We had the good fortune of connecting with Athena Garrett and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Athena, where are your from? We’d love to hear about how your background has played a role in who you are today?
My name is Athena and I spent most of my early childhood between Sandy and Boring Oregon. My later teenage years were spent outside of Bend Oregon. It’s considered the high desert of Oregon. Rich in agriculture, farming and outdoor activities. Skiing, hiking, camping, fishing, kayaking and rock climbing are just a few activities you can experience in central Oregon. I have a younger brother who’s a fiction writer, guitar player and disk golf enthusiast. A few cousins that I would consider siblings, whom are also artists. My mothers generous and caring nature has made her a successful business woman and care giver. Her care for the elderly is one of great compassion, understanding and patience; attributes that make my mother so special. Growing up my mother, brother and I lived on my grandparents small farm where most Sunday’s were spent with the family including my cousins, aunts, uncles. Home cooking, homemade ice cream, games and playing pinnacle at the end of the day were part of our Sunday traditions. My grandfather was notorious for making homemade ice cream, in a wooden barrel hand- cranked maker. Eventually, my family purchased an electric ice cream maker for my grandfather, but for some reason it never seemed to taste quite the same. There was just something different that was missing, but my grandfather still made it magical nevertheless and still the best tasting ice cream today. My grandmother was a women of great elegance and pure of heart. She was the sweetest and most loving, kind, elegant and classy. Always thinking the best of others. She started her short career working at Western Airlines during World War 11 until my grandfather came home from the war. This is where they started their family in Oregon and where my immediate family history begins.

Another important person in my life that gave me great inspiration was my aunt Linda who ran a candy factory. “The Oregon Candy Farm”. It was a small candy shop, but every Sunday she would bring one of us kids to work and we would make chocolate treats. She always kept us busy and made every holiday special. Dessert, cookies and candies were special daily treats. My family has a flair for cooking, baking, candy making and creating beautiful things. I took all of these childhood experiences and made them my own.

Growing up on this small gentleman’s farm. We had daily chores associated with farm work, which included gardening, fetching eggs from the hen house, milking our “one” cow, and riding my horse, buttercup. Our little farm was surrounded by big farms. On one side, there was a honey bee farm, which on occasion we would walk over and get fresh honeycomb from the beehives. I remember it being slightly warm from the sun and so so yummy.. On the other side of our small farm, there was a dairy farm. As a treat we were allowed to take one heaping spoon full of cream off top of the fresh milk jar (Which naturally occurs when sitting out undisturbed for a few hours). Every summer we would pick fresh berries, strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, to make money for buying school cloths for the new school year. You could say I had a humble upbringing, but one rich in family values, togetherness and love.

Today my love of home cooking is apart of me. Being raised with fresh ingredients for cooking has impacted my sense of taste and love of cooking for friends and family. I will occasionally have a summer dinner party, garden party and my annual Pajama party in which around 40 girlfriends get together to celebrate a gift of friendship. I love to host and make people feel enchanted, welcomed, that they have a sense of community, in a whimsical way. Creating beauty is important to me and everyone should experience just a little bit of elegance. Our daily lives can be challenging at times, but I hope when people come to my home they feel a sense of ease, genuine love, warmth and kindness.

My love of antiques and elegant attire is surprising to some in my family, overhearing them say at times, “We just don’t know where she got this from?” I was the girl that loved the pretty dresses but still managed to climb trees with boys in our family. I’ve been hunting, four wheeling, chopped wood, crabbing, clamming and I know how to pitch a tent. I guess you can say I grew up being very active, having a lot of outdoor exposure, but still would come in at 5 pm (after being outside all day) to set the table for our family dinner. These skills have taught me to appreciate life, the land, craftsmanship and hard work. One would think growing up this way would make me less feminine, but ultimately that is far from the truth. I love dressing in pretty dresses, having elegance and class go hand in hand with my personality. I love an elegant set dining table, beautifully arranged flowers, gourmet food, appropriate etiquette (most of the time a slight wink here) being an outstanding hostess and above all, being gracious.

I believe all of my childhood experiences have shaped me in one way or another. My love and passion for life, creating family time, seeing beauty in nature and others. From creating eye catching floral arrangements, to decorating a beautiful home, displaying antiques or setting a dining table with crystal glasses with a homemade meal, is my gift to family and friends. Giving to others gives me great warmth and truly brings me happiness. I want to create for a moment whimsy and magic. I think deep down we all want to experience just a little bit of fantasy….wouldn’t you agree??…

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I’ve always had a passion for creating many different things. From sewing when I was in high school, wanting to become a fashion designer, to architecture, painter to interior design. Cooking, baking and entertaining have always been incorporated within me throughout my life. Family dinners were a combined involvement from choosing the dinner menu, creating the table setting ambiance, to who got to clean the dishes. Growing up with fresh vegetables and fruits from our garden were a summer deliciously. When summer ends, the harvesting begins, we canned most summer crops and prepared for the winter. Then all of sudden it’s hunting season and we would stock the freezer with dear meat, elk, pork and beef.

I’ve taken all my past experiences from my childhood and intertwined them with my love of cooking, art, interior decorating, collecting antiques and entertaining into my own home. My love for creating a beautiful home for others is my passion. A home should be a place of remembrance, relaxation, comfort and items filled with memories. The design process for me starts the moment I walk through my clients front door. I want to know how they live. Do they have children or pets. How do they want their home to feel? What colors do they like most. Do they prefer a lot of detail or more of a simplistic style. Do they entertain or cook. After spending so much time with my clients you really get to know them more on a personal level. To this day some are still my closest friends. This is a wonderful compliment to me and I appreciate the involvement of the design process that can lead to great friendships. In the end your home is you, how you live, how you want to live. My job is to create that for you.

Getting to where I am at today has not always been easy. We all go through challenges, struggles, life changes. We change, our relationships change. You can choose to grow and learn from these challenges or stay in the same place creating the same patterns in your life. Sometimes you have to go around the circle a few times, to finally have the strength to break the up the pattern.

Besides my love of art, design and antiques, I also have a passion for travel and flying. I’ve been a flight attendant for a number of years. All while being a single mother of two boys, now 24 and 21. They are healthy, happy and creative young men. Kind and giving. Being a single mother has been challenging at times while balancing a career and children. My traveling career was my main source of income for a number of years. I would take interior design jobs on occasion whenever I could possibly fit in the time. Traveling has immersed me in exploring and embracing other cultures and culinary cuisine. Which leads to my other passion, COOKING! I’ve traveled to all parts of the world learning about new cultures, their history, architecture and trying new epicurean dishes. I’ve shopped the flea markets in Paris, France. Took a few days and traveled to Normandy France to learn of the history of World War II, known as, “D-DAY!” June 6th 1944. Taking in a moment of silence, while standing on the beach, looking out into the sea, letting the energy and the history embrace your soul, knowing how many soldiers lost their life’s that day storming the beach of Normandy; Truly was a spiritual undertaking. Immersing myself in their memory, their thoughts. Thinking in my mind as I turn around looking up at hill of sand, that I have to climb, with a wet heavy uniform and gear, boots soaking wet, bullets buzzing by my ear. I turn and my best friend has just been shot, now laying on once sandy gold beach, that is now a bright red. There is know time to morn at that moment. I must continue. These were my thoughts rushing through my mind. Trying to understand their memories, their sacrifices. and what their family scarified. To this day you can still sense a cold, quiet silence in the distance. Even writing this now the memory gives me chills, goose bumps and tears.

Now remembering my many trips to Italy. In one particular trip to Venice Italy my friend and I met a few local Venetian boys, that worked the gondola boats of canals. We accompanied them to dinner in our newly bought leather cloths and met them around 9 pm local time (Europeans eat late). Unbeknownst to us our night of activities was just beginning of many unexpected adventures. We explored the city of Venice walking are way from pub, to cafe, to bar until the light was shining in the distance, we just now realized our little party of 4, quickly turned into 20. As the sun was rising over the grand canal we sipped on coffee and biscuits and finally went to our Bilocale and took very long afternoon nap.

I’ve traveled to Florence Italy exploring the shops, museums, the many basilica’s and looking upon the statue of ” The David.” During this tirp a local shop owner asked me out for a date. I said, “yes” and just like that, immediately felt transported to the movie, “Under the Tuscan Sun”, Later just outside our, “Bilocale” I hear a voice calling bellissima, bellissima, it was Francesco. There he was, a handsome, well dressed Italian on his Ducati motorbike taking me out for dinner. He took me to his place and made me an Italian meal. He was a complete gentleman the whole time. After dinner we rode his Ducati through the hills of Tuscany, until we reached his family’s vineyard. There are no other words to express except, “magica!” I’ve fished with the locals in Nice France. Taken a train through the Swizz alps only to be interrogated about our passports.

I’ve been to every state in the US and lived in many cities throughout our great country. While living in Galveston Texas I was part of the historical society. I loved Galveston Texas, for all the architecture, history and historical homes. The craftsmanship and skill of the artisans back in the day. Today’s architecture with all it’s technology still cannot mimic the artistic skill of the past artisans.
For my love of Galveston I was close to purchasing a Historical 1889 home on the east end of district. It was 5000 sq feet which included the carriage house. It needed a lot of renovations but the price was right at only 250k. I was young and had 2 small children. I put down my earnest money and hand sketched a full blueprint remodel of the home, but in the end I couldn’t financially swing it, because of the flood insurance and taxes. My house payments were just going to be to expensive for me at the time. There were many offers for this beautiful sealy home, but shortly after I withdrew my earnest money. A couple from Houston purchased the home as their vacation home. I gave my sketches to the realtor to pass on to the new homeowners hoping they would see the vision I had created. A few years later I did find out the couple did use my sketches for renovations. I was beyond prideful at that moment. I felt a sense of fulfillment, an accomplishment you could say. I did love this home! Every once in awhile I get an nostalgic moment about that sealy home in Galveston, but I truly appreciate my designs were taken to make this home grand once again.

Living in different cities throughout the US, I’ve designed homes in Arizona, Florida, Texas, Oregon and Washington. I’ve served on the providence hospital design team for their annual Christmas tree gala, where we decorated trees for auction. I’ve interior decorated for new home builds, laid hardwood floors, painted numerous walls, murals and tiled walls. These are just a few of many skills and stories I can share.

After all that I have done, traveling to so many parts of the world, it is always the people, history and the culture that inspires me. Their passion. Their life experiences, their creativity and compassion, even at times their personal losses, but this is truly connecting and embracing the heart of people. Beauty can be found anywhere, in anyone, and at anytime. So take that chance, talk to locals (some strangers are okay) and learn, listen. Embrace their lessons from experiences they have endured. Learn from their creativity. Life is the gift of learning. We learn everyday. My gift is to share what I have learned from others and give this existential beauty of life to my clients, my friends, and my family. This is my greatest love and gift to share, to show and create the beauty of life to all.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I’m currently living in Central Park, so Depending on where you live in the city you might have different ideas or experiences. Depending on the time my guest or guests arrive, I would pick them up from the airport and we would go out for dinner at the restaurant called “Cattivella” located at East bridge center in Central Park. We would try to take advantage of their happy hour, but if not, no worries. Anything from their happy hour to full service menu is a memorable and a lovely meal. I would suggest we order their Pasticcio, Buffalo Burrata and charboiled Oysters for apps. I also like a good cocktail. Their Naughty Girl Gimlet is refreshing if you like Gin or their Cattivella Old Fashioned is one of my favorites for whisky. My go to for bubbles is, “Enrico Serafino Brut Alta Langa DOCG” prosecco. Some people get confused about Champagne vs prosecco. Champagne comes from the Champagne region of France while prosecco is an Italian version of Champagne. Now don’t let the French hear me say this, because obviously there’s a much deeper history of Champagne from the Champagne region and it’s origin. The French are very proud of their bubbles! But if you enjoy a good prosecco then I suggest the bottle I mentioned above. Now back to FOOD! For our main course I would suggest the lamb ragu which is heavenly or the mushroom pizza is also a delicious choice. The apple hot bake crostata for dessert is a must. It takes about 20 minutes to bake, but sooo worth it!

After having a fabulous dinner we would go home to my house where I’ve prepared the guest room with fresh linens, towels and special soaps. Fresh flowers will be placed at their bedside table along with a water bottle. We would maybe slip into some cozy sleep wear and stay up a bit later having a late night glass of wine or herbal tea and chat some more. The next morning coffee/tea are ready for my guests/s with raw sugar or sugar cubes displayed a sterling silver dish along with fresh cream. I usually like having a few choices for my guests to eat for breakfast. I always have yogurt, with fresh berries, bananas, chia seeds and granola. Fresh baked croissants with honey butter and jam. I’d have cold orange and grapefruit juice on hand for something sweet to drink, which, “What do you know”, pairs well with champagne! No judgement here! It’s never too early to start with bubbles.

After a few good chats I would suggest getting in my golf cart and driving over to the Stanley marketplace which at one time was an old airport hanger. All of central park was at one time the old Denver International airport until they build it 20 miles outside the city. There are a number of clothing shops, a toy store, organic kitchen supply store, flower shop and numerous restaurants at the Stanley Marketplace. There’s a local brewing company called, “Cheluna” I love their (Guava beer) and Stanley beer hall, which is very popular with the locals. After walking around a bit we might grab a coffee to go from the Logan coffee house before heading back to my place. The Logan house makes a really good oat milk honey lavender latte. Simply delicious!

After heading back to my place. We’d get in my Jeep Grand Cherokee and drive to the Cherry Creek area which is about 15 mins from Central Park. This is consider more of the higher end district with boutique shops and specialty merchants. In the area there are plenty of restaurants, bars and shops in Cherry Creek. After being exhausted from shopping, again. We’d stop in for a cocktail at a place called, “Forget me not.” which has outstanding unique cocktails and small tapas plates (At the end of the night or on a weekend you might even get down into the hidden, “Speak Easy” or meet a football player or two, “Wink, Wink).
“Forget me not”, also has a sister cocktail bar around the corner called, “Ay Papi.” Immediately you can sense the cool vibe of stepping into a Guadalajara or central American restaurant. Their stuffed Medjool dates are delish and the warm provolone queso is so yummy. For a cocktail I would order their, “Rude Awakening”, consisting of reposado tequila, vanilla, orange, cold brew, and allspice. The drink that keeps you going! There are just so many cocktails to choose from you can’t go wrong getting a drink here. After shopping, drinking and chatting, As I’m glancing down at the time, “Oh look, it’s time for dinner”. For dinner I would choose the, “Cherry cricket” for the best hamburgers. “North”, for the best Italian, “Matsuhisa”, for sushi, farm to table, “True food Kitchen”. For a more traditional approach, “The Cherry Creek Grill”, or “Hillstone.” for French, defiantly, “La Merise French Bistro”.

Day 2: Today we are heading into the outdoors, embracing nature. We are driving down a hour to Colorado Springs which is known for it’s high raking military presence such as, “The US Air Force Academy” and “The US Space command Center. In the Cheyenne Mountain there is (NORAD) North American Aerospace Defense Command, which is off limits to the general public. We however are making are way to the, “Garden of the Gods”, booking a room for a few nights at the 100 year old luxury hotel, “The Broadmoor”, Where we will enjoy a spa day after hiking Pikes Peak (14 miles) the next day. If we feel up to it after climbing to a 14000 ft elevation. We will make our way down to Manitou Springs for a bite to eat and possibly a local beer from the Manitou Springs brewery. Manitou Springs is a very rich in history because of it’s Native American History. It was the ancestral homeland of the “Nuche”, or “Ute”, people. There is so much to do in Manitou Springs, From exploring mines to visiting the cliff dwellings of the “Anaszi” people that date back from 1100 to 1300 AD. Hiking trails, fresh springs, and even mining caves. We head back to the Broadmoor were they have a top notch golfing course, you will enjoy the picturesque views of the mountains, award winning food, drinks, bowling and the luxury day spa. This 5 star European resort hotel is rich in history and decor. If you get the chance to stay during the holiday season, it truly is magical.

Day 5: We are back home at my place, relaxing for a bit until we enjoy dinner at, “The Bistro Vendome”, in Park Hill. Which is about 3 miles from Central Park. This beautiful decorated bistro with its elegant wallpaper and whimsical furnishings is quirky but sophisticated. If you love “Escargot Roti”, this is the restaurant for you. Their “Pate Vendome” is rich and so lovely. The “Cog Au Vin” is just perfect and braised sweetbread “Vol Au Vent” is full of flavor. They are always changing the menu up a bit depending on the season. Their artful display of presenting food is really beautiful, especially their desserts. Their cocktail list is unique and creative. My favorite cocktail so far is the,”Pretty In Pink,” “Sugar Plum Fairy No 2*” and not really on the menu, but you can ask for the, “French 43” (Only the bartender knows). After dinner we are catching a concert at the Red Rocks. The Red Rocks Amphitheatre is the only naturally occurring acoustically amphitheater in the world. This is a mind-blowing experience surrounded by much history, nature and geological mystery. If you are going to do one thing while visiting Denver, this would be it. Beside concerts, there is also yoga classes almost every morning. Hiking trails are everywhere and you are close to the historical town of Golden and Morrison.

Day 6: What to do? There is just so many places to visit in Colorado, I could write for the next 30 days of things to do and visit, but on day 6 I think we might just hang locally and I will make a homemade cooked meal. Relax on my top balcony over looking central park, while watching the sunset fade away over the rocky mountains.
Filet Mignon over garlic mashed potatoes with a Bearnaise sauce and mediterranean Grilled shrimp and vegetables are served for a home cooked meal. Paired with chilled Chardonnay or light pinot noir. For dessert we will have my olive oil cake with fresh whipping cream berries and peaches. To top off the night, we’d have an Old Fashioned cocktail while keeping ourselves warm over an outdoor fire.

Colorado offers so many activities, from hiking, skiing, mountain biking, rafting, to shopping, visiting all the local breweries, casinos and just educating yourself on the history of Colorado. More places to visit are Estes park, Boulder, Breckenridge, and Aspen. The hot springs in Steamboat Springs is so refreshing and relaxing. There is also numerous events going on around the city and in the short distance. Denver offers so many exciting venues to see, you will not be disappointed.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I would like to give a shout-out to numerous people that have shaped my life, because there are so many. From my cousins to friends, to my brother, Joel. I’d like to give a shout out to my best friend Amy who gives me confidence, encouragement and truly a person who believes in me. Someone I want to be when I grow up. To my aunt Linda who has shaped me in so many ways from her support, her generous nature, her belief in me and always making every experience even in the hard times, seem magical. My grandma Beverly, who was my special love of my life. Her beautiful angelic nature for giving unconditional pure love. For my Mother Debra, my mom, who’s strength has given me hope, encouragement, and wisdom. The greatest gift a mother gives is one of sacrifice. Your kindness, your endurance, your perseverance and generous nature show me who I want to be on a daily basis. You are my best friend and I love you so much. To my children Nolan and Trace who have given me the gift of knowing unconditional love. Pure love! Your sweetness and true genuine nature are gifts and I can’t wait to see all the beautiful things you create moving forward into your adulthood. Thank you for letting me guide you through this precious thing we call, life. You are my heart.

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Image Credits
Athena Garrett all photos are mine

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