Shows
Serenbe StoriesChristina Escalante on Intentional Living and Community-Centered CareChristina and Jeff Escalante first discovered the transformative power of community during a whirlwind backpacking trip that took them to intentional communities in places like Spain, Israel, and Japan. At the time, they were living in a New York City apartment building where they barely knew their neighbors, a stark contrast that left a lasting impression.Fast forward a few years to the height of the pandemic. Christina was finishing her medical residency in Philadelphia, and the couple began searching up and down the East Coast for a new place to call home. Their commitment to the...2025-05-1247 min
Serenbe StoriesJosh Green on Serenbe’s Growth and Why Storytelling MattersJosh Green is an Atlanta-based journalist whose work has appeared in prominent publications such as Garden & Gun, Atlanta Magazine, and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He currently serves as Editor-in-Chief of Urbanize Atlanta, where he covers the city’s evolving real estate landscape and development trends. Josh first visited Serenbe with his family all the way back in 2013 – and while he recognized its promise, he also saw that this budding community still had a long way to go. Since that first visit, he’s had a front-row seat to Serenbe’s evolution and he’s written extensively about the urban planning and archit...2025-05-0531 min
Serenbe StoriesSimple, Radical, Local: Steve Nygren on His Upcoming Book “Start In Your Own Backyard”If you’re a longtime listener , you already know that Serenbe is more than just a place - it’s a nature-based model for living that inspires others to challenge the status quo, embrace optimism, and reimagine their communities. And along the way, many people discover they’re reinventing themselves, too.Steve Nygren would be the first to tell you he’s learned a great deal over his 20-year journey as an “accidental developer.” Now, he’s sharing those insights in a new book, Start In Your Own Backyard: Transforming Where We Live with Radical Common Sense. It’s a call to...2025-04-2827 min
Serenbe StoriesTrading Busy London Streets for Peaceful Serenbe TrailsJennifer Band and Josh Hiller spent 13 years living in London—including a full year in lockdown—before making the move to Serenbe in 2021. As parents of two young children, they had been thinking about returning to the States for some time, but hadn’t quite found a place that felt right. That changed the moment they discovered Serenbe. It offered the perfect blend of what they loved about European life—walkability, a strong sense of community, vibrant energy—paired with the space and ease of suburban living in the U.S.A few years in, Jen and Josh have...2025-04-2135 min
Serenbe StoriesSpring in Serenbe: Where The Wild Things GrowSpring has officially arrived in Serenbe and the community is in full bloom. Despite the haze of pollen, residents are eager to embrace the outdoors, whether they’re digging into garden beds or hitting the trails.In this special episode of Serenbe Stories, Serenbe’s Director of Landscape and Natural Resources Thomas Peters joins Monica for a conversation about all things Spring. Thomas’s dedication to ecological stewardship shines through in his thoughtful approach to land management, from implementing natural pest control methods to using prescribed burns that revitalize the ecosystem and support the growth of native specie...2025-04-1428 min
Serenbe StoriesSettling Down in Serenbe with World Travelers T.J. & Natalie AldridgeWhen Natalie and TJ Aldridge first discovered Serenbe in early 2016, it felt like fate. While planning their wedding nearby, a friend suggested they direct guests to the Inn . So they decided to check it out -- and that first visit absolutely changed everything. Looking for a place to live after their wedding and ready to leave city life behind, they learned the Textile Lofts would be finished just in time. Nine months and a wedding later, they became some of Serenbe’s youngest residents.In this episode of Serenbe Stories, Monica and Steve catch up with TJ an...2025-04-0724 min
Serenbe StoriesJack Kidd on Real Estate, ‘Seasons,’ and Summers in SerenbeJack Kidd first heard about Serenbe as a movie-obsessed teenager growing up in Peachtree City—and from the first moment he visited, he knew this was a place where he wanted to spend more time. Fast forward a decade, and Jack is now on his third role in the community: he’s worked as a host at The Hill, in Guest Services at The Inn, and now he’s the Office Manager for Serenbe Real Estate. Unofficially, he’s also Serenbe’s most in-demand pet sitter, with a schedule so full that he practically lives here all summer. Oh, and d...2025-03-3122 min
Serenbe StoriesFarm-To-Table: The Promise of Local Agriculture with Lily BaucomA strong local food system isn’t just about what’s on our plates—it’s about fostering resilient communities and ensuring a sustainable future for generations to come. This belief has always been at the heart of Steve Nygren’s vision for Serenbe and the surrounding community of Chattahoochee Hills. And now, Lily Baucom is helping shape the next chapter.As the Executive Director of the Georgia Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture and a board member of the Chattahoochee Hill Country Conservancy, Lily is deeply invested in the future of local farming. Last year, she authored a comprehe...2025-03-2428 min
Serenbe StoriesA Sustainable Way of Life with Marilyn SpechtMarilyn Specht grew up in Atlanta and always kind of knew of Serenbe, but it wasn’t until years later that she saw it as more than just a weekend retreat. During a weeklong visit – while her oldest child attended Camp Serenbe – Marilyn and her husband were completely drawn in by peaceful walks through the woods and idyllic evenings picking blueberries by the green. Two months after that visit, the Specht family had made Serenbe their home. But Marilyn’s connection to Serenbe goes way beyond just living here—her role as Director of Sustainability Integration at Smithgroup...2025-03-1731 min
Serenbe StoriesIntroducing Season 12 of Serenbe StoriesGet ready, we’re coming back — Season 12 of Serenbe Stories premieres Monday, March 10th.This season, we’re exploring what makes Serenbe truly extraordinary: the people. What is it really like to live here? What sets Serenbe apart from ordinary developments? From passionate residents and business owners to groundbreaking artists and changemakers, we’re taking you behind the scenes to share their inspiring stories.Catch up on the first 11 seasons wherever you get your podcasts, and join us on Monday, March 10th for a brand-new season packed with stories of creativity, community, and impact. Subscribe and follo...2025-03-0700 min
Serenbe StoriesHow Natalie & Simon Escape The Hustle in SerenbeAfter years of commuting between major cities - London to New York, New York to Atlanta, Atlanta to Los Angeles - Natalie McGrath & Simon Hawkins finally decided to plant roots down South. In 2020 – a year that changed everything for so many people – they visited Serenbe for the first time and fell in love with the English countryside feel. Six months later, as their friends started leaving the city, they made an intuitive decision to buy the 2020 Serenbe Showhouse. Even though Natalie & Simon are a bit more settled now, they still travel on a weekly basis - for work...2024-12-0227 min
Serenbe StoriesFollow Your Heart & Your Intuition with Jeny MathisJeny Mathis hardly needs an introduction to Serenbe residents – but for everyone else, her impact on the community can’t be overstated. Jeny teaches yoga, facilitates labyrinth walks, tutors students at the Terra School, organizes the community for causes dear to her heart, and so much more.Jeny’s Serenbe Story began with a family Thanksgiving trip in 2013. Although she was initially a bit nervous about whether or not our internet reception would pick up the all-important holiday football games, she quickly fell in love with the community’s emphasis on unstructured time in nature. Famously, at the end...2024-11-0433 min
Serenbe StoriesInside Serenbe’s World of Hospitality with Abi ShinstineAbi Shinstine’s introduction to Serenbe began as many Serenbe Stories do: a google search for “cool places near me.” Since that fateful search in 2017, Abi has become Serenbe’s jack of all trades: she has worked as a server, bartender, and manager at The Hill, office manager at Serenbe Real Estate, and finally, in her current role as our first-ever Chief of Hospitality. It’s a big job, overseeing all aspects of Serenbe guest-facing businesses from restaurants to farm tours to getaways at the Inn. In this episode of Serenbe Stories, HR Director Stephanie Coyne sits down with A...2024-10-2823 min
Serenbe StoriesVillage People: How Matt & Pascale Discovered SerenbeMatt & Pascale Buckingham have lived all over the world - from major European cities to the suburbs of Atlanta. But when they discovered Serenbe, they found something that they later realized they had been searching for all along: a tight-knit village on the edge of nature. Since moving, Matt & Pascale have become staples of the community, volunteering on the trails and even managing one of Serenbe’s newest and most popular spots, Nigel’s Frozen Bananas. In this episode of Serenbe Stories, Garnie and Monica chat with Matt & Pascale about what brought them from England and Switzerland to ru...2024-10-2139 min
Serenbe StoriesCrafting Community at Minro StudioThere’s a certain buzz in the Mado neighborhood these days. Over the past few months, a handful of exciting new retailers have sprung up, from frozen bananas and ice cream to a floral design shop and even a biophilic pharmacy. And, of course, there is Minro Studio. Minro is a beautiful new coffee shop and ceramics studio that the neighborhood has completely fallen in love with. They offer some of the best coffee in town along with pottery classes for kids and adults alike. In this episode, Monica and Steve chat with Minro owners and Serenbe res...2024-10-1434 minSerenbe StoriesIntroducing Season 11 of Serenbe StoriesSeason 11 of Serenbe Stories kicks off on Monday, October 14. There’s always something new and exciting here at Serenbe, but over the past few months, that feels especially true. From multiple new business and restaurant openings to inspiring visiting artists and residents who are making waves, there is so much to celebrate—and we can’t wait to share a behind-the-scenes with you.Catch up on the first 10 seasons of Serenbe Stories wherever you get your podcasts and be sure to join us on Monday, October 14 as we launch our newest season. Subscribe and follow so you never...2024-10-0800 min
Serenbe StoriesKeeping Up with Collin & Sydney JonesOver 6 years ago, Collin and Sydney Jones moved with their two young boys from Roswell, Georgia. It was a surprise weekend away for Collin that turned into a home purchase 9 days later. During that weekend, they happened upon a party at the Grange Green, discovered golf cart charcuterie and met a family who encouraged them to tour homes while that family watched their son. Serenbe turned out to be the community they didn’t know they needed. In today’s episode, Steve Nygren and I catch up with the Jones and we not only do we find out what they...2024-05-1338 min
Serenbe StoriesA Permanent Pollinator Habitat in Serenbe’s Wildflower MeadowThis week, we’re talking about a very exciting new endeavor here at Serenbe: the Wildflower Meadow Restoration Project. Over the next 18 months, the iconic meadow connecting the Inn at Serenbe to the wider community is set to undergo an incredible transformation into a permanent community of native plants that will serve as a protected pollinator and wildlife habitat. Guiding us through it all are Rob Kirsch and Thomas Peters. Rob is a longtime resident of Serenbe and is the Chair of the Art Farm’s Environmental Council, which has spearheaded several important sustainability initiatives over the last few year...2024-04-2928 min