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FEBRUARY 2013
FEATURES
CONTENTS
february 2013
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Does Your Dog or Cat Have “The Mange”? Dr. Kirk Dixon discusses pet allergies.
Pete the Cat Artist James Dean has a thing about cats. Well, one cat in particular. His name is Pete.
P54 And the Winner Is... Reigning Queen Belle is the winner of our 3rd Annual Most Adorable Pet Facebook Contest. But really, everyone is a winner in our book. Here are your pet photos—all of them.
P64 Canine Rehabilitation The use of physical therapy to assist recovery is now an accepted practice in human medicine and surgery. Our animal friends deserve the same services to help them to heal.
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Treatment Success with Invisalign While Invisalign and traditional “braces” have the ability to correct crooked teeth and improve a patient’s smile, there are many other benefits of orthodontic treatment that get overlooked. Dr. Jeffrey Bauer discusses them in detail.
Dog and Human Bonding: Start Early Sharing your life and home with a new puppy is not merely a matter of housebreaking and training your dog to sit. The most important things to share are your patience, guidance, trust and bonding skills.
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Interesting Islander: Michael Gardner By day he’s Michael Gardner, affable front office director of an oceanfront resort. On select evenings, however, he transforms into “Mike Black,” aspiring stand-up comic, working the stage at the Hilton Head Comedy Club and mining laughs by making fun of the same guests he’s been placating all day.
3D Dentistry The 3 Dimensional Cone Beam Computed Tomography (3DCBCT) scan is a relatively new technology available to dentists and surgeons. Previously, the only way to visualize what is below the teeth and gum tissue was with an x-ray.
The Fiscal Cliff and You The drama behind the Fiscal Cliff turned out to mimic a reality show or soap opera more than politics. There were legitimate and material issues facing virtually every American taxpayer.
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Wells Fargo Saving for your 90’s
>>> ON OUR COVER Reigning Queen Belle is the winner of our 3rd Annual Most Adorable Pet Facebook Contest. Read about her on page 54.
50 Photography by Anne
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february 2013
EVERYTHING ELSE
CONTENTS
february 2013
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>> Everything Else
>> Business Profiles
P46 Sublime Prime Best little steakhouse in Bluffton
P74 Dr. Timothy Gross A passion for dentistry
P84 Club Tan Get your glow on & take a mini break
P88 Local Commitment, Local Focus Comfort and care continue as Mattress Firm grows
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Editor’s Note 7 Reasons to Love February
Golf Changing the rules
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Letters to the Editor Thanks from the Island Rec Center, kudos to Ruthi and a letter from an ex-hunter.
P22 Celebrate February Cooks & Books, The Heart Ball, Groundhog Day and Superbowl XLVII ( that’s 47 for you non-Romans)
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It’s Five O’clock Somewhere Happenings at local watering holes
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Behind the Gates at Belfair Beyond the gatehouse, a seemingly endless tunnel of beautiful moss-draped live oaks greets you and superbly sets the tone for the character that Belfair wishes to express: a private community offering first-rate golf and amenities, but spoken in a more informal voice than some of its neighbors..
A Line in the Sand The funniest word in the dictionary
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And now, a word from our Mayors Drew Laughlin & Lisa Sulka keep us updated on town happenings on Hilton Head Island and in Bluffton.
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>>> ON OUR COVER
B Social Cooks & Books, at the theatre this month & more.
Our Town Hilton Head Wine & Food Festival
Read all about PETE the Cat on Page 80.
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Charity Corner Boys & Girls Club of Bluffton
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Valentine’s Day Gift ideas and a letter in defense of chocolate. artwork by James dean
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february 2013
02.2013
From the Editor
2 Publisher / Editor-in-Chief: maggie washo Art Director: Kelly stroud Art & Production Catherine Davies Advertising Sales: Ashton Kelley kim crouch Candy Eazor Executive Assistant Hunter Kostylo Contributing Writers:
Top Reasons to Love February
kitty bartell DR. BAUER ABBY BIRD dr. Kirk Dixon Paul Devere Frank Dunne Jr. Courtney Hampson Drew Laughlin MICHAEL PASKEVICH Pete Popovich DR. BONNIE ROTHWELL DAVID SHATZ Lisa Sulka Dr. Kathy WANDER Contributing Photographers / Artist: Photography by anne John Brackett Photography Rob Kaufman Contributing Art Direction: Tom Staebler P.O.Box 22949 Hilton Head Island, SC 29925
Groundhog Day This is and always has been my favorite holiday. I usually take the day off and celebrate with a trip to Walt Disney World. It’s also Ashton Kelley’s birthday (our Director of Sales), so if you see her, wish her a happy one. Imagine having to share your birthday with a groundhog every year. Poor girl.
Super Bowl XLVII That’s 47 for all of you non-Romans out there. This year it’s in New Orleans… and every sports fan’s living room. Break out the Budweiser and nachos, because it’s acceptable to cheat on your New Year’s resolutions while you watch San Francisco and Baltimore duke it out.
Four Legged Friends It’s CH2’s fourth annual pet issue starring your furry friends. If you entered your pet in our contest, you can find his/her photo somewhere between pages 54-62. Our winner Belle is looking for a home, and we hope that being our cover girl helps her cause. P.S. GROUNDHOG DAY IS MY BIRTHDAY!
It’s the shortest month of the year. Not having a good month? No worries—it’s the one with the fewest number of days, so it will be over before you know it.
Valentine’s Day Yes, it’s a Hallmark holiday, designed to pump some cash into restaurants, jewelry stores and flower shops. Who cares! Play along. Do it for L.O.V.E.
Only 38 Days… Until Daylight Savings Time begins again: March 10. Hurray!
The Social Calendar The Lowcountry begins its ascent out of hibernation with fundraisers and community events like the Chamber Ball, Cooks & Books and the Heart Ball. Get ready locals. Once Presidents’ Day weekend hits, the season has officially begun. Let the February festivities commence!
M. Washo Publisher / Editor-in-Chief
843.689.2658 m.washo@celebratehiltonhead.com
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february 2013
Letters
To the Editor...
Dear Maggie, On behalf of the Island Recreation Association, I would like to thank you, Kelly Stroud, the staff of CH2 Magazine and all of the Bachelorettes for their generous contribution. The record amount of money they raised during the “Bachelorette of the Year” competition goes to our Children’s Scholarship Fund, which helps families in need. Each year the Island Recreation Association is dedicated to improving the quality of life for all area residents by producing, providing and coordinating public recreation programs, “wellness” activities and community events. Through our programs and athletics we have seen many happy and healthy children thrive in a safe environment. CH2 Magazine has helped ensure that no one is denied participation in any of our worthwhile activities. The goal of the Island Recreation Association is to make a difference in our community. With the help of donations from supporters such as CH2 Magazine, we will continue to see improvements of children building self-esteem, learning teamwork skills, creating a sense of belonging and of course, a healthier lifestyle. Thanks again to CH2 Magazine and all of the Bachelorettes for their generous support. You have made a difference and the Island Recreation Association sincerely appreciates it. Best Wishes, Bubba Gillis DU Board President Ck ++++++++++++++
h UN TI Ng
Ms. Washo, I just read your latest issue of CH2 and I was nauseated by it. Your article on hunting was absolutely gross. Big, brave men hiding to slaughter innocent ducks! At one time, many years ago, I hunted until one day I shot a squirrel and I looked into the unfortunate animal’s stricken eyes. I never hunted again. Hunting teaches brutality to children. They think killing a defenseless animal is alright. It is a crime against nature. If you look at the history of many serial killers and the latest slaughter in the schools, so many of the young people who perpetrated them were hunters. Don’t tell me that hunting is a sport It is sheer murder. Ask the animals. When you arm the animals to defend themselves, then maybe, I’ll be convinced. In conclusion, I want to leave you with a poem written by an ex-hunter, and if you still have a dry eye after reading it, you have no heart or soul. PhOTOgrAPhy By MArk STAFF
On a chilly morning in December, C2’s photographer Mark Staff awoke at 2am to join Clark Fons and Chris Marra for a Lowcountry duck hunt on Bear Island, WMA (Wildlife Management Area). The 2013 waterfowl season in South Carolina is currently open and runs through January 27.
A hunter shot at a flock of geese That flew within his reach. Two were stopped in their rapid flight And fell on the sandy beach. The male bird lay at the water’s edge And just before he died, He faintly called to his wounded mate And she dragged herself to his side. She bent her head and crooned to him In a way distressed and wild, Caressing her one and only mate As a mother would a child. 20
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February 2013
Then covering him with her broken wing And gasping with failing breath, She laid her head against his breast A feeble honk - then death. This story is true though crudely told. I was the man in this case. I stood knee-deep in snow and cold And the hot tears burned my face. I buried the birds in the sand where they lay Wrapped in my hunting coat, And I threw my gun and belt in the bay When I crossed in the open boat. Hunters will call me a right poor sport And scoff at the thing I did. But that day something broke in my heart, And shoot again? God forbid! Truman P. Reitmeyer Ex-hunter
M.S. Weiner Hilton Head Island +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Yeah Ruthi! You go girl! — Sheri Brown
The comment at the end of the article was dead on. Ruthi is a unique woman, and one that everyone should be privileged enough to have in their life. — Vicki Harris Ruthi is the real deal! Always been a winner in my book! Way to go, everybody. Great way to start the year. — Sis Sewell Ruthi is and always has been fun to be around. I secretly had a crush on her for many years. Her younger brother “little Jim” was my best friend. I always had him as an excuse for hanging around and getting to see Ruthi. She’s still “Babe O’ Licious!” - Kenny Dear Mr Frank Dunne & Courtney Hampson, I read your articles about the Bachelorette contest in the January edition of CH2 magazine, and wish to comment on your views. You commented that this event was about vanity and bragging rights, but you do commend the charity aspect of the event. I happen to be the male on page 55 photographed with those nine lovely ladies. These nine ladies raised more funds for this event because they wanted their friend Ruthi Collins to win. You see Ruthi was going to donate her winnings to a woman that we all know; she had just lost her husband, a cause that was important to all of us. There was no vanity or bragging rights involved; it was to help a friend in need! I personally bought several hundred dollars of tickets because my support for a good cause was needed, and it also helped a charity. The nine lovely ladies worked hard that evening to get voters to pay for tickets not just for Ruthi, but more for Ruthi’s promise. These nine ladies knew their long-term girlfriend would come through for them, and she did! Finally, I am please to inform you that Ruthi kept her promise; she is a queen in my eyes, not for her beauty outside, but inside! Sometimes an event like this can have a bigger impact than we realize for some people, so we all need to sometimes just sit back and smile, and not analyze. Sincerely, Patrick c. McCormick CEO McCormick Financial Products, LLC How to reach us: Email your letter to the editor to m.washo@celebratehiltonhead. com. We have the right to print all letters and emails submitted to CH2 magazine. We reserve the right to edit for clarity and brevity.
February 2013
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February
2013 Sunday
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I hate hamlet
Feb 5- 24, 2013 Arts Center of Coastal Carolina More Info: www. artshhi.com
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Hearts For Celebrate Heroes Wine mardis gras @ Tasting salty dog cafe Jump & Phil’s Bar Feb 8-12, 2013 & Grill Try one of the 3–5 PM special Cajun items Tickets $25.00 from our Mardis Call Cindy Tuttle at Gras menu! 843-384-7847
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Gullah Celebration! Feb 1- 28, 2013 Gullah Celebration showcases the rich cultural heritage of the Gullah people and their history on Hilton Head Island. More info: gullahcelebration.com
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10th annual valentine’s day fundraiser 11AM- 2PM Pineland Station Mall Courtyard Benefits the Hilton Head Humane Association!
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gods gifts for gods children Lords of Life Lutheran Church 10AM-2PM Quilts, paintings, books, woodcrafted items, photos and gourmet food!
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Hilton Head Shore notes presents “hearts afire!”
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Visual Performing Arts Center 7:00PM Tickets: $20 Call: 706-9877
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happy Valentine’s day!
Outside Hilton head announces RECYCLE YOUR JACKET PROGRAM SET Outside Hilton Head is conducting a program called “RECYCLE YOUR JACKET” from February 1 through February 15. Any jacket or coat in clean and functional condition may be brought to Outside Hilton Head’s Plaza at Shelter Cove shop. For More Info: 843-686-6996. Or see www.outsidehiltonhead.com
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“Annie” at the may river theatre company February 8,9,15,16,22 & 23 at 8PM February 10, 17 & 24 at 3PM Tickets: $20 For More Info: (843) 837-7798
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Come see rising young stars Wednesday’s @ 3:30PM Saturday’s 10AM Van Der Meer Tennis Center More Info: 785-8388
Hospice & Hearts: A Red carpet affair 6:30-9:00PM Windows on the Waterway Admissions: $45 More Info: (843) 706-2296
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Taste of GullaH 12:00-3:00PM Arts Center of Coastal Carolina Free Event! More Info visit: artshhi.com
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11th annual hilton head half marathon & 10K/5K Jarvis Creek Park; 8:00AM Entry Fee: $25-$75 More Info: www. bearfootsporsts.com
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Gregg Russell Thanksgiving Face your fears Concert endurance Liberty Oak inchalHarlenge 2013 bour Town Palmetto Bluff 7:30PM-9:00PM Feb 23 & 24 Call for details: 304-2333
Red Apron chili cookoff Tanger Outlet 2 All Day Event! The Red Apron Chili Cookoff is an international Chili Society Sanctioned Cookoff to benefit Bluffton Self Help More Info: 843-757-8000
february 2013
A Line in the Sand
Photography By Anne
One subject. Two opinions.
the funniest word in the English Language
Frank Dunne Jr.
I
t all came down to idiot, knucklehead, jackass, and crackhead. Those were my finalists for Funniest Word in the English Language. Idiot won, and the reason is this: I use it at least 100 times a day, and it never gets old. It always
sounds funny, even when I just think it. That’s because the individuals and their words or deeds warranting the label are so stupid that I have to laugh to keep from crying. You see, there is so much stupidity in the world, and I
idiot
encounter way too much of it every day. Without this coping mechanism, I’d be pretty depressed. Hang on to that, because we’re coming back to it. Now, picture a guy sitting up in his bed, bleary eyed and sleepless, in the wee hours of a Tuesday morning, typing away on his MacBook with a big bandage wrapped around his right thumb and some invisible ghost trying to tie his left deltoid muscle in a knot. Yeah, that guy is me, and that’s the moment I realized idiot isn’t the funniest word in the English language. It’s pepperoni. Yeah you heard me. Pepperoni. How can that be, you ask? Trust me. I found a way. There I was, (continued on next page)
Courtney Hampson
I
rregardless of how many people actually use the word irregardless, it still isn’t a word. What I enjoy most about this word that isn’t a word, is that it is so often used that it actually appears in the dictionary with a note conceding its use but clarifying that it is, in fact, not a word. Allow me to share the entry with you: Irregardless is considered nonstandard because of the two negative elements ir- and -less. It was probably formed on the analogy of such words as irrespective, irrelevant, and irreparable. Those who use it, including on occasion educated
speakers, may do so from a desire to add emphasis. If you have a couple hours to burn, and you consider yourself a grammarian (noun. a specialist in grammar.) as I do, you could get lost on the “Grammar Girl” website. The “Girl” tells us that, “Some people mistakenly use irregardless when they mean regardless. Regardless means “regard less,” “without regard,” or despite something. The prefix ir- (i-r) is a negative prefix, so if you add the prefix ir to a word that’s already negative like regardless, you’re making a double-
Frank Dunne Jr
the prior Sunday evening, fixing a little snack before sitting down to write about the word idiot. There I was, happily slicing a pepperoni sausage into those wonderful little bite-sized pieces…until the knife missed its mark and sliced through my thumb. “Oops! Got a little nick there. Rinse it out, slap on a BandAid and I’ll be all set.” The Monty Python guys couldn’t have written this better. “Just a little flesh wound, old chap. No reason to go all wobbly.” Meanwhile the kitchen floor is starting to look more like a slaughterhouse floor, and Roommate will be back from walking her dogs any second. Two hairy little dogs running around in a sea of blood is a story not likely to end well. Think, man. Think! Wrap the thumb in a towel, wipe the floor and dash upstairs to wash out the cut and get a better look. By now the once-yellow towel is a half red/half yellow towel, and in a few seconds, my bathroom sink looks like the crime scene in the Jodi Arias murder trial. We’re beyond Band-Aids here. This is a good time to point out that I don’t know what the hell I’m doing, because the last time I was in a hospital for myself was, I believe, sometime around 1994. “Yeah, I think there’s this thing called the ER that I’m supposed to go to. I saw it on TV.” Roommate on the other hand has, unfortunately, dealt with a variety of illness over the years. In fact, I’ve rushed her to the hospital on more than one occasion, and I believe she’s on a first-name basis with every medical professional from here to Boston. An expert. “Ummm. Roommate?” “Huh?” “I think I might need your 26
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help with something here.” “Sure, what is…holy s***!” On our way to Rampart General, Roommate described the excruciatingly painful procedures that I was about to endure, i.e. the local anesthetic (a needle jammed through my thumb) and the tetanus shot which, according to her description, would be the equivalent of having a Roman short sword run through my arm with the “real” pain coming later. Roommate seemed to take a perverse pleasure in this unexpected turn of the worm. I got the last laugh, though. I’ve had local anesthetic needles like that one stuck into my gums for A seemingly innocent pepperoni sausage became the crux of a series of unfortunate events so monumental, so profound, I had no choice but to call myself…wait for it… an IDIOT! wisdom tooth extractions. On the thumb, hah! As for the tetanus needle, by the time I’d asked the doc when he was going to stick it in, he’d already removed it. Apparently Roommate forgot that I’m half Kryptonian. So, you’re wondering, how does that make pepperoni the funniest word in the English language? Simple. A seemingly innocent pepperoni sausage became the crux of a series of unfortunate events so monumental, so profound, I had no choice but to call myself…wait for it…an IDIOT! But that’s just my opinion. February 2013
Courtney Hampson
negative word that literally means “without without regard.” I find this bit of sarcastic grammar correction to be extremely entertaining, however, regardless of the joy I garner from the over-use of this word err, non-word (is that a word?), I actually can’t dub it as the funniest word because well, it isn’t a word. With a quarter of a million distinct English words to choose from, I toyed with ketchup, colonel, and hors d’oeuvres whose spelling has just always rubbed me the wrong way. And, I channeled my inner James Lipton and pondered both my favorite (serendipitously, retort and prelude) and least favorite (titillate, frank*) words. But alas, hubbub is my final answer edging out brouhaha by just a hair. Hubbub. H-u-b-b-u-b. Hubbub. Why yes, I’ll use it in a sentence. Hey there, what’s all this hubbub about? But alas, hubbub is my final answer edging out brouhaha by just a hair. Hubbub. H-u-bb-u-b. Hubbub. Why yes, I’ll use it in a sentence. Hey there, what’s all this hubbub about?
Every time I hear it (I rarely see it in print) I have a little chuckle with myself. Hubbub makes me think about when I was young and my sister and I used to ride our bikes to the Corner Grocery (the “Co Gro” if you were in the know) and buy gum. If we weren’t going for controversial Garbage Pail Kid cards, Hubba Bubba was always my choice— namely because I liked saying Hubba Bubba. Go ahead, February 2013
Al Roker caused quite the hubbub when his recently released book stirred a renewed interest in the interview clip during which he reveals that he accidently pooped his pants at the White House. say it. Hubba. Bubba. It’s funny, right? So clearly it’s only natural that, by extension, hubbub would top my funniest word list. While it is steeped in whimsy and suggests a certain lightheartedness, the definition of the noun is: noise, uproar, confusion, turmoil. The use possibilities are endless. There was a quite a hubbub on the Senate floor today as Senator So and So’s toupee flew off whilst staging a raging filibuster. Al Roker caused quite the hubbub when his recently released book stirred a renewed interest in the interview clip during which he reveals that he accidently pooped his pants at the White House. A hubbub ensued as Kim Kardashian and Kanye West left the restaurant, revealing a new baby bump. So, I heard that Jim showed up at the party with his new girlfriend and, thirty seconds later, his ex, Hillary walks in. It was quite the hubbub. Irregardless of what Frank thinks, hubbub has to be dubbed funniest word in the dictionary. *Did you catch that? www.celebratehiltonhead.com 27
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What: Legally Blonde: The Musical
Who: Presented by Hilton Head Preparatory School
Where: Hilton Head High School VPAC When: Thursday-Sat., Feb. 14-16 at 7:30 p.m. & Sunday, Feb. 17 at 2:00 p.m.
Hilton Head Prep’s Legally Blonde Is, Like, The Best! When sorority girl Elle Woods gets dumped by her upper-crust boyfriend, Warner, she decides to get serious to win him back. Through a creative admissions process, she follows her ex to Harvard Law and soon discovers how smart she really is, challenging the stereotypes, all the while being authentically Elle! That’s the premise behind the Hilton Head Prep’s winter production of the Legally Blonde, a crowd-pleaser full of peppy musical numbers, exciting choreography, two adorable pooches and plenty of hot pink! “This high-energy show will appeal to all ages,” said Benjamin Wolfe, director of performing arts at Hilton Head Preparatory School. “Songs like ‘Omigod,’ ‘Positive’ and ‘So Much Better,’ plus incredible dance numbers will transport the audience to a fun escape where they can sit back, relax, laugh and enjoy the craziness of the girls of Delta Nu.” The production also makes entertaining use of a Greek chorus of sorority sisters, who comment, Supremesstyle, on Elle’s plight.
Based on the novel by Amanda Brown and the major motion picture starring Reese Witherspoon, the stage production premiered in pre-Broadway tryouts in San Francisco, then, in April 2007 when it moved to Broadway. Legally Blonde: The Musical carries the heartfelt themes of sisterhood, perseverance, loyalty and overcoming all odds. The sizeable cast of 31 Hilton Head Prep students includes 15 who are new to the Hilton Head Prep stage. Senior leads include Alli Kenneweg as Elle Woods, Mark Oppenheimer as Warner Huntington III, Taylor Calamari as Emmett Forrest and Hannah Simpson as Paulette Bonofonte. The music is led by Tim Reynolds, who is also the director of the Hilton Head Choral Society. Choreographer Kathleen Watkins returns to Hilton Head Prep, bringing years of experience in dance instruction to the production, including her work as dance captain in the Broadway cast of Fosse. The successfully executed shows produced by Hilton Head Prep evolve from much hard work on the part of everyone involved. Students often rehearse six nights a week in preparation, while concurrently, students in the technical theatre class design and build the intricately crafted sets that fill the vast space of Hilton Head High’s Visual and Performing Arts Center (VPAC). Tickets go on sale to Arts Guild members on January 21 and to the general public on January 25. Tickets may be purchased with a credit card at hhprep.org and will also be available at the where cash, checks and credit cards will be accepted. Admission is $20 for adults, $10 for students, and $15 for seniors (60 and older) for matinee shows. For additional ticket information and group rates (15 or more), call (843) 3046280.
SOUTHERN STOM P E P : Embracing her Southern roots, Mckenzie Eddy, a Hilton Head Native, teamed up with local musician and producer John Cranford to create this five-song album. Mckenzie recently returned to South Carolina after five years in New York City working with Damon Dash, DD172 and Bluroc Records. She has now relocated to Charleston to bring Bluroc to the South, opening a performance venue and art gallery on King Street. The EP will be released February 22 at The Royal American in Charleston and will feature local band Treble Jay as well as Mckenzie and Cranford. The album also had some local heroes help, with Greg Critchley Engineering and Producing and Angie Aparo helping out with the song writing on “Comin Around”. The album is available online and will also be available locally at John’s Music. More information: http://www.dd172newyork.com/
Don’t Miss the Hilarious Ghost Story I Hate Hamlet at the Arts Center of Coastal Carolina, Feb. 5-24 Special to CH2
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on’t let the title fool you. This play is not Shakespeare. It is, instead, a fabulously fun comedy, complete with a love triangle, a celebrity haunting, a séance… and even a sword fight. Onstage at the Arts Center of Coastal Carolina February 5 -24, I Hate Hamlet is a thoroughly charming, engagingly clever play by Paul Rudnick, telling the story of a handsome sitcom star who moves to New York from L.A. after the cancellation of his television series, rents a lavishly Gothic apartment in the Village once occupied by John Barrymore, and is offered the role of a lifetime…Hamlet! Since Andy, played by New York actor Ethan Saks, is about to assume Barrymore’s most celebrated Shakespearean role, there’s little to stand in the way of his complete artistic fulfillment. Except that as much as Andy loves the apartment, theater and fame, he absolutely hates Hamlet. Andy soon finds himself not only haunted by his decision but by the ghost of the legendary Shakespearean actor John Barrymore, played by Atlanta actor James Donadio. Relentlessly imposing his “advice,” Barrymore instigates a duel with the young man over art, success, his girlfriend, and even the apartment. Andy grapples with his intense dislike of the role theater aficionados refer to as “the greatest in the English-speaking world,” and in the meantime, gains some lessons in life and love. The New York Times called I Hate Hamlet “…hilarious,” and this Arts Center production is set to deliver spot-on acting, a lot of laughs, and an evening of just plain fun. Tickets are $44 for adults and $31 for children ages 4-15. Save $10 on three preview performances. Purchase your tickets online at artshhi.com or call the box office at (843) 842ARTS (2787) or toll free at (888) 860-2787.
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The Heat is On: Literacy Volunteers’ Cooks & Books By Kathy Wall Photos by Jean Marie Cote
The palate-pleasing combination of signature food tastings from top local restaurants will be paired with well-known Lowcountry authors and topped with an exciting “The Heat Is On” chefs’ competition at Literacy Volunteers of the Lowcountry’s 7th Annual Cooks & Books celebration. The event, which takes place Sunday, March 3, 2013 from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. at The Westin Hilton Head Island Resort & Spa, promises to be an afternoon of culinary delight and entertainment. Sonny Dixon of WTOC-TV Channel 11 in Savannah will serve as master of ceremonies. Presenting sponsors are Chrysler-Jeep-DodgeRam and The Westin. Admission to Cooks & Books is $15 in advance and $20 at the door and includes unlimited tastings, access to the Lowcountry authors, “The Heat Is On” chefs’ competition and the opportunity to vote for a favorite tasting in “The Peoples’ Choice.” Authors include Claire Cook, Kathy Wall, Ken Burger, Wilbur Cross, Pam Kessler, Pat Branning, David Lynch, Lydia Inglett, Kim, Lykins, Phyllis Tildes and Sallie Ann Robinson Restaurants include Bomboras Grille, Frankie Bones, Hudson’s, Vine, Gilian’s, OKKO, Hugo’s, The Chart House, CQ’s, Mulberry Street Trattoria, Old Fort Pub, Pino Gelato, Trattoria Divina, Alligator Grille, Skillets, Corner Perk and Ela’s Blu Water Grille. Kick off the weekend at the Cooks & Books Preview Party, Friday, March 1, from 6-9 p.m. This gala is held at TidePointe, a Vi Community on Hilton Head Island which is also the event’s presenting sponsor. Savor a lavish buffet, decadent desserts and an open bar along with a unique silent auction. Tickets are $85 per person in advance, and space is limited. For information, call (843) 815-6616 or visit lowcountryliteracy.org.
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Keep the Wreath Green Project
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www.celebratehiltonhead.com
Hilton Head Island Fire & Rescue’s Keep the Wreath Green Project concluded on January 2, 2013 . This year 21 lights were changed from green to white as a result of preventable fires. This number is up from 14 fires last year. The wreath, which was located at Fire Station 3, serves as a reminder to help prevent fires during the holiday season and throughout the year. Each time a fire occurred during the holiday season, which runs from November 23 – January 2, one bulb was changed from green to white. The fires that occurred were as follows: • • • • • • • • • •
2 electrical fires 2 equipment failure/ AC system 1 fireplace equipment 3 brush fires 5 dumpster / trash fires 1 kiln fire 3 arson fires 1 Embers from smoking material 2 cooking fires 1 car fire
It’s important that people remember that fire safety starts with each of us. Start with your home. visit hiltonheadislandsc.gov/departments/ fire/firechecklist.cfm
February 2013
OUR Town
Hilto n H e a d Wi ne & Food Fe st ival Mi c h a e l Pa s k e vi c h Rob Kaufman
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ine glasses will be raised, repeatedly, across the entire island in early March as the six-day Hilton Head Wine & Food Festival returns with an expanded lineup of education programs, chef dinners, home tours and auctions for fans of the vine, culminating in the big festival itself, Saturday, March 9, at the Coastal Discovery Museum at Honey Horn. “A lot of people think the start of the (visitor) season is the Heritage golf tournament” said Tami Bream, chair of the 28th annual event selected as one of region’s Top 20 events by the Southeast Tourism Society. “But we think it’s us. This is a great culinary destination, and we’re really focused on bringing more people to the island.” More than 60 percent of attendees are historically out-of-towners and may be new residents one day, leading to a new home tour with food and wine pairings ($20 per person with trolley transport provided) to lend visitors a closer look at potential new digs. “We really want more people to see how we live and what we have to offer here,” Bream said. Corks start popping Monday, March 4, with a series of nightly Great Chefs of the South Wine Dinners at select island eateries ($75 per person and up) plus a same-day reception at the Arts Center of Coastal Carolina, featuring member artists of the Art League of Hilton Head displaying winethemed works. The home
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Details Admission for Saturday’s grand tasting (March 9, noon - 3 pm at Honey Horn) is $45
tour of five residences is set for Wednesday, March 6, along with a “Lunch and Learn” program at the South Carolina Yacht Club at Windmill Harbor, a “Cheese Ed” event at Roller’s Wine and Spirits on Palmetto Bay Road and the ongoing evening chef dinners. Updated details and ticket purchases are available at hiltonheadwineandfood.com. More than 800 wines were submitted for judging in January at the Westin Hilton Head Island Resort & Spa (presenting sponsor), and as many as half of them will be available for unlimited tasting at a pair of events featuring silent auctions. A Grand Wine Tasting & Silent Auction is set for Friday, March 8, at
the Sea Pines Country Club (5:30-7:30 p.m., $90 per person) featuring gourmet appetizers and entertainment by finalists in the Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra’s annual Piano Competition. “The auctions are the way we raise money for our scholarship fund,” said volunteer Dr. Bob Hohman, noting more than $10,000 raised last year by the nonprofit group for hospitality students at University of South Carolina Beaufort and the Technical College of the Lowcountry. Select bottles from wineries across the country will be auctioned in lots of four, six and a dozen, starting with silent bids as low as $50 for the smallest lots, he added.
Of course, plenty more bottles from wineries nationwide will be available at a silent auction that accompanies the grand finale on Saturday at Honey Horn (noon-3 p.m.) when the Eastern Seaboard’s largest outdoor wine fest takes place. Nearly 5,000 locals and visitors attended last year, receiving souvenir wine glasses and carte blanche to freely sample any wines of interest, supplemented by artisan foods, art and craft exhibits and culinary competitions such as waiter races. Admission is $45 per person (online until March 8) or $50 at the gate at Honey Horn with half-price admission for active military with ID and their spouses. Americana themed Cranford and Sons will provide entertainment at Saturday’s finale and, in another new twist this year, attendees still willing and able are invited to a free after party at the combined Chart House and Boat House restaurants nearby, featuring more music from Cranford and Sons and the chance to keep the revelry going through the evening. Remember, you still have Sunday to recover.
February 2013
Charity Corner
Great Oaks f rom Little Acorns B oys a n d G i r l s C l ub a p l a c e to g ro w Michael Paskevic h
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ugs, snacks and crucial support are in steady supply at the Bluffton Boys and Girls Club, courtesy of unit director Molly O. Smith and staff plus a cadre of community volunteers aware of the serious pressures facing today’s youngsters. Issues including gang violence, low self-esteem and substance abuse, absentee parents and peer pressure are ongoing threats and distractions for the young (age 6-18) charges that rely on the club for everything from educational support and tutoring to crucial adult role modeling that can keep them out of trouble and headed instead for success. “Yes, it’s a very different world out there today for kids because of all the social changes,” said Smith of the nearly 600 children who are current members. “We are saving lives and serving the community.” And the community is responding, as evidenced by $50,000 in recent donations to maintain and expand 34
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programs and overwhelming response to an upcoming fundraiser, “Evening Under the Oaks,” set for Saturday, March 9 at the refurbished clubhouse at Belfair. The benefit, in the works since last April, already is soldout on paper (phone (843) 379-5430 for cancellations and sponsorship information) thanks to the co-chairing efforts of board members Nancy Vineburgh and Alison May. The event also marks the 15th anniversary of the club which, after humble beginnings in rundown mobile quarters, has blossomed to a 24,500-square-foot facility on
2.5 acres at 100 H.E. McCracken Circle near the Bluffton schools complex. The expanding partnership between the club and community includes increased mentoring by volunteers, including local police, fire and military personnel who oversee an Explorer program for teens. Other programs focus on the national organization’s core values goals that include social recreation, the arts, education and volunteer work and technology. A newly added program for girls ages 8-17 called S.M.A.R.T., an acronym for skills mastery and resistance training, focuses on health, education and self-esteem, helping maintain a zeropregnancy rate to date. About 300 youngsters arrive each weekday (2:30-7 p.m.) from 14 area schools “and the first thing we do is have them put up their book bags, wash their hands and then get a healthy snack,” Smith said. “We are not school. They’re coming here because of the staff, and
“Evening Under the Oaks,” set for Saturday, March 9 at the refurbished clubhouse at Belfair. that’s where we’re having the biggest impact, giving off positive energy. If we can give kids a sense of belonging and usefulness, that will help make them well-rounded citizens, especially those who need it most.” No longer is it just a matter of tossing kids a basketball and turning them loose. The club features separate rooms for quiet reading, dance and computer work in addition to a game room, workout areas and wellequipped gym. Teens have their own designated wing at the facility and, regardless of age, none is turned away because of an inability to afford dues that start at $60 a year. On Friday nights, the club opens its doors free of charge to all Bluffton area teens (an estimated 2,500) to provide them a safe place to hang out until midnight. It’s not just a one-way street at the club with adults taking on all the essential duties. About 100 of the youngsters will be serving as escorts and entertainers at the oaks-themed gala at Belfair, helping fulfill the event’s subtitle garnered from a 14th Century proverb: “Great oaks from little acorns grow.” For more information, visit bglowcountry.org. February 2013
Happy valentine’s day! Death by Chocolate? Think Again!
Book review
article By Kristoffer Hamby
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et us get the bad news out of the way first. No matter how you cut, mold, or shape it, chocolate has calories. With a main ingredient in chocolate being sugar, it’s easy to assume it must not be good for you, especially when we live in a beach community and everyone wants to look their best. Being fit however, means more than looking good. Chocolate is also made up of cocoa solids, which are rich in antioxidants, thought to be helpful in battling high blood pressure, heart disease, cancer and stroke. Dr Karen Ried from the University of Adelaide in Australia examined the effects chocolate has on blood pressure. Her research concluded that dark chocolate “can significantly, but modestly, reduce blood pressure for people with high blood pressure.” An additional study published in the British Medical Journal stated that eating 3.5 ounces of dark chocolate daily over 10 years has “significant”
benefits for high-risk cardiac patients and could prevent heart attacks and strokes. High cocoa chocolate contains antioxidant chemicals called polyphenols, which help keep blood vessels dilated, improving blood flow, which in turn reduces blood pressure. It’s important to note here that overindulging in chocolate in itself leads to obesity, which is a leading cause of heart disease. Reid also indicated that it is “in combination with sensible choices, such as exercise” that this
preventative measure can be reached. It is here I better tell you that I am not a doctor. The only medical advice I can give is before you choose any diet, consult your doctor. I should also let you in a little secret: My opinion of chocolate is somewhat biased. As the proud owner of The Chocolate Canopy along with my wife Starr, we are very interested in studies encouraging the consumption of chocolate. Chocolate can be found everywhere, but the highest quality chocolate can’t. So whether you’re 90+-year-old Mrs. Donnelly who eats one dark chocolate graham cracker each night or our eight-year-old daughter, Sadie, who indulges more frequently, if you’re looking for quality chocolate, we’ll see you soon.
The Chocolate Canopy is a gourmet chocolate company, located at 6 Bow Circle, Hilton Head Island. For more information, call (843) 842-4567 or visit online at chocolatecanopy.com.
Teachers receive the most valentines, followed by kids, mothers, wives and sweethearts. http://www.wisebread.com/weird-things-youdidnt-know-about-valentines-day
$1 billion
Over $1 billion worth of chocolate is purchased for Valentine’s Day in the U.S. http://www.sheknows.com/holidays-and-seasons/ articles/807655/fun-facts-about-valentine-s-day
Alone? On a Friday night? With a pint of Ben & Jerry’s and a broken heart?
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o single woman wants to find herself in this discouraging scenario. Yet, many women end up here after following the advice of countless relationship books that tell women that to have the perfect man they must become the perfect woman. In her debut book, On Becoming NaughtABimbeaux: The Smart Woman’s Guide to Finding Her Prince Without Ever Kissing Another Frog, mental health professional, educator and once certifiable bimbo, Morgan Rose clarifies why the reader chooses men incapable of a conscious relationship, how she can shift her self-sabotaging pattern, and how she can recognize and attract a man capable of what true love requires. On Becoming NaughtABimbeaux weaves together relationship research, therapeutic guidance, women’s true stories, germane quotes and, when appropriate, humor. Rose’s voice as an author sets readers at ease as they dive into a journey into their past in order to find the prince of their future. “Today’s woman, no matter how successful, how independent and confident, and no matter how many times she has trusted her precious biological clock to another ticking time bomb, or just another attractive cuckoo, is primed for a quantum leap from preschool to (continued on next page)
Book review
Ph.D. in learning the truth about love,” Rose said. “Why? Because deep in her heart of hearts, she believes the Cinderella story is possible.” On Becoming NaughtABimbeaux targets a woman’s intellect, intuition, imagination, emotions and hope to ensure insight as the reader learns the answers to: Why do I so often love the men who can’t? What makes some men lay, lie, then leave? Why does settling feel like I’ve sold out my soul? Why does my daddy and his mommy matter? And, what’s science got to do with it? Weaving a decade of research with her own extraordinary rebirthing journey, Rose addresses themes such as: • Debunking the ‘Change Yourself for a Man’ myth • Living the Cinderella Story: How to bypass the frogs to focus on finding your prince • Six areas that sabotage your chances of having the love you long for • The biology of emotional bonding • How childhood messages impact adult intimacy For more information, please visit www.naughtabimbeaux.com.
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valentines day
Gift guide A Day at the Spa Most women are not likely to splurge on this for themselves – which makes it an inspired gift on Valentine’s Day. Pamper Me! www.westinhiltonheadspa.com www.facesdayspa.com www.palmettobluff.com/spatreatments.aspx www.sanctuaryeurospa.com
Send her Flowers on Valentine’s Day. Yes – they will be expensive. Yes, it is a Hallmark Holiday. Yes, do it anyway. It will make her day. www. afloralaffairhhi.com
February 2013
For your angel, 14K pink gold and diamonds. The Porcupine, Village at Wexford www. porcupinestyle.com $685 Enjoy the timeless classics of METALSMITHS™ Sterling Silver Heat Collection. Pendants, charms, and bracelets in elegant heart designs that never go out of style. Handcrafted in sterling silver that can be enjoyed for years to come. Heritage Fine Jewelry, Pineland Station www. heritagejewelershhi.com
Pandora creates their beads of sterling silver, gold and gemstones. This magnificent bracelet features 14K gold beads and diamonds. The Blue Parrot, Village at Wexford www.blueparrotgifts.com $5365
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Golf Tips From a Pro
Pete Popovich, 2012 HHIPGA Player of the Year
Changing the Rules of Golf
Photography by Anne
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ecently the United States Golf Association (USGA) and all scores turned in. If it doesn’t, putt any way you wish. If the Royal and Ancient Golf Club (R&A), golf’s governing it does, consider using the following when talking to your bodies, proposed Rule 14-1b as an amendment to the handicap committee. Rules of Golf. Rule 14-1b states: In making a stroke, the Why make a rule on anchoring now? This is a very good player must not anchor the club, either “directly” or by use question and one that has yet to been answered to the satof an “anchor point.” isfaction of the golfing public. Anchoring a putter has been The club is anchored directly when the player intentionally around for more than 30 years, but the USGA had never holds the club or a gripping hand in contact with any part taken a stand on the topic. In fact, it was not until recently of his body, except that the player may hold the club or a when three of the last five major champions won using the gripping hand against a hand or forearm. An anchor method that steps were taken to outThe use of anchoring anchor point exists when the player intenlaw this style. But was this action necessary? your putter will no tionally holds a forearm in contact with any In my opinion the simple answer is no. There part of his body to establish a gripping hand has never been one shred of evidence showlonger be allowed as a stable point around which the other ing that anchoring a putter allows a golfer to during a round if you hand may swing the club. have an advantage when putting. Traditionare going to use that What does this mean to you, the everyday alists are quick to point out that anchoring round to establish golfer? The use of anchoring your putter will the putter is cheating yet never present any a USGA handicap. no longer be allowed during a round if you evidence to back up their claim. In fact, hisare going to use that round to establish a tory and the evidence support the opposite. However, should you USGA handicap. However, should you not According to the PGA Tour’s Total Putts not wish to establish a wish to establish a USGA handicap, you are Gained stat, during the anchoring era USGA handicap, you are free to use any type of putting style you like. (2008-Present), only two PGA Tour memfree to use any type of This might pose a problem to your club’s bers have cracked the Top 20 in Total Putts putting style you like. handicap chairperson, as some clubs want Gained, Scott McCarron (17th in 2010 & 9th
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in 2011) and Carl Petterson (14th in 2008 & 2nd in 2010). Although Scott and Carl are very good golfers with long PGA Tour careers and multiple wins each, most would not consider them top tier players on the PGA Tour. Wouldn’t you think if anchoring your putter was a more effective way of putting, touring pros around the world would use it since their livelihood depends on their ability win golf tournaments? After all, you cannot win a golf tournament if you are not making putts. I believe the effect of this new rule will be far greater than
Percentage wise there are many more golfers of average handicap using extra-long putters than there are touring pros using them. This rule will hurt the golfing public more than anyone else, because it takes away something that helped you to enjoy the game more. what was originally thought. It will be felt by the masses more so than by PGA Tour pros. Percentage wise there are many more golfers of average handicap using extra-long putters than there are touring pros using them. This rule will hurt the golfing public more than anyone else, because it takes away something that helped you to enjoy the game more. A large majority of golfers who employ the extralong putters and anchor them are those who have trouble bending for extended periods of time and have found that using a long putter and anchoring it is a way to practice more and enjoy the game to a greater degree. Eliminating that will detract from the game, and in a game that is losing more people per year than it is bringing in, that could pose a problem. Organizations often say what they think will be attractive to the public at large. Does the USGA say they are making a rule change to promote their own interests? No, they say it is to protect the traditions of the game. Who really gains from this rule? Does the game gain by losing more golfers? Does the golfer gain by having to relearn a skill he or she has practiced for years? These are questions that can only be answered over time. I just hope it is not after the game has lost more people due to a rule that takes away more than it gives. � To learn more about Rule 14-1b, and other topics in golf, be sure to attend the 2013 Hilton Head Island PGA Teaching Forum. The Forum is open to the public and we look forward to seeing you there. For more information visit the Forum’s website at hiltonheadislandpgateachingforum.weebly.com/. If you are looking to improve your golf game, contact Pete Popovich at the Golf Performance Academy-HHI at (843)338-6737, pete@golfacademyhiltonhead, or on Facebook at Golf Performance Academy-Hilton Head.
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O’clock
5 It’s
The Jazz CornerDeas Guys (8PM) CharBar Co.- Sunday Football Specials! Kingfisher- Happy Hour (5-8PM) Early Bird (5-7PM)
CharBar Co- Happy Hour and Live Music Daily (4-7PM) Mellow Mushroom (Bluffton)- Trivia Night (9PM)
Wise Guys-Every Wednesday: Bubbles Bubbles Ladies’ Night (Beginning at 5pm – All night long) Frankie Bones- $10 Off Any Bottle of Wine
A Tribute to Ray Charles w/ Whitley Deputy band featuring pianist Eddie Wilson (8PM)
Wild Wings Café (Hilton Head) Karaoke with Big B!
Old Fort Pub- Happy Hour (5-7PM)
Mellow Mushroom (Hilton Head) - Trivia Night (9PM)
The Jazz Corner-
Black Marlin Hurricane Bar Happy Hour (4 - 7PM)
Feb 3: Superbowl XLVII- Watch it at your favorite Watering Hole!
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Wednesday
Old Fort Pub- Happy Hour (5 - 7PM)
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Tuesday
Sunday
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Monday
somewhere!
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The Lodge1$ Pasta Night! $1 bowl of pasta $1 meatball $1 sausage
The Big BambooReggae Night with Patwa (10PM)
Wild Wing Café (Hilton Head)Our 2Fer Wing Night! Dine-in only. (4-10PM)
Giuseppi’s Hilton HeadHoppy Hour Special Guest Grant Smith from New Belgium Brewery First 24 guests receive free New Belgium pint glass (4:30-6PM)
Send your event/entertainment listing to c.davies@celebratehiltonhead.com
9 PromenadeBuy One Tapas Get One Half Off & 15% Off Wines
DON’T DRINK AND DRIVE CALL A CAB 686-6666
Black Marlin Hurricane Bar - Happy Hour (4 - 7PM) KingfisherHappy Hour in Lounge (5-8PM) Early Bird (5-7PM)
CharBar Co.Happy Hour Daily Half-Priced Liquors & Wines (4-7PM)
Kingfisher- Happy Hour in Lounge (5-8PM) Early Bird (5-7PM)
Salty Dog CafeValentine’s Day Dinner! Enjoy Chef’s Dinner Specials complete with dessert for two!
Mellow Mushroom (Hilton Head)- Karaoke Night (10PM)
Salty Dog CafeFeb 23:
Ela’s Blu Water Grille LIVE Music (Starting at 8PM)
Thirsty Thursday Wild Wing Café (Hilton Head) $2 House Vodkas and $13 Miller Light Buckets
Ela’s Blu Water Grille - LIVE Music (Starting at 8PM)
The Jazz CornerFeb 8 & 9: Reggie Deas & Deas Guyz (8PM) Feb 15 & 16: Jackie Ryan Trio and the Bob Alberti Trio (8PM)
Black Marlin Hurricane Bar Happy Hour (4 - 7PM)
Old Fort Pub - Happy Hour (5-7PM)
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The SmokehouseFeb 1: Lee Tyler Post Trio Feb 8: MIle 10 Feb 15: The Storks Feb 22: Guilt Ridden Troubadour (Starts at 10PM)
Grand Re-Opening Oyster Roast Join us for oysters & other great food outside on the boardwalk! (4-8PM) Black Marlin Hurricane Bar Drink Specials (12 - 7PM) Feb 9: Mardi Gras Crab Cracking & Oyster Roast Live Music (Begins at 4PM)
Sublime Prime
Best little steakhouse in Bluffton
ARTICLE By Michael Paskevich PHOTOGRAPHY BY ANNE
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t’s been a lifetime of experiencing grand gourmet rooms from all angles for Karyn Goldberg, owner of Sublime Prime Steakhouse and Wine Bar in Bluffton. She recalls her early days growing up in Charleston, S.C. and wandering around wide-eyed in her family’s vintage Embassy Supper Club that seated more than 200 diners who feasted on upscale fare while watching lavish floor shows. “I wasn’t even old enough when they started me busing tables and working my way up through the ranks and learning everything I could,” she said. “So being in an upscale environment is really in the blood.” Goldberg later forged a fitting career as a junket director and casino host for gaming giant Harrah’s Corp. and subsequently spent time dining with fellow hotel execs and high-rollers in stately gourmet rooms from Las Vegas to Atlantic City and beyond. Those classic experiences, emphasizing premium foods, preparation and service in special settings, were deeply ingrained in Goldberg when she settled in Bluffton about 10 years ago—a time when finding impressive dining usually meant making a trip to Hilton Head. “When people asked me where I wanted to go and eat, the only place off-island that I could recommend then was Claude and Uli’s, which I think is a fabulous brasserie,” Goldberg said. “I think chef-owners care more about what comes out of their kitchens; they oversee things more closely. Having just one place to dine, I thought, ‘well, there’s not a great steak house’ and came up with a concept modeled on casino gourmet rooms.” It took some time, but her Sublime Prime Steakhouse made its debut about 20 months ago and adheres to many hotel-casino culinary traditions, although Goldberg eschewed the genre’s sometimes garish red-velvet trappings in favor of more modern, sedate décor that features warm
Sublime Prime
earth-tones and wainscoting in a cozy, single-room 62-seater. Likewise, after opening with a casino-styled a la carte menu and price points to match, Goldberg is revamping the menu to better cater to a recession-weary marketplace without dropping her essential commitment to giving customers a memorable finedining experience. “We’re adding a New York strip steak and filets, lamb chops, pastas and salad entrées,” said Goldberg, “plus new small plates such as spicy Moroccan shrimp wraps, crab cake BLTs and a tuna tartare. We’ll also have a fresh catch of the day that’s flown in daily during the off-season; during the season, we have a couple of boats that we buy from, and we are big supporters of the local farm-to-table movement.” A fresh soup of the day now joins a classic French onion on a menu that still offers select side dishes for sharing along with entrées now served with inclusive sides. The collective changes are geared at lowering dining prices by about $6 per person to between $26 and $42. There’s also a newly added program of rotating weekly specials such as three-course early bird dining ($22.95 per person), prime rib nights ($23.95) and evenings that highlight a special tapas menu. First-time luncheon hours and menus are also in the works. One thing that definitely won’t change is Sublime Prime’s commitment to serving only trademark Certified Angus Beef®, grade prime meats that have absolutely nothing in
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“We are very polished and quiet… its candlelight, fresh flowers and the whole nine yards. I think everybody wants to be pampered when they’re here without us being stuffy or intrusive. We’re a friendly place, and we want to build relationships and be known as a place where you can go for a special dining experience.”
common with commercial Angus burgers and such that have materialized at even fast-food joints these days. “That just means it came from a black cow,” laughed Chef Jennifer Clow, explaining that “only one percent of the beef in the world is Certified Prime Angus,” through a stringent process that features special feed, precise aging and marbling and expert monitoring to achieve the most flavorful and juicy cuts. Nine more quality standards apply to Certified Angus than its closest competitor, USDA Prime.
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Chef Jennifer Clow with owner Karyn Goldberg
Clow brings 18 years of fine dining experience to Sublime Prime where a small kitchen staff gets ongoing assists from Goldberg when the owner is not out working the front-of-thehouse—hosting patrons and overseeing a black-clad staff of servers. Slow-roasted seasoned prime rib and sizzling steaks are prepared-to-order on a closed gas grill to avoid charring and maintain tenderness and flavor. Olive oil takes precedence over butter for a healthier take on many of the carnivorous classics. Sublime’s already extensive wine list is being bolstered by newly added and lower-priced American domestics offered at nightly happy hours (4:30-7 p.m.), starting at about $5 per glass and served at a secluded bar at the rear of the restaurant. And in keeping with her roots watching live entertainment at her parents’ place in Charleston, Goldberg is enlisting talent such as
February 2013
popular standards singer Bobby Ryder to drop in on occasion to enhance the overall dining experience. “We are making some changes to accommodate everybody, but we are still about the whole fine dining experience,” Goldberg said. “We are very polished and quiet… its candlelight, fresh flowers and the whole nine yards. I think everybody wants to be pampered when they’re here without us being stuffy or intrusive. We’re a friendly place, and we want to build relationships and be known as a place where you can go for a special dining experience.” The restaurant’s recent updates should further position Sublime Prime Steakhouse and Wine Bar in an emerging Bluffton fine dining market. And Goldberg is rightfully encouraged, citing the May River Grill and Sigler’s Rotisserie and Seafood, not as competitors, but as “both bringing something new to the table that is uplifting the whole area.” As for her own niche, Goldberg remains confident that a classy steakhouse that offers great food and ambience never goes out of fashion. Sublime Prime Steakhouse and Wine Bar is located at 163 Bluffton Road, Suite F, Bluffton. Hours: 4:30-10 p.m. MondaySaturday. For reservations, call (843) 815-6900 or visit sublimeprimebluffton.com for more information.
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Photography by Anne
Belle is the reigning queen of CH2’s 3rd Annual Most Adorable Pet Contest on Facebook! She won handily with over 1300 votes, due in part to Gudrun Kaiser’s (adoption coordinator at Noah’s Ark Animal Rescue) tireless efforts promoting her on Animal Rescue sites. She is currently in the foster car of Noah’s Ark Animal Rescue, and we hope this exposure helps find her a “fur-ever” home. To the right are some of Belle’s friends- rescues looking for a home as well.
Photos by Becky
Tyson,
the Gentleman He was used as a bait dog and horribly injured.
Primetime,
the All American Guy. He was left to die after being hit by a car.
Smiley Miley. She was used as a bait dog and for breeding. Her injuries left her with a permanent smile.
A Word from Jennifer & Gudrun at Noah’s Ark Animal Rescue: Dear CH2, I started NAR six years ago when so many abused and tortured animals were being put to sleep. We take in only medical abuse cases that are scheduled to be put down because of their injuries. We supply all of the medical, surgery, rehab and training to get the animals we take in re-introduced back into society and find them a loving home. We keep all of the animals until the perfect home is found. All donations go toward the well-being of the animals we take in. Whatever is not raised for the animal, I personally pay for to make sure they always get the surgery and medical care they need. We spare nothing when it comes to our animals. We are very unique in that we only do abuse cases and we never give up on any animals we take in. All of our adoptable dogs are vaccinated, micro chipped, heartworm negative, house- and crate trained, spayed/neutered, professionally evaluated and temperament tested. We adopt out of state. We require an application, a home check and an adoption fee. You can meet us at Petsmart in Bluffton, The Bluffton Farmers Market, The Hardeeville Pet Resort and other locations. Please contact us in advance for our adoption event schedule and more info about our dogs at 843.540.6755 or email noahsarksrescues@gmail.com. If you cannot adopt but would like to help, consider becoming a volunteer, foster parent or make a donation. We are a 501c3 non-profit charity and all donations are tax deductible. Please go to our website www.noahs-arks.net for our e-newsletter and get daily updates by following us on Facebook! Warmest Regards, Jennifer, Noah’s Ark Animal Rescue
Java,
the Energetic Goofball. He was found emaciated and picked up as a stray with almost no fur.
Mya,
the Athletic Diva. She was used as a bait dog and for breeding.
NOAH’S ARKS RESCUE, OKATIE, SC Where Abused Animals Become Family Phone: 843.540.6755 Email: noahsarksrescues@gmail.com www.noahs-arks.net
take a look at all of our contestants!
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Dalmatians are born spotless: at first pure white, their spots develop as they age. http://www.petinsurance.com/healthzone/ pet-articles/pet-owner-topics/Fun-Fac ts-About-Pets.aspx
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Lost Your Pooch?
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obiPET is the first ever security /recovery system for Pets utilizing patented mobile image recognition technology. MobiPET is a non-invasive, low cost alternative to micro chipping. Dave Ropes, local co-founder & Chief Pet finder launched mobiPET into test market in August of 2012 in Hilton Head Island & Bluffton. The registration of a pet is simple. Everything is done with the owner’s cell phone. A pet ID tag is ordered from www.mobipet.me or picks one up from their local shelter, vet or boarder. The ID tag comes with instructions on how to register your pet. If your pet goes missing, the owner texts the word LOST to mypet@agm.tw and a photo alert goes out to all Animal Shelters, Vets & Boarders within a 30 mile radius and by text to all registered neighbor’s cell phones within a two-mile radius of where your pet went missing. For more information on registering your pet, log onto www.mobipet.me or call Dave Ropes at 843.757.3549.
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An adult cat can run about 12 miles per hour, and can sprint at nearly thirty miles per hour. http://www.petinsurance.com/healthzone/ pet-articles/pet-owner-topics/Fun-Fac ts-About-Pets.aspx
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Dogs have about 100 different facial expressions, most of them made with their ears. http://www.petinsurance.com/healthzone/ pet-articles/pet-owner-topics/Fun-Fac ts-About-Pets.aspx
Canine Physical Rehabilitation Article By Dr. Kathy Wander, DVM, MS, DACVS, CCRT
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he use of physical therapy to assist recovery is now an accepted practice in human medicine and surgery. Physical therapy has been a vital part of helping people recover from injury, surgery and illness since WWI. Our animal friends deserve the same services to help them to heal. Rehabilitation for companion animals targets restoration of physical function, for example, the ability to walk in a previously paralyzed patient. Physical rehabilitation can promote a more rapid recovery from neurological or orthopedic disorders and surgery, helping to avoid complications associated with prolonged cage rest. In otherwise healthy animals, this therapy can improve or maintain strength, stamina and body condition. For a dog, daily activities include walking, running, playing and getting on/off furniture, grooming or even specific jobs for working dogs. Following surgery, injury, or even just with age, these basic activities can be quite challenging. Physical rehabilitation provides benefits such as pain management, improved joint range of motion, muscle strengthening and an overall improvement in well-being. Rehabilitation helps animals recently recovering from
surgery as well as nonsurgical candidates (chronic arthritis, degenerative myelopathy), geriatric and over-weight patients. Dogs are the most common patients in physical rehabilitation, but cats can take advantage of rehabilitation as well. Who can benefit from rehabilitation? • Dogs with medical orthopedic disorders – hip dysplasia, arthritis • Preoperative and postoperative orthopedic patients • Neurological patients— intervertebral disc herniation, degenerative myelopathy, wobbler syndrome • Overweight patients • Geriatric patients • Agility, performance and working dogs What are the benefits of rehabilitation? • Reduce pain • Promote healing by improving circulation • Restore and maintain range of joint motion and normal movement patterns • Build muscle mass
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during recovery from injury Allow safe and controlled activity during recovery Increase cardiovascular fitness Combat obesity Improve overall quality of life
Physical rehabilitation involves numerous techniques, including manipulation, therapeutic laser, exercise, and water therapy. Therapeutic laser therapy or low level laser therapy is a form of light that promotes biomodulation. Molecules within the cells absorb the light energy and transform the electromagnetic energy to biochemical energy, resulting in increased cell metabolism and tissue repair. Laser treatment has been linked to changes in nerve conduction and blood flow, production of new blood vessels, and increased metabolism of pain-modifying molecules. Low level laser therapy is used extensively to reduce pain and inflammation and speed healing of muscles, tendons and ligaments. Laser therapy has been used to treat open wounds, acute and chronic inflammation, lick granulomas, nerve pain, joint pain, herniated discs, muscle spasms and other soft tissue injuries.
Underwater treadmills allow dogs to exercise at a level that is appropriate and safe for their condition. Whether it is an older dog that is having trouble walking or a performance dog that needs more activity to prepare for the rigors of the show/trial season, an underwater treadmill program can help. The warm water relaxes tight muscles and soothes achy joints while improving blood flow and facilitating healing. Hydrostatic pressure can reduce swelling—helpful for pets recovering from trauma. The water’s resistance provides a more effective workout for arthritic or overweight dogs and cats than walking on land, while the water’s buoyancy reduces the strain on the joints that are already stressed by disease or extra weight. Buoyancy also makes it possible for pets that cannot stand due to weakness or pain, to stand in the water, helping them to begin bearing weight again. Therapeutic exercise is one of the most important aspects of physical rehabilitation. The challenge is to figure out how to get your pet to do the exercises correctly. Using peanutshaped balls, stairs, wobble boards, cavaletti rails and hair scrunchies, therapeutic exercises are created to help the pet improve strength, balance, proprioception, range of motion and gait. Essential core strength and balance exercises are developed for each dog. By improving strength, balance, coordination, and minimizing pain, physical rehabilitation will help your pet return to his favorite activities, be more comfortable and be happy. Dr. Kathy Wander is a board certified veterinary surgeon and canine rehabilitation therapist. She currently practices at Heritage Animal Hospital on Hilton Head Island. For more information, call (843) 842-8331.
Does Your Dog or Cat Have “The Mange”? Article By Kirk Dixon
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’m sure you’ve seen it—the miserable dog or cat that is half bald, has lizard-like skin and is all covered in scabs. The poor thing is so itchy it can’t stop tearing itself apart between biting, chewing, and/or scratching. When I first came here over 27 years ago, that animal was often presented with the added history that the owner had tried everything, even “burnt” motor oil. Now these animals didn’t have Sarcoptic or Demodectic mange, which are real infections by microscopic parasites called mites. They had “the mange,” that obnoxious, pesky skin disease that seemed to require so many home remedies before they ever saw a veterinarian. While the diagnosis made by the general public has changed a lot, the problem deemed as “the mange” has not. The most common problem that I have seen since my arrival in 1985 is skin allergies. To start, let’s discuss the difference between people and pets. Defense cells in our bodies are constantly patrolling, looking for invaders to attack and destroy. When they see an invader, they attach themselves to it and call on
their buddies to come help wipe out the intruders. It is a wonderful system, as it keeps us safe from many bacteria and viruses. However, some of these patrolling cells inappropriately identify harmless pollens as life threatening attackers. They attach themselves to the pollen and start releasing chemicals, including histamines, which cause all kinds of inflammation. With regard to inhaled pollens in people, the cells that release the chemicals are in the highest concentration in our respiratory tract. So if we breathe in something we are allergic to, we get hay fever or asthma. However, in dogs and cats, those cells are almost nonexistent in the respiratory tract. Instead, they are highly concentrated in their skin, especially face, feet, armpits and groin. Hence their primary symptom is scratching, and they will usually scratch the most in one or more of those areas. A few cats will get asthma, but it is virtually nonexistent in dogs. Another version is a food allergy. In people, food allergies can cause respiratory inflammation in the form of anaphylaxis, skin problems and intestinal problems. In dogs and cats, GI and respiratory problems are rare; instead, the usual symptom
is, once again, scratching. Nationwide, the statistics for pet allergies are 90 percent inhalant, 10 percent food. A common misunderstanding regarding food allergies is to what exactly they are allergic. Many people think that the latest dietary fad, which is a grain-free diet, is hypoallergenic. The pets are not allergic to a brand, and an expensive, high-quality food is not less likely to cause allergies than a cheap food. They are sensitive to ingredients, of which the protein source is the most likely offender. So that expensive grain-free diet is just as likely to be a problem as it is loaded with even more beef, chicken, lamb, etc. Before we proceed, I’m sure you want to know why animals become allergic. The answer is no one knows why. What we do know is that allergies are acquired. You have to be exposed to the allergen and develop the sensitivity; then when you are re-exposed, you will show symptoms. When it is understood how to switch off an allergy, it will also be understood how to cure autoimmune diseases and probably cancer. Hence, we can’t cure an allergy; we can only treat the symptoms or, in the case of foods, avoid the allergen. So how do we treat allergies? First, you could avoid the allergen. That is the method of choice with food allergies but virtually impossible with inhalant allergies. Pollens can blow for over two miles, so what the pets are allergic to doesn’t have to be in your own neighborhood. In addition, you would have to go hundreds of miles to get somewhere that had different allergens. I have many clients who live part of the year up north and part here. A common story is that the dog is fine up north, but literally starts scratching by the time they reach the bridge to the island. Because of our temperate climate and high humidity, the environment
is green year-round, which also means we have pollens year-round. In addition, we typically have more than 10 times the pollen counts of an arid climate like Arizona. In people, antihistamines can often work very well. However, in dogs, they are usually beneficial if the animal is only slightly itchy. If they are real itchy, antihistamines are about as effective as “spitting into the wind.” Shampoos, fatty acid supplements, and leave-on conditioners all can help somewhat, but they are best used as adjuncts to therapy, not as the primary means of therapy. Allergy testing and subsequent desensitization with shots of the allergen used to be more popular, but, it is very expensive and more often than not either doesn’t work or only helps a little. Cyclosporine is a drug that was developed as an immune suppressant to help keep transplant recipients from rejecting their new organs. It is safe to use, with few side effects, but it is very expensive and often requires other things to help it work adequately. That leaves corticosteroids, (prednisone, triamcinolone, methylprednisolone, etc.) which are the old standby. Depending on who you ask, they can either be the greatest drug ever developed or a horrible scourge that is overused. While they can cause health problems, I find the problems are rare compared to their effectiveness. The problem is with over-usage, and for me, using pills very often leads to overuse and problems. I use an injectable trick I learned from an “old timer” before I became one, and with a little prudence and regular monitoring, the problems are few and far between. You will want to consult your veterinarian for the best approach for you. This leaves food allergy testing and treatment. There is a food allergy blood test, but most dermatology experts agree it is horribly (continued on next page)
“The Mange” (continued) inaccurate. I use the response to cortisone for my screening. Inhalant and flea allergies are very responsive to cortisone. Food allergies are not. So if I give two back-to-back injections that appear to be worthless, that is my cue to try a food trial. Without a doubt, a food trial is the best diagnostic method. There are two ways. First is to use a limited antigen diet that has ingredients that your pet has never had before (remember allergies are acquired and they have to have previous exposure to be allergic). Examples are foods with kangaroo and oats, venison and potato, duck and potato, etc. The downside is that these diets are more likely to cause diarrhea in some animals. The other option is a hydrolyzed diet—that is where the molecules of the food are broken down too small for the body to recognize it. So while it may have chicken in it, the body only sees a generic protein. That type of diet has been the most effective for me. If you are doing a food trial, you must understand it will take up to eight weeks for 85 percent of the allergic dogs to respond. That means no treats, just the food and water only, or it will be a waste of time and money. One last thing is that fleas and hormone problems like low thyroid can greatly agitate allergies and decrease the effectiveness of treatment. Flea control is a must here, and every dog and cat should be on a regular flea treatment regimen. So consult your veterinarian if you have an itchy pet so it doesn’t end up looking like an animal that has “the mange.” Kirk Dixon, DVM practices veterinary medicine at Hilton Head Veterinary Clinics, with locations on Hilton Head Island and in Okatie. For more information visit hiltonheadpet. com or call (843) 681-2890 for Hilton Head or (843) 705-9959 for Okatie.
Dog and Human Bonding: Start Early
Article by Abby Bird aka Alphadog
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haring your life and home with a new puppy is not merely a matter of housebreaking and training your dog to sit. The most important things to share are your patience, guidance, trust and bonding skills. By following some simple early bonding techniques, your special family relationship will be more complete. If you have time before you pick up your puppy, take a T-shirt that you have slept in or a small lightweight towel and have each family member rub it over the upper part of his or her body; place it in a Ziploc plastic bag and send it to the breeder. Ask the breeder to hold the dog in his lap, have the dog smell it and rub the dog’s shoulders with it. When the pup meets you, it will recognize your scent, which facilitates the early bonding process. Additionally, when you pick up the puppy (or in advance), take or send to the breeder a small dog blanket shaped toy. Ask the breeder to rub the blanket part of the toy with the scent of the
dog’s mother and siblings and send that home with the new pup. This will make the dog feel more comfortable moving off to a new home without all the familiar scents. Keep both of those items in the puppy’s crate for the first week. If you do not have the time to do this before you get your pup or if it is not appropriate since your puppy is coming from a local rescue or shelter, then you can modify the above. Bring your scented item with you and hold the pup on the item on your lap on your ride home (assuming you are not driving!); put the item in the crate with the puppy at home. Wear a scent that you usually wear, whether it is a body spritz or after shave, and continue wearing that scent for days. The first few days with the new four-legged family member are critical. Acquire the puppy when you have some time to spend at home since leaving it alone immediately will cause stress. You need to learn the puppy’s potty behaviors, set
schedules, and let it explore its new but limited universe. If children are involved, you will also begin puppy/ kids training and rules, limited and supervised time, watching the behavior of both, redirecting incorrect behaviors, guiding and teaching the correct way of touching and playing with appropriate long toys and equipment. Never leave a young child alone with a puppy. Your puppy is not malicious but comes equipped with small sharp teeth and uses them on other small beings, including puppy siblings and playmates! There are rules if you have other dogs in the household, however, only some affect human bonding. Allow only limited and supervised time between the dogs. Instead, tether the puppy to you several times a day so that it learns to follow you around. It is critical that your new puppy sees you, the human, and not the other dog as the leader. Dogs will naturally gravitate to dogs, but this will interfere with the human bond early on. This is difficult to do, but you will see the benefits later if you adhere to this now. The puppy imprint period begins at eight weeks, and the window for best learning ends at 20 weeks. In ideal circumstances, bring your puppy to a group training class around nineto ten-weeks of age for obedience, behavior, and socialization with other pups. Daily homework also facilitates the bonding process. One-on-one time and attention, praise, treats and confidence building is the best thing you can do. Training should be a family endeavor, so be sure to include everyone old enough to participate to ensure a complete bond. Alphadog Training Academy is located in Bluffton. For more information, contact Abby Bird at ajbird@hargray.com or (843) 304-4327.
Article By Michael Paskevich Photography by Kriztian Lonyai
Michael Gardner Making fun
“What is it about you people being on vacation that makes you lose all your damn sense?”
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y day he’s Michael Gardner, affable front office director of an oceanfront resort, whose duties include keeping staff engaged and constantly dealing with the mercurial whims, wishes and complaints of vacationing guests. On select evenings, however, he transforms into “Mike Black,” aspiring stand-up comic, working the stage at the Hilton Head Comedy Club and mining laughs by making fun of the same guests he’s been placating all day. “What is it about you people being on vacation that makes you lose all your damn sense?” he asks audiences, pointing out the essential absurdity of piloting a bicycle when the heat/humidity index lingers in triple digits. Or how about the, ah, testicular fortitude of men who surrender their wallets, and dignity, to spouses who control every transaction and chatter in the background when the hapless guy is forced to phone the front desk to seek a room upgrade? “And all you men really want to do is just sit around and watch ESPN or hang around the pool wearing shades and looking at women you have no shot at.” He doesn’t tell crowds where he works—the Omni Resort at Palmetto Dunes (formerly Hilton Oceanfront Resort) since 2002—and was admittedly “skeptical about doing stuff on just hotels because I didn’t know how people would take it.” But co-workers kept badgering him to try out his behind-the-desk banter in public, so Gardner cautiously jumped onstage in late 2010 in front of a crowd packed with well-wishers. “I was scared out of my mind,” he said, “but once I got that first laugh it was all over. I was suddenly in my element telling stories and embellishing them, and because it was hilarious to [friends and co-workers], it gave me the confidence to start dealing with everyone.” And it’s been working as Gardner continues to broaden his approach beyond the hospitality industry to realitybased observations about relationships, overseas travel and insulated life on Hilton Head. “I love performing because it makes me think of so many different things, and I don’t want people to hear the same things over and over,” he said.
“And all you men really want to do is just sit around and watch ESPN or hang around the pool wearing shades and looking at women you have no shot at.”
Gardner records and posts almost every unpaid guest set online (MikeBlackComedy.weebly.com) and is so averse to rough language that, in conversation, he actually spells out common swear words rather than say them aloud. “I have some language in my act, but I grew up in the church and I don’t want to say anything that would make my family cringe,” he said. He grew up in rough-edged Gary, Indiana, as “the middle child of five so of course I was always starving for attention and trying to get it any way possible.” He fell in love with the story-based comedy of Eddie Murphy, Martin Lawrence and Richard Pryor and was a “class clown” through high school before settling down as an earnest business major at Tuskegee University. Summer gigs on a Lake Michigan party boat and as a night auditor at a hotel in Alabama convinced him to switch his career path to hospitality. “Being a night auditor helped prepare me for management, because you don’t want to ever call you general manager for little things,” he said. “Basically the request is, ‘if it ain’t burning down, don’t call me.’ You need to develop a certain personality to deal with the weight of having a whole property on your back.” At age 36, Gardner is a seasoned hotel director with 17 years’ experience who oversees the Omni’s front desk, concierge, phone operators, bellmen, valets and security personnel—up to 60 employees during peak season. “That’s a big chunk, and the biggest stress is juggling all
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those balls and keeping not only the guests happy, but the people above and below you happy.” That doesn’t always come easy in an era of increasingly savvy travelers seeking perks and maximum mileage from their discretionary dollars. “You have to find a way to retain and maintain customers. Today, when somebody calls, you have to find a way to get them in the hotel, because there are a lot of choices out there,” Gardner said. Keeping them happy requires finesse, maybe some compromise and a convincing
He grew up in rough-edged Gary, Indiana, as “the middle child of five so of course I was always starving for attention and trying to get it any way possible.” He fell in love with the story-based comedy of Eddie Murphy, Martin Lawrence and Richard Pryor and was a “class clown” through high school before settling down as an earnest business major at Tuskegee University.
this material,” he said, stressing that difficult customers can make it hard to be funny after a 13-hour shift. Yet he usually overcomes a desire to hide away in silence and heads for the comedy club where he becomes Mike Black, a moniker he laughingly adopted after a charity golf organizer, unaware of his last name, simply posted “Black, Mike” on his assigned golf cart. Onstage he’s selfdeprecatory about his stature (he’s several inches shy of six feet), a DUI last year and his uncertain status as a single male who could be ready to settle down some day. “I’m a bit of a skeptic, but I would never run from [a relationship] if it presents itself,” he said. “But right now, the biggest thing for me is developing my comedy and working here in the hotel.” Touring comics have readily given Gardner advice and encouragement after watching his improving stage work in front of receptive and mostly easygoing crowds of locals and tourists. “I’ve been getting some great response, and a lot of the comics say I’ve got to get out there on the road and get beyond my comfort zone here—go out, get booed and face rejection,” Gardner said. He also realizes he’s got a pretty good thing going. “I’m a huge fan of Hilton Head, and we all joke about how it’s like some sort of vortex or black hole,” he said with an easy laugh. “Whenever someone says they’re leaving, we start taking bets about when they’re coming back.” So this is where Gardner intends to stay, for now, honing his stage skills and maintaining a career that never leaves him short of new material.
Comedian
hotel director
performance, not unlike standing on a stage where likeability is a key to success. “There’s something new every day, and without this job I wouldn’t be getting all
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Business cards for Dr. Timothy Gross note he’s “Passionate about Dentistry,” and it takes all of a few minutes of conversation to realize that, if anything, he may actually be understating the case. He quickly reveals a wide-ranging knowledge of his craft and could surely spend even more time on the lecture and seminar circuit where he regularly shares his wisdom with peers, often without recompense, before returning to the equally pressing matters of family and the Hilton Head Island practice he operates with his spouse and office manager, Melissa. “There’s an ongoing evolution in this profession,” Gross said, “and most of the equipment and the products I use now are different from when I started 21 years ago... so you really need to stay on top of things.” There’s no longer reason to employ old-style silver fillings that contain highly toxic mercury (he replaces them with an invisible filler) just as there are continuing advances in ways to increase client comfort, enhance cosmetic work or better tend to what he terms “needs-based” dentistry in which patients simply want to maintain their smiles and, in turn, their health. His areas of expertise extend, understandably, to sleep apnea, a misunderstood and lifethreatening affliction in which tongues fall back from lower jaws during sleep and constrict airflow to the lungs. “I have it myself,” Gross said. “There are tens of millions of people with undiagnosed sleep apnea who, when they go to sleep,
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PHOTOGRAPHY BY ANNE
THE WELCOMING OFFICE OF DR. TIMOTHY GROSS, DMD, IS LOCATED AT 15 BOW CIRCLE, SUITE 104, HILTON HEAD. FOR APPOINTMENTS OR MORE INFORMATION, CALL (843) 342-7700 OR VISIT ONLINE AT DRTIMGROSS.COM. NEW CLIENTS WELCOME.
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actually stop breathing, sometimes for 10 seconds, sometimes for up to a minute and half, and they do this hundreds of times a night. You heal physically and emotionally when you sleep,” he continued, “so people with sleep apnea are not healing or recharging their batteries. They become chronically fatigued, blood pressure and cholesterol go up and they can either develop diabetes or it becomes worse. “People who have it have a 21 times greater risk of stroke or heart attack which is worse than if you smoke and drink every day. It’s a very serious condition, and the big problem is that people don’t know they have it. That’s why it’s so important for dentists to screen for it.” Fortunately, remedies ranging from pressurized air masks to adjustable metallic appliances can realign lower jars and ensure proper nighttime breathing. Gross works closely with island sleep labs and carefully monitors the airwave anatomy of his younger patients, because research is proving that many youngsters diagnosed with attention-deficit disorders maybe just aren’t getting a good night’s sleep. “I know from my own experience that kids underperform or get ornery when they don’t get enough sleep,” Gross said. After graduating from the University of Pittsburgh’s Dental School in his native hometown, Gross set up a successful practice in the city’s affluent north hills area where his clients included professional athletes and socialites with every sort of dental need. However, he and wife Melissa grew weary of winters there and, after just two fall-in-love visits to Hilton Head, purchased a home in Palmetto Hall, packed up their two kids and settled in about four years ago with little more than a symbolic shingle hung out to signify his newborn practice. He was planning to build his own office when a fellow dentist’s early retirement—“he left on a Friday and I moved in on Monday”—led to comfortable instant quarters off Palmetto Bay Road where Melissa oversees a personable support staff that includes long-time area hygienist Maria Gayman. The team
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handles scheduling and paperwork for a clientele seeking everything from routine maintenance and orthodontics to cosmetic work and, of course, crucial assistance in dealing with sleep apnea. He derives pleasure from his work, no matter the task. “When you patch a tooth, people say ‘thank you,’ while there are often tears and hugs after cosmetic work, because it’s such a major emotional life-changer,” Gross said. “When you’re dealing with sleep apnea, however, there’s a different level of appreciation, because you are actually contributing to saving a person’s life.” Gross’ dedication to all facets of dentistry regularly takes him west to the esteemed Las Vegas Institute for Dental Studies where he instructs on new developments in cosmetic dentistry, and he thrives on trading new data with colleagues at outof-town seminars. “I believe we all need to take continuing education courses that go beyond each state’s requirements,” he said, “and there’s a great core of dentists out there who love nothing more than exchanging the latest information they’ve discovered.” Gross recently lectured several hundred dentists at a conference in Florida and is set for a July excursion to Calgary, Canada, where he’ll share his professional insights. However, he limits his travels to a few well-chosen events to meet the demands of an expanding practice and a home front that finds the couple’s two pre-teen children excelling athletically in warmer climes. “When I’m not working it’s all about sports,” Gross said with a smile, obviously proud of son Colin who plays baseball for a local touring team and daughter Abby who, as a seventh grader, already is running cross-country with the varsity at Hilton Head Island High School. “To become exceptional at something you have to enjoy what you do … yes, become passionate about it,” Gross said. “And I really love being a dentist. I wouldn’t want to be doing anything else.”
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Treatment Success with
Invisalign
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ver the last couple of years, I have had the opportunity to treat patients in need of minor orthodontic treatment with Invisalign technology. Most adult patients believe that orthodontic treatment is used only to improve one’s smile or for esthetic concerns. While Invisalign and traditional “braces” have the ability to correct crooked teeth and improve a patient’s smile, there are many other benefits of orthodontic treatment that get overlooked. Some of these benefits are: • Correction of a poor bite • Improvement of oral hygiene • Reduction of periodontal disease • Reduction of expensive dental treatment.
The first overlooked benefit is the correction of a poor bite (malocclusion). As a practicing dentist, I often see patients with minor tooth movement and wear related to shifting teeth after orthodontic treatment. This is referred to as “orthodontic relapse.” These patients are usually between 30-50 years old and first only notice a “shifting” lower or upper tooth and are unhappy with the resulting esthetic appearance of the “crooked” tooth. As the practicing dentist, I see this esthetic concern, but I also see some of the resulting consequences that patients are not aware of. The tooth or teeth that are out of alignment often are worn and are wearing other teeth in the mouth and are causing the other teeth nearby to
Article By Jeffrey C. Bauer, D.M.D.
Once we get a patient’s teeth back in alignment with Invisalign, another benefit is that the teeth are easier to clean. This results in healthier gums and a healthier body in general. move as well. As this continues to happen over time, the teeth not only can become a major esthetic concern, but cause the breakdown of the entire bite. If we can get these teeth back in the proper place with minor orthodontic treatment or Invisalign, patients can avoid costly and painful dental treatment in the future. Once we get a patient’s teeth back in alignment with Invisalign, another benefit is that the teeth are easier to clean. This
Finally, Invisalign treatment may be used to significantly lower the cost and amount of dental work needed when treating a patient with complex dental procedures. Prior to doing crowns or veneers, I have treated patients with Invisalign first.
results in healthier gums and a healthier body in general. Teeth that are overlapped and crowded together often result in poor oral hygiene and dental plaque which harbor the germs that cause periodontal disease. These germs may also be linked to other health problems found in the human body, including
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heart disease. By correcting these minor problems early with simple and painless orthodontic treatment, all these negative consequences may be avoided. Sometimes this treatment only requires a couple months of Invisalign treatment. Finally, Invisalign treatment may be used to significantly lower the cost and amount of dental work needed when treating a patient with complex dental procedures. Prior to doing crowns or veneers, I have treated patients with Invisalign first. This has resulted in much lower dental bills for the patients and less chair time doing more complex treatment. It has been gratifying for me as well as the patient to use Invisalign as a tool when treating complex difficult dental cases. With the use of Invisalign, it is easier to get a better esthetic result with these cases as well. If you have noticed your teeth “shifting” over the last few years or believe your teeth could be treated with Invisalign, please give our office a call. If you mention this article, we are offering free Invisalign consults for a limited time. We would love to give you our best advice to help improve your smile and improve your overall health as well through Invisalign treatment. Bauer Dental Associates is located at 19 Unit 201 Promenade St., Bluffton. For more information, call (843) 757-2222 or visit online at bauerdental.net.
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3D Dentistry article By Bonnie J. Rothwell, DMD, AAACD, FICOI
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t’s an exciting time in dentistry due to advances in technology. Dentists know that, in order to provide the best in patient care, information must be gathered and evaluated to make good decisions and recommendations for treatment. The 3 Dimensional Cone Beam Computed Tomography (3DCBCT) scan is a relatively new technology available to dentists and surgeons. Previously, the only way to visualize what is below the teeth and gum tissue was with an x-ray. X-rays are a valuable and inexpensive tool for dentists to help patients, but are not ideal for all procedures. For example, let’s consider dental implants. Dental implants have been around for decades and are a predictable and successful treatment option to replace missing teeth. A dental implant is a small titanium product most commonly shaped similar to a tooth root. They are manufactured in different diameters and lengths in order to accommodate different areas of the mouth. The dentist or surgeon surgically places the implant into the jaw bone where the body will naturally form mature bone around it to anchor it into place. This is called osseointegration. Once that happens, the dentist can fabricate a restoration to mimic natural tooth structure. Implants are versatile and can be used in many different ways. They can replace a single missing tooth, several teeth, or even an entire arch. They can also be used as anchors for a complete denture to clip onto for support or used as fasteners for permanent dentures. The one thing all implants require to be successful is bone. To evaluate the bone, the latest technology available is the 3DCBCT scan. This technology takes a series of slice
Although most often utilized today for implants, the 3D scan certainly has other valuable applications in dentistry. Occasionally scans reveal dental infections or cracked tooth roots that are not visible in a traditional dental x-ray. images of the jaws to be treated and then specialized software stitches the images together to create a 3D image. What makes these 3D images valuable to the dental practitioner is the ability to not only see the vertical height of bone available, but also the width. 3D scans allow the dental practitioner to map out nerves and arteries, which are important to avoid when placing implants. Software tools are used to measure what size implant is most appropriate in a specific area to get the best result for the patient. 3D scans are also used to determine the quality of the bone. Bone density is naturally different in certain areas of the mouth. For example, lower jaws have higher bone density than upper jaws, and quality of bone differs in individuals due to medications, age, and other factors. Bone density is measured in Hounsfield Units (HU), and placing and moving the computer curser on the scan will tell
Hounsfield Units for any given area. Once the most appropriate treatment plan has been determined, the image can be sent to a lab for fabrication of a surgical guide. This is called computer guided surgery and offers increased precision for the actual implant placement. Although most often utilized today for implants, the 3D scan certainly has other valuable applications in dentistry. Occasionally scans reveal dental infections or cracked tooth roots that are not visible in a traditional dental x-ray. 3D images of the temporomandibular joints are useful in diagnosing TMJ problems. Like other dental x-rays, the 3DCBCT scan requires a low radiation dose to the patient. Radiation dose is measured in units called microsieverts. A typical full series of dental x-rays equals a dose of 150 microsieverts. A panoramic x-ray equals 75 microsieverts, and a 3DCBCT scan equals 64 microsieverts. Let’s put that into perspective. One chest x-ray equals 1000 microsieverts, and the natural background radiation we all receive yearly just for living on earth is an average of 3100 microsieverts. Within that average, people who live in higher elevations receive approximately 1500 microsieverts more than those of us living at sea level. The only way dental professionals can visualize critical anatomy of the mouth below the surface of the gums is through one of these radiation producing procedures. These safe, low-
dose procedures are used carefully and thoughtfully by professionals, and the minimal radiation dose should not deter the patient from receiving the best care. The 3DCBCT scanners themselves are becoming more compact and easier to use and will be increasingly available in private dental offices. However, through mobile van imaging services, the 3D scan is widely available to dental professionals who wish to provide this amazing technology to their patients. It is an exciting time in dentistry! The new technologies available have tremendous value in not only implant procedures, but in all areas of dentistry with new applications to benefit the patient being continuously developed. Providing the best patient care is the goal and is what drives the technology industry. And that makes the patient the real winner! ď‚? Dr. Bonnie J. Rothwell is an accredited member of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry and International Congress of Oral Implantologists Fellow. Her office is located at 430 William Hilton Parkway, Suite 514, Hilton Head Island. For more information, call (843) 342-6900 or visit www.hiltonheadcosmeticdentist.com.
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Club Tan Get your glow on & take a mini break article By Kitty Bartell Photography by Anne
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chieving a warm tan glow without spending days at the beach or poolside has come a long way. Gone are the days of the wobbly-armed, metal lamp that could be extended to hover overhead as you lay prone on your bed. Victims of this process had to carefully calculate time spent under the lamp as well as the position of the lamp in order to achieve any semblance of a glow. Personally, my greatest achievement was a pre-spring break burn to my pale Scottish complexion that ultimately put me one burn ahead on a sunburn-filled vacation at the beach. In glaring contrast, Hilton Head Island’s Club Tan is a revelation and an oasis. Whether preparing for a special event or trip, or wanting to maintain a sun-kissed glow any time of the year, Club Tan is a delightful salon where all tanning needs are met and where clients can have a peaceful mini-break any time of the day. Owned locally by entrepreneurial islanders and friends, Matt Logee and Juan Brantley, the duo took ownership of Club Tan on March 1, 2012 and began the process of putting the pink back in its cheeks. Originally opened in 2003, the salon was ready for revitalization, and Logee and Brantley were up to the task. According to Logee, “The business had a lot of potential.” Club Tan is fulfilling that potential. The owners say one of the keys to their success is their energetic staff members who
take pride in their jobs. Lead by salon manager The Ergoline Classic 300 is an entry level Hilton Head Ali Keota, and supported by associates Paige bronzing bed, best for fair skinned clients who Island’s Club Tan is Smith and Brigitte Eigenmann, Keota says the real need to tan with a little more care. The Ergoline a revelation and success comes because, “We have a little family Avantgarde 600 is a more luxurious vehicle, here. Clients come in and get their fifteen minute offering several comfort control features, fullan oasis. Whether break from life.” body bronzing lamps, adjustable high-pressure preparing for a The Club Tan family has created a little oasis facials, and specific shoulder lamps. Finally, special event or in their second floor suite on New Orleans Road. the Ergoline Classic 650 is the luxury Hummer With a cozy reception area, clients can relax on of hybrid tanning beds, with a combination of trip, or wanting plush sofas and even shop for the latest tanning high pressure and low pressure lamps, giving to maintain a sunproducts, lotions, and teeth whitening options. clients a deep bronze color very quickly. Keota, kissed glow any “The Snooki line works really well. All the products who sports a creamy, nutty brown tan, says she time of the year, are tanning lotions, including bronzers with prefers, “the more high powered bed,” where she tingle factor, Tan Maximizer, Bronzer, and Ultramaintains her look with once-a-week sessions. Dark Bronzer with Skin Firming,” Keota said. The Offering Norvell Sunless Spray Tanning team can make recommendations on the best products to since spring 2012, Brantley said, “Spray tanning has really help maximize the tanning experience. In addition to the new taken off for us.” The staff at Club Tan is certified and trained in Kardashian line, Keota stocks a variety of products and works all aspects of the process, from preparation in the 24-48 hours to fulfill clients’ special requests. prior to the session and the spray tan application itself to the The salon’s selection of tanning beds and a spray tanning follow-up care required to maintain the tan. According to option are the vehicles by which a just-off-the-beach tan is the team, Norvell provides a very natural looking tan with no achieved. With three levels of Ergoline tanning beds, Club “orange” color development and no sticky or streaky results. Tan can easily personalize the experience to the client’s “We see a lot of wedding parties come in for spray tanning,” preferences and needs. Logee said. The holidays are also a busy time for spray tanning
The Club Tan family has created a little oasis in their second floor suite on New Orleans Road. With a cozy reception area, clients can relax on plush sofas and even shop for the latest tanning products, lotions, and teeth whitening options.
as clients prepare for events and parties. The clients at Club Tan are motivated to tan for various reasons according to Brantley and Logee. Tourists come in to guarantee going home with a tan. “They came to Hilton Head Island, so they have to go home with a tan,” Logee explained. According to Brantley, “A lot of food and beverage employees don’t have time to go to the beach. We offer a discount to local food and beverage workers.” Other professional and working people have limited daytime schedules, and Club Tan gives them the opportunity to maintain a year-round glow on their own schedules.
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Several clients reap the benefits of tanning for medical conditions. Clients with psoriasis or other skin conditions may be under a doctor’s orders to spend time in the sun or get ultraviolet light treatments. Club Tan provides anytime treatment without the concern of interruptions due to cloudy, cold, or rainy days. Other clients find relief from symptoms of arthritis due to the warmth they experience during the tanning process. Club Tan’s mission is to accommodate the personal tanning needs of each client with the best and newest products and services available. They offer various pricing packages designed to meet the individual needs of the client and strive to maintain a clean, cheerful salon. In addition to thorough daily cleaning, the entire team
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does a monthly deep cleaning after hours, Brantley said. Research has shown that people are perceived to be thinner, healthier, and happier with a tan. “For whatever reason, people just seem to feel better with a tan,” Logee said; and Club Tan seems to make people feel better. Whether it’s a honey-colored, flawless tan, or having fifteen minutes in the day where there are no phone calls to take, appointments to keep, or questions to answer, or a medical condition is relieved, Club Tan will take you on a welcome, peaceful, mini-break. Club Tan is located at 38 New Orleans Road, Suite C, Hilton Head Island. Please visit their website at clubtanhhi.com or call (843) 686-4826.
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art i c l e B y K i tty B arte l l
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P h oto g rap h y by J o h n B ra c k ett
Local Commitment, Local Focus C o m f o r t a n d c a r e c o n t i n u e a s M at t r e s s F i r m g r o w s
The importance of how much and how restfully we sleep has been studied, quantified, reported, and publicized. Most of us know the goal; the real trick is getting us there. Locally, it has been the mission of Mattress Firm to get us there since first opening a Lowcountry shop in Bluffton in 2007. They have now opened a beautiful new 6,400-square-foot Hilton Head Island location at 1 New Orleans Road on the south end, transforming the former Blockbuster video store into a sparkling, new, mattress and furniture flagship store; and—big bonus—it comes with all the benefits of “going local.” Owner and island resident Adam Fazio opened the Bluffton Mattress Firm and added to the franchise footprint with their first store in Savannah. Now, under the dynamic leadership of long-time cohort Robert C. Moul, they have opened a second store in Savannah, a store and a 15,000-square-foot distribution center in Pooler, and have made another local investment with the new Hilton Head shop. Working in partnership, Fazio and Moul have put down Lowcountry roots. Both originally from Pennsylvania— Bill Miles, Manager Kimberly Morris and Vice President Rob Moul at the Chamber’s Ribbon Cutting Cermemony.
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Pittsburgh and Philadelphia respectively— these partners have been in this venture together from the beginning. “I started doing deliveries with the company. I was the warehouse manager,” Moul said. Now, a recently married Bluffton resident, he met his wife when Adam sold her a mattress three years ago. The “cutemeet” in this local love story is told with a wink-and-a-nod, and includes details about new mattresses for Sandra and her then-roommate and dinner for both
women at Wild Wing, culminating in a 2011 proposal and 2012 summer wedding at Palmetto Bluff. A natural fit for the local market, Mattress Firm and its team, make promises that get the customer the sleep they desire, at the price they require, with a spa-like level of personalized attention. According to Moul, each customer is pre-qualified, meaning that a professional Mattress Firm sleep expert will ask the customer a series of questions to determine the best fit. After the prequalification, the customer will hear, “Based on everything you’ve told me, this is the bed we recommend.” You don’t just have you try all of the firm and soft mattresses until you find one you like, a tactic experienced at other mattress stores. This is only the beginning. The real peace of mind comes after the red carpet delivery service; and yes, they do roll out a real red carpet. Beginning in January 2013, Mattress Firm is expanding on its already successful 90-Day Satisfaction Guarantee with One Hundred Days of Happiness. “If you find a better price, or if you sleep on the mattress for up to 100 days and you’re not satisfied, bring it back,” Moul explained. “We don’t charge any restocking or exchange fees. If you don’t
like it, bring it back and you’ll get another bed. We want you to be happy. It’s that simple.” According to Moul, the local team takes the customer through the entire buying process and beyond, “We’re going to form a relationship with you from day one. In fact, by the time you leave, we will even be playing tennis or golf with you afterwards.” The new Hilton Head Island store fulfills the Fazio-Moul vision of investing in the local community. “We’re a franchise that makes decisions based on the local environment.
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We don’t have to go to headquarters in another state to get approval on our decisions. We’re local people making local decisions,” Moul said. The flagship Hilton Head Island Mattress Firm is being managed by Kimberly Morris, a Lowcountry Mattress Firm veteran since 2010. The new store will fill an island niche, Moul, said. “This is going to look like our typical franchise store, but the minute you walk in the door you know you’re very local. We’re going
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to be selling furniture sets which we don’t usually do. It’s going to have the light wood and beach feel of Hilton Head.” Whether you’re at home, setting up your rental away from home, or working on your second home, the new Mattress Firm is now a one-stop island resource. The local commitment doesn’t stop with the décor. Buying “local” is more and more on the minds of shoppers today, and the community-minded individual may feel good in knowing that buying from Mattress Firm really does put money back into the community. Moul and the team have a strong philanthropic commitment to charities and events that directly impact Lowcountry residents, as well as a national philanthropic commitment that funnels benefits back to the local communities. The Mattress Firm Foundation, in support of pancreatic cancer research, impacts both local and national interests. Some of their other local commitments have been to Hospice Care of the Lowcountry, the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Department calendar fundraiser, and PurpleStride Savannah. With a clearly local focus, Mattress Firm and its Lowcountry leaders are opening new doors and furthering their commitment to helping find the elusive good night’s sleep that we all crave, and they are here to stay to back it up. According to Moul, prices start at $49 for a twin mattress and go all the way up to the Ferrari of bedding at $12,000. As America’s number one Tempur-Pedic retailer, Mattress Firm also has the most premier bedding starting at $1,399.00 for a queen set. Every possible need can be met and is guaranteed every time. Mattress Firm is located in Bluffton and Savannah, and now on Hilton Head Island at 1 New Orleans Road, Suite A. The team invites you to stop by the new location and inquire about promotions and giveaways celebrating the event. February 2013
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Uncle Sam
The Fiscal Cliff and You
A r ticl e b y D avid H . S h at z
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he drama behind the Fiscal Cliff turned out to mimic a reality show or soap opera more than politics. There were legitimate and material issues facing virtually every American taxpayer. It made for long and frequent articles, monologues on the evening talk shows, rhetoric and points of views from both sides of the political spectrum that seemed to circle around and around, like a broken record, until the legislative and executive parties could get maybe not onto the same page, but at least into the same book. In the end exactly what happened was predictable: action on what had to be acted upon now, with minimal concessions, compromise and change, and tabling the rest to the future. This, on a short-term basis, pleased most of the middle and lower classes. It also pleased those late night talk show hosts and, of course, the lobbyist.
The single item that affected more people than any other was the expiring Social Security payroll tax deduction,
The single item that affected more people than any other was the expiring Social Security payroll tax deduction, a.k.a. FICA. If you are an employee, by the time you are reading this article you are already feeling it. a.k.a. FICA. If you are an employee, by the time you are reading this article you are already feeling it. Two years ago,
the government temporarily lowered the FICA tax by 2 percent, specifically stating this was for only two years. On January first of this year, that benefit expired and returned back to the level it’s been since 1990 (though it began in 1937). In real dollars, an employee earning $30,000 annually loses $600/ year, $50/month. This wasn’t actually part of the Fiscal Cliff because it was already set to go back to its previous level. Government could have extended this, but that would have meant less tax dollars for the government, counterproductive to its goals. This was the only real bite taken from the lower and middle classes. One of the biggest issues, in terms of time spent debating, was raising the tax rate on the wealthiest top 1 or 2 percent (taxable income over $400,000). And the resulting change wasn’t that drastic, with the top rate going from 36 percent
FYI, the top tax bracket in both 1965 and 1975 was 70 percent (on income over $200k), early ’80’s 50 percent (over $106k), and now for 2013 39.6 percent (over $400k).
to 39.6 percent, just returning back to the level before the Bush-era tax breaks began. An additional cost for these taxpayers, itemized deductions and exemptions can be reduced and/ or limited, effectively increasing their total tax expense. FYI, the top tax bracket in both 1965 and 1975 was 70 percent (on income over $200k), early ’80’s 50 percent (over $106k), and now for 2013 39.6 percent (over $400k). The other big issue was long-term capital gains (LTCG) tax rates. With the Bush-era tax breaks came a lower tax on LTCG (the income derived from profits when selling assets/investments
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such as stocks, bonds, real estate, collectibles, business assets, etc.) held for at least one year. Since the Bush tax breaks, no matter how wealthy, LTCG rate was topped at 15 percent, reduced from 28 percent. Remembering back to the campaign trail, this is the reason Mitt Romney pays a lower rate than the average middle class employee (the bulk of his income is considered LTCG.) The year-end compromise raises this rate to 20 percent, but again, for only the wealthiest top 1 or 2 percent. Also,
the top will have to pay additional Medicare taxes on this income, creating an effective LTCG rate of 23.8 percent. Pertaining to estate taxes, for those who have a net worth of less than $5.12 million ($10.24 million for married couples), estate (death) taxes do not affect you. For those over this amount, the estate tax rates went up. See a good estate attorney. You can afford it. Some key tax credits that could have gone away but didn’t were credits for college education, child tax credit
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Much talk was on the issue of the Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) patch. In layman’s terms, there is a second and separate formula to calculate federal income tax, created so the very wealthy couldn’t take excessive deductions to create a low or zero tax. (up to $1,000 per child), child and dependent care credit (daycare, after school care, summer day camp, etc.), and deductions for sales taxes paid (most relevant to those in the seven states without state income taxes), and business “Bonus” depreciation (ability to write off furniture and equipment immediately instead of over several years.) Much talk was on the issue of the Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) patch. In layman’s terms, there is a second and separate formula to calculate federal income tax, created so the very wealthy couldn’t take excessive deductions to create
a low or zero tax. Over the years, this formula has evolved and crept down into the middle class, causing higher effective tax rates for the middle class. That’s not the purpose for which the AMT was created. If Congress didn’t patch this now, way too many (3060 million) middle class taxpayers would have been affected for 2012 and thereafter. Also, this would have created a panic in the IRS as forms and software would have had to be changed, possibly creating the need to extend April 15. The government was not going to let that much-needed cash flow be delayed. Bottom line, neither party wanted this middle class burden.
Speaking of bottom lines, here’s mine. Our government missed a rare opportunity to: • Finally modify our overly complicated and unjust tax code; • Fix loopholes and squash special interest advantages; • Examine reducing costs associated with Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security; • Make substantial strides towards deficit reduction, including a mandate for a balanced budget; • And work towards a realistic long-term plan to reduce the national debt and strengthen our credit reputation around the world. Instead, this Band-Aid to the Fiscal Cliff solved little, postponed acting on spending cuts to a later date and introduced temporary fixes to several issues that will again, shortly, need to be debated and remedied. This proves once again that our politicians are no different from my 12-year-old daughters, procrastinating until the last possible minute to finish their science and English projects that they knew about since the beginning of the school year. David H. Shatz Tax and Business Center offers tax preparation services for individuals and businesses as well as bookkeeping, payroll and consulting services. Offices are located at 2 Corpus Christie Place on Hilton Head Island and at 181 Bluffton Rd., Magnolia Village, Unit A-104 in Bluffton. To learn more visit our website at davidshatz. com or call (843) 290-8080.
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Saving Enough
for Your 90’s T
hanks to a range of factors — including medical advances, healthier eating habits and better fitness—Americans are living longer lives. Life expectancy in the U.S. recently hit a record 78.7 years,1 and the number of Americans living past age 90 has nearly tripled during the last 30 years.2 But while living well into our 90s is a dream for many of us, the possibility of outliving our savings serves as an eye-opener. “It’s a universal concern: No matter how much you have accumulated, everybody is worried about making their money last through retirement,” says Donna Peterson, Senior Vice President in Retail Retirement at Wells Fargo. A recent survey found that more than half of baby boomers fear outliving their savings more than they do dying.3 Fortunately, making a few changes to your financial situation now can help increase the chance that your savings will last your lifetime—no matter how long it spans.
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Create ongoing income. Peterson suggests aiming to replace 80 percent to 100 percent of your working income in retirement, but she admits that will vary with time. “Early in retirement, while you’re young and active, you may need to replace 110 percent of what you earned,” she says. “As you age and become more sedentary, your costs may go down.” Aim to keep growing. On the cusp of retirement, some investors may be content to shift their funds from stocks into certificates of deposit or other conservative investments in order to protect all they’ve saved in their nest egg. But that may be a mistake. Since retirement can last several decades, you’ll likely need to harness the growth potential of stocks to keep inflation from eroding your savings. Although they come with increased risk, stocks offer better potential for long-term growth than bonds and cash investments. Your Financial Advisor
can help you find a mix of stocks, bonds and cash investments that offers an appropriate balance of risk and return potential. Plan for long-term care. As you age, you’re more likely to sustain an injury or develop an illness that requires longterm care. But that care—whether in a nursing home or through an in-home health provider—can be very expensive. The national median cost of a single year in a private nursing home is now $87,235, according to insurer MetLife.4 One strategy to these potential medical costs is long-term care (LTC) insurance, which is designed to cover expenses if you become physically or cognitively impaired. If you opt for LTC insurance, Peterson suggests buying your policy when you’re in your 50s. Reason: Your premiums are likely to be more affordable than if you purchased a policy later. Consider keeping a paycheck. A simple way to stretch your retirement savings is to work longer. Economists Alicia H. Munnell and Steven Sass from the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College note that delaying retirement by just three to four years—from 62 to 66, for instance—may boost your retirement income by a third.5
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Working longer can help by: • Boosting your monthly Social Security benefits (by waiting at least until you are eligible to claim full benefits) • Increasing the time you spend accumulating a 401(k) balance (through contributions and potential for growth of investments) • Giving you access to employer-provided health care (which can allow you to avoid paying extra for your own health insurance policy, if you retire before you’re eligible) • Reducing the amount of time you rely on your retirement savings (income and benefits from employment can offset the need to tap a nest egg — and again, allow more time for assets to work in the market) A very long retirement is a blessing and a risk. Fortunately, it’s a risk you can plan for, by choosing the financial strategies that make the most sense for you, and reviewing your retirement plan regularly. Just don’t wait—by planning now, you’re more likely to enjoy the luxury of time later. 1 U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/ nvsr60/nvsr60_04.pdf. 2 U.S. Census Bureau, http://www.census.gov/newsroom/releases/archives/aging_ population/cb11-194.html. 3 Allianz Life Insurance Co. of North America, https://www.allianzlife.com/content/ public/Literature/Documents/ENT-993.pdf. 4 2011 MetLife Market Survey of Nursing Home, Assisted Living, Adult Day Services, and Home Care Costs, August, 2011, http://www.metlife.com/mmi/research/2011-marketsurvey-long-term-care-costs.html. 5 Center for Retirement Research, “Working Longer: The Solution to the Retirement Income Challenge,” 2008, http://crr.bc.edu/images/stories/myths_and_realities.pdf. This article was written by Wells Fargo Advisors and provided courtesy of Gary T. Bezilla, Managing Director-Investments, on Hilton Head Island at (843) 681-1400. Investments in securities and insurance products are: NOT FDIC-INSURED/NOT BANK-GUARANTEED/MAY LOSE VALUE Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC, Member SIPC, is a registered broker-dealer and a separate non-bank affiliate of Wells Fargo & Company. ©2012 Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC. All rights reserved. 0812-03206
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Behind
Gates the
Belfair Plantation Article By Frank Dunne, Jr.
This is a continuation of a several part series on island living in gated communities.
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Let the majestic Avenue of Oaks welcome you home,” opens one piece of Belfair Plantation’s literature. These are not idle words. Beyond the gatehouse, a seemingly endless tunnel of beautiful mossdraped live oaks greets you and superbly sets the tone for the character that Belfair wishes to express: a private community offering first-rate golf and amenities, but spoken in a more informal voice than some of its neighbors. “If you said, yes, I play golf, and you’re interested in a private club community, this is great because it’s a 36-hole private club with a great amenity package,” said Tom Jackson of Gateway Realty. Jackson, who specializes in Bluffton golf communities, continued, “If we’re talking about golf communities, most people would say Belfair is a more laid back community. It’s a little more subtle when you get to the clubhouse. It has a comfortable feel and the membership seems to prefer that to something more formal and grandiose.” The private golf community model has long been perceived as targeting retirement-aged owners exclusively,
and in years past, one could make the argument that perception was reality. The real estate landscape has changed significantly, though, and we now find these communities casting wider nets. Nevertheless, some of them remain retiree oriented by virtue of their original design, and because that’s primarily who lives there. Belfair is a little different. Certainly the homes, amenities, location and everything else have always presented an attractive package to retirees. However, thanks to its decidedly comfortable, yet first-class lifestyle, as well as some recreational amenities that might be considered atypical for a golf club community, Belfair tends to attract a broader demographic. Belfair Property Owners Association director of communications, Nicki Jacoby, says that retirees and near retirees probably constitute the largest portion of Belfair members now, but the membership is getting younger. “We have a lot of younger families coming in who are looking to establish a tradition with their families here. Everyone is so welcoming when you come in. They want to know who
Belfair Plantation
the new members are; they want to invite them to dinner and get them integrated into the community so they feel a part of everything.” Jackson adds that amenities like basketball courts, volleyball courts and softball fields lend a neighborhood feel. There’s just something about the sound of a basketball bouncing in the distance that says “home town.” Your neighbors in Belfair are really your neighbors, too. “Out of the 468 homes that we have here, more than 300 of them are primary residences,” Jacoby said. A conversation about the amenities at Belfair Plantation begins with golf. Two distinctive courses present members with a variety of challenges, and a topflight learning center offers a place to practice meeting those challenges. The pastoral parklands design West Course winds through the community accentuated by ancient live oaks, lush native grasses, rolling terrain, lagoons and manicured, elevated undulating greens. In contrast, East Course recalls the links courses in golf’s birthplace, Scotland. It features deep-water views, wideopen windswept fairways, and a very walkable layout. To further cater to Belfair’s golf lovers, the Jim Ferree Golf Learning Center is a 29-acre practice and teaching facility where golfers can practice pretty much any shot they might encounter playing West and East Courses. The center features covered and outdoor driving ranges, three putting greens and two holes for working on the short game. The indoor driving suite is equipped with video swing analysis technology, and full-time instructors are on hand as well. New to the Learning Center, former PGA Tour and Club Professional Carl Lohren, creator of the “One Move to Better Golf” teaching method, makes himself available two days per month for private lessons.
For tennis players, Belfair Plantation sports six HarTru courts at the Belfair Fitness & Sports Center and two grass courts overlooking the Colleton River. “These are the only grass courts in Bluffton,” Jacoby said, which is fitting for a place where she describes the tennis participation as strong. The Fitness & Sports Center, offers other sports and athletic oriented amenities, including a resort-style Junior Olympic outdoor pool and heated indoor lap pool, fitness equipment and a staff of professional trainers. You can also enjoy almost 30 miles of walking/biking 102
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opportunities and even venture through Belfair’s nature preserves. “We have basketball courts, a junior sized soccer field, playground, volleyball courts, and a pickleball court,” Jacoby said. “We’re seeing over 125 people coming through the Fitness and Sports Center a day. A healthy lifestyle is really important here.” For lower-intensity recreation like fishing, bird watching, or simply enjoying the Lowcountry surroundings, Belfair is the perfect place, situated along the Colleton River and home to Hidden Lake, a 42-acre chain of freshwater lakes within which lies one of the more significant colonial wading bird rookeries in South Carolina, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The lakes and lagoons found throughout Belfair are popular for hooking bass with the membership’s anglers, and the Colleton River is a great location for viewing the abundant Lowcountry wildlife. The Belfair Clubhouse recently re-opened after a $2.5 million expansion project. “A quantum leap ahead!” says seven-year Belfair member Doug Adamson. “It’s just very well done and creates such a sense of community and connection.” Jacoby says that other members agree, and that the expansion is a reflection of Belfair’s growth. “We have annual events that are really large like Fourth of July and Easter. The expanded clubhouse is much more conducive to the size membership we have and their activity level.” That activity level is reflected in more than 20 organized clubs, serving avocations that range from golf to books, dining, gardening, cards, Bible study, theater and the arts, volunteerism and a host of others. All of the homes in Belfair are single-family lot styles. There are no attached construction (townhome, villa, etc.) or patio style homes. The average lot size is half-acre, and the prevailing architectural style is typical Lowcountry with porches, golf, water or wooded views, and two-three-car garages. “We are seeing a trend toward building a home that’s 2,800-3,500 sq. ft. as opposed to the big houses that February 2013
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Belfair Plantation
you saw in the ’80s and partially into the ’90s,” Jackson said. “Basically, a high quality house in a smaller package.” Price points for homes begin around $450,000 and go up to about $2 million. “The bread and butter is somewhere between $550,000 and $700,000,” Jackson said, pointing to the excellent value proposition presented by buying a lot and building that exists in any Bluffton golf community, but might be slightly advantageous in Belfair due to low lot prices and lower club fees. “There are inexpensive lots in all of them, and there are price point homes in all of them,” he said. “You’d probably have more homes in the $500,000-$600,000 range in Belfair compared to others; the point is you can buy a lot inexpensively in any of the clubs, build a home and be in the same price point, but the club fees are a little bit less. That makes a difference with a lot of buyers, and I do think it creates an opportunity for younger couples to come into a community like Belfair.”
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Belfair’s main entrance is on westbound Highway 278 about 7 miles from the Hilton Head Island bridge, close to Bluffton schools, shopping, dining and services. In fact, members can access Belfair Towne Village for shopping and errands through the Plantation’s East Gate and avoid 278 altogether. The location also makes it a quick trip to Savannah, Beaufort, or Hilton Head Island’s sandy beaches. Adamson and his wife Rhonda bought their Belfair home in 2005 and
became permanent residents two years ago. Though an avid golfer, he says the hidden secret about Belfair is that there really is so much beyond golf that makes it special. “I would still live here if I never played another round of golf…and, by the way, as you drove through did you notice that everybody waves?” Belfair is located at 200 Belfair Oaks Blvd., Bluffton. For more information, call (843) 757-0701, e-mail info@belfair1811. com, or visit belfair1811.com.
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Drew Laughlin Hi lton H e a d Is la n d
Photography By Anne
Let’s Get Serious About the Arts
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he Arts Center of Coastal Carolina has been a mainstay for the arts here since 1996; however, the Arts Center has experienced financial difficulty and has appealed to the Town of Hilton Head Island for assistance. We recognize that any resolution to the Arts Center’s issues and for the Hilton Head Island arts community at large must come from our residents. In exercising our due diligence, council asks: What value do we as a community place on the arts generally and in existing programs and offerings in particular? Can the Arts Center operate more efficiently? Are there efficiencies to be found through cooperation and coordination with other arts organizations such as recently done with the Arts Center and Art League of Hilton Head? Can the Arts Center operate without public support? I support some level of funding for the Arts Center if its business plan realizes operating efficiencies and is balanced between ticket revenues, increased private donations and less on taxpayer funds. Presently, the Arts Center receives public funding support primarily from the accommodations tax program, which is collected from visitors.
Arts centers typically claim a return on investment, and I do not doubt that ours is any different. I believe the Arts Center simply makes the island a better place to live and: 1) is a source of pride for residents; 2) draws visitors and residents to first class performances; 3) provides thousands of educational services annually; 4) leads to business investment; 5) creates opportunities for volunteerism; 6) is a community venue for dance, school, choral groups and festivals; and 7) improves our health and psychological wellbeing. Bottom line: The arts and Arts Center increase social capital and community cohesion. A fundamental question of where the town invests its money to gain the strongest impact on our local economy, to improve our competitive position to attract and retain permanent residents and visitors, to improve property values and our tax base should be part of our community discussion. The question is not only, “What is the benefit/impact of the Arts Center,” but also, “What are the opportunity costs of either using or not using town funds to fund the Arts Center?” Arts centers typically claim a return on investment, and I do not doubt that ours is any different. To me, the answer depends on our goals. An important question for Town Council and our residents depends on what our goals are, e.g. improving the economy, attracting and retaining permanent residents, attracting tourism, redeveloping island areas. How can those goals be most effectively reached? I firmly believe we can balance funding to meet our goal of enriching the lives of residents and guests. 106
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M AYo r
Lisa Sulka B LU F FTO N
Photography By Anne
The Town of Bluffton Community Video Tour Book
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he Town of Bluffton is excited to announce the publication of our Community Video Tour Book produced by the Town of Bluffton, Community Video Network and Relocation.org. Together, we created six short videos, highlighting the natural beauty of our area along with quality of life, education, recreation, economic opportunities, and so much more that Bluffton has to offer. You might even see a familiar face strolling down Calhoun Street or talking with us about what Bluffton is to them. This Tour Book will give visitors, residents, and those thinking of relocating an opportunity to see many different areas of interest. The video topics are: • Welcome to Bluffton • Message from Mayor Sulka • Education Opportunities • Quality of Life • Real Estate & Relocation • Recreation & Things To Do • Economic Development These will be featured on our website, townofbluffton. sc.gov and Facebook page along with links on Relocate.org and the Community Video Network. This is just one more tool in our economic development toolbox to show everyone what a great place Bluffton is to work and live. Relocate.org is the largest library of informational community videos in the United States. They aim to provide insights and information to persons relocating to different locales across the U.S. The site is affiliated with the National League of Cities and has provided this service to the town at no cost. We invite you to let us know what you think about the videos and give us your ideas for topics you would like to see covered in the future. You can submit your ideas and suggestions via our website using the Contact Us page. We look forward to hearing from you.
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