WE ARE FAMILY

If you’ve ever listened to Sly and the Family Stone sing their soul music, you should do yourself a solid. Put Sly on the streamer and stand up while you listen. Pretty soon you’ll be swinging like Betty does. They had a string of hits including We Are Family that had a generation moving. Wiki says that they were pivotal in the development of funk, soul, R&B, rock, and psychedelic music. The band was the first major American rock group to have a racially integrated, mixed-gender lineup. The lyrics for the band's songs were often pleas for peace, love, and understanding among people.

Speaking of family, we took the Betty and Buster show to Georgia to attend a family wedding. We stayed in Ellijay, which is north of Atlanta. Our park was pretty dang boujie. It had a really nice meeting hall complete with a bar, a “pole barn” which serves as the outdoor gathering space complete with a huge fireplace, comfy seating, two separate fire pits, an outdoor stage for performances, a fitness center, a pool, and a heated jacuzzi. The park is on someone’s list as the number 4 rated park in the nation. It was nice.

We got to attend a nephew’s rehearsal dinner on the Marietta square and the wedding just outside of Dahlonega. Both events were beautiful and the happy couple appeared to enjoy it all. The square was decorated for the holidays and is a hub of great restaurants, watering holes, jewelry stores, ice cream shops, and a great restored movie theaters called the Strand. It’s now a venue for plays, musicals, and music. We enjoyed seeing the family. By the way, Mac’s Steak House showed off with perfectly prepared food. Mac’s is located in the space that Shillings on the Square used to be, which used to be Shillings Hardware Store, The square is surrounded by beautifully restored buildings.

Dahlonega is a historic town that was a commercial center of the gold rush in Georgia. The town still likes to tout that era, but it has grown into a great getaway. It has a restored town center, music events, a series of wineries close by, and brew pubs to attract the tourists.

We took a jaunt to visit one of the local wineries. We enjoyed some grape juice and live music at Chateau Meichtry, which is located in Talking Rock. It was chilly and misty day, but we managed to warm our insides.

Okay, nap time.

Betty and Buster

The pole barn at Talona Ridge park

The Strand in Marietta

Chateau Meichtry winery in Talking Rock