Serenbe Stories

Marilyn 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 the...

Elaine Dinos and her family first found Serenbe all the way back in 2011, when they started coming down for events and weekend trips while living in Atlanta. However, it wasn’t until the pandemic hit that things really shifted – and what started out as another brief getaway turned into a life-changing, transformative experience. Within just a couple of days, Elaine and her husband Shep enrolled their kids in school and made an offe...

Get 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 f...

In 2019 Mehrnush Saadat was waiting to see a physician to treat a herniated disk and back pain, when her friends suggested she explore CBD and THC pain relief options. Though initially a bit skeptical, she was blown away by the results – and her sober(ish) journey began. With regular movement, reduced alcohol intake, and a little push from her new pain remedies, Mehrnush felt the stress from her busy law practice melt away – and in...

When health and wellbeing is built into the very fabric of a community, traditional development gets turned on its head – and as it turns out, living somewhere that makes you feel good is in high demand. Wellness real estate is the fastest growing sector of the 6 trilliondollar wellness industry.

This week on Serenbe Stories, we’re thrilled to share a recent interview from the Global Wellness Conversations podcast featuring Serenbe ...

After 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 deci...

Tony Cuviello and April LaCerra were living in Colorado and seriously considering a move to Asheville, when April’s interest in regenerative farming led her to Serenbe. Serenbe’s emphasis on biophilia and wellness immediately resonated with April – and with Tony on board, they packed up their car and moved here without ever having visited. 

Now, April & Tony are the owners and operators of Allchemy: A Biophilic Farmacy. Located ...

Austin’s Cocktailery + Kitchen is the latest addition to Serenbe’s lively culinary scene, offering refined cuisine and expertly crafted drinks with a special focus on hard-to-find spirits and – in true Serenbe fashion – locally sourced botanicals. With a dining room reminiscent of 1920s European cocktail lounges, walking into Austin’s is like stepping into another world – and that’s why today, we’re so excited to be speaking with t...

Dr. Pamela Robinson is an academic and playwright whose work investigates best practices in sustainable agribusiness  – and crucially, her research centers the lived experiences of farmers, producers, and other actors across the value chain. She earned her PhD from Case Western University in 2024 and now, she’s turning her award winning dissertation into a play. 

Serenbe first came into Dr. Robinson’s orbit a few years ago when she ...

Jeny 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 ...

Abi 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...

Matt & 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...

There’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 ...

Season 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 w...

Today we have a special bonus episode from the Biophilic Solutions podcast. Monica catches  up with Atlanta writer Austin L. Ray to discuss “How I’d Fix Atlanta,” his fantastic essay series he publishes featuring local writers sharing how they would fix Atlanta.

Austin just launched the second collection of essays in a cool zine about the action steps these Atlanta writers would take to improve their city. Topics include i...

Over 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 the...

Nikkolas Smith is an artist Artivist and illustrator widely known for his distinctive style and emphasis on social justice issues. He is the illustrator of multiple children’s picture books, The 1619 Project: Born on the Water, I Am Ruby Bridges, That Flag, and Black Panther Wakanda Forever: The Courage To Dream as well was a gilm illustratorfor films like Space Jam 2, Black Panther 2, and Judas and the Black Messiah. His own lates...

This 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 ...

Lindsey Epperly Sulek and her husband Jeremy first visited Serenbe in March 2022, tagging along with a pair of friends who were interested in a possible move. Of course, Jeremy and Lindsey (who had no plans to move) ended up here instead. Lindsey describes Serenbe as a place where her family immediately knew they belonged, particularly following a period of difficulty and transition. 

Lindsey is the Founder + CEO of Jetset World Tra...