Introducing the Serenbe + Chatt Hills Local Directory (and why I built it)
A new way to find local businesses, people, events, and hidden gems in Serenbe & Chattahoochee Hills, Georgia
ICYMI: A few months ago, I published The Ultimate Guide to Serenbe Georgia, a local’s perspective on how to actually experience this magical wellness community tucked into the woods outside Atlanta.
Today, I’m adding a sister resource: the Serenbe + Chatt Hills Local Directory + Map and the Local Events Calendar, built to help you find the people, places, and experiences that don’t always show up on a brochure.
I used to visit Serenbe all the time, and it always felt a little bit like a treasure hunt. There was so much charm and so many tiny pockets of life happening that I often found myself wondering:
What’s happening today?
Where do locals actually go?
How do you really experience this place?
After moving here five years ago, I learned what every longtime resident eventually learns:There’s the Serenbe and Chatt Hills you see in the guidebooks, and then there’s the community within the community.
The people. The creators. The magic that lives between the lines.
That’s the part you can’t easily Google.
And I wanted to fix that. Because there is too much good here for it to stay tucked away.
So I built the tool I kept looking for.
In Today’s Issue
🌱 The story behind the Serenbe + Chatt Hills Local Directory & Map
🛠️ How to use it if you’re a local, visitor, or business owner
📍For the Locals: 👀 In Case You Missed It, 📅 Events
🌱 The story behind the Serenbe + Chatt Hills Local Directory & Map
It started, very glamorously, with a messy little Google Sheet in September 2024. A place where I tossed every local business, side hustle, farm, artist, healer, maker, or “oh, she does that too?” I came across.
Because here’s the thing: Some of the best parts of life here aren’t inside buildings or posted anywhere official.
They’re found through neighbors.
The artist whose studio you stumble into, the musician on a porch, the wellness practitioner opening the door to a bright home studio, the mom teaching piano, the neighbor selling honey or sourdough, the farmer offering half a cow raised right down the road.
Even now, five years in, I still find myself saying:
“Oh! I didn’t know there was a farm stand there.”
“I had no idea we had so many local artists.”
“Someone here does human design readings?!”
None of this made me think anything was missing. If anything, it made me even more in awe.
But so much of that beauty was hard to find.
Community gets richer when the invisible becomes visible. So this directory became my way of holding it all in one place… and making it easier for the next person.
And now… it’s real.
🌿 The Serenbe and Chatt Hills Local Directory + Map
This directory is a living home for the people shaping daily life here:
Shops, restaurants, cafés
Farms & farm stands
Artists, galleries and makers
Tutors & teachers
Chefs, bakers & pop-ups
Wellness practitioners & bodyworkers
It’s built for locals and visitors. For the multi-person teams and the quiet creatives running something beautiful from home.
Starting today, you can create your free listing. Or send it to the friend who desperately needs one.
Create your listing here (or send this to the friend who desperately needs one).
Each listing is automatically pinned to the Serenbe + Chatt Hills map, so people can actually find you.
Not hidden in a Facebook group. Not buried in a text thread. Not lost in a Notes app. Just… visible. As it should be.
🛠️ How to use it if you’re a local, visitor, or business owner
If you’re a local business or creator:
Add your description, hours, links, photos, offerings
Update it anytime
Optional: upgrade to Featured Neighbor for more visibility
We’re at ~75 listings now. I expect we’ll land around 250 — so yes, we’re early.
If you’re a local resident:
Use it to find services you need
Share it with visitors
Encourage your favorite neighbors to add themselves
If you’re visiting Serenbe or Chatt Hills:
Use it to plan your trip or event
Look beyond the shops and restaurants
Meet the people who make this place feel like a village
This directory sits alongside the official Serenbe website, Chatt Hills website, Facebook groups, and the Art Farm calendar- not instead of them.
It’s simply one more tool to make life here easier.
If you have feedback, ideas, or dreams for it: hello@lifeatplay.co
📅 Local Events Calendar & Visitors Guide
Alongside the directory, there’s now a Serenbe + Chatt Hills Events Calendar — one simple place to see what’s happening from Porch concerts to workshops + retreats, kids’ activities, local gatherings + seasonal fun.
We add what we can, but it’s just me and my assistant over here.
So to make sure your event shows up?
Add it yourself — it takes about 90 seconds. Submit your event here
Browse or subscribe anytime.
And if you’re visiting (or hosting friends), the Life at Play Visitors Guide is live too — the guide I wish I had on my first trip.
It pairs perfectly with the directory and calendar.
👏 The Neighbor Who Made This Possible
A huge, heartfelt shoutout to Leigh Scott, owner of Zainatain.com — the quiet powerhouse behind this new directory. If you’ve ever wondered how I magically “figure out” complicated website things… spoiler: I don’t. Leigh does.
She’s a longtime web designer + strategist (15+ years, 100+ sites) who truly understands how to make a website actually work, not just look cute. She also happens to be a local mom and neighbor, which I love.
I keep her on a small monthly retainer for ongoing support (aka: fixing bugs before I spiral), and then we tag-team on bigger one-off projects… like this entire directory build. Truly couldn’t have done it without her.
She’s brilliant, kind, local, and if your site needs help she is a great person to turn to.
📍 For the Locals
👀 In Case You Missed It
Quick hits of neighborhood news + updates, straight from the community.
Small Business Saturday Raffle Continues The “Keep It Local” raffle runs through Sat, Dec 6. Every purchase at participating Serenbe shops = 1 raffle entry toward a $1,000 community gift basket. Shops include Alchemy, Birdhouse, Hills & Hamlets, The General Store, Sharp Furniture, Dogs by Design, Typo Market, and more.
The Serenbe Farmer’s Market is moving indoors for the winter The market is not ending for the winter season! 9am-Noon on Saturdays (starting Dec 13th) the Market will be in Gainey Hall (next to the General Store).
Saltz & Peppa Christmas Tree Lot — Open Now Our favorite local pork + farm crew has their tree lot open at Serenbe Farms (8715 Atlanta Newnan Rd).
Morgan Boszilkov: New Gene Keys Coaching Spots Morgan (artist + spiritual life coach) just opened a few 1:1 Gene Keys coaching spots — a deeper dive into self-awareness, shadow work, and inner wisdom. Text her: 404-387-2885.
Kids’ Expressive Sign Language Class Melanie Perry is offering a kids’ expressive sign language class (ages 7+). They’ll learn 1–2 songs to perform at the Christmas Eve service. Classes start Dec 1, M/W from 4:30–5:15pm. Cost: $35 (includes uniform). To sign up: 740-603-8040.
2026 Farm Grants Are Open Food Well Alliance is offering $282,000 in farm support grants for next year. Applications are due January 11. Great opportunity for local growers. More info at foodwellalliance.org/farms.
13th Annual Turkey Bowl Champs Congrats to TJ Aldridge and his four brothers, Thomas Peters, and Mike Scott for taking home the win.
📅 Local Events
The local events worth knowing about this month.
Browse or subscribe to the calendar anytime at lifeatplay.co/events. Add your own events if you’re hosting something worth sharing - submit here.
A Very Merry Pizza Party (Dec 2) Fundraiser for The Empathy Farm at Radical Dough. Pizza, live music, bonfires, hot cocoa bar. Supports neurodivergent youth in Chatt Hills. Tickets & raffle.
Chef Gia’s Pop-Up Dinners (Dec 4 & 6) Gia is rolling up with Gilda — her new copper culinary trailer — for two French-inspired pop-up dinners in front of Gainey Hall. Think Poulet A la Crème, Champagne Lobster Pappardelle, Boeuf Bourguignon, and Crème Brûlée. One of those “don’t miss this” Serenbe moments. Full menus + details - Thursday | Saturday
Serenbe Holiday Market is back December 4–6.Three days of local makers, festive treats, a culinary pop-up, and a Santa visit on Saturday. A great one to bring the family to. All the details.
Meet & Greet Santa + Mrs. Claus (Dec 7) Serenbe Farms from 2–6pm. Free entry, hot cocoa, cozy fire, and Christmas trees from Saltz & Peppa.
Whether you live in Serenbe, Chatt Hills, or you’re reading from far away, my hope is the same. That this nudges you to ask:
“What tiny thing could I create that helps my own community feel more connected?” A shared calendar. A meal train. A babysitter list. A book swap. A WhatsApp thread. A porch dinner. A “who does what” list in your building.
Nothing fancy. Just something small that helps people find one another a little more easily.
It does not have to be big to matter.
There is so much loneliness in the world. These tiny, practical acts of care really do ripple.
For me, this directory, map, and calendar are my ripple, my way of giving back to the place that made me slow down, soften, and pay attention.
My hope is that it becomes something you check when you need a local recommendation, send to visitors exploring Serenbe + Chatt Hills, and encourage your favorite neighbors and small businesses to join. Something you feel proud to share.
Because it isn’t just a directory. It’s a bridge. A gathering place. One small way of making home feel even more like home.
We build it together- one listing, one event, one tiny action at a time.
I hope to see you on the trails,
xx, Gina
If this resonated, forward it to a neighbor or friend. That’s how this little project—and this community—grows.
And if you create your own tiny “connector” where you live, I’d love to hear about it. Hit reply and tell me what you’re building.
Such a great initiative/project! Congrats on the release, Gina!