Georgia Trend. April 2022. If you are planning to celebrate Easter by purchasing store-bought chocolate eggs and bunny-shaped candy, you may want to think outside the box – literally. Handmade artisan chocolate not only tastes better, it also helps local small business owners thrive and give back to the global community. Xocolatl Small Batch Chocolate, […]

Georgia Trend Magazine. March 2022. Whether you’re Irish or just Irish for a day, celebrate St. Patrick’s Day by heading out to one of the pubs and restaurants around the state, or cook with your friends and family. Most Irish cuisine you’ll find today is not “traditionally Irish,” but rather mainstream as popularized by immigrants […]

Southern Living. March 2022. LaGrange is a progressive small town that offers all the amenities of a big city. Located only an hour south of Atlanta, LaGrange is home to a number of musical entertainment venues, upcoming craft breweries, one of the largest collections of Middle Eastern artifacts, and world-renowned gardens. The population of about 30,000 […]

Southern Living. March 2022. Greensboro came about as a retirement and second home lake and golf community formed by those who were looking to take a quick getaway from the big city of Atlanta. Over the past two decades, though, a boom in vacation rentals and new businesses has attracted younger families from all over the country to […]

Georgia Trend Magazine. March 2022. Located at East Atlanta Village is a new hip and casual brewery and restaurant. The exterior recalls beer gardens where you can just hang out with your two- and four-legged companions, while the cozy inside feels like the tasting room of a working brewery. With sacks of malt flour on […]

HuffPost. Feb 2022. Chef Daryl Shular is the world’s first African American and minority chef to earn the prestigious title of certified master chef, the distinction administered by the American Culinary Federation and currently held by fewer than a hundred people. Shular has also won 12 gold medals in local and national cooking competitions, including the Culinary Olympics, […]

Georgia Trend Magazine. Feb 2022. When you dine at a trendy restaurant, you may not think of army veterans in middle Georgia. But a group of vets may have grown the heirloom tomatoes or raised the pork that’s on your plate. For them, working the land has not only helped provide quality food, but also […]

HuffPost. February 2022. Matthew Raiford is a chef, author and farmer on a mission to raise awareness of the life cycle of food, especially in the African-American community. As a sixth-generation Gullah Geechee in the coastal South, Raiford is working to pass on his ancestral and acquired knowledge of growing, cooking and preserving food, by hosting […]

Georgia Trend Magazine. January 2022. During the first few days of the new year, many of us strive to change our eating habits. But a few weeks into our resolution, we realize that following a specific diet is not conducive to our lifestyles. We still occasionally need to go out for date nights, office lunches […]

Georgia Trend Magazine. January 2022 print edition. Located in one of Savannah’s oldest buildings that dates back to the 1890s, St. Neo’s Brasserie is not your typical hotel restaurant. For starters, the interior is a dream come true for decorators and makeover enthusiasts. What was an eyesore of an abandoned building that once housed American […]

Georgia Trend Magazine. December 2021. The holidays are a time to come together with family, create new memories and be grateful for the years past. But it’s easy to get stressed by the thought of planning the perfect meal that meets every dietary need. We leaf through cookbooks and magazines that show beautiful dinner spreads […]

Khabar. Dec 2021 cover story. During the holidays this winter, many people may not be ready for long distance travel. But short-distance trips are different. There are few hassles, and you don’t have to spend much for a good time with family and friends. These six fun destinations are not far from Atlanta, and they […]

Georgia Trend. November 2021. Pecans, peanuts, pistachios, walnuts, macadamia – oh my! Georgia produces a wide variety of nuts. In fact, Georgia leads the way as the nation’s top pecan producer, growing 142 million pounds last year. Nuts are a good source of protein, omega-3 fatty acids, have very low sodium (if unsalted) and are […]

Georgia Trend Magazine. November 2021. Overlooking the colorful downtown, swaying in my rocking chair, sipping a blueberry sour cocktail, I feel I could be in any Southern small town. But this is no ordinary place, building or porch. It is the same spot where global heads of state and accomplished billionaires have wined and dined. […]

Georgia Trend. October 2021. Tis’ the season! With pumpkins, turkeys and candy on our minds, the last quarter of the year is all about celebrations over food. Restaurants and bars across the state are getting creative with food and drink items to get customers into the celebratory spirit. Whether you’re tickled by edible ghost candies, […]

Cuisine Noir. October 2021. Hippin’ Hops Brewery and Oyster Bar is the first African American-owned brewery in Georgia. Its first location opened this year in May on Glenwood Avenue in the East Lake neighborhood of Atlanta, and two more Hippin’ Hops are scheduled to open later this year, also in Georgia. Owner Clarence Boston, originally from […]

AAA The Extra Mile. September 2021. Milder temperatures coupled with southern hospitality make the South the perfect place to visit during the fall. Moreover, leaves change colors later in the year in the southeastern U.S., so you can enjoy a drive through the scenic mountains and valleys well until mid-to-late November. Base your getaway in […]

Georgia Trend Magazine. Sept 2021. Whether it is a childhood memory, a family reunion or a first date relived, we all have a special place for a specific dish or a restaurant. This month, I spoke to four elected officials from Georgia about their favorite food memories. Rep. Kasey Carpenter, (R-Dalton) is a second-generation restaurant owner. […]

Cuisine Noir. September 2021. Charlise Johnson is the chef and owner of In My Fillings cupcake shop in Suwanee, Georgia. Her unique business model offers customers an opportunity to make their own cupcakes by combining different base cakes, icings and toppings. She opened her first, what she calls the “Chipotle for cupcakes,” style location during the pandemic […]

Cuisine Noir. September 2021. Located an hour’s drive from Atlanta, Macon is a charming small town steeped in history, culture and music. In the 1840s, Macon established itself as a cotton economy in the Black Belt. The advent of the railroad through downtown brought along politicians and artists from around the country who would stop […]

Georgia Trend Magazine. August 2021. As we mask up again, you don’t need to give up eating out and meeting friends entirely. Fortunately, restaurants across Georgia have set up relaxing al fresco dining, where you can enjoy the late summer breeze and beautiful views in a safe environment. Graze and sip at some of these […]

Georgia Trend Magazine. July 2021. Though the past year has unfolded as a rocky road for most food businesses, frozen desserts have continued to be a low-churn industry. Think about it – no one is in a bad mood after eating a cup of banana pudding ice cream! “Making gelato makes me happy,” says Atlanta-native […]

Cuisine Noir Magazine. July 2021. Athens is a hip college town located only an hour’s drive from the bustling capital of Atlanta, Georgia. Centered around eclectic neighborhoods, a walkable downtown and an expansive University of Georgia campus, the small town makes for a perfect weekend getaway. Take a Walking Tour Take your first steps in […]

Greatist. June 2021. The Juneteenth season is about remembrance and celebration. We remember the day Union troops arrived in Texas, announcing that the Civil War had ended and enslaved people were free. And we celebrate the cultures that have been preserved and reborn out of that time.  One such culture is that of the Gullah Geechee people, one […]