Biz Buzz in Madison and Morgan County Georgia!

Art, Artists and Art Lovers Gather at Town 220!

2010-10-08T06:50:00.001-07:00

Last night was the opening exhibit of Aislin's Bouquet From the Garden of the Fall. Celebrating the Garden as metaphor and inspiration. This exhibit will be on display at Town 220 in Madison, Ga., until Jan. 29, 2011 and is a must-see exhibit of fantastic art! Exhibiting Artists: Greg Benson, Andy Cherewick, Tex Crawford, Dana Downs, Erin Duncun, Ryan Griffin, Ann Hamlin, Steve Hinton, Matt Holcomb, Don Jolley, Robert Lowery, David Jenkins, Mary Frances Flanders, Mary Leslie, Melin Foscue Miller, Masakatsu Nakagawa, Barbara Odil, Marshall Reddoch, Brian Reade, Father Anthony Salzman, Sam Seawright, Jeanne Wesson and Lamar Wood! The slide show below does not do this exhibit justice. You must see it for yourself! You'll be so glad you did!

Art Celebrating the Garden at Town 220 in Madison

2010-10-08T06:49:00.001-07:00

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ABC Network World News With Diane Sawyer in Madison

2010-10-06T09:44:00.000-07:00

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World News With Diane Sawyer Highlights Madison

2010-10-06T06:24:00.000-07:00

Rhonda Smith of the Spa at the James Madison in downtown Madison Georgia is gonna be a bona fied star on ABC Network's World News With Diane Sawyer tonight, Oct. 6 or tomorrow Oct. 7 at 7 p.m. Rhonda is one of three Georgians the network is featuring about a story they're doing on Georgia Work$, a Georgia Department of Labor program designed to offer on-the-job training. Y'all check it out!

Pictured above is ABC Correspondent Steve Osunsami of Atlanta with Madisonian Rhonda Smith! Of course Steve has his copy of Lake Oconee Living magazine!

Fall Kitchen Tour

2010-09-20T10:50:00.000-07:00

Thanks to all of the FANTASTIC shops, businesses and restaurants that advertised in the Citizen's Fall Kitchen Tour Supplement! We can't do what we do without out! :)

Biz Buzz Movie Night, Madisonolopy and More!

2010-09-16T05:24:00.000-07:00

Biz Buzz
By Dianne Lively Yost

Coffee on the front porch! Ahhh . . . a blue, blue sky with a cool Fall breeze! Honey it just don’t get any better than … Momma! Oh My Ever Livin’ . . . Somebody pinch me! This is far, far too fantastical! I’m talkin’ coffee-spurtin’-out-of-the nose FANTASTICAL! Where in the Sam Hill did you get that silver DeLorean DMC-12 that’s been modified into a Time Machine powered by radioactive Plutonium to generate 1.21 gigawatts of power that fuels the Flux Capacitator device? I absolutely LOVE it! Come on Momma! Let’s head back in time to June 29, 1993 when the Georgia Lottery was first launched and win the ding dang ticket! Goodbye poor modest lifestyle! Hello filthy rich luxurious fab world! I reckon I’m gonna have to learn to speak all hoity-toity! Note to self: Get Rosetta Stone’s Rich Southern People language learnin’ CD set and sign up for Charm School at Perfectly Polished for Adults! Let’s go Momma! I can already see the diamonds flashin’! Two minutes later. WHOOSH . . . .WHOOSH! Now that’s what I call a ROUND TRIP! Hey! The house looks the exact same! I thought we’d be livin’ in a Mega-Mega-Madison-Mansion! Ding dang it, Momma! What’d you do with our lottery winnin’s? What’d mean you thought I had it? Well shoot fire!
That’s right y’all! Saturday, Sept. 25 is Movie Night featurin’ Back to the Future! It all starts at dusk so bring a blanket, your best friends, a cooler, picnic or whatever ‘cause this is gonna be so much fun under the stars! Check out the ad and calendar listin’ in this newspaper for the list of sponsors and more intel! Oh and Ella’s Sweet Shoppe located across from Town Park is gonna stay open durin’ the ENTIRE movie servin’ up fab treats! Can’t wait!
Hey! If I can’t be a mega millionaire in real life I’ll just play one on my very own MADISONOPOLY board game! Y’all heard me flat right! Jennifer Palmer of Madison just popped over to the Citizen to give me the scoop and it’s flat awesome! Ok so the deal is this: The First United Methodist Church Preschool came up with the best fundraisin’ idea ever! So anyway, they are creatin’ our very own Madisonopoly Board Game that features local businesses and landmarks! Jennifer says this has turned into so much more than a fundraiser! I mean, y’all! It will be a collector’s item! A piece of history! We’re all gonna have to get this game for Christmas! It’s only $25 and you can pre order now! There will be a limited number made so get it immediately! Plus if you’re a local business and want to be part of this fab game or to order the game, call Jennifer at 919-649-0976 or call the preschool at 706-343-9988. And you’d best hurry ‘cause game spots are goin’ fast! Oh and guess what the money is gonna be? Madison Downtown Dollars! Oh and Madison artist, website creator extraordinaire and designer Chris Cook is designin’ the game! I flat can’t wait! Ok Chris: Please, please pretty please make up a card that says: You were just Buzzed in the Morgan County Citizen’s Biz Buzz Column - Move five spaces! I flat love it!
Hey and speakin’ of good news, the Ice House Restaurant is fixin’ to reopen! That’s right y’all! Ok so Rich and Donna Pesce, owners of three Luigi’s Pizza restaurants located in Lake Oconee, Covington and Dacula are now operatin’ The Ice House Restaurant in Madison and The Tavern (soon to be known as Magnolia Gardens) on Lake Oconee! The Ice House menu ain’t gonna change much ‘cause honey you don’t fix what ain’t broke! The best part is that we’re gonna get back some jobs that were lost when the restaurant closed! Check out the story in this week’s newspaper and keep look for reopenin’ updates in this column!
Who needs a DeLorean when I can win me a 1978 Alfa Romeo convertible? Yay! Y’all! This is the coolest car EVER! Ok so the deal is this: The Companion Animal Rescue Inc. is sellin’ tickets to win this fab car for $100 per ticket! They’re only gonna sell 200 tickets so your chances of winnin’ are right good! For tickets, y’all call Donna Prior at 706-818-0144 or head over to Laughing Moon or In High Cotton for tickets! Won’t the Biz Buzz look oh so cool drivin’ this car all ‘round town? Yes!
Hey and y’all don’t forget to check out the car show this Sunday, Sept. 19 from 10 a.m. til 4 p.m. in downtown Madison!
I flat have run outta space once again! But, don’t worry y’all! There’s tons more Biz Buzz to tell and I’ll Tell It next week! But, before I go y’all visit www.lakeoconeelivingmag.com and vote in Lake Oconee Living magazine’s 2010 Readers’ Choice Lake Oconee Awards! Ok! That’s a wrap! Y’all be real sweet to momma, shop local and advertise in the Morgan County Citizen if you want the newspaper with the super largest local circulation EVER! I’ll see all y’all next week: Same time. Same Number One Weekly Newspaper in the Great State of Georgia.

Biz Buzz Concert in Town Park, Barkin' Dog Shoe Co.

2010-09-11T15:11:00.000-07:00

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Biz Buzz

2010-09-11T08:34:00.000-07:00

Momma! Now don’t go slappin’ out-of-towners, but do you see that girl over there in the white go-go boots? Lord Have Mercy! The Fool! Outlaw! The fashion police are gonna throw her in the slummy slammer! Honey, every Southern girl knows you can’t wear white shoes after Labor Day unless you’re in the health care industry or unless it’s that slightly off-white color called Winter White! Dang! But, y’all! Thank goodness the no-white law don’t apply to everything ‘cause I flat can’t wait to put on my fantabulously fashionable and wickedly white jacket my handsome husband gave me for my birthday! Honey, this Tribal jacket rocks and there are still some left at Amelia’s located at 172 South Main Street in Madison! Anyhow it’s made of this fantastic white pleather that looks and feels just smack like leather! No one will know. I promise! Plus you can wash it! Y’all get over there and check out all the new fall fashions at Amelia’s like the new line Renuar! Talk about sexy jackets, skirts and tops! Mercy! Get me my handsome husband’s credit card before I have a conniption fit!
Ok! So since The Man made me work on Labor Day I made the best of it by doing what I do best: Shopping while pretending to sell ads for the Morgan County Citizen! Yeah! So anyway, I popped on over to Barkin’ Dog Shoes located at 172 South Main Street next to Amelia’s in Madison to see owner Vickie Hunt and check out the hottest boots to kick up a fuss in Morgan County! They’re those famous Frye Boots and honey I’ve got first dibs on the tall harness style! Ding dang y’all! As soon as I get me my Frye Boots, I’m gonna have to buy me a horse to go with them! And, then I reckon I’ll have to buy me some farm land and a barn! Lord! Then I’ll can get me some chickens and have my very own locally laid eggs! Talk ‘bout a complete outfit! Y’all get over there and check out those fab boots immediately! Oh but I nearly forgot to tell y’all the best part! Vickie is already workin’ on her spring line and honey we’re all gonna be starrin’ in the movie Walkin’ Tall! That’s ‘cause she’s gonna carry this gloriously chic brand called Born Crown and they’ve got heels, heels, heels and then some wedges! Oh. My. Gosh! Y’all are gonna love Spring!
New Tea in Town. Get your pinkies in position y’all! No! The Queen of England is not comin’ to Morgan County, although she sure dang should! The big news is that we’re gonna get us a proper tea room right smack dab in Madison! The Madison Tea Room and Garden is gonna be located in the former Madison Museum of Fine Arts building at 290 Hancock St., right down from the fabulous Madison Produce Co.! Ok so I spoke with owner Catherine Russel the other day and she said they’re gonna start remodeling in October and are shootin’ to open in December! Won’t that be fantastic? To get an idea of what it’ll be like, Catherine said for y’all to check out her Franklin Village Tea Room in Franklin, Mich., by visitin’ www.franklinvillagetea.com! It’s just beautiful! I can’t wait to see what Catherine is gonna do right here in Morgan County! Y’all keep watchin’ this column for updates!
Hey and Lorenze and Alison Tremonti of Ella’s Sweet Shoppe located at 191 West Jefferson St., in Madison wanted me to tell y’all they are hostin’ birthday bashes like nobody’s business! Honey, they’ll do it all so you won’t have to! Love it! Good gosh y’all! They’ve even got a life-sized Candy . . . I mean Ella’s Sweet Land Game for the kids to play! It’s oh so cool! If you haven’t checked out this fantastic new addition to Madison, you flat don’t know what you’re missin’! Delish gelato! Scrumptious chocolates! Classic candies! Birthday room! Lord have mercy! Hey and you can now help Ella’s raise money for the Morgan County High School Cheerleaders by gettin’ ticket to win a super fab $350 value prize! Ding dang! Tickets are $5 or 5 for $20! Perf! Go get it today!
Yikes! I’m runnin’ outta space and I ain’t done yet! That’s right! Madison Main Street Director Ann Huff wanted me to remind y’all ‘bout the concert in Town Park this Thursday night! Be there or be square! Hey and y’all all had best sign up to compete in the upcomin’ Chili Cookoff come October! The Citizen’s Hot Off The Presses team is comin’ back this year for a win so watch out! Check out the Chili Cookoff ad in this newspaper for details!
Hey and y’all don’t you dare forget to buy your tickets to the upcomin’ Fall Kitchen Tour hosted by the Madison Morgan Chamber of Commerce on Sept. 17 and 18! It’s gonna be fantastically fun! Call the Chamber at 706-342-4454 to get your tickets which will be good for both tour days! What a deal!
Whew! Made it out alive! I’ve gotta scoot over to the Citizen’s Sports section to get the scoop on last Friday night’s fantastic Morgan County High School Football Game! Y’all be real sweet to Momma, support our advertisers with your dollars honey and I’ll see all y’all next week: Same time. Same Number One Newspaper in the Great State of Georgia!

Lake Oconee Living Reader's Choice Awards!

2010-09-05T09:08:00.001-07:00

Lord have MERCY! Voting has begun for Lake Oconee Living magazine's Reader's Choice Awards at www.lakeoconeelivingmag.com! The popularity of this magazine is nothing short of exciting! We had some 3,000 people submit nominations. I'm talkin' we had to get extra staff to help with data entry! We ended up with nearly 1,000 businesses in this year's survey! This is just one example of popularity, the broad circulation and world-class quality of Lake Oconee Living. We're so blessed to have the best editors, designers, writers and advertisers in Georgia working and involved with this important magazine! Y'all check out the website!

Citizen Biz Buzz

2010-09-02T02:51:00.000-07:00

Check out this week's Biz Buzz column at www.morgancountycitizen.com!

Biz Buzz & Le Petit Jardin & Whidby Jewelers

2010-09-01T19:01:00.000-07:00

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Morgan County Citizen Named No. 1 - AGAIN!

2009-06-08T08:15:00.000-07:00

The Morgan County Citizen once again took home the First Place title in General Excellence in this year's Better Newspaper Contest sponsored by the Georgia Press Association! We won so many awards for writing, design, photography and coverage that I couldn't even count 'em! Congrats to our fantastic, honest staff who works so hard to cover our beautiful county and all of the people who live in it!

Read all about it in Thursday's Biz Buzz in the Morgan County Citizen!

2009-05-04T13:56:00.000-07:00

The Madison-Morgan Cultural Center's Madison in May Bicentennial Tour of Home's was a smashing success! Tour participants were not only treated to a fantastic collection of homes, but to grand exhibits at the Cultural Center. Pictured above are women from Atlanta and Macon visiting the Many Faces of Madison portrait exhibit. Congrats to the organizers and volunteers and thanks to all the home owners and all of the FANTASTIC businesses who advertised in the Morgan County Citizen's special supplement! Our supplements go a long way in promoting the tour and Madison and we couldn't do it with out YOU!

Taxman

2009-04-15T10:44:00.001-07:00

2009 Madison in May Bicentennial Tour of Homes

2009-04-11T07:32:00.000-07:00

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Madison In May Bicentennial Tour of Homes

2009-04-11T07:26:00.000-07:00

The 2009 Madison in May Bicentennial Tour of Homes, sponsored by the Madison-Morgan Cultural Center, is going to be one of the most celebrated tours in history! Many of these homes are never open to the public! The tour takes place this year Friday, May 1 (10 a.m. - 5 p.m.), Saturday, May 2 (10 a.m. - 5 p.m.) and Sunday, May 3 (1 p.m. - 5 p.m.). There also will be a wine and cheese reception for tour participants on Friday and Saturday from 4 p.m. until 6 p.m. Fabulous, fabulous, fabulous! Get tickets by calling the Cultural Center at 706-342-4743 or toll free at 877-233-0598. You can also order tour tickets online by visiting www.mmcc-arts.org! Check out the slide show above to see the fabulous homes on tour!

Free Diet & Fitness Programs!

2009-03-23T05:49:00.000-07:00

Getting healthy has never been easier or less costly! I have just discovered some really fantastic websites to help you lose weight and stay fit! The best part? Honey, they're free, free, free! My favorite is www.sparkpeople.com! Y'all have got to check it out! You can manage your nutrition, fitness and more from the web and from your phone! It's easy and is frankly the best diet/fitness website I've ever seen! It has free fitness videos, it will create a fitness/diet plan for you and much, much more. Oh and the reason it's free is because the website's founders hit it big when ebay went public and this is their way of giving back! I absolutely love it! Oh and for great healthy meals, hit www.cookinglight.com! It's the best and is also free! Another site to check out is www.fitday.com . . . also free! Check 'em out y'all!

Snow Show! Enjoy!

2009-03-03T07:46:00.000-08:00

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Snow!

2009-03-03T07:40:00.001-08:00

I'm so glad to be back in Madison! What an unexpected joy we were treated to on Sunday! I hope you enjoy the slideshow from my long walk in the snow!

For those of you who have missed my column, I've been out helping my family in Huntsville and will leave again to help my sister who is having surgery Wednesday in Birmingham to heal her breast cancer . . . Then I'm off again to Huntsville to help my Dad who is getting a new pacemaker! I'll return to my column in two weeks! Until then, please keep forwarding your Biz Buzz news to pdyost@aol.com and put Biz Buzz in the subject line! Take care!

Action! Movie Stars in Madison

2009-01-25T12:16:00.001-08:00

Ok y'all! Hollywood's done come to town! Read all 'bout it in my Biz Buzz column this week! Oh and some of y'all noticed that I didn't have a column in last week's paper! I had to help out my momma in Huntsville, Ala.! She's doing much, much better and I flat can't wait for y'all to read my column on all the movie star fuss shakin' up Madison!

Madison Bicentennial Ball -- Unforgettable!

2009-01-11T11:24:00.000-08:00

It was a night like no other (scroll down to see slide show below)! The Madison Bicentennial Ball was perhaps the most magnificent evening I've ever experienced! The gowns were to-die-for beautiful . . . we even had a guest dressed in Scarlett O'Hara's green velvet curtains! The men in their formal tuxes were handsome and impressive but we absolutely loved those fabulous kilts!

This unforgettable evening would never have been possible without the Bicentennial Ball Committee composed of Christine D. Lambert, Chair, Ginger Gardner, Mary McCauley and Carole Vernon. Of course the City of Madison team of Ann Huff, Ken and Monica (Callahan) Kocher, Lori Stapp, Julee Wagner and Amanda Vernon spent countless hours to ensure a perfect evening.

The setting at the Madison-Morgan Cultural Center was in a word: Exquisite! Mostly lit by candlelight, the tables were set with large candle operas, beautiful flower arrangements, crystal and silver. Magic! Each table was named for a former Madison Mayor. Lee Epting of Epting Events in Athens catered the event and did a masterful job, with the staff including Lee Epting himself dressed in period outfits! The flowers arrangements were made by members of our very own Church of the Advent Flower Guild and the flowers and greenery used came from our own back yards with the exception of the fabulous hydrangeas!

The menu was like traveling back in time 200 years! It all started out with Oxtail Soup which was the most delicious tasting appetizer I've had in years! The Entree included Pork Tenderloin served with cranberry chutney; Roasted Quail with apple nut stuffing; Garlic Baked Oysters; Sauteed green beans; Butternut Squash Gratin with goat cheese & Hazelnuts; and Beaten Biscuits, a traditional southern biscuit that dates back to the days before baking powder and baking soda were available! Dessert was a fabulous Pear Tart presented with a sweet cream sauce. It was all Divine!

The Atlanta Seventeen Orchestra played Big Band music that literally had everyone on their feet swingin' to the beat! Our very own Stan DeJarnett sang and played with the band!

I hope you enjoy the slide show below, in spite of the some fuzzy photos -- just consider them art! It is rather long and the music will repeat several times! Also, the Morgan County Citizen is constantly updating the slide show using photos taken from the glamorous people who attended the event! Special thanks goes out to Kay Argroves, Allison Bourgeois and Shelagh Reitman who shared their wonderful photos! Also, the photos from the Citizen's Award-Winning Photographer Angelina Bellebuono are now included in the slide show. Y'all can now save photos or download a copy of the slide show as a keepsake! Thanks and enjoy!

Madison Bicentennial Ball

2009-01-11T11:18:00.000-08:00

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Red Doors Studio A Big Shoppin' Hit!

2008-12-04T11:17:00.001-08:00

Check out the shoppers in Red Doors Studio and on a Sunday afternoon to boot! Yeehaw!

Rutledge for the Holidays!

2008-12-04T11:15:00.000-08:00

Hey! Y'all please check out some of the great little shops in Rutledge this holiday season! Check out all the shoppers at the Red Doors Studio! Love it!

Ok enough for today. . . y'all be sweet and remember SHOP LOCALLY . . . you might just save a business or a job! It's THAT important!

Amelia's Blow-Out After Thanksgiving Sale!

2008-11-25T18:09:00.001-08:00

Honey, Momma just got word that Amelia's, located on Main Street in Downtown Madison, is gonna have a smack down sale to end all sales right smack after Thanksgivin'! Y'all head over there after Turkey Day and SAVE, SAVE, SAVE! Oh and a little bird told me somebody out there is hatin' on the Biz Buzz in a letter to the editor in this week's award winnin' Morgan County Citizen! Honey, I'm gonna slap that boy to sleep, then slap 'em for sleepin'! Ding Dang!

Buzz 'Bout Madison & Morgan County

2008-11-19T05:53:00.000-08:00

Madison Main Street Director Ann Huff just passed along a fantastic travel article on Madison that just appeared in The Chattanoogan . . . Publicity like this just doesn't happen and it's so important to our local economy! Y'all check it out
http://www.chattanoogan.com/articles/article_139164.asp

Hey! And, speakin' of Madison Buzz . . . Monica Culqui, owner of Sartoria Monica located at 232 West Washington Street on the Madison Markets campus, is celebratin' her third anniversary with a big fat SALE! I'm talkin' 30% off! Y'all get over there immediately and check it all out Monica's fabulous hand-made sweaters, wraps and unique yarns. Oh and she also has fantastic jewelry!

Listen up y'all! Rutledge is havin' its Annual Rutledge Christmas in the Country startin' this Friday through Saturday 10-5pm and Sunday 12-5pm. Oh and honey Santa will be there on Saturday 9am-4pm at the new North Pole at City Hall! This is one of my personal favorite special Morgan County events! Rutledge always just looks picture-perfect for Christmas! Y'all head over this weekend for carriage rides, shoppin', and snowball fights in the park (only if it snows). Oh and if y'all need more intel, just call Pam Jones at 706-557-2956 or 706-557-2516! I'll see y'all there!

Town 220: This just in

2008-11-18T15:18:00.000-08:00

Town 220 will be featuring its DJ on SATURDAY, November 22nd this week instead of Friday, but will resume with Friday nights the following week. Town 220 will be featuring the D.J. Rufus Hope from 9:00—12:00 P.M. every Friday night for your
entertainment & dancing.

Now listen up y'all. . . Momma says she's gonna be over there at Town 220 on Saturday night to make sure all y'all behave! Oh and that means you Rufus! Do the Hustle!
http://www.imeem.com/imissrehab/music/lB5xFXpE/do_the_hustle/

Madison's Home for the Holidays Campaign!

2008-11-16T18:11:00.000-08:00

Honey, Madison's Main Street Director Ann Huff produced this fantastic television ad that's runnin' on regional cable stations from here to Athens to attract Holiday cheer to our downtown shops and restaurants! Y'all have flat got to check it out right this ding dang second! Just click on the video above and you'll be transported to the Number One Shoppin' Destination in Georiga! Oh and of course Ann's produced a newspaper campaign too that is appearin' in newspapers like the Number One Weekly Newspaper in the Great State of Georgia -- The Morgan County Citizen (http://www.morgancountycitizen.com/) and the Athens Banner-Herald! Ann! You're the Best Marketer Ever!

Ain't They The Cutest Barkin' Dog Entertainers EVER?

2008-11-15T15:34:00.000-08:00

Barkin' Dogs Shoe Company's Grand Openin' Was A Smashin' Success!

2008-11-15T15:25:00.001-08:00

Morgan County In Shoppin' Mode

2008-11-15T14:54:00.000-08:00

Morgan County is in full shoppin' mode! This Saturday, Nov. 15, downtown Madison was jammed packed! Honey, you couldn't even find a ding dang parkin' spot! I had to hoof it all the way up to Barkin' Dog Shoes today for the Big Grand Openin' Event! I mean there was such a mess of folks inside that store you could hardly turn around! Oh and Vicky (the owner) persuaded a couple of teenagers to entertain all the shoppers outside the store! The best part of the entire day? My brand spankin' new red MBTs! Y'all don't be hankerin' for my new MBT shoes! Go get your own!

Hot Off The Presses

2008-10-05T10:44:00.000-07:00

Chili Cook-Off

2008-10-05T10:34:00.000-07:00

Team Hot Off The Presses swept up at Madison's 4th Annual Chili Cook-Off yesterday, October 4. Team members Dianne and Grace Yost and Wendy and Morgan Mason won First Place and People's Choice! The poor and now defeated Three Amigos (who won both titles for the past two competitions) were cryin' in their chili! We are the champions my friends!