TEAK & TWINE
We first stumbled upon Teak & Twine last year via Instagram. It was hard not to immediately fall in love with their beautiful design, style + packaging. While we typically focus on Georgia-based businesses, we love that Teak supports the small "mom + pop" makers -- wherever that may be. Each box is filled with locally-sourced products and is hand-crafted to fit your needs and expectations. Read more about Teak's founder, Torrance Hart, and her passion for craftsmanship and life's little details.
Tell us about yourself: Torrance Hart, current resident of Destin, Florida and creator of Teak and Twine.
Goal of your company? It sounds trite but at Teak, we are all about surprising people and making their day! I love knowing that our clients are coming from a situation of gratitude + generosity whenever they reach out to us.
What makes you tick? Serial. Reading books about human behavior, business, and biographies. I also love working on home renovations -- in fifty years someone is going to find 7 layers of grey paint on every wall and think I was crazy!
Personal mantra: I am a huge fan of the Holstee Manifesto. It came into my life at the perfect time in 2012 and I still have it on the wall in my office.
Health trend you're loving: Every morning I drink a glass of water mixed with AmazingGrass and I swear by it!
REVEL PASTRY CO.
Charity Everett is the founder and pastry chef of Revel Pastry Company. She started cooking as soon as she could stand on a chair and reach the kitchen counter. Her earliest memories center around learning from her mother and grandmother the joys of creating in the kitchen.
Since then, that love of cooking has grown into a passion for baking and cooking with the seasons. At Revel, located in Atlanta, Charity creates both sweet and savory pastries inspired by the best local produce each season has to offer. At home, she draws on that same inspiration to create simple, healthy, and comforting meals.
Tell us about yourself: Charity Everett, Atlanta, Georgia, Owner + Pastry Chef at Revel Pastry Co.
Inspiration for starting Revel? As I entered adulthood, I was struck by how easy it was to get bogged down by the pressures and struggles or mundanity of life and let the small pleasures pass by unnoticed. Spending time in the kitchen, creating something delicious from whatever inspired me at the grocery store and sharing it with friends and loved ones has always been an activity that allowed me to pause and take in the beauty around me. I wanted to use my passion for pastry to create something that would draw people into the beauty of the moment and give them joy.
What makes you tick? Spending quality time with the people I love, meeting new people, and creating beautiful and interesting food. I love to create experiences that bring people together and facilitate community.
Personal mantra: Surrender. You don’t have to get it right, you just have to live faithfully.
Favorite form of release? Learning about and trying new wines + cocktails.
Pick a superfood: Sweet potatoes! I love them roasted with rosemary and garlic.
Best part about your community? I am new to Atlanta, but my favorite part has been the spirit of welcome and inclusiveness I have felt from everyone I have met so far. It has been so refreshing!
OPEN STREETS MACON
You may remember our fine-feathered friend, Rachel Hollar, from our 2015 post on Bike Macon. Now, Rachel and her crew, along with the City of Macon-Bibb, are coordinating the first-ever Open Streets Macon, which will take place April 17th. Open Streets Macon takes a valuable public space – our city’s streets – and opens them up for people to play, walk, bike, breathe, and make their own. Modeled on tremendously successful events from around the world, including Bogotá, Colombia’s Ciclovia; Paris, France’s Paris Plage; and San Francisco’s Sunday’s Streets, Open Streets Macon will be part bike tour, part block party, and a great time for getting active, interacting with your neighbors, and enjoying our amazing city. Bring your bicycle or just your feet, and get ready to explore your community in a safer, healthier, more livable way.
“Imagine a street full of people of all ages and backgrounds, walking, biking, creating and laughing, together. A street temporarily closed to cars, but open to people. Imagine residents safely enjoying their city, socializing with neighbors, and engaging in healthy activities. Imagine if all of this were free, with absolutely no barriers to participation. By the people, for the people. Sound good yet? Bike Macon is turning this vision into a reality by organizing the first-ever Open Streets Macon event.”
Here are some things you need to know before April 17:
It’s FREE!
It’s not a race and you don’t need a bike to participate. You can walk or skate to your heart’s content.
There’s no beginning or end. Start and end anywhere!
It’s from 2 PM – 6 PM.
The flow of participants goes both ways, just like regular traffic.
For more information about this event, visit bikemacon.org/openstreets
RESOLUTIONS
In case you missed it, we officially turned ONE! We truly can't thank our followers enough for all of the support since first launching In FIne Feather.
IFF's original intent was to showcase the movers, shakers and makers in health throughout the South, by bringing meaningful, helpful content to our online community. Over the past year, we have highlighted health, wellness and beauty in MANY forms. In the spirit of resolving to do the same in 2016, we are putting a pause on our posts until March 1 while we gather the goodness for our readers. BUT PLEASE don't stop lovin' us on our other outlets as we'll continue to keep those current with quick tips & tricks (here, here, here & here!)
See you soon!
-Tess + Haley
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO US!
WE TURNED ONE! Thank you thank you to all our lovely fine-feathered friends who have followed our adventure this past year... Cheers to a bright 2016!
COFFEE GUIDE: ATLANTA
'Tis the season for cozy coffee nooks and a little indulgence! While it's always okay to treat yourself, it's also good to be mindful about what you consume. A great way to do that is by keeping it local and knowing your barista. Craft coffee houses are known for using seasonal ingredients and organic brews. We've rounded up a few of our ATL favs that have particularly great holiday style -- cheers!
All photos by Haley Sheffield / originally found on In Honor of Design.
STAR PROVISIONS
CAFE INTERMEZZO
AMELIE'S FRENCH BAKERY
TAPROOM COFFEE & BEER
BEESA SKINCARE
It's that time of the year! No, not just the holidays but the season of dry and itchy skin too. I have normal to oily skin and even MY face feels the wrath of winter. At IFF, we decided to seek out a local beauty boutique -- Beesa Skincare Studio. Located on Ingleside Avenue in Macon, GA, Beesa offers spa-quality skincare treatments such as facials, microderms & waxing, all with organic ingredients. Check out our Q+A with our fine-feather friend, Brooke, below!
Tell us your name: Brooke Weatherford Kinross, owner of Beesa Skincare Studio -- a studio spa in Macon, Georgia where I offer facials, waxing and tinting with a focus on natural products with organic ingredients.
Inspiration for starting your own biz? I love what I do -- sharing the knowledge I have gained over the past 15 years, making people feel better about themselves, and to be able to do this while balancing my family -- life is perfect. My children are still "little", so it's important to me to be at soccer games, dance recitals and play dates while they still think I am kind of cool.
What is the goal of Beesa? I want people to understand skin - that it is the largest organ of the body - reflecting what is going on inside of the body. Healthy skin goes beyond using quality skin care products. What you put in your body is just as important as what you put on it. Many of my clients come to me with hormonal acne, or acne in general. Most women in their 40's don't understand why they are still breaking out! I try to help them pinpoint the cause of their skin challenges, whether it's a hormonal imbalance, diet, incorrect products, prescription medications, whatever the trigger may be... that way we can find a solution, not just a quick fix.
What makes you tick? I was an Environmental Studies major at Oberlin College with a focus on Organic and Sustainable Agriculture. I guess you would say I am a little bit of a hippie still to this day. It's important to me that my children get to enjoy nature and being outside as much as I have. I love buying local food and supporting local growers, cooking and entertaining, camping and being outside with my kids, catching a full moon view whenever possible and relaxing with my partner-in-crime (my husband, Steve).
Favorite Macon pastime? Music! So much of what makes Macon so special is the music history. I carry that with me wherever I go.
MATCHA MAIDEN
A few months ago, we brought you a post from our Aussie friends at Frank Body. Today we bring you another Melbourne-based business that we met through the wonderful world of Instagram -- Matcha Maiden! What is matcha? It is 100% green tea leaves stone ground into a fine powder. Buddhist monks have been reaping the benefits of matcha long before tea-toxes or even tea bags were a thing. Finally, thanks to Matcha Maiden and their Japanese-certified organic powder, the rest of the world is catching up! We enjoyed our sample as a green tea but it can also be used as a sprinkled-in superfood or an addition to your bath + beauty regimen. Find inspiration here.
XOXO Love y'all so matcha!
All photos (c) of Haley Sheffield Photography.
PRESERVING PLACE
If you're an Atlantan, you've most likely already heard of our friends at Preserving Place. A do-it-yourself supplier of goods and exceptional preserved foods, they recently celebrated their two-year anniversary. In their own words, Preserving Place is a unique “farm to store” retail concept focusing on the preservation of food and of our Southern sense of place. They offer cooking and canning classes and even create locally-sourced, hand-crafted gift baskets for your loved ones -- just in time for the holidays! View their upcoming schedule of classes here. Happy canning, y'all!
All photos courtesy of Sarah Dodge Photography via Preserving Place.
WHITE OAK CUISINE WITH CHEF REID
Last week we brought you a special Part I post on our recent trip to White Oak Pastures in Bluffton, Georgia. What you might not know is the farm is also home to an open-aired restaurant that primarily feeds their 100+ employees (from butchers & organic farmers, to office managers) Monday through Saturday, as well as farm guests. The restaurant features daily specials along with other regular daily menu items. They also offer a wide variety of items for sale in their store front ranging from home-made preserves and lip salve to BBQ rubs and seasonal gifts. We sat down with our friend and White Oak Pastures chef, Reid Harrison, to talk about culinary life on the farm.
Tell us about yourself: Matthew Reid Harrison, Chef/Manager of The Pavilion at White Oak Pastures
Hometown + Current city: Macon, GA & Bluffton, GA
What led you to culinary arts? Couldn’t deal with another calculus class... and I love cooking.
Describe the White Oak Pastures work environment: Family. Diverse. Passionate.
How has your work influenced your definition of personal health and wellness? It’s great having access to hormone/steroid free meats along with organic vegetables, so my diet has improved a great deal from the fast pace of city living. In addition to that, there isn’t a whole lot to do around here besides work, so I’ve become somewhat of a regular at the gym.
Personal mantra: You’re either green and growing or ripe and rotting.
All photos (c) of Haley Sheffield Photography.
WHITE OAK PASTURES: WILL HARRIS
Happy October! I am beyond thrilled to FINALLY post our adventure to White Oak Pastures. Haley and I were privileged to get a first-hand tour of the USDA Certified Organic farmland from the farmer himself and his daughter. William Harris III, owner and operator of White Oak Pastures, and Georgia Trend’s 2014 Most Respected Business Leader, was recently featured in the New York Times, Huffington Post and Garden & Gun, for his success in sustainability.
The 150 year old multi-generational family farm is guided by a sustainable, humane, fair practice and zero-waste policy. Just one look at whiteoakpastures.com and you are quickly acquainted with their mantra – that cows were born to roam and graze and chickens were born to scratch and peck. “As a fourth generation stockman, I offer folks some ‘Southern Cowboy Common Sense’ on how to recognize good animal welfare: If you would like to open up a lawn chair and drink a couple of glasses of wine while you watch the animal, then you have good animal welfare," said Harris. As we drove across the massive acreage, down hills and back dirt roads, Mr. Harris explained how White Oak ascribes to a grass-fed pastured program – giving up grain feed, hormone implants, and antibiotics as well as the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides As of 2009, White Oak acquired sheep, chickens, ducks, geese, guineas, and turkeys, becoming the only farm in the United States with their own red meat and poultry on-farm, USDA-inspected abattoirs. The farm also houses an on-site store and restaurant which we will feature next week -- enjoy, friends!
All photos (c) of Haley Sheffield Photography.
ATL LOVES #KOPYOGA
King of Pops, the beloved fresh fruit ice pops company of Atlanta, recently began hosting #KOPYOGA on the BeltLine. Over the summer, the free outdoor yoga sessions - held every Tuesday at 7 PM - have grown quickly from a few dozen to a few hundred! We were lucky enough to interview CEO and co-founder of King of Pops, Steven Carse, on why he believes in "promoting community and healthy living in an approachable way."
Inspiration for beginning King of Pops: I fell in love with the paleta (fresh fruit ice pop) during my travels to Latin America, and after years of eating, decided it would be fun to try to make and sell them myself. The perfect opportunity to do it came when I was laid off from my corporate job and needed to think of what to do next. So in the spring of 2010, King of Pops was born with only one used push-cart on a street corner.
Mission behind #KOPYOGA? Last year it started as something we did 100% for our employees and decided we might as well invite our neighbors. Between 15 and 30 people came out and it was one of the things I really looked forward to each week. I'm a beginner, and it was a nice way to work on my practice and enjoy the outdoors. We didn't do much differently this year. We started to promote earlier, but on the first day you could tell it was going to be different. Instead of a few dozen it was a few hundred. It's a testament to our community. I feel like the actual yoga practice is the least important part. It's just nice to be doing something with your neighbors. At the end of the day, that is the point. Get out and enjoy your life.
Favorite Atlanta pastime? Lately it has just been riding my bike. Whether it's an organized ride or a slow stroll on the Beltline, it is what I do to get some quality ME time.
All photos courtesy of Haley Sheffield Photography.
#LETSBEFRANK: MEET THE BABES
Happy Thursday, mates! In our previous post we reviewed our Australian-based skincare crush, Frank Body. Today we introduce you to the babes (and bros) behind the beauty line, which you can find exclusively online via the Frank Body e-store.
Tell us your name: Jess Hatzis, co-founder of Frank Body (pictured far left)
Name of owners: Steve Rowley, Alex Boffa, Jess Hatzis, Erika Geraerts & Bree Johnson
Location: Melbourne, Australia
What is the goal of the company? From the start Frank Body has attempted to connect with its customers on a more personal level than that of traditional beauty brands. We like to call it an ‘open relationship’. Frank is centered around values such as honesty, cheekiness, and commitment. As we extend the brand portfolio, we hope to maintain this integrity.
Inspiration behind Frank? It all began in 2013, through a series of fortunate events. Steve owns a few cafes in Melbourne and had a customer ask for leftover coffee grinds. After a while he grew curious as to what they were using it for, and as it turned out, they were using it as a body exfoliator. At the same time, myself, Bree, and Erika who run Melbourne communications agency Willow & Blake, were looking to develop our own product (and brand) within the beauty and fitness industry to market through social media - a service we were already offering to many clients locally and internationally. After some research our team came to find that coffee scrubs were attributed to relieving many skin conditions, and although there were a lot of DIY recipes online, no one was selling coffee scrub as a product. Along with Alex who helped lead production and logistics, we realised that you had to use fresh coffee grinds to get the best results, combined with a mixture of essential oils, sugar and salt - thus the original coffee scrub was born.
We wanted to remove the taboo of a bathroom regime, and speak honestly with babes from around the world about what beauty meant to us. We wanted to be frank with them. And so the name and strategy was born. In the early days, a team of about 20 including friends and family, helped us to make the product by hand. Within a month the business had grown substantially, and we needed a full-time manufacturing group. Frank Body now offers an extended range of coffee-based products for both the face and body and is made in Melbourne, Australia. It is sold purely online through www.frankbody.com and ships to 141 countries worldwide, with five distribution points. It recently sold its 1,000,000th scrub, and boasts a healthy 635K followers on Instagram, with over 71,000 tagged images under #thefrankeffect not to mention its other social media channels. Celebrities including Jessie J and Ariana Grande have all been quoted sharing their love of frank’s products on social media.
One word to describe the team: Caffeinated
Perk of working at Frank? The endless supply of coffee!
All images © of Frank Body.
THE FRANK EFFECT
Hi guys, Haley here! Tess and I were thrilled when our Insta friends from Down Under at Frank Body, an Australian-owned + coffee-based skincare company, asked us to try their line. And to be "frank," we fell in love with the products even before using them. When it comes to both product and design, Frank delivers. The flirtatious packaging and cheeky branding drew us in instantly.
I anticipated the coffee scrub would smell delightful, being the coffee lover I am, but was not prepared for HOW deliciously aromatic my caffeine-infused bath time would be. Also, the creamy face cleanser had the perfect texture -- leaving my skin not too dry or oily, just happy. On IFF, we love to preach on the importance of organic, natural skincare and #thefrankeffect left us glowing. You can put together your very own bundle of beauty here!
All photos (c) of Haley Sheffield Photography.
GOLDA KOMBUCHA
Launched in 2013, Golda Kombucha is an Atlanta-based business creating oak-aged kombucha tea. Hand-crafted in small batches, the tea is fermented in an American white oak barrel which enhances the health benefits and provides a unique tart flavor. Named after Golda Glasgow, the 92 year-old grandmother of brewer and creator, Melanie Wade, Golda Kombucha is made with the same recipe passed down through each generation. The tea is currently sold at many of the Atlanta Farmers' Markets ($4 off if you bring your Golda Growler) and can also be found at The Mercantile -- the only Kombucha growler site in Atlanta.
GK has grown tremendously and quickly and recently began a Kickstarter campaign to help fund their expansion - we hope you will take the time to check it out and support this incredible local business!
Name: Melanie Aurelia Wade, Atlanta, GA
Business: Golda Kombucha
Mission: To provide readily available kombucha tea + its benefits to Atlantan's and southerners-alike.
Personal Mantra: "Take me as I am, 'cause I can't stay long." - Tom Petty
Pick a Superfood: Tomato Soup!
Favorite form of release: Riding my 1972 Suzuki motorcycle with my knees in the breeze.
Most rewarding aspect of GK? Seeing the look on customer's faces when I tell them my grandmother taught me the recipe and is still alive today due to her daily kombucha intake.
SWEET AUBURN CURB MARKET
Amidst Atlanta's bountiful harvest of community farmers' markets, one of our favorite everyday staples is the Sweet Auburn Curb Market. Rich in history, charm and flavor, Sweet Auburn was ranked by USA Today as the 16th Best food market around the world. The self-sustaining entity is comprised of 24 independently-owned businesses including eateries, retail shops and fresh produce. Atlanta residents and visitors can now enjoy restaurants such as Murphy’s, Grindhouse Killer Burgers, Bell Street Burritos, Sweet Auburn Barbeque and Arepa Mia. Find a listing of all current merchants here.
LITTLE FIVE POINTS CHIROPRACTIC
We first met Dr. Amy King of Little Five Points Chiropractic through the wonderful world of Instagram. Inspired by her teachings of love and light, we knew she would be the perfect person to spotlight on IFF. Amy learned her Elementary Education Degree from Ferris State University before completing her Chiropractic doctorate work from Life University. Outside of Chiropractic you can find Amy practicing yoga and exploring nature with her adorable dog, Bacon.
Tell us your name: Dr. Amy E. King, chiropractor at Little Five Points Chiropractic
Hometown + current city: I was born and raised in Saginaw, Michigan until I was 18, but Ann Arbor has a huge piece of my heart. I lived and taught preschool there until I moved to Atlanta six years ago for chiropractic school. I currently live in my favorite neighborhood in Reynoldstown!
What is the goal of your company? As a chiropractor, my philosophy is that in order to be truly healthy, each aspect of our existence must be nourished. That means not only must we take care of our bodies, but also our minds and spirits. Chiropractic is a natural form of healthcare, which optimizes the function of our central nervous systems by removing interference within the important communication between our bodies and minds.
Describe yourself in one word: Lovetarian.
Health trend you are loving: I’m currently obsessed with Grand Slams from Arden’s Garden and the Acai Bowls with banana from Kale Me Crazy.
Favorite form of exercise: I’ve been practicing yoga for about seven years, but the last two years of my practice have been where I’ve experienced the most growth. A lot of that is due to the amazing yoga community in Atlanta.
Preferred pose: Pincha Mayurasana!
All photos (c) of Haley Sheffield Photography.
SOUTHBOUND
Recently, we were lucky enough to do a behind-the-scenes shoot at Southbound -- a fresh, locally sourced, southern-inspired restaurant in Historic Chamblee, Georgia. This farm-to-table fine dining experience, set in a stunning space, serves as the perfect weekend eatery for brunch, lunch or dinner.
QUICK ABOUT: Located in a renovated mercantile factory on the train tracks, Southbound's food is a celebration of the farmer; paying homage to southern heritage through seasonal table bounty. Their goal is to create a bucolic combination of flavors that excite, but never overshadow the fresh, local ingredients. View their delicious menu here. Southbound is also available for private events as their century-old building is rich in both history and rustic elegance, lending itself well to a variety of functions and event designs.
THE PEACH TRUCK
In Fine Feather aims to be your go-to guide on Georgia's ever-evolving health and wellness community. During our blogging adventures the past few months, we have traveled all across the state to showcase the movers, shakers and makers of small business in health and wellness. Today's post, The Peach Truck, features our neighbors just north who share a love of our favorite Southern staple.
ABOUT: It all started when a boy from way down in Georgia fell in love with a girl from way up in the North. The blissfully happy couple moved to Nashville where the boy couldn’t wait to share everything he loved about life in the South. The city obliged with the heat and the porch, but after searching every single market, the boy couldn't find the big, rich juicy peaches he grew up eating. What became known as the “peach problem” only had one solution; driving over 300 miles to pick his girl the perfect Georgia Peach. Love at first bite. They then decided to share this love with their new city so they traded in their car for an old truck and sold fresh fruit by the bagful. Nashville fell in love too. Within five weeks, the city consumed over 10 delicious tons of peaches. Today the boy, the girl, and The Peach Truck happily share their peach passion with locals and fellow fruit enthusiasts across the country.
Name + City: Stephen + Jessica Rose. Currently living in Nashville, TN
Inspo for your business? The Peach Truck is proud to be the Nashville arm of Pearson Farm in Fort Valley, GA. I (Stephen) grew up eating peaches right off the tree so I knew what a peach should taste like. The summer of 2012, we brought our very first crop up to the city, set up with our truck in front of Imogene + Willie and the rest, as they say, is history.
Favorite peach-inspired recipe? Peaches have long gotten caught in the dessert category. They’re so much more diverse than that. The Peach Caprese salad is a summer staple at our house.
What has been the greatest reward about beginning PT? We often sit back and talk about how shocked we are at our lives. We get to do what we love, work with people we love, and add to the flavor of our city. We couldn’t be more fulfilled doing something other than we are right now.
Favorite part about the South: The people. Anytime you get a little ways out of the city, you’re reminded of the pace of life that so many people live. It’s an exhilarating reminder to slow down, and take in the simplicities of life.
Photos by: Jamie Clayton.
LITTLE BARN APOTHECARY
At IFF, we are lovers of shopping local and discovering new Georgia-based brands. During a trip to Atlanta's Root City Market, we were introduced to Joshua Morgan and Brad Scoggins, creators of Little Barn Apothecary. Founded in Stone Mountain just earlier this year, Little Barn has already made a big name for themselves as they were recently featured in Vogue, Elle and InStyle as one of the Best Natural Beauty brands. They are stocked in shops in 15 + states as well as Panama and Canada along with online carriers such as Urban Outfitters.
Joshua is from Cincinnati, Ohio, and Brad grew up in a farm community in Cordele, Georgia. Currently, they live in Stone Mountain, Georgia and create simple and plant-based apothecary goods from wild-harvested, certified organic ingredients. Right now, LBA carries nearly three dozen small-batch items, including soaks, washes, scrubs, oils, balms, salves, naturally scented air waters, and more.
In 2012, Josh and Brad began researching botanicals and experimenting at home with recipes for simple self-care products. They shared some of the items with friends and family, who responded with enthusiastic requests for more! After expanding the line to include today’s core selection, they debuted Little Barn Apothecary to the public. The idea was born from a passion to create unique formulas as a substitute for the chemical-laden skincare that’s so prevalent today. Together, they love educating people on the benefits of using herbs and botanicals. From recipe testing to packaging design to shipping, Josh and Brad handle each step of the process. They select ingredients not only for their intoxicating scents but for their unique healing properties.
Making use of the South’s long growing season, Joshua and Brad grow most of Little Barn Apothecary’s ingredients in their backyard garden or source them from nearby farmers markets. By committing to whole and certified organic ingredients, Little Barn Apothecary creates goods from scratch that are 100% safe, naturally potent, and highly effective.
“The goal of Little Barn Apothecary is to be an everyday and affordable brand that feels like a treat. We believe in the power of nature and want to bring luxurious, natural options to the market. Our brand is a reminder to slow down, enjoy daily rituals, and keep it simple. ”
