats diner, which won the James Beard Foundation’s regional classic award in 2000, comes highly recommended and will not disappoint. Here you can sample all the Hawaiian staples: poke, lomi salmon (a salad of fish and tomato), pipikaula beef short ribs, and poi, the starchy taro root mash that turns a light purple and tastes slightly sweet. Keep in mind: cash only and no alcohol. 2. Doris Duke’s Shangri La. The wealthy heiress fell in love with Honolulu on her first honeymoon in 1935 and went about building a gorgeous villa near Diamond Head. She filled it with Islamic art, and today it is maintained as a house museum. Tours originate at the Honolulu Museum of Art (a great place to have lunch), and must be reserved in advance. Two words of advice: Go there. It will take your breath away. 3. Dinner at Alan Wong’s. Arguably the most important restaurant in Hawaii, Wong’s first location is on the third floor of an office building—with no parking and no ocean view. Who cares? The food is killer. Start with a cucumber martini
IF YOU GO... THE BIG ISLAND Where to stay: Ala Kai We loved the Ohana Cottage at this bed and breakfast on the rugged Puna Peninsula. The two sweet inn keepers serve an amazing breakfast each day, and you are an easy drive from Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and other destinations on the eastern side of the island. alakaibb.com Mauna Kea princeresortshawaii.com/ mauna-kea-beach-hotel
Above: At Doris Duke's Honolulu home, Shangri La, is the repository of the heiress' remarkable collection of Islamic art.
Where to eat:
or passion-fruit mojito and a local butter sampling. Then move on to nori-wrapped tempura ahi, pristine native fish, twice-cooked short ribs, macadamia-and-coconut-crusted lamb chops, and so on. All terrific!
Merriman’s Waimea merrimanshawaii.com/waimea
4. Diamond Head. You may huff and puff climbing this 761-foot volcanic cone, but the soaring views of Honolulu and beyond are worth every breath. After the hike, consider driving east along the Pali Highway for magnificent views far from the bustle of Waikiki. Another option: Head to the Punch Bowl crater, where the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific overlooks downtown and the ocean, and then on to Pearl Harbor. 5. The Bishop Museum. The state’s largest museum was originally created to house heirlooms of the deposed monarchy, and those mementoes of Hawaii’s vanquished royalty are splendid and poignant. Today, the Bishop spreads over a large campus and includes gardens, a planetarium and comprehensive natural history and culture collections. n
‘Ulu Ocean Grill at the Four Seasons: uluoceangrill.com
What to visit: Hawaii Volcanoes National Park hawaiivolcanohouse.com The Painted Church thepaintedchurch.org
HONOLULU Where to stay: Pacific Beach Hotel High-rise hotels are a dime a dozen on Waikiki. We liked this one for its value and location, just a walk away from many landmarks and great shopping. pacificbeachhotel.com
Where to eat: Alan Wong's alanwongs.com Cafe 100 cafe100.com Helena’s Hawaiian Food helenashawaiianfood.com Maona Loa maunaloa.com
What to visit: Doris Duke’s Shangri La shangrilahawaii.org The Bishop Museum bishopmuseum.org For more information: dlnr.hawaii.gov/dsp/parks nps.gov/havo
January/February 2016 | Simply Buckhead
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S I M P LY NOW
STAYCATION
Above: Starting in May, Tiger Mountain's Red Barn Café offers monthly gourmet dinners prepared by visiting chefs and Georgia wine pairings in addition to its regular service. Above: Warm up by the fire after a day of activities in the Andreae Room at the Lake Rabun Hotel.
Above: The cozy, 93-year-old Lake Rabun Hotel is the last mountain lodge on a lake in Georgia.
Right: The menu at The Farmhouse at Persimmon Creek changes on a weekly basis, depending on what produce is in season.
Farm to fork Rabun County is a hotbed for grazing quality cuisine
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have serious North Georgia lake-house aspirations. One day, I’ll call a little slice of lakefront with a mountain backdrop my own. And beautiful Lake Rabun, where I unintentionally stumbled into farm-to-table bliss while on staycation, is a spot worthy of big dreams. The starting point of my Rabun County weekend getaway was the country-rustic Lake Rabun Hotel, located conveniently only about an hour and 45-minute drive from Buckhead—yet worlds away. The quaint bed-and-breakfast has just eight small rooms and one two-bedroom cottage perched across the winding main road from the lake. Romantic, if you don’t mind tight quarters and paper-thin walls (sound machines are provided to block out your neighbor’s snores!). What it lacks in room size, however, is made up in cozy shared spaces, including a living room with fireplace, game/ reading room, bar and outside decks. The show-stealer here is the restaurant that incorporates locally grown, organic produce. A heaping breakfast plate, as well as orange juice and coffee, is included with room rates (starting at $114), and offerings change daily. During my stay, the chef whipped up well-spiced potatoes, a perfect vegetable quiche, a home-baked applestuffed pastry, crisp bacon and a yogurt and fruit parfait—all in one sitting. For dinner, I chose a creamy butternut squash soup that soothed the senses on a cool eve and a flaky cornmeal-crusted
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roasted trout with seasonal vegetables. Thankfully, there are beaucoup area activities to work off at least a few bites of cheesy grits (enjoyed during the second bountiful breakfast), including hiking Tallulah Falls, whitewater rafting down the Nantahala River and horseback riding arranged through Sunburst Stables. Despite a small mishap when my horse Zeus decided he’d like to run me into a bunch of holly tree branches (ouch), the 2-hour ride ($75) across 9 miles of mountainous trails within the Chattahoochee National Forest was a nature feast for these city-worn eyes. To truly discover Lake Rabun itself, book a pontoon boat (anytime except the day after Thanksgiving to just before Christmas, when Georgia Power drains the lake for repairs) through Hall’s Boathouse, a 3-minute walk from the hotel. It’s $40 per hour plus gas to cruise around the picturesque lake at leisure. If you didn’t pack a picnic for the boat ride, opt for lunch afterwards at The Red Barn Café, a 15-minute drive from Lake Rabun Hotel. I chose it mainly because the online menu marked gluten-free options that my husband could enjoy. Little did I know what a little farm-to-table gem it would turn out to be. The casual restaurant within a converted dairy barn overlooks Tiger Mountain Vineyards and is the brainchild of its sixthgeneration farm owners who gave up careers as doctor and lawyer to continue the family legacy. The menu, including
January/February 2016 | Simply Buckhead
STORY:
Karina Antenucci
gluten-free fried green tomatoes and a simply delicious Springer Mountain Farm chicken breast sandwich with kale slaw and tomatoes, is expertly crafted by chef Jamie Allred and his team from Fortify Kitchen and Bar in Clayton. The wine list strategically offers solely the vineyard’s vintages: If you like a white, the Petit Manseng is by far the best pour. After a luxuriously long nap and reading time back at the hotel, we headed to The Farmhouse at Persimmon Creek. The 30-minute winding mountain drive was well worth the trip. It was like walking into a friend’s well-appointed, candlelit dining room, complete with an open-concept kitchen where chef and owner Vince Scafiti cooked up a delightful array of mouth-watering farm-to-table fare. For warmth on a chilly night, I had the Italian wedding soup, a flavorful chicken broth base with spinach and tiny meatballs, and a grass-fed filet mignon from Painted Hills Farm in Oregon, with cabernet glaze, red potatoes, haricot verts and carrots. Why Oregon? Chef Scafiti maintains it is the best beef, and there was no argument there as I sliced into the soft, buttery meat without a steak knife. This elegant, intimate place with the friendliest of waitstaff is not to be missed—just make sure to reserve your spot in advance. A visit to the Lake Rabun area certainly can be whatever you make of it—relaxing lake time, outdoor activities, a foodie tour, or, in my case, all of the above. n
DETAILS: Hall’s Boat House 1897 Lake Rabun Road Lakemont 30552 706.782.2628 rabunboathouse.com Lake Rabun Hotel and Restaurant 35 Andrea Lane Lakemont 30552 706.782.4946 lakerabunhotel.com Sunburst Stables 251 Sunburst Lane Clarkesville 30523 706.947.7433 sunburststables.com The Farmhouse at Persimmon Creek Blue Ridge Gap Road Clayton 30525 706.782.9834 thefarmhouseat persimmoncreek.com The Red Barn Café Tiger Mountain Vineyards 2592 Old Highway 441 Tiger 30576 706.782.4777 tigerwine.com
Leza Bennett Owner & Founder of The Perfect Brows by Leza
DEDICATED TO CREATING BEAUTIFUL BROWS! Eyebrows are the frame of the eyes and face, and Leza is the most sought after eyebrow artist in Atlanta. The Perfect Brows by Leza was voted best brows studio in Atlanta for 2013 and 2014, featured in Simply Buckhead Magazine as the Publisher Joanne Hayes’ favorite treatment, and recently voted the best brow studio by the Atlantan for 2015. Whether you’re having your brows threaded, waxed or tweezed, Leza and her team feel no one should leave The Perfect Brows until their brows are perfect, because they’re “dedicated to creating beautiful brows.” The Perfect Brows – now offering Brow Extensions. Call for details! Buckhead Studio, 56 E. Andrews Suite 27, Atlanta, GA 30305 404.816.LEZA(5392) theperfectbrows@yahoo.com www.theperfectbrows.com Tues 11-4pm • Wed 11-6pm • Thur 11-7pm Fri 11-6pm • Sat 10-4pm
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HOT TO SHOT TOASTY COCKTAILS WARM FROM THE INSIDE OUT When Buckhead’s temperatures dip below freezing, hot cocktails are simply soul-warming. Here are a few of our favorites. Cheers!
STORY:
Jennifer Bradley Franklin
PHOTO: Sara
Hanna
1. The Palm: French Kiss Martini ($14)
3. Le Bilboquet: Fireside Alexander ($15)
5. Corso Coffee: Spiced Chai Latte ($8)
Few things are as passionate as a French kiss, and drinking this sexy cocktail might just feel a bit clandestine. It combines freshly brewed espresso with Chambord Raspberry Liqueur, Kahlua and Bailey’s Irish Cream and is served in an elegant coupe glass for a sweet, creamy treat that tastes like dessert.
Mixologists at Buckhead Atlanta’s resident Frenchinspired restaurant are adept at taking classics and adding a twist. This warm cocktail is no exception: it puts a creative spin on a Brandy Alexander. It features equal parts Maison Surrenne Cognac, crème de cacao and milk, all combined, frothed, steamed (like a cappuccino) and served straight up.
Who says day drinking isn’t a thing (not us)? This emporium of caffeine offers its take on a chai latte, using Harney & Sons’ piping hot chai mix (with notes of cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger), spiced rum, a splash of hazelnut syrup and the milk of your choice. The festive drink is topped with housemade whipped cream and a cinnamon stick.
3035 Peachtree Road N.E. Atlanta 30305 404.869.9944 lebilboquetatlanta.com
3065 Peachtree Road N.E. Atlanta 30305 678.553.9009 corsocoffee.com
4. Thirteen Pies: Hot Buttered Rum ($10)
6. MAYA Steaks & Seafood: Café Bodega ($9.50)
Were it possible to pour the coziness of winter into a glass, this steamy cocktail might be it. House-made rum batter (butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, clove, nutmeg and vanilla) is mixed with hot water, heavy cream and Gosling’s dark rum and served in an oversized coffee mug. It’s just the right size for wrapping chilled hands around when the mercury dips.
This is the drink we’re craving after a hearty winter’s meal. It’s a dreamy combination of freshly brewed coffee, simple syrup, cream and a hefty hit of alcohol (Maya aged bourbon, Kahlua, Frangelico), topped with shaved gianduja chocolate and a mint leaf. Sweet dreams indeed!
3391 Peachtree Road Atlanta 30326 404.814.1955 thepalm.com
2. Bistro Niko: L’Automne ($10) Visions of apple pie may dance in your head with this lively Buckhead Life Restaurant Group cocktail. JP Wiser’s Vanilla Spice Whiskey is combined with candied apple compote and garnished with a slice of fresh apple for a balanced drink that is equally apropos before or after a meal. If you prefer your beverage chilled (as shown), the adept barkeeps are happy to accommodate. 3344 Peachtree Road Atlanta 30326 404.261.6456 buckheadrestaurants.com/bistro-niko
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January/February 2016 | Simply Buckhead
250 Buckhead Avenue N.E. Atlanta 30305 678.791.1313 thirteenpies.com
6152 Roswell Road Atlanta 30328 404.705.8880 mayasteaks.com
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S I M P LY NOW
A DAY IN THE LIFE
If he builds it, they will come When you grow up but don’t outgrow playing with LEGOs, you make it your job
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Above: "I think three dimensionally," Aries Viera says of his ability to create mind-blowing masterpieces out of LEGO bricks, which he often sketches out on paper first.
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ries Viera is 24 years old, and he still plays with LEGOs. In fact, it's his job. Yes, the man gets paid to play with LEGO bricks all day. (Technically they’re called “bricks.”) Viera is the master builder at the LEGOLAND Discovery Center in Phipps Plaza, a position he has held since 2014, when he beat out a host of contestants during a daylong competition to nab the coveted position. The Sandy Springs resident knows how good he has it. "Working here is the most fun I’ve had in life. People are always jealous,” he says of being responsible for creating exciting new LEGO works for guests to enjoy. “Still, it’s a job, and sometimes it’s stressful." In fact, he works most weekends. Viera’s love of LEGO bricks began at an early age. His first creation was a submarine he made from a
January/February 2016 | Simply Buckhead
STORY:
Jill Becker PHOTOS: Sara Hanna
kit when he was 5 or 6. The Atlanta native continued toying with bricks until he was around 16, at which point he just up and decided one day to donate his huge collection of bricks to a local YMCA. After graduating from Campbell High School in Smyrna, Viera moved to Chicago and studied media design and illustration at the Art Institute and held various jobs such as electrician’s apprentice and airbrush artist before landing his full-time gig at LEGOLAND. In his off time, Viera still draws and paints, and also participates in video game competitions. Says Viera of gaming: “It definitely helps develop your hand-eye coordination,” a skill one obviously needs to be a LEGO master builder. To see what the life of a LEGO ninja is like, we checked in with Viera on a typical Friday. Here’s how the day went down.
9:30 a.m. Viera heads into work. There’s a pre-opening meeting to attend and various duties and paperwork to take care of. 10:00 a.m. As Viera checks to make sure everything is in working order and ready to go, the anxious youngsters waiting in line outside the main gates are herded in. 10:30 a.m. As a junior builder shadows him, Viera teaches a workshop called “Spin the Gears” to a group of 10 first-graders. Wearing a bright red Superman logo across his chest that he’s fashioned out of bricks, he cheerily greets the students with a rousing, “Hello, my name is Aries. How is everybody doing today?” Each kid is then handed a see-through bag with a set of bricks inside, and Viera instructs them not to open the bag just yet. A few even manage to resist the temptation. As Viera then walks
Above and left: Viera works with budding LEGO artists at the Master Builder Academy, inspiring them to create fanciful designs like the replica Guitar Hero guitar he made.
the group through the steps of the build, he educates them on the basics of gear mechanics. 11:00 a.m. The next few hours are spent leading more workshops, assisting guests with their builds, and helping out with whatever else needs to be done, like sharing rides with kids who can’t go by themselves and starting the 4-D movie. 2:00 p.m. Viera takes a lunch break, which, as usual, means grabbing a quick bite to eat and then heading to his office and tinkering with some bricks (he recently finished a life-size guitar) or working on a specific piece for an upcoming display (he started on Valentine’s Day-themed builds months ago).
Above: It took Viera seven hours to conceive and construct this superheroworthy Batman bust, complete with removable mask
3:00 p.m. The afternoon consists of more classes, helping out in the Master Builder Academy and doing some final preparations for his talk at the big Celebricktion event held at Cobb Galleria in October. 6:00 p.m. After a long day around kids amped up on juice boxes and having endured countless playings of “Everything is Awesome” on the overhead speakers, it’s time to clock out. n
January/February 2016 | Simply Buckhead
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S I M P LY NOW
PE TS
POSH PETS SPOIL YOUR FUR BABY WHEN MONEY IS NO OBJECT
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e all love our pets. We dote on them as if they were our own children, and they deserve it. The loyalty and joy they bring into our lives is worth a splurge here and there with fancy treats and grooming goodies. Here are a few pet indulgences Buckhead has to offer.
Sarah Blackman
Happy Healthy Pup
Aussie Pet Mobile
City Dog Market
It’s like the Uber of pet grooming! Anytime between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. seven days a week, this pet spa on wheels will conveniently come to your home, workplace or even lunch spot in Buckhead, Brookhaven and Sandy Springs, as well as other metro Atlanta areas, saving you precious time. All the mobile groomer needs is a place to park and a quick consultation with you before spiffing up any breed of cat or dog with environmentally-friendly, all-natural products. The 15-step Luxurious Groom, which includes all the trimmings, plus ear cleaning, nail grooming, sanitary area trim, paw pad trim and full brush and fluff, starts around $85 (pricing is based on your pet’s individual needs and size). Teeth brushing can be added for $10. They’ll gently hand-dry your fur baby, and won’t ever use a cage. Your pooch is delivered to your door, fresh as a daisy. Not satisfied with the service? Speak up within seven days of the appointment, and they will come back and fix it free of charge.
We all know how important great nutrition is for our beloved animals, and City Dog Market specializes in all-natural and holistic pet food and treats, with a vast selection for both cats and dogs. Visit the main store in Brookhaven or its Street Treats mobile market pop-up shop, which opened in October at Lenox Square. Both locales offer a fancy mix-and-match biscuit bar featuring seasonal flavors such as pumpkin and sweet potato, baked cookies by Pawsitively Gourmet, Polkadog and Sojos packaged treats, festive bandanas, cute toys and more sweet swag for your hungry hound or kitty. They even have neckties and fetch sticks by Loopies that look like cigars for the distinguished doggy.
Do you have a naughty nibbler on your hands? A fussy Fido? Perhaps your pup could benefit from charm school. Buckhead’s Happy Healthy Pup has a ton of training solutions that work with your needs, time and posh pet. Its Canine Concierge takes good care of you by determining the best training options and creating a personalized package for your dog. The trainer offers day training, private lessons and board-and-train options. The Happy Healthy Pup also offers one-on-one package deals: The initial 1 1/2-hour session is $150; a 1-hour appointment is $125; four sessions cost $405; the six-session pack is $575. The training doesn’t start and stop with your pet, either. Owners can learn a thing or two with personalized consultations, such as a shopping spree with a Happy Healthy Pup team member for your newly homed furry friend ($65), or nutritional consultations for a custom food and treat plan. A 20-minute consult costs $25. An entire custom-tailored healthy eating plan for your pup is $150.
City Dog Market 4244 Peachtree Road Atlanta 30319 404.816.8050 citydogmarket.com
Happy Healthy Pup 780 Morosgo Drive N.E., Suite 14758 Atlanta 30324 404.444.2022 happyhealthypup.com
Aussie Pet Mobile 770.203.0294 aussiepetmobile.com
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January/February 2016 | Simply Buckhead
SNACK-TIME SAVINGS When you're pampering your pooch, the costs can add up. To save a few bucks, visit Red Bandanna Pet Foods, which offers three different options for customers to save money. If you go the online route to get the goods, you’ll get free shipping on orders over $75. When shopping in store, sign up for one of its rewards programs to save money in the long run. Join Perkville and every dollar spent equals a point and the points add up to percentages off of your pet’s goods. The Petzmobile program sends you a weekly text with the product specials. Red Bandanna Pet Foods 2221 Peachtree Road, Suite F Atlanta 30309 404.355.1420 216 Johnson Ferry Road Sandy Springs 30328 404.705.8282 rbpetfood.com
HOM E | FA S H ION | B E AU T Y | W E L L N E S S | TA S T E M A K E R
SIMPLY STYLISH
HOME
The Bell’s two-story foyer features black-and-white geometric wallpaper and a white table designed by David Herchik, the couple’s decorator. The Bells’ beloved field-grade English cocker spaniels, Piper and Chief, pose alongside their ceramic doppelgänger, ready to offer an energetic welcome.
An island home with heart P34
Photo: Sara Hanna Photography
Buckhead’s Tom and Jennifer Bell create a family retreat on Sea Island. January/February 2016 | Simply Buckhead
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AN ISLAND HOME WITH HEART In the coastal Georgia resort community of Sea Island, Tom and Jennifer Bell have created a soul-filled family escape STORY:
Lindsay Lambert Day
PHOTOS: Sara
Hanna
Above: Located on a corner lot and surrounded by lush palms, Tom and Jennifer Bell’s Sea Island cottage has become a treasured family retreat.
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January/February 2016 | Simply Buckhead
T
he number of places that Tom and Jennifer Bell and their family have called home over time is impressive. Their primary residences have included Potomac, Maryland; Greenwich, Connecticut; Savannah, Georgia; and now Buckhead for 13 years. And that’s not to mention the secondary residences they’ve owned in Hilton Head, South Carolina, and Albany and Lake Rabun in Georgia. But it wasn’t until 2012 that the couple found what they now say is one of their favorite family escapes to date: a vacation cottage in the storybook resort town of Sea Island. Despite their healthy appetite for adventures in homeownership, Tom and Jennifer Bell weren’t in the market for a new vacation home when their journey to Sea Island started. “We weren’t really thinking about another house,” says Tom, chairman of real estate investment firm Mesa Capital Partners and formerly chairman of Cousins Properties. “We had a house at Lake Rabun in North Georgia, which was great when our kids were young because they loved being at the lake. As soon as the water got warm enough, we were there pretty much every weekend.”
But when the couple’s three kids— Devereaux, now 34; Kevin, 23; and Hannah, 20—left for college, family trips there became more of a waning memory than a regular weekend occurrence. The parents agreed that the lakeside retreat no longer served its most essential purpose of bringing everyone together. “It just wasn’t working anymore,” Tom says. Call it fortuitous or call it fate, but a most unexpected phone call eventually put the Bells on yet another new path. “We had a realtor call us up and say, ‘I’ve got somebody who’d really like to buy your house,’” Tom recalls of the Lake Rabun home. The house wasn’t on the market, but Tom and Jennifer saw no harm in letting the couple have a look. They sold it in 2012. Suddenly free to start thinking about a retreat that would serve the family’s evolving needs, the couple eventually zeroed in on Sea Island and “a house where our kids would eventually want to come with their kids, and somewhere we’d have a network of friends that’s not too far from Atlanta,” Jennifer says. Tom had traveled there previously on business, and several of their
Above: The great room, with its soaring ceiling and windows, is a comfortable space where the family gathers for everything from meals to televised football games. The sectionals and square, brass-top tables that stand in the center are David Herchik’s design.
Above: In the spacious kitchen, the couple swapped an existing island and its flat-top electric stove for a larger one that now holds six gas burners. “I like to work with six burners so I can really cook,” says Jennifer, an avid at-home entertainer.
Left: With its oversized oval dining table, sleek fireplace, cozy sectional sofas and bar, the bright and airy great room is the home’s nucleus. Below: Jennifer and Tom Bell and their precious pups at home on Sea Island.
Left: During the home’s renovation, the Bells hollowed out a corner of the great room to create a full bar where a countertop, sink and glass shelves had been. “I love the way it turned out, and we use it all the time,” Jennifer says.
“This house had such great potential, but it was so tired...” – Jennifer Bell she met 20 years ago after falling in love with a friend’s Washington, D.C., home whose interiors Herchik had designed. “This house had such great potential, but it was so tired,” Jennifer says. “It was built in 1987, and I don’t think it had really been redecorated.” Together, Jennifer and Herchik reworked features of the home’s floor plan that impeded its flow, making everything from subtle adjustments—removing a pair of bulky owners’ closets on the upstairs landing— to more major changes, such as replacing the ground-floor master suite’s awkward, compartmentalized entryway with a more fluid footprint. They also opened up existing shelves and a countertop in a s
friends had already settled there. Initially unable to find a house they loved, the Bells bought a condo there instead. Growing more enamored of the Sea Island lifestyle, they stayed committed to their search. “The beach club, the spa and the workout facilities are all right there, and we never have to leave the property to get good food,” Tom says. In September 2012, they closed on a seven-bedroom, Frank McCall-designed house with soaring ceilings and loads of natural light. With their Sea Island vacation home secured, Jennifer set about turning it into a cozy home and livable entertaining space. She enlisted the help of her longtime friend and interior designer David Herchik, whom
Below: While shopping on a family vacation, Jennifer, with her own eagle eye and knack for design, spotted a basket filled with old fabric presses. “I said to David [Herchik]: ‘We need to put these on stands,’” she says of the pieces, which are now displayed in a living room. “Every time I look at them, I remember picking through that basket.”
Above: This sculpture in the Bells’ great room was made by a friend/former staffer from a piece of cherry wood he found on the grounds of their Atlanta home.
January/February 2016 | Simply Buckhead
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Right: Awash in pale purple, the Bell’s daughter Hannah’s feminine, light-filled bedroom is one of the only spaces that deviates from the home’s otherwise earthy palette. Like many things found throughout the house, Jennifer Bell repurposed the drapes from the couple’s Atlanta home.
corner of the high-ceilinged family room to create a proper bar, which has since become a favorite gathering spot in the house for guests. When it came to aesthetics, Jennifer, who has her own keen eye for design, entrusted much of the scheming to Herchik. “He’s amazing,” she says of her friend, with whom she’s decorated about eight of her homes. “His sense of color is like no one’s I’ve ever met.” One place where Herchik’s creativity is particularly evident is the home’s two-story foyer. Its floor is still covered with the home’s original black and white tiles, its walls with a black-and-white geometric-print wallpaper, and its curved staircase with black-andwhite speckled carpet. What sounds like the makings of a chaotic combination instead feels fresh and fun, a reflection of the minds that conceived it. “David really gets in there and figures out what you’re trying to do, and he and Jennifer do stuff as a team that I would never have done in a million years,” Tom says of the designing duo. “If you gave me a hundred wallpapers, I would have picked that one out last,” he adds, motioning to the foyer. “But then I walk in, look at it and go, ‘Wow, that really works.’” While Herchik lent his knack for combining colors and patterns to the decorating of the Bells’ home, Jennifer’s inherent warmth and her affection for her family kicked into gear when it came to adorning its walls. She felt photography would strike a good balance with the home’s light and sleek interiors, and would tell the family’s story. Instead of buying shockingly expensive photos at a chic Sea Island gallery or having pieces shipped in from some far-flung place, Jennifer hired her own daughter to supply the snapshots. “At the time, Hannah was taking these incredible photographs with no training at all,” Jennifer says. “I thought, ‘These photos could tell a great story.’” The women pored over Hannah’s extensive personal photo library, divvying up their favorite shots into categories, including animals, sunsets and family, among others. Using a website
called Fracture, Hannah created oversize prints—some black and white, others in vivid, living color—which now hang in neatly arranged grids or individually throughout the house. The effect is instantly warming. Just as Jennifer had hoped, each photograph tells a sweet story—of family boat trips in the Bahamas, sunsets observed in the company of giggling girlfriends, even silly moments spent with the family’s two adoring spaniels, Piper and Chief. “I never stop looking at these,” Jennifer says, nodding toward a living room sunset print aglow in neon orange. “With each one I look at, I see a quick memory. Something just jives for me.” More than anything else in the house, the photographs—given both their subject matter and their source—best represent Jennifer’s intention for this home to be a warm and welcoming place that her family and friends will want to come back to. With the promise of Jennifer and Tom’s unique brand of homespun hospitality waiting to greet them, it’s safe to say they certainly will. n
HOME HIGHLIGHTS Interior designer David Herchik shares where he sourced some of the Bells’ most striking accessories l Kitchen island chandelier from Wired l Foyer wallpaper from Phillip Jefferies l Carpet on front stairs
from Stark Carpet
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l Black and white “Marion” table in the entryway, pair of “West Ender” sectionals in the great room and the etched brass, onyx and wood “Taos” tables in the great room designed by David Herchik.
January/February 2016 | Simply Buckhead
All items are available to the trade and can be sourced through the Atlanta Decorative Arts Center (ADAC) in Buckhead.
Above: Hannah snapped many of the photographs that hang throughout the home, including this black-and-white grid in a first-floor bathroom that shows the family and some friends jumping joyfully from a boat into warm Bahamian waters.
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www.ModaFloorsandInteriors.com January/February 2016 | Simply Buckhead
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S I M P LY S T Y LISH
FA S HION
Right: Project Love founders Amy Crouse and Elizabeth Mathes. Left: The first group of Haitian girls to receive education and training from Project Love donations. Below: All of the loungewear and sleepwear items in the first collection are named after a Haitian girl. Yoline bralette, $44; Bylanda low-rise pant, $49.
SNOOZE AND THEY DON’T LOSE
STORY:
Jessica Dauler
Buckhead sleepwear company connects women worldwide
I
n just one year, Buckhead entrepreneurs Elizabeth Mathes and Amy Crouse have changed the lives of 11 women by creating a sleepwear company that donates 51 percent of its profits to empowering women in Haiti through education and skill training. The women were introduced by a mutual friend and became buddies while attending college (Mathes at UGA and Crouse at UNC - Chapel Hill). After achieving their own personal career goals—Mathes as a global buyer for Home Depot; Crouse in public relations with top fashion brands, such as Christian Dior, H&M and Saks Fifth Avenue— the duo felt it was time to give back. Mathes and Crouse started looking for ways to bring hope and opportunity to others through a new business venture. “So much of our individual success has really come from the fact that we were given great opportunities growing up and have had supportive communities throughout our lives,” Crouse says. Primed with their own key tenets
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for success—education, love and opportunity—Project Love was formed. “We knew we wanted to start by creating a beautiful product that makes the consumer feel great about herself, while also helping to create a better future for someone in another community,” Mathes says. They chose to focus the company on sleepwear because it’s a product that all women share. “We saw a gap in this category,” Crouse recalls. “Right now, for the most part, there is super sexy lingerie, and then there is more basic sleepwear.” Mathes adds, “You spend 7 to 8, possibly 9 hours (if you’re lucky!) in whatever you sleep in, so you want to have the right mindset about yourself when you get into bed.” They partnered with Dallas fashion designer Michael Faircloth who is best known for the gowns he created for Laura Bush while she was in the White House. While Faircloth finalized the sleepwear designs, the women traveled to Haiti to look for possible recipients of sales proceeds and im-
January/February 2016 | Simply Buckhead
mediately fell in love with a group of 11 women from the Haiti Deaf Academy who had very little education. “When we first met the girls back in 2014, we asked them what they wanted to do in the future and what they were dreaming about. Not one of them could answer the question, as they were so focused on getting their immediate needs met,” Crouse recalls. She adds, “[In 2015,] with the assistance and education from Project Love, we asked the same question and the girls had all sorts of answers, from wanting to be a seamstress to a teacher to a writer to a photographer.” The Project Love premier collection—available at Buckhead’s w.port and online— launched in 2015 and consists of nightgowns, a romper, tops, shorts and pants. Each design is named after a young woman in Haiti. The donated revenue provides the women with education, speech therapy and skills training and teaches them sign language so they can improve their lives. With every Project Love purchase, the customer
receives a hangtag that tells the story of one of the girls. The hope is that the consumer will engage with her by writing letters, sending photos and tracking her progress online at joinprojectlove.com. The two entrepreneurs both believe they’ve grown the most by experiencing other cultures and meeting women from different communities, whether in the U.S. or abroad in places such as Haiti or Uganda. “We feel strongly that to grow, you’ve got to get outside of your world and engage with a larger story, and our hope is that through Project Love, people will do just that,” Crouse says. n DETAILS: w. port 3232 Roswell Road N.W. Atlanta 30305 404.565.1644 shopwport.com Project Love Sleepwear 800.209.3199 joinprojectlove.com
*First time guests who are local residents and 21 years oF age or older. certain restrictions apply. Š 2015 roc house Fitness. all rights reserVed.
January/February 2016 | Simply Buckheadâ&#x20AC;&#x192;
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S I M P LY S T Y LISH
ACCE S SORIZE
PERFECTLY LAYER-ABLE
Monograms add a special touch to this year’s coolest accessories.
Update your modern-preppy style with this bar necklace, a minimalist design with ample space to personalize names, sayings and entertaining messages. Not only is it a cute and fun idea, but it’s also very affordable. Brooklyn Nameplate Necklace available for $44 at Swell Caroline. TIP: Mix and match metals and lengths to make a statement.
PERSONALIZE IT! STORY:
Jessica Dauler
PHOTOS: Sara
Hanna
I s
n the Victorian era, monograms were used as a royal signature or a way to denote an individual’s status in society. Today, monograms are simply a classic way to personalize your favorite items and turn them into a fashion staple for the stylish Southern girl. They also make foolproof personalized gifts for grads, brides and birthdays. Here are some of our favorite products under $100 in Buckhead to showcase your signature style.
A BRIGHT IDEA
Custom sunglasses define your sense of style and alliance to a state or organization. These classic tortoise wayfarers can be personalized with an icon, state or sorority symbol. The icon will appear on both sides of the sunglasses in either silver or gold monogram. Moon and Lola Classic Tortoise Wayfares available for $48.95 at Swoozie’s.
DETAILS: Swoozie’s 4285 Roswell Road Suite 10 Atlanta 30342 404.252.7979 swoozies.com
KEY CLUB Keep your keys together and in style with this personalized monogram keychain. This solid acrylic disc is available in 30 colors. Moon and Lola Hartford Keychain available for $34.95 at Swoozies.
Swell Caroline 404.913.7121 swellcaroline.com
t
SOUTHERN FLAIR
Stay true to your Southern roots by sporting this simple bracelet with a stately and thick sterling silver medallion that will stand the test of time. Classic Sterling Silver Monogram Bracelet available for $72 at Swell Caroline.
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START STACKING!
Now a thinner acrylic monogram bangle for all of your stacking needs! Create your own unique look by pairing with your favorite cuff or fashion bracelets. Everly Bangle available for $38 at Swoozie’s.
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January/February 2016 | Simply Buckhead
atlantaeats.com
Hungry Yet? From that big, juicy, cut-it-with-a-butter-knife, fit-for-a-king filet mignon that you can only get at the swankiest steakhouse in Buckhead to that discovered-by-the-roadside southern-fried comfort food that’d make your grandma question her cooking skills, Atlanta Eats has the dish on what can’t be missed in and around Atlanta. Yeah, we’re gonna make your mouth water.
Sat 7:30 pm | Sun 10:30 am
S I M P LY S T Y LISH
BE AUTY
Photo: Patricia Villafane
THE EXPERTS
Andrea Harden Lead esthetician at White Salon and Spa
DO THIS, NOT THAT, SAY BUCKHEAD’S TOP SKIN, HAIR AND MAKEUP EXPERTS
WINTER BEAUTY
BLUNDERS D
id you know that your beauty routine isn’t a one-size-fits-all seasons kind of deal? In the winter, it’s important to switch up your regime to accommodate drier air, colder temperatures and naturally paler skin tones. Keep these winter no-nos and advice from Buckhead beauty professionals in mind for healthy skin and hair, and on-point makeup until spring.
NO-NO: APPLYING MOISTURIZER ONLY TO YOUR FACE.
says Tisha Thompson, vice president of brand marketing for PÜR Cosmetics.
ADVICE: When it’s warm outside, you can get away with not slathering your entire body in moisturizer, but in the dry winter season, your skin needs hydration badly. Andrea Harden, lead esthetician at White Salon and Spa, recommends doing a gentle, manual exfoliation in the shower once per week (but no more than that) to prevent dry, cracked skin. She suggests using a body scrub with beta hydroxyl acid and salicylic acid, ingredients that accelerate cell turnover, to leave the skin smooth and better able to absorb your moisturizer’s ingredients. On a daily basis, Harden recommends applying a body moisturizer that contains urea, a humectant that retains moisture well.
NO-NO: SHAMPOOING TOO OFTEN.
NO-NO: WEARING FROSTY MAKEUP.
NO-NO: SKIPPING YOUR WORKOUT.
ADVICE: A good rule of thumb: When the temperatures turn down, save the frost for Jack. Frosty eye shadows or lip colors can make pale skin look even paler and clash with the season. Instead, “choose a nude or bold lip or a traditional nude or smoky eye,”
ADVICE: What does your gym routine have to do with your skin? Everything, Harden says. It’s all-too-easy to crawl back into bed what with the dark morning scene outside, but Harden reminds that “exercise is awesome for your skin.” It in-
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ADVICE: Natural oils help your scalp and hair shafts stay nourished, which combats brittle hair and itchy scalp in the cold season. “Try just rinsing with warm water instead of shampooing every day. Rinsing will help you get a clean feeling and fresh style, while allowing you to cut down shampoos to once every two to three days,” says Tara Taylor, hair stylist at Bernaud Dugaud. If your hair tends to be quite oily, apply a dry shampoo at night to absorb oil produced while you sleep, and in the morning as needed, in between shampoos. And if your scalp is particularly dry, incorporate a scalp oil treatment once a week to encourage healthy hair growth.
January/February 2016 | Simply Buckhead
Tisha Thompson Vice president of brand marketing for PÜR Cosmetics
STORY:
Karina Antenucci
creases circulation, providing a turbo boost of nutrients and oxygen that delivers a beautiful glow, and removes toxins, which reduces inflammation and puffiness. Plus, a yo-yo routine of weight gain and loss is not good for your visage and can lead to sagging skin in the long run, she notes.
Tara Taylor Hair stylist at Bernaud Dugaud
NO-NO: GETTING A SPRAY TAN. ADVICE: Unless you’re headed for Mexico, it’s time to tone down the tanning routine—it just looks out of place when you’re covered up from head to toe in boots and coat. So you don’t become a victim of the “pale winter blues,” though, try using a bit of self-tanner to add warmth to the skin, suggests Lynnette Cole, global director of education and training for PÜR Cosmetics. “It’s a mini vacation in a tube!”
NO-NO: APPLYING THE WRONG FOUNDATION. ADVICE: “The best type of foundation to use is silicone-based foundation; it is the easiest to work with and provides the best resistance to cold weather,” Cole says, and recommends PÜR 4-in-1 Liquid Foundation. She notes that the skin doesn’t produce a lot of oil in the winter, so traditional powder foundation may look pancaked on. Cream foundation, on the other hand, has a tendency to crack on your face during the dry winter since there is no humidity in the air. “And liquid foundation likes to disappear when exposed to cold weather, leaving you with weird spots on your face,” she says. n
Lynnette Cole Global director of education and training for PÜR Cosmetics
DETAILS: PÜR Cosmetics at Ulta 3495 Buckhead Loop Atlanta 30326 404.266.3559 purminerals.com Bernard Dugaud - Atelier de Beaute 3090 Roswell Road N.W. Atlanta 30305 404.262.9656 bernarddugaud.com White Salon and Spa 2973 Grandview Ave. N.E. Atlanta 30305 404.816.7500 whitesalonandspa.co
ntal e R h t o o B ities n u t r o p p O
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January/February 2016 | Simply Buckhead
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S I M P LY S T Y LIS H
WE LLN E S S
Put a nutritious foot forward with these 10 basic principles of Ayurveda STORY:
Karina Antenucci
A healthy start A
yurveda is a 5,000-year-old holistic science and lifestyle tradition rooted in India. Ancient though it may be, it has many valuable health principles that can still be applied to modern-day Buckhead living. A big part of the science is focused on preventing imbalances in the body through nutrition and smart eating habits that support healthy digestion. Essentially, what you eat affects how your digestive system works, and only when that is balanced will you be able to properly absorb nutrients and avert disease in all its forms. “Eating for good digestion prevents accumulation of toxins, which we don’t need more of,” says Gedalia Genin, Ayurvedic health specialist at Buckhead’s Atlanta Center for Holistic and Integrative Science, which offers Ayurveda lifestyle consultations ($225 for 50 minutes for new patients). “[Digestion] is the place where food transforms to energy for all of our bodily systems, including mental clarity, luster of the skin, radiance in the eyes, strength, vitality, hormonal balance, weight management, freedom from inflammation and pain, joy and prevention of disease, and it promotes longevity.” If you’re trying to start the year off with a healthier routine (that you can actually continue for a change!), consider incorporating these fairly simple 10 rules of Ayurveda into your daily routine.
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1. Think of food as medicine. Listen to your body and mind, and, in general, remember the opposites attracts rule to level out through food. Are you hot, angry or inflamed? Then choose cooling foods and spices, such as cucumber, fennel, melon and mint, and drinks, such as coconut water. Are you cold, dry or depressed? Then pick warming foods and spices, such as cinnamon, cardamom, oatmeal and vegetable soups, and drinks, such as chai tea. 2. Eat a diet focused on fresh, whole foods, with an emphasis on organic vegetables and fruits. When possible, stay away from dry, raw vegetables because these can be difficult to digest, and favor cooked veggies instead. Of course, if it’s between a French fry and a raw piece of broccoli, use your common sense. That brings us to…
3. Steer clear of fried, processed, additive-laden and frozen foods. They can really mess with your digestive system. 4. Choose happy creatures. Everything you consume has energy. So if you do eat animal proteins, feed yourself the most positive energy you can find in
January/February 2016 | Simply Buckhead
the form of grass-fed beef (happy cows), wild-caught salmon (happy fish) and cage-free eggs (happy chickens)—you get the picture.
5. Do an easy morning detox. Drink a cup of warm water with lemon before you eat or drink anything (including that cup of Joe) in the morning. It’s a nice way to flush toxins and jumpstart the digestive system every day. 6. Eat regularly. Three meals at routine times of the day, such as breakfast at 7 to 7:30 a.m., lunch at 11 to 1 p.m. and dinner at 6 to 7:30 p.m., are ideal. Also, go slowly so you don’t overeat. You should feel satisfied, but not bloated or heavy. 7. Stop drinking iced bevvies. Ice in drinks is an all-American habit, but not one to necessarily be proud of since it slows digestion. If you’re not feeling overheated, keep your beverages ice-free.
8. Sip hot tea. Herbal teas have many healing benefits. Feeling anxious or irritable? Sip a calming lavender or chamomile tea. Feeling sluggish or have indigestion? Pour a cup of ginger tea. Or simply enjoy one just ’cause.
9. Quit counting calories. What?! You heard me. In Ayurveda, it’s not all about the calories. When you follow the principles above, you’ll reap health rewards, feel great and simply won’t need to.
10. Be kind to you. If you opted to indulge in that mouth-watering doughnut, don’t beat yourself up about it! There’s nothing worse than adding guilt to your guilty pleasure. An anxious mind also can disrupt your tummy. So, savor every morsel, smile and then get back on your Ayurveda horse. n Contributing Editor Karina Antenucci is a Certified Ayurvedic Health Coach.
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You are invited... “Our quaint farmhouse eatery is truly the finest and most unique dining experience anywhere in the North East Georgia mountains. With nearby vineyards and farms, we source the freshest local ingredients to create you an unforgettable meal.” ~ O w n e rs V i n ce n t a n d D o n n a S c a fi t i ~ An authentic farm to fork experience. A must for ever y foodie! Reser vation required - limited seating
thefarmhouseatpersimmoncreek.com | 706.782. 9834 3093 Blue Ridge Gap Road | Clayton, Georgia
January/February 2016 | Simply Buckhead
45
S I M P LY S T Y LIS H
TA S TE M A K ER
Skin deep Aesthetician and Skintherapy owner Jennifer Curtin divulges her skin-care secrets STORY:
Sarah Gleim
PHOTO: Scott
Reeves
A
s a certified medical aesthetician for 25 years, Buckhead resident Jennifer Curtin stays on the cutting edge of technology in her field, ensuring her clients have the tools they need to get flawless-looking skin. But Curtin also knows what it takes to run a successful business. She holds a bachelor’s degree in business management and marketing from the University of Baltimore, and she opened her first medical spa, Ageless Remedies, in 1999 after developing several medical spas for plastic surgeons and dermatologists in Maryland and Atlanta. She and her former business partner, Maureen Herrmann, grew the spa into 25 franchise locations, offering non-invasive and anti-aging skin-care treatments to clients across the country before eventually selling the company in 2010. Her latest venture, Skintherapy in Buckhead, will celebrate its one-year anniversary in May. Here, we speak with Curtin about some of her top skincare secrets, and find out how this working mom of two stays fresh and fabulous. Tell me why you opened your first spa. Medical aestheticians work closely with physicians and other medical professionals to give clients a well-rounded approach to more youthful-looking and healthier skin. I saw that there was a need for a spa that catered toward non-invasive treatments to improve the skin and restore its youthful appearance.
46
January/February 2016 | Simply Buckhead
Why did you open Skintherapy in Buckhead? There have been so many advancements made in the industry—more advanced lasers, new injectables. I wanted to open a med spa that offered the most advanced treatments in a boutique environment. All of our treatments are customized specifically for the clients’ needs and goals. We specialize in Ultherapy treatments, which is an amazing technology that uses ultrasound to lift and tighten the skin. What types of treatments and products do you recommend for winter skin? The HydroFacial combined with our hyperbaric oxygen treatment. This treatment uses oxygen under pressure in conjunction with specialized formulations of hyaluronic acid. The machine uses enzymes and light acids, as well as a diamond tip, to exfoliate the skin. Then hyaluronic acid is infused into the skin with the oxygen treatment to rehydrate the skin. And I love African Botanicals Marula Oil and Intraceutical’s Daily Serum. The Marula oil is very light and immediately penetrates into the skin without a greasy feel. Intraceutical’s serum contains hyaluronic acid that rehydrates dehydrated skin within a few applications, and it has a great smell. They fly off of the shelf in winter. What do you do to stay looking so young and fabulous?
I am a big believer in doing small, non-invasive treatments to keep my skin looking good. I am a fan of Ultherapy, the HydroFacial and injectables—I am always trying out new treatments and products on my skin. And I love to get massages. They are always a welcome treat for me. What do you enjoy doing in your leisure time? l love living in Buckhead. I am able to enjoy world-class shopping and workouts in my own backyard. I also love to dine out! My top three spots are Umi, Marcel and The Optimist. I know giving back is important to you. What types of community organizations are you involved in? I am actively involved in Project Open Hand, which provides nutritional meals to chronically ill, homebound Atlantans, and Tapestri, which helps advocate for immigrants in Atlanta affected by domestic violence. I believe deeply in giving back to the community and doing what you can to help. n SKINTHERAPY 110 E. Andrews Drive, Suite 304 Atlanta 30305 404.358.2961 skintherapybuckhead.com
WHY CHOOSE US? Over 1000 Five Star Reviews All Employees Are Background Checked & Drug Tested We Service All Brands, Makes & Models EPA & NATE Certified Licensed, Insured & Bonded ON KUDZU & GOOGLE+ Free In-Home Consultation 24/7 SERVICE On The Spot Financing Available!
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PEOPLE TRAVEL HERE
FROM ALL OVER.
BLESS THEIR HEARTS.
A short drive up I-20, about 90 minutes away, and you arrive at Reynolds, a Resort and Club community of uncommon authenticity. Over coffee at the new National Tavern or s’mores on the lawn of The Ritz-Carlton, you’ll meet neighbors who travel here from half a world away. But for you, we’re so close you can sleep late in Atlanta and be here for brunch. Your perfect lake home is waiting to happen. Book the Lifestyle Package today and let us help you find it. Just over the horizon, see how rewarding the drive can be.
888 748 3940 | ReynoldsLakeOconee.com/Buckhead
HOMESITES FROM UNDER $100K TO $1.5M. RESIDENCES FROM THE $300S TO $4M+.
SPECTACULAR GOLF • GOLF ACADEMY • TAYLORMADE KINGDOM • 19,000-ACRE LAKE • OVER 350 MILES OF SHORELINE MARINAS • TENNIS • WALKING TRAILS • RESTAURANTS • FITNESS CENTERS • HOSPITAL • BLUE RIBBON CHARTER SCHOOL Real estate and other amenities are owned by Oconee Land Development Company LLC and/or other subsidiaries and affiliates of MetLife, Inc. (collectively, “OLDC” or “Sponsor”) and by unrelated third parties. Reynolds Plantation Properties, LLC (“RPP”) is the exclusive listing agent for OLDC-owned properties in Reynolds Lake Oconee. RPP also represents buyers and sellers of properties in Reynolds Lake Oconee which OLDC does not own (“Resale Properties”). OLDC is not involved in the marketing or sale of Resale Properties. This is not intended to be an offer to sell nor a solicitation of offers to buy OLDC-owned real estate in Reynolds Lake Oconee by residents of HI, ID, OR, or any other jurisdiction where prohibited by law. As to such states, any offer to sell or solicitation of offers to buy applies only to Resale Properties. Access and rights to recreational amenities may be subject to fees, membership dues, or other limitations. Information provided is believed accurate as of the date printed but may be subject to change from time to time. The Ritz-Carlton Reynolds, Lake Oconee is a private commercial enterprise and use of the facilities is subject to the applicable fees and policies of the operator. For OLDC properties, obtain the Property Report required by
Federal law and read it before signing anything. No Federal agency has judged the merits or value, if any, of this property. Void where prohibited by law. WARNING: THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF REAL ESTATE HAS NOT INSPECTED, EXAMINED, OR DISQUALIFIED THIS OFFERING. An offering statement has been filed with the Iowa Real Estate Commission and a copy of such statement is available from OLDC upon request. OLDC properties have been registered with the Massachusetts Board of Registration of Real Estate Brokers and Salesmen at 1000 Washington Street, Suite 710, Boston, Massachusetts 02118-6100 and the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection at 1700 G Street NW, Washington, D.C. 20552. Certain OLDC properties are registered with the Department of Law of the State of New York. THE COMPLETE OFFERING TERMS ARE IN AN OFFERING PLAN AVAILABLE FROM SPONSOR. FILE NO. H14-0001.
ATLANTA | SAN ANTONIO | HOUSTON | CHICAGO
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Flavored with Passion
404.842.0011 W W W. C H A M A G AU C H A . CO M 3365 PIEDMONT RD NE, ATLANTA GA 30305
ON S TAG E | A RT V I E W | L I T E R A RY
SIMPLY ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
ART VIEW
Rescued Art P54
David Miller of Buckheadbased Capital Partners organized a donation of the firm’s art collection.
“The works were worth about a quarter of a million dollars, maybe more. That made everyone’s eyebrows pop up.” - David Miller
Photo: Scott Reeves
January/February 2016 | Simply Buckhead
51
S I MP LY A & E
ON STAGE
Moxie, movies and more Buckhead actor Brian Kurlander delves into writing STORY:
Jim Farmer
B
rian Kurlander is one of the busiest artists in Atlanta these days, yet he didn’t grow up yearning for a life as a performer. It came about almost on a whim. A wrestler at James Madison University, he was walking through a campus building one evening where auditions for the play “Personals” were taking place. A colleague suggested he try out; he got the role and has been hooked since. When the New York native finished his undergraduate degree in 1989, he pursued a master’s from the University of Delaware’s Professional Theatre Training Program. After his first professional gig at the Heritage Repertory Theatre in Charlottesville, Virginia, where he starred in “The Merchant of Venice” and two other summer shows, he worked across the country, including the New York City Opera at Lincoln Center; director, writer and producer Garry Marshall’s Falcon Theatre in Los Angeles; Alabama Shakespeare Festival and Utah Shakespeare Festival. A gig on TV show “Hunter” got him his Screen Actors Guild card. Eventually, though, when he was appointed by Alabama Gov. Don Siegelman to run the state’s film office in 2001, he segued out of performing.
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Kurlander, 49, and his wife Carrie, who works in public relations at Chick-fil-A, moved from Birmingham to the Chastain Park area in 2009 for her then-job with Southern Company. “Moving here was one of the best decisions we’ve ever made,” he admits. As he was unpacking and getting his two kids ready for school three weeks later, he came across some old scripts. He had been working in public relations himself, but the acting bug returned. Sneaking out of the house, he auditioned for Georgia Shakespeare. “It was my first audition in about 10 years,” he recalls. He was cast in the company’s season and hasn’t slowed down. Besides the stage, he’s been seen in the films Brother’s Keeper, A.C.O.D and most recently the Oscar-nominated Selma. During his time in Atlanta he’s won a Suzi, the Tony Awards of Atlanta theater, for his work in Theatrical Outfit’s “Fly” in 2013 and was also nominated for the company’s “My Name is Asher Lev.” He credits the 2010 play “Albatross” at Actor’s Express with introducing him to his writing partner (and consumer expert Clark Howard’s wife), Lane Carlock, also in the cast.
Since deciding to collaborate, they have penned five projects and were part of the Alliance Theatre’s inaugural Reiser Atlanta Artists Lab last spring, when they got to develop a new work and receive feedback. That resulting show, “Moxie,” will have its world premiere at Theatrical Outfit in January. In it, an American marine in Afghanistan assembles a handmade book in order to connect with his son and, as it crisscrosses the world, it has a powerful effect on all who come into contact with it. “It’s about how stories tie us together,” he says. Kurlander’s two children are both teenagers now, and he and Carrie will support whatever they decide to pursue. “Right now, we are committed to their growth as people, helping them find themselves,” he says. “They do see “MOXIE” the reality [of being an actor] through what I Jan. 28 – Feb. 21 do—how difficult it is to Theatrical Outfit make a sustained living The Balzer Theater at Herren’s 84 Luckie Street in the arts. It’s a tough Atlanta 30303 road to hoe. But we will 678.528.1500 support whatever field theatricaloutfit.org [they choose].” n
January/February 2016 | Simply Buckheadâ&#x20AC;&#x192;
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S I M P LY A & E
A RT V IE W
Rescued art A Buckhead firm finds homes for collection STORY:
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H.M. Cauley PHOTOS: Scott Reeves
n her 20-plus years as an art consultant, Brenda de la Cruz says she’s never gotten a request like the one that came in from a local firm last summer. “Usually, clients want me to help them edit their collections or buy and sell art,” says de la Cruz, whose firm, de la Cruz Designs, is in Buckhead’s Terminus building. “But then these people who bought companies called and asked me to help them donate the art they had acquired. That’s not an everyday situation, and it was a wonderful thing to do.” The firm, Buckhead-based Peachtree Capital, took possession of more than a dozen artworks when it purchased the former Capital Partners in 2015. CEO David Miller was first to admit he and his colleagues knew little
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about art, but they didn’t want to see the pieces sold off willy-nilly. “The company had collected quite an amalgamation of art over the years, and there were so many stories connected to each piece,” Miller says. “But the former owners were moving to Florida and didn’t want it, so we asked for the art as part of the acquisition because we didn’t want it just to be dumped.” Miller reached out to de la Cruz and asked her to find homes for most of the pieces “They didn’t know anything about art, but they always asked me, ‘What would be best for the artwork?’” de la Cruz says. “It turned out they had quite a collection.” The first order of business was to take photographs of each painting, sculpture and ceramic
January/February 2016 | Simply Buckhead
Above: David Miller and Brenda de la Cruz teamed up to donate a sizable art collection to universities and museums. Right: This 1987 sculpture, “Sweet Honey on Fire,” is the work of artist Triesch Voelker and one of many pieces in the donated collection.
piece and to research its origins, its creator and comparable, if any, sales to establish value. About six pieces belonged to living artists, including Cristina Vergano, a Renaissance-style surrealist artist from Italy whose work has been collected by celebrities such as Madonna and is now represented by a New York City gallery. Others were the work of Gene Arthur Allcott, a late alumnus of the former Atlanta College of Art (now part of the Savannah College of Art and Design) where a scholarship in his name supports aspiring painters. After factoring in where the artists are from, where their work is currently shown, and the alma maters of her employers (Miller is a University of Tennessee grad), de la Cruz recommended several museums and universities as
future homes. Two large pieces of less significance are being donated to the Salvation Army. “It turns out the works are worth about a quarter of a million dollars, maybe more,” Miller says. “That made everyone’s eyebrows pop up, but we told Brenda to do whatever she thought best.” That attitude is highly unusual, de la Cruz believes. “I see so many people who are greedy that it’s very nice to work with people who want to do what’s right for the art.” n DE LA CRUZ DESIGNS Terminus 200 3333 Piedmont Road Atlanta 30305 404.467.4898 delacruz-designs.com
January/February 2016 | Simply Buckheadâ&#x20AC;&#x192;
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LITE R A RY
Mary Frances Bowley (left) and Jennifer Bradley Franklin (above) collected stories of survival and beating the odds. They also added simple one-on-one ways to take action against issues such as human trafficking.
Overcoming the odds Book highlights survival stories and ways to get involved
S
tories about human trafficking may lead listeners to shrug their shoulders. After all, what can one person do to address an issue that involves unknown numbers of victims and perpetrators on the streets of Atlanta? Quite a bit, as it turns out. As Buckhead writer and Simply Buckhead contributor Jennifer Bradley Franklin and her co-author, Mary Frances Bowley, point out in their new book, even one person can make a difference. The duo offers concrete suggestions as part of Make it ZERO: The Movement to Safeguard Every Child that captures individual stories of dealing with poverty, hunger, isolation and abuse that had positive endings. Those issues, the authors say, create situations that often lead to someone being trafficked. “It doesn’t happen because a girl ran away one day and fell into the hands of a trafficker,” says Bowley, founder of the 14-year-old Wellspring Living, a nonprofit that works with women to escape desperate circumstances and create fuller lives for themselves, and often, their children.
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January/February 2016 | Simply Buckhead
STORY:
In recounting personal stories, Bowley and Franklin helped identify those markers in cases of women— and men—around the country. “We interviewed people who have come through these risk factors and risen above them or who are doing astounding things to turn the tide of those factors,” Franklin says. “One of them is former WNBA player Ruth Riley who is getting her MBA. She grew up with a single mom and was on nutritional assistance but has gone on to accomplish so much.” The authors found examples close to home as well. Buckhead’s Amy Henderson, an executive with Randstad, tells her story of growing up with a mom in jail and later going through her own divorce. “She had a very tough situation growing up,” Franklin says, “but she met Mary Frances through Randstad and stepped up to help women in dire situations get jobs. Amy teaches them about office protocol and works with them to find a job that’s better than what they might get with just a G.E.D.”
H.M. Cauley
Throughout the book are “Do Something” suggestions that give readers concrete ideas about how an individual or a group can get involved, and how they can talk about these risk factors with others. The authors hope the inspirational stories and action plans will create a groundswell of response. “I’ve heard so many people ask, ‘How do we end trafficking?’” Bowley says. “If we don’t go back to what’s contributing to a young girl or boy becoming at risk, we won’t. But if we can engage people across the nation around these issues, that would be extremely powerful.” Franklin agrees with her co-author’s stance. “Ultimately, this is everyone’s problem,” MAKE IT ZERO is available she says. “Until everythrough wellspringliving.org, one is involved, nothing makeitzero.net, Amazon, Barnes will truly change.” n & Noble and Moody Publishers.
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January/February 2016 | Simply Buckhead
RE V I E W | DRI N K S | F O ODI E J OU RNA L | TA S T E M A K E R | RE S TAU R A N T S
SIMPLY DELICIOUS
RESTAURANT REVIEW
A mix-and-match assortment of sweets at Kyma: baklava with pistachio ice cream; Greek donuts; and yogurt with honey and walnuts.
Making waves P60
Photo: Sara Hanna Photography
Kyma created a splash when it arrived 14 years ago—and it still does. January/February 2016 | Simply Buckhead
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R E V IE W
Right: Whole roasted fish is one of the signature experiences of Kyma. To go with it: Kale and a stew of giant white beans and tomatoes. Below: The zucchini-feta fritters are a standout starter, and one of any number of non-seafood options.
MAKING WAVES A
round this time in 2002, much was at stake for the eldest son of Atlanta restaurant mogul Pano Karatassos. He had grown up in the kitchens of his father’s Buckhead Life Restaurant Group, earned a degree in hospitality management from Florida International University, graduated from the Culinary Institute of America in New York and gone on to cook at some of America’s finest restaurants (The French Laundry, Jean-Georges, Le Bernardin). But as his family rolled out Kyma—where the cuisine of their native Greece was being refashioned for modern audiences in a space that evoked the ancient white temples of the blue Aegean—the younger Pano was returning to the city of his youth riding high on a trail of great expectations. Pano I. Karatassos had been groomed for this moment for most of his life, probably, and he seemed to have it all: the pedigree, the resume, the good looks. But could he cook? Fourteen years and a few gray hairs later, the answer is a resounding yes. Under the leadership of its superb executive chef, Kyma has withstood the test of time to become what may be the best seafood restaurant in town. (In an email,
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January/February 2016 | Simply Buckhead
Kyma serves Greek seafood with contemporary panache STORY:
Wendell Brock PHOTOS: Sara Hanna
the chef told me he started the trends of grilled octopus and whole fish served tableside in this city, and by gosh, I think he’s right.) Certainly, unique to Atlanta is Kyma’s offering of “rare” Greek fish—species such as lithrini (aka pandora), sargos (white sea bream) and barbounia (red mullet). As a rule, these catches are roasted whole on a woodburning grill, filleted and presented with head and tail on the plate (unless you request otherwise), and dressed simply with olive oil, lemon, capers and oregano. You will pay handsomely for one of these pristine beauties: Both of the whole fish we tried clocked in at about $60 each but were perfect for two to share. However, you probably won’t find a fresher specimen outside Greece. But first, you must start with a glass of the piney-flavored Greek wine called retsina and a pile of the so-called Greek “French fries.” Mind you, these salty little nibbles are not potatoes. They are marides: tiny white fish, fried to a crisp and served with a potato-garlic puree for dipping, though to my mind they need nothing more than a squirt of lemon. It’s an exceptional starter, one that I daresay you won’t see anywhere else in town. Nor, for that matter, can you
find in Atlanta the calamari “pasta”—squid shaved into vermicelli-like “noodles” and tossed with zucchini, tomato confit, kalamatas, capers and saffron yogurt. Delicious! And let’s not forget the grilled cuttlefish, stuffed with long-braised lamb and perched on a stew of spicy tomatoes, peppers, olives and capers. The tubular fish looks a little naughty, but I love the way its firm texture coddles the earthy meat within. These latter two dishes are nice examples of how Karatassos transforms traditional Mediterranean ingredients into food that is playful and fun, yet still comforting and real. If fishy flavors aren’t your thing, you might consider some of the classic Greek meze such as dolmades, grape leaves stuffed with bulgur and tomato and perked up with cumin yogurt; spanakopita, phyllo triangles folded with spinach and feta; and zucchini-and-feta fritters with saffron yogurt. I love all these nibbles. But man, those zucchini fritters! All these bites are wonderful with the aforementioned retsina. But there are scads of other good wines, and because so many of them are Greek, you might ask your server to guide you. The cocktail program is strong, too, and while my gin-swilling friend
Above: Barbounia (red mullet)—a rare Greek fish—is a star.
Above: Grilled lamb chops, with a stack of potatoes and a mound of cucumberyogurt tzatziki, are pure bliss. Right: A classic Greek dish that the kitchen gets right is spanikopita, little phyllo triangles stuffed with spinach and feta. Left: Talk about clever: The chef takes squid and shaves it into pasta “noodles,” which are perked up with Mediterranean veggies and herbs.
Anytime we want to escape to the Greek isles, if only for a night, Kyma is our destination. was happy with the Morpheus (with St. Germaine, a squeeze of lemon, a touch of lavender, and a hibiscus flower garnish), I dug the Golden Fleece. A mix of rakomelo, a whisky-like Greek digestif of raki and honey; the Greek brandy tsipouro; apple-cardamom shrub; lemon and bit more honey, it reminded me a bit of a caipirinha, only with whiskey. While you can have a perfectly lovely, well-rounded dinner by choosing from the meze—maybe throw in the famous grilled octopus with red-onion salad and red-wine vinaigrette or elegant roasted oysters topped with champagne “avgolemono” and Russian osetra caviar—getting a whole roasted fish is one of the signature joys of Kyma. Our 1.75-pound, $66.50 lavraki (bronzino) was perfectly cooked and generously doused with a sauce of lemon and capers. Because my date was a little squeamish, we requested it without the head and tail, and she oohed and aahed over that moist, flaky fish. And so did I. On another visit, our 1.25-pound, $60 sargos (this time with head and tail in plain view) was good, but we would have loved a bit more of the lemon-caper sauce and a sprinkle of salt. The whole fish here comes with silken sautéed kale; we also like the stew of giant white beans,
tomatoes, onion and dill as a side. Landlubbers might want to go for the lamb chops, served with a stack of Greek fries and cucumber-yogurt tzatziki. That zingy sauce is just the thing to cut the rich, luscious lamb. By this time, you may be content with a spoon or two of Greek yogurt with honey and candied walnuts. It’s astonishingly good. But, then, so are those Greek donuts (loukoumades), topped with honey, walnuts and cinnamon. Baklava with pistachio ice cream is not too shabby, either. If you want something truly exotic, consider the sarikopita, a Cretan, coil-shaped “turban pie” stuffed with goat cheese. Once again, you won’t find this anywhere else in the city. We like finishing the meal with a glass of ouzo. Samos Nectar—a sweet but not-toosweet, raisin-y dessert wine—is also lovely with most anything from the dessert list. In Greek, Kyma means “wave.” And that’s exactly what it created when it arrived at the beginning of the 21st century. And with Karatossos at the helm, it continues to make a splash. Anytime we want to escape to the Greek isles, if only for a night, this is where we want to be. It’s a contemporary seafood tavern where you’ll encounter extraordinary cooking that combines the best of yesterday and today. Well done, chef. Opa! n
Above: The cocktail program makes a splash with the gin-based Morpheus (left) and the Golden Fleece (right), a libation made with Greek spirits. Left: Executive chef Pano I. Karatassos does his Greek heritage proud at Kyma.
KYMA 3085 Piedmont Road, Atlanta 30305 404.262.0702 buckheadrestaurants.com/kyma Prices: Meze, $8-$14. Mains, $26-$46. Whole fish is priced at $30 or $36 per pound. Recommended: Golden Fleece and Morpheus cocktails. Dolmades, zucchini fritters, spanakopita, marides (Greek “French fries”), cuttlefish, whole fish such as lavraki, bourbania or sargos. Lamb chops. Giant white bean stew. Greek yogurt, baklava, Greek donuts, sarikopita. Bottom line: Still fresh after all these years.
January/February 2016 | Simply Buckhead
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D R IN KS
Today’s bitters market offers a variety of quality brands, including Bitter Truth (left) and Scrappy’s Bitters (above).
Clarke Anderson is the beverage manager at St. Cecilia and King + Duke.
Photo: Emily Schultz
Feeling bitter? Bring balance to your beverage with this flavorful ingredient STORY:
I
Kelly Skinner Jordan
n today’s craft-crazed cocktail environment, seeing a bartender mix drinks from an arsenal of apothecary bottles is de rigueur. The modern cocktail slinger stocks her workspace with loads of housemade ingredients, many of which she’s made herself, such as tinctures, shrubs, simple syrups and even bitters. You may recognize bitters for the drinks they most famously flavor (classic cocktails such as the Manhattan, Old Fashioned or Sazerac). Until the last several years, there were only a few brands on the market, but with today’s popularity of farm-totable eating and drinking (and homemade anything), house-made or craft bitters are trending big time. In the past, bitters were touted as potent health remedies peddled by legit (and not-so-legit) doctors in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Today, they’re used to bring together flavors in cocktails. As Brad Thomas Parsons writes in his book, Bitters: A Spirited History of a Classic Cure-All, “Bitters are the ultimate matchmaker: just a dash or two can bring a perfect balance to two seemingly incompatible spirits.” As the name suggests, bitters add a bitter quality to a drink, but the herbal ingredient also offers a concentrated
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flavor that ties the drink together. “Think of it as adding a few drops of hot sauce to a giant pot of chili,” suggests Clarke Anderson, beverage manager of Buckhead restaurants King + Duke and St. Cecilia. Anderson, who has made several bitters batches of his own, warns that home bitters-making can be a tedious undertaking that is oftentimes intensive and pricey. “The main reason you would want to make your own bitters is if the flavor doesn’t already exist, or if you’re just curious about the process. Miles Macquarrie, mixologist at Kimball House, for instance makes a cola bitters [inspired by the flavors found in Coca-Cola]. I’ll sometimes do a peach and red chili bitters.” But these days, there are so many quality American craft bitters and European brands that several bartenders prefer purchasing bottles instead of making their own. Anderson’s favorites include 18.21 (Atlanta), Scrappy’s (Seattle) and The Bitter Truth (Germany). Bitters typically consist of grain alcohol, the flavoring agent (such as tea, orange peels or peppers), a bittering agent (tree bark, witch hazel, gentian root and wormwood, for instance) and a simple syrup.
January/February 2016 | Simply Buckhead
Unless you own a sous vide machine or a whipping siphon (faster, more expensive options for making bitters), the steps for crafting bitters generally consist of the following: Step 1: Combine spices and bittering agents with grain alcohol (typically two cups), and store them in a quart-sized Mason jar in a cool, dark place until the liquid takes on the characteristics of the ingredients (approximately two weeks, but varies by recipe). Step 2: Strain liquids from the solids, then cook the solids with (in general) 1 cup of water on the stove. You will need to reseal the first batch of liquid, then strain and add the new batch of liquid to another container. Step 3: Let both containers sit some more (typically, about a week), and test according to your recipe. Step 4: Strain off the solids from batch two and discard, then combine the liquids from both batches, and add in simple syrup to sweeten. Step 5: Let the liquid stand for three days, then skim any solids from the bitters. Pour into an eyedropper bottle and serve.
If you’re successful in making (or buying) your own, the next step
is using them in a cocktail. Parsons writes, “Rather than building a drink around bitters, you should use the bitters to complement the cocktail.” Add bitters on top of a drink as a finishing touch, or combine in a cocktail shaker with the rest of your ingredients. The best part is you only need a few drops to seal together a delicious cocktail. Plus, thanks to the grain alcohol, bitters last forever. How sweet is that? Buckhead’s H&F Bottle Shop has a wide selection of bitters (including a few of the above). But, if you still prefer whipping up your own at home, visit simplybuckhead. com for Clarke Anderson’s peach and red pepper bitters recipe. n
DETAILS: H&F Bottle Shop 2357 Peachtree Road N.E. Atlanta 30305 404.841.4070 hfbottleshop.com King + Duke 3060 Peachtree Road N.W. Atlanta 30305 404.477.3500 kinganddukeatl.com St. Cecilia 3455 Peachtree Road Atlanta 30326 404.554.9995 stceciliaatl.com
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FOODIE JOURNAL
Culinary News & Notes
BY:
Sarah Gleim
BEYOND THE POWER LUNCH E
Business Breakfast:
Close the Deal:
White House Restaurant
Bone’s
This nondescript diner in a shopping center on Peachtree may not seem like anything special, but it’s been a Buckhead institution since opening in 1948. Current owner Tasso Costarides purchased the diner, which is known for its Southern-meets-Greek food, from Demosthenes Galaktiadis in 2008, and he has continued to uphold its standard as a breakfast spot where Buckhead businesspeople get things done. Political campaigns have been launched here as well, although they’ve never been by anyone with ambitions of landing in the actual White House. So why has this tiny diner been so popular for so long? Because the food (think gyro omelet with tzatziki sauce) is excellent and the service is stellar. And when you need to get in and out in less than 30 minutes before heading to the office, this is the spot.
Atlanta’s businesspeople have flocked to Bone’s for years to host important lunch meetings. We’re pretty sure there have been as many deals cut as there have been steaks. The power lunch crowd is a big part of what’s kept this part of Atlanta’s dining scene for more than 30 years. Of course, the massive steaks and other signature dishes—think lobster bisque and hot steak salad— certainly don’t hurt. But the food’s not the only thing at Bone’s that keeps the power lunchers coming back. The restaurant’s staff and service are known as some of the best in the city. Many of the waitstaff have been part of the team for years and still serve in a very professional, old-school steakhouse way (knowing diners’ names, favorite dishes and cocktails).
Impress the Boss:
St. Cecilia
Unwind with Coworkers:
If you need a restaurant to wow the boss, Ford Fry’s St. Cecilia should do the trick. The massive 11,000-squarefoot space is stunning and features a wall of windows overlooking Peachtree Road, reclaimed hardwood flooring and a white marble crudo bar that looks into the open kitchen. The food makes its own impression as well. The Mediterranean-influenced menu changes daily but includes simple homemade pastas, fresh fish and crudo. Music plays a prominent role here (St. Cecilia was the patroness of musicians) and is reflected in the names of the cocktails, such as Wooden Ships (Solerno, Aperol, ruby red grapefruit, Prosecco, soda and blood orange) and the non-alcoholic Rickey Don’t Lose That Number (housemade lime cordial and soda with a twist).
You’ll have a hard time finding anything in Buckhead like Imperial Fez. Owners Rafih and Rita Benjelloun opened the restaurant after moving here from Morocco in 1991. In traditional Moroccan style, guests sit on the floor (don’t worry, seating includes tons of comfortable pillows!) and use their fingers to feast on the North African cuisine, including dishes such as lamb couscous, grilled chicken kabobs and baked salmon couscous. But the evening really gets going at around 7:30 p.m. when belly dancers—some with flaming candelabras on their heads—take over the main dining room. Even the stuffiest of coworkers can’t help but loosen up at this place.
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Photo: Patrick Michael Chin
veryone knows that Buckhead has been the place for business in Atlanta for years. So it just makes sense that restaurants here cater to the business crowd. In fact, on any given weekday, most restaurants in Buckhead are packed with business people making deals over breakfast, lunch and dinner. And who wouldn’t rather enjoy happy hour with a few coworkers instead of battling Atlanta rush hour? We’ve zeroed in on four of our favorite restaurants where you can go at different times of the day, depending on your business needs.
s St. Cecilia’s main dining room wows with its stunning white marble crudo bar, reclaimed hardwood flooring and open kitchen. Imperial Fez is the perfect place to go with coworkers when you need to unwind after a tough week. t Bone’s has been a staple for power lunches and business deals for more than 30 years.
Imperial Fez
January/February 2016 | Simply Buckhead
Bone’s 3130 Piedmont Road Atlanta 30305 404.237.2663 bonesrestaurant.com Imperial Fez 2285 Peachtree Road Atlanta 30309 404.351.0870 imperialfez.com St. Cecilia 3455 Peachtree Road Atlanta 30326 404.554.9995 stceciliaatl.com White House Restaurant 3172 Peachtree Road Atlanta 30305 404.237.7601
The Wine & Tastes of Italy and France
Photo: Courtesy Vino Venue
Truly immerse yourself in the countries that make some of the best wines in the world— France and Italy—in these wine-focused classes at the Atlanta Wine School. You’ll get a basic overview on the country’s regions and learn about the top producers, as well as history of its wine production. Light foods are served and paired with wines. $59 per person; Feb. 3 Viva Italia; Feb. 23 Vive La France.
FOOD NEWS
Get Skilled
for the New Year W
e all have our resolutions for 2016, and if improving your culinary skills is on your list, there’s no shortage of places to develop your inner chef and sommelier. Here are some stellar classes during January and February so you can get a jumpstart on becoming the foodie you really want to be.
For those who want the full experience of food and wine, the Atlanta Wine School offers a killer series where you learn how to cook the foods of different regions of the world and why particular wines are best paired with them. You’ll enjoy several different wines during the class, and again when you sit down to eat the meal you prepare. $79 per person. Jan. 14 Modern Mediterranean Jan. 21 Parisian Bistro Jan. 28 Argentina Feb. 4 Spain Feb. 10 Midnight in Morocco Feb. 18 A Hot Night in Havana Feb. 25 Alsatian Sensations
n Jimmy Meas, (below) former executive sushi chef for the now-defunct Here to Serve Restaurants, joined the Genki Noodles and Sushi team as executive chef where he now oversees menu creation.
Photo: Ahmed Kajemi
s Global Cooking & Wine Pairing Series
Atlanta Wine School 4478 Chamblee Dunwoody Road Dunwoody 30338 770.668.0435 atlantawineschool.com
t Essential Skills Every Cook Should Know
Photos: Heidi Geldhauser
Start out with this 101 class at Sur la Table at Phipps where you’ll learn many of the basic techniques to master culinary arts, including making vinaigrettes from scratch and balancing flavors with different oils, acids and herbs. You’ll also learn to perfectly sear a steak, properly prepare risotto, make compound butters (flavored butters) and perfect a dessert soufflé. $69 per person; Jan. 6, 10 and 25.
n Timothy Magee is the new executive chef at Davio’s Northern Italian Steakhouse. Before joining the Davio’s team, Magee worked as executive chef at the Renaissance Hotel in Midtown Atlanta, managing all food and beverage for the property. He has also held executive chef positions at White Oak Kitchen and Southern Art.
s Neapolitan Pizza Making
If pizza is your thing, head to Double Zero Napoletana in Sandy Springs and learn from some of the best. Executive chef and expert pizzaiolo Edwin Molina will teach you how to prepare traditional Neapolitan dough, and you’ll cook your pizza in Double Zero’s handcrafted Stefano Ferraro ovens from Naples. $40 per person; Jan. 19; Feb. 23.
s Eat Healthy in the New Year
Double Zero Napoletana 5825 Roswell Road Sandy Springs 30328 404.991.3666 doublezeroatl.com
Who doesn’t put getting healthy on their New Year’s resolution list? These classes at Sur la Table will help get you on track by making healthy food choices. You’ll learn how to prepare a variety of vegetarian, vegan Sur la Table and paleo dishes using seasonal vegPhipps Plaza etables and how to swap out dairy 3500 Peachtree Road and starchy ingredients to include Atlanta 30326 more ancient grains such as quinoa. 404.973.3371 $69 per person; Jan. 5, 10 and 25. surlatable.com
n Southern-inspired meal kit home delivery service PeachDish is now offering a seasonal menu item in conjunction with Watershed chef Zeb Stevenson. Stevenson’s new Southern chicken and dumplings recipe (above), which he learned to make from his grandmother, will be available for PeachDish customers through the end of February. peachdish.com
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S I M P LY D E LICIOUS
TA S TE MAKER
BIG
Photo: Deborah Whitlaw Llewellyn
SMILES AT THE PALM General Manager Andrei Caciula treats every guest like family STORY:
Carly Cooper
W
hen you walk into the renovated Palm Restaurant in the Westin Buckhead Atlanta Hotel, you’re greeted with a big smile by General Manager Andrei Caciula. A Brookhaven resident, he started working at various Palm locations (there are 28 throughout the U.S.) as a busboy at age 22 and has been with the company ever since. He has a passion for hospitality and makes it his mission to learn the names and stories of many a Palm guest, from the regulars whose caricatures are painted on the walls to the younger generation who just discovered it. Caciula learned about hospitality from now deceased General Manager Willy Celluci, as well as his own father, a winemaker. “He was always teaching me that when you do your job, you have to do a little extra. That little extra is what defines you. It’s what pushed me from a server assistant to a server to a bartender to a manager and so on,” he says. Nowadays, you can find him roaming the dining room, chatting with guests and telling stories of days past. In his spare time, he likes to garden, hike and spend time with his wife and 2-year-old daughter.
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What are your favorite items on the menu? Veal parmigiana and the lamb chops. The [secret] to the parmigiana is the Muenster cheese we use. For the lamb chops, it’s the cut of the meat that’s nice and juicy, served with a mint sauce. Steak and lobster are what we’re known for. Our lobster is out of this world. What’s the most stressful day you’ve ever had at The Palm? It was Father’s Day, and there was a storm in Atlanta. We ship in our lobsters on a daily basis. The lobsters arrived a little too late and couldn’t pass through customs fast enough to get here for dinnertime. We already had the first seating of our guests who had come to eat surf ’n’ turf. We had to hold them with many appetizers and extra glasses of wine. Then we had to feed them steaks first and wait for the lobsters to arrive. Around 7 p.m., the lobsters arrived in the restaurant, and the guests were pretty positive about it. What’s the most interesting thing that’s ever happened at work? My first day I was working as a server
assistant was Valentine’s Day. I was astonished by something I saw in the kitchen. I was bringing plates to the dishwasher station and saw the dishwasher directing everyone and motivating them. I thought if a dishwasher has so much power to direct everyone, it must be a really good place to work. Later, I found out the dishwasher was the executive chef. The dishwasher hadn’t shown up, and the chef took it upon himself to do the dirtiest job. It was amazing to see. What’s the best way to get a reservation when The Palm is fully booked? I would suggest people call and let us know they are coming, and then come have a cocktail or appetizer on us to make their wait not so painful. The longest wait I’ve seen here is 45 minutes or an hour. At the end of the day, people come for an THE PALM RESTAURANT ATLANTA experience. It’s not just about having The Westin Buckhead Hotel 3391 Peachtree Road N.E. dinner at 7 p.m. Atlanta 30326 It’s about having a 404.814.1955 cocktail, a conversathepalm.com/atlanta tion and dinner. n
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January/February 2016 | Simply Buckhead
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S I M P LY D E LICIOUS
FEATURED RESTAURANTS
Beef, chicken, sausage, pork, lamb: Why not try a little of everything at Fogo de Chão?
A sampling of great eats in and around Buckhead BY: Wendell
Brock
PHOTOS:
Sara Hanna
THE BUCKET SHOP CAFÉ Atlanta’s answer to TV’s “Cheers,” this casual, family-owned spot across from Lenox Square is a game-day institution with seriously good pub grub, friendly prices and spirited, efficient service. Burgers, wings and sandwiches of all kinds dominate the menu. But one dish on the starting lineup deserves a special trophy: the chicken rolls. Perhaps they sound like a fusion experiment, but in fact, these crispy, deep-fried egg roll wrappers stuffed with chicken, cheese, sour cream, chives and Tex-Mex sauce (salsa mixed with ranch) are downright addictive. The Bucket Shop team gets extra points for its solid, ever-changing list of local craft brews. Starters: $6-$13 Sandwiches and burgers: $9- $13 Entrées: $12-$18 bucketshopcafe.com
BABYLON CAFÉ When Iraqi native Saad Marwad and his wife, Kelly Rafia, opened Babylon Café in 2014, the city’s foodie community started to buzz about the couple’s fresh, flavorful repertoire of Middle Eastern classics, from falafel and hummus to kebabs and baklava. While the starters are quite good—try the fattoush salad, the lentil soup and the eggplant badenjan—the earthy, longsimmered stews are unlike anything
else in town. We like the herb-based qurma sabzi with super-tender lamb shank and the bamia (okra and tomatoes) with oxtail. Don’t leave with out a sip of the anise-flavored aperitif called “arak” and a bite of kanafeh, a sweet made of shredded phyllo, housemade sweet cheese, rose- and orange-water syrup and pistachios. Appetizers and sides: $2-$7 Entrées: $12-$20 babyloncafeatl.com
FOGO DE CHÃO DEL FRISCO’S GRILLE While the Texas-based chain is known for superb steaks, fusion appetizers and flatbreads, we think the burgers are sensational. In particular, the Pimento Cheese Burger, an uptown riff on the Big Mac, is a tower of juicy deliciousness: two patties with lettuce, tomato and pickle; plus housemade “sloppy sauce” (it’s like a smooth Thousand Island); plus two generous smears of pimento cheese, which slides down the stack and seals in all that juicy goodness. Del Frisco’s gets special points for packaging: The burger sits coyly in a partly open paper wrapper, while the fries are in a little paper cone on the side. A cold frothy draft beer is the clincher. Appetizers: $7-$16.50 Sandwiches & flatbreads: $12.50-$18 Steaks: $29.50-$39.50 delfriscosgrille.com/atlanta Babylon Café’s beef shawarma is piled on flatbread and ready to drizzle with tzatziki and eat like pizza.
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You don’t have to brave the pampas of South America or the wilds of Africa to witness the most primitive form of cooking—and eating—on the planet. Every day of the week, deep in the heart of Buckhead, hunks of meat sizzle over an open fire, and grown men smack their lips and engage in gluttony as a kind of participatory sport. At this Brazilian churrascaria, you can sip caipirinhas and nibble cheese bread; graze from a beautiful, bottomless salad bar; then indulge in an endless parade of meats, carved straight onto your plate by servers in gaucho drag. It’s all quite delicious, though the place can get Vegas crazy at times, so just be prepared for a mob. The full experience: $51.50 (dinner); $32.50 (lunch) Salad bar only: $24.50 (dinner); $22.50 (lunch) fogodechao.com
HAL’S “THE STEAKHOUSE” Looking on the outside like a highend strip joint topped with a Bourbon Street balcony, Hal’s has built its cachet around its loyal clientele, old-school style, impeccable service and terrific food. Owner Hal Nowak is a New Orleans native, and in his eponymous enterprise—with its shrimp rémoulade, oysters bordelaise and booze-soaked bread pudding—he has created Atlanta’s answer to Galatoire’s. This may be your grandparents’ favorite restaurant, but in an age where everything old is new again, it also boasts a youthful clientele that appreciates its straightforward food, strong drinks and speakeasy atmosphere.
Appetizers and salads: $9-$24 Entrées and steaks: $24-$50 hals.netLunch: $8-$12 joycafeatl.com
GEORGIA GRILLE Many years after its opening, Georgia Grille remains true to Atlanta-born owner Karen Hilliard’s original vision, which means she still splashes the bright flavors of Santa Fe onto the plates of her happy and devoted customers. The French-trained Hilliard dresses her creations in voluptuous cream sauces accented with smoky poblanos or tart tomatillos—and drizzles them with colorful squirtbottle squiggles of flavor. We dug her smoked-pollo enchiladas, which are stuffed with onion and sour cream, smothered with green-chile sauce and tomato salsa and served with a little salad in a taco-shell cup. The flat-iron steak, rubbed with salt and spices and cooked until its crust is charred, was another solid choice. Atlanta has plenty of regional restaurants, but a good Southwestern place is hard to find. Hilliard, who lives in nearby Peachtree Hills, knows what her neighbors want, and she dares not let them down. Entrées: $15-$31 georgiagrille.com
NEWK’S EATERY This Mississippi-based chain has popped up in the Atlanta market, and though it looks like a fast-food joint, it tastes like homemade. Salads—from shrimp rémoulade salad to a delicious steak-and-blue-cheese version to old-fashioned chicken salad—are a
standout. At this casual, family friendly, crowd-pleasing spot you can also get sandwiches, pizzas and mac-andcheese but, refreshingly, no burgers! We are pretty crazy about the sausageand-pepperoni pie, with its thin crust and warm and gooey toppings. And who can resist a crispy rice treat with chocolate and peanut butter? Not us.
Thirteen Pies’ Lemon Mascarpone Semifreddo (with candied kumquats, lemon curd and clever semolina-pistachio crumble) is a wonderful sweet indulgence.
Salads, sandwiches and pizzas: $7-$11 newks.com
PANAHAR BANGLADESHI CUISINE Anyone who has a passing familiarity with Indian food will feel right at home at this exotic-yet-homespun Buford Highway hole-in-the-wall. The $9.99 lunch buffet is a delicious way to sample the flavorful, aromatic cuisine of Bangladesh, which often uses less spice and more coconut milk than its sister region in Northern India. At dinner, you may take advantage of the BYOB policy, bringing wine or beer to wash down the highly appealing biryanis, kormas, tandooris and other delights of the Bengali table, including many here with beef. Appetizers: $4-$6 Mains: $11-$15 panaharbangladeshi.com
PORTOFINO We often dream about this slightly-offPaces Ferry slice of Italy, where executive chef Matt Marcus’ earthy cooking evokes Liguria while staying smartly anchored in America. (And sometimes the American South.) Since 2000, this neighborhood gem has been a primo spot for feasting on the vibrant flavors of its Italian Riviera namesake. Veal-and-ricotta meatballs, fried artichokes, luxurious pastas, polenta with shrimp, limoncello cheesecake: It’s the sort of wonderfully comforting, hand-crafted fare that satisfies our longing for La Bella Vita when a trip to Italy is simply not in the cards.
Soups, salads and antipasto: $7-$14 Pastas and entrées: $18-$29 portofinoatl.com
TAKA SUSHI AND PASSION Chef Taka Moriuchi learned from perhaps the most famously finicky and cult-inspiring Japanese chef Atlanta has ever known: Sotohiro Kosugi, owner of Buckhead’s legendary (but now shuttered) Soto Japanese Restaurant. Today, Moriuchi holds court at his own Pharr Road sushi bar, where his impeccably fresh fish and hot and cold appetizers compare to the best Japanese food in town. The only difference: His prices won’t shipwreck your budget. Among our faves, the UPS roll is a delicious nod to the Atlanta-based Big Brown fleet, and the black cod and okra tempura are packages you’ll be happy to see arrive at your table. Appetizers: $6-$20 Nigiri: $2.50-$11 Sushi rolls: $4.50-$19.50 takasushiatlanta.com
TED’S MONTANA GRILL We love everything about the housemade dill pickles; the fat onion rings with horseradish dipping sauce; the Arnold Palmers; and the all-American, stick-a-flag-in-it, “where the buffalo roam” burgers. Yep, we’re talking bison, baby. It’s leaner than beef, yet richer and moister, somehow. The Ted’s burger that really rocks our world is the Blue Creek: Inspired by owner Ted Turner’s Blue Creek Ranch in Nebraska, it comes with bacon crumbles and blue cheese. And that’s all it needs. Just ask for a side of rings and a little ramekin of that horsey sauce. Appetizers: $5-$14 Burgers: $12-$19 tedsmontanagrill.com
pie-struck town. The room is beautiful, the cocktails memorable, the small plates and housemade pastas stuffed with fresh, vibrant, Mediterranean flavors. But what really shines are the pizzas—thin, crisp, and small enough so that each bite of mushroom or lamb sausage counts. The Iberian, with fennel salami, “old” manchego, smoked provolone, yellow tomatoes and other Spanish ingredients, is a perennial crowd-pleaser, while the Spotted Trotter Guanciale and Farm Egg is a deliciously rustic, sunny-side-up breakfast riff: bacon-and-egg pizza, if you will. Salads and small plates: $9-$12 Pastas and pie: $13-$16 thirteenpies.com
Hungry for more?
THIRTEEN PIES This modern gourmet-pizza parlor in the posh Buckhead Atlanta development is a welcome addition to this
Visit the Simply Buckhead website to read all of our Restaurant Reviews! simplybuckhead.com
January/February 2016 | Simply Buckhead
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SIMPLY BUCKHEAD
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SIMPLY B U CKHEAD COV ER S TORY
DOLLARS
BY DECADE
BUCKHEAD FINANCIAL EXPERTS WEIGH IN ON THE AGES AND STAGES OF FINANCIAL HEALTH STORY:
D. Aileen Dodd PHOTOS: Sara Hanna
Buckhead is the home of the young and fun, the rich and famous, and the career driven and family focused. It’s where major corporations see profits grow and retired CEOs come to downsize. One of the common threads that unites this eclectic community is the pursuit of a high quality of life—and money. According to the National Association of Realtors. Buckhead is home to the metro area’s top earners: The median household income is about $133,000. That income is 132 percent higher than the rest of metro Atlanta on average. (Realtor.com reports that Buckhead’s average household net worth is $967,000.)
Whether your annual earnings are moderate or millionairelevel, the challenge is the same: How do you enjoy your money and make it last through retirement? “People will spend more time trying to plan out spring break or summer vacation than they do planning for their future,” says John Inhouse, a market executive at Merrill Lynch in Buckhead. “The earlier you start planning, the better.” To help you navigate your money matters, we talked to some of Buckhead’s top financial advisors about planning for the ages and stages of life.
Here’s their advice on how to make your loot last through your golden years.
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C OV E R S T O RY
DOLLARS
BY DECADE
OUR EXPERTS > DAVID CROOK Global economist and retirement plan specialist with Atlanta Capital Group. Crook developed a passion for finance that drove him to look for a career outside of his family engineering business in South Africa. He builds wealth instead of buildings and bridges. dcrook@atlantacapitalgroup.com
MARC DANER A certified financial planner and managing director of investments with Wells Fargo Advisors, which has branches in Buckhead. Daner read investment books for fun in high school and was inspired by the life of Warren Buffet. marc.daner@wfadvisors.com
EMMA FOULKES A certified financial planner and founder of Buckhead’s Commonwealth Business and Retirement Services. Foulkes invested her first $1,000 in the stock market at age 16. efoulkes@commonwealthbrs.com
KASEY GARTNER A Buckhead-based certified financial planner and insurance agent with Northwestern Mutual. The granddaughter of an IRS accountant, Gartner was raised to appreciate the value of a dollar. kasey.gartner@nm.com
JOHN INHOUSE A certified financial planner and market executive with Merrill Lynch in Buckhead. Inhouse was part of the Merrill Lynch family long before he was hired as a financial advisor. As a teen, he bonded with his dad—a client of the local Merrill Lynch office—during talks about family finances. john_inhouseiii@ml.com
TED JENKIN Co-CEO of Buckhead’s oXYGen Financial and a certified financial planner. A Boston College graduate, Jenkin found his calling as a teen surviving the loss of his father. He developed a financial plan for the future to help keep his mother, an educator, afloat. ted@oxygenfinancial.net
JEFF SHAVER Co-founder and principal senior managing partner at Atlanta Capital Group, a Buckhead firm he runs with partners David Millican and Joseph Young Jr. A financial advisor for 17 years, Shaver says asset management is “in his blood.” He grew up watching his mother make clients wealthy as an advisor at the former Smith Barney in New York. jshaver@atlantacapitalgroup.com
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NAVIGATING
FINANCES IN YOUR
20s
When you are young and carefree, saving for retirement may be the last thing on your mind. Fresh out of college, your focus is on the immediate future. You want the perfect job, a nice car and a lifestyle with the trappings to complement your success. Sometimes, 20-somethings fail to see what lies ahead because they don’t plan enough for the future.
EXPERT ADVICE >
TED JENKIN
MARC DANER
Financial mistakes made by 20-somethings: “One of the biggest mistakes that Millennials and Gen Xers make is that they don’t budget properly,” Jenkin says. “They do their finances inverted. They spend most of their money, and they say at the end of the month, ‘If I can save any money from this check, I’m going to do it.’ You know what ends up happening— dining and entertainment in Atlanta takes their money, the clothing stores take it, the kids.”
Financial mistakes made by 20-somethings: “They delay saving for retirement,” Daner says. “There is a very good likelihood that Social Security will be very different when people in their 20s reach retirement age. It will likely pay for a small percentage of their lifestyles, and they are going to have to focus on funding the rest.”
Financial fixes: “You have to pay yourself first,” Jenkin says. “Take [your savings] off the top, and then you won’t feel so guilty about what you spend on the bottom. The long-term goal is to save 20 percent of your monthly income. Start with 3 percent, then 5 percent, and then as you get bonuses and raises, save one-third of everything. If you do that, lifestyle inflation won’t creep in on you. If you get a $10,000 raise, and you expand your lifestyle, it’s really hard to contract it when the economy turns south.” Make sure you have a family budget that works. “The more people do online bill pay, the less line of sight they have over their family finances,” Jenkin says. “People get into a term that I call ‘clickyitis’. If a bill pops up on online bill pay, and it says $500, as long as it’s in the field goal range, they will pay it. You have to keep track of your income and expenses. You have to plan for retirement. Invest in your company’s 401(k) plan, and get the matching funds. No financial advisor gives you a 100 percent return on your investment. “When it comes to investing, the rule that I tell people is to ‘act your age,’” Jenkin says. According to Jenkin, if you start investing in your late 20s then under his rule, “30 percent of your money should be invested in bonds and 70 percent in stock.” n
Financial fixes: “Even if you put 1 percent of your pay in a 401(k), it’s better than nothing,” Daner adds. “Ninety-nine percent of people in their 20s should choose a Roth 401(k) over the traditional 401(k). A traditional 401(k) gives you a tax deduction when you put the money in, but when you take the money out, 100 percent of it is taxable income. With a Roth 401(k), you have more of a benefit. You don’t get the tax deduction when you put it in, but when you take the money out at retirement age, it is tax-free.” Daner also recommends that Millennials buy disability insurance. “Someone in their 20s is significantly more likely to suffer a disability than to die. If they become disabled, they have a high probability that they will lose their income. Most companies provide short-term disability insurance. Typically, you would want a plan that would pay 60 percent of your income.” n
DID YOU KNOW? Seventy-three percent of Millennials prefer financial services from a technology-driven company over their own nationwide bank. (Source: millennialdisruptionindex.com)
When you reach your 30s, the responsibilities of life can take a firm grip on your finances. You have mounting debt—credit cards, car loans, student loans, maybe a first-time mortgage. Your career is demanding, and perhaps your new family is growing. Whether you are married or single with a career, or are still in graduate school, you can make financial missteps in your 30s if you don’t save for retirement.
TED JENKIN
NAVIGATING
FINANCES IN YOUR
30s
EXPERT ADVICE >
EMMA FOULKES Financial mistakes made by 30-somethings: “The biggest mistake is immediate gratification. They buy too much house, too much car. You can get yourself into a lot of trouble living like that, especially if you lose your job or if your spouse gets downsized. By your 30s, you should have six to eight months of living expenses in cash reserves tucked away in a savings account for emergencies,” Foulkes says. Financial fixes: “Get as close to maxing out your 401(k) as possible. Try not to use this as an emergency fund because you face penalties for taking money out before retirement. Look into a Roth IRA for the tax advantage. Put money into a brokerage account and begin investing in stocks and bonds. If you need seed money for real estate or a new business, you will have it.” If you’re drowning in debt in your 30s, you can still develop a plan to stay afloat financially, Foulkes says. “You can pay down debt, save for emergencies, and save for retirement at the same time. Pay yourself first. If you have $100, put $20 toward savings, $20 toward retirement, and $60 toward your debt. You don’t want to miss out on
EMMA FOULKES
the time value of money. If the market is down, and you are able to put money away for stocks and bonds, you are buying stuff on sale. You also have to put money in savings so that you will have cash reserves. If you just focus on paying down debt and you need new tires and brakes, you can get deeper in debt using credit cards to pay for emergencies. Life happens. If you have an emergency fund in cash reserves, you can pay yourself back at zero percent interest versus paying a credit card back at 12 percent. If you put yourself on a schedule to get out of debt, as you start paying your cards off, you can put even more money into retirement and savings. Find a certified financial planner to help you to develop a retirement investment strategy for your golden years.” n
KASEY GARTNER Financial mistakes made by 30-somethings: “They don’t see the value of saving early and often to pay off debt, to buy a car, or home,” Gartner says. “It takes a long time to accumulate enough savings to make happen what you want to happen. Typically, you want to save 20 percent or sometimes 40 to 50 percent of your paycheck. I will work with families that, if they can swing it, will live off of one spouse’s paycheck and save the other.” Financial fixes: Gartner likes the Roth 401(k) and advises people in their 30s to develop an aggressive investment portfolio (you can save $18,000 per year). “Stocks are going to be a lot riskier than bonds are going to be,” she says. “I talk to my clients about their comfort level. Personally, I’m 34 years old, and my retirement investment portfolio is 100 percent stocks. I have other portfolios that are not. I don’t plan on using that portfolio for 30 years. As my retirement gets closer, I will start folding in some bonds.” Life insurance can also be a strategic invest-
MARC DANER
ment, Gartner says. “Permanent insurance, if structured appropriately with the right insurance carrier, has meaningful value that is accessible to you on a tax-preferred basis while you are still living. I have a colleague who used the policy his parents took out on him as a child. He paid for his wedding 30 years later. It didn’t make sense for him to cash out his stock portfolio to pay for his wedding. Be sure to work closely with your advisor when using life insurance cash value. Loans taken against a life insurance policy can have adverse effects if not managed properly. Policy loans and automatic premium loans, including any accrued interest, must be repaid in cash or from policy values upon surrender, lapse or the death of the insured. Repayment of loans from policy values upon surrender or lapse can trigger a potentially significant tax liability, and there may be little or no cash value remaining in the policy to pay the tax. The policy will lapse if loans become equal to the cash value while the policy is in force, and additional cash payments are not made.” n
KASEY GARTNER
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NAVIGATING
FINANCES IN YOUR
There is a fiscal reason why your 40th birthday can be difficult to face. At this stage, the choices of your youth have a direct impact on your quality of life. Retirement stares you in the face like a nosey neighbor. Aging parents and teenage children may begin to drain your resources. You question your longevity, your career choices and whether you are on track to reach your financial goals and retire with a sense of security.
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40s
EXPERT ADVICE >
MARC DANER Financial mistakes made by 40-somethings: “People in their 40s tend to spend too much money on their kids. That can include buying them a car, putting them in private school and paying for college.” Financial fixes: Focus on your retirement, Daner adds. “If you are on track for retirement, that is when you put money into 529 Education Savings Plans. They are good tax shelters. The one caution is if the money is not used for education, you pay taxes and a penalty when you take the money out. You also can open up an Education Savings Account. It works similarly to a 529. It is capped at $2,000 per year. The money can be used for any level of school—for private school, a tutor and school supplies at any age.” n
January/February 2016 | Simply Buckhead
TED JENKIN Financial mistakes made by 40-somethings: “They don’t think about how much insurance they will need,” Jenkin says. “Your 40s is the time to think about whether you have enough life insurance. One of the biggest costs that people don’t see on the horizon is having a need for skilled nursing care. Who’s going to take care of Mom and Dad? Paying for skilled nursing for a parent can be a stress on the family finances for Gen Xers who are in the middle of raising their kids.” Financial fixes: Buy more insurance and focus on your retirement savings, Jenkin says. “Look at your Social Security and your pension. You are going to need to replace 60 to 70 percent of your income
today. If you make $100,000, your investments, your Social Security and your pension will need to generate $60,000 to $70,000 a year.’’ If you’re considering an annuity to guarantee retirement income, make sure you are up for the gamble, says Jenkin. “A great analogy to explain annuities is like playing a big hand of blackjack. If you had $250,000 on a hand, and the dealer turned 21, they would ask you, ‘Do you want to buy insurance?’ In an annuity, you pay an insurance company to buy insurance on your investment. If you want the guarantee that you are going to get income when you retire, it’s a great idea. If you don’t need a guarantee, I wouldn’t buy an annuity.” Also, consider downsizing as you approach your 50s. “So many people have refinanced and refinanced that it makes it difficult to step away from their job if they still have a mortgage. The best thing to do once the kids get out is downsize. It lets your kids know that [home] is not a place that they can move back to and stay.” n
C OV ER STORY
NAVIGATING
DOLLARS
BY DECADE
FINANCES IN YOUR
50s & 60s As you approach your golden years, retirement is within reach, but you still may have some anxiety about a future without full-time employment. You spend your 50s and early 60s reaching the top of your earning potential. Then you have to decide whether to keep on working and delay retirement or exit gracefully to travel, volunteer and spend time with grandkids. You still crave a challenge and want to give to charity. (Baby boomers give more to charity than any other generation. The Buckhead average contribution is $1,400 per retiree, higher than any other group, according to a Merrill Lynch study on giving in retirement.)
EXPERT ADVICE >
EMMA FOULKES Financial mistakes made by 50- and 60-somethings: “They continue to rescue their adult children. If you’ve got adult children that have graduated from college, you’ve got to cut them off at some point. If not, when you retire, they are still going to come to you for money.’’ Financial fixes: “Once you reach 62, explore your Social Security benefits. If you are divorced and had been married for 10 years, you can possibly receive half of your ex-spouses benefits, if half of your ex-spouse’s benefits will be more than yours. I always suggest that people get with a certified financial planner to get an assessment of where they are financially and get a comprehensive financial plan. Have your financial advisor run an analysis on your using a program called a Monty Carlo Simulation. It runs through hundreds of different market conditions from the Great Depression to 9/11 to see what your probability is to survive if everything was horrible a year from now until you live out the rest of your life. Even if you have $1 million saved, that isn’t a lot of money anymore. The rule of thumb is to peel 4 percent away annually for living expenses. That’s $40,000. If that isn’t enough for you to live off every year, then you will need $2 million saved to have at least $80,000 to live off of annually.” You can continue to save and delay taking Social Security until age 66 or 70, Foulkes adds. “Every year that you delay beyond your normal retirement age, your benefit grows by 8 percent until age 70.” n
JOHN INHOUSE
DAVID CROOK
Financial mistakes made by 50- and 60-somethings: “We do run into a lot of clients that have way too much life insurance,” Inhouse says. “A lot of them forget that they have life insurance policies. There is less of a need for life insurance when your kids are grown. “
More financial fixes: “Gone are the days when you could expect to live on a fixed income on bonds. In terms of designing your portfolio, you need to be considerate of the fact that you want to protect against the downside. If you lose half of your wealth in your 20s, you have years to make it back. If you are 55 to 65 years old, you have a lot less time to make it back. “Basic math will tell you that if you have a $100,000 portfolio and you lose 20 percent, that
goes down to $80,000. Just to get back to your break-even point, you will need to increase the portfolio by 25 percent. At the moment, we would recommend an over-allocation to stocks in relation to bonds. We would be allocated across different stocks and bonds to reduce the risk and the volatility in a portfolio. There is no standard allocation across asset classes. People need to be diversified in their senior years. We do a plan for each of our clients that we do not charge for. It allows us to determine their asset allocation given their goals.” n
Financial fixes: “Make sure that you have adequate long-term care insurance,” he says. “If you have to spend $15,000 to $20,000 a month on unexpected health care costs, that could devastate your portfolio.” n
JEFF SHAVER Financial mistakes made by 50-and 60-somethings: Some people approaching retirement age make Social Security their retirement strategy because they don’t have a financial plan, or they never fully recovered from the loss of income they suffered during the recession, Shaver says. Financial fixes: “You have to make time your friend,” Shaver adds. “If you have the opportunity, work until a later day, thereby increasing the number of years you are saving and reducing the number of years that you will be a net spender.” n
DAVID CROOK JEFF SHAVER
January/February 2016 | Simply Buckhead
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C OV E R S T O RY
MONEY MATTERS
PERSONAL
FINANCE
101 STORY:
D. Aileen Dodd
BUDGETING TO MAKE MONEY LAST
D
on’t wait until you have a house to create a household budget, says Marc Daner, managing director of investments at Wells Fargo, which has several branches in Buckhead. “People should start budgeting the minute they start making money,” says the certified financial planner. “The more you know about how you spend your money, the more control you are going to have over your financial future.” Learning how to budget is a tedious but necessary step to surviving life’s financial milestones, whether it’s buying that first car or condo. Here are Daner’s tips for creating a budget. First, figure out what you are spending money on. “Go through your monthly bills and receipts. Use budgeting software to create a spreadsheet that shows your expenses.” Next, compare your expenses to your monthly earnings. “Add your monthly earnings to your budget spreadsheet. Figure out how much money you have left when your bills are paid.” Most important, pay yourself. Set aside money to use for emergencies and for fun. “You should have six months of living expenses saved in a money market account for emergencies.” Then set aside money to invest outside of a company 401(k). “Once you have an emergency fund, you can begin to invest in a stock mutual fund or a fund that diversifies investments with stocks and bonds.” Be sure to decide on short-term and long-term financial goals for your money. “You are going to have to create different budgets for those goals,” he says. “For example, if you need a car in the next three to five years, start saving now. When you go to buy your car, you can be in a position of strength if you already have money saved. Then you can decide whether it’s in your best interest to finance it or pay cash and avoid monthly payments.” Finally, revisit your budget regularly, and cut your expenses by 5 percent. “You have to tweak your budget to make sure that you are preparing for a secure financial future.” n
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January/February 2016 | Simply Buckhead
FAMILY FINANCE: RAISING MONEY-WISE KIDS
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mma Foulkes, a certified financial planner, was on a mission to raise a fiscally responsible child. No kid of hers was ever going to flop down in the toy aisle at Target and scream until they got a PlayStation. The way Foulkes sees it, parents driven to please their children often raise spoiled kids who can’t manage money. “I don’t believe in giving kids anything,” Foulkes says. “If my son saw a toy in a store that he wanted, I would tell him, ‘I will lend you the money, but you have to pay me back at 3 percent interest.’ Kids treat their stuff a lot better when they have some skin in the game.” Instead of giving her son, Raimius, an allowance, he earned his pay by getting good grades or mowing the lawn. (Raimius, now 23, is a collections specialist at Infor, a global software company in Alpharetta.) n
FOULKES’ TOP 5 TIPS TO TEACH KIDS ABOUT MONEY: 1 Model good money-management. “Pay your bills on time.” 2 Teach your children how to save. “Buy your kids a piggy bank. Make saving a family activity.” 3 Give a “bonus” for good grades or difficult chores. “I had an allowance and became extremely spoiled. I decided not to be an ATM for my son.”
4 Open a savings account for your kids. “Help them set aside money to save and donate.” 5 Teach them about investing. “When I was 16, my mother gave me $1,000. We went to a brokerage firm, and she had them come up with a stock portfolio. Our conversation around the dinner table wasn’t ‘How was school?’ It was, ‘What was your money doing today?’”
Save for college or another iPhone? “It makes absolutely no sense for kids to have the finest of everything if you don’t have money saved for their education,” Foulkes says. “It will take them further than a pair of Air Jordans.” Foulkes says save early and often for college: n Cut back on unnecessary personal
spending. “Invest in a 529 College Plan.” n Keep the family car. “When you
have paid it off, contribute that same payment to your 529.” n Research scholarships and finan-
cial aid. “If your child qualifies, apply.” n Let your child contribute.
“My son took out a little student loan to help pay for some of his college. It creates accountability.” n Limit the lavish gifts. “For the kid
who has everything, ask family to contribute to the 529 in lieu of birthday gifts.”
DUMP YOUR DEBT AND ENJOY LIFE
BUYING YOUR FIRST HOME
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“Without doubt, the single largest and most important purchase anyone ever makes is a home,” says Charlotte Christian, a realtor with Keller Williams Peachtree Road in Brookhaven. “First-time buyers often feel overwhelmed. Breaking it down into stages makes the job less stressful.” The first step is to get pre-approved for a mortgage through a lender or credit union. “Talk to multiple companies, and see who will give you the best deal,” Christian says. “It’s not just the amount that’s important. Consider the kind of programs they offer (fixed rates, adjustable rates [ARMs] or interest-only jumbo loans).” Be sure to ask about interest rates and closing costs, including the new TILA-RESPA (TRID) disclosure regulation that integrates existing disclosures with new requirements from the Dodd-Frank Act. Implemented Aug. 1, 2015, it’s intended to improve consumer
asey Gartner, a certified financial planner with Northwestern Mutual Buckhead, gets concerned when clients waste away their money without a plan to save and pay down debt. “This family that I work with, they make a half a million dollars a year and don’t really have anything to show for it,” Gartner says. “The husband would get a six-figure bonus every February, and it would just get spent on cars, trips and the house. I want my clients to enjoy the life that they are working so hard for, but at the same time I say, ‘Do you want to continue having to grind it out the way you are forever because you don’t have a plan for the future?’” Gartner helped her clients establish a budget so they could pay down debt, save and still have money to spend on good times. Here’s how Gartner suggests attacking your debt: First, gather your bills, and create a monthly budget. “Compare your expenses to your monthly income. Then determine how much you still owe in high-interest debt. Make a plan to pay it off. Be sure to save at least 20 percent of your income for future needs and investments. Once you start working, you have 30 or 40 years to fund retirement. You have to have a game plan.” Next, pay off high interest bills, such as credit cards. “It will save you money.” Then pay down student loans and car loans that could affect your credit rating when you buy a house. “You have to pay your bills on time and watch your debt.” Pay off your house last. “That is usually the loan with the lowest interest rate.” If you have children, consider whether you have enough saved for retirement before you start financing their college education. “You can’t take a student loan out for a retirement,” she says. “Put your oxygen mask on first.” n
HOW TO TAKE THE PLUNGE AND KEEP YOUR SANITY understanding of the mortgage process, aid in comparison shopping and help to prevent surprises at the closing table. Next, establish a budget. “Just because you’ve been preapproved for $400,000 doesn’t mean you can afford it,” she says. Factor in utilities, Home Owner Association (HOA) fees and related costs such as lawn care. Decide if you’re looking for a starter home or one that will accommodate future children or aging parents. Third, make three lists: The top five “must haves,” the top five “likes” and the top five “deal breakers.” Then drive through several areas, and go to open houses to see what the interiors are like and identify a target neighborhood. Select a Realtor either through references or signs in the neighborhood that indicate his or her familiarity with the area. “Once you’ve identified the house, make an offer quickly,”
STORY:
Mickey Goodman
Christian advises. “Desirable homes in desirable areas sell quickly, and you don’t want to get into a bidding war.” Make sure the contract includes an inspection. It could open up another layer of negotiation and the chance to lower the bid, insist on repairs or walk away. After the closing, pop the cork on that bottle of champagne. You’ve just launched the next phase of your life. l For more information, contact Charlotte Christian at charlotte@kw.com or visit peachtreeroad.yourkwoffice.com.
INVESTING 101 BEGIN EARLY TO BUILD FOR RETIREMENT Charlie Jordan of Brightworth Private Wealth Counsel in Buckhead has been helping clients build for retirement for 15 years. “The hardest part is getting started,” he says. “Once you develop a savings discipline, the rest is easy.” “Start with the ‘B’ word— budget,” he says. “Prepare a line item budget, and build in an amount for savings that is at least equal to your employer’s 401(k) or Individual Retirement Account (IRA) matching funds.” If your company doesn’t offer one, put your savings on autopilot via payroll deduction. Just like a workout regimen, once you get into a rhythm, it’s easy to stay on track. “What you invest in is less important than a savings routine,” Jordan says. Keep it simple, and begin with growth Index funds. They may fluctuate over time, but people in their 20s and 30s have years to recoup and surpass losses.
STORY:
Mickey Goodman
In addition to routine savings, the key to a secure retirement is maintaining a moderate lifestyle during your working years. “Keeping up with the Joneses can lead to a train wreck. It’s extremely difficult to play catch-up in your 50s,” he says. Avoid pitfalls such as selling when the market plummets or investing more than you can afford when it peaks. “You’d never put your house on the market when real estate values are down or buy when they are high. Why would you sell your assets when the market is down? Surround yourself with trusted advisors experienced in managing cash flow and follow their advice.” Equally important: begin supporting your favorite nonprofits immediately. “One of the most rewarding aspects of wealth is being able to make an impact on others. By beginning early, it becomes a part of your lifestyle and that of
your children,” Jordan says. According to a recent Merrill Lynch study, people in lower income brackets donate more percentage-wise than those who are considered “wealthy.” Baby boomers (born between 1946 and 1964) top the list by giving more time and money to charities than any other generation. Follow their lead. l For more information, contact Charlie Jordan at charlie.jordan@brightworth.com or visit brightworth.com.
January/February 2016 | Simply Buckhead
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C OV E R S T O RY
CONSUMER TIPS
TOP TIPS FOR CHEAP TRIPS STORY:
Jill Becker Photo: Kate K. Moore
Clark Howard’s strategies for saving big on travel
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ack in the “dinosaur days,” as he calls them, Clark Howard used to be a travel agent. Now one of the country’s most respected consumer experts and host of the nationally syndicated “Clark Howard Show,” the Buckhead resident could be considered the ultimate road warrior. Following some basic principles, he maintains, “I’ve been able to visit every continent except Antarctica and every state except North Dakota, and I’ve done it all on a dime.” We chatted with Howard and asked for his expert advice about traveling on a shoestring. What’s your prediction regarding the cost of travel for 2016? Travel costs are headed down, especially for airfare. Spirit and Frontier offer extremely low fares. Be aware of the fees, though. International fares are getting much better here because of the entry of Turkish Airlines and Qatar Airways into Atlanta starting in the spring. How far in advance should people book their trips if they want to save money? The magic time to buy a ticket is generally eight weeks before you travel. However, if you see a fare that is exciting to you, don’t wait: buy it. What’s the best way to get a deal on hotel rooms? Blind booking, where you pay upfront for a non-refundable hotel before you know the name of the hotel where you’ll be staying, is the cheapest way to get a hotel room by far. I book 95
DAYS TO SAVE You don’t have to avoid the mall to save money. Knowing when to shop is the key to finding the best deals at your favorite stores. Here is a rundown on where to go and when.
percent of the hotels I stay in through Priceline or Hotwire. There’s [also] biddingtraveler.com. With this site, you pick the town where you want to stay and your dates of travel, then set the minimum and maximum you’re willing to bid and identify any neighborhoods you’re not willing to occupy. Any money-saving tips in regards to booking a rental car? Start a general search at carrentals. com and hotwire.com. Next, place a lower-priced bid at Priceline.com (accepted bids are non-refundable). Are you a Costco or Sam’s Club member? Exclusive rates are available when booking at [their] online vacation divisions. If you’re really thrifty, megabus.com, boltbus.com and Greyhound Express offer interstate $1 bus fares. But you have to book very early, usually months in advance, to score the cheapest deals.
STORY:
How can people use social media to find travel deals? Follow the sites of airlines and hotels you might want to use. That’s where people are getting some of the lowest [prices]. I also offer travel deal news through @Clark_Travel. Are there things people can do to help offset the cost of booking last-minute? A couple of free apps could save you up to 35 percent on same-day hotel bookings. Tonight-Only Deals is part of the free Priceline Negotiator app. Unlike [with] Priceline, with TonightOnly Deals you know the name of the hotel before you book. Another app that offers similar last-minute deals is HotelTonight. Visit tripadvisor.com to vet the hotels you’re offered before you say yes. Can using a travel agent help you save money? Travel agents may seem outdated, but there are some situations that just plain warrant it. If you are planning a
Jessica Dauler
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
Get ready for your workweek or school week by stocking up on office supplies at Office Max and Office Depot. Markdowns start Sunday night, and new coupons can be found online and in store circulars at the start of the week as well.
Planning a vacation? The best time to shop for domestic airline travel is Tuesday, starting at 3 p.m. because airlines bid for flights on Mondays, and deals are released on Tuesdays. While searching online, make sure to clear your cookies. Airline websites track your views and raise prices if they think you might be desperate.
If you love the deals at Target or T.J. Maxx, visit the stores on Wednesday when the markdowns for domestics and women’s clothing take place.
Need new electronics? You can often find computers, TVs, tablets and similar products discounted on Thursday at most big brand retailers such as Best Buy or hhgregg. If you have kids, Thursday is also the best day to hit Babies “R” Us and Toys “R” Us when they cut prices on games, toys and clearance merchandise.
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
SUNDAY
Friday can be a good day to shop online for clothing. Retailers such as Macy’s, Nordstrom, Gap, Old Navy and Victoria’s Secret issue new coupon codes to help boost weekend sales.
According to a study released by gasbuddy.com in January, the cheapest gas prices are available on the weekend. Not as many people are thinking about gas for their daily work commutes, so the prices are lowered as an incentive to fill up.
This is a good day to shop at your local CVS Pharmacy. New markdowns usually happen on Sunday, which means you’ll have the best shot at scoring clearance deals.
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special one-off trip like a honeymoon, anniversary or family reunion, I recommend you book with an agent who has CTC [certified travel counselor] certification. If you’re buying your very first cruise, you also want to work with an agent. A good agent will ask about your interests, hobbies and what you like to do in your spare time and help you to find the right fit. How do you make the most of your loyalty programs? Airlines and car rental firms are making points and miles steadily less rewarding. Unless you fly constantly for business, the value is not there. What’s the secret to getting the most bang for your buck when it comes to travel? It’s really pretty simple. I don’t pick a destination that I have to go to. I wait for a deal somewhere, buy the deal, and then figure out why I want to go there. If you can be flexible on destination, you can save big bucks. n
January/February 2016 | Simply Buckhead
Jessica Dauler created jessicashops.com in 2002 to help savvy shoppers save money and time while navigating the shopping areas in Atlanta. Since then the Sandy Springs resident has shared her tips on numerous media outlets including Q100 Atlanta, Star 94 FM Atlanta, CNN, Headline News, The Travel Channel and CBS. Her site offers daily deals, shopping tips and exclusive discount offers.
heatherstone A home that’s close to home
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A gated community on the Georgia side of the North Carolina line, close to Highlands, but also close to the North Georgia communities of Dillard and Clayton. Just two or so hours from Buckhead. High elevation. Cool temperatures. Fabulous long-range views. Near great hiking, zip lining, wintertime snow tubing as well as Sky Valley Country Club and Golf Course.
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Blue Valley views from this move-in ready home. Spacious great room and open kitchen, master on main with a family/game room and two guest rooms below. The home is offered furnished, and for $545,000 also includes a sellable adjoining lot. MLS 81634
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January/February 2016 | Simply Buckhead
B U Z Z | C H A RI TA B L E | S C E N E
Photos: Kimberly Evans
SIMPLY HAPPENING
SPOTLIGHT:
DINE AND DANCE
Above: Patrons of the Atlanta Ballet Ball dance the night away. Left: Chris Casey and Doug Weiss, 2015 Chairs of the Atlanta Ballet Ball, stand center stage and welcome guests in costumes from the Atlanta Ballet’s “Nutcracker.”
The St. Regis hosts Atlanta Ballet’s “Evening in Paris” The 36th Annual Atlanta Ballet’s Ballet Ball Feb. 20 St. Regis Atlanta 88 Paces Ferry Road N.W.Atlanta 30305 404.873.5811 atlantaballet.com/ get-involved/ballet-ball
To watch a great ballet performance is to experience graceful lines and impassioned technique. It is beauty in motion that can lead you to tears, happiness, or emotions you do not often feel. The productions offered by the Atlanta Ballet are no exception. The annual Atlanta Ballet Ball is the organization’s premier fundraiser, attracting on average more than 400 attendees every year. Slated for
Saturday, Feb. 20, at the St. Regis Atlanta in Buckhead, this year’s 36th annual enchanting event, “An Evening in Paris,” features live music, and live and silent auctions of luxury goods and trips. The ball will also include a performance from the entire Atlanta Ballet company of dancers. Cocktails
will be served at 6 p.m. Dinner and the program will commence at 7 p.m. This year’s gala honorees are longtime patrons Charles and Ginny Brewer. Tables are $5,000 for eight seats; patron packages are $1,500 for two; and individual tickets are $500. – Kai Whipple
January/February 2016 | Simply Buckhead
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S I M P LY H APP E N ING
Events, exhibits, galas and more
BY:
Kai Whipple
Photo: Sara Hanna Photography
BUZZ
Laura Camacho and the Athens Tango Project masterfully entertain the crowd.
THE ATHENS TANGO PROJECT Jan. 17 Heritage Sandy Springs Heritage Hall 6110 Blue Stone Road Sandy Springs 30328 404.851.9111 heritagesandysprings.org Laura Camacho, an upright bass player from Argentina, realized there was an audience for Tango music where she lived in the Sandy Springs area. She brought together a host of skilled musicians comprised of international graduate students in music from the University of Georgia, as well as a professor of language and music theory—a pianist from Brazil, a violinist from Poland, a vocalist from Nicaragua and a percussionist from the U.S.—who now make up The Athens Tango Project. The band has performed authentic Argentine Tango music since 2012. On Jan. 17, Heritage Sandy Springs, a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting history, stewarding a community park and enhancing the cultural identity of Sandy Springs, features the fivemember group in its Heritage Winter Classics concert series. Admission is $5 for members of Heritage Sandy Springs and $10 for non-members. Doors open at 4 p.m., and the performance is from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m.
MLK DAY CELEBRATION Jan. 18 Atlanta History Center 130 West Paces Ferry Road N.W. Atlanta 30305 404.814.4000 atlantahistorycenter.com
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For the third year, the Atlanta History Center honors the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. by offering a free admission day for all in the community to come and see the standard exhibits and grounds from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. The Atlanta History Center is extending this offer to all areas of the Atlanta History Museum on the Buckhead campus, including the Swan House and Smith Family Farm, the Centennial Olympic Games Museum and the Kenan Research Center.
35TH ANNUAL SPOTLIGHT ON ART SPOTLIGHT ON ART GALLERY Through Jan. 26 3393 Peachtree Road Atlanta 30326 THE SPOTLIGHT ON ART ARTISTS MARKET Feb. 1 – 6 4301 Northside Parkway Atlanta 30327 404.231.8100 spotlightonart.com Neiman Marcus is partnering with the Trinity School to bring imagination to life through art as they host the 35th Annual Spotlight on Art Gallery. Since 1982, the showcase has featured an array of art styles, including contemporary, realism, folk art, sculpture, pottery and jewelry from both established and emerging artists across the Southeast. The artwork is available for purchase with wide-ranging price points that appeal to all tastes. Proceeds benefit the Trinity School’s continuing teaching education and scholarship funds. The exhibit takes place through Jan. 26 at the
January/February 2016 | Simply Buckhead
Spotlight on Art features artists such as Charlie Hanavich, creator of contemporary pieces Sinatra and Abraham Lincoln.
Neiman Marcus in Lenox Square. Trinity School will host The Spotlight on Art Artists Market at the school, where opening night will be Feb. 1 at 6 p.m. A cocktail party, Cocktails & Canvases, will also take place at the Artists Market on Feb. 5 at 6 p.m. The events are open to the public and offer free parking and admission.
ART GARFUNKEL IN CLOSE-UP Jan. 29 Buckhead Theatre 3110 Roswell Road Atlanta 30305 404.843.2825 thebuckheadtheatre.com Since becoming a solo artist in 1970, Art Garfunkel has carved a successful career of his own, earning six Grammys and 14 Adult Contemporary top 30 Singles. For the first time, the Buckhead Theatre is partnering with Bowery South to present the awardwinning singer, poet and actor in Art Garfunkel In Close-Up. Tickets to this concert are $60$125 in advance and $65-$135 the day of. Doors open at 7 p.m., and the show begins at 8 p.m.
GO RED FOR WOMEN LUNCHEON Feb. 12 American Heart Association 3315 Peachtree Road N.E. Atlanta 30326 678.224.2064 atlantagored.heart.org According to the American Heart Association (AHA), one woman dies from heart disease or stroke nearly every minute. As part of its ongoing effort to educate in or-
Celebrate music and tradition with the Seventh Annual Georgia Boy Choir Festival and Grand Finale Concert.
der to reduce these unbelievable statistics, AHA hosts Atlanta’s Go Red for Women Luncheon. The event is expected to attract more than 600 people to the InterContinental Buckhead Alanta Hotel on Feb. 12 from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 pm. The women and men who attend the seated luncheon to support their wives, sisters and friends are all encouraged to wear red in commemoration of heart month. You’ll learn more about how to live a heart-healthy life and enjoy the advice of the keynote speaker, renowned cardiothoracic surgeon and television personality Dr. Mehmet Oz. Tickets for this event are $150.
SEVENTH ANNUAL GEORGIA BOY CHOIR FESTIVAL AND GRAND FINALE CONCERT Feb. 19 – Feb. 20 Peachtree Road United Methodist Church 3180 Peachtree Road N.E. Atlanta 30305 404.402.4083 georgiaboychoir.org The Georgia Boy Choir will hold its Seventh Annual Georgia Boy Choir Festival and Grand Finale Concert at Buckhead’s Peachtree Road United Methodist Church, where there will be choir performances and vocal skill-building classes for non-choir boys. No musical experience is required, and boys from third through 12th grade are encouraged to participate and sing with the choir. The Grand Finale Concert on Feb. 20 will showcase all levels of the Georgia Boy Choir in addition to performances by attending choirs. Participants also have
an opportunity to demonstrate all that was learned during the festival. Registration for the festival begins on Feb. 19 at 4 p.m. and for the Grand Finale Concert on Feb. 20 at 9 a.m. The fee to participate is $55 and includes all music, three meals and a Georgia Boy Choir Festival polo shirt for participants. General admission for the Grand Finale Concert is $15 and $10 for students.
ROTARY CLUB OF BUCKHEAD FOUNDATION BALL Feb. 27 Rotary Club of Buckhead 155 West Paces Ferry Road N.W. Atlanta 30305 404.428.9877 buckheadrotary.com On Feb. 27, the Rotary Club of Buckhead, one of the largest Rotary clubs in the metro Atlanta area with nearly 200 members, will host its annual Foundation Ball at the Cherokee Town Club. Atlanta Braves Chairman Terry McGuirk and his wife, Nancy, are Foundation Ball Honorees for upholding the principals of the Rotary Club—commitment, exemplary levels of service to the community and promoting high vocational ethical standards. The ball’s nearly 200 attendees will enjoy both a silent and live auction, dinner and dancing. Tickets to this black-tie event are available for $150, and proceeds support several of the organization’s community initiatives, including the new Ronald McDonald House at Northside Hospital, Project Open Hand, National Multiple Sclerosis Society Georgia Chapter, the Boy Scouts and veterans’ health issues.
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OUR HEARTS BEAT for children with cancer At CURE Childhood Cancer, we show our love for children battling cancer and their families in many ways. From providing support and guidance upon diagnosis, to providing warm meals and fellowship in the hospital, we are there. And with financial assistance for housing, transportation and medical bills, professional counseling services, and more, families can depend on CURE. Most importantly, we love our kids by providing hope for a cure, funding life-saving research. Children with cancer will always be in our hearts.
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S I M P LY H AP P E N ING
CHA R ITAB LE
Ed and Carol Anne Hong, Aubrey and Sheri Duke
Matt Hardman, Misty Kelly, Skye Kelly Edward Pincott fills a pint of SweetWater’s best for a thirsty patron.
Hungry locals gathered for food and fun at Murphey Candler Park.
Photos: Scott Reeves
DUCK DUCK GOOSE 5K FOOD TRUCK SOCIAL
F The Trey Boyer Band entertained the crowd with live tunes.
Chip Hunt, Karen Crim, Mike Veal, Connie Dodge, Eric Diersen
or the second year in a row, The Murphey Candler Park Conservancy’s Duck Duck Goose 5K gathered Brookhaven residents and runners to fundraise for the community. The event, which raised more than $10,000 from registrations for the MCPC, included a Saturday morning 5K and a 1-mile Fun Run on a scenic trail course at the park on W. Nancy Creek Drive. A new addition this year, the Duck Duck Food Truck Social on Friday evening kicked off the weekend with a performance by local musicians of the Trey Boyer Band and more than 750 attendees eating, drinking and grooving to live tunes by the lake. Food truck vendors included S&J’s Wood Fire Pizza and SweetWater Brewing Company, among others. The MCPC is an all-volunteer, nonprofit organization that was created in 2012 to help improve and preserve the park. As one of the MCPC’s top fundraising events, the Duck Duck Goose 5K helped support the organization’s 2015 goals, which included building a model playground, restoring the historic caretaker’s house into a community multi-use structure, dredging the lake to maintain aquatic health, establishing park architectural and design standards and removing invasive and exotic vegetation. - Jessica Wise
Emory Balkcom, Kelley Balkcom
Lisa, Alexandra, Samantha and Adam Booher
Maddox Gordon, Alicia Gordon
Members of the MCPC board: (back) Rudy Fernandez, Megan Latimer Franklin, Bryan Bays, Andy Heetderks, Shane Day Boyer; (front) Ashley Pincott, Karen Whitehead, Helene Peters
January/February 2016 | Simply Buckhead
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The highesT poinT of fiTness!
EXPERIENCE THE DIFFERENCE Pinnacle fitness is the Premier Personal Training fitness Center in the Buckhead area of Atlanta, georgia with revolutionary equipment including the only Kinesis Wall in the area. At Pinnacle fitness, you will be carefully guided by professional, certified trainers and a staff dedicated to your personal fitness and wellness program, which also includes nutritional guidance by a licensed dietician. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s no wonder that members often define Pinnacle Fitness as a New York or LA facility with Southern charm - and with a commitment to have each of its members reach their own Pinnacle of fitness.
Offering: Personal Training | golf fitness Classes | Yoga Classes | ZumbaÂŽ Classes MENTIoN THIs aD FoR a CoMPlIMENTaRy FITNEss assEssMENT by owNER JaMIE boDNER!
404.238.7539 Located in Buckhead at 3215 Cains Hill Place NW
www.pinnaclefitnessgym.com
S I M P LY H AP P E N ING
CHA R ITAB LE
Tricia Washington
Cathy Derrick, Beth Ellis, Meg Heyer, Julia Newsom
Bridge players gathered to raise money for Parkinson’s disease. Photos: Ninh Chau
PLAYING TRICKS ON PARKINSON’S
P Merrel Hattink overlooks a strategic game of bridge.
Denise DeAngelo, Gillis Pippin, Katherine McCormick, Kathleen Meyton
Mary Beth Bryce, Denise Billings, Debbie Martin, Donna Flinn, Tricia Washington, Candy McIntyre
laying Tricks on Parkinson’s at the Swan Coach House gathered about 40 women from around the community to raise funds for the Michael J. Fox’s Foundation for Parkinson’s Research. In the historic home’s Bella Nita Room, women lunched on the “Swan’s Favorite,” chicken salad in crunchy cracker timbles with cheese straws and frozen fruit salad, and the sweet “Silk Swan,” a swan-shaped dessert with a meringue base and scoop of chocolate mousse, before challenging each other to play their best hand of social bridge and raise nearly $6,000 for the cause. This second annual event was started by Tricia Washington, whose mother was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2012. “I asked her what I could do to support her. Her only request was that I learn to play bridge,” Washington says. She began taking lessons with Melissa Bernhardt and Merrel Hattink’s Bridge and Company and launched this fundraiser in 2014. Among local guests, the event also included a table of bridge players who flew in from Memphis and another connected to Washington’s grandmother’s former bridge circle. - Jessica Wise
Joan Woodall, Debbie Martin Melissa Bernhardt, Tricia Washington, Merrel Hattink
Clay Dixon, Liz Wolfe, Debbie Martin, Rebecca Long
January/February 2016 | Simply Buckhead
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WE HAVE LIFTOFF! The fun and creation never stops for LEGOLAND Master Builder Aries Viera. PHOTO: Sara
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January/February 2016 | Simply Buckhead
Hanna
INSIDE BUCKHEAD’S NEW, ELITE SPEAKEASY I
f you haven’t heard about Buckhead’s newest speakeasy-style watering hole, Supply & Demand, you aren’t alone. Opened in September along Cains Hill Place behind Churchill’s British Pub, this 25-and-up bar is an intimate address that is easy to overlook. Though, according to founding partner Brandon Lewis, that’s part of the appeal. “The inspiration was built off of the Wall Street economic principle of supply and demand,” says Lewis. “We’re curating beverage sources with high or discerning tastes instead of mainstream tastes. The supply is going to be very limited, which will hopefully lead to a high demand.” Adding to Supply & Demand’s sense of exclusivity is its “members-only” requirement. While membership is free, patrons will have to be invited by the bar to become a member before they’re allowed into it. Membership is nontransferable. If and when you do finally get inside Supply & Demand, you’ll find a sort of Chops-meets-St. Regis hybrid—very high-end, very Buckhead and very elite. The gleaming bar is the picture of opulence with $20,000 worth of mosaic subway
tile, a custom oak bar and tremendous amounts of white marble with seating at the bar and at small tables. Taken in its entirety, it’s the picture of a 1920s-1930s-era hideaway, aiming to attract both the glamorous socialite and the well-connected hipster. Lewis, who also owns Establishment (relocating from Buckhead to Midtown mid-October), is manning the bar with its staff for the opening, before transitioning in new servers and mixologists. So if you’re a frequent visitor to Establishment, you will have an idea of what you can expect from the service and general vibe. Though the menu will be gourmet small bites (such as caviar), the focus here is on the hard-to-come-by liquor selection, featuring rare vintages of Japanese whiskey, scotches and bourbons, along with beer, wine and a “regal” list of what Lewis refers to as “craft-tails.” Open at 5 p.m. during the week and 7 or 8 p.m. on Saturday, the bar also hosts a deejay Friday and Saturday. STORY: Kelly Skinner | PHOTOS: Sara Hanna
SUPPLY & DEMAND EVENT AMENITIES: n
35 foot antique oak bar with some of the Atlanta’s rarest and most sought after spirits
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Event Catering from some of Atlanta’s best restaurant’s
FOR IMMEDIATE INQUIRIES AND AVAILABILITY: CALLWILSON MICHAEL WILSON @ 678-334-9755 OR LOG ONTO WWW.SUPPLYDEMANDATLANTA.COM FOR IMMEDIATE INQUIRIES AND AVAILABILITY: CALL MICHAEL @ 678-334-9755 OR LOG ONTO AND WWW.SUPPLYDEMANDATLANTA.COM SUPPLY DEMAND | 3223 CAINS HILL PLACE NE ATLANTA 30305 | BACK PARKING LOT ENTRANCE 3223 CAINS HILL PLACE NE ATLANTA 30305 I BACK PARKING LOT ENTRANCE
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Atlanta skyline, as viewed from a Renaissance signature apartment.
“. . . van Herpen’s innovations are as cutting-edge as it gets today.” –VOGUE
THROUGH MAY 15 | TICKETS: HIGH.ORG This exhibition is co-organized by the High Museum of Art, Atlanta, and the Groninger Museum, the Netherlands.
PRESENTING SPONSORS
CONTRIBUTING SPONSORS
GENEROUS SUPPORT
ADDITIONAL SUPPORT Creative Industries Fund NL, Ms. Louise Sams and Mr. Jerome Grilhot, and The Friends of Iris van Herpen
This exhibition is co-organized by the High Museum of Art, Atlanta, and the Groninger Museum, the Netherlands. Image: Iris van Herpen (Dutch, born 1984), Hybrid Holism, Dress, July 2012, High Museum of Art, Atlanta, purchase with support from The Friends of Iris van Herpen, 2015.170. Photography by Bart Oomes, No 6 Studios.
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SAVOR STOLI® RESPONSIBLY. Stolichnaya® Premium Vodka. 40% Alc/Vol. (80 proof). Distilled from Russian Grain. Stoli Group USA, LLC, New York, NY ©2015 Spirits International, B.V.