CINNAMON GRITS: Christmas in the South at Art Station

~Doc Lawrence

Everything is nice when you add a little cinnamon spice! The holiday sequel to the big hit GRITS: The Musical (Girls Raised in the South) centers on hilarious tales of holiday soirées and endearing family dysfunction. Behold how four talented belles from four different generations cope with their particular Christmas problems. 

The GRITS Girls Making Goodies

On the stage of Stone Mountain Historic Villages newly expanded, renovated Art Station Theatre, Virginia, Florence (“Flo”), Georgia and Charlotte entertain with original songs backed by a live band amid a traditional Christmas set.  Lyrics and harmonies evoke nostalgia but there’s enough humor and slapstick to avoid sadness. 

It’s called Christmas cheer and if this delightful production is anything, it is joyous and considering today’s troubled times, badly needed.

For almost two hours, the GRITS girls take us on a tour de force propelled by songs rooted in rock, country, jazz, blues and gospel, music forms born in the South. Toss in whimsical wardrobes and a very well designed set and you have a winnner: A holiday musical for the family.

After a Day of Shopping

The season encourages us to remember other Decembers. Who doesn’t feel somet sweet memory when Gene Autry’s “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Riendeer” fills the air? Can you really sit still when Atlanta native Brenda Lee belts out “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree?” 

A talented cast equipped with glorious voices. Girls who know how to dance, laugh and joke. Original songs. Everything adds up to a rocking, jolly, good time at Art Station. 

HINT: Bring a friend: A wonderful Christmas gift!

Book, Lyrics & Music by Erica Allen McGee

Tickets and showtimes: (770) 469.1105  www.artstaion.org 

Through December 20. 

FREE PARKING     

                                      

                                         Merry Christmas!

                           

Celebrating a Family Christmas: Art, Music, Santa, Food, Cheer in Atlanta

~Doc Lawrence

Many have requested details about some of the arts and crafts featured at the Atlanta History Center’s renowned “Candlelight Nights.” Easily the best Christmas Celebration in the region, I’ve obtained some details about the paintings and prints by Olivia Thomason on December 20 where she will be there to talk about her career as an artist.

Several are included by permission.

For details about “Candlelight Nights: http://atlantahistorycenter.com/Family

FREE, SECURED, ON SITE PARKING!

Here's 10 from the colorful canvasses of Olivia Thomason, called "Georgia's Queen of Folk Art," by author/journalist Dr. Richard Funderburke.

“CANDLELIGHT NIGHTS” ATLANTA HISTORY CENTER HOSTS THE BREATHTAKING CELEBRATION

~Doc Lawrence

"Going Back To Georgia" by Olivia Thomason

Strolls along candlelit wooded trails connecting fabulously decorated historic homes, exciting festive activities, the best Holiday Market, live music and professional performances and a visit with jolly old Santa are among highlights

The Atlanta History Center invites guests to step back in time and experience Christmases past during Candlelight Nights on two very special Friday evenings, December 13 and 20. During these family-friendly events visitors can stroll wooded trails illuminated by the sweet glow of candlelight, connecting to the spirit of simpler holiday pleasures.

 Guests will be welcomed inside Atlanta History Museum by Santa Claus and a lively Holiday Market filled with local and international crafts and artist creations. Then they can visit each of the three historic houses to experience Southern holiday traditions during the Civil War era (Smith Family Farm), 1930s (Atlanta’s beloved mansion, the Swan House), and pioneer days (Wood Family Cabin). Live, timeless holiday music will fill the air, and enthusiastic interpreters will bring characters from the pages of history to life at these historic abodes, each handsomely dressed in period holiday decorations and featuring spellbinding activities of the season. Priceless memories will be made.

"Old Time Religion" by Olivia Thomason

WHAT: Candlelight Nights, Atlanta History Center’s annual holiday tradition.

WHEN: Friday, December 13, 2019, 5:30 – 9:30pm

              Friday, December 20, 2019, 5:30 – 9:30pm

WHERE: Atlanta History Center; 130 West Paces Ferry Road; Atlanta, GA

ADMISSION: This special holiday program is $20 for public; $10 for children; $15 for members. Purchase advance tickets at AtlantaHistoryCenter.com.

INFORMATION: 404.814.4000; AtlantaHistoryCenter.com/Family.

Not done with your holiday shopping yet? Purchase special one-of-a-kind gifts from local artists and craftspeople.

Featured Artists and Craft Masters For December 20:

1.Olivia Thomason – folk art paintings and fine art prints by Atlanta’s award-winning artist

2.Johari Africa – jewelry and other artsy items made by Clarkston refugee women and African female artists

3. Sunavworld – home goods, art items imported from Nepal

4. Mingei World Arts – Vintage treasures and fine craft from artisans and markets of the world

5. Ivy Abena – imported African baskets and pillows from African fabrics

6. Rachel Campbell and Mimi Bradberry – paintings and stained glass

7. Gina Renay – crochet décor and clothing

8. Kristin Replogle – art with spiritual bent

9. Celena Schoen – folk pottery

10. Tortured Pine Pottery – pottery bowls and platters

11. Gina Kirlew – artist-created stickers

12. Gina Nolte – handmade baskets

13. Mary Boyle – jewelry

14. Polly Sherrill – pottery

15. Jimella’s Bakery – cookies

Visit with Santa Claus
Garden Overlook

6:30-9:30pm

Ho-ho-ho! Grab your camera and get ready to photograph the family while your crew visits with Old Saint Nick.

Mama Koku’s Holiday Stories
Exhibition Hall

5:45pm, 6:45pm, 7:45pm

An Atlanta History Center favorite, the storyteller helps us celebrate a diverse December with stories that highlight the traditions of Hanukkah, Christmas, and Kwanzaa mixed in with a few winter tales that will leave you feeling warm inside.

All Aboard!
Texas locomotive, Rollins Gallery

6:30pm, 7:30pm, 8:30pm

Enjoy a special holiday story at our newly restored Texas locomotive and become immersed in the spirit of the holidays as you get ready to board a train to the North Pole!

Octave
Exhibition Hall
6:15pm, 7:15pm, 8:15pm

Enjoy Atlanta’s favorite female a cappella singing group performing holiday favorites. Octave was founded in 1996 and has grown and changed its membership, each new addition adding something amazing to the group. Members are teachers, writers, executives, pharmacists, athletes, dancers, grammar geeks, attorneys, and moms—all brought together for great music, great friendships, and great fun.

Reindeer Games with Aurora Theatre
Kennedy Theatre

8:00pm

Aurora Theatre produces more than 800 events each year for guests of all ages and tastes. With the Lawrenceville troupe’s Reindeer Games, talented performers engage guests in amusing, interactive improv comedy and sing joyful holiday tunes.

Smith Family Farm

Travel to Christmastime during the Civil War and be welcomed into the holiday traditions on Smith Farm. Encounter characters from 1861 and participate in traditional crafts and activities as you help them decorate for a very special Christmas.

1861 Christmas tree lighting
Front yard
6:00pm, 7:00pm, 8:00pm, 9:00pm

The sounds of caroling greet you as you gather round to light the candles on the Christmas tree.

Behind the Scenes: A Christmas Feast
Smith Family Farm kitchen

6:00pm, 7:00pm, 8:15pm, 9:15pm

Learn about the special Christmas dinner being cooked for the Smith family and see open hearth demonstrations of traditional Civil War-era delicacies.

The Yule Log

Enslaved People’s Cabin

6:15pm, 7:15pm, 8:15pm, 9:00pm

Listen to stories and songs by the fire as the enslaved community celebrates Christmas and hopes for the end of slavery. Afterward, visit with interpreters as they discuss resistance and the history of holidays for the enslaved.

Stephen, Meet the Past Museum Theatre Performance
Smith Farmhouse front porch

6:30pm, 7:30pm

Meet Stephen, an enslaved woodworker who must face a crucial decision regarding his future and that of his family during the holiday season. This decision will impact the lives of those closest to him, for better or worse.

Ongoing Activities

·         Popcorn and garland making

·         Create salt-dough ornament

·         Candle-dipping

·         Blacksmithing

·         Open-hearth cooking

Swan House

Revel in the holiday season of 1930 as you are transported to a Jazz Age Christmas party at the lavishly decorated Swan House while the Inman family and its staff celebrates Christmas.

1930s-style The Laura Coyle Trio
Grand Foyer

6:30pm, 7:30pm, 8:30pm

Step back in time with the Laura Coyle trio as it performs holiday standards. One of the most sought-after singers on the Atlanta jazz scene, Laura Coyle brings a timeless voice and masterful sense of swing to her performances. She collaborates with many of the best musicians in the city and sings with a genuine love for the lyrics, and the traditions of jazz music

Ongoing Activities

·         Create your own 1930s-style holiday postcards to send to your family and friends.

·         Get ready for the Inman family holiday party by making a fun headband—either for yourself or as a gift!

Wood Family Cabin

Stop at our bonfire and enjoy some cider and s’mores!

Atlanta Sacred Harp Singers

7:00pm & 8:00pm

The Atlanta Sacred Harp Singers are a group that performs historic a cappella shape note hymns from The Sacred Harp, a collection of hymns first published in Georgia in 1844. Its performances entertain and inspire listeners through the active tradition of community sacred singing, which originated in early 19th century Georgia.

Food and Drink

Lovies BBQ will be vending its delicious barbecue and sides.
Cash bars are located throughout the campus for some holiday cheer!

ABOUT ATLANTA HISTORY CENTER

Founded in 1926, the Atlanta History Center is an all-inclusive, 33-acre destination featuring the Atlanta History Museum, one of the nation’s largest history museums, including the new Cyclorama: The Big Picture experience; three historic houses—the 1920s Swan House, the 1860s Smith Family Farm, and the 1830s Wood Family Cabin; Goizueta Gardens; Kenan Research Center; the Grand Overlook event space; a museum shop; Souper Jenny café; and BRASH coffee shop. In addition, the Atlanta History Center welcomes visitors to the Margaret Mitchell House at Atlanta History Center Midtown.

404.814.4000 or visit AtlantaHistoryCenter.com.

"Here Comes Santa" by Olivia Thomason

"Georgia Pumpkin Patch" by Olivia Thomason

Thanksgiving Wines-A Wonderful Tradition

~Doc Lawrence

Everything is planned and ready to cook. The table is set and the room is elegant. Family and friends will gather for this genuinely All-American feast and one item is nagging at you.

Wines.

The newspaper and magazine columns are overwhelming, recommending so many that you don’t know where to begin. A well-meaning friend advises you to pick up a few large jugs from the supermarket bottom shelf, a white, red and pink, but you aren’t interested in cheap anything on this special day.

There are strategies that work well. One is remembering that cheap isn’t a synonym for bargain. A cheap wine (and your guests will know it when they see or smell it) diminishes the ritual and hints bad things about your judgment. To be fair, some high profile wines fit into the unacceptable category, particularly that overpriced Beaujolais Nouveau. The late wine educator/importer Jim Sanders said that if you paid $10 dollars of a bottle of Nouveau, it was overpriced by nine.

The Beginning

Nothing says welcome like Champagne. There are real bargains but some substitutes are worthy. Ask your wine merchant about Cremant. Domestic sparkling wines like Gruet from New Mexico, Asheville’s Biltmore Estate and Georgia’s Wolf Mountain won’t break the bank and are delicious. Serve your bubbly in lovely crystal flutes. No plastic, ever! 

Amuse Bouche, fancy laugange for finger food, will be even more delicious as flutes are refilled, and the laughter and good cheer will increase, setting the stage for the big feast.

Dinner Wines

The multiplicity of dishes from salads, to soups, assorted vegetables, casseroles, and the obligatory turkey, dressing, giblet gravy shouldn’t be challenging regarding appropriate wines. Wise authorities emphasize variety: have different wines-whites and reds available, encourage guest to try different ones and gently assist them with suggestions.

A chilled dry Riesling is so compatible with almost everything. Choices are myriad: Napa, Washington State, Finger Lakes, Texas, Australia and Germany. 

Pinot Gris, a luxurious white wine and a top choice would be from Oregon-based King Estate. Be forewarned: this might steal the show so have several bottles handy.

Red wines are so delicious and the Thanksgiving table would be a little empty without them. Cru Beaujolais, a delicious group of wines from France are fail-safe candidates. Not to be confused with Nouveau, these are dry, brightly colored, totally food friendly with 10 different ones to choose from. Look for Morgon, Fleurie, or Saint-Amour. Good wine stores carry them. Serve slightly chilled. 

For our friends in the Deep South, a red wine staple Syrah from North Carolina’s RagApple Lassie will earn applause. Very drinkable, there’s a little bit of James Taylor’s “Carolina in My Mind” in each sip. North Georgia’s Tiger Mountain Vineyards produces an incomporable Cynthiana, a fabulous dry red wine from the grape of the Cherokee. Most will never suspect that it is a local product.

Pinot Noir, perhaps more popular than ever, deserves inclusion and you can bet that many expect it. Aim a little high and find a bottle or two of J.Christopher 2015 Basalte from Oregon’s Chehalem Mountains.

Desserts

After dinner wines include standby’s like Port, but should chocolate find its way into the menu, offer guests a glass of Madeira, one of Thomas Jefferson’s favorites. Magic will happen.

These are mere suggestions. With wines, flexibility is the key. No rules I’m aware of as long as everything is served with joy, good cheer and boundless love.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

A PRELUDE TO THANKSGIVING-The Big Heart of Mountain Park First Baptist Church

By Doc Lawrence

Georgia Girls (L-R), Susan Cagle,
Annie Kelly & Sylvia Dodson

Before the mass exodus to join family and friends for Thanksgiving, a remarkable gathering was held at a  wonderful church on a good November Friday. Mountain Park First Baptist Church serves a greater community primarily composed of metro-Atlanta cities Stone Mountain, Lilburn and Snellville. They take community service and outreach seriously, evidenced by not only Sunday Services and weekday study groups but daycare and an unequaled wellness center in a world-class facility.

Here, all are welcome, including those who belong to other church congregations. There may even be visitors who have no church home but who find open arms when they take those baby steps into the better world of good physical and spiritual health.

With a few years of workouts there under my belt, the wellness center has become a big part of my life. I’m happy to proclaim that it is directly responsible for my being alive, a result of my efforts and their heartfelt prayers.

The Big Feast 

The feast brought us together dressed not in our usual workout apparel but finer wear. An assemblage of different people, notable for diversity in age, nationality, race and gender. Annie Kelly is from Mississippi with advanced quilt-making skills and a sense of humor that brings laughter on a cold rainy morning. Susan Cagle, a retired professional nurse, donates every Wednesday as a volunteer at a major hospital. Sylvia Dodson, dedicates her time and resources to Emory University’s research and support efforts regarding Alzheimer’s and dementia. 

Sharing a meal and conversation with such gifted and lovely people is a blessing. Here, in the deep South, dining together is a ceremony honoring friendship and love. The warm sharing paired perfectly with the food served.

Rev. Keith Savage Extends
a Greeting and a Prayer

On this day, Reverend Mike Savage described the church outreach to the homeless and impoverished elementary school children. Feeding them was a priority. The Sermon on the Mount resonated in the dining hall.

Susan Romano, the director of the Wellness Center which includes a first-rate Silver Sneakers program, was there to welcome everyone and salute those who brought turkey, ham, seasonal vegetables and the array of tempting desserts.

There was a meaningful prayer of thanksgiving, time to enjoy delights from myriad kitchens and share conversation. Departure was poignant. Many were headed to faraway places like the Florida Panhandle, New England or just across the state. They will be coming together for America’s great national feast celebrating all we hold dear with the bonus of food that often brings back priceless memories of a long departed mother's favorite sweet potato pie.

Happy Thanksgiving.

More information about Mountain Park’s exceptional Wellness Center:

Susan Romano, Director. sromano@mpfbc.net
More about the church: www.mpfbc.org

CHILDREN OF EDEN

AN UPLIFTING MUSICAL REVIVAL

~Doc Lawrence

LAWRENCEVILLE, GA-It is through the magic of the arts that communities can grow strong and establish a permanence. In particular, a theatrical company with an outstading performance venue sends a positive message to the world at large of harmony, inclusiveness, openness and imagination. Combine these and you have a recipe for civic excellence, a place where you want to live and work.

Lawrenceville’s Aurora Theatre, a magnificent $7.5 million facility is the cornerstone for the city’s revitalization. Their current production of Children of Eden adds to their glowing reputation as a top venue in the Southeast for musicals.

Written by John Caird and with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz whose credits include Godspell and Wicked, Children of Eden tells in word, song and dance stories from the Bible’s Book of Genesis, beginnning with Adam and Eve and their children Cain and Abel, followed seamlessly by the saga of Noah, his family and his Ark.

God, honored by the divinely commanding voice and imposing physical presence of Brad Raymond, is portrayed as father. His mortal creations, Adam and Eve, don’t quite follow instructions and we all know the consequences of their disobedience. They fail the first tests of faith, but there is redemption: timeless juxtapositions of good with evil, sin and forgiveness. The affirmation of humanity.

The Forbidden Fruit

The bite of the forbidden fruit can be irresistible. The pain from knowledge is built into experience. But, there is a lesson: A better world is possible if we are willing to pursue a higher life.

While Brad Raymond is the thunderous backbone of the production, Naima Carter Russell who many remember for her award-winning performance in Memphis, is the show’s heart and soul. Her lightening-bolt version of Eve is magnified by a commanding voice that would make Aretha Franklin proud.

Through the majesty of advanced music, Children of Eden as an interpretive of the Book of Genesis soars, taking the audience back in time, embracing those who feel the spirit with the universal themes of love, hope, redemption and forgiveness. 

Children of Eden is Aurora Theatre’s 24th season opener. Headed by a stellar cast, backed by an outstanding orchestra, the choreograyphy is flawless and the sets work some divinely-inspired magic like a rainstorm where no one gets wet. 

Parking is easy. Lawrenceville is alive and growing.

Through September 1.

Tickets: (678) 226.6222  

auroratheatre.com

ROSEMARY CLOONEY-STILL A SUPERSTAR

“Tenderly” Entertains With Songs and Stories

~Doc Lawrence

Wendy Melkonian Glows as Rosemary Clooney

Rosemary Clooney was a mighty force in American popular music during the years of Eisenhower and Kennedy. Along with a group of women who sang to stardom like Doris Day, Peggy Lee, Ella Fitzgerald and Sarah Vaughn, the girl from Maysville Kentucky entertained through recordings, club appearances, movies and TV shows. 

Then, on a Los Angeles night in 1968, the world came crashing on her with the assassination of Robert F. Kennedy. 

Tenderly-The Rosemary Clooney Musical now playing at Stone Mountain Historic Village’s acclaimed Art Station Theater, surprised many on opening night. Poignant, tragic, funny describe special moments in two hours featuring over 20 songs made famous by Ms. Clooney. What makes the show very exceptional is the voice and acting ability of Wendy Melkonian who somehow manages to channel Ms. Clooney. (I was priviledged to see Ms. Clooney perform on stage).

Tenderly presents a fresh and remarkably personal picture of the woman whose talent and personality made her a legend in popular culture. Rosemary Clooney’s  journey starts with her Maysville, Kentucky childhood and meanders through her rise to Hollywood and TV stardom. A tour de force of her signature songs like "Come on-a My House," "It's Only a Paper Moon," "Count Your Blessings," "Hey There," "Mambo Italiano," and  many more are woven into the story of her successes on film, radio, and TV combined with monumental struggles in her personal life, notably a fading career and her battles with addiction and depression.  

Rosemary Clooney’s slide into the black hole of hopelessness is a major part of the production. Her marriage had collapsed, her money was gone, and her career at rock bottom. With a Beverly Hills mansion and five kids to look after, the tailspin accelerated. Prescription drugs and booze filled her emotional void. 

Rosemary Clooney was part of the Kennedy circle of superstars including JFK and the President’s brother, Robert Kennedy. When Bobby made his bid for the White House in 1968, she was with him during the pivotal California primary every step of the way. On election day in 1968, she flew with him to Los Angeles and sat in his car as he drove through the city. She was waiting for him at the Ambassador Hotel when the shots rang out.

Rosemary Clooney and Bing Crosby Come to Life on the Stage

Kennedy’s death was the final straw. She substituted reality with a bizarre world of her own. RFK wasn’t dead. It was a conspiracy, a plan by something or someone. Shortly after the tragedy, Rosemary Clooney traveled to Reno for a nightclub gig. Halfway through, she stopped the show, berated the audience and walked off stage, headed for Lake Tahoe, purposely driving the wrong way up an old mountain road and later tells her psychiatrist she was “playing chicken with God.”

With hospitalization and years of out-patient therapy, Rosemary Clooney made a miraculous comeback. A wiser person who breathed new life into her musical interpretations, she reinvented herself in a jazz idiom, surrounded by the brightest and best of a new generation of jazz players, and continued to sing until her death in 2002. Listen to the jazz masterpiece, her collaboration with Duke Ellington on the critically-acclaimed album “Blue Rose” and behold the spell only Rosemary could cast.

Luis R. Hernandez is the amazing catalyst who adds depth to the show and deep understanding of Rosemary Clooney’s demons and her triumphant return to sobriety and stardom. Brilliantly, he takes on multiple roles in the production, including a delightful

Bing Crosby, José Ferrer, Frank Sinatra, Ms. Clooney’s psychiatrist, and even her mother and sister.

Patrick Hutchinson’s musical accompaniment is flawless. Directed by Karen Beyer who also conducted the choreography, Tenderly is one of those productions that lingers in a special place where we store precious memories.

Through July 28.

www.artstation.org

(770) 469-1105

Beating The Heat: A Rosé With Crabcakes

~Doc Lawrence

A Delicious Wine For Summer Dining

We’re planning future wine dinners as well as the launch of Tailgating Down South’s new season-our 16th- in August. From time to time, we enjoy sharing some delicious discoveries. Using a venerable recipe from Mr. B’s Bistro in the French Quarter, Jumbo Lump Crabcakes with ravigote sauce, paired beautifully with a delightful wine from France. The 2017 Bellenos Rosé of Gamay Noir was fresh, light and fruity. This very expressive rosé is pure Gamay from Beaujolais. Beautifully clean, ripe red raspberry fruit. The crabcakes can be served any time of day. Brunch under poached eggs with Hollandaise or with a salad for summer dinner. 

CRABCAKES

Ingredients:

• 1 pound jumbo lump crabmeat, picked over
• 1/2 medium red bell pepper, diced fine
• 1/2 medium green bell pepper, diced fine
• 1/3 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup Panko
• 3 scallions, sliced thin
• juice of 1/4 lemon
• 1/4 teaspoon Crystal hot sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon Creole seasoning
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• ravigote sauce as accompaniment

In a large bowl combine crabmeat, bell peppers, mayonnaise, breadcrumbs, scallions, lemon juice, hot sauce, and Creole seasoning, being careful not to break up crabmeat lumps. Using a round cookie cutter (2 1/2 inches by 1 inch), fill cutter with mixture and form into cakes. Place on a baking sheet. Chill cakes, uncovered, 1 hour to help set.

Combine flour, salt, and pepper on a plate and lightly dust cakes in flour.

In a large skillet melt 1 tablespoon butter. Add half of cakes and cook over moderate heat until golden brown, about 1 1/2 minutes each side. Cook the remaining cakes in the same manner. Serve cakes with the spectaular ravigote sauce.

RAVIOTE SAUCE

This sauce is New Orleans through and through. It can be served with all sorts of seafood-boiled shrimp and crab, crawfish, fried oysters, and crabcakes.

• 2 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1 1/4 cups mayonnaise
• 1/2 red bell pepper, diced fine
• 1/2 large Anaheim chile pepper or green bell pepper,
• 1 hard-boiled egg, diced
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped flat leaf parsley
• 2 3/4 teaspoons prepared horseradish
• 1 1/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 3/4 teaspoon dried tarragon
• 3/4 teaspoon hot sauce
• kosher salt and white pepper to taste

In a medium bowl whisk together lemon juice and dry mustard. Whisk in mayonnaise, bell pepper, chile, egg, parsley, horseradish, mustard, tarragon, hot sauce, salt, and pepper.

Serve Rosé chilled.

NOTE: More food, wine and travel: www.mycookingmagazine.com
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