Jewelry with a past
Thanks to her grandmother, Atlanta’s Edith Anne Hunt fell in love with vintage jewelry at an early age. In 2009, the Auburn University grad started Vintage Green out of a desire to give new life to old, one-of-a-kind pieces from her grandmother’s collection.
Though the jewelry line continues to change, Hunt remains committed to using vintage and antique pieces, such as Chanel chain, French buckles, fur clips and brooches, in her unique designs.
Bold pieces, like the steel buckle bracelets ($140 to $190), are popular. So are the art deco rhinestone necklaces ($120 to $200) and cuffs ($90). As a mother of a young daughter, Hunt recently created Mini Green, a collection of colorful and sweet necklaces ($38 to $42) for ages 2 to tweens.
In the Atlanta area, find Vintage Green jewelry at Peridot, 3193 Roswell Road and 1183 Howell Mill Road (simplyperidot.com). Also shop at the Honeybee, 2968 Atlanta Road SE in Smyrna (shopthehoneybee.com). In January, check the new online shop at www.vintagegreenjewelry.com. See designs on Facebook (Vintage Green Jewelry).
Southern scents
After living in New York, London and Paris for nearly 20 years, Paul Byron Downs recently started Graybill & Downs in Atlanta. Named for his grandparents, the company offers a boutique line of furniture, pillows, art and candles.
Downs, a Dunwoody native and University of Georgia grad, has created a mix of contemporary and traditional products inspired by his Southern roots. Tables, often made of Southern oak or pine, are named after streets in the Savannah area, where his grandparents once lived.
But the buzz these days is about the company’s scented candles ($45). Top sellers include English Ivy & Oak moss or Sweet Magnolia & Fig. Packaged in a recycled box with a gray satin ribbon, the 10.5-ounce candles are a blend of soy and paraffin wax and offer a gentle, sophisticated scent.
Shop online at graybillanddowns.com. In the Atlanta area, find Graybill & Downs candles at Atlanta MADE, 1187 Howell Mill Road (atlantamade.us), and at 9 Designs, 1066 Canton St., in historic Roswell (9design-home.com).
To-go treats
Atlanta natives Conor Hubbard and Suzanne Vizethann were dear friends at Riverwood High School in Sandy Springs. They hoped one day to work together. Now they do.
In 2009, Hubbard and Vizethann opened the Hungry Peach, a café and catering spot inside the Atlanta Decorative Arts Center (ADAC) in the Peachtree Hills/Buckhead area.
Open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., the café serves breakfast and lunch and offers simple, fresh versions of Southern favorites, including sweet basil chicken salad, peach cobbler cupcakes and a Southern BLT with the company’s signature pimento cheese.
For holiday and anytime treats, sample the yummy baked gifts, including the orange-glazed ginger cookies or the red velvet cookies ($22 a dozen).
For discerning chocolate lovers, grab a bag of chocolate truffle brownies ($10 for a large four-pack) at Lucy’s Market, 102 W. Paces Ferry Road in Atlanta’s Buckhead area (www.lucysmarket.com.) Also stop by the café, 351 Peachtree Hills, Suite 232, (www.thehungrypeach.com).
Best of the South
Do you have favorite finds from around the South that you give as gifts, buy for your home or rave about to friends? If so, please share them with us. Send your suggestions to: lljerkins@gmail.com. Please include your name and contact number. Also find more Southern-made products, featured in the AJC, at Southernfinds on Facebook.
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