It’s easy to find something horrifying to put a little tingle in your spine this time of year.
But if you like your spooky with a side of history, you mightwant to hitch a ride on the Augusta Ghost Trolley.
Organizer Michael Wolff, dressed in turn-of-the-century garb, will take guests on a tour of Augusta’s reputed haunts while narrating oft-told and little-known stories of Augusta’s past.
http://chronicle.augusta.com/things-do/applause/2011-10-05/trolley-tour-reveal-spookiest-augusta?v=1317843076
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Le Chat Noir offers instruction in fighting zombies
It’s happened.
Thanks to a global pandemic, zombies have taken over the world.
Augusta alone has been spared.
It is here, at Le Chat Noir, that private military company Darkest Hour has set up a training center to teach residents how to defend themselves in the inevitable event of a zombie attack.
That is the premise behind the theater’s newest production, or rather, haunted attraction, Zombie Apocalypse Survival Boot Camp.
Patrons will not merely watch the action onstage. They will get hands-on experience in zombie warfare.
http://chronicle.augusta.com/things-do/applause/2011-10-05/le-chat-noir-offers-instruction-fighting-zombies-halloween
Thanks to a global pandemic, zombies have taken over the world.
Augusta alone has been spared.
It is here, at Le Chat Noir, that private military company Darkest Hour has set up a training center to teach residents how to defend themselves in the inevitable event of a zombie attack.
That is the premise behind the theater’s newest production, or rather, haunted attraction, Zombie Apocalypse Survival Boot Camp.
Patrons will not merely watch the action onstage. They will get hands-on experience in zombie warfare.
http://chronicle.augusta.com/things-do/applause/2011-10-05/le-chat-noir-offers-instruction-fighting-zombies-halloween
Monday, October 3, 2011
Harlem festival makes for Hardy Halloween
Saturday marks the beginning of the spooky season.
It is also the day Harlem lauds its famous son with the 23rd annual Oliver Hardy Festival.
Gates for the day-long festival open at 9 a.m., but the fun will really get under way with a parade through downtown Harlem at 10 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 1
Afterward, visitors can shop at more than 300 arts, crafts and food booths and listen to local bands playing a variety of musical genres. Admission and parking are free, and shuttles will be available to transport guests to and from the parking areas.
http://chronicle.augusta.com/things-do/applause/2011-09-28/harlem-festival-makes-hardy-halloween
It is also the day Harlem lauds its famous son with the 23rd annual Oliver Hardy Festival.
Gates for the day-long festival open at 9 a.m., but the fun will really get under way with a parade through downtown Harlem at 10 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 1
Afterward, visitors can shop at more than 300 arts, crafts and food booths and listen to local bands playing a variety of musical genres. Admission and parking are free, and shuttles will be available to transport guests to and from the parking areas.
http://chronicle.augusta.com/things-do/applause/2011-09-28/harlem-festival-makes-hardy-halloween
Langhorne Slim back to rock songs of love
One theme pervades Langhorne Slim’s music.
“Love. The good parts, the sad parts, the in-between parts,” said the singer/songwriter, who will perform at Sky City Saturday as part of the Westobou Festival.
He and his band, The Law, which includes drummer Malachi DiLorenzo, bassist Jeff Ratner and keyboardist David Moore, have played in Augusta before. In March they opened for The Avett Brothers at Bell Auditorium.
Their music has been described as everything from folk to Americana. But ask Slim what the audience can expect from his show and he replies, “The greatest rock and roll show they have ever seen.”
http://chronicle.augusta.com/things-do/applause/2011-09-28/langhorne-slim-back-rock-songs-love
“Love. The good parts, the sad parts, the in-between parts,” said the singer/songwriter, who will perform at Sky City Saturday as part of the Westobou Festival.
He and his band, The Law, which includes drummer Malachi DiLorenzo, bassist Jeff Ratner and keyboardist David Moore, have played in Augusta before. In March they opened for The Avett Brothers at Bell Auditorium.
Their music has been described as everything from folk to Americana. But ask Slim what the audience can expect from his show and he replies, “The greatest rock and roll show they have ever seen.”
http://chronicle.augusta.com/things-do/applause/2011-09-28/langhorne-slim-back-rock-songs-love
Augusta State students unable to reach car wash world record
Wesley and Cassandra Byers were having a bulb replaced at Gerald Jones Honda on Saturday when they saw a sign for a free car wash in the shopping center across the street.
“Our daughter saw it was for the ROTC and said we had to stop,” Cassandra Byers said.
They were one more tally in Augusta State University’s attempt to pass the Guinness World Records mark for the most cars washed by an organization in a day.
With tired arms, legs and some sunburn, the more than 50 people who showed to wash cars were able to clean 383, well short of the record of 4,918 that was set in June.
http://chronicle.augusta.com/news/education/2011-09-24/augusta-state-students-unable-reach-car-wash-world-record
“Our daughter saw it was for the ROTC and said we had to stop,” Cassandra Byers said.
They were one more tally in Augusta State University’s attempt to pass the Guinness World Records mark for the most cars washed by an organization in a day.
With tired arms, legs and some sunburn, the more than 50 people who showed to wash cars were able to clean 383, well short of the record of 4,918 that was set in June.
http://chronicle.augusta.com/news/education/2011-09-24/augusta-state-students-unable-reach-car-wash-world-record
Couples groove for charity
Some of Augusta's notables proved they knew how to cut a rug at the Gordon Club on Saturday night.
Seven couples, some of whom said they didn't dance much before Saturday, entertained a standing-room-only crowd at the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority's second Dancing With the Stars fundraiser.
Last year's event was so popular that organizers rented two ballrooms to accommodate the crowd this year, with one designated for the show and the other reserved for dinner and dancing.
It still wasn't enough. Guests filled every seat and stood along three sides of the room to watch the entertainment.
http://chronicle.augusta.com/news/richmond-neighbors/2011-09-29/couples-groove-charity
Seven couples, some of whom said they didn't dance much before Saturday, entertained a standing-room-only crowd at the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority's second Dancing With the Stars fundraiser.
Last year's event was so popular that organizers rented two ballrooms to accommodate the crowd this year, with one designated for the show and the other reserved for dinner and dancing.
It still wasn't enough. Guests filled every seat and stood along three sides of the room to watch the entertainment.
http://chronicle.augusta.com/news/richmond-neighbors/2011-09-29/couples-groove-charity
Monday, September 12, 2011
The Getaway
I wrote several standing columns for The Chronicle. Most were in a Q & A format, but The Getaway allowed me to both be creative and explore Georgia and South Carolina without ever leaving my desk. Here are a few:
April 27, 2011: Upstate Heritage Quilt
I n 1993, someone suggested that Jenny Grobusky of Walhalla, S.C., get a new bedspread.
So she quilted her own using a colorful Dresden-plate pattern, and gave it to her husband for their 50th wedding anniversary.
Now a hand-painted copy of that quilt hangs on her barn, waiting for visitors to come discover it. It is one of 33 other quilt squares scattered along the Upstate Heritage Quilt Trail.
The trail spans Oconee, Anderson and Pickens counties in Upstate South Carolina and is continuing to spread. It was started in February 2010 as a project to promote tourism in Oconee County and has been rapidly growing ever since.
http://chronicle.augusta.com/things-do/applause/2011-04-27/getaway-upstate-heritage-quilt-trail
Feb. 16, 2011: Historic Westville in Lumpkin, Ga.
If you want to walk down memory lane, drive about five hours southwest to Westville, Ga.
The memories might not be yours until you leave, but you will see artifacts your great-great-grandparents might remember.
The 83-acre living history town is laid out in 1850s fashion. It boasts more than 30 buildings that have been brought from around Georgia and restored to their original appearances.
The town was begun by John West in 1928 to preserve "Georgiana," the buildings, arts and crafts and tools of Georgia's settlement. According to the Historic Westville Web site, it is the third oldest living history project in the United States.
http://chronicle.augusta.com/things-do/applause/2011-02-16/historic-westville-lumpkin
Jan. 26, 2011: Crime and Punishment Museum
Fried chicken. Good old Southern potato salad. Ice cold sweet tea. Homestyle cooking served up on a beaten tin plate.
Just like what a death row inmate gets in his final hours.
The place is called Last Meal Café, and it's inside the Crime and Punishment Museum in Ashburn, Ga.
Here you can experience the small-town Southern justice of yesteryear and learn how the judicial system in Georgia has changed over time.
From outside, the building looks like an old brick home with bars on the windows of the second story, but not on the first.
http://chronicle.augusta.com/things-do/applause/2011-01-26/getaway-crime-and-punishment-museum
Sept. 22, 2010: The Southern Museum of Civil War and Locomotive History
On the rainy morning of April 12, 1862, the passengers and crew of The General were enjoying breakfast at the Lacy Hotel in what is now Kennesaw, Ga., when their train left the station without them.
Captained by James Andrews, the crew of Union saboteurs destroyed the Western and Atlantic Railroad tracks and telegraph wires in their wake.
Confederates chased the locomotive, catching it as it ran out of steam just before it reached Chattanooga, Tenn.
The train now rests in The Southern Museum of Civil War and Locomotive History in Kennesaw. An exhibit built around it includes a film recreating the chase, a facade of the Lacy Hotel and a tunnel.
http://chronicle.augusta.com/things-do/2010-09-22/getaway
Aug. 18, 2010: The Biltmore Estate
In the 1890s, George Vanderbilt decided to build a country home in the mountains of North Carolina.
His grandfather, Cornelius, and his father, William Henry, had become wealthy industrialists in the early 19th century.
George, however, was more interested in books and travel, visiting Europe, Asia or Africa every year from the age of 10.
With the help of architect Richard Morris Hunt, he modeled his mountain home in the French Renaissance style and used elements of three 16th-century French chateaux. It boasts 250 rooms, including 34 bedrooms and 43 bathrooms and 65 fireplaces, all covering four acres of floor space.
http://chronicle.augusta.com/things-do/2010-08-18/getaway-biltmore-estate
April 27, 2011: Upstate Heritage Quilt
I n 1993, someone suggested that Jenny Grobusky of Walhalla, S.C., get a new bedspread.
So she quilted her own using a colorful Dresden-plate pattern, and gave it to her husband for their 50th wedding anniversary.
Now a hand-painted copy of that quilt hangs on her barn, waiting for visitors to come discover it. It is one of 33 other quilt squares scattered along the Upstate Heritage Quilt Trail.
The trail spans Oconee, Anderson and Pickens counties in Upstate South Carolina and is continuing to spread. It was started in February 2010 as a project to promote tourism in Oconee County and has been rapidly growing ever since.
http://chronicle.augusta.com/things-do/applause/2011-04-27/getaway-upstate-heritage-quilt-trail
Feb. 16, 2011: Historic Westville in Lumpkin, Ga.
If you want to walk down memory lane, drive about five hours southwest to Westville, Ga.
The memories might not be yours until you leave, but you will see artifacts your great-great-grandparents might remember.
The 83-acre living history town is laid out in 1850s fashion. It boasts more than 30 buildings that have been brought from around Georgia and restored to their original appearances.
The town was begun by John West in 1928 to preserve "Georgiana," the buildings, arts and crafts and tools of Georgia's settlement. According to the Historic Westville Web site, it is the third oldest living history project in the United States.
http://chronicle.augusta.com/things-do/applause/2011-02-16/historic-westville-lumpkin
Jan. 26, 2011: Crime and Punishment Museum
Fried chicken. Good old Southern potato salad. Ice cold sweet tea. Homestyle cooking served up on a beaten tin plate.
Just like what a death row inmate gets in his final hours.
The place is called Last Meal Café, and it's inside the Crime and Punishment Museum in Ashburn, Ga.
Here you can experience the small-town Southern justice of yesteryear and learn how the judicial system in Georgia has changed over time.
From outside, the building looks like an old brick home with bars on the windows of the second story, but not on the first.
http://chronicle.augusta.com/things-do/applause/2011-01-26/getaway-crime-and-punishment-museum
Sept. 22, 2010: The Southern Museum of Civil War and Locomotive History
On the rainy morning of April 12, 1862, the passengers and crew of The General were enjoying breakfast at the Lacy Hotel in what is now Kennesaw, Ga., when their train left the station without them.
Captained by James Andrews, the crew of Union saboteurs destroyed the Western and Atlantic Railroad tracks and telegraph wires in their wake.
Confederates chased the locomotive, catching it as it ran out of steam just before it reached Chattanooga, Tenn.
The train now rests in The Southern Museum of Civil War and Locomotive History in Kennesaw. An exhibit built around it includes a film recreating the chase, a facade of the Lacy Hotel and a tunnel.
http://chronicle.augusta.com/things-do/2010-09-22/getaway
Aug. 18, 2010: The Biltmore Estate
In the 1890s, George Vanderbilt decided to build a country home in the mountains of North Carolina.
His grandfather, Cornelius, and his father, William Henry, had become wealthy industrialists in the early 19th century.
George, however, was more interested in books and travel, visiting Europe, Asia or Africa every year from the age of 10.
With the help of architect Richard Morris Hunt, he modeled his mountain home in the French Renaissance style and used elements of three 16th-century French chateaux. It boasts 250 rooms, including 34 bedrooms and 43 bathrooms and 65 fireplaces, all covering four acres of floor space.
http://chronicle.augusta.com/things-do/2010-08-18/getaway-biltmore-estate
Features stories
Here are a few of my favorite features stories from my year and a half on the features desk:
April 28, 2011: Royal wedding a cause for celebration
Many eyes on this side of "The Pond" will still be closed at 6 a.m. Friday, when Prince William and Kate Middleton exchange their marriage vows.
But the time difference won't stop some from celebrating the Royal Wedding.
For instance, Lisa Scherer will record the ceremony while she sleeps.
Then, at 11 a.m. Friday, about a dozen of her friends will arrive -- dressed to the nines with long gloves and sporting hats of various sizes and colors -- to watch the event with her.
http://chronicle.augusta.com/news/metro/2011-04-28/royal-wedding-cause-celebration
April 10, 2011: Try your hand at disc golf
If longer days and warmer temperatures beckon you outdoors and a bike trail seems too lonely, try your hand at disc golf.
It's accessible to all ages, fitness and skill levels. It's also inexpensive.
"You can spend 10 bucks and have a lot of fun forever," said professional disc golfer Josh Childs.
http://chronicle.augusta.com/life/2011-04-10/try-your-hand-disc-golf
Dec. 29, 2010: Contestant sticks with program and wins
Karyn Kelly knew exactly what she wanted to say if she was announced Gold's Gym's Fit to be Gold contest winner.
"I'm going to Disney World!"
She didn't get the chance to say it when Kicks 99 radio personality Chris O'Kelley announced her as the winner Monday night at Gold's Gym.
But after the big moment was over, she said it several times as the other contestants congratulated her and said their good-byes.
http://chronicle.augusta.com/things-do/applause/2010-12-29/contestant-sticks-program-and-wins
July 15, 2010: Arm yourself against aging
Protect yourself: The first step is to protect what you already have.
"It's easier to maintain good skin than to repair it once it's damaged," said Dawn Swint, a traveling makeup artist for Clinique.
Skin care professionals across the board say sunscreen is the most important component in a skin care regimen.
June 19, 2010: Together, though far apart
Joe Wilson will spend time with his six children today, but he can only hug two of them for Father's Day.
Today, the Augusta obstetrics and gynecology physician plans to have brunch at the Partridge Inn with his eldest daughters, Ashley, 30, and Lauren, 23, the only two who live close enough right now to see him.
His son Adam, 18, will arrive on Monday, partly to visit his dad and partly in preparation for surgery to correct an injury to a wrist he suffered while skateboarding.
http://chronicle.augusta.com/news/metro/2010-06-19/together-though-far-apart
June 17, 2010: Fathers pass on family legacy
It's a Southern tradition to name a son after his father, as seen by all the Juniors walking around. Men with the Roman numeral III after their name are less common; those with a IV or V, rarer still. For Father's Day, here are stories of fathers and sons who have kept the tradition, and the name, alive for generations.
http://chronicle.augusta.com/life/2010-06-17/fathers-pass-family-legacy
May 6, 2010: Mother finds son she gave up in 1984
After he finished his slice of pizza and his salad, Eric Pete popped a toothpick into his mouth.
His mother, Carol Thompson, glanced at him sideways in the booth at Mellow Mushroom, rolled her eyes and said, "You and that toothpick."
He looked at her, twirled it around in his mouth a little bit and said, "What?"
Thompson grinned, soaking up every nuance of the 26-year-old.
"I just can't get enough of him," she said.
http://chronicle.augusta.com/life/people/2010-05-06/mother-finds-son-she-gave-1984
March 11, 2010: Rationing the meal money
A recently divorced mother of three, Liz Nelson, 29, lives solely off child-support payments while she attends Augusta Technical College to become a cardiovascular technologist.
She feeds her family on $40 a week and writes about how she does it on her blog, frugaldivorcedliz.blogspot.com.
She buys in bulk whenever she has extra money and stockpiles staples such as oatmeal, cereal and dried beans.
Feeding her children healthful food is a priority for Nelson, and it's something she's unwilling to compromise on.
"I always think that my economic straits aren't going to last forever," she said. "I don't want them to not grow up healthy because of my divorce."
http://chronicle.augusta.com/life/food/2010-03-11/rationing-meal-money
Feb. 28, 2010: Every family has a history
It seems that broadcasters have discovered a booming interest in genealogy.
The four-part Public Television miniseries Faces of America features Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates Jr., exploring American history through the family trees of 12 notable Americans, including musician Yo-Yo Ma, actress Eva Longoria, chef Mario Batali, Queen Noor, and figure skater Kristi Yamaguchi.
The show will follow seven Americans – actors Matthew Broderick, Lisa Kudrow, Sarah Jessica Parker, Susan Sarandon and Brooke Shields, director Spike Lee and NFL player Emmitt Smith – as they trace their family trees.
If you’ve wondered about your own family history but never knew where to start, contact the Augusta Genealogical Society or a local historical society. They have workshops designed for new researchers, a wealth of research materials and volunteers who are eager to help.
In need of inspiration? Here are stories from three area residents on what they found when they explored their family backgrounds:
http://chronicle.augusta.com/life/people/2010-02-28/every-family-has-history
April 28, 2011: Royal wedding a cause for celebration
Many eyes on this side of "The Pond" will still be closed at 6 a.m. Friday, when Prince William and Kate Middleton exchange their marriage vows.
But the time difference won't stop some from celebrating the Royal Wedding.
For instance, Lisa Scherer will record the ceremony while she sleeps.
Then, at 11 a.m. Friday, about a dozen of her friends will arrive -- dressed to the nines with long gloves and sporting hats of various sizes and colors -- to watch the event with her.
http://chronicle.augusta.com/news/metro/2011-04-28/royal-wedding-cause-celebration
April 10, 2011: Try your hand at disc golf
If longer days and warmer temperatures beckon you outdoors and a bike trail seems too lonely, try your hand at disc golf.
It's accessible to all ages, fitness and skill levels. It's also inexpensive.
"You can spend 10 bucks and have a lot of fun forever," said professional disc golfer Josh Childs.
http://chronicle.augusta.com/life/2011-04-10/try-your-hand-disc-golf
Dec. 29, 2010: Contestant sticks with program and wins
Karyn Kelly knew exactly what she wanted to say if she was announced Gold's Gym's Fit to be Gold contest winner.
"I'm going to Disney World!"
She didn't get the chance to say it when Kicks 99 radio personality Chris O'Kelley announced her as the winner Monday night at Gold's Gym.
But after the big moment was over, she said it several times as the other contestants congratulated her and said their good-byes.
http://chronicle.augusta.com/things-do/applause/2010-12-29/contestant-sticks-program-and-wins
July 15, 2010: Arm yourself against aging
Protect yourself: The first step is to protect what you already have.
"It's easier to maintain good skin than to repair it once it's damaged," said Dawn Swint, a traveling makeup artist for Clinique.
Skin care professionals across the board say sunscreen is the most important component in a skin care regimen.
June 19, 2010: Together, though far apart
Joe Wilson will spend time with his six children today, but he can only hug two of them for Father's Day.
Today, the Augusta obstetrics and gynecology physician plans to have brunch at the Partridge Inn with his eldest daughters, Ashley, 30, and Lauren, 23, the only two who live close enough right now to see him.
His son Adam, 18, will arrive on Monday, partly to visit his dad and partly in preparation for surgery to correct an injury to a wrist he suffered while skateboarding.
http://chronicle.augusta.com/news/metro/2010-06-19/together-though-far-apart
June 17, 2010: Fathers pass on family legacy
It's a Southern tradition to name a son after his father, as seen by all the Juniors walking around. Men with the Roman numeral III after their name are less common; those with a IV or V, rarer still. For Father's Day, here are stories of fathers and sons who have kept the tradition, and the name, alive for generations.
http://chronicle.augusta.com/life/2010-06-17/fathers-pass-family-legacy
May 6, 2010: Mother finds son she gave up in 1984
After he finished his slice of pizza and his salad, Eric Pete popped a toothpick into his mouth.
His mother, Carol Thompson, glanced at him sideways in the booth at Mellow Mushroom, rolled her eyes and said, "You and that toothpick."
He looked at her, twirled it around in his mouth a little bit and said, "What?"
Thompson grinned, soaking up every nuance of the 26-year-old.
"I just can't get enough of him," she said.
http://chronicle.augusta.com/life/people/2010-05-06/mother-finds-son-she-gave-1984
March 11, 2010: Rationing the meal money
A recently divorced mother of three, Liz Nelson, 29, lives solely off child-support payments while she attends Augusta Technical College to become a cardiovascular technologist.
She feeds her family on $40 a week and writes about how she does it on her blog, frugaldivorcedliz.blogspot.com.
She buys in bulk whenever she has extra money and stockpiles staples such as oatmeal, cereal and dried beans.
Feeding her children healthful food is a priority for Nelson, and it's something she's unwilling to compromise on.
"I always think that my economic straits aren't going to last forever," she said. "I don't want them to not grow up healthy because of my divorce."
http://chronicle.augusta.com/life/food/2010-03-11/rationing-meal-money
Feb. 28, 2010: Every family has a history
It seems that broadcasters have discovered a booming interest in genealogy.
The four-part Public Television miniseries Faces of America features Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates Jr., exploring American history through the family trees of 12 notable Americans, including musician Yo-Yo Ma, actress Eva Longoria, chef Mario Batali, Queen Noor, and figure skater Kristi Yamaguchi.
The show will follow seven Americans – actors Matthew Broderick, Lisa Kudrow, Sarah Jessica Parker, Susan Sarandon and Brooke Shields, director Spike Lee and NFL player Emmitt Smith – as they trace their family trees.
If you’ve wondered about your own family history but never knew where to start, contact the Augusta Genealogical Society or a local historical society. They have workshops designed for new researchers, a wealth of research materials and volunteers who are eager to help.
In need of inspiration? Here are stories from three area residents on what they found when they explored their family backgrounds:
http://chronicle.augusta.com/life/people/2010-02-28/every-family-has-history
Applause stories (Entertainment)
These stories appeared in Applause, The Augusta Chronicle's entertainment section:
July 6, 2011: Menagerie of Augusta artists lined up for CSRA Humane Society
The bakers' dozen of artists who will come together July 16 at Le Chat Noir are as varied as the adoptable pets they will support.
The black-box theater will be the backdrop for Artists for the Animals, a benefit for the CSRA Humane Society. Nearly every art form will be represented, from dance and music to visual art and spoken word.
http://chronicle.augusta.com/things-do/applause/2011-07-06/menagerie-augusta-artists-lined-csra-humane-society-benefit
April 13, 2011: Guitar orchestra will play classical pieces
Guitars don't often bring to mind classical composers such as Bach.
But under the direction of Sergi Vicente, 25 classical guitarists perform Bach's music and more as the Guitar Orchestra of Barcelona.
They will bring the tradition of Spanish music in their own style to the Etherredge Center at the University of South Carolina Aiken on Sunday.
http://chronicle.augusta.com/things-do/applause/2011-04-13/guitar-orchestra-will-play-classical-pieces
March 23, 2011: 'Titan' takes Augustans on journey
Mahler's Titan , the fifth installment in Symphony Orchestra Augusta's Symphony Series, will take the audience on a musical journey from 1950s Americana to late 19th century Germany.
It seeks the answer to one question: Who are we, as Augustans?
http://chronicle.augusta.com/things-do/applause/2011-03-23/titan-takes-augustans-journey
Feb. 16, 2011: 'Peanuts' favorites come to life
If you're going to bring one of America's best-loved comic strips to life on stage, you have to start with the sets.
Director Debi Ballas made sure that the components of You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown were designed to look like something out of Charles Shultz's funny pages.
"The thing we tried to do with this production is stay true to the comic strip," Ballas said. "I wanted (the set) to have that animated look and feel."
Then the set components have to be large enough that the adult actors look like little children.
http://chronicle.augusta.com/things-do/applause/2011-02-16/peanuts-favorites-come-life
Feb. 9, 2011: Band to take acoustic approach
Hawthorne Heights is taking it all off for its fans in a Stripped to Down the Bone acoustic tour.
No blinding lights shows. No amplifiers. No voice equipment beyond a microphone.
Just the guys, their guitars, a piano and the fans.
http://chronicle.augusta.com/things-do/applause/2011-02-09/band-take-acoustic-approach
Jan. 26, 2011: More voices welcome for bluegrass Mass
Artistic Director Timothy Powell might need to install temporary carpeting in the choir loft at First Baptist Church in Evans.
At least for the March 18 performance of Carol Barnett's The World Beloved.
Members of the Columbia County Choral Society keep tapping their toes during rehearsal.
It's a traditional Mass, sung by a classical choir, but with an unexpected bluegrass accompaniment.
"This concert is going to be fun," he said.
http://chronicle.augusta.com/things-do/applause/2011-01-26/more-voices-welcome-bluegrass-mass
Jan. 12, 2011: Monster truck driver hooked on adrenaline rush
The War Wagon might be a 1955 Nomad station wagon, but it ain't your granny's grocery go-getter.
Twelve feet wide and sporting yellow flames, this buggy will make mincemeat of a row of junk cars in Augusta this weekend. Backward.
http://chronicle.augusta.com/things-do/applause/2011-01-12/monster-truck-driver-hooked-adrenaline-rush
July 6, 2011: Menagerie of Augusta artists lined up for CSRA Humane Society
The bakers' dozen of artists who will come together July 16 at Le Chat Noir are as varied as the adoptable pets they will support.
The black-box theater will be the backdrop for Artists for the Animals, a benefit for the CSRA Humane Society. Nearly every art form will be represented, from dance and music to visual art and spoken word.
http://chronicle.augusta.com/things-do/applause/2011-07-06/menagerie-augusta-artists-lined-csra-humane-society-benefit
April 13, 2011: Guitar orchestra will play classical pieces
Guitars don't often bring to mind classical composers such as Bach.
But under the direction of Sergi Vicente, 25 classical guitarists perform Bach's music and more as the Guitar Orchestra of Barcelona.
They will bring the tradition of Spanish music in their own style to the Etherredge Center at the University of South Carolina Aiken on Sunday.
http://chronicle.augusta.com/things-do/applause/2011-04-13/guitar-orchestra-will-play-classical-pieces
March 23, 2011: 'Titan' takes Augustans on journey
Mahler's Titan , the fifth installment in Symphony Orchestra Augusta's Symphony Series, will take the audience on a musical journey from 1950s Americana to late 19th century Germany.
It seeks the answer to one question: Who are we, as Augustans?
http://chronicle.augusta.com/things-do/applause/2011-03-23/titan-takes-augustans-journey
Feb. 16, 2011: 'Peanuts' favorites come to life
If you're going to bring one of America's best-loved comic strips to life on stage, you have to start with the sets.
Director Debi Ballas made sure that the components of You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown were designed to look like something out of Charles Shultz's funny pages.
"The thing we tried to do with this production is stay true to the comic strip," Ballas said. "I wanted (the set) to have that animated look and feel."
Then the set components have to be large enough that the adult actors look like little children.
http://chronicle.augusta.com/things-do/applause/2011-02-16/peanuts-favorites-come-life
Feb. 9, 2011: Band to take acoustic approach
Hawthorne Heights is taking it all off for its fans in a Stripped to Down the Bone acoustic tour.
No blinding lights shows. No amplifiers. No voice equipment beyond a microphone.
Just the guys, their guitars, a piano and the fans.
http://chronicle.augusta.com/things-do/applause/2011-02-09/band-take-acoustic-approach
Jan. 26, 2011: More voices welcome for bluegrass Mass
Artistic Director Timothy Powell might need to install temporary carpeting in the choir loft at First Baptist Church in Evans.
At least for the March 18 performance of Carol Barnett's The World Beloved.
Members of the Columbia County Choral Society keep tapping their toes during rehearsal.
It's a traditional Mass, sung by a classical choir, but with an unexpected bluegrass accompaniment.
"This concert is going to be fun," he said.
http://chronicle.augusta.com/things-do/applause/2011-01-26/more-voices-welcome-bluegrass-mass
Jan. 12, 2011: Monster truck driver hooked on adrenaline rush
The War Wagon might be a 1955 Nomad station wagon, but it ain't your granny's grocery go-getter.
Twelve feet wide and sporting yellow flames, this buggy will make mincemeat of a row of junk cars in Augusta this weekend. Backward.
http://chronicle.augusta.com/things-do/applause/2011-01-12/monster-truck-driver-hooked-adrenaline-rush
Friday, September 2, 2011
Today's Home
Each week, The Augusta Chronicle profiles an area home and subdivision as a front for the Sunday real estate section. These were my favorite assignments, and here are some samples of my work:
July 9, 2011: Happy in her hobby
For more than five years, Cindy Rigdon's home in Indian Cove in Lincolnton, Ga., has been her hobby. It is now her pride and joy.
"A lot of people would tell you once they've built a house, they'll never do it again. I'd do it again in a heartbeat," she said
http://chronicle.augusta.com/life/home/real-estate/2011-07-09/todays-home-happy-her-hobby
June 11, 2011: Updating historic area
When Darryl Nettles decided to buy a house about eight years ago, he fell in love with a two-story home on D'Antignac Street in the Laney-Walker Historic District.
He had been looking for a house to buy when he saw the one on D'Antignac Street on his way home from church.
http://chronicle.augusta.com/life/home/real-estate/2011-06-11/updating-historic-area
May 8, 2011: Ty Cobb lived here
Every now and then, someone will ring Beverly Ford's doorbell and ask to see her house.
It might be a Little League team, or perhaps a curious tourist. They all want to see where baseball legend Ty Cobb once lived.
http://chronicle.augusta.com/life/home/real-estate/2011-05-08/ty-cobb-lived-here
April 9, 2011: Their peaceful refuge
Roger and Lori Davis' Harrisburg home is their sanctuary.
The world immediately outside has become one of Augusta's less-desirable neighborhoods. Determined to clean it up, Lori has become president of the Harrisburg-West End Neighborhood Association and one of the neighborhood's most outspoken residents.
http://chronicle.augusta.com/life/home/real-estate/2011-04-09/their-peaceful-refuge
March 12, 2011: Neighborhood of the Week: Olde Town
Rick and Melissa Keuroglian looked at more than 100 homes before they found the prairie-style house on Greene Street they both fell in love with.
It had everything they wanted: an office for her Internet business, close proximity to First Presbyterian Church (where Rick is the director of evangelism and director of community development), space to entertain and a basement.
http://chronicle.augusta.com/life/home/real-estate/2011-03-12/neighborhood-week-olde-town
February 5, 2011: Dreamy home, dreamy view
Every aspect of the 13,000-square-foot Keg Creek Drive home fits Bill and Traci Smith's concept of what a dream home should be.
Right down to the location.
It sits near the end of a peninsula in Lake Thurmond, affording views of the lake from the front and back of the four-story home.
http://chronicle.augusta.com/life/home/real-estate/2011-02-05/dreamy-home-dreamy-view
January 7, 2011: Subdivision of the week: The Villages at Rivershyre
When Meliha Amerson first laid eyes on her Evans home in 2000, she cried.
She and her husband, Mike, searched for three years for the perfect house and had already put a contract on a tri-level house when they found their dream in The Villages at Rivershyre.
http://chronicle.augusta.com/life/home/real-estate/2011-01-07/subdivision-week-villages-rivershyre
December 18, 2010 Today's Home: Carriage Hill
When Richard and Renee Jackson first looked at their Carriage Hill home more than a year ago, Richard fell in love with it.
The three-tiered back deck was perfect for the frequent entertaining the couple enjoys.
Renee was a little more underwhelmed.
http://chronicle.augusta.com/life/home/real-estate/2010-12-18/todays-home-carriage-hill
October 9, 2010 Room to grow
Two framed menus hang on a wall in the kitchen of Ryan and Stacey Forester's Canterbury Farms home.
One is from the now-defunct Harry Bissett's Bayou Grill in Athens, Ga., the site of their first date.
The other is from the Bonefish Grill in Augusta, which was their second date.
"That was when we knew we were going to marry each other," Ryan said.
http://chronicle.augusta.com/life/home/real-estate/2010-10-09/room-grow
September 18, 2010 House of many colors
Uyen Griffis wanted color. A lot of it.
When she and her husband, Darrell, lived on Bolin Road in North Augusta, their home's interior was painted in two shades of khaki.
"I said in my future house, I'm going to have every color but purple," she said.
Standing in the living room of their new home in Cooper Place, Darrell said, "I know for a fact we have 11 different paint colors in this house."
http://chronicle.augusta.com/life/home/real-estate/2010-09-18/house-many-colors
August 7, 2010 Today's Home: Chastain Place
It's been quite a year for Liz and Brandon Paige.
In June 2009, the couple married on St. Simon's Island. Four months later, they began planning for the new home they would build in Grovetown's Chastain Place.
Liz also moved to the area from Atlanta and began a new job as a pre-kindergarten teacher at Augusta Preparatory Day School.
In February, they moved in.
http://chronicle.augusta.com/life/home/real-estate/2010-08-07/todays-home-chastain-place
July 16, 2010 Neighborhood of the week: Whatley Place
Cindy Zielinski was torn when she divorced three years ago.
Should she move back to Martinez and live near her family, or should she stay in North Augusta, her home for more than 20 years, and the only home her son, Hunter, 13, ever knew?
She chose to stay in North Augusta, in a townhome in Whatley Place.
"North Augusta's sort of like the little sleepy town, you know. It's kind of off the beaten path, yet you're right outside of Augusta, but you don't have all the hustle and bustle of Augusta," she said.
http://chronicle.augusta.com/life/home/real-estate/2010-07-16/neighborhood-week-whatley-place
June 5, 2010: Today's Home: Grenelefe Park
One of the first things you see when you walk into Stephanie and David Davis' home in Grenelefe Park in Grovetown is the mice.
They cavort on the risers of the stairs.
There's no need to call the exterminator, though: They're Halloween decorations incorporated into everyday décor.
"People, I guess, put them on their windows or something like that during Halloween. But that's our idea of how to use them," David said.
http://chronicle.augusta.com/life/home/real-estate/2010-06-05/todays-home-grenelefe-park
May 7, 2010: Today's Home: Water's Edge
From the street, the home of Paul and Janet Foust in the Waters Edge community appears to be a small, cozy cottage on the Savannah River.
Inside, the home seems much larger but still cozy. It's casual and comfortable.
"We enjoy living here. We're the kind of people that you see on the sign, you know, 'Don't dust, spend time with your kids.' That's the kind of people we are," Janet said.
http://chronicle.augusta.com/life/home/real-estate/2010-05-07/todays-home-waters-edge
April 10, 2010: Today's Home: West Lake
Golf is a big part of life in West Lake, it's not the reason Jenny Caldwell moved her family to the Martinez community in 2008.
She doesn't play the game. She chose West Lake to raise her children, Kessler, 16, and Dru, 14, for its location, because she had friends who lived there and because it is a gated community, which enhances her sense of security.
A guest sitting quietly in the expansive living room will hear the trickle of an unseen water fountain as her eyes take in the shimmering swimming pool just outside of the giant windows.
The sound comes from a small water fountain in the kitchen. A larger, more decorative fountain, is on the patio just outside the back door.
http://chronicle.augusta.com/life/home/real-estate/2010-04-10/todays-home-west-lake
March 19, 2010: On the river: The Rapids in North Augusta
Robert and Shannon Rollings liked their deck.
Taller than many of the nearby treetops, the back deck of the Rollings' home in The Rapids in North Augusta overlooks the Savannah River.
When a tree crashed through it two years ago, they seized the opportunity to create an outdoor living space they could love.
Now, they have a wall jutting from one side of the house that creates privacy and provides a backdrop for a stacked stone fireplace, which matches a nearly identical one in the home's great room. The couple spends a lot of time relaxing in their new outdoor living room overlooking the river.
http://chronicle.augusta.com/life/home/real-estate/2010-03-19/river-rapids-north-augusta
July 9, 2011: Happy in her hobby
For more than five years, Cindy Rigdon's home in Indian Cove in Lincolnton, Ga., has been her hobby. It is now her pride and joy.
"A lot of people would tell you once they've built a house, they'll never do it again. I'd do it again in a heartbeat," she said
http://chronicle.augusta.com/life/home/real-estate/2011-07-09/todays-home-happy-her-hobby
June 11, 2011: Updating historic area
When Darryl Nettles decided to buy a house about eight years ago, he fell in love with a two-story home on D'Antignac Street in the Laney-Walker Historic District.
He had been looking for a house to buy when he saw the one on D'Antignac Street on his way home from church.
http://chronicle.augusta.com/life/home/real-estate/2011-06-11/updating-historic-area
May 8, 2011: Ty Cobb lived here
Every now and then, someone will ring Beverly Ford's doorbell and ask to see her house.
It might be a Little League team, or perhaps a curious tourist. They all want to see where baseball legend Ty Cobb once lived.
http://chronicle.augusta.com/life/home/real-estate/2011-05-08/ty-cobb-lived-here
April 9, 2011: Their peaceful refuge
Roger and Lori Davis' Harrisburg home is their sanctuary.
The world immediately outside has become one of Augusta's less-desirable neighborhoods. Determined to clean it up, Lori has become president of the Harrisburg-West End Neighborhood Association and one of the neighborhood's most outspoken residents.
http://chronicle.augusta.com/life/home/real-estate/2011-04-09/their-peaceful-refuge
March 12, 2011: Neighborhood of the Week: Olde Town
Rick and Melissa Keuroglian looked at more than 100 homes before they found the prairie-style house on Greene Street they both fell in love with.
It had everything they wanted: an office for her Internet business, close proximity to First Presbyterian Church (where Rick is the director of evangelism and director of community development), space to entertain and a basement.
http://chronicle.augusta.com/life/home/real-estate/2011-03-12/neighborhood-week-olde-town
February 5, 2011: Dreamy home, dreamy view
Every aspect of the 13,000-square-foot Keg Creek Drive home fits Bill and Traci Smith's concept of what a dream home should be.
Right down to the location.
It sits near the end of a peninsula in Lake Thurmond, affording views of the lake from the front and back of the four-story home.
http://chronicle.augusta.com/life/home/real-estate/2011-02-05/dreamy-home-dreamy-view
January 7, 2011: Subdivision of the week: The Villages at Rivershyre
When Meliha Amerson first laid eyes on her Evans home in 2000, she cried.
She and her husband, Mike, searched for three years for the perfect house and had already put a contract on a tri-level house when they found their dream in The Villages at Rivershyre.
http://chronicle.augusta.com/life/home/real-estate/2011-01-07/subdivision-week-villages-rivershyre
December 18, 2010 Today's Home: Carriage Hill
When Richard and Renee Jackson first looked at their Carriage Hill home more than a year ago, Richard fell in love with it.
The three-tiered back deck was perfect for the frequent entertaining the couple enjoys.
Renee was a little more underwhelmed.
http://chronicle.augusta.com/life/home/real-estate/2010-12-18/todays-home-carriage-hill
October 9, 2010 Room to grow
Two framed menus hang on a wall in the kitchen of Ryan and Stacey Forester's Canterbury Farms home.
One is from the now-defunct Harry Bissett's Bayou Grill in Athens, Ga., the site of their first date.
The other is from the Bonefish Grill in Augusta, which was their second date.
"That was when we knew we were going to marry each other," Ryan said.
http://chronicle.augusta.com/life/home/real-estate/2010-10-09/room-grow
September 18, 2010 House of many colors
Uyen Griffis wanted color. A lot of it.
When she and her husband, Darrell, lived on Bolin Road in North Augusta, their home's interior was painted in two shades of khaki.
"I said in my future house, I'm going to have every color but purple," she said.
Standing in the living room of their new home in Cooper Place, Darrell said, "I know for a fact we have 11 different paint colors in this house."
http://chronicle.augusta.com/life/home/real-estate/2010-09-18/house-many-colors
August 7, 2010 Today's Home: Chastain Place
It's been quite a year for Liz and Brandon Paige.
In June 2009, the couple married on St. Simon's Island. Four months later, they began planning for the new home they would build in Grovetown's Chastain Place.
Liz also moved to the area from Atlanta and began a new job as a pre-kindergarten teacher at Augusta Preparatory Day School.
In February, they moved in.
http://chronicle.augusta.com/life/home/real-estate/2010-08-07/todays-home-chastain-place
July 16, 2010 Neighborhood of the week: Whatley Place
Cindy Zielinski was torn when she divorced three years ago.
Should she move back to Martinez and live near her family, or should she stay in North Augusta, her home for more than 20 years, and the only home her son, Hunter, 13, ever knew?
She chose to stay in North Augusta, in a townhome in Whatley Place.
"North Augusta's sort of like the little sleepy town, you know. It's kind of off the beaten path, yet you're right outside of Augusta, but you don't have all the hustle and bustle of Augusta," she said.
http://chronicle.augusta.com/life/home/real-estate/2010-07-16/neighborhood-week-whatley-place
June 5, 2010: Today's Home: Grenelefe Park
One of the first things you see when you walk into Stephanie and David Davis' home in Grenelefe Park in Grovetown is the mice.
They cavort on the risers of the stairs.
There's no need to call the exterminator, though: They're Halloween decorations incorporated into everyday décor.
"People, I guess, put them on their windows or something like that during Halloween. But that's our idea of how to use them," David said.
http://chronicle.augusta.com/life/home/real-estate/2010-06-05/todays-home-grenelefe-park
May 7, 2010: Today's Home: Water's Edge
From the street, the home of Paul and Janet Foust in the Waters Edge community appears to be a small, cozy cottage on the Savannah River.
Inside, the home seems much larger but still cozy. It's casual and comfortable.
"We enjoy living here. We're the kind of people that you see on the sign, you know, 'Don't dust, spend time with your kids.' That's the kind of people we are," Janet said.
http://chronicle.augusta.com/life/home/real-estate/2010-05-07/todays-home-waters-edge
April 10, 2010: Today's Home: West Lake
Golf is a big part of life in West Lake, it's not the reason Jenny Caldwell moved her family to the Martinez community in 2008.
She doesn't play the game. She chose West Lake to raise her children, Kessler, 16, and Dru, 14, for its location, because she had friends who lived there and because it is a gated community, which enhances her sense of security.
A guest sitting quietly in the expansive living room will hear the trickle of an unseen water fountain as her eyes take in the shimmering swimming pool just outside of the giant windows.
The sound comes from a small water fountain in the kitchen. A larger, more decorative fountain, is on the patio just outside the back door.
http://chronicle.augusta.com/life/home/real-estate/2010-04-10/todays-home-west-lake
March 19, 2010: On the river: The Rapids in North Augusta
Robert and Shannon Rollings liked their deck.
Taller than many of the nearby treetops, the back deck of the Rollings' home in The Rapids in North Augusta overlooks the Savannah River.
When a tree crashed through it two years ago, they seized the opportunity to create an outdoor living space they could love.
Now, they have a wall jutting from one side of the house that creates privacy and provides a backdrop for a stacked stone fireplace, which matches a nearly identical one in the home's great room. The couple spends a lot of time relaxing in their new outdoor living room overlooking the river.
http://chronicle.augusta.com/life/home/real-estate/2010-03-19/river-rapids-north-augusta
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