Serenbe Stories

This week on Serenbe Stories, Monica and Steve catch up with longtime Serenbe resident and Chair of the Art Farm Board, Janice Barton. Janice’s Serenbe story begins in the early days of Serenbe and in her time here, she has played a central role in bringing the arts to Serenbe’s residents and visitors. In this episode, we chat all about Janice’s own artistic expression (she is a highly talented quilter), the creativity she finds while walking the woods, and all of the exciting programming that the Art Farm has in store. Show NotesArt Farm at SerenbeArts & Crafting (Life at Serenbe blog)Curtis PattersonKristine MaysTertulia Chamber MusicAlliance TheatreTerminus Modern Ballet TheatreDad’s GarageAmerica the Beautiful Challenge (National Wildlife Foundation)Rodale InstituteRural StudioThe 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. 

Have you ever wondered why Serenbe feels special or different from the vast majority of large developments? Or why there’s a certain feeling of calm in Serenbe that you can’t quite put your finger on? It all comes down to the details. From street signs, lamp posts, and trash cans, to front lawns (or lack thereof) and a very intentional street layout, Steve Nygren shares the small details that make all the difference when it comes to achieving a sense of place, a sense of community, and perfect imperfection.Show Notes & Further ReadingThe Well-Placed Weed: The Bountiful Garden of Ryan Gainey by Ryan GaineyWelcome to the Porch Capital of America (Southern Living)Serenbe Planning & DesignSerene Urbanism: A biophilic theory and practice of sustainable placemaking by Phillip James TabbLast Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children From Nature-Deficit Disorder by Richard LouvChildren & Nature Network 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 Stories will be BACK for its 7th season on August 22nd. This new season is all about looking ahead - from Serenbe’s long-term sustainability goals to interviews with the residents, visiting artists, and friends who all make Serenbe a thriving wellness community. We even have a few episodes hosted by the kids who call Serenbe home. Make sure to follow & subscribe so you never 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. 

Overview For our final episode of this season, we're talking with nationally-recognized real estate agent and Serenbe resident Jared Sapp. In this episode, Jared shares how he found his Serenbe home through Instagram and how he worked with good friend and showroom owner Ryan Hughes to redo the home's interiors, which were featured in Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles and RUE magazines. We also talk about the pandemic real estate market, a bird who's taken up residence in his back yard, and how living at Serenbe has been life changing for him. TRanscirptThe 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. 

Shelton Davis would rather hear your story than tell his. But in today's episode we're hearing the story of his life in Serenbe and building his company Empathy Lab. Shelton believes in the power of empathy within ourselves, so he's creating a world where it's embraced by leaders at every level in order to accelerate human achievement for the benefit of all. He talks about his transformation as a competitive athlete, what it means to be an empathy coach, and how we can recondition our empathy muscles and empower collective success from the inside out.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. 

Katrina Erni not only lives at Serenbe but runs marketing for the Biophilic Institute, headquartered at Serenbe, and she's in charge of putting on the annual Biophilic Leadership Summit - happening next week, October 11 & 12. We are going to hear her Serenbe Story plus get a taste of what to expect at the Summit, that is going virtual this year.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. 

Hi Everyone, welcome back to Serenbe Stories. Today we're bringing you an episode from my podcast Biophilic Solutions, because it features one of Serenbe's residents, Sarah Milligan-Toffler. Sarah is the President and CEO of the Children and Nature Network, an organization created by Richard Louv, that reconnects kids and families with nature. In this episode, Sarah, my co-host Jennifer Walsh, and I discuss nature’s impact on brain development in early childhood, ways that we might reimagine the traditional schoolyard, and the historic barriers that have prevented underserved communities from enjoying nature’s benefits. We also dive into the tools that city officials and engaged citizens alike can use to advocate for the rights of all children have local and safe access to the outdoors. Enjoy this special interview with our neighbor Sarah.Show Notes:About the Children & Nature NetworkUrban Nature: Promoting Nature in Cities, Children & Nature NetworkCreating Systems Level Change in Cities: A Toolkit, Children & Nature NetworkAdvancing Equity in Children’s Connections to Nature, Cities Connecting Children to Nature (Children & Nature Network + National League of Cities)The Urgent Case for Green Schoolyards During and After Covid-19, by Sarah Milligan-Toffler and Richard LouvTo Build a Healthier City, Atlanta is Opening its Schoolyards to Everyone, by Monica Humphries (Nationwell)Policy Spotlight: Georgia Creates Outdoor Learning Committee (National Caucus of Environmental Legislation)How the City of Grand Rapids Became a Leader in Connecting Children to Nature, by Alejandra Pallais (National League of Cities)We’re Here, You Just Don’t See Us, by Latria Graham (Outside)Register for Sum of Us: A Conversation with Heather McGee and Dr. Gail Christopher, presented by the Children & Nature Network (June 10, 2021 at 1:00pm).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. 

Rachel K. Garceau is a studio artist whose work has been shown nationally and has been published in Studio Potter, Ceramics Monthly, and National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts Journal, and also appears in CAST: Art and Objects Made Using Humanity’s Most Transformational Process. In this episode, Rachel talks about her preferred medium of porcelain and being inspired by nature, and she and Steve make plans to give new life to some of her past work. And definitely stay to the end as she shares an inspiring poem with us at the end of the 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. 

Jon Hutson is the Co-founder of BrandCulture, an agency that integrates branding and organizational development as the flip sides of the same coin. In this episode, Jon talks about becoming an advocate for biophilia after being gifted a book by E.O. Wilson. Once he moved to Serenbe he got in deeper and created the Biophilia Poster Competition, which brought in more than 3,500 poster submissions from around the world and was displayed in the woods of Serenbe Fall 2020. Jon incorporates biophilic principles into his client work on brand development and culture building and you can find him running the Serenbe trails most mornings.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. 

Greg and Amanda Kasparian had a vision for building a wellness business as soon as they knew they were making Serenbe their home. They initially opened Creek Retreat in the terrace level of their townhouse, and it quickly grew out of their home and into a retail space in the heart of Mado. Plus they've now launched a skincare line! In this episode, we talk about Greg’s background in the spa and wellness industry, Amanda's experience in fitness and nutrition, and how, during a workshop, Greg had his "A ha!" moment.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.