Pollinators, Songbirds, and Creepy Crawlies with Thomas Peters

Serenbe had been on Frank and Christine Egan’s radar for years before they eventually uprooted their busy lives on Long Island and moved all the way down to rural Georgia. However, when you hear their full story, it’s not all that surprising that this is where they landed. In addition to running a successful orthodontics practice, Frank and Christine have been longtime advocates for local food, sustainable living, and a balanced approach to wellness that includes lots of time spent outdoors. 

In this episode, we chat about Dr. Frank’s new orthodontics practice in Mado, Christine’s inspiring approach to health and wellness, and the way that they’ve embraced all things Serenbe. 

Show Notes

• Orthodontics at Serenbe
• The Healthy Girl’s Guide to Breast Cancer
• Redefining Healthy
• Serenbe Real Estate 
• Community Supported Agriculture (Life at Serenbe blog)
• She’s Training for a Giant Climb Whether It Happens or Not (Wall Street Journal)

Key Words: Health, Wellness, Local Food, Organic Agriculture, Local Farm, Eat Local, Breast Cancer, Cancer Survivor, Sustainable Living, Sustainability, Solar Energy, Geothermal, Biophilia, Biophilic Design, Nature Based, Hiking, Trails, Orthodontist, Orthodontics 

Juliann West first heard about Serenbe in 2014 when her brother and sister-in-law tried convincing her to move here; however, at the time, she didn’t think she would ever leave her adopted home of Seattle or the Pacific Northwest. Flash forward to 2018 and Juliann found herself back in Serenbe’s orbit, this time as the newly appointed General Manager at the Inn and Farmhouse, a demanding role that she handles with incredible calmness and composure. In fact, it’s not uncommon to hear “Juliann is the best” multiple times a day from multiple departments around Serenbe. 

This week, Stephanie Coyne is back to chat with Juliann about her approach to team building, her calm, cool, and collected demeanor, and the type of employee that tends to thrive in Serenbe. 

Show Notes

• The Inn at Serenbe
• The Farmhouse at Serenbe
• Serenbe Events Calendar 

Key Words: Serenbe, Hospitality, Hospitality Industry, Food & Beverage, Pacific Northwest, Community, Biophilia, Biophilic Design 

George Cohen was just starting out in the mortgage business in 2013 when a family friend connected him with Serenbe Real Estate. However, his journey to becoming a full-fledged resident didn't happen overnight. It was a few years later, after overcoming personal challenges and embracing sobriety, that George immediately connected with key members of the community who played a pivotal role on his road to recovery. 

In the years since, it’s safe to say that George has become so much more than Serenbe Real Estate’s preferred lender. He’s a staple of the community, who you’re likely to bump into when he’s out walking the dog, co-captaining one of our sports leagues, or playing guitar in everyone’s favorite local band. And in true Serenbe fashion, George and his wife Katrina have moved homes multiple times within the community.  In this episode, we’re joined once again by guest co-host Micah Adler to explore George’s path to Serenbe, unveil the origin stories of nicknames like El Toro and Dickie Robes, and hear why he loves working with new clients who are so excited to move here. 

Show Notes

• George Cohen AVP, Senior Mortgage Consultant
• Serenbe Events Calendar
• The Hill
• Super Geek Trivia

Key Words: Mortgage, Mortgage Lender, Sober, Sobriety, Recovery, Athletics, Community Sports, Band, Local Band, Guitar, Serenbe, Serenbe Real Estate, Community, Biophilia 

On this week’s episode of Serenbe Stories, we’re sharing an interview that Steve Nygren gave on the Glowing Older podcast, alongside their host Nancy Griffin. Serenbe has big plans to  break ground on a state of the art aging-in-place campus, designed to take down the barriers that often leave older generations siloed away from the greater community. This campus will have no gates, no locked away areas, and interestingly, no age restrictions. It will also be located in the heart of Serenbe’s Mado hamlet, connected to shops and restaurants, the new Acton Academy school campus, and plenty of health & wellness businesses and services. 

In this interview, hear about Steve’s approach to aging in place, intergenerational living, and how it all ties back to his biophilic vision for the community. 

Show Notes

• Glowing Older
• Glowing Older Podcast
• Serenbe plans innovative senior living center (Axios)

Key Words: Aging, Intergenerational Living, Aging in Place, Senior Living, Wellness, Blue Zones, Biophilic Design, Biophilia, Serenbe, Community 

Serenbe’s HR Director Stephanie Coyne is BACK for her first official Serenbe Stories takeover, where we’re putting the spotlight on our amazing employees. In today’s episode, Stephanie is catching up with Serenbe’s CFO Gil Mathis, who lives and works in the community. Gil and his wife Jeny - both longtime and beloved fixtures in the community -  first discovered Serenbe while looking for a way to mix up their typical vacation routine. What they found changed their lives. After a few visits and a fateful trip to the real estate office (it’s hard to resist) Gil left his corporate finance job and took a role with Serenbe Real Estate before transitioning into his current position as Chief Financial Officer. 

In this conversation, Stephanie chats with Gil about his family’s journey to Serenbe, his love/hate relationship with our sports leagues, his deep appreciation for an excel spreadsheet, and so much more. This one you don’t want to miss.

Show Notes

• Serenbe Events Calendar
• Serenbe Real Estate
• Super Geek Trivia
• Serenbe Careers

Key Words: Serenbe, Community, Career, Career Transition, Real Estate, Trivia, Sports Leagues, Excel, Family 

You might recognize today’s guest, Vern Yip, from shows like Trading Spaces, HGTV’s Design Star, and Deserving Design. He also runs his own design studio in Atlanta, designs a line of dog and kid-friendly furniture, has published multiple books on how to maximize your home - and he still has more TV and book projects in the works. Vern actually wrote his master’s thesis on New Urbanism, so Serenbe has been on his radar since its earliest days. After many years of spending time in the community, Vern and his husband Craig decided to make the leap to living here part-time and they’re currently building a beautiful home to retreat to with their children and seven - yes, seven - dogs. 

In this episode, Monica is joined by special guest host Garnie Nygren, to catch up with Vern about how his love of animals led him to meeting his husband, his journey to Serenbe, and why he finds so much joy in the community here.

Show Notes

• About Vern Yip
• Wag-A-Lot
• Lifeline Animal Project
• Stylish Decor and Pets Can Co-exist in Your Home. Here’s How (Denver Post)
• Vern Yip’s Design Wise
• Vern Yip’s Vacation At Home

Key Words: Design, Interior Design, HGTV, Architecture, Vern Yip, Serenbe, New Urbanism, Community, Animals, Pets, Pet Adoption 

If you’ve listened to Serenbe Stories for a while, then our guest today, Phill Tabb, will need no introduction. For those who need a refresher, Phill Tabb is Professor Emeritus of Architecture at Texas A&M University and has been involved with Serenbe since its earliest days, creating the community’s masterplan using the principles of sacred geometry. He is the author of numerous publications including Serene Urbanism: A Biophilic Theory and Practice of Sustainable Placemaking, and Biophilic Urbanism: Designing Resilient Communities for the Future. His latest is Thin Place Design: Architecture of the Numinous. This fascinating new study examines the qualities that make certain places extraordinary, magical, and profound. In this episode, Monica and Steve catch up with Phill about the emotional responses to thin places, the transformative experiences we find in nature, and the thin place experiences he has had right here in Serenbe. 

Show Notes

• Thin Place Design: Architecture of the Numinous by Phillip James Tabb 
• Serene Urbanism: A Biophilic Theory and Practice of Sustainable Design by Phillip James Tabb
• Biophilic Urbanism: Designing Resilient Communities for the Future by Phillip James Tabb
• Thin Places, Sacred Architecture, and Biophilic Patterns with Dr. Phill Tabb (Biophilic Solutions Podcast)
• Awe: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How it Can Transform Your Life by Dacher Keltner
• Rachel K. Garceau
• Nygren Placemaking

Key Words: Thin Places, Phill Tabb, Serenbe, Awe, Serenity, Emotion Wheel, Dacher Keltner, Biophilia, Biophilic Design

Giff Beaton and Allie Kelly moved to Serenbe from Atlanta six years ago, motivated by a desire to raise their twin boys closer to nature and to escape the city’s urban sprawl. By day, Giff works as a Delta pilot - but he is also an accomplished naturalist & nature photographer, authoring or co-authoring multiple books  like Birds of Georgia, Dragonflies & Damselflies, and Tiger Beetles of the Southeastern United States. Giff also leads the occasional nature walk in Serenbe, which is a can’t miss event for residents and visitors alike. 

In this interview, Steve and Monica chat with Giff about how his interest in nature began, the unique species you can find right here in our neck of the woods, and why he finds time spent in nature so grounding and calming. 

Show Notes

• Giff Beaton Website
• About Giff
• Birds of Georgia by Giff Beaton, John Parrish, and Gregory Kennedy
• Dragonflies and Damselflies by Giff Beaton 
• Tiger Beetles of the Southeastern United States by Giff Beaton, R. Stephen Krotzer, and Brian D. Holt
• Serenbe Events

Thomas Jackson is an environmental artist and photographer known for his abstract photographs that combine landscapes, sculpture, and kinetic art. Last Spring, he installed and photographed three incredible pieces in Serenbe during an artist residency with the Art Farm, in partnership with Jackson Fine Art, an Atlanta-based and world-renowned gallery with a 33-year history of supporting artists and collectors. In this interview, Steve and Monica learn about Thomas’ career trajectory from journalism to fine art, the inspiration he finds in nature, and, of course, the time he spent in Serenbe. 

This week, Thomas will be back in Serenbe for a handful of exciting events. On Friday, September 29th, join us for Art Over Dinner, an intimate evening to celebrate Thomas and his work over cocktails and dinner from The Farmhouse. Then on Saturday, September 30th, there is another chance to meet Thomas at a free public reception where his works will be on view. You can also see Thomas’ gorgeous Serenbe Series when you tour Hope Austin’s space at the Serenbe Designer Showhouse, which is open Thursday-Sunday until October 22nd. 

Show Notes

• Thomas Jackson Art Over Dinner, 9/29
• Meet & Celebrate Artist Thomas Jackson, Free Public Reception, 9/30
• Serenbe Designer Showhouse
• Thomas Jackson Photography
• New Georgia Landscapes (Thomas Jackson x Serenbe)
• Jackson Fine Art
• The Art Farm at Serenbe

Key Words: Art, Artist, Photography, Nature Photography, Installation, Installation Photography, Thomas Jackson, Gallery, Art Gallery, Contemporary Art, Serenbe, Nature, Artist in Residence

Since 2014, Serenbe has partnered with Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles Magazine for our annual designer Showhouse. Every year, a selection of Atlanta’s top interior designers take over a new home within the community and we open up the space for tours. For the past ten years, every home has been absolutely breathtaking - and the best part? Each one is completely different from the last. Our guests today, Elizabeth Ralls and Lauren Iverson, have been absolutely central to this exciting annual event and partnership. Elizabeth is the former Editor-In-Chief of Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles and currently serves as the magazine’s publisher. Lauren started out as the Managing Editor and Brand Specialist before taking over the Editor-In-Chief role. 

In this episode, Steve and I chat with Elizabeth and Lauren about the early days of the Serenbe Showhouse, reminisce on our favorite homes of years past, and give our listeners a sneak peak of our 10th Annual Showhouse, which opens for tours on September 29th.

You can purchase tickets to our Toast & Tour Preview Party on September 28th or for Showhouse Tours starting on September 29th through October 22nd. 

Show Notes

• Serenbe Showhouse Toast & Tour Preview Party September 28th
• Showhouse Tours September 29th - October 22nd
• About the Serenbe Showhouse
• Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles
• Atlanta Holiday Home
• Southeastern Designer Showhouse
• Art Over Dinner Featuring Thomas Jackson September 29th
• Thomas Jackson Gallery Opening September 30th
• Tertulia Music, Wine, and Design October 6th
• Serenbe Planning & Design 

Key Words: Design, Interior Design, Interior Designers, Architecture, Showhome, Showhouse, Serenbe, Magazine, Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles Magazine, Atlanta Homes, Lifestyle, Stylish Living