Anis Cafe and Bistro

Posted on October 31, 2012 by Emily Hines

Deep in the heart of Buckhead’s older residential neighborhoods is Anis Cafe and Bistro. Earning a rave review from a close family friend and long time Atlanta resident, I knew we had to check it out.

Anis Cafe and Bistro opened in 1994 by Arnaud Michel a native Frenchman inspired by his family’s winery and olive fields in Montepellier, France. The idea was to create a causal bistro where people could meet and enjoy light fare, coffee, and wine; due to overwhelming popularity, the restaurant quickly expanded offering a full brunch, lunch and dinner menu. Anis stays true to its inspiration working with the most authentic ingredients: wine and cheese from the south of France, excellent produce, and seasonal seafood.

image courtesy Atlanta Eater

The restaurant lives in a converted residential home to transport guests to Provence where the cobblestone streets are lined with shops and sidewalk cafes. I have yet to visit Provence but judging from photographs, Anis accomplished their vision beautifully.

My mom, sister, and I decided to have Sunday brunch to enjoy a sampling of their plates. I ordered for the table- Nutella Crepes, the Cured Salmon Croque Monsieur, and the Tartar de Tomato with a side of mixed berries, and applewood smoked bacon. We started the meal with some fresh baked bread and butter, coffee, and mimosas. The perfect start to a Sunday!

After the bread course, our entrees arrived already split into threes (such a nice touch). We ordered the perfect combination of savory and sweet. The Croque Monsieur was so tasty! Smoked salmon, goat cheese, onion, and capers on toast; I loved the unique twist on this classic French sandwich.

image courtesy Anis Cafe and Bistro

The tomato tartar was perfect as well: juicy tomatoes, bitter greens, creamy mozzarella, and a dash of balsamic vinegar to top it off! The crepes were the star for me; bursting with chocolatey hazelnut goodness, and topped with powdered sugar, toasted almonds and sweet bananas. Si bon!

image courtesy spoonfedatlanta.com

I discovered crepes and nutella on my first trip to France at the age of 14….and I was changed for life 🙂 or so it seemed. My aunt Catherine suggested my cousin Sarah and I to take a break from my usual dessert order, glace cafe (coffee icecream) and glace cassis (berry), and try a crepe from a stand on the way home. So we followed the smell of buttery batter and found a shop near our hotel on the Rue de St Germain. Having no idea what to get, Catherine ordered for us…nutella and banana crepes. The man behind the sizzling flat top handed us what looked like a giant folded golden napkin in parchment paper. The smell was so unbelievable and that first bite of gooey nutella magic was just the first of many more. And I digress…

The food and service were impeccable. After finishing our brunch on the patio, we explored the rest of this adorable restaurant. The main dining room is beautiful; exposed brick walls, tablecloths, bistro chairs, and fresh flowers. The bar is tiny but quaint; reminiscent of a local spot nestled on a busy street in a French town.

image courtesy of Anis Cafe and Bistro

I could see myself having a drink here in the future for sure….couldn’t you?

The waiting area outside the bar was full of personality as well. Scenes from a Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec painting scrolled on the restroom doors, a chandelier, leather bistro chairs, artwork, and a large chalkboard displaying event news brighten up an otherwise simple space.

image courtesy hunch.com

As we began to stroll out, my mom pointed out one more piece on the mantel in the waiting area…

I couldn’t agree more Mr. Franklin.

Un Petit Problème (modestexaggeration.wordpress.com)
Crepes! (darkbrightly.wordpress.com)
A Paris Guide: St Germain (A Paris Guide)

Guide to Georgia Florida Weekend (for non football fans)

Posted on October 29, 2012 by Emily Hines

Every Halloween weekend, thousands of football fans descend on the Golden Isles for the anticipated brawl between the University of Georgia Bulldogs and University of Florida Gators. This match-up has been going on since 1915 and has been hosted in Jacksonville, Florida since 1933. Being in such close proximity to Jacksonville, many UGA fans, alums, and students congregate in St. Simons Island for the festivities. UGA’s fall break coincides with this event causing a circus-like caravan of antsy co-eds sitting in traffic along Hwy 15 heading for the coast after classes starting on Wednesday.

I am a proud UGA alum, but football has never really been my thing. I enjoy socializing and going to parties but if the bulldogs lose…it’s not gonna ruin my day (unlike some). If you find yourself in this boat and want to brave the Golden Isles for a mini beach vacay- don’t worry- there is plenty to do in SSI for those not as concerned with the game’s outcome. Here’s my guide to GA/FL weekend in St. Simons Island!

Coffee: If you are gonna make it through this weekend, you’re gonna need a lot of coffee! Morning, afternoon, or at night Wake Up Coffee in Redfern Village is my go-to. Lots of yummy baked goods, fair trade coffee, teas, and unique gift items from around the world. I’ve found several tote bags here perfect for the beach.

image courtesy Wake Up

Staying near the Village? Palm Coast Coffee is on the main drag with all your coffee favorites and yummy organic teas. Grab a cup and a seat on the porch…great for people watching.

Food: If you have ever been to SSI, then you know the majority of your vacay revolves around eating. For you newbies- prepare to gorge.

Breakfast: Cafe Frederica, hands down has the best breakfast on the Island. You can cure any hangover here or fuel up for a long day of shopping. My go to is a bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich with grapefruit. Feeling sweet? Go for the blueberry pancakes or the cinnamon roll (it’s the bomb).

Favorite Casual spots: Gnat’s Landing, Bubba Garcias, Southern Soul, and Brogens. Good for lunch or dinner, these spots serve up tasty items like the Fried Oysters Bowl- signature crunchy cole slaw topped with fried oysters (Gnat’s), Fried Jalapenos with goat cheese (Bubba’s), Smoked Chicken Salad (Southern Soul), and a really great burger (Brogens).

image courtesy: Brogens

A Little Swanky: Regardless of the cuisine served, most SSI restaurants are accustomed the”Island Style” dress of visitors and locals alike. This next group of establishments are on the higher end but no need for coat and tie.

Delaney’s

No trip to SSI is complete without visiting Delaney’s Bar and Bistro. Open since 1994, Delaneys offers a beautiful and intimate dining experience serving house specialties like grilled margaret duck breast and charred foie gras. In recent years, with the help of my fabulous interior designer mom, Delaney’s has been remodeled to include a bar with seating to create a fun and casual atmosphere.

Delaney’s Bar

Delaney’s offers an extensive wine list and bartender Jay Hyde serves up your cocktail favorites. This room is a little more lively and offers a rotating tapas menu with unique items for those in the mood to try several dishes. My favorite dish is the burger sliders- the preparation is always different and they are baked inside a puff pastry! After dinner, skipping dessert is not an option. Choices vary by season but are always delightful. If they have the chocolate bourbon pecan pie it is an absolute must or the white chocolate cheesecake…both are killer. Other high end dining options are Halyards, Tramici, and Coastal Kitchen.

Now that we’ve covered food- onto the shopping!

Apparel: The Tibi outlet is usually one of my first stops. During GA/FL weekend they have a HUGE sale and stay open throughout the weekend making it convenient for visitors and locals to come shop. The designer, Amy Smilovic, is a fellow UGA alum and grew up in St. Simons. She was kind enough to bless us with the Tibi Outlet located in Redfern Village. The prices are great and they often feature runway samples!

photo credit Sarah Winchester

Other apparel shops in Redfern Village: Midnight Blue– great casual wear with brands like Tresics and Hard Tail. They have fun and affordable accessories too!
Two Friends is another eclectic boutique with an selection of clothing and accessories. I always find the perfect boots for fall here.

Give a Penny Jewelry at Petite Maison

Other Island shops to hit: Mari Max, GoGo, Meo Suite, Sea Island Home and Kitchen, Viola’s Market, Petite Maison.

Fall accessories at Viola’s Market!

More jewels. Lisa Kerns Jewelry at Viola’s Market

Beaches: Every now and then you and your wallet might get tired from all that shopping; that’s when I head to the beach. My fav SSI beach is Gould’s Inlet on East Beach…less crowded then by the coast guard station. This weekend you’ll be hard pressed to find anywhere secluded but this is a great spot. If you want try and find a quiet spot, try Jekyll Island or Sea Island. Boneyard Beach on Jekyll is beautiful to walk and the stretch on Sea Island is to the right of the jetty is perfect for walking or catching some rays.

image courtesy: Rebecca in the Woods

To watch the game or not: Like I said before, watching the game is not of the utmost importance to me. I tend to float from place to place visiting friends and family while the two teams duke it out. However, I do enjoy the food accompaniments to the football games…snacks and beer. At my family’s restaurant, Gnat’s Landing, they serve up steamed oysters and cajun boiled peanuts during all Georgia games so I always make an appearance there to refuel and mingle. Corona and boiled peanuts make the perfect afternoon pick me up. There are lots of great places to watch the game but this is where I usually make a stop.

Want a more low key option without being at home? Head to Viola’s Market and stock up on Callie’s Pimento Cheese, Phickles, and other goodies found in their pantry and take a seat on their back patio and enjoy a view of the marsh.

Nightlife in Redfern: There are countless watering holes in St. Simons so it’s difficult to choose where to spend your nights this weekend. If you want to see some live music I would head to Gnat’s Landing. Starting on Thursday night of GA/FL week, the patio serves as an excellent venue with local and traveling bands entertaining throughout the weekend. The crowds are usually manageable- adding an extra bar outside helps limit waiting for beverages. Bubba’s Upstairs Bar is fun too with DJs and bands throughout the weekend. When busy, the bar gets packed so if you don’t like being close to your neighbors, then try Bubba’s Up another time.

Nightlife in The Village: Brogens’ bar in the village is an island institution but also extremely crowded during GA/FL weekend. For a more mellow spot, check out the pub at the Village Inn. This restored 1930s beach house turned B&B is also home to the Village Pub. This bar has a beautiful patio, yummy snack mix and friendly bartenders.

Whether or not you care about football, this is an eventful and exciting weekend to be in St. Simons Island! Enjoy!

Sunday funday photo

Posted on October 28, 2012 by Emily Hines

The Peanut Depot– Morris Avenue Historic District, Birmingham AL

Sunday funday photo

Posted on October 21, 2012 by Emily Hines

Old Barnesville Buggy building in downtown Barnesville, GA.

For more information on the history of Barnesville click here.

Sunday funday photo

Posted on October 14, 2012 by Emily Hines

Anis Bistro and Cafe so delish. More to come so stay tuned…

Historic School Houses

Posted on October 8, 2012 by Emily Hines

“Historic schools link generations within a community. Schools are also local landmark buildings–like county courthouses, city halls, and libraries,– which are monumental in architecture and rich in associative memories.” – W. Ray Luce

Woodlawn High School, 1925
photo courtesy Birmingham Public Library

A recent resurvey trip to John’s Creek, Georgia to locate two historic school houses got me thinking about this unique building type. Schools play an important role in our lives. They are the buildings in which we learn to read, write, dream about what we will be when we grow up, and make life long friends. Memories from our formative years are important and preserving the buildings associated with these memories can provide significant anchors for individuals and the community.

Historic schools are one of my favorite building types. I’m intrigued by the uniqueness of each one, whether a high style or vernacular example, and the feelings of nostalgia brought about by their presence.

Woodlawn High School in Birmingham, Alabama
image courtesy Oocities.org

The image above is a recent photo of Woodlawn High School in Birmingham, Alabama. This impressive building was completed in 1922 and still serves the community as a magnet school. Woodlawn High also contains the largest WPA mural surrounding the proscenium arch in the high school’s auditorium. It was painted between 1934 and 1939 by Sidney van Sheck and Richard Blauvelt Coe for the Works Progress Administration. The mural is currently undergoing a restoration and more information about the effort can be found here.

Section of the mural
image courtesy Birmingham Library Archives

Deferred maintenance is the main culprit for the decline and abandonment of historic schools. Continual use of these buildings is also a challenge that communities often face; historic schools located in the city core or town center are often outgrown and abandoned, and new facilities are built on the outskirts of town.

abandoned school house in the Scottsboro community in Baldwin County, Georgia

By abandoning these existing facilities, children have to be transported by bus and car to the new facilities, adding to traffic congestion, traffic time, decreasing neighborhood cohesiveness, and expenses. In addition to these effects, farmland and forests are destroyed to make room for new school and infrastructure needed to support it.

Not all schools can continue to be used for their original purpose, but they can often be successful adaptive reuse projects that can serve their community. For example, the NewTown School building and the Warsaw School building in John’s Creek, Georgia are both successful adaptive reuse projects in the community.

NewTown School in John’s Creek, Georgia is a recent adaptive reuse project. This 1929 school house went through a major renovation in 2010 and is now called Park Place and serves the community as an active senior center. The building retained the original shape of the building with some new materials like the roof and windows. The interior of the school house features historic photographs from the NewTown School years.

The Warsaw School also located in John’s Creek was dedicated in 1933, experienced a major renovation (including a mid-century modern cafeteria addition). The last school term at the Warsaw School was in 1980s.

Shortly after its days as a school, the Warsaw building was renewed as an office building. Although the historic context no longer exists, the property owners did an incredible job maintaining the historic character and materials of the Warsaw School.

With some creative thinking, historic school houses can prove to be valuable and useful long after their days as educational facilities.

HomeSchool: Living in converted school buildings (DesignSponge)
A Lost Historic School: Francis M Drexel School (Preservation in Pink)

Resources: Preserving Historic Schools (Georgia Historic Preservation Division)

Sunday funday photo

Posted on October 7, 2012 by Emily Hines

image courtesy Art and Coin TV

De Wain Valentine: Human Scale at the Georgia Museum of Art

Much needed weekend at home in Athens…lunch at Last Resort, wedding ring shopping, and afternoon at the museum. Perfection.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

St. Simons Food and Spirits Fest

Posted on October 1, 2012 by Emily Hines

I currently wear several professional hats, one of them being a contributor to The Southern C. On an otherwise normal Wednesday afternoon at our Athens headquarters, Cheri (one of TSC creators) offered up her extra tickets to the St. Simons Food and Spirits Festival. Being a lover of food and spirits, I jumped at the chance to go.

I arrived in St. Simons on Friday before the big event and to my surprise I found my parents up to their elbows in pulled pork and cornmeal. As soon as I dropped my bags and said a quick hello, I too was thrown into the assembly line. I really shouldn’t have been that surprised…our restaurants have always been a family affair.

trays and trays of “pig pinatas”

After a long morning of transporting and set up…the Gnat’s and Bubba’s tasting tables were ready to go.

With my parents settled in their booths, my brother and I perused the tasting tent with forks and souvenir wine glasses at the ready! Unfortunately I was so preoccupied with feeding myself, I failed to take a lot of photos. I’ll do better next year but here are a few…

tasting tent under the oaks

Chuck T slingin’ chicken and ribs at Southern Soul’s booth

photo courtesy Southern Soul

After running circles in the tasting tent, Keith and I made our way to the market area.

Viola’s Market tent was incredible. They had essentially recreated their unique shop under the oaks for the afternoon.

Next up: Lisa Kerns Jewelery…always a fun/dangerous (for my bank acct that is) booth.

As I checked out Lisa’s newest creations, I realized my brother Keith had found something of equal interest to him in the tent next door….dessert- specifically Annie Clyde’s Homemade Cakes.

Annie Clyde’s Homemade Cakes was started by Brenda Clyde, Annie’s daughter. Her mother Annie worked to perfect her pound cakes and spent hours teaching Brenda her technique. Today, Brenda carries on her mother’s pound cake legacy baking these homemade minis for others to enjoy.

What is it about miniature things that makes you want them even more? We weren’t hungry AT ALL by this point, yet we couldn’t help ourselves. After staring at the impressive spread of mini cakes and pies, we just had to buy a few. These minis were perfectly round little pound cakes adorned with an array of flavored toppings; we opted for country caramel and velvety vanilla. Making pound cake and eating lots of it is one of my most vivid childhood memories. My grandmother was famous for hers and over the years taught all the grandchildren how to make it. To me, there are few desserts better than a classic pound cake. Not terribly difficult to make, but there is a delicate balance between texture and flavor, and when done right it is simply heaven. Although different from the ones we grew up with, these sweet confections took us right back to the blue and white kitchen in Birmingham, Alabama where we had sifted flour and licked the mixing bowl many years before.

Finally at 4:00 that afternoon, our tasting binge had come to an end. I missed the demos from the culinary heavyweights like Nathalie Dupree but I had a great time hanging out with the fam and some of my favorite local restaurants. After breaking down the tent, we headed home to take our rightful places on the sofa.

This festival was the first festival of its kind; celebrating the vibrant restaurant and retail community of the Golden Isles while raising money and awareness for Hospice of the Golden Isles. It was wonderful to see so many people come out in support of this special event. Can’t wait to go next year!