Trevor Beemon updates listeners on the latest news from the organization. Their capital campaign to bring a cabin and brick smokehouse to the Root House property is half way to its goal of $600,000.
At the Root House on this particular Saturday, we spoke with Clarissa Clifton, a food historian, a union occupier named Steve Reilly and tin type photographer Matt Alexandre.
Clarissa made some fried chicken and buttermilk cake on the original cast iron stove from the Root House!
Matt Alexandre
Clarissa Clifton
Matt Alexandre
https://www.instagram.com/mattalexand_re/
Tim Nielson never connected with any of his teachers growing up. He also rolled his eyes when he heard other soon to be teachers say they wanted to make a difference in a child’s life.
But, it turns out he did become one of those teachers. One of his first students tracked him down on facebook to thank him and another student’s mom said that he flipped a switch and her son was changed, all because of Tim.
So as the librarian of Marietta High School, Tim uses every chance to create a space for students to potentially flip their switches.
We take a tour of the media center complete with coffee bar stage (Cafe Libre), a makers space and a soon to be audio/video production studio.
MHS Media Center
https://www.marietta-city.org/domain/357
https://www.instagram.com/mediacentermhs/
Timothy Exit on Instagram
When Paul Lubertazzi was a kid, he remembers his grandmother saying don’t jump on the bed when the macaroni is drying. That was the normal thing when a big Italian extended family in Nutley, NJ gets ready for Sunday dinner.
How did Paul end up in Marietta in 1984 during the height of the mall era? How did he decide on a pot pies exclusively? Why does each of his pot pies have a flower on the top? And what does bees have to do with it? (Nothing really, but it is a great story and Paul and his son Brayden are pretty great too.)
Pam Stone grew up riding a horse bareback to Perkin’s market during the summer and scaring away a perv with her horse (yup, apparently there is an east Cobb perv).
Her time at Wheeler High School was not easy. She was as a tall, incredibly thin nerd and had trouble making friends. She headed off to Kennesaw State College with low expectations. But she was surprisingly popular with the guys and doors started opening up to her.
She started waitressing at the Punch Line Comedy Club in Atlanta and went on stage after her waitress friends dared her. She ended up killing and she knew driving home that her life had changed forever.
She met one of the Punch Line’s headliner’s named Jay Leno and Jay started mentoring her. She perfected her craft and left for Hollywood. A chance meeting with a producer ended up with her finding her way on a show called “Coach” (after never having acted before).
After a successful 7 years on that show, she bought land in Upstate South Carolina and started thinking of her future and a return to something she loved — horses.
She vowed to leave Hollywood when she turned 40 and start her new life on her South Carolina farm. She made it — just barely. She found herself climbing over the fence to her farm in a driving rainstorm, just before midnight on her birthday.
Now she coaches horse clients, writes blogs, does standup and lives with her other half, a rosarian named Paul Zimmerman.
https://www.comedianpamstone.com
Pam’s Latest Blog Post— Ask Aunty Pam
http://www.goupstate.com/lifestyle/20180619/ask-aunty-pam-ditch-girl-dont-ditch-dog
Running Flat out Documentary
Pam’s Books
https://www.amazon.com/default/e/B0060NISTQ?redirectedFromKindleDbs=true
Paul’s Website
https://paulzimmermanroses.com
For over twenty years, Rhonda Weisberg has served as a clairsentient intuitive, working with clients across the country, bringing them clarity, insight, peace of mind, and “spiritual coaching” from their higher selves, Spirit guides, and angels.
Rhonda also works with animals. So I brought along Lucy, our 6 year old, miniature Dachshund for a reading. Let’s check out how it all went down!
Rhonda’s website
The shelter Rhonda refers to…
Just one week from the opening of “Title of Show”! Bill meets most of the gang at the Two Birds Taphouse for a pre-rehersal dinner and drinks. (Did you know Marietta Theatre Company has their own drink?)
The team feels confident as Bill speaks with the actors (Blaine Clotfelter, Gina Ann Riggs, Jeff Cooper and Becky Ittner) who are “off book”.
Bill also speaks with the musical director, Shane Simmons about the crew and his life before the Marietta Theatre Company.
Get your tickets while they last!
https://mariettatheatre.tix.com/schedule.aspx?orgnum=5266
Two Birds Taphouse
Blaine Clotfelter and Jeff Cooper love to act. They started Marietta Theatre Company along with a few friends you’ll meet in the next episode.
In this episode, you’ll get a behind the scene view of two men that do what they love and are helping to revive the Square’s once thriving theatre district.
Their latest musical, “Title of Show” sounds like a reason winner!
Bill catches up with Raul and the gang. Special thanks to the sponsors listed!!!
Larry Rica 00:54
and Scott Kinsey 8:56
http://www.stockyardburger.com
http://www.pressedpaninibar.com
Fork You Concepts
30 South Park Square
Marietta, GA
Raul Thomas 16:57
Marietta’s New Theatre in the Square
http://www.theatreinthesquare.net
Emil Thomas
22:20
Evette Thomas
24:50
Skylar Eugenio
28:04
David Fore 41:22
City Club Marietta
https://www.cityclubmarietta.com
Kevin Dugan / Sysco foods 49:55
John Hyle, VP Sales, SuperSource 1:00:00
Wow! What a life Buddy Finethy has led!
From a Dad who was on the run to finding comic books to creating the Mellow Mushroom art to... There is just a lot going on in this man's life. Did I mention he learned how to build a tribe from the Dead Heads? (That's the group of folks that followed the Grateful Dead around the country).
Hawg and Ale opened in April 2018 and Buddy and his partners created a place that includes art that focuses on American Bad a--es and food that celebrates the best in Southern BBQ. (They recently won best BBQ at the Taste of Marietta.)
I know you will enjoy this wide ranging and fun episode...
Bill was interviewed for the Marietta Daily Journal and decided to include podcast alumni in the photo shoot at the square. Here's all the folks that showed up on a Friday in May.
Pete Bush, Matt Rooke, Crista McCay, Michael Shaffer, Carey Cox, April Forshee, Brielle Gaines, Amber Markay Byrd, Jen Stark and Christie Clark.
Any thanks to everyone that has made Marietta Stories Podcast great!
Komal and Yogesh Patel moved to the US from India where they had a hybrid arranged marriage. The hybrid part is pretty interesting, you’ll have to hear how that worked.
Anyway, they were having some health issues and made a connection between their issues and not getting the right foods, like they had in India.
So they started Nature’s Pick and brought the best natural food to just west of the square on Whitlock Avenue.
Bill speaks with the Patel’s as well as some of the other folks working at the Taste of Marietta.
Enjoy!
Mentioned on the episode:
Nature’s Pick Market
Tickled pink Reflexology
https://www.facebook.com/tickledpinkreflex/
Theatre in the Square
http://www.theatreinthesquare.net
Johnny Walker Realty
https://www.johnnywalkerrealty.com
John Silvey is a busy, busy man. I guess he was born busy. He started working at 14 years old with his mom and has not stopped. He has always had a servant’s heart.
He also is known as “the fixer”. Straightening out failing restaurants and moving on to the next challenge.
We talk about all those things plus:
Enjoy this fast paced and fun episode!
John’s restaurants
https://www.zaxbys.com/locations/ga/marietta/2080-lower-roswell-rd/
https://www.zaxbys.com/locations/ga/marietta/591-s-marietta-pkwy-se/
I attended the career day at Marietta High School. I spoke to some students and a few businesses. I also got to meet Sam, Amanda and Jen Hobby of 94.1…
Georgia Trade School
770-590-9353
David McDonald — Modern Image
https://www.modernimageusa.com/atlanta/
Star 94.1
Sponsor
Marietta Theatre in the Square
http://www.theatreinthesquare.net
Golf Tournament Sponsor Raul Thomas - 678-270-7272
In their first year, the East Cobb Hit Squad won 14 games. This spring league team of 8-10 year olds made a name for itself and plan on doing the same thing this spring.
Kvalito owner Shahid Hussain hosts a fundraising event for the team and everybody shows up: the players, the coach, the team moms and the cheerleaders.
Enjoy this fun interview!
Football Team on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/East-Cobb-Hit-Squad-Football-Team-144832606183593/
Kvalito on Facebook
Felecia Prezzano and her daughter Brielle Gaines continue to build their tea empire. Today, they opened their second store in downtown Woodstock building on what they learned from their Marietta Square location. By the time I arrived, they had served over 250 orders and were very busy.
But they both had time to reflect on their journeys. We discuss their Instagram worthy restaurant design and the circle (bubble) motif designed by Cassandra Buckalew, the same Cassandra Buckalew from Season 1 of Marietta Stories Podcast.
I also met a couple, Greg and Rose that drove up from Cleveland (Georgia) just to get some of that delicious Tiny Bubbles Tea!
http://www.tinybubblesteabar.com
http://www.cassandrabuckalew.com
Roy Barnes learned politics from the front porch of his father’s general store in Mableton, Georgia. Storytelling is part of his DNA and Governor Barnes tells many in this informative interview from those humble beginnings to the governors mansion and back to Marietta.
Wonder what it was like to remove the confederate battle flag from the Georgia state flag? How about his thoughts about today’s political leaders? What about his wife’s decorations and Governor’s blend pipe tobacco?
Enjoy this fun and informative episode of a true leader.
Malika Bowling is a freelance food and travel writer based in Atlanta and Editor at Roamilicious.com. She's the author of Culinary Atlanta: Guide to the Best Restaurants, Markets, Breweries and More! and Food Blogging 101. She has been featured on HGTV and The Huffington Post and has been a contributing writer to USA Today. Malika has also served as a judge at various culinary competitions and food festivals.
Growing up in Marietta, Mo Isom was driven to be the best soccer player around. At age 9, she decided she would get a sports scholarship to college, after hearing a older family friend that he had a scholarship.
Several years later she walked unto the field at LSU and she became an all American goal keeper. She even appeared on ESPN when she kicked a 90 yard goal.
But all wasn’t as it seemed.
Join me as we talk through her Dad’s suicide, her near death in a car wreck and her beginning life all over again.
We also discuss her latest book, “Sex, Jesus, and the Conversations the Church Forgot”.
Available at Mosiom.com
When Damien Daigle was filled with wonder the first time he opened a computer. The fan, the boards, the wires, everything he saw amazed him.
But he needed to learn about life the hard way. A failed 3 month trip to Louisiana, where he was a Walmart greeter, a return home and eventually he found himself working on computers and learning to solve seemingly insurmountable problems.
Hear the rest of Damien’s amazing story, including his journey to owning and providing for his family through his Computer R Us small business. Hint: he provides terrific customer service at a fair price.
Website
Brandon Stiles is a long-time Marietta resident and entrepreneur.
From his early days of playing out in the metro area’s bustling live music scene to his current work consulting Atlanta businesses on their digital marketing strategy and implementation- Brandon has seen his share of ups and downs in small business.
In this episode, he shares his insights on how to grow and properly market your business.
You’ll learn things like:
⁃How to stack your businesses value (instead of discounting your prices)
⁃The steps to building an online sales funnel in order to keep customers coming ‘through the doors’ (be it brick and mortar or online)
⁃The real reason most entrepreneurs start a business, and how to use that mentality to grow
To learn more about Brandon and his services, check out:
Special thanks to Ignite HQ for the use of their studio.
Also thanks to our sponsor!
Jen Starks and Christie Clarke met at the Marietta Library. They knew they were homeschoolers because their kids were about the same age. They connected like were like magnets.
But their relationship had some bumps. They once went to Asheville during a ice storm and had the longest hug ever when they made it and knew each other was safe.
Now they host a Saturday morning connections Meetup at Cool Beans in Marietta and help other entrepreneurs connect with influencers and build relationships.
Christie's Business
Christie's Send Out Cards Link
Luly Rae Cleaning Service FaceBook Page
Raul Thomas was not prepared to open a theater. He is a chef by trade and when the opportunity presented itself, Raul leaned heavily on his youngest son, Emil to carry him through.
But Emil was not going to make it easy. Emil felt that good theater made you uncomfortable and started a conversation. After three years, the theater is thriving and Raul has learned quite a bit from his son.
http://www.theatreinthesquare.net
Thanks to this show’s sponsor, Johnny Walker Realty. https://www.johnnywalkerrealty.com
Luis starting selling mangos in Puerto Rico at the age of 12 to help his single mother supplement her factory income. He joined the Army and learned English in a few months. While in the military, he bought his first house.
Now he started a concrete business that puts the customer first and aligns with his priorities.
I hope you enjoy this inspirational episode!
John Forest, Director of Operations
jaforest@concretedesignandrepair.com
404-313-1369
Jay “Guards” Boudrie — Vice President & General Manager of PSI Security
Extreme Color
Missy Owen (sorry I said Owens in the intro!) lost her son Davis to the disease of addiction. Davis didn’t fit the mold of an addict; he was class president in high school and loved by everyone.
Everything changed when Davis decided to take something from the medicine cabinet when he was having trouble sleeping. That one moment changed everything for Davis and his family.
After Davis overdosed, his mom Missy realized that a big gap in recovery was not having anywhere to go after successful rehab. In fact, you are 32% more likely to die after rehab than if you just continued using!
She found a 21,000 foot facility for sale and got them to lease it to her. She called it The Zone and with a whole bunch of work, donations and love, it has been thriving.
Now she wants to go nationwide and Build Communities of Recovery and is holding a conference her in Marietta September 26-29, 2018.
Check it out!
Conference
https://buildingcommunitiesofrecovery.org
The Zone and Davis Direction
As soon as he could reach the keys, Paul started piano lessons. He went on to the flute, then on to several other instruments (and singing). He also had an ear for music, he could hear a song and play it on several instruments.
Now he conducts several groups, teaches private lessons and sings on the choir on Sunday.
Busy man!
But he believes that classical music has a presentation problem… So now he is conducting the Marietta Symphony Orchestra at Raul Thomas’s Theater on the Square on 10/28/17. He is going to treat classical music like other music forms. He going to tell the story of each piece he does.
Sounds like a plan!
For tickets…
http://www.theatreinthesquare.net
http://www.theatreinthesquare.net/shows/super-loser/