Our Food & Drink Issue O C TO B E R 2 02 6
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OCTOB ER 2 0 2 6 | C I TYL I FE STYL E . C OM/WO O D STO C K
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LIFESTYLE LETTER
Cheers to Our Food & Drink Issue
October 2026 PUBLISHER
Lisa Thibault | lisa.thibault@citylifestyle.com CO-PUBLISHER
Lan Pham | lan.pham@citylifestyle.com
Welcome fall! October is our most delectable issue of the year, filled with dishes and beverages around town—including where to experience them. We also celebrate women with The Fight for Pink this month. This issue, as the season turns toward cozy dinners and holiday gatherings we sit down with Kory Luebke of Private Somm Fine Wine, one of the only Certified Sommeliers in Cherokee County, to talk fall reds, family, and why he chose to bring his passion for wine home to his local community Woodstock. We know that food and wine can bring us all together, and whether we are sharing a meal with loved ones or enjoying a night out on the town, time spent enjoying is invaluable. This issue, we're getting to know Sabrina Kaylor, the painter-turned-entrepreneur behind Bizarre Coffee — whose artwork still graces every bag, and whose hundred-square-foot start on East Marietta Street has grown into five locations and counting, one cup and one canvas at a time. I had the pleasure of a beautiful visit to Hotel Bennett in Charleston for my birthday week last month and it did not disappoint. This jewel of the city is a true luxury that must be experienced in real time. I won't soon forget pink Camellia's (see above) where the champagne and caviar flow as well as afternoon tea parties. The rest was just as magical and I will be returning soon. Read about this property and more on page 16. We also love bringing you stories about local businesses and a few Woodstock events and local people making a difference—sharing their passions and inspiring us through the work they do in our community. As always, thank you for your continued support of local, and I hope to see you around town. Cheers,
L I S A T H I B A U LT, P U B L I S H E R @ W O O D S T O C KC I T Y L I F E S T Y L E
P U B L I CAT I O N D I R E C TO R
Tran Smith | tran.smith@citylifestyle.com AC C O U N T M AN AG E R S
Chicka Elloy Karyn Slovin | karyn.slovin@citylifestyle.com STAF F P H OTO G R AP H E R
Albright Photography julie.albright@albrightphotography.com CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Jude Pratt C O N T R I B U T I N G P H OTO G R AP H E R S
Albright Photography, Sabrina Kaylor
Corporate Team CEO Steven Schowengerdt President Matthew Perry CRO Jamie Pentz CoS Janeane Thompson AD DESIGNER Mary Albers LAYOUT DESIGNER Kathy Nguyen QUALITY CONTROL SPECIALIST Brandy Thomas
Learn how to start your own publication at citylifestyle.com//franchise. Proverbs 3:5-6 Woodstock City Lifestyle® is published monthly by Lifestyle Publications LLC. It is distributed via the US Postal Service to some of the Woodstock area’s most affluent neighborhoods. Articles and advertisements do not necessarily reflect Lifestyle
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L I F E ST Y LE LE T T E R
Publications’ opinions. No portion of this magazine may be reproduced in any form without written consent. Lifestyle Publications does not assume responsibility for statements made by advertisers or editorial contributors. Information in Woodstock City Lifestyle® is gathered from sources considered to be reliable, but the accuracy of all information cannot be guaranteed.
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OCTOB ER 2 0 2 6 | C I TYL I FE STYL E . C OM/WO O D STO C K
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inside the issue OC TOB E R 2 02 6 | FOOD & D R I N K
28 Featured
22
28 30
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Print Prestige Meets Digital Power.
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WHY CHOOSE BETWEEN PRESTIGE AND PLACEMENT?
Departments
A Glass Apart:
Woodstock’s Master of the Pour, the world of wine just in time for fall
Scarecrows Return to Main Street
Woodstock’s Favorite Fall Tradition is back just in time
From Daymakers to Miracle Workers
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Lifestyle Letter
8
City Scene
10
Business Monthly
12
Locals Only LIFE + CULTURE
16
Travel Journal TRAVEL
20
Healthy Lifestyle LIFE + CULTURE
22
Artist’s Palette FOOD + BEVERAGE
26
How To LOCAL SERVICES
28
Our Town LIFE + CULTURE
30
Must See FOOD + BEVERAGE
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Culinary Creations FOOD + BEVERAGE
Sabrina and Mike Kaylor built a recognizable brand on a question
On the Cover Kory Luebke, owner Private Somm Fine Wine in Adair Park shares his knowledge and passion for all things wine with Woodstock. Photography: Albright Photography
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OCTOBER 2026
city scene WHERE NEIGHBORS CAN SEE AND BE SEEN
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C I T Y SC E N E
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OCTOB ER 2 0 2 6 | C I TYL I FE STYL E . C OM/WO O D STO C K
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OCTOBER 2026
business monthly A R O U N D U P O F N E W S F R O M LO C A L B U S I N E S S E S
City Hall Selfie Day! It’s City Hall Selfie Day! Mayor Michael Caldwell snapped a selfie with city employees in front of Woodstock’s City Hall Annex this recently in case you missed it on social media. Woodstock’s 200+ employees are committed to delivering excellent services to the city’s 40K residents. Pictured are team members from Municipal Court, Information Technology, GIS, Water & Sewer Utility, Administration, Human Resources, Fire Department, Finance, Community Development, and more!
Bless This Tart:A Night of Laughter for a Good Cause Some nights of laughter come with a side of dessert and deeper purpose. Mars Hill Presbyterian Church, Acworth hosted comedian Kenn Kington for "Well Bless Your Tart," a clean, family-friendly comedy show benefiting the church's growing youth ministries. Pastor Will Shurley says, "It has been a pleasure to get to know Kenn. We were so glad to have had the chance to bring him for what was an inspiring and humour-filled evening for the community."
Opportunity available in Woodstock JÉA Salon + Spa needs a part-time driver to shuttle our Stylists + Estheticians from an off-site lot to our Salon throughout the day We are looking for 8:15am-1:30pm for Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays & Saturdays •must have a license •clean driving record •must be skilled at driving •during downtime from driving, you would be willing to help in the back of the Salon to sweep and clean call/text at: 470.461.5661, DM us, or email: jeasalonandspa@gmail.com
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B USIN E SS M ON T H LY
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OCTOB ER 2 0 2 6 | C I TYL I FE STYL E . C OM/WO O D STO C K
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A C E N T URY OF W E L C OME WOODSTOCK’S VISITORS CENTER, 25 YEARS IN A BUILDING THAT’S BEEN SAYING “HELLO” SINCE 1906
ARTICLE BY WOODSTOCK CITY LIFESTYLE
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LOCA LS ON LY | L I FE + C U LT U RE
Long before it ever handed out a city map, the little building at 8588 Main Street was handing out something else: conversation. In 1906, Dr. Will Dean and his son Linton opened Dean's Store on that spot, and it quickly became the kind of place where neighbors lingered trading news, telling stories, and living out the unhurried rhythm of small-town life. Decades passed. The shelves changed. But the building never stopped being a gathering place, just took a while to find its second act. That second act belonged to Linton Dean's daughter, Alice Dean Felton. She looked at her father's old store, still holding all those decades of Woodstock history, and saw something more than a memory — she
saw a future. Partnering with the city, she helped turn the building into the Woodstock Visitors Center, which opened its doors August 22, 2001, with local historian Juanita Hughes as its very first employee, an official greeter. "It was the dream of of Linton Dean's daughter, Alice, to share with Woodstock's residents and others her father's 1906 store filled with artifacts from Woodstock's history, embraced by that long-lost atmosphere from another century," Hughes recalled. She remembers being handpicked by Alice for the role, stepping into retirement only to find herself with "a front-row seat" as Woodstock's growth threatened to swallow her father's legacy whole. It didn't. "The legacy was protected even as the center thrived as the one spot in town that declares 'Welcome,'" Hughes said. "I think Alice would be very proud." And welcome folks it has. Since opening, the center has greeted more than 250,000 visitors from all 50 states and over 100 countries, a number that's only picked up speed. In 2007, the first year attendance was formally tracked, 5,600 people walked through the doors. By 2025, that number had climbed to 19,000 a number that mirrors Woodstock's own transformation into one of Georgia's most sought-after tourism destinations. The accolades have followed. In 2019, the center was named Georgia's Regional Visitor Information Center of the Year and earned the Jeffrey Tatum Visionary Award for its renovations. The year before, it took home the Al Burruss Award for Creative Expression at the Georgia Governor's Tourism Conference, along with the Tourism Product Development of the Year award from the Northwest Georgia Travel Association. In 2017, Woodstock even hosted the Georgia Regional Visitor Information Center Conference, welcoming tourism professionals from across the state to see firsthand what all the fuss was about. "For 25 years, the Woodstock Visitors Center has demonstrated how innovative visitor services and exceptional guest experiences can transform a
community into a sought-after destination," said Nija Torrence, Regional Tourism Manager at the Georgia Department of Economic Development, praising the center's role in driving meaningful benefits for the community. No one has watched that transformation more closely than Kyle Bennett, who has managed the Visitors Center for the past 20 years. "It has been an honor," he said. "From welcoming people visiting Woodstock for the first time, answering questions about the community from people looking to move to the area, to helping locals learn more about their hometown, the Woodstock Visitors Center has played a key role in putting Woodstock, Georgia, on the map as a major tourism destination. I look forward to seeing how the Woodstock Visitors Center program will continue to grow and develop over the next 25 years!" Step inside today, and you'll find both halves of the story living side by side with historic artifacts from the old general store sharing space with city maps, event guides, and branded apparel, all under the care of the same warm hospitality that's defined this building for over a century. The ribbon cutting ceremony was recently held alongside a reception. VisitWoodstockGA.com.
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AMYLIFEANDHEALTH.COM OCTOB ER 2 0 2 6 | C I TYL I FE STYL E . C OM/WO O D STO C K
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HOTEL ARTICLE BY WOODSTOCK CITY LIFESTYLE
Bennett
Inside Charleston's Grand Hotel, a vision of 25 years There are hotels you stay in, and there are hotels that tell a story the moment you walk in and leave you with an experience worth taking home. Hotel Bennett, on the corner of King Street and historic Marion Square in downtown Charleston, is unmistakably both. From the marble-clad Grand Court to the pink-hued glow of Camellias, every inch of this 179-room property was built with a deeply personal goal: to give Charleston the grand hotel its developer always believed it deserved. Before we'd even walked into the lobby, we were greeted by three young men, full of smiles and genuine warmth, who took our car to the charger, carried our luggage to our suite, and struck up conversation about what we liked and where we should go around town as well as what to enjoy inside the hotel. The feeling was magical before we'd taken a single step inside the grand lobby. Handing us glasses of champagne upon entrance was just one small gesture the staff extended to us, again and again, over our four-day stay. Hotel Bennett is the vision of Michael Bennett, an eighth-generation Charlestonian and founder of Bennett Hospitality. His family purchased the land in 1990, but the project spent more than twenty years winding through city approvals, and legal battles with preservation groups over building height. This fight made its way to the South Carolina Supreme Court before Bennett won. Joe Riley, Charleston's longtime mayor and Bennett's mentor, stood beside him, reportedly telling Bennett's mother, "We're going to cut that ribbon." And they did. After breaking ground in March 2015, the $101 million hotel opened in January 2019. The site itself carries its own layers of Charleston history, it once housed the original west wing of The
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T R AV E L J OU R N A L | TRAV E L
Citadel, and later, Charleston County Library. That legacy lives on in quiet, deliberate details: bookshelves tucked into the suites, stacks of books coordinated across tables throughout the property, a soft nod to the library that stood there before. "Hotel Bennett was constructed with the same classical character and quality as buildings from centuries ago," Bennett says. "To complement Charleston's architectural heritage, we used the finest materials, beautiful limestone, marble, bronze, and copper." He named the hotel to honor his family and his beloved city. That family imprint is everywhere. Throughout the lobby, we noticed artwork and photography celebrating meaningful milestones in the Bennett family's own story as a reminder that this is first and foremost a family business, built with many personal details, down to the crown-embroidered "B" pillows and hotel-branded soaps. It feels as though it has stood on Marion Square for a century. Hotel Bennett blends old-world European architecture with unmistakably Southern warmth. Sweeping rotundas, handpainted murals, and a Grand Court set the tone, while floor-toceiling windows and remote-controlled drapes remind you this is a hotel built for the modern traveler, too. It truly has all the modern conveniences you'd want, layered over that historic imprint giving you the perfect blend of both worlds, and we really felt that embraced in every corner of our stay. The hotel's dining options alone are worth the trip. Gabrielle, the two-tiered signature restaurant, opens onto sweeping terraces overlooking Marion Square. We had a delicious dinner and a wonderful espresso martini to close out the evening. Then there's Camellias, an
Hotel Bennett
Rémy Fünfrock, Executive Pastry Chef
Tallest rooftop Pool in Charleston
entirely pink champagne-and-caviar lounge outfitted with reclaimed marble from the original Charleston Library. This was my favorite room in the hotel and it's become one of the most photographed rooms in the city. It is as popular for afternoon tea as for a glass of champagne. Fiat Lux is the hotel's rooftop pool bar, pouring ocean-inspired cocktails with sweeping skyline views. La Pâtisserie brings a slice of Paris to King Street, serving pastries from a Frenchtrained pastry chef. As a late night treat, we did indulge in the famous Ruby and it was well worth the calories. “This dessert is named for my daughter, Ruby. It's a celebration of the flavors she loves most: rich dark and milk chocolate, lifted by bright raspberry. Vanilla has always been a magical ingredient for me, so a silky vanilla cream brings it all together. The result is a balance of a father's love and a daughter's joy. At the heart of it is a flourless chocolate sponge, wrapped in layers of color, texture, and flavor. I wanted the Ruby to be enjoyed by as many people as possible, so I designed it as gluten nut free. The one thing I could not leave out was the butter and cream. I am French. Some traditions are simply too delicious to break.” Rémy Fünfrock, Executive Pastry Chef at Hotel Bennett CONTINUED > OCTOB ER 2 0 2 6 | C I TYL I FE STYL E . C OM/WO O D STO C K
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“We've known all our lives we Bookshelf in Suite as ode to library
Beyond the plate, Hotel Bennett's amenities read like a checklist for the ultimate Charleston escape: the largest heated rooftop pool in the city, with pastel-painted private cabanas inspired by Rainbow Row. We enjoyed a full lazy afternoon sipping cocktails and snacking there. Also there is a full-service spa with luxury treatments and a state-of-the-art fitness center and more than 20,000 square feet of event space anchored by the 30-foot Crown Ballroom. We had the pleasure of experiencing all of it as hotel guests, and we weren't disappointed once. It's easy to see why Hotel Bennett has earned a reputation as one of the top hotel experiences in the country. It isn't just the marble and the champagne, although that's reason enough to visit. It's that every detail, from the concierge team to the turndown service, was built around genuine Southern hospitality. I come back to the staff as the property's defining feature: the team that remembers names, anticipates needs, and treats every visit like a homecoming rather than a transaction. We were greeted by first name at every turn, and we learned many of the staff's stories being local college students who never wanted to leave the city and many who have remained at the hotel for years. Everyone there seems to genuinely enjoy serving others, and it shows. “I stayed here before I ever worked here. My school put me up at Hotel Bennett my senior year of college while our apartment was being finished, and the staff made me feel looked after at a moment in my life when nothing else felt settled. When a job opened up, I jumped at it. I wanted to be the person who does that for someone else.” Bambi Barr, In-Room Dining at Hotel Bennett For Bennett, the hotel was never a business venture, it was a love letter to his hometown, decades in the making. "We've known all our lives we lived in the most beautiful city in the world, today Charleston is at her best " he said. There's no doubt this will not be our last visit to Hotel Bennett and I recommend you take the short drive over to experience how history and luxury have emerged together in one remarkable place. Hotel Bennett: 404 King Street, Charleston, SC hotelbennett.com
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T R AV E L J OU R N A L | TRAV E L
lived in the most beautiful city in the world, today Charleston is at her best” Michael Bennett
Suite level terrace
Gabrielle dinner Champagne at Camellias
Michael Bennett, his mom and family portrait art Hotel Bennett
Suite bathroom
The Grand Lobby
First day check-in champagne
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PINK IN OCTOBER: WOODSTOCK SHOWS UP for Breast Health
WOODSTOCK’S HEALTH CENTER OPENS ITS DOORS FOR FREE SCREENINGS AND SUPPORT ARTICLE BY WOODSTOCK CITY LIFESTYLE
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H EA LT H Y LIF E ST Y LE | L IF E + CU LT U RE
Every October, the waiting room at the Cherokee County Health Department's Woodstock Health Center fills with a little more pink than usual — and a lot more purpose. It's Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and for one of North Georgia's busiest health centers, that means throwing open the doors for two of the most anticipated events of the year. This October, the Woodstock Health Center, located at 7545 North Main Street, Suite 100, will once again host its Breast Cancer Awareness Days on [DATE] and [DATE], offering free breast exams to women ages 40 to 64 — and to any woman who's noticed a concerning change and wants peace of mind, regardless of age. Pap smears are available for those who need them, and referrals for mammograms are provided on the spot. But it's about more than the exam room. Walk through those doors and you'll find educational literature on early detection, staff ready to walk you through the signs and symptoms every woman should know, and a genuine welcome that makes an intimidating topic feel a little more manageable. There's even a goodie bag and a raffle for prizes — small touches that turn a health screening into something closer to a community gathering. For women without insurance or the means to cover a mammogram, the center offers enrollment in the Breast and Cervical Cancer Program (BCCP) right there on-site, helping ensure cost is never the reason someone skips a screening that could save her life. Appointments are required, so mark your calendar and call ahead: (770) 928-0133. One in eight women in the U.S. will face a breast cancer diagnosis in her lifetime. This October, the Woodstock Health Center is doing its part to make sure early detection — and a little extra support — is within reach for every woman in our community.
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A Glass Apart: T h e P r i va te S o m m F i n e W i n e ARTICLE BY WOODSTOCK CITY LIFESTYLE PHOTOGRAPHY BY ALBRIGHT PHOTOGRAPHY
Kory and his dad, Kevin Luebke
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A RT IST ’S PA LE T T E | FO OD + BE VE RAGE
Private Somm Fine Wine
As the leaves turn and the season shifts toward cozy dinners and holiday gatherings, there's no better guide to the perfect bottle than Kory Luebke. Our Food & Drink issue celebrates these flavors of the season worth savoring this fall. Tucked into downtown Woodstock is a shop that feels less like retail and more like an invitation to slow down, taste something new, and talk about it with someone who has spent a lifetime chasing that exact conversation. That's the world Kory Luebke has built at Private Somm Fine Wine, and as one of the only Certified Sommeliers in Cherokee County, he's bringing a rare level of expertise to a neighborhood he calls home. Kory's path to wine didn't start with wine at all, it started with coffee, and a simple hunger to understand how things are made. "I began really digging in with coffee and truly enjoyed learning everything I could about the process of growing, production and roasting," he says. That same curiosity eventually pulled him toward the glass, and he never looked back. "I quickly began to realize how large this world was and how much there was to discover." It was his first mentor in the hospitality industry, a sommelier himself, who pushed Kory toward the Court of Master Sommeliers, one of the most demanding certification paths in the beverage world. Of its four levels, Kory has passed the first two, Introductory and Certified, and completed the coursework required to attempt the third. For now, he's chosen to pause there. "The dedication of time required to pursue the higher levels is so great that, for the moment, I have decided to pause any goals of reaching higher levels. I want to pour my time and energy into my family and the shop."
WOODSTOCK’S MASTER OF THE POUR, A PASSPORT TO THE WORLD OF WINE JUST IN TIME FOR FALL
Before opening his own doors, Kory earned his stripes at some of the most demanding tables in the country, including Augusta National Golf Club and top Atlanta restaurants. Those years, he says, shaped everything about how Private Somm operates today. "This hospitality is ingrained in who I am now because of my extensive background at these highlevel establishments," he explains. "The people I have met, the mentors I have had and continue to have, and the lessons I have been taught have all played a key part in how we handle the day-to-day operation of Private Somm Fine Wine." It's also where his palate was formed. Tasting some of the world's greatest wines along the way gave Kory a clear vision for what he wanted his own shelves to represent and the shop is, in many ways, a joint venture built on family. "This shop has been a joint venture between my father and I," he says. "We would not be having these conversations if it wasn't for his support and willingness to embark on this adventure with me." For Kory, opening in Woodstock was never just a business decision. He, his wife Michelle, and their three children, Kaiah, Kamila, and Kameron have deep roots here; two of their kids were born in Cherokee County, and the community holds years of family memory. "We wanted to be involved in the community on a level that opening this shop would provide," he says. "We are blessed to be part of this community, and opening Private Somm Fine Wine was an adventure we have been so excited to undertake." He's watched the local wine culture grow in recent years, and he's glad to be part of that momentum. As the seasons shift, so does what Kory reaches for. "As we move away from the
Kory and his wife, Michelle Oldest son, Kaiah, Daughter, Kamila and Baby boy, Kameron
“We are blessed to be part of this community, and opening Private Somm Fine Wine was an adventure we have been so excited to undertake.” says Kory
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Kory sharing wine that he loves best
Kory and his wife, Michelle Oldest son, Kaiah, Daughter, Kamila and Baby boy, Kameron
heat, I start gravitating towards reds that are a little heavier," he says. Lately, that's meant bottles from Ribera del Duero in Spain, where the Tempranillo grape takes center stage. "They are powerful, savory, and my favorites are filled with layers of complexity."
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Ask him about his true love, though, and the conversation always drifts to Burgundy. "This incredible region in France is the birthplace of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir," Kory says. "There is so much uniqueness and complexity in this region that no matter how many different wines you try or books you read, you never feel like you can master it." It's a corner of the wine world he's especially proud to bring to Woodstock, with both white and red Burgundy represented in the shop at every price point. Private Somm was designed to meet wine lovers wherever they are whether that's a quick stop for a bottle to go, or the start of a night out. Throughout the month, the shop hosts tastings and winemaker dinners featuring some of the industry's most respected names, with wine classes currently in the works. Everything is announced through social media and the shop's email list, making it easy for Woodstock to stay in on the next pour. For all his credentials and pedigree, Kory keeps coming back to gratitude for the city that welcomed him, and the family that made it possible. "I am incredibly grateful to the city of Woodstock for embracing our concept and what we are striving to develop here," he says. "This journey would not be possible without the love and support of my wife Michelle and my three beautiful children. They have been by my side the entire way and an immense encouragement from the very beginning." His invitation to readers is simple: stop in, pour a glass, and start talking wine. "I encourage you to come visit the shop, share a glass of wine with us, and join us along this amazing road of wine." Private Somm Fine Wine 8200 Main Street Woodstock privatesommfinewine.com
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Where Pumpkins, Praise and Neighbors Gather For Sheilah Tritt, pumpkins have always represented more than fall decorating. They are tied to childhood, family, faith and the rhythm of the seasons. Tritt, founder of Praise Pumpkins, grew up in a fifth-generation local family. As a farmer’s daughter, she anticipated the transition from watermelon season to pumpkin season, when she could cut pumpkins from the vine and carry them to the porch. Years later, a Sunday church service about the power of praise prompted a question: Why did fall decorations so often celebrate everything except Thanksgiving and
gratitude? Remembering that pumpkins symbolize harvest, abundance, generosity and thankfulness, Tritt shared her idea with Barbara Williams. Together, they created Praise Pumpkins, a luxury pumpkin concierge serving homes, businesses, schools, festivals and seasonal events across North Metro Atlanta. “We don't simply decorate with pumpkins, we design experiences,” Tritt says. Praise Pumpkins handles custom design, premium pumpkin sourcing, delivery, professional installation, seasonal maintenance and removal. The company also creates boutique pumpkin patches and photo booths that encourage people to stop, smile and make memories. The heart behind the business is connected to Woodstock. Tritt’s great-great-grandfather was among the founders and the first principal of Hickory Flat School. Her great-aunt lived on Arnold Mill Road, and her great-uncle worked as the barber at Chadwick’s Store. “What I remember most isn't a particular building; it's the feeling. Front porches were full. Neighbors knew one another. People lingered.” That feeling continues to guide every installation. Clients can select an easy experience online or work with the team to develop a more customized collection. After learning about the property, preferred style and desired experience, the team hand selects premium pumpkins and heirloom varieties, then installs the display and returns for removal at the client’s discretion. For Tritt, the finished product is about far more than appearances. “I hope children smile before they ever reach the front door. I hope neighbors stop to say hello. I hope families take the photo they'll treasure for years to come.” Most importantly, she hopes each display encourages people to pause, gather and recognize the meaning of the season. “Most of all, I hope our displays remind people that every harvest is a gift from God.”
Praise Pumpkins transforms fall decorating into welcoming experiences rooted in faith, family, gratitude, and tradition. ARTICLE BY TRAN BUI
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“ We d o n ’ t s i m p l y d e c o r a t e w i t h p u m p k i n s , we d e s i g n e x p e r i e n c e s ,” Tr i t t s a y s .
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SCARECROWS RETURN
to Main St reet Woodstock’s Favorite Fall Tradition is back just in time
ARTICLE BY WOODSTOCK CITY LIFESTYLE
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Last year's 1st place winner Spa-Venessa
There's a particular kind of magic that settles over Downtown Woodstock every October. Storefronts sprout straw-stuffed characters in top hats and flannel. Kids race down Main Street pointing out their favorites. And for one month, the whole district turns into an open-air gallery of local creativity all thanks to the Scarecrow Invasion. Registration for the 2026 Scarecrow Invasion opens Tuesday, September 1st, at 10 a.m. at the Woodstock Visitors Center. If past years are any indication, locals won't be waiting until 10 to show up. It's become a tradition of its own: eager business owners and neighbors lining up along Main Street before the doors even open, all hoping to claim a spot for their display. Most years, every available space is gone by the close of business that same day. That kind of enthusiasm is exactly what makes the Scarecrow Invasion feel less like a contest and more like a community celebration. Local businesses, nonprofits, and individuals are all invited to design and install their own scarecrow display, and registration stays open through September as long as spots remain, though the smart money says don't wait. Businesses can register for $100, while nonprofits and individuals can join in for $50. Once October arrives, the displays go up and Downtown Woodstock transforms. Visitors are invited to stroll Main Street, take in the creativity, and cast a vote for their favorite. Votes are $1 each, and are cast at the Visitors Center or directly with participating businesses. At month's end, the top displays don't just earn bragging rights; winners take home a one-of-a-kind commemorative trophy. But the fun serves a bigger purpose. Every dollar raised through registration and voting benefits INSeason, the design committee behind IN WDSTK, which works year-round to keep Downtown Woodstock beautiful by funding everything from seasonal landscaping to the holiday décor that makes this town feel like home come December. Displays go up between September 28th and October 2nd and stay through the month, and come down by November 3rd giving all of October for enjoyment and photo opportunities! To learn more, register, or find a map of this year's scarecrow locations: visitwoodstockga.com/scarecrow.
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From Daymakers to Miracle Workers Sabrina and Mike Kaylor built a recognizable brand on a question There is a stack of college notebooks in Sabrina Kaylor's house filled with coffee shops that never got built, and to understand the one she did build, you have to go back to those pages. She is the woman whose videos your daughter sends you and your mother-inlaw recognizes on sight. A younger generation found her first. She posts a lot that most owners hide, the hard months, calls, and does not stand down her language for anybody. That is why she is trusted. For Sabrina, coffee started in middle school, after talking her mother into stopping on the way to school she walked into class carrying her cup like an accessory. By senior year, she was showing up late with coffee for her first period teacher, a peace offering accepted on the condition that next time it comes with only two sugars. Her nights belonged to a Dunkin that never closed, where she and her friends talked about the lives they were going to have someday. Sabrina studied business in Florida when the notebooks started, she filled them with her plans for a coffee shop built inside shipping containers keeping them small and customer service forward. This is close to a description of what she owns today. She also met her husband Mike there, graduated in 2015 in marketing and sales, but found nothing exciting about the future spent recruiting or selling payroll. When Mike’s family drew them to Georgia she went willingly, and the two of them landed in Kennesaw working in restaurants.
ARTICLE BY JUDE PRATT PHOTOGRAPHY BY SABRINA KAYLOR
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In her free time, she painted, almost by accident, because she was bartending and serving others, she had the uneasy feeling that she was working toward helping build other people's businesses and their dreams, not hers. So, Sabrina dug out a bag of hardened acrylics left over from high school, started making things at the dining room table, and fell into it the way people do when they find the thing that bends time. When she and Mike rented a house with a spare room, that became a studio. Her first sale hung in a Marietta coffee shop and sold for a hundred dollars. From there came the farmers markets, the art markets and Yellow Daisy, with Mike hauling canvases in and out of the car working at the booth on weekends.
Sabrina and Mike Kaylor
Then 2020 shut it all down. Sabrina had already partnered with a roaster, designed a brand, and integrated her artwork into the plan and she wasn't about to spend her savings on bags and labels while the world was closed. So, she and Mike set up a Facebook Live in their living room, he called out lot numbers while she painted. They sold thirty pieces of art that evening, more than she had ever sold at one time. The business was registered in June, and when a friend told her Canton farmers market had reopened without a coffee vendor, Bizarre Coffee showed up including her paintings on the bags. Sabrina and Mike both worked other jobs, poured coffee on weekends, and this farmers market outsold every art market they had ever done. Sabrina designed the brand herself in small quiet hours, the way she still does, pulling the logo from one of her own paintings of an eye, a subject she had returned to for years because the “eyes” had always sold. CONTINUED >
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Daymaker
Bizarre was the word that would not box her in. Daymaker, came earlier, printed on the first bags before there was a counter, but friends warned her that, "How can I make your day?" was too clunky for a register checkout. She kept it, knowing the question assumes its answer. Bizarre opened first on East Marietta Street December 2020, in one hundred square feet, employing two people and then three by February. A Canton city councilman walked in that month and bought multiple gift cards from a business barely open, and the community that followed gave them room to grow and learn. They gutted and rebuilt a year and a half after later, opened their own roastery, and followed with their Woodstock location the next December in 2023. The Roswell Bizarre opened in February 2025 inside a historic mansion on Alpharetta Highway and Acworth arrives this fall. Those initial three “Daymakers” have grown to seventy five, and Mike is still by her side as a husband, dad and business partner who now helps grow what they started. Somewhere along the way Sabrina's face became the brand, although she insists it worked before anyone saw her, and today she still reads every message sent to her.
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THE BACKYARD PIZZA OVEN OBSESSION CLASSIC MARGHERITA
Serves 2 to 3 | Makes one 12-inch pizza INGREDIENTS • 1 ball pizza dough, room temperature • 3 tablespoons tomato sauce • 4 to 5 ounces fresh mozzarella, torn into pieces • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved • A handful of fresh basil leaves • Olive oil • Flaky salt
Not long ago, an outdoor pizza oven in someone’s backyard was rare, and the kind of purchase that hinted at a serious devotion to entertaining. What was once a niche indulgence has become a fixture on patios and terraces across the country, and the appeal is easy to understand once you’ve stood next to one. These ovens climb past 900 degrees, hot enough to turn out a proper Neapolitan crust in under two minutes, with the same char and blistered edge you’d find at a well-regarded pizzeria. What’s driven the shift is accessibility without any real compromise on quality. The newer generation of countertop ovens, running on gas or wood pellets, has made that level of heat achievable without a masonry install or a small fortune. The result is
a dinner party that essentially hosts itself: guests gather around the oven the way they once gathered around a fire pit, the dough gets stretched and topped in full view, and the meal becomes entertainment rather than a meal quietly assembled in a kitchen. Part of the appeal of a pizza oven is how quickly it rewards experimentation. With a cook time measured in minutes rather than hours, there’s little downside to trying an unexpected topping or a pairing you wouldn’t normally think to combine. Fig and prosciutto, hot honey and pepperoni, nothing is really off limits once the oven is hot. That said, it helps to start from a solid foundation. Below are tried and true recipes that are guaranteed to be crowd pleasers no matter who’s on the guest list.
Whichever you make first, go easy on the toppings. A hot pizza oven cooks a pie in under two minutes, and a heavy pie won’t cook through in time. Keep it light and let the oven do the work.
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INSTRUCTIONS 1. Stretch the dough into a round. 2. Spread the tomato sauce over the top, leaving the edge bare. 3. Scatter the cherry tomatoes over the sauce, then add the mozzarella in a few big clusters. 4. Bake until the crust is puffed and golden with dark spots. In an outdoor oven this takes about 90 seconds. In a home oven, bake at 500 degrees on a hot pizza stone for 8 to 10 minutes. 5. Top with fresh basil, a drizzle of olive oil, and a pinch of flaky salt.
CHICKEN PESTO WITH SUN-DRIED TOMATO Serves 2 to 3 | Makes one 12-inch pizza INGREDIENTS • 1 ball pizza dough, room temperature • 1/3 cup basil pesto, plus extra for serving • 1 cup shredded mozzarella • 1 cup cooked chicken breast, diced • 1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped • Fresh parsley, chopped • Salt and pepper INSTRUCTIONS 1. Stretch the dough and spread the pesto over the top in place of tomato sauce. 2. Top with mozzarella, chicken, and sun-dried tomatoes. 3. Bake until the cheese is melted and the crust is charred in spots. This one cooks a little faster since there’s no wet sauce, so keep an eye on it. 4. Top with parsley and serve with extra pesto on the side for dipping.
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