Gainesville Flight

12/23/2025

"Drink local. Stay social." 🍷✨

After losing their primary facility to a fire Jan. 22, Sweet Acre Farms Winery Owners Matthew and Lindsey Vrahiotes announced two new locations. One of which opened about a month ago.

The Vrahiotes family designed this tasting to be a social environment where visitors can unplug, relax and enjoy each others' company, while supporting local businesses.

The Branch Social, located inside Porch on Main in downtown Flowery Branch, focuses on pouring "the best" Georgia wines, including brands like Yonah Mountain Vineyards. They also currently serve cheeses, meats and crackers.

Despite their recent success, The Branch Social is not done evolving. Within the coming months, the Vrahiotes family plans to bring in a larger variety of wines and other food items, such as eggs, pasta, milk and butter.

Sweet Acre Farms wines are expected to make their debut to The Branch Social in 2026, starting with a peach wine.

For more information on The Branch Social, check out the link in comments.

12/22/2025

Looking for something to do over Christmas break? This week has plenty of entertainment for the kids 🍿 5k's 🏃 church services ⛪ and trivia 🤔 worthy of adding to your calendars.
Check out the link for things to do in and around Hall County.

Want to start embracing the winter spirit? This week has free holiday events, pet adoptions and theater performances worthy of adding to your calendars.

12/22/2025

One of Gainesville's newest restaurants lost points for improperly holding grouper and other foods, wet nesting containers and contaminated cups.
Check out the link to see the full details of last week's health inspection scores.

The following are among the food service establishments inspected by the Hall County Environmental Health Department. Food service establishments are given a letter grade that coincides with a percentile: “A” (90-100), “B” (80-89), “C” (70-79), “U” (69 and below).

12/18/2025

A brand-new 'minisoap' was filmed at Mulberry Springs Vineyard & Winery last month, and it isn't your typical TV show. This series is designed to be watched on social media, featuring themes of romance, adventure and suspense. 🎬🍷 💞
Learn when and how to watch the series at the link.

Actors and production crews took over five hilly acres in South Hall to film a mini soap opera series for social media.

12/17/2025

From firefighting to fine cabinets 🔥🔨 This story tells how Shane Martin and Noey Guajardo built a thriving business while serving for the Gainesville Fire Department.

After their retirement, the pair continues to help others, just by building their dream kitchens. 🤩

Check out the link to read more about their journey to success and services: https://www.gainesvilletimes.com/life/people/from-firefighting-to-fine-cabinets-how-two-former-gainesville-firefighters-built-a-thriving-business/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=SND

12/16/2025

An employee wiped their nose and didn't wash their hands 🤧 Raw meats and vegetables were stored directly on the floor 🥩 and two restaurants had cross-contaminated bacon 🥓
Check out the link to read the full list of violations for this week's health inspections.

The following are among the food service establishments inspected by the Hall County Environmental Health Department

12/15/2025

Hall County is overflowing with holiday cheer this week with plenty of free holiday events 🎅 pet adoptions 🐶 and theater performances 🎭
Check out the link to see the full list of things to do this week in and around Hall County.

Want to start embracing the winter spirit? This week has bar crawls, game nights and holiday celebrations worthy of adding to your calendars.

12/10/2025

Three fast food joints broke the internet with limited-time movie meals, bringing in fresh flavors like dill pickle, strawberry and garlic parmesan. We scored each on taste, creativity and convenience. 🍔🍟🍗
Check out the link to see how they rated: https://www.gainesvilletimes.com/life/food-drink/we-tried-3-viral-fast-food-movie-collabs-heres-how-they-rated/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=SND

12/10/2025

The Quinlan's winter exhibit will have four featured solo collections, each with vastly different styles from portraits of animals and snippets of everyday life to walks with God and abstract art. 🎨 👩‍🎨

To celebrate the new exhibit, the Quinlan is hosting an opening reception this week, completely free and open to the public.

Check out the link to meet the artists and learn more about the reception details: https://www.gainesvilletimes.com/life/art-culture/meet-the-featured-artists-of-quinlan-visual-arts-centers-winter-exhibition/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=SND

12/09/2025

Two chains and one local restaurant scored a B on their health inspections this week. Violations included broken dishwasher, unlabeled soup and tuna salad held at the wrong temperature.
Check out the full details at the link.

The following are among the food service establishments inspected by the Hall County Environmental Health Department. Food service establishments are given a letter grade that coincides with a percentile: “A” (90-100), “B” (80-89), “C” (70-79), “U” (69 and below).

12/09/2025

Christmas markets 🎄 bar crawls 🍻 game nights 🤑 and Chanuka celebrations 🕎
Check out this week's list of things to do at the link.

Want to start embracing the holiday spirit? This week has plenty of festive events worthy of adding to your calendars.

12/08/2025

Julianne Hutchinson, a trauma-informed yoga instructor, closed her studio in January to take care of her mother. Two and a half years later, "Mama" died in a house fire. Now, Hutchinson faces possible closure after reopening the studio. ❤️‍🩹🧘
Check out the link to read more about Hutchinson's hopes to heal.

Inside a former office building off McEver Road is a small room with the windows covered up, pillows scattered against the walls, colorful string lights and a dancing laser projector.