Serenbe Stories

Latest Episodes:

Tales from the Bookshelf with Hills & Hamlets’ Josh Niesse Jun 05, 2023

Show notes

Stepping foot into the Hills & Hamlets Bookshop is like taking in a deep, calming breath. The atmosphere is warm and cozy and the shopkeepers couldn’t be friendlier or more knowledgeable. And even though the shop itself is on the smaller side, it’s packed to the brim with books from every genre you can think of including children's books, fantasy, art & architecture, urban planning, cookbooks - and even some rare & vintage finds for collectors. It’s truly something you can’t miss on your next visit.

In this episode, Monica and Steve chat with Hills & Hamlets owner Josh Niesse about getting started in the bookselling business, opening a second location here in Serenbe, and why bookshops are a great ‘indicator species’ for the health of a community.

Show Notes

Key Words: Book Store, Bookshop, Bookstore, Library, Literature, Reading, Bookworm, Serenbe, Community, Book Launch, Author, Nature, Rare Books, Vintage Books, Retail

The new book, Start In Your Own Backyard, is out and available for ordering.

Step off the treadmill of life and book a stay at the Inn at Serenbe. Use code Serenbe Stories when you book online or over the phone and receive 10% off your stay!

Learn more about Serenbe and see our Events Calendar. Order your copy of Start In Your Own Backyard: Transforming Where You Live with Radical Common Sense by Serenbe founder Steve Nygren.

Women in Aviation & The Magic of a Serenbe Potluck with Crystal Barrois May 29, 2023

Show notes

When Crystal Barrois and her husband drove down to Serenbe in late 2016, they knew they were home - despite the pouring rain. Since then, they’ve started a family here and watched their kids grow up as free range children, exploring the woods and community under the watchful eye of fellow neighbors, co-parents, and co-grandparents. It takes a village, as they say. At her day job, Crystal serves as a pilot with Delta. In an industry where women make up only 6% of the workforce, Crystal has led the charge to make aviation accessible.

In this interview, Steve and Monica learn all about Crystal’s path to Serenbe, the important work she’s doing to make aviation an industry for everyone, and we explore the magic of a Serenbe potluck.

Show Notes

Key Words: Women in Aviation, Aviation, Women Led, Delta, Delta Airlines, Family, Raising Kids, Community, Serenbe

The new book, Start In Your Own Backyard, is out and available for ordering.

Step off the treadmill of life and book a stay at the Inn at Serenbe. Use code Serenbe Stories when you book online or over the phone and receive 10% off your stay!

Learn more about Serenbe and see our Events Calendar. Order your copy of Start In Your Own Backyard: Transforming Where You Live with Radical Common Sense by Serenbe founder Steve Nygren.

Giving Back To Your Community with Philips McCarty May 22, 2023

Show notes

Philips McCarty and his family first came to Serenbe while searching for a getaway from bustling New York City life - particularly during the height of Covid, when people were longing for a connection to nature and access to open, outdoor spaces had never felt so important. Now the family splits their time between Serenbe and the city, where Philips serves as the Executive Director of the Fashion Institute of Technology’s FIT Foundation, leading initiatives in strategic philanthropy, social impact investment, and alumni affairs and engagement to support the college’s unique and unconventional heritage. He is also the founder of Good Scout, a social impact consultancy that helps companies, nonprofits, and philanthropists achieve their vision.

In this interview, Steve and Monica chat with Philips about the importance of getting involved in your local community, giving back, access to nature, and his passion for the arts.

Show Notes

Key Words: Fashion Institute of Technology, FIT, Philanthropy, Social Impact, Art, Nature, Biophilia, Serenbe

The new book, Start In Your Own Backyard, is out and available for ordering.

Step off the treadmill of life and book a stay at the Inn at Serenbe. Use code Serenbe Stories when you book online or over the phone and receive 10% off your stay!

Learn more about Serenbe and see our Events Calendar. Order your copy of Start In Your Own Backyard: Transforming Where You Live with Radical Common Sense by Serenbe founder Steve Nygren.

Great Food, Lifelong Friendships, and Sustainable Living with Stephanie Walsh & Brandon Blanchard May 15, 2023

Show notes

Eleven years ago, a fateful Google search of ‘eco-conscious communities near Atlanta’ led Stephanie Walsh & Brandon Blanchard to Serenbe. In the intervening years, they’ve become integral members of the community. They’ve both worked here - Brandon in hospitality and Stephanie as an agent with Serenbe Real Estate - built a home here, lived in every hamlet in the community, and built lifelong friendships. In this episode, Steve and Monica catch up with Brandon and Stephanie to discuss their mutual love of the outdoors, the new home they’re planning to build using the Living Building Challenge as a guideline, and how residents of all ages bond over a shared love of great food & a good old-fashioned tailgate party.

Show Notes & Further Reading

Key Words: Nature, Biophilia, Biophilic Design, Sustainability, Regenerative, Living Building Challenge, Hospitality, Culinary, Real Estate, Yoga, Serenbe, Serenbe Real Estate

The new book, Start In Your Own Backyard, is out and available for ordering.

Step off the treadmill of life and book a stay at the Inn at Serenbe. Use code Serenbe Stories when you book online or over the phone and receive 10% off your stay!

Learn more about Serenbe and see our Events Calendar. Order your copy of Start In Your Own Backyard: Transforming Where You Live with Radical Common Sense by Serenbe founder Steve Nygren.

Introducing Season 8 of Serenbe Stories May 08, 2023

Show notes

Serenbe Stories will be back for its 8th season on Monday, May 15th. In this new season, we’re putting the spotlight on the people who make Serenbe, well, Serenbe - from residents who have developed their own thriving businesses to the local business owners who have set up shop in the community. We’ll have new weekly episodes on Mondays dropping through mid July.

You can catch up on the first 7 seasons of Serenbe Stories anywhere you listen to podcasts and be sure to tune in for Season 8 on May 15th. Subscribe and Follow so you don’t miss an episode.

The new book, Start In Your Own Backyard, is out and available for ordering.

Step off the treadmill of life and book a stay at the Inn at Serenbe. Use code Serenbe Stories when you book online or over the phone and receive 10% off your stay!

Learn more about Serenbe and see our Events Calendar. Order your copy of Start In Your Own Backyard: Transforming Where You Live with Radical Common Sense by Serenbe founder Steve Nygren.

BONUS History Tour w/ Steve Nygren Nov 21, 2022

Show notes

In this special bonus episode of Serenbe Stories, Steve shares a quick tour of the Inn property, diving into the history of the old Farmhouse, the early days of the surrounding cottages, and how the property transitioned from weekend getaway to family home to luxury retreat.

We’ll meet at the Farmhouse, walk out onto the wraparound porch, through the Inn grounds, and end up over by the Pavilion.

Show Notes & Further Reading

The new book, Start In Your Own Backyard, is out and available for ordering.

Step off the treadmill of life and book a stay at the Inn at Serenbe. Use code Serenbe Stories when you book online or over the phone and receive 10% off your stay!

Learn more about Serenbe and see our Events Calendar. Order your copy of Start In Your Own Backyard: Transforming Where You Live with Radical Common Sense by Serenbe founder Steve Nygren.

Movement in Nature & Rich Soil with Artist Kristine Mays Nov 07, 2022

Show notes

Artist Kristine Mays’ first introduction to Serenbe happened totally by chance, when Steve attended the opening of her exhibition, Rich Soil, at the Atlanta Botanical Gardens. Now, Serenbe is the latest stop in this stunning traveling show, which comprises 29 metal wire sculptures, all of which are full of life and movement. Set in the woods at Deer Hollow Park, these pieces are meant to evoke a number of things - feminine energy, agriculture, nature, soil - with meanings as varied as the viewers themselves. In this episode, Steve and Monica catch up with Kristine about finding rejuvenation in nature, the path that led her to becoming a full-time artist, and where Rich Soil will travel next.

Show Notes

The new book, Start In Your Own Backyard, is out and available for ordering.

Step off the treadmill of life and book a stay at the Inn at Serenbe. Use code Serenbe Stories when you book online or over the phone and receive 10% off your stay!

Learn more about Serenbe and see our Events Calendar. Order your copy of Start In Your Own Backyard: Transforming Where You Live with Radical Common Sense by Serenbe founder Steve Nygren.

Serenbe Kids: Halloween Mini-Sode Oct 31, 2022

Show notes

All October long, Serenbe might as well be known as Halloweentown. As you walk through the neighborhood, you’ll see homes decorated with gravestones, inflatable pumpkins and monsters, zombies, and more than a few ghosts. On Halloween itself, there are costume contests, kids and parents alike bobbing for apples, and one of our favorite shops, Hamlin, is especially famous for creating immersive Halloween experiences year after year. In the latest Serenbe Kids podcast, Reese chats with her buddy Lily about all of the traditions that make this such a noteworthy Serenbe holiday, the trick-or-treating route of champions, and the hallmarks of a successful, spooky costume.

The new book, Start In Your Own Backyard, is out and available for ordering.

Step off the treadmill of life and book a stay at the Inn at Serenbe. Use code Serenbe Stories when you book online or over the phone and receive 10% off your stay!

Learn more about Serenbe and see our Events Calendar. Order your copy of Start In Your Own Backyard: Transforming Where You Live with Radical Common Sense by Serenbe founder Steve Nygren.

Pollinators, Songbirds, and Creepy Crawlies with Thomas Peters Oct 24, 2022

Show notes

This week on Serenbe Stories, we’re chatting with Thomas Peters, Sernebe’s Director of Landscape and Horticulture, all about the creatures that call Serenbe home - from songbirds and butterflies to snakes and other creepy crawlies (Halloween is just around the corner, after all). Thomas joined the Serenbe team in 2017 after receiving his Master’s degree in Landscape Architecture from the University of Georgia. In his time here, he has played a central role in implementing natural approaches to landscape management, planting pollinator habitats for a thriving local ecosystem, and ensuring that Serenbe remains a place where people embrace the natural world. In addition to our discussion about Serenbe’s wildlife, we also talk about Thomas’s lifelong passion for the outdoors and how we can all learn to value nature in its many forms.

Show Notes & Further Reading

Landscape Architecture at the University of Georgia
R. Alfred “Alfie” Vick (University of Georgia)
Art Farm Environment
Chattahoochee Hills is now an official bee city (Art Farm at Serenbe)
The Well Placed Weed by Ryan Gainey
Birding Georgia by Giff Beaton
A Time to Sow (Life at Serenbe Blog)
Losing the Lawn (Life at Serenbe Blog)
Every Day is Earth Day at Serenbe (Life at Serenbe Blog)

The new book, Start In Your Own Backyard, is out and available for ordering.

Step off the treadmill of life and book a stay at the Inn at Serenbe. Use code Serenbe Stories when you book online or over the phone and receive 10% off your stay!

Learn more about Serenbe and see our Events Calendar. Order your copy of Start In Your Own Backyard: Transforming Where You Live with Radical Common Sense by Serenbe founder Steve Nygren.

Creating A Sense of Place: Walking Tour with Steve Nygren Oct 17, 2022

Show notes

As you wander through Serenbe’s hamlets, taking in the details, the architecture, and feeling nature all around you, you can’t help but feel a true sense of place. Placemaking is the process of building high-quality spaces that encourage learning, play, happiness, and health - it’s the intentionality that’s been built into Serenbe’s model from day one. In this special episode of Serenbe Stories, join Steve Nygren for a walking tour of the community and learn all about how he designed the public areas and community at large in order to promote connection to nature, wellness, and a sense of community. We’ll start at the Blue Eyed Daisy, move through Selborne and Grange, and end in Mado. Whether you’re listening at home, in your car, or joining us for a walk through Serenbe, we hope you enjoy this placemaking tour!

Show Notes

Nygren Placemaking
Blue Eyed Daisy
Ryan Gainey
Creating Art Out of the Ordinary with Ryan Gainey (Serenbe Stories)
Land Planning and Sacred Geometry’s Influence with Phil Tabb (Serenbe Stories)
Last Child in the Woods by Richard Louv
Shannon Lake
Peter Block
Gordon Chandler
Serenbe Planning and Design
Aspen Institute

The new book, Start In Your Own Backyard, is out and available for ordering.

Step off the treadmill of life and book a stay at the Inn at Serenbe. Use code Serenbe Stories when you book online or over the phone and receive 10% off your stay!

Learn more about Serenbe and see our Events Calendar. Order your copy of Start In Your Own Backyard: Transforming Where You Live with Radical Common Sense by Serenbe founder Steve Nygren.

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