JUNE 2012
“SOMEBODY’S GETTING MARRIED!” THE END OF YOUR LIFE AS YOU KNOW IT Special Section pg.
JUST VISITING? ISLAND MAP INSIDE. YOU’RE WELCOME!
AND THE STINGERS HANGIN’ OUT C2 GOES ZIP-LINING
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June 2012
Denotes General Vicinity ONLY. Check Ad For Actual Address.
Arthur Hills Golf Club
George Fazio Golf Club
The A HolBeach Hou iday Inn Rse es
ni
The Om
ort
Sonesta
Resort
Dolphin Head Golf Course
FeAtures
Contents
June 2012
>> FeAtures
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ISLAND MAP Just in case the Maps App on your iPhone isn’t working—you know, because of the terrible cell phone service on hilton head island… recalculating.
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HAPPy FATHEr’S DAy don’t forget your dear old dad on June 17.
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IT’S FIvE O’CLOCK SOMEWHErE drink recipes, nightly entertainment calendar, band spotlights & more reasons to stay up late.
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TrUST yOUr FOOD, KNOW yOUr FArMEr eating healthy isn’t all that complicated, and the benefits are immeasurable.
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JUST HANGIN’ OUT C2 goes zip-lining!
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ELEv8-ING ExPECTATIONS there’s a new bike in town
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SOMEBODy’S GETTING MArrIED! Your life as you know it is over—and a new chapter is about to begin.
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WEDDING ExPrESS the story of a wedding: two perspectives.
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GArDEN OF EDEN it’s your fairytale. You choose the dress.
ALL THAT GLITTErS A bit about choosing the rings, from doug safe at heritage Fine Jewelers
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WANTED: BrIDESMAIDS & GrOOMSMEN A job description
A COUTUrE GOWN Courtesy of Luciana, right here on hilton head island
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BEHIND THE GATES Moss Creek and Colleton river Plantation
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>>> ON OUr COvEr Photo by
istvan Blair Photography hair and make-up by
danielle Keasling and Brandi trawick, assisted by Jessica epp of salon Karma
Model:
Anna deGrauw
(Carolina talent Modeling Agency) Gown by
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Liancarlo
(BleuBelle Bridal, savannah) June 2012
eVerYthinG eLse
Contents
June 2012
38 >> Business ProFiLes
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THE vILLAGE SPA A Chic Constellation
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THE KINGFISHEr dinner and so much more
P68 GOLF ETC. hilton head’s Game-Changer
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FUNKEy MONKEy A Most stylish treasure Chest
>> eVerYthinG eLse
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EDITOr’S NOTE My newfound fascination with Latin American culture
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LETTErS TO THE EDITOr
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A SErIES OF FOrTUNATE EvENTS Your 15 minutes of fame
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OUr TOWN 2012 i CAn Games: hargray helps CrossFit hilton head Give Back in a Big Way
P28 CHArITy COrNEr Locks of Love: Corks & Karma Collaborate
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A LINE IN THE SAND A Casino in the Lowcountry? Frank and Courtney weigh in.
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CELEBrATE JUNE summer has officially begun.
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GOLF 101 how to Make More Putts
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HELLO My NAME IS . . . Frederick Chisolm
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WHAT yOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT... refinancing
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A WOrD FrOM THE MAyOrS drew Laughlin and Lisa sulka update you on town happenings on hilton head island and in Bluffton.
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DISCOUNTS! Why in the world would you not show your CH2 card to get these fabulous discounts? if your issue doesn’t have one, e-mail us your mailing address and we’ll send you one! Card requests to m.washo@celebratehiltonhead.com.
>>> ON OUr COvEr Photo by
istvan Blair Photography hair and make-up by
danielle Keasling and Brandi trawick, assisted by Jessica epp of salon Karma
Model:
Anna deGrauw
(Carolina talent Modeling Agency) Gown by
Liancarlo
(BleuBelle Bridal, savannah) June 2012
froM tHe EDITOr
06.2012
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 LiLY BArteLL Contributing Writers: KittY BArteLL LYnne CAMPAnAro FrAnK dunne Jr. CourtneY hAMPson LindseY hAWKins CrAiG hYseLL dreW LAuGhLin Pete PoPoViCh
¡Buenos dÍAs! ¿CÓMo estÁs?
douG sAFe LisA suLKA deBBie sZPAnKA
Photography By Anne
dAVid toBiAs LeW WesseL Contributing Photographers / Artist: PhotoGrAPhY BY Anne MArK stAFF PhotoGrAPhY John BrACKett PhotoGrAPhY istVAn BLAir PhotoGrAPhY rod PAsiBe/ red shutter studio Contributing Art Direction: toM stAeBLer
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hen i was given the choice of learning French or spanish when i was just a teen in upstate new York, i suppose French should have been a more obvious choice, seeing i was in such close proximity to Canada. But no, i chose spanish. hindsight being 20/20, that was a very wise decision, seeing that i ended up in south Carolina and we have many transplants from Latin America here. For about five years now, i have had this urge to learn to speak spanish again. now, thanks to the miracle of the iPhone, while i am exercising, i can listen to podcasts that teach you to speak spanish in “just 15 minutes a day!” Johnny spanish and his tall (alta) friend Cristina have taught me very important things so far, such as how to ask where the shower is, how to tell someone my uncle is ugly and whether or not i have a mouse as a pet.
NOW, THANKS TO THE MIRACLE OF THE IPHONE, WHILE I AM EXERCISING, I CAN LISTEN TO PODCASTS THAT TEACH YOU TO SPEAK SPANISH IN “JUST 15 MINUTES A DAY!” to go along with my immersion into Latin culture, i have started taking Zumba classes at Z4 studio, so i know how to dance correctly as well. hey, i am going to Mexico on a cruise in december. i need to be prepared for the whole eight hours i will be there. no. Yo no tengo un ratón. (no. i do not have a mouse.)
P.o.Box 22949 hilton head island, sC 29925 843.689.2658
M. Washo Publisher / editor-in-Chief
m.washo@celebratehiltonhead.com
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June 2012
Letters
To the Editor...
A Line in the Sand: Should English be the OFFICIAL language of the USA? I think there is a much more basic reason to make English the “official” language. There has to be a line in the sand with regard to the language that we teach in public schools, the language that we use on the street signs and billboards and highways, in phone books, in the library and so on and so on. Otherwise, if we try to include the language of EVERY culture, there would be no consistent way to teach our children how to read, write and communicate. We aren’t even doing the job in English all that well, it seems to me. As it is, we spend millions trying to duplicate everything in Spanish... what language do we try to accommodate next? Chinese? Russian? Greek? Suzi Huisman
To the Editor: Tidewater Hospice thanks the Bluffton High National Honor Society students who volunteered their time and talents to create beautiful floral bouquets which they then presented to our Tidewater Hospice patients on Valentine’s Day. The caring compassion and spirit of community involvement shown by these gifted students is truly exemplary and warmed the hearts of our hospice patients and agency caregivers. We also wish to thank the Bluffton Publix Supermarket, the Hilton Head Fresh Market and Old Bluffton Flowers and Gifts for their donations of flowers and materials used in creating the bouquets. The kindness and generosity of these local merchants helped to make this special Valentine celebration possible. Susan Saxon Administrator Tidewater Hospice 22
www.celebratehiltonhead.com
June 2012
and tHe winner of tHe viLLage at wexford’s
“Best of everytHing” contest is... Larry HeicHeL! Congratulations to Larry, who was nominated by his wife Trish for being the best listener. She wrote this in her online entry, “My husband, Larry, is the BEST LISTENER! This means that he is so very compassionate and understanding. He never interrupts, never interjects his thoughts until you are completely finished with your thought or story. He TRULY deserves this award!” Hundreds of entries were submitted in our February contest to win over $4500 worth of prizes and gift certificates from the merchants at the Village at Wexford. The applicants were asked to nominate themselves or someone they know for being the “BEST” at something. There could only be one winner (which was chosen at random on February 16), but we had so many fun entries, we decided to share some with our readers. Here are a few of our favorites:
From Brad S: I am NOT the best at anything... I’m not the biggest, the fastest, the strongest, the smartest, the richest, the best looking, the funniest, or the most talented. I’m not a great singer, dancer, performer, actor, musician, or athlete. I’ve never performed some great feat worthy of a Guinness World record or even a write-up in my local paper. But every day I wake up and I try to be the best ME I can possibly be... and at the end of the day, hopefully that is good enough! From Franny G: Clare Senior, operations manager for the Hilton Head Humane Association is the very best at saving animals on a day to day basis that require intensive medical care. She is afraid of nothing and puts all that she has into making them better! She is a gift to our organization and a miracle worker for the animals in need! From clark F: Annoying my girlfriend’s boss... From Karen I thought about this one for a while, and my answer was going to be painting, since I do it professionally. But this afternoon, my 11 year old daughter said to me, “I love being with you because you let me be me and I know I can tell you anything.”. That’s when I knew that what I am best at is being a mom. 84
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From amy U. When it comes to planning family vacations, I have to admit to being the absolute BEST. I have taken my family from Baltimore, MD to the most wonderful towns, Hilton Head being among them. Luckily for my family, I have a knack for planning the best of everything. Whether it is hotels, restaurants, spas, or shopping, my family travels in style. That explains how I found the Village at Wexford. It is testament to what I am the best at... From Jennie c. I’m best at taking care of my husband, who has MS, and taking women who can’t get out on their own shopping and out to lunch. I take them to Patricia’s and to Porcupine! From Sheri I am entering my daughter Abi Fidler. The list is long of what she is best at. Beauty with brains is the most concise description. She is the national award winning Tech Director for the Low Country Boys & Girls Club. She knows sports, can use a nail gun with knowledge and dance - ballet & jazz. From Joel I am the best at parallel parking. Whenever I come up to a tight space in my car, I can instantly tell, within an inch, if it is possible for me to parallel park my car there. My wife of 41 years always says that there is no way that we can fit in, but I pull it off every time as though I was taking my driver’s test at age 16 again. I am the best in the country at parallel parking, for sure.
March 2012
To CH2, What an extraordinary collection of gifts you have provided Trish and me! It has been a delight visiting all the shops and restaurants in The Village at Wexford - almost all known to us through shopping there throughout the years. In several instances it was like visiting family (the ones you still like). We’ve been made to feel most welcome; owners and their employees alike all showed genuine excitement for us - often matching our own. We must point out that the gifts were very generous which carried more impact knowing what tough times every business has been through this past couple of years. Thank you. We hope, through the attention gained resulting from the contest and magazine coverage, that the family of shops at The Village at Wexford and CH2 magazine gain much in positive reputation and additional traffic. We can tell from the dozens of congratulatory calls and emails that the community has noticed. Wexford has always been a center for variety in services, in goods and in good food throughout its history. It has shown it can not only survive but signs are there that it is beginning to thrive once again. Good fortune to all who participated! We give a heart-felt thank you to each and every one of the shop owners, CH2 (especially Maggie Washo), photographer Anne Caufmann and Diana Bourgeois at Magic Marketing. Trish and Larry Heichel.
june
2012
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C2
a SErIES oF FortUNatE EvENtS
2
APRIL 2011
HERITAGE 201
FURYK INTEND TO DEFEN
KYLE STANLE HITS THE BIG TIM
CHARITAGE THE PEOPLE BEHIN THE TOURNAMEN
CELEBRATE BLUFFTON & BEYOND
9 REASONS TO LOVE BLUFFTON CONGrATULATIONS Joni Vanderslice, from J FRESHhas Banks designAGroup been named FOOD AdAC’s 2012 ALLIANCE southeast Contract designer of the Year. WHAT'S BUGGIN' YOU?
THE ZERBIN FAMIL CIRCU
KUDOS!
steve Wilmot, tournament director of the rBC heritage presented by Boeing has been selected to receive the Willie Jeffries Ambassador for sports Award. the award, given by the south Carolina Athletic hall of Fame, recognizes the dedication and commitment of Coach Jeffries in representing the best image for sports in south Carolina.
GET
SCHOOL BOUND
Beach Properties of hilton head is pleased to announce that Allison Frederick has been named recipient of their $5,000 college scholarship for 2012.
YO
THAT GIrL CAN PLAID
ON
A NEW HIrE
david Bragg has joined the Alliance Group realty located in the Fresh Market shoppes on hilton head island.
WELCOME TO THE ISLAND
Cera Products moved its headquarters to hilton head, s.C. from Columbia, Maryland and celebrated its official opening and ribbon-cutting hosted by the hilton head island-Bluffton Chamber of Commerce on May 10, 2012.
IT’S OPEN!
tracee spencer, is excited to announce the opening of salon Artistry.
DANCE!
nine year old Gabriella Marshall, shown here with her dance instructor, sandro Virag, won the Fred Astaire national Junior Latin Championship in Las Vegas, nV in April.
BUILDING BLOCKS
ron Boshaw has announced the opening of Boshaw residential, a home building company specializing in custom homes and renovations.
A qUArTEr OF A CENTUry Mr. Vince Carbone of re/MAX island realty recently celebrated 25 years with the hilton head Association of realtors.
IN THE NEWS
Frank Morris, a 34-year veteran of the newspaper industry, was honored by the Bluffton town Council for “his dedication to bringing local news to Bluffton residents.”
June 2012
THOSE DOGS SUrE CAN DANCE!
dancing dogs Yoga Bluffton is ready to welcome, inspire and empower each and every person who walks through our doors with community and high quality yoga instruction.
JUST OPENED
Forever Young is hhi’s first fashion boutique geared toward juniors, young adults & the young at heart - offering high fashion consignments as well as a select line of new clothing showcasing current fashion trends - with prices that fit every budget.
ACE IN yOUr FACE!
the holiday inn oceanfront, home of the world-famous tiki hut, hosted the AVP Volleyball tournament last month for the 17th year in a row. More than 50 teams competed over the two-day tournament for cash prizes.
A.r.T. PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWArD WINNEr: 1ST PrESByTErIAN DAy SCHOOL CHILDrEN Far right, rabbi dr. Arthur segal and his wife ellen segal, Award sponsors presenting the check to the teacher and children of 1st Presbyterian day school. Also pictured; Mira scott, co-owner of Picture this Gallery, parents and the children from the school. To be included in our next Series of Fortunate Events, please email Ashton Kelley a PHOTO and A SENTENCE (not a paragraph) at a.kelley@celebratehiltonhead.com. Photos will not be accepted without a sentence. Sentences will not be accepted without a photo. Paragraphs will be edited down to one sentence. Get it? Got it! Good.
OUr TOWN
2012 i CAn GAMEs: H A r G r Ay H E L P s C r o s s F i T H i L T o n H E A d G i v E B A C K i n A B i G w Ay CrAiG HysELL
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hen Craig hysell opened CrossFit hilton head in April 2010, he had a mission that extended way beyond the simple ownership of a gym or a business. “My goal is and always will be to make everything outside the box better,” hysell said. (CrossFit gyms commonly refer to themselves as “boxes” due to the spartan, warehouselike nature of most of their gyms.) “if we’re not doing that, we’re doing something wrong.” CrossFit gyms are affiliates, not franchises, which means that each one is different to a certain degree. At CrossFit hilton head, hysell and his staff of six trainers are sticklers for mobility and technique. safety is rule number one. After that, they have fun. A lot of it. “if you enjoy working hard, if you enjoy camaraderie and using demanding exercise not to just to get in shape but to better yourself mentally, emotionally and even spiritually, then CrossFit hilton head is the right place for you,” hysell said. “this kind of thing takes patience, work ethic, integrity, humility and discipline. if immediate gratification is your
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thing, this place can be a shock.” Amid all that, CrossFit hilton head and its over 165 members also exist to serve the community. But hysell is the first to admit that he never dreamed CrossFit hilton head would become the platform it has become for philanthropic service so quickly. “We just seem to attract really amazing people who enjoy working hard and helping others. they’re like superheroes minus the capes,” he said. Members of CrossFit hilton head have donated their time and effort (each CrossFit charity event is usually coupled with an extremely tough workout known as a Wod) to military
and veteran’s organizations, children’s programs, pediatric cancer, men’s cancer, blood drives and more. this year, with the support of hargray Communications, all proceeds from the 2012 i CAn Games (a large scale CrossFit event hosted by CrossFit hilton head where athletes compete in five grueling workouts to find a winner) will go to support the three main charities CrossFit hilton head currently serves locally: honor our heroes, the ret Pediatric Cancer Foundation and hope haven of the Lowcountry. “the endless support of our members and our community continues to allow us to do bigger and bigger things—to have more and more of a positive impact,” hysell said. “our partnership with hargray in this inaugural i CAn Games is vital. they have afforded us a tremendous opportunity to really give back in a big way to our charities with their support. it is just not possible we could have put this event on to this extent and with this big of an impact without their help.” Back at “the box,” hysell sits at his desk. it’s quiet. A
æ The 2012 I Can games will be held on June 16, 2012 at Chaplin Park. For more information, visit crossfithhi. com and search “Events.”
samurai sword rests on the wall behind him—a Christmas gift from one of his members. “We exist to serve others,” he said. “By doing that, we are rewarded with the knowledge that life is short and every day is what you make of it. What happens in your life—where you go, who you are and what you do—is up to you and nobody else.” he is quiet for a moment and then a big smile crosses his face, “it certainly helps to have really great people constantly reminding you of that along the way.”
CrAiG hYseLL, oWner oF CrossFit hiLton heAd With dAYnA MuGGeo
June 2012
CHArITy COrNEr
loCkS oF love: Cor ks and Kar ma Colla borate KiTTy BArTELL
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he idea for a singular act of charity grew from a self-described “pseudo mid-life crisis,” for Josh Luman, one of the owners of Corks Wine Co. neighborhood Wine Bar. off and on throughout his life, Luman has had ponytails and recently has been toying with the idea of growing another despite the objections of Gabby Ferrell, his partner in business and in life. Luman was looking for a viable excuse to grow out his hair when the charity Locks of Love came to mind. Four years prior, Ferrell had donated her own hair to the organization, and the partners began discussing how they might utilize their desire to contribute again and incorporate their business in the process. having grown up as high school friends in Marietta, ohio, Luman and Ferrell began their business partnership five years ago with the opening of Corks
in Bluffton’s Promenade, followed by a second location on hilton head island. “We were motivated to do something for ourselves,” Luman said. “Corks came from the idea of creating a great place where we would want to hang out and spend time together.” taking on projects as partners comes naturally to this couple, so they began formulating a plan to take on Locks of Love. As a fortuitous coincidence, salon Karma, Corks’ retail neighbor in Bluffton, was interested in
Corks owner Josh Luman donates his ponytail to Locks of Love. For more information visit www.locksoflove.org 28
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partnering up for the project. Ferrell took the idea to the salon’s owner danielle Keasling, and despite having only been open since early 2012, Keasling knew just how to complement Luman and Ferrell’s vision. For the month of April 2012, Corks accepted monetary donations on behalf of Locks and of Love and offered a 20 percent discount at Corks for the month to anyone who donated. salon Karma provided free haircuts and styling during April for anyone wishing to cut their locks for the charity. While the final count is not yet in, at least 10 people have donated their ponytails, including both Luman and Ferrell, along with Corks’ bartender stephanie Cremonte and her boyfriend robbie Cahill of Cahill’s Market in Bluffton. According to Keasling at least two clients who were in the salon for regular appointments decided to donate their locks
right on the spot. “My girls have really loved participating in this project,” she said. the salon’s stylists donated their time and talents to make the participants look outstanding after their minimum 10-inch ponytails were cut. Altruism is the foundation on which salon Karma was founded and named. Keasling encourages her team to propose ideas for participating in charitable events to raise awareness and money for causes close to their individual hearts. since their opening in January, the salon Karma staff has donated time or money to Locks of Love, the humane Association, the American heart Association, a local battered women’s shelter, and Volunteers in Medicine. “i love working with other businesses to give back to the community. We hope the Locks of Love project will be a yearly way for us to do that together with Corks,” Keasling said. Luman just may have a great excuse to make growing a ponytail an annual event. “All kidding aside, i watched the before and after videos on the Locks of Love website, and i challenge anyone to become aware of this cause and not want to participate,” he said. “Watching the videos of the recipients is sobering. this project brings a lot of joy during a very difficult time.” Locks of Love is lucky to have Luman, Ferrell, and Keasling in their corner, and everyone involved looks forward to collaborating on future projects. Meanwhile, Corks Wine Co. will continue taking monetary donations on behalf of Locks of Love.
June 2012
One subject. Two opinions.
Turn the page for a different opinion.
A Line in the Sand a Casino in Hardeeville?
Article by Courtney Hampson Photography BY ANNE
Iconic crooner Barry Manilow is selling his oceanfront Malibu estate for $6,950,000. How’d he swing those digs?
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ell, that chick Mandy, she came and she gave without taking, so he had that going for him. (He probably sent her away just in time.) Barry has also had a four-decade career entertaining the masses with his sappy sweet ballads that most recently landed him a seven-year gig playing two shows a night in Vegas. Jackpot! Vegas is where it’s at. Washed up ’70s singers can don their polyester onesies and rock out again, and again, and again. I know. I’ve seen Barry in Vegas twice. You might think I’m pathetic. I say, well you’re probably right. I helped pave his path to prosperous retirement. When word originally began to spread that a casino and resort complex was in the planning stages within Hilton Head Lakes, (which for the geographically challenged is a good 15 miles from Hilton Head), local government and business officials were in a tizzy. Why?
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Well, members of a Hilton Head Island Republican Club have concerns that a casino in Jasper County would “tarnish the area’s image as a wholesome, familyfriendly resort and retirement destination.” Jim Wescott, executive director of the Lowcountry and Resort Islands Tourism Commission, has had mixed feelings. “The businesses that tend to grow up around casinos aren’t always wholesome, and the clientele aren’t necessarily always welcome,” he said. Eeew, he’s right. What if they have tattoos? Last month, Hilton Head resident John Garnett formed CATCH, the Committee Against the Casino in Hardeeville. “This is something that threatens our quality of life,” he said. “I don’t have any moral issues with casinos or with people who want to spend their money there, but I think it would diminish the Hilton Head brand.” Despite the influx of jobs (a few thousand) that the casino would bring, even Governor Haley’s spokesperson has indicated, “the governor has no intention of signing any memorandum of understanding that would enable casino gambling.” I say don’t let these goodie two-shoes ruin our future fun. But just for kicks, let’s talk about “wholesome,” shall we? If we have to say we are wholesome, well we probably aren’t. That’s like someone telling you that they are funny. If you have to tell someone you are funny, you’re not. You just want to be. Consider this: if you believe everything you read, sources have reported that Sun City “Hilton Head” residents are stripping down and swinging with their neighbors. A pineapple on your front porch means you’re ready to toss your keys in a bowl. Now that’s a show straight out of Manilow’s era. It sounds like the over-50 contingent could get behind (or on top of) the idea of
a Lowcountry casino. I wonder if the Hilton Head Republican Club has investigated this Sun City “Hilton Head” infraction. Are rumors of swinging affecting home values? I love where we live. Heck, I bought a house on my second visit and moved here within four months of that visit. On those visits, when I flew into Savannah and drove “the back way” to Bluffton, never once did I deduce that the strip clubs lining the route meant that I was headed into the danger zone. Nor do I think that the Gold Club on Hilton Head prevents the island from being family-friendly. I don’t balk at a friendly game of Left, Right, Center either. Or some skins on the golf course. What say you, Hilton Head Republican Club? Have you never placed a friendly wager with your foursome? Everyone wants change: raise taxes/ lower taxes, re-vamp health care, create more jobs. But everyone wants it on his or her own terms. Unfortunately, the world, the county, the state and the Lowcountry isn’t only about you. Perhaps you won’t frequent a casino. That’s okay. You don’t have to. But, if 3,000 of our neighbors may find employment in that casino, would you deny them that? Here we are, back at the perception conundrum again. Let’s not jump to conclusions and assume that a casino also means an influx of unsavory businesses and the grand opening of the Heidi Fleiss Finishing School. If people want to spend the day in a casino, 18 miles from the beaches and family-friendly activities of Hilton Head, let them. We’re probably less likely to bump into them than the golf group from Ohio spending their days playing 36 holes at the golf club and their nights trying for a hole in one in at the Gold Club. Big picture people. Big picture.
June 2012
One subject. Two opinions.
Go back a page for the other opinion.
A Line in the Sand a Casino in Hardeeville?
A r t i c l e b y F r a n k D u n n e, J r. Photography BY ANNE
“When you get depressed, you attend seminars. When you attend seminars, you feel like a winner. When you feel like a winner, you go to Vegas. When you go to Vegas, you lose everything. When you lose everything, you sell your hair to a wig shop.”
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ave you seen that ad on TV? Don’t you think of that poor sap selling his hair when somebody tries to tell you that a proposed casino on the Hilton Head Lakes property in Hardeeville will attract a wave of cumulative tourism and create tons of new economic activity? That’s about as credible as calling a place Hilton Head Lakes when it’s 30 miles from the island. The casino will create some 2,000 new jobs and $92 million in wages, salaries, and benefits for Jasper County,
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so goes the story. That’s according to the would-be developer’s consultant who boasts that the numbers come from sophisticated computer models and years of experience managing similar properties all over the world. Call me cynical, but the word consultant (a guy who’s paid to say what the guy who pays him wants him to say) makes me wary. Sounds like a field of dreams to me. You know, “if you build it they will come.” I doubt it. Tourists come here for the water and to do stuff outdoors in the warm sunshine. Ever been to a casino? They’re designed to keep you inside until you’ve lost your shirt. So I guess we’re supposed to believe that community marketing efforts have been ignoring an untapped segment of millions of people ready to stampede to the Lowcountry so they can spend the entire time indoors playing slots. Where’s your evidence that these people exist, Mr. Consultant? Two thousand jobs and 92 million bucks would be just peachy, but I’m wondering how you expect that to happen without any customers. What if the casino does manage to intercept a few Hilton Head-bound travelers just off I-95? Suck ’em in and turn ’em loose once they’ve blown the vacation budget and the mortgage payment. These folks aren’t likely to be in much of a mood to drive the remaining 30 miles to the island for a cool one at
the Tiki Hut and a nice dinner at one of our fine culinary establishments, or to stick around to play some golf. So much for spreading the wealth…unless you’re planning to open a wig shop in Hardeeville. Contrary to what supporters would have you believe, casinos do not create a rising tide that lifts all boats in their communities, and they don’t spawn waves of new businesses either. It didn’t happen in Atlantic City. Have you ever been there? The casinos might thrive, but cross the street and the rest of the place is a slum. It certainly didn’t happen in Detroit either. Before the casinos, it was a depressed, crimeridden, smoldering carcass of a oncegreat city run by a deranged, corrupt, criminal city council. Now Detroit’s a depressed, crime-ridden, smoldering carcass of a once-great city run by a deranged, corrupt, criminal city council… with casinos. I’m not a gambler, so personally I don’t give a craps table about casinos. But I’m also a libertarian thinker. That is, if somebody wants to build one and the locality wants it and thinks it makes sense, I say let them go for it and leave the state out of it. The thing here is, it doesn’t make sense for the Lowcountry. It’s a really stupid idea. Don’t let them bamboozle you, Hardeeville…and don’t sell your hair to a wig shop.
June 2012
JUNE
2012
SUNDAY
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
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EVENTS THROUGHOUT JUNE! UPCOMING EVENT? LET US HELP YOU GET THE WORD OUT! Email your event to: m.washo@celebratehiltonhead.com
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GREG RUSSELL PERFORMANCES Harbour Town Tree
June 3-August 24 (every night except Saturdays); 8pm More Info: www. greggrussell.com/ bubblegum
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SHANNON TANNER PERFORMANCES HARBOURFEST 2012 Tuesdays - Ongoing Throughout Summer; 6-9:30p.m. Shelter Cove Harbor More Info: www.enjoyhiltonhead.com
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SOBA FEATURED ARTIST MARY SULLIVAN
5
Shelter Cove Harbour Monday-Friday Through September 4; 6:30-7:30pm and 8:00-9:00pm More Info: www.hiltonhead.com/ shannon-tanner-delights-generationsof-visitors
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USCB SAND SHARK SOCCER CAMPS June 17 - July 12; This is an All Day Event More Info: ed@uscb.edu or 843.208.8072
TAKE THE STAGE! PERFORMING ARTS CAMP Session 1: June 25-29 Instructor: Patti Maurer Session 2: July16-20 Instructors: Jay Apking, Patti Maurer and Jen Washburn from the cast of Shout! More Info: 843-686-3945, ext. 233. or www.artshhi.com
June 19-July 29; 8pm Arts Center of Coastal Carolina $37-$42 adult; $25-$29 child. Box Office: 843-842-ARTS or www.tickets.artshhi.com
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MIXED UP MASTERPIECES VISUAL ARTS CAMP Session 1: June 25-29 Instructor: Sylvia Pitts Session 2: July 16-20 Instructor: Danielle Tobia $100 per session; 843-686-3945, ext. 233. or www.artshhi.com
More Info: 843-379-2787
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12
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YOSTIE’S PUPPETRY: SUMMER STOCK...THE DRAMA OF PUPPETRY: AGES 5-10 Workshop 1: Tuesday, June 19 - 10am-12pm Workshop 2: Tuesday, July 24 - 1-3pm Arts Center of Coastal Carolina $15 per workshop 843-686-3945, ext. 233. www.artshhi.com
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14
PARENTS NIGHT OUT, KIDS NIGHT IN
BLUFFTON FARMER’S MARKET
Pizza dinner, arts and crafts and the whole museum to explore!
Every Thursday, 2-7PM
20 DAY AT THE BEACH BAG
Ages 5-adult Arts Center of Coastal Carolina Wed., June 20 10am - 12pm $25 per session More Info: 843-686-3945, ext. 233. www.artshhi.com
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2 THE ARTISTS OF SEA PINES “PLEIN AIRE” PAINTING EVENT June 2; 9am-1pm Lawton Stables
9
STREET MUSIC ON PARIS AVENUE WITH HAVANASON June 9; 6:30PM, ARTworks The rain location is The Shed, adjacent to the street venue, in Old Village Port Royal. More Info: 843-279-2787 or ArtWorksInBeaufort.org.
Calhoun Street, Carson Cottages and Old Town Bluffton
19 SHOUT! THE MOD MUSICAL
June 1 - June 30; 8:00AM, ARTworks Boundary Street
Every Thursday, 2-7PM
More Info: crinehart@ thesandbox.org or 843-842-7645
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7
THE ART OF CLAY
BLUFFTON FARMER’S MARKET
June 4 - July 14 All Day Event A Visual Exploration of “TIME AND TIMELESSNESS” Presented by the Society of Bluffton Artists Mary Sullivan is the featured artist at the SOBA Gallery. More Info: 843-757-6586
June 13 - August 29; 6PM - 9PM, The Sandbox
Don’t Forget Your Dad Today
THURSDAY
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16 LOCOMOCEAN: BEAUFORT COUNTY CELEBRATES WORLD OCEANS DAY
Calhoun Street, Carson Cottages and Old Town Bluffton
June 16; 10AM - 3PM ARTworks More Info: lisa@ beaufortcountyarts.com
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THE PALMETTO QUILT GUILD MEETING June 21; 1pm Christ Lutheran Church For More Info: www.palmettoquiltguild.org or 843-757-2613
HAIR & MAKE UP THROUGH THE DECADES
Ages 13 and up. June 21 or July 5; 10:00am-2:30pm (bring a bag lunch). Arts Center of Coastal Carolina. More Info: 843-686-3945, ext. 233. www.artshhi.com
28 BLUFFTON FARMER’S MARKET Every Thursday, 2-7PM Calhoun Street, Carson Cottages and Old Town Bluffton
22 HHI FARMERS MARKET April 6 - December 7 Coastal Discovery Museum at Honey Horn. 8:30am - 1:00pm More Info: (843) 785-2767 or visit our website:
farmersmarkethiltonheadisland.com
29 HHI FARMERS MARKET April 6 - December 7 Coastal Discovery Museum at Honey Horn. 8:30am - 1:00pm More Info: (843) 785-2767 or visit our website:
farmersmarkethiltonheadisland.com
23 STREET MUSIC ON PARIS AVENUE WITH WEBB WILDER AND THE BEATNECKS June 23; 8AM, ARTworks Webb Wilder and The Beatnecks. “Rock for Roots fans and Roots for Rock fans.” More Info: 843-279-2787, www. ArtWorksInBeaufort.org.
30 MLK FIFTH SATURDAY COMMUNITY SERVICE DAY June 30; 9am-12noon Volunteers of all ages are welcomed. This is a wonderful community volunteer activity for families, churches, Youth Groups, sports teams, friends, neighbors as well as caring individuals.
Happy Father’s Day! June 17th, 2012
An estimated 158,000 men are stay-at-home dads whose wives support the family financially.
www.wednesdaymartin.com/blog/2010/06/fathers-day-fun-and-fun-facts-about-fathers-andfatherhood/
Good Advice:
“Every Father should remember that one day his son will follow his example instead of his advice.”
95 million
Father’s D ay cards were given last year in the United States, making Fa ther’s Day the fo urth-large st card-send ing occasi www.chiff. on. com/a/fa thers-day -trivia.htm
Top 10 Things
every Father should teach his Daughter 1) How to change a flat tire and check the oil in her car. 2) How to drive a stick shift and ride a bike. 3) To save money. 4) How to bait a hook. 5) To have a sense of humor. 6) Patience. She is going to need it in her future dealings with men. 7) How to tip correctly and well. 8) She is beautiful just the way she is and she is loved. 9) To play and be passionate about a sport. 10) How to dance.
A Tie is the most traditional and famous father’s day gift throughout the globe.
How to Diaper a Baby Spread the diaper in the position of the diamond with you at bat. Then, fold second base down to home and set the baby on the pitcher’s mound. Put first base and third together, bring up home plate and pin the three together. Of course, in case of rain, you gotta call the game and start all over again. - By Jimmy Piersal
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June 2012
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TOE TO HEEL: drinK reCiPes CourtesY oF LoCAL dininG estABLishMents
BAND FEATUrE: BiG Bee And the stinGers
5
NIGHTLy CALENDAr
3 rEASONS to Go out this Month
It’s
O’CLOCK
soMeWHere! >>>
Salty Dog Kiwicolada 1.5 oz Melon Liqueur 1.5 oz Coco Lopez 3 oz Pineapple Juice 1/2 of 1 fresh kiwi 12oz cup of ice POUr MELON LIqUEUr, COCO LOPEz AND PINEAPPLE JUICE INTO THE BLENDEr. NExT, ADD KIWI AND TOP WITH ICE. PLACE TOP ON BLENDEr AND FIrE IT UP. BLEND UNTIL SMOOTH. POUr INTO yOUr FAvOrITE ISLAND COCKTAIL vESSEL, TUNE INTO SALTy DOG rADIO AND ENJOy. PhotoGrAPhY BY Anne
tHIS MontH
SALTY DOG CAFE
>>>
alMoSt eVery reStaUrant or Bar HaS a SIGnatUre cocKtaIl. oVer tHe neXt SeVeral MontHS We are GoInG to “Steal” tHeIr Secret recIPeS and SHare tHeM WItH yoU. WHat Better Place to Start tHan at land’S end WItH tHe Salty doG caFÉ?
5 It’s
O’CLOCK
soMeWHere!
Big B THE
and
the Stingers
Article by Lindsey Hawkins // Photography by Anne
T
hink of the most contradicting scenario you have ever been so lucky to encounter. Now imagine running into a massive, overjoyed, singing, cigarette smoking, whiskeydrinking bumblebee on a park playground slide, surrounded by a swarm of hyper seven-year-olds attacking his stinger while giddy mothers snap instagrams to commemorate their incredible luck. This would be the mayhem a local band with an undefined musical genre, Big B and the Stingers, created just hanging out at Jarvis Creek Park on a random, sweltering Monday afternoon glittered with no-see-ums and a whole lot of questions. And they weren’t even playing any instruments. Over the years, island locals and tourists have seen and heard countless dive-bar imitators rocking Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Van Morrison and the like, including Big B himself, Brian Hollingsworth, lead vocalist of Big B and the Stingers. According to Big B, however, those talented copycats are the reason he and his swarmadelic crew created the ultimate cover
< Special thanks to Celebration Supplies for all their help with the flower balloons!
band for people who hate the same old cover band songs. The playlist that Big B and the Stingers throws down on the weekends at several of the Wild Wing Café locations in the area, including Hilton Head Island and Bluffton, isn’t pigeonholed to just another list of songs they just so happen to find underplayed. Yes, they cover an array of unrelated artists’ records, from Alanis Morissette to Metallica to The Doors to Eminem, but they are known for their deliberate and creative juxtaposition of songs blending into one another based on similar beats, rhythms and sometimes even riffs. “We’ve currently got like 20 songs we’ve mixed together like a DJ would do, like we’ll do ‘Ice Ice Baby’ and then go directly into ‘The Ocean’ by Led Zeppelin, and it just sounds good—a little cross-pollination,” Hollingsworth said. Cross-pollination indeed. In fact, Big B and the Stingers is exponentially cross-pollinated if you will, and not just when it comes to sticking to a musical category. The fans of the band, also referred to as the swarm, cannot easily be identified
demographically. Big B, also known on the island for his entertaining karaoke hosting, is just as likely to pull a 4-H Club member in a Lily Pulitzer dress up on stage at Wild Wing, as he is to have a rowdy, 20-something take a spin on the bands custom made stripper pole at Remy’s Bar and Grill. “There are some phenomenal bands out there that sound great and have great music, but they lack fun. We take the stage, and it’s all about the fun and all about the crowd, even if there are only two people standing there,” Hollingsworth said. Fun being the operative word here, Big B and the Stingers has become so popular with their fans that Wild Wing Café has officially named a honey-flavored wing after them, though the band is still holding out for a Wild Turkey American Honey sponsorship, as they never take stage without a bottle of the character appropriate whiskey in hand. And character plus a little whiskey and a ton of talent makes for a great show. Five laidback veterans of the Lowcountry music scene who have collectively traveled all over the southeast region for the last 20 years explains why Big B and the Stingers tend to outshine their cover band competitors in stage presence. Hollingsworth, a.k.a Big B, on vocals, Collins Hinchliff on drums, C. W. Jameson on lead guitar, Jason Hill and Todd Toho on rhythm guitar, Mike Allen on bass and techy Mark Campbell on sound, makes for some sick imitation and a full-on IMAX worthy performance— IMAX as in a big sweaty, Cheshire Cat-grinning bumblebee skipping around your table, handing out flowers to the ladies while spitting out Blackstreet’s “No Diggity” melodically. You can only imagine that this type of stamina would plateau and fall calm after show hours, but you’d be wrong. The male swarm that is Big B and the Stingers, is inclusive of a clique of friends who also define themselves as hardworking family men who just so happen to have love of the game syndrome. They have creative jam sessions at least once a week in addition to playing Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays most weeks. With a big jar of honey always kept in a nearby garage refrigerator, Snoop Dogg would be a choice as guest of honor at any Big B jam session where the energy is high and the mood is fun. Cover band yes, lack of original material, no. Big B and crew are currently working on recording their own material for all of their loyal group-bees, and are likely to be a force to be reckoned with this summer 2012 as they embark on their southeast region Wild Wing Café tour. Charm them now while they’re still on the island every weekend this June. Schedules for the band are found on the Wild Wing Café website and always posted on the Big B and the Stingers Facebook swarm page. As for the environmental conditions under that bee suit, that might be a good question to ask Hollingsworth himself or even Saturday Night Live NPR’s Delicious Dish co-host Alec Baldwin. Schweddy Balls indefinitely. 42
www.celebratehiltonhead.com
June 2012
5 It’s
O’CLOCK
soMeWHere!
Los Jalapenos - happy hour (4-7PM) Old Fort Pub - happy hour (5 - 7PM)
w
wEdnEsdAy
Kingfisher (Upstairs) - Comedy show (8:30PM) Kingfisher (Downstairs) - tableside Magic with Joseph (6pm), happy hour (4:30-7PM)
T
TuEsdAy
Black Marlin Hurricane Bar drink specials (12 - 7PM)
M
MondAy
sundAy
s
Black Marlin Hurricane Bar happy hour (4 - 7PM)
Black Marlin Hurricane Bar happy hour (4 - 7PM)
Frankie Bones $10 off Any Bottle of Wine (9PM)
Frankie Bones - $10 off Any Bottle of Wine
Kingfisher (Downstairs) -
The Lodge - Kick the Keg night
tableside Magic with Joseph (6 :30pm), happy hour (4:307PM)
Los Jalapenos happy hour (4:30-7PM)
San Miguels - Live Music (5:30-9:30PM)
Los Jalapenos happy hour (4-7PM) Mellow Mushroom trivia night
Wild Wing Café 2 Fer tuesday / team trivia
San Miguels - Live Music (5:30-9:30PM)
Black Marlin Hurricane Bar happy hour (4 - 7PM)
The Tiki Hut JoJo squirrel & the homepickles 1-5 pm
Skull Creek Boathouse reggae night (7-10PM), Live Music by Patwa
Old Fort Pub - happy hour (5-7PM) San Miguels - Live Music (5:309:30PM)
Frankie Bones Ladies night Los Jalapenos happy hour (4-7PM) Old Fort Pub - happy hour (5-7PM) The Lodge - Pinch the Pint night San Miguels - Live Music (5:30-9:30PM) The Tiki Hut - davis Marhshall
The Tiki Hut tommy sims
Send your event/entertainment listing to c.davies@clebratehiltonhead.com
Wise Guys Ladies night, neverending Bubbles and spa Giveaways The Tiki Hut Gary Pratt Wild Wing Café rock idol Karaoke Competition
S
Saturday
F
Friday
thursday
T
Black Marlin Hurricane Bar Happy Hour (4 - 7PM)
Hudson’s on the Docks Lowcountry Boil Band 5-9 pm
Friday 13th - Black Marlin Heritage “After Party” Captain Woody’s (Bluffton) Mike Korbar LIVE Ela’s Blu Water Grille - LIVE Music (Starting at 8PM) Kingfisher (Upstairs) Comedy Show Tuesdays - Sundays (not on tuesday nights with fireworks) (8:30PM) Kingfisher (Downstairs) Happy Hour (4:30--7PM) One Hot Mama’s - DJ and Dancing
The Lodge Burgers & Beer Night
Mellow Mushroom Karaoke Night (10PM) Black Marlin Hurricane Bar - Drink Specials (12 - 7PM)
(ONLY $5)
Ela’s Blu Water Grille - LIVE Music (Starting at 8PM) Black Marlin Hurricane Bar Happy Hour (4 - 7PM)
Kingfisher (Upstairs) Comedy Show (8:30PM) Happy Hour (4:30-PM)
Ela’s Blu Water Grille - LIVE Music (Starting at 8PM) Kingfisher (Upstairs) Comedy Show Tuesdays - Sundays (not on tuesday nights with fireworks) (8:30PM) Kingfisher (Downstairs) Happy Hour (4:30-7PM) Los Jalapenos - Happy Hour (4-7PM) Old Fort Pub - Happy Hour (5-7PM) San Miguels - Live Music (5:30-9:30PM) The Tiki Hut - Mike Korbar Wild Wing Café - Live Music / Drink Specials
Smokehouse Cranford & Sons CD Release Party June 22: Cranford & Sons - 10PM The Salty Dog Café - Live Music (5-9PM) San Miguels - Live Music (5:30-9:30PM) The Tiki Hut - Eric Daubert Wild Wing Café - All Double Drinks Only $1 More
One Hot Mama’s - DJ and Dancing The Salty Dog Café - Live Music (5 - 9PM) San Miguels - Live Music (5:30-9:30PM) Skull Creek Boathouse - 6/2: Full Moon Rodeo with Cranford & Sons and mechanical bull 6/20: Summer kickoff party Smokehouse - The Simpson Brothers (9:30PM) The Tiki Hut - JoJo Squirrel & the Home Pickles. 1-5 pm Truffles Cafe - Happy hour food and drinks every night 4-7 pm
3
Top
Photography BY anne
Reasons to go out tonight
No 1
Cranford & Sons CD Release Party The boys (Eric, Phillip, Randy & John) have been hard at work and now they’re ready to show us their stuff. The new album contains nine original songs recorded at Retrophonic Sound in St. Augustine, Florida. The Smokehouse (34 Palmetto Bay Rd.) will host the release party on Friday, June 22 at 10pm. Copies of the new full length LP will be available locally at John’s Music.
No 2
Go Ahead – Be a Tourist. The fireworks are back at Shelter Cove with the return of HarbourFest on Tuesday, June 19. Sing the silly songs with Shannon Tanner and stop into one of the many restaurants on the water to immerse yourself in our Island’s Tuesday Summer Celebration.
N 3 o
Silicone Sister in Concert Photography BY anne
Because they’re rude and so pretty. Rock out with the boys straight from the days of hair bands in the 80s at Wild Wing Café (HHI) on June 22nd or in Bluffton on June 30. Drink your bourbon straight from the bottle and get insulted with the rest of the audience. A truly authentic experience that should not be missed. Show starts around 11pm, or whenever they finish putting on their make-up. 46
www.celebratehiltonhead.com
June 2012
Golf Tips From a Pro
Pete Popovich,
Golf Performance Academy
How to Make More
Putts Photography by Anne
W
hen it comes to putting, almost all of today’s instruction has to do with the stroke mechanics: straight back/straight through, arcing strokes, taking twice as much follow-through as back swing, the list is endless. Yet, all of these things are secondary to what actually controls the stroke, which is 1) the brain’s perception of where the hole actually is and 2) where the body is in relationship to the hole, i.e. the target. From the time you were an infant and were able to stand on two feet, you have related to objects around you by looking straight out of your eye sockets. When sitting erect on your sofa, you could probably tell me within a couple of inches how far an object in the room is to your left, your right or behind or in front of you by simply turning your head. This is known as spatial awareness—where your body is in relationship to another object. Now, lie down on your couch, and your ability to gauge how far you are from each object becomes distorted because your eyes are not looking straight out from their sockets anymore. Since you are on your back and facing upward, the eyes have to rotate downward in order to look more directly at objects. This causes your eyes to look out from the lower parts of their sockets, and spatial awareness is compromised. The same thing happens to most golfers when they putt. The problem Due to the changes in putter lengths in the early 1980s, almost all golfers nowadays stand more upright at address. As a result, the plane of your head is more
vertical than horizontal. When this happens, your eye s a re fo rce d to look out of the b o t to m o f yo u r eye sockets in Head Plane order to see the golf ball. (If your eyes were to look straight out of your head, they wo u l d b e l o o k ing six inches to one foot beyond t h e b a l l ! ) S i n ce you are looking through the botIncorrect tom of your sockets, as you turn your head to look at the hole, you see the path of the putt and the hole in two different planes: one for your head plane and one for your eye plane (remember since the eyes are not looking straight out of the eye sockets, they are in a different plane from the head). As a result, when your head turns back to look at the ball, you now have two different images in your mind of where the hole is: 1) where it actually is, and 2) where your brain perceives it to be. The problem your brain and body have is figuring out which of the two images to trust.
Head Plane eye Plane
correct
The solution In order to fix this problem and make more putts, it is very important to have your eyes looking straight out of their sockets. To do this and not be looking six inches to one foot beyond the ball, you need to tuck your chin so your head is almost parallel to the ground. By doing so, your eyes are no longer looking out of the bottom of the eye sockets but straight out of them. Now your head and eyes are in the same plane, and when you rotate your head to look at the hole, your eye plane and head plane are the same. Where you see the hole and where you perceive the hole to be when looking at the ball are identical. How many of you have stood over a putt and just knew you were going to make it? It is likely your head plane and eye plane were the same, allowing you to have a radar lock on the target (the hole). All great putters throughout history had their eye plane and head plane identical when making their putting stroke. Jack Nicklaus, Bobby Locke, Ben Crenshaw, George Archer, and even Tiger Woods (when he was putting well) adopted the proper eye and head positioning. If you look at pictures of golfers pre-1980, you will see that a large majority of professionals had the proper eye/head positioning, because putters were shorter and they were forced to bend over the ball more, thereby putting their head in more of a horizontal position. The problem was that when golfers wanted to practice longer, this bent over position compromised their backs. So, manufacturers started making putters longer. With the body more erect, the head came up closer to vertical, which caused the eyes to look down through the bottom of the sockets. Once this happened, spatial awareness was lost, putting strokes suffered, and as a result, more and more golfers tried to fix their strokes when the problem wasn’t the stroke at all. The problem was what was controlling the stroke, and that is the brain and its perception—or misperception. More than likely, the content of this article is something you have never heard. Perhaps you never heard it because so few teachers are aware of it. We take it upon ourselves to continue our research in the game of golf so you, the golfer, can shoot lower scores and take more enjoyment in the game. If you would like to improve your putting, chipping or full swing, call the Golf Performance Academy-Hilton Head at (843) 338-6737, e-mail us at pete@golfacademyhiltonhead.com or join us on Facebook at Golf Performance Academy-Hilton Head. 50
www.celebratehiltonhead.com
June 2012
PhotograPhy By Mark Staff
k FFrereddeerircick lm CChhisisoolm My name is Frederick Chisolm,
Fred. You may have seen me me driving a Yellow Taxi or out with family. but my friends call me
I grew up in the boring/exciting town
Hilton Head Island. (circle one)
of
When I was five, my hero was
great-grandmother, but now my parents are the people I most admire. It’s been I am a native years since I first came to Hilton Head Island, and to me, the biggest change is
the population.
If someone were to ask me for
life, I would tell them live life and learn or you won’t live long. My line of work is transportation and I chose this profession because it gives me the opportunity to meet and network with people from all walks of life. advice about
If I were mayor of
HHI/Bluffton, (circle one)
my first order of business would be
to provide free toll access for residents. My favorite time of the year on
HHI/Bluffton, is spring because not only does it bring back life to nature, it brings life back to the island. (circle one)
In closing, when you turn the
to call a drink and
page, I hope you remember
cab, but definitely drive.
not
The
Village Spa:
Article by Kitty Bartell // Photography by Anne
A Chic Constellation Carrie Smoot considers herself to be one lucky woman, making a living as an independent stylist in the unique universe that is The Village Spa. Nestled in Bluffton’s cozy Bluffton Village, the atmosphere here is a bit like the chicest little girls’ playhouse occupied by lovely muses whose mission it is to light you up in the very best way. “I can’t imagine why every woman doesn’t want to do this,” Smoot said. The path leading to what the spa is today took a few twists and turns. Two years after its 2007 opening, owner Nannette Manning made the shift from employer to landlord, offering stylists the opportunity to operate their own businesses from her spa space. According to Manning, the change came as the economic environment made it less desirable to be an owner and gave the individual stylists the ability to grow their own businesses on their own terms. What evolved was a place where talent and entrepreneurial spirit merged. Then there was one more bump in the road.
The
Village Spa:
The Village Spa went through growing pains in 2011 when a fire in the residential unit above the salon caused significant flood damage. From the ashes arose the idea to rebuild and grow the business. Manning flipped the disaster scenario to one of optimism. “I knew it was the perfect time to expand the operation and add more chairs,” she said. The spa doubled its space to 3,000 square feet and added four stylists. The happy outcome is a team of eight women who are equally committed to building on their already strong reputation. Working together to create this special salon doesn’t seem to be a chore. Describing themselves as eight women who love each other like family makes for a no drama, stress-free environment. The muses of Southern hospitality are everywhere in this shabbychic world. Country French-looking antique furniture pieces are used throughout the salon, and a feeling of comfort and clean contemporary somehow combine to make for a lovely space. The stylists at The Village Spa certainly know their craft, beginning with 10-year industry veterans Smoot, known for having her finger on the pulse of the latest trends and technology, and her mother Valerie Leighty, a former salon owner from Hendersonville, North Carolina. Sheryl Maloney, The Village Spa’s self-proclaimed princess, and Bluffton native Heather Gilmore each bring 23 years in the industry. Stylists Trish Lammy and Lori Smith each have 22 years of experience and are the salon’s Paul Mitchell color specialists. Former salon owner and Matrix educational advisor, Colleen Baldwin brings the most years of experience to the table, and local girl Cindy Brown, the salon’s nail expert, is a 27-year member of the beauty industry.
56
www.celebratehiltonhead.com
Staying ahead of industry trends is critical to The Village Spa’s success. The entire team recently attended a Paul Mitchell hair camp in Savannah. “It keeps you creative,” Smoot said. “We come back really fired up about what we do.” As a bonus, each independent business owner builds on her own skills and enhances what the Spa has to offer as a whole. When asked what is trending in the industry, the team fired off an exciting list of fresh ideas and products. Ombre’ hair color is the first of many trends. In the event of a question-mark, Ombre’ hair color is the deliberate graduation of color from the roots being the darkest to the ends being the lightest. Sighted from Hollywood to the Lowcountry, Ombre’ is a frequent request at The Village Spa. Other color trends include multi-dimensional color, the outstanding coverage of age-defying color, and high vibrancy color, like Katy Perry’s infamous blue do. “Companies are more aware of the integrity of hair and are providing the same products, only better,” Smoot said. In addition to a full-service menu of hair services, including cuts, styling, hair extensions, permanents, color, and highlighting, The Village Spa offers red-hot trending Coppola Keratin Treatments, a smoothing process that takes dry, frizzy, or curly hair and makes it silky smooth and shiny. This is the miracle all humidity-challenged Southern women have been waiting for. Makeup application, special occasion and bridal consultation, and waxing services are also included in the a la carte services available at The Village Spa. The freelance stylists also welcome special girls’ night out events. If having fabulous hair isn’t enough, nail services at The Village Spa are on-point with the trends. OPI Gel Color and
June 2012
Carrie Smoot, Trish Lammy, Sheryl Maloney, Colleen Baldwin, Heather Gilmore, Lori Smith, Valerie Leighty, Cindy Brown
Shellac Spa manicures lead the way. Both provide a 14-day maintenance-free mani-pedi. The new gel colors are dried under an ultraviolet light, and as a bonus, are less damaging to nails. Of course, color is always trending, and as summer approaches, the choices range from vibrant blues, greens, and oranges to delicate natural nudes. Nail specialist Cindy Brown not only sees the trends, she sets them. Her Lemonade Spa Pedicure is a summer treat offered only at The Village Spa. In addition to services and applications, it is critical to have a bead on the style trends happening in the industry. Smoot identified two significant directions that the team is seeing in hair styling. “First, true fashion hair is coming back,” she said. While ease of care is always important to the client, it is clear that they want something more than the norm and are willing to pay a little more attention to their hair and take the time to maintain their look. Second, overall health is trending everywhere, and Smoot says that salon and spa services are no exception. The green movement is significantly impacting the development of products and services, and technology is serving the industry well. Following in the footsteps of skin care and cosmetic companies, the all-natural, fragrance-free, ammonia-free,
june
2012
environmentally friendly processes and products are part of the repertoire of The Village Spa and continually grow in significance and availability to their clients. Clients of The Village Spa benefit greatly from the collaboration among the stylists. Different perspectives mean different products are available for purchase from the salon; and because there isn’t enough room to carry everything they would each like to have available, virtually anything can be ordered. In the true tradition of hospitality, sharing product knowledge seems to be the order of the day at The Village Spa. These musing sisters of the salon work every day in a place where the day starts with making the coffee, folding the towels, and getting reconnected with their extended family. They each are grateful to be working in the perfect playground. The Village Spa is a beautiful blending of chic salon and hometown hangout, where inner beauty and outer beauty intersect—a truly unique constellation. The Village Spa invites you to like them on Facebook to get news feeds, upcoming events, and inspiring before and after pictures. Visit The Village Spa at thevillagespabluffton.com.
www.celebratehiltonhead.com 57
Article by Lynne Campanaro
Kingfisher Dinner and so m uch m o r e
The Front of kingfisher
Live music, with david Wingo
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Joseph the Magician
he jovial, bronzed pelican rowing amidst a sea of oyster shells recalls a time 30 years ago when this restaurant was called Pelican Point. It was named for the pelicans you can still see on the sea wall across Broad Creek. Ten years later, it was reopened by Paul Stephenson, his family, and partners Bill Jackson and Geoff Fennessey as Kingfisher, Seafood, Pasta & Steak House. Together, they created an island destination renowned for excellent food, great entertainment and dancing. Whether it was soft rock, jazz, blues, fireworks or tableside magic delivered à la Dangerfield and Rickles, you didn’t leave Kingfisher bored. Kingfisher has morphed over the past 20 years, but the great things have remained: entertainment, expansive
of 2011, converting a somewhat plain box into a glimpse of the Mediterranean, complementing the architecture of the Shelter Cove Harbour. This year, Kingfisher created a fresh buzz when the Hilton Head Comedy Club moved to the upstairs lounge, “Top of the Kingfisher.” Top acts, new each week, from the international comedy circuit will have you hyperventilating with laughter. (Family warning: call or check YouTube for clips to determine age-appropriateness.) Over the last four years, Kingfisher has lowered prices and updated their menu. A must-try appetizer is the “Seafood Volcano.” It is available with shrimp, oysters, crab legs or any combination thereof. The appetizer is delivered to the table as a gurgling platter, “smoke” (from dry ice) spilling
Southern fried flounder, with a choice of soup or salad and a glass of wine or a slice of pecan pie. Those are just a few of Kingfisher’s 15 meals under $15. Other value entrées such as fish ’n’ chips, chicken piccata, and prime rib are available all evening. Kids eat for under $5. Kingfisher has signature dishes as well. Fried and broiled seafood combos, pan-seared yellowfin tuna and their tilapia crab au gratin are perennial favorites. Tasty seafood steam pots are a new addition. Happy Hour in the Harbour Lounge is another good reason to visit. Peel’n’-eat shrimp, oysters on the half shell, Kingfisher drafts and house wines await the hungry beachgoer. Serving dinner 4:30-10 p.m. nightly, Kingfisher is conveniently located midisland at 18 Harbourside Lane, Shelter Cove Harbour, 300 yards off US 278 across from Palmetto Dunes. No traffic jams at guard gates or entry fees. For reservations or more information, call (843) 785-4442.
Over the last four years, Kingfisher has lowered prices and updated their menu. A must-try appetizer is the “Seafood Volcano.” It is available with shrimp, oysters, crab legs or any combination thereof.
views across the salt marshes, boat masts carving lazy ellipses in the evening sky, and food and fun through the blue front doors. The Stephenson family (Mark, Todd, Ann and Susan), general manager Greg Vittetoe and the staff continue to improve upon the legacy of Paul, Bill, and Geoff. A complete remodel of the dining areas was completed in the winter
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from a tower filled with liquid magma (cocktail sauce). If you’re vacationing on a budget, indulge in All-You-Can-Eat Pasta (fettuccini or linguini topped with meat, Alfredo or marinara sauces) and a bottomless salad, or arrive between 4:30 and 6 p.m. for their three-course early bird specials, including fried shrimp, sirloin, Parmesan-encrusted tilapia and
June 2012
Article by David Tobias
Trust Your Food, Know Your Farmer
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ating healthy isn’t all that complicated. Just ask Holly Mlodzinski and Mary O’Neill who have it down to a simple science. Mlodzinski (pronounced Ma-jin-ski) is health promotions coordinator for the Hilton Head Hospital and a registered and licensed dietitian. O’Neill, who, in addition to being marketing director of the Bluffton Farmers Market and president of the Historic Bluffton Arts and Seafood Festival, is vice president of U.S. sales for Sable & Rosenfeld, distributor of a wide variety of food products. Both have some rather basic advice for those who want to ensure that what they’re putting in their bodies is nutritious and beneficial rather than detrimental or even dangerous. Surprisingly—or not, depending on which hat she’s wearing—O’Neill recommends buying local at every
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opportunity. A farmers market (Bluffton, Hilton Head or any number of regional markets,) is about as simple as it gets. You know what you’re getting, she says, and it’s possible you even know the farmer. “We support our local farms and Kim Viljac, market manager for the Bluffton Farmers Market even does farm visits and inspections as part of her job,” O’Neill said. “That’s part of this being a cool place to shop, and it’s one of the most important steps toward healthy eating— to know where your food comes from.” The same applies to local seafood. “I can go down to the dock and see Larry hauling shrimp right off his boat,” O’Neill said. “And I know that shrimp didn’t come out of some disgusting pond somewhere. I’m not against farm-raised because we do a lot with the Waddell Mariculture Center. That’s a clean, wonderful environment.
But where is the shrimp coming from that’s not controlled that way? You don’t want to know. My husband spent six months in China and I know for sure, you don’t want to know.” Even with her VP hat on, she’s in the midst of promoting and selling organic and all-natural products indirectly, calling on stores like Whole Foods and Earth Fare. The difficulty for consumers, she says, is in the differentiation between organic and all-natural. Learning to read a label is part of understanding the difference, but another part is interpreting the level of control a manufacturer has in assuring something is 100 percent organic and knowing whether that’s important or not—and affordable. Organic means that nothing has been used that’s not natural, O’Neill said—no herbicides or pesticides applied. Pure organic would mean that every
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From left to right: Mary O’Neill and Holly Mlodzinski
single ingredient used to manufacture the product is certified organic, and with some ingredients, that’s difficult to do. Often produce used in the manufacture of a product comes “certified organic” from a foreign country, and O’Neill says that is sometimes suspect. “Who’s certifying it?” she asks, “And how comfortable are you with those inspectors and that designation? Which brings things back to the basic question: really how important is organic versus all-natural, versus fresh. Mlodzinski recommends a simple rule of thumb. “When you shop, use the two-thirds/one-third rule,” she said. “Try to keep it simple. People get confused reading labels, and who’s got that much time? What I tell my patients and in my educational talks is that when people go to the grocery store two-thirds of their cart should be fresh food and one-third can be processed—two-thirds fresh meats, fresh vegetables, fresh breads and only onethird processed foods.”
“When you shop, use the two-thirds/one-third rule,” she said. “Try to keep it simple. People get confused reading labels, and who’s got that much time? What I tell my patients and in my educational talks is that when people go to the grocery store two-thirds of their cart should be fresh food and one-third can be processed—twothirds fresh meats, fresh vegetables, fresh breads and only one-third processed foods.” To make it even simpler, she has a more memorable and fun approach. She recommends shopping for a “rainbow of colors,” a strategy that applies mostly to fruits and vegetables, but not to searching the candy aisle for Skittles and Starbursts. To accomplish that, her recommended strategy is to keep to the store’s outside aisles and stay away, as best you can, from the inside aisles where the processed foods, canned soups and high sodium packaged foods live. “It’s the four to five cupfuls a day of carrots, peppers, leafy vegetables, apples, bananas and tomatoes, in addition to the high anti-oxidant fruits like blueberries, avocados, papaya and pomegranate that will help to assure a balanced diet that’s also good for you,” Mlodzinski said. She also suggests that pick your own and grow your own are options that can be applied to healthier living. Mlodzinski and O’Neill both agree that there seems to be a turning of the tide, if not a full-blown sea change. “People are definitely questioning what they’re eating,” O’Neill said. “For a while, we had blinders on and we would go to a store and get strawberries in December and be happy with that. Then, all of a sudden, this little light went on and we said maybe we should think about this.” Thinking about it and acting on it are clearly two different things, but both O’Neill and Mlodzinski have references for those who take the issue seriously. Mlodzinski is a big believer in WebMd online as a resource, especially postings on healthy eating and diet. She also recommends The Academy of Nutrition and Dietitics’ www.eatright.org. O’Neill echoes Mlodzinski, but comes back to the simplicity of local connections to healthy food products. “Every food product on display and available for sale at the Bluffton Farmers market is grown within 180 miles of Bluffton and Hilton Head Island,” she said. “So we know it’s not coming from the rice paddies of Thailand. It goes back to one memorable mantra: know your farmer.” 62
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Article by Lindsey Hawkins
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Photography by John Brackett
eaceful, relaxing vacation resort Hilton Head bets to be 1 in 12,500 amateur golfers to make a holein-one, Broad Creek Marina built a long sought after Island (cue that charming hold music from any HHI adventure destination for locals and tourists this automated phone system), the endless sands of summer, 2012. Zip-line tours now take place seven time, the countless golf havens, the myriad of birds and days a week in the upper forest canopy of Broad Creek jellyfish… Marina, just off the coastline, where you and your kids What about the rest of us! This land is our land, too, can ascend up to 85-foot towers that lead to sky bridges you know—kite surfers, paddle boarders, kayakers, and and platforms in the tops of live oaks and southern pines. the visiting teenagers and kiddos screaming in your ear, As you zip across the course, cable by cable, you learn “Let’s do something fun and wild and free.” and experience the island’s unique ecosystem filled with Well, it’s not free, but ZipLine Hilton Head is a twosightings of dolphins, blue herons, snowy egrets, great hour bang for your buck that was just added to the egrets, turkey vultures and more. For those of you with thrill seeker menu at Broad Creek Marina Adventures, a more competitive edge, there is a and it will make you feel more than free. As you zip across 900-foot dual zip-line racing course Whether you arrive by boat or by car to where you can challenge your friends the course, cable by HHI you can enjoy a full day of parasailing, and possibly even make a side wager kayaking, speedboat charters, fishing cable, you learn and on who has to buy dinner that night. charters, dolphin nature tours and now experience the island’s Are you intrigued yet, or shall we zip-line tours. unique ecosystem make a reservation for miniature golf If you hail from the cornfields of Indiana, or the flatlands of somewhere filled with sightings of tonight? For those of you still in utter else, you might have missed the dolphins, blue herons, confusion, in the last seven years recent buzz about commercial zip-line snowy egrets, great commercial zip-line tours have gone adventure tours popping up all over the egrets, turkey vultures from approximately nonexistent in globe for daredevils of all ages. Maybe the United States to well over 100 and more. you thought these high wire acts were different adventure locations across just for the jocks flirting with the afterlife, this diverse chunk of land where we or maybe you thought zip-lines only work and play. Zipping is a new pop-culture joyride. existed in rainforests. True, they do exist in rainforests Hesitant? No need for nerves, because contrary to the as an ecotourism way to connect humans to otherwise historical cable-lines of the past (referred to as death unreachable nature. But unreachable nature can exist in slides), these adrenaline pumping experiences are many different geographic locations, even locations like deemed to be quite safe, not to mention a memorable our very own Lowcountry, where the peaks and hills are blast. absent. Throughout the past several centuries there has been Lucky for you, your family and friends, bored after historical documentation of what we now recreationally their third day frying on the beach and hedging their
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call the zip-line, but zip-lines weren’t always just for entertainment. Referred to as flying foxes in the Australian outback, zip-lines were used for delivering refreshment, tools and cartons of smokes to hard workers on locations that crossed rivers and rough terrain. Historically, and even in recent days, remote areas in China also utilized this gravity reliant invention for easy transportation across rivers and geographical obstructions. Most recently, these death slides, once made out of unreliable, snap-able rope in the 1700s, have been remodeled from stainless steel cables and turned into a pop culture phenomenon for thrill seekers on vacation. Do you feel informed yet? How about safe? No worries island moms and dads, our very own Mayor Drew Laughlin took the zip-line challenge this spring to officially open ZipLine Hilton Head in an entertaining ribbon cutting ceremony for the highly anticipated ecotourism project. As Laughlin zipped through the sky in his business suit, certified tour guides stood by to explain the safety harnesses and gear as well as give local media the official, required zip-line preliminary crash course held at sea level. While the safety harnesses are tight around the britches, they are certainly comfortable and fashion forward, as are the leather gloves and hard hats. While critics may consider zip-lining, nature hiking for the lazy and understimulated, it is also considered by some to be a unique physical test and euphoric psychological experience connecting one to an unrealized environment. This may sound a little tree-hugger, however commercial zip-line tours are often used for team building seminars and business sponsored weekend getaways. So ZipLine Hilton Head, conscience of the benefits of team building and upping the fun factor, is also developing several other adventures for their park this summer, including a 40-foot rectangular ropes course, rock climbing wall and bungee trampoline. Who says you can’t mix business and pleasure, or business and fear? A weekend zip-lining with co-workers or friends might produce some bonding moments, especially when you get to hit up the local waterfront pub afterwards. And one can only agree that reviewing monthly P&L reports can only be more interesting and stress free whilst dangling from a stainless steel wire, 85 feet above the fishes, with your boss sporting an awesome colored safety helmet. Don’t forget that iPhone. The bottom line, or maybe it should be called upper line, is that zip-lining is a cool way to have fun and challenge yourself mentally and physically. More importantly, it’s now on Hilton Head Island amidst other awesome outdoor adventures. Zipping! For more information or to book your ZipLine Hilton Head tour, contact Broad Creek Marina Adventures at (843) 682-6000 or visit www.ziplinehiltonhead.com june
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Golf Etc. ÷ H i lt o n H e a d ’ s G am e - C h a n g e r
Article by Kitty Bartell
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s a rule, golfers have one arm that measures longer than the other. Now, I know a good deal about golf, but I did not know this interesting fact—until I met Chris Wycoff, owner of Hilton Head Island’s newest performance club fitting shop, Golf Etc. Right away you get the feeling you’re going to learn things you never imagined about your equipment and your swing. Noting the length of each arm is only one of myriad measurements and inquiries that happens well before the staff at Golf Etc. makes any recommendations as to which golf clubs will best suite your game. Wycoff, along with his wife and business partner Michelle, has brought this franchise’s Better Golf Faster™ club-fitting system to the Lowcountry. Chris is the passionate golfer of the duo while Michelle focuses her efforts individual for every club in his or her bag. Once a performance fitting is completed, it is good for life. The client may return at any time for reanalysis, adjustments, and refitting. “The system uses data to analyze ball flight, allowing us to find the right shaft that will improve control, consistency, distance, and ball flight. Many times, existing club heads are just fine and all that is needed is a different shaft to get better. This is an economical alternative to purchasing all new clubs,” Wycoff said. All the custom-fitted clubs are built right at Golf Etc. In an eye-
The Better Golf Faster club fitting system combines swing analysis with equipment technology, having the ability to build a profile unique to each individual for every club in his or her bag. on the marketing and merchandising for the shop. “We saw a gap in the number of qualified club-fitting specialists in the area in relation to the number of golfers,” Wycoff said. Compared to lessons from a club professional, the Better Golf Faster system offers a scientific approach to improve your golf game quickly, he explained. The Better Golf Faster club fitting system combines swing analysis with equipment technology, having the ability to build a profile unique to each 68
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opening demonstration, Wycoff illustrated the critical detail of shaft spine alignment to a client in the process of his own analysis. The client quickly learned that without shaft spine alignment, he was always going to have difficulty getting his clubface back to square at impact. Golf equipment is always changing, often improving, and infinitely complicated. “We take great pride in how we build our clubs. In addition to building the right length, loft, and lie, we spine align and frequency match all of the clubs that come out of our Mitchellcertified shop,” Wycoff said. Golf Etc. has a modern clubby feel, with plenty of space to show off its state-of-the-art advanced performance fitting center, while giving customers a premium assortment of apparel, shoes, and accessories, featuring the Puma, Travis Matthew, Nike, and Arnie lines. Additionally, they offer a premium assortment of off-the-rack clubs at the lowest prices manufacturers will allow. Golf Etc. has a fresh feel when it comes to its merchandise and a truly electric excitement when it comes to having something new to share that could literally be a game-changer for any golfer. Golf Etc is located at 11 Palmetto Bay Road, Suite 106B, Hilton Head Island. For more information, call (843) 341-7000 or visit golfetchhi.com.
June 2012
Article by Kitty Bartell
Funkey Monkey: A M o s t S t yl i s h T r e a s u r e C h e s t
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alking into Funkey Monkey is like entering a mysterious pirate’s cave, where you sense at any moment that you might hear the caw of a parrot or the call of an excited monkey. As you open the lid to the pirate’s treasure chest, what you discover is booty of the best kind: fun, flirty, and exotic goodies beautiful enough to satisfy the most stylish treasure hunter. Funkey Monkey’s owner, buyer, and inspiring force, Alicia Tugwell, is an unexpected dervish of energy and creativity. Self-proclaiming, “I don’t know what traditional would be,” this former advertising account executive led the corporate life, spending 10 years with FOX television in and nine years with CBS television in Dallas prior to moving her life and her teenaged son to Hilton Head Island five years ago. Tugwell’s mother and stepfather live on the island, and she knew this would be a place where her creative juices could flow and her son could finish his high school years in preparation for college. The exotic mood at Funkey Monkey, and the name itself, were inspired on a trip to South Africa that Tugwell made with her family five years ago. “You haven’t seen anything until you’ve seen Africa,” Tugwell said. The trip was a dream come true for this life-long animal lover and inspires the many animal prints throughout her shop, from rugs to handbags and pillows. During her African adventure, Tugwell was meandering through a village with mud
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huts and thatched roofs where a group of ladies wove baskets and their sign read, “Funkey Monkey.” The name stuck. When making plans for her shop, Tugwell knew this had to be its name. Admittedly, Tugwell knew nothing about retail, other than being “a shopper and a girl.” What she did know was that with her new life came the freedom to make it all about herself and her son, and she knew the rewards would be worth the risks. Funkey Monkey has six everevolving rooms and hallways, decorated with an eclectic array of
purses, bags, and wallets, glittering jewelry, hats and scarves, blouses and tops, home accessories, pillows, candles, frames, little girl accessories and much more. Tugwell has truly acclimated to the retail environment and is letting her entrepreneurial spirit loose. She has an exciting secret about which she is currently only sharing a few details: she has designed a patent-pending clothing accessory and is scheduled to appear on ABC’s Shark Tank when the details of the patent are complete. Funkey Monkey will be first to carry the accessory, at the store and online, when their website is launched in July (www. FunkeyMonkeyhhi.com). “It’s me who makes it a success,” Tugwell said, and she couldn’t be more
During her African adventure, Tugwell was meandering through a village with mud huts and thatched roofs where a group of ladies wove baskets and their sign read, “Funkey Monkey.” The name stuck. When making plans for her shop, Tugwell knew this had to be its name. cases and cabinets, each holding a wide variety of exotic accessories and gifts. Tugwell chooses not to carry specific merchandise lines, allowing her the flexibility to bring in items that are unexpected and rarely duplicated. The one market she does attend is in Dallas, which offers opportunities to carry items unique to the Southeast. “My style is always changing,” Tugwell said. Buying for Funkey Monkey allows her to seek out the unique and to pleasantly surprise both her new customers and regular visitors. The shop’s treasures include
right. Her creativity and energy are in every niche and nook of this special shop, and her dynamic personality is magnetic. You just want to hang out and become a part of the atmosphere. The treasures at Funkey Monkey would certainly please the most stylish pirate. Funkey Monkey is located at 71 Pope Avenue (in the center between Aunt Chiladas & the Visitor Center) and is open Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m.6 p.m. For more information, call (843) 715-0512. June 2012
Article by David Tobias // Photography by Anne
Elev8-ing Expectations
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s anyone who has watched our treasured tourists knows, bicycling—a seemingly benign mode of transport that’s nearly as basic as walking—can have its challenges. Who hasn’t seen someone, clearly out of practice, come to a clumsy halt on a bike after searching frantically for the brakes, threatening a header, dragging their feet Flintstone style, stopping (finally), then tipping just slightly right or left while standing on tiptoe waiting for traffic to pass? It’s downright embarrassing—or entertaining. You choose. For those who have discovered Hilton Head Island’s incredible network of bicycle pathways, it’s perhaps the only thing unpleasant about the entire invigorating, family-friendly bicycling experience. Matt Papka has the solution—not just for Hilton Head Island, but for the whole wide world, which seems to have suddenly rediscovered the bicycle as an alternative to America’s love affair with the carbon emitting, gasguzzler. The solution, he says, is the Elev8 Bike. Although the basic concept of a bicycle hasn’t changed much in the last 200 years, there have been some major breakthroughs: the invention of the
handbrake, for example, and the creation of the BMX bike, a favorite of the young and daring. Papka and his Elev8 Bike partners Bill Becker, Jerry Bowes and Dr. Kimberly Perry, think that technology invented by Becker, a self-taught engineer and retired “methods guy,” has potential to change the nature of bicycle riding dramatically, especially for baby boomers who can’t let go of their youth but may have lost some of their flexibility and balance. The bicycle’s name, Elev8, describes exactly what this new concept is, and its technological secret comes down to hydraulics. If you’re sitting at a desk, look down and you can see the secret. That gas spring cylinder that enables your desk chair to go up and down was Becker’s inspiration, in 1994, for a bicycle seat that could do the same. He’s been working since then to refine the concept and find a method to make it efficient and profitable to produce. He’s also been trying to take it to market, although with limited success. Refining the concept was no problem—that’s Becker’s specialty. Taking it to market was another matter. But thanks to a fortuitous Becker bike ride in Hilton Head Plantation and Papka’s choice to walk his two Jack Russell Terriers at precisely the right moment, perhaps a match made in heaven
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The hydraulic seat design allows riders to adjust the height as much as seven inches. Which means getting on and off is easy. An Elev8 bike will sell for $988.88.
has been made right here on Hilton Head Island. “I met Matt riding this bike,” said Becker. “I stopped to admire how wellbehaved his Jack Russells were, and when I stopped my bike, I lowered the seat so I could sit comfortably with my feet flat on the ground. Matt asked, ‘What did you just do?’ I explained, it to Matt and that’s how all this began.” After several years of product testing and refining, the Elev8 bikes are now being built and delivery is imminent. The hydraulic seat design allows riders to adjust the height as much as seven inches. That means getting on and off is easy and, as Becker did, you can put both feet on the ground when coming to a stop. Papka has developed a distribution system that’s a bit multi-level, but mostly traditional, and while the sales big picture is a bit short of world dominance, he projects that the Elev8 has potential to take a significant slice of the 100 million bicycle market—perhaps even as much as three to five percent of the world market, thanks to baby boomers. Add Boomers to the many younger people and people with body awareness also interested in the bike and suddenly it seeems to have universal appeal. That’s not just Papka talking. That’s an observation from a name synonymous with bicycling worldwide: Richard Schwinn, whose grandfather started the Schwinn Bicycle Company several decades ago. “When Bill and I first agreed to be partners, the first thing I wanted to do was get conceptual confirmation,” Papka said. “So I put the bike in the car and took it to about 80 independent bike dealers. I’d take it right into their shop, show it to them, assemble it, disassemble it and ask what they thought. What I learned is that independent bike dealers are all different-minded people.” Schwinn’s own stingray bike back in the ’60s was the precursor to the BMX bicycle, which turned into a craze. But change comes slowly in the bicycle business. As part of his 32,000-mile journey to visit independent bike dealers over two years, Papka was granted an audience with Schwinn in Wisconsin, and what started as a 20-minute meeting turned out to be three hours and a lunch, according to Papka. “At the end of it, Richard told me ‘I don’t know who you are or where you came from, but you’re hitting the baby boomer market right between the eyes.’” june
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Matt Papka and Elev8 innovator Bill Becker. As the bike rolls out, Papka, Becker and managing partner Jerry Bowes hope to call on Schwinn to consult on its further evolution. Clearly, baby boomers will be the primary target audience for the Elev8, but not just in the United States. Japan’s boomer population percentage is comparable to that of the U.S., and Papka has been talking about distribution in South Korea and other countries. Papka, Becker and Bowes, who also lives on Hilton Head Island, have further expanded the range of target markets to
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include fleet bikes for colleges and universities, complete with school colors and logos and fleet vehicles for city security, allowing police to maintain a comfortable posture and steady sight lines. A distribution plan will include “Elev8 Sales Program” and “Master Elev8 Sales Program” representatives conducting tent expos, fitness expos, bike expos and demonstrations where they will sell the bikes. “I have people who want to carry it in stores—national chains—but we’re negotiating,” Papka said. “There are a lot of talented sales people out there who would like to make income by selling bikes.” An Elev8 bike will sell for $988.88 (the logo looks like an 8 on its side, which looks like two bicycle wheels side by side).” The other piece of all this is the patent on the Elev8 concept itself, secured by Becker and owned by him and his partners. Potential is also there to sell not only bikes, which include the Elev8 component, but also “component-ize” the seat alone and make it widely available for sale to bicycle manufacturers, which, according to Papka, may be where the big money lies. “Either way, we’re positioned perfectly,” Papka said. “The United States is becoming more bike-friendly; bike paths are being built and there’s greater awareness of bicycles and the need to be green. Our company is very green and environmentally concerned. That’s what we want to be— greener. “But mostly we want to put folks on bikes.” To take a look at the Elev8 bike in action, visit www. elev8bikes.com
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wedding section
P78 Somebody’s Getting Married! Your life as you know it is over—and a new chapter is about to begin. P80 Wedding Express The story of a wedding: two perspectives. P88 Garden of Eden It’s your fairytale. You choose the dress. P94 Wanted: Bridesmaids & Groomsmen A job description
Photography by Anne
P100 All that Glitters A bit about choosing the rings, from Doug Safe at Heritage Fine Jewelers P104 A Couture Gown Courtesy of Luciana, right here on Hilton Head Island
Wedding Express Article by Courtney Hampson // Photography by Rod Pasibe/Red Shutter Studio
When my editor asked me what I thought about telling the story of my recent wedding for the pages of the magazine, I actually paused for a moment. I don’t think I’ve ever told Maggie no, so I don’t know why this topic threw me for a loop. Maybe because, even though I always weave some of my personal life into my stories, I do try to maintain a veil (pun intended) of privacy. But to put one of my most memorable experiences in print—I wondered if this would somehow make our wedding moments less personal.
Then I laughed at myself, snorted (as I do when I realize either I am wrong or something is very funny) and enlisted my new hubby to co-write the story of our courtship, the planning, the walk down the aisle, and the Southern supper (and dance party) that followed.
Are you ready?
Mr. X: Am I ready? How long does it take to know somebody? If you communicate, you learn a lot about a person—who they are and what they stand for. For me, our friendship blossomed to where I knew I wanted to spend the rest of my life with Courtney. CH: Been there, done that. I swore I would never do it again. Alas, never say never. I now subscribe to the “best romances are born of friendships” school of thought. Once you realize that there is nothing you don’t like about this person, it opens your eyes to other possibilities. Believe me. I was formerly of the “let me make a list of everything I do and don’t like about this person” school of thought. In fact, while having lunch with Mr. X one day, I pulled out my legal pad and got to work compiling the pros and cons list about the guy I was dating.
The cons filled the entire left column of the legal pad, which prompted Mr. X. to say, “I think the list is done now, don’t you?” Then he asked me out. And the rest is history. He makes me laugh every day. He humors me when I am being obsessive. He looks great in a suit and even better in jeans and flip-flops. My dog Darby loved him at first sight. My nieces fell for him shortly thereafter. He loves his mom, family memories and tradition. It was time to start some memories of our own.
The ring
Mr. X: The diamond was the easy part. From her favorite aunt (whom I never met), the diamond was full of memories and is a beautiful stone to boot. Then the countless e-mails of pictures of what she might like her ring to look like started hitting my inbox. I took a little from each image, worked with Doug at Heritage Jewelers, and gave her something that she smiles at every day. CH: So it turns out, if you were to sneak my Great-
Good friends and family. Good food. Good music. Our goal was only to invite people we both actually know (and wanted to spend seven hours with). There was no “we have to invite so and so because so and so is invited.”
Great Aunt Mary’s stunning diamond out of my jewelry box multiple times, run to the jeweler with it, and have a ring made, I wouldn’t notice it was missing—although I did start to get suspicious when Mr. X asked me 10 ways to Tuesday if I liked the ring that my brother-in-law had just given my sister for her birthday. Her ring was beautiful, but not really my style. What I didn’t know was that Mr. X. was designing almost the same ring for me. So, yes, this was when I started to e-mail Mr. X pictures of what I did like. (I think he had to increase his data plan to make room for this new influx of mail.) Apparently, based on the amount of e-mail, it was clear that I really had no idea what I wanted. Somehow, Mr. X knew exactly what I wanted and designed a gorgeous piece that makes Aunt Mary’s stone look like it was made for this ring.
The proposal
Mr. X: Sorry. No planes flying over carrying banners. No “will you marry me” on a major league scoreboard. No ring at the bottom of her champagne glass. Just the words of her Aunt Mary, “I think this time I finally got it right… will you marry me?” CH: It was simple and kind of rushed. We were headed on vacation the next morning, and despite the fact that we hadn’t packed yet, I still insisted we do happy hour, which ended up being a happy three hours. We grabbed a pizza on our way home and then I rushed around the house trying to simultaneously consume dinner, load the washing machine, make a Darby day care list for my mom, and pack. When we finally crawled into bed, about four hours before we had to leave for the airport, Mr. X. simply held out a spectacular ring, quoted Aunt Mary, and asked. Then he reminded me how much I hate surprises. Aha, that’s why no plane with a banner? Got it. (I was secretly relieved that he asked before we left, because I was having palpitations about him trying to get the ring through security in his pocket.)
The plan
Mr. X: The time of year was a clear, logical choice for both of us. The holidays hold some of our favorite family memories, and it is simply our favorite time of the year, so why not add another memory? It was not about the number
of people there, but the quality of the people there. We wanted to share our special day with those who are special to us. CH: Good friends and family. Good food. Good music. Our goal was only to invite people we both actually know (and wanted to spend seven hours with). There was no “we have to invite so and so because so and so is invited.” Planning around the holidays also self-selects a lot of people out of the running, because you know they won’t attend. (Strategy!) Seriously though, we had a very small list of the 50 people closest and most important to us. Thirty-four of them joined the party. The other 16 have since been forgiven for reasons ranging from newborns (we shared our one-day anniversary with the arrival of Miss Ella Grace Hudson), kids’ Christmas pageants, and “I don’t think I can convince Danielle to spend Christmas in Bluffton” excuses. (Sadly, one very important friend never RSVP’d, to our dismay. After months of wondering, we learned that we can blame that one on the post office. Note: if you don’t get an RSVP, call the person until you actually connect.)
The shindig
Mr. X: So little to do, so much time. Strike that. Reverse it. Talk about attention to detail. Who knew the ribbon on the invitations had to match the ribbon on the dinner place cards? Not one guy reading this just raised his hand. Oh, and the place settings for dinner—apparently Chinet was not an option. Should I talk about the miniature paper table, to scale, with nametags so we could see how it looked? You have to make sure the right people sit together? The food was easy. Frankie Denmark and Tray Hunter of Hawg Wild Barbecue were our first and only choice for a fabulous Southern supper. Cocktails? Finally, I’m in my comfort zone. What? Everybody doesn’t drink beer? Gifts for those who attend? Wait, I thought they gave us gifts! Flowers, rehearsal dinner a.k.a. Italian Feast (an ode to Courtney’s stepdad, which we, I mean she, cooked from scratch), places for people to stay, gift bags for those who were from out of town. Ahhhh! How many things did I not mention here? Now you see why I had one task (music). CH: I (we!) wanted it to feel like a party at home, without
having to actually host everyone at our home. I mean who wants to spend her wedding night Swiffering the kitchen tile? Not this gal. So, we planned a short and sweet ceremony in the Chapel at Palmetto Bluff and a wedding dinner in a private home there. Then we (okay, this may have been I) set out on the task of making sure every element had a personal touch: handwritten notes to accompany each invitation, because I wanted everyone to know why we wanted them to celebrate with us; hours spent on eBay trying to track down 27 additional vintage Irish linen napkins t o match the set that Aunt Mary (was she awesome or what?) gave me a decade ago; vintage china transported from Charleston via my stepsister Tara and brother-in-law Rod, who also happen to be amazing photographers (Red Shutter Studio) and at our insistence still managed to be a part of and enjoy the party, while taking pictures (at their insistence!). We had handmade tin bird ornaments made as favors (Etsy.com is a fabulous resource for the DIYer who doesn’t want to DIY), which just happened to match the cake topper. The best part was the decorations. It was just days before Christmas, so lots of greenery, a couple of
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trees, wreaths, and deep pink and red peonies. Voila.
The final details
Mr. X: The one thing that I’m in charge of and it’s not going well. Musicians are great at, well, performing. Ever tried to get a hold of one during regular business hours? It was as if I were trying to book Metallica for the reception. I thought I had some great local musicians to help us with our celebration but, with a week to go and no return communication on their part, I got scared they weren’t going to show. I left them a voicemail and sent an e-mail telling them that their services were no longer needed. I assume they got the message because they didn’t show up. Great. What have I done now? Yes, that did read one week out. Hello Google! You can find anything on Google, right? As luck would have it, I was able to book Chris Stevers and Christian Young. Boy did they make me look good. When I saw Courtney, her mom and her sisters dancing and singing to Bon Jovi, with beer bottles as microphones, I knew I achieved nirvana. We couldn’t have asked for a better duo to perform and recommend them to anybody and everybody.
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CH: I wish I could say I was calm, cool, and collected; I was anything but. One week out, and I was scheduling my breast biopsy for two days before the festivities. So to say I was a little distracted was an understatement. When the aforementioned dilemma presented itself, I tried my best to convince Mr. X and myself that an iPod would be just fine. (Luckily he can read me like a book.) Fortunately, the food & beverage director at Palmetto Bluff is one of my closest friends and knew better than even I did what I wanted this soiree to look like. So, I handed it over to him. And, I didn’t worry. I mean, in the grand scheme of things, who noticed how many mercury glass candleholders ran down the middle of the table? Exactly. Not a soul.
The big day
Mr. X: We couldn’t have asked for more perfect weather. It was 75 degrees in December. After a leisurely breakfast, we thought, let’s take the boat out. And we did, with our out-of-town guests. What a beautiful day. Maybe golf in the afternoon? Oh yeah. Almost forgot about the ceremony. Sorry. My mind wanders sometimes. CH: Up and wide-awake at 7 a.m., I suggested a quick bike ride for a little exercise err, to triple-check on the china that arrived the night before. Okay, I’m a little OCD about some things. The weather was perfect, and a slow cruise down the May River, up to the Harbour Town Lighthouse, and down along Spanish Wells where we saw “our dolphin” and cracked the first few bottles of champagne set the tone for the entire day: relaxing. Mr. X: Its 2:30. Courtney’s hair gets done in about 30 minutes, and we still haven’t heard from her doctor. CH: Phone rings at 3 p.m. It’s benign. Tears of joy. And relief. Now, let’s get this party started! Mr. X: Time to shower, put on the suit, and get to the chapel. It’s hitting me. This is happening. And it feels great! People start to arrive. Hugs, high fives, and lots of smiles follow. CH: My nieces Katherine, Erin, and EmmaKate have just arrived and are twirling around the kitchen in their matching dresses and shoes, wondering why I look like Martha Washington (phase two of operation hair) and why I am wearing a bathrobe. More champagne begins to flow as guests flow into the house. (I loved that we stayed on property and guests came and went throughout the day. It felt so right.) Off to squeeze into my Spanx—with the help of my mom and sister. (Man, those puppies do the trick!). I tiptoed back into the kitchen, transformed, and seeing the look on my nieces’ faces was priceless. I know they love me, but I also think they were a little surprised to see “Aunt Flip-Flop” all dolled up. Mr. X: Five o’clock. Time to get into position. Standing in front, the eyes are on me, but only for a minute, as three of the cutest “nieces-to-be” turned everybody’s head. Then, there she stood, ready to walk down the aisle. I had to catch my breath, not because of nerves, but because of how beautiful she looked. Her smile warmed the room as it always does. Short and sweet—that’s how we wanted it. Well-thought-out words by her brother-in-law Jamie as he mastered the ceremony and the reading of our favorite E.E. Cummings poem (“i carry your heart”). Cummings is dead, so Courtney’ sister Sharon read it. And it was capped off by a beautiful rendition of “Silent Night” by the most unlikely looking tenor, Jay Walea. During the day, he is in the woods, literally, helping to run the conservation efforts on 20,000 acres of
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land. But on this day, he traded his camouflage for a suit and did us the honor of wrapping up the ceremony. CH: Onto the reception. We got there and it was perfect: the lights, the flowers, the smell of good Southern food cooking, (a bar with more than Bud Light) and yes, the band. Just like a big family gathering, all the way down to the huge dining table that seated 34 of us. It was just as planned. It was fun. It was festive. It was unique. Most of all, it was us.
Courtney & Mr. X’s Advice for Year-One of Marriage Granted, we’re only a few months in, so who knows what we’ll learn between now and the one-year mark? Here’s what we’ve figured out so far: 1. Check your baggage and take the high road. (No matter how many e-mails, texts, and nasty voice mails that baggage leaves you.) 2. If you are 6’4” and your wife suggests the first class upgrade, don’t wait until you’re squeezed into coach behind 9E who has already reclined his seat back into your lap to tell her she was right. Always, always take the upgrade. Your wife is going to be right about a lot of things. Listen to her. 3. Build a deck together. You want to test your new relationship? Make six trips to Home Depot in 24 hours and pull out the power tools. 4. Don’t give up date night. One of our first dates was grilling dinner and sitting outside by the fire pit listening to music. We still make time to do that once a week. No excuses. 5. Laugh with each other and, more importantly, be prepared to laugh at yourself. 6. Share the mundane tasks: the cooking, the mowing, the litter box cleaning… You don’t have to tell each other what you’ve done, and it isn’t a competition. Just do your fair share. We grocery shop together as a way to plan our week. And, for the 45 days during which we believed that we didn’t need someone to clean the house, we shared those duties (however poorly executed), too. 7. Do what you love. Love what you do. This extends well beyond your relationship. If you aren’t happy in the other parts of your life, you’re going to bring that unhappiness to the dinner table every night. (We know, easier said than done, but we’re attempting to be highly evolved creatures here.) 8. Dedicate some “me time” for yourself. It can be just as important as “us time.” 9. Don’t skimp on the little things. Slip a note in her lunch or a postcard in his briefcase. Wash her car when she isn’t looking. Buy him some underwear without holes. 10. Communicate your feelings every day, be prepared to learn something new every day, and no matter how hard it is sometimes, listen more than you talk. june
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Photo: Istvan Blair Photography Hair and make-up: Danielle Keasling and Brandi Trawick, assisted by Jessica Epp of Salon Karma Model: Anna DeGrauw (Carolina Talent Modeling Agency) Flowers: A Floral Affair Styling: Courney Flood of BleuBelle Bridal, Savannah Shot on location at Berkeley Hall
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esides picking your bride or groom, the next big question for the betrothed couple is who will literally “stand up” for them as they enter the next, new phase of their life as a married couple. It’s a simple question with a complex job description that can bring warm memories for a lifetime, short-term debt, and dresses with matching shoes, which despite the best intentions, will never be worn again. Yet, it’s an honor for many who have a special place in the bride’s and groom’s lives to now to have a place at the altar with them on their wedding day.
re smaids a The bride y for a p to d expecte ss, smaid dre the bride otel room dh travel an eremony for the c elorette h c a b and d host a n a parties tte party bachelore l shower. da ri b r and/o
A 25-year-old Bluffton woman who wishes to remain anonymous said she was recently a bridesmaid in a Savannah wedding for a childhood friend. She said it was an honor; however, it was also a stretch to fulfill her obligations with her well-heeled bride. â&#x20AC;&#x153;She had a bachelorette party in San Francisco, several bridal showers up north, and a wedding in Savannah. While many of her affluent friends didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t bat an eyelash at the series of travel obligations, along with dress, shoes, tailoring and gift expenses, I really had to pull up my bootstraps to find the nearly $1,500 to participate.â&#x20AC;? The question is what are the responsibilities of the bridesmaids and groomsmen? According to Nina Callaway of About.com guide, an attendant is someone who is a supportive of the marriage and bride and groom and do can menial tasks such as errand running, holding the rings, the flowers, etc. and is a confidante and can calm the bride or groom during the stressful moments of the wedding and the preparation of it.
Duties of the bridesmaids include helping the bride shop for her dress and, when asked, giving advice or opinions about the wedding flowers, food, etc., helping the maid/matron of honor host a bridal shower, helping the bride dress before the wedding, being a social director at the wedding and perhaps throwing the couple a post-wedding brunch.
Duties of the bridesmaids include helping the bride shop for her dress and, when asked, giving advice or opinions about the wedding flowers, food, etc., helping the maid/matron of honor host a bridal shower, helping the bride dress before the wedding, being a social director at the wedding and perhaps throwing the couple a post-wedding brunch. The maid/matron of honor has additional duties, according to Callaway, such as helping with wedding planning, addressing wedding invitations, coordinating the ordering and tailoring of bridesmaid dresses, assisting with rehearsal dinner, holding the bouquet during ceremony and giving a meaningful toast at the wedding reception. 96
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The bridesmaids are expected to pay for the bridesmaid dress, travel and hotel room for the ceremony and bachelorette parties and host a bachelorette party and/or bridal shower. The groomsmen have the same gender-specific duties for the groom. They also can double as ushers for the wedding. The main role of the groomsmen, like the bridesmaids, is to be supportive of the groom and help out where needed. Donna Jones, a Hilton Head Island wedding officiate, said she runs through a checklist for the bridesmaids and groomsmen before the wedding just to assure they have what they need and know what to do. “Before the ceremony begins, I always ask if the groomsmen and maid of honor have the rings.” Jones said. “There has been more than one wedding delayed as the best man runs back to the hotel to get the ring.” Jones, who has performed more than 100 weddings in two years, said she is seeing trends emerge such as non-traditional attendants, opposite gender attendants or no attendants at all. “I see brides and grooms, especially those past their mid-40s, choose attendants who are the most special or influential people in their lives—his or her dad, brother or best friend who happens
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The gro omsm the sam en have e gend specific duties fo ergroom. r the They a double as ushe lso can rs fo weddin g. The m r the ain role of the g roomsm the brid en, like es support maids, is to b e ive of th and help e groom out wh ere needed .
to be the opposite gender of traditional attendants,” Jones said. “I also see more couples choosing to have no attendants.” Bluffton bride Kelly Carter, who married May 26th in the Las Vegas Hollywood Wedding Chapel, said it was just easier to do it on her own. “This way no one gets her feeling hurt. I also don’t have to worry about all the bridesmaids getting along, and no one has the expense of paying for a dress.” Gay couples who want to proclaim their love publicly may also have attendants. While the supporting role is the same, there is less to do since in most states, like South Carolina, the ceremony has no legal bond. Anne Rowland, who has family in the Lowcountry, had a “public declaration” ceremony in Indiana with her partner. “We didn’t know what to call our attendants,” Rowland
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said. “We started calling them ‘sisters-in-waiting,’ but that was weird, because we didn’t know what our sisters in their mid-60s were waiting for. We decided on ‘sisters of honor.’” The Indiana couple didn’t require their sisters of honor to have matching gowns, a decision they said pleased their attendants. The 25-year-old Bluffton accountant said she has eight bridesmaid dresses that are just “sitting in her closet” that she knows she will never wear again. “I will eventually give them to a thrift store where someone will buy them for five bucks each, and it will be a part of their Halloween costume.” Each wedding is unique, so it is advisable to ask the couple what is involved ( travel, parties, showers, etc.) before committing yourself to this very important job.
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wedding Bling
puRe RoYalTY 18kt white gold ring with 4.22 ct. cushion cut sapphire and accent diamonds (.78 total ct.) $28,980
Article by Doug Safe, Heritage Jewelers Photgraphy By Mark Staff
over the course of 35 years in business, heritage fine jewelry has taken part in many engagements, although today it has become less traditional and more of a shared discussion. With so many options to choose from in diamond shapes and ring styles, sometimes the bride is included in selecting the engagement ring. still, today, most men spend countless hours attempting to find the perfect ring. they will also look to get hints of information from friends of their soon-to-be-bride. We believe you can’t put a price on the perfect surprise engagement. When purchasing a diamond engagement ring, it is important to understand a little bit about how the diamonds are priced to be sure you are getting what you want. to do this, it is important to find a jeweler who will help explain the four Cs of diamond grading: Cut, Color, Clarity and Carat weight. •
• •
•
Cut: refers to the arrangement of the diamond’s facets. A diamond that is “ideal cut” captures and releases maximum light. Clarity: natural formed inclusions that could be present in the diamond. Color: diamonds range from colorless (the rarest and most valuable) to yellowishbrown, with many shades in between. Carat-weight: standard measurement for diamond size.
these days, it is very common for people to buy only “certified diamonds,” meaning that the diamond has been to an independent company that grades and charts the stone. this will give you security that the diamond quality is not just what the jeweler is telling you. Although in the past it’s been stated that you should spend threemonths’ salary on an engagement ring, at heritage Fine Jewelry, we believe you should live within your means and make a decision based on what’s best for you and your bride-to-be.
YelloW eleganCe 14kt white and yellow gold with 1.12 ct. fancy yellow diamond and accent diamonds (.95 total ct.) $16,788
gReen WITH envY 18kt white gold ring with a 1.14 ct emerald and two round brilliant cut diamonds totaling 1.21 ct. $13,375
WHaT’S YouR paSSIon 14kt white gold ring with 1.04 ct. round passion cut center diamond set in a halo mounting with matching band (1.23 total ct.) $10,193
wedding Bling pRInCeSS peRFeCTIon Platinum ring with 2.01 princess cut diamond and two accent diamonds (.53 total ct.) $19,750
CanaRY CHIC 18kt white gold ring with a 1.93 ct. fancy yellow oval diamond and halo mounting (.91 total ct.) $21,385
SupeRIoR ClaRITY18kt white gold ring with 3.41 ct. emerald cut diamond and accent diamonds (.78 total ct.) $44,900
Menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S BlIng Assortment of menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 14kt white gold bands with or without diamonds, $1,000 and up
* All rings pictured are available at heritage Fine Jewelers in Pineland station.
Photography By Anne
A LUCIANA BRIDE…
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Alongside Luciana, the bride to be can also design a one of a kind, Couture Wedding Dress. From concept sketch to completion, whether your style is classic and traditional or bold and dramatic, Luciana will create a dress for you that is artistic, comfortable, flattering and luxurious. You deserve to feel confident and beautiful on your wedding day!
Stop by Luciana @ 37 New Orleans Road and discover what it is to be a Luciana Bride! Open Tuesday through Saturday, 11am to 7:00pm or by appointment. 843.686.5620
A r t i cle B y F r a n k D u n n e , J r .
Behind
Gates the
Colleton River Plantation Club and Moss Creek
This is a continuation of a several part series on island living in gated communities.
Colleton River Plantation Club
Ask the people who live there why they chose Colleton River Plantation Club, and they will probably give you one of two answers. It’s either the two elite golf courses or the natural beauty of the land and surrounding water. Since one begets the other, they’re really the same answer. Situated on Colleton Neck, a peninsula touched by the Chechessee and Colleton Rivers, and with views out to Port Royal Sound and the Atlantic Ocean, Colleton River Plantation Club forms a perfect union of “the good life” and the long-held Lowcountry land planning credo: respect the natural environment. In return for that respect, Colleton River’s 1,500 acres engulf you in pure Lowcountry serenity, with Spanish mossdraped live oaks and palmetto trees lining roads that wind through a blend of luxurious homes and natural terrain, paid off with sweeping water views. It’s an excellent off-island choice for the higher-end homebuyer who places high priority on golf, a vibrant residential club life, and water. “In Bluffton, along
278, this is the only piece of land that’s surrounded by water and has deep water access,” said Julie Mercer, Colleton River Plantation Club’s director of marketing and communications. “From our deep water lots, you’re just a few minutes from the Atlantic Ocean.” “I would say if they’re looking for top quality golf, if they’re looking for water access, if they’re looking for an active social club, if they’re looking for a lifestyle that is energetic and outdoors, Colleton has a lot to offer in that regard,” added Kevin King, a realtor with Charter 1 Realty & Marketing and a nine-year Colleton River member. “I love it.” The member population is predominantly permanent residents, approximately 60 to 70 percent according to King’s estimate, and that refers to anybody who lives there for at least nine months of the year. In terms of life stages and age groups, “I would say that the majority are empty nesters or pre-empty nesters, like people with kids in college,” Mercer
said, “but like the region as a whole, we’re seeing a trend of younger members coming in. In fact, of a recent group of 20 new members, five are between 35 and 45.” Peter Elder, a member since 2006, offers this perspective of Colleton River’s membership: “My wife Mimi and I have lived all over the world, so we have a pretty good handle on lifestyles and cultures. We bought here when we retired because we were looking for interesting people, meaning a variety of people who have been all over the world and bring a variety of perspectives. The joy in sharing your life comes down to the people you share it with.” Having world-class amenities to share doesn’t hurt either, and here that conversation has to begin with golf. “A lot of people have multiple golf courses. We have three,” said Mercer. “We have two championship courses that are as different as night and day in how they play and how they feel. A Parkland
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style Signature Jack Nicklaus course and a links style Pete Dye course that he’s been quoted as saying is the best course he’s ever built.” Together the Nicklaus and Dye Courses have earned Colleton River a long list of accolades as a golf community including Travel & Leisure Golf’s “America’s Top 100 Golf Communities,” Golf Digest Index’s “America’s 50 Greatest Golf Retreats,” Links Magazine’s “America’s 100 Premier Properties” and Golfweek’s “Top 100 Residential Golf Courses.” The Borland nine-hole par three course is the third golf course to which Mercer alluded. “Great for working on your short game and great for kids and beginners,” King said.
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Other sports and wellness facilities include the Stan Smith tennis center with a pro shop and five Har-Tru courts, and a Jr. Olympic sized pool. A 6,000-square-foot fitness center in the Nicklaus clubhouse rivals any commercial health club in the area with free weights, circuit training, cardio equipment, personal training and group classes, as well as a therapeutic and esthetic spa. Recreation, though, isn’t always about organized activities and training regimens. Miles of leisure trails wind through the community for walking, running, biking, or simply taking in the views and communing with nature. Depending on where you’re standing, Colleton River can feel like an extension of the adjacent Victoria Bluff nature preserve, and it provides ample material for the artists and photographers among the membership. Fishing, crabbing and shrimping from the community dock, or hooking bass and catfish from one of the fresh water lagoons dotting the plantation are also popular activities. With two world-class championship golf courses, Colleton River members also get two clubhouses that are as distinctive as their namesakes. “The Nicklaus Clubhouse is very stately and formal, and then you go over to the Dye Clubhouse and its very Lowcountry, it’s very relaxed. It’s like being a member of two clubs,” Mercer said. Both clubhouses offer fine dining for lunch and dinner, and members can drop in for lighter fare at the Halfway Café, whether making the turn on the Nicklaus course or not. The clubhouses also serve as meeting places for the members to share their interests in everything from Canasta and Poker, to literature and art, to cooking and single malt Scotch. There is even a library in the Dye Clubhouse with a collection donated by members. “I would mention that the club did obtain
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Platinum Club status,” King said, “and I think we’re the only one anywhere near here that has. This is all based on the amenity package and the service and quality. It’s just a high end club, and that’s how our members want it to be.” Homes in Colleton River Plantation Club range from 2,800-square-foot ranch style bungalows to more lavish mansions upwards of 7,000 square feet. The diversity of home styles and sizes is one of the community’s more attractive attributes to its members. “All the homes are custom homes, so the styles differ from house to house, but I would say it’s a more traditional style for the most part,” King said. “Although we do have some contemporary, we have some French chateau style, some Tuscan style, Mediterranean style…we’ve got them all, and that’s what is neat about it. There is a wide choice for people. There is an architectural review board, and they’re not going to let you go hog wild, but it’s not as rigid as some other plantations.” Prices for homes currently on the market start in the mid-$400,000s and go up to about $2.5 million, although King notes that there are some homes that significantly exceed that range. There are no short-term rental properties in Colleton River, but there are nine member-owned, club-operated cottages that are great for golf getaways and the like. These may be rented exclusively by members and their guests. Other than that, Colleton River is purely residential. Presently, the master plan is approximately 50 percent built, and there are unbuilt lots on the market. The smallest are about four-tenths an acre and go up from there. The average is about half an acre, but there are some estate-sized lots up to five to six acres.
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The main entrance to Colleton River Plantation Club is on the westbound side of Highway 278 in Bluffton, about two miles from the bridge to Hilton Head Island. This places it conveniently to all of the recreational activities, shopping, dining and services on the island and throughout greater Bluffton; but Colleton River is, at the same time, well secluded from the hustle and bustle. You’re right in the middle of it all, but behind the gate, you’ll feel as if you’re a world away. There is another way to access Colleton River Plantation Club, but not by automobile. “There is a community day dock, so you can bring your boat in and dock it overnight right on the Colleton River; boat storage is also available on the property,” King said. An expansion of the community dock is currently underway and will be completed by summer. The renovations will include a gazebo and an open deck with a mist system to keep the no-see-ums away, kayak stands and a launch area, a fish cleaning stand, and water and electricity right at the dock. “It’s going to be a very nice gathering spot,” King added. Another recurring theme that comes up when you talk to members about their decision to live at Colleton River Plantation Club is the way that it sells itself: all you have to do is look around. “We looked everywhere from Wilmington, N.C. to south of Charleston, and this really set the standard for us,” Elder said. “The variety of architectural styles, the land, the people, and it’s all exquisitely managed and wellkept.” To that he added, “Everything you do here, at a certain time of day you stop whatever it is and take in the sunset. Magic moments.” Member Kevin Fegan discovered Colleton River Plantation Club when he read about it in Travel & Leisure Golf. “My wife Hazel and I knew we’d end up in a golf community one day, and we became very experienced at looking at golf clubs. Obviously, the unique profile here begins with the fact that you have two premier golf courses, but when you’re sitting on the back porch at the Dye Clubhouse having a martini, that’s when you say, can you believe this?”
Moss Creek
Right at the foot of the bridge to Hilton Head Island on the mainland side sits Moss Creek, a place that its members like to call “Mother Nature’s Hole-in-One,” which might lead one to conclude that Moss Creek is a golf community situated on a piece of land that reflects and respects the natural beauty of its surroundings. That would be correct, but it’s more than two outstanding Fazio-designed championship golf courses that draw people into Moss Creek. “We are a very active community with participation in all our amenities, said Suzanna Johnston of the Moss Creek Owners Association. “ While we are largely a golf, tennis and boating community, Moss Creek has walking trails, bike paths and several (continued on next page)
nature preserves that showcase the fauna and wildlife of the Lowcountry.” In fact, the Moss Creek website cleverly lays out the multitude of things going on within the community as a list of “31 Things to Do at Moss Creek if You Don’t Play Golf or Tennis.” Rick Turner of Gateway Realty specializes in Mainland private communities, so he’s got a pretty clear profile in mind of who would be interested in Moss Creek. “If they say to me that they’re boaters—that they like fishing or just cruising around and playing on the water—Moss Creek is tremendous. That couple or family will find that they can get a slip at the marina for $1,000 a year, and included in that is unlimited golf on two Fazio golf courses and unlimited tennis.” It’s a great option for the boat owner who doesn’t want to spend a million or more on a house with a deep-water dock on the property. And the location on Mackay Creek puts it as close to all of the places that local boaters like go—the May River, Skull Creek, the Intracoastal Waterway—as if it were on Hilton Head Island. “Golfers and boaters have the best deal anywhere in Moss Creek. It’s an incredible value,” Turner said.
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Moss Creek members have a choice between two championship golf courses, Devil’s Elbow South and Devil’s Elbow North. Called “a beauty with a bite” by Golf Digest, Devil’s Elbow South is a George and Tom Fazio design that treats players to scenic salt marsh views on many of the holes Johnston estimates that retirees comprise the largest segment of Moss Creek’s membership, but it is by no means a retirement community. “If somebody’s looking for mainly young singles area, it’s not here,” Turner said, “but I would say that the kind of people who buy here are of all ages.” That includes families who tend to be at the stage where the children are middle and high school aged, and near-empty nesters with kids in college. “They all fit beautifully into Moss Creek,” he said, noting that age and family status don’t play into the decision as much as the lifestyle and amenities. Moss Creek members have a choice between two championship golf courses, Devil’s Elbow South and Devil’s Elbow North. Called “a beauty with a bite” by Golf Digest, Devil’s Elbow South is a George and Tom Fazio design that treats players to scenic salt marsh views on many of the holes. (continued on next page)
June 2012
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The Tom Fazio Devil’s Elbow North challenges members with elevated greens, all protected by either water or trees. Moss Creek golfers love that with fewer than 400 active members playing these private, members-only courses, getting tee times is never a problem. “Tennis players are great candidates for Moss Creek because it has one of the most active tennis clubs for residents in the entire Hilton Head area,” Turner said. The Moss Creek Tennis Center features seven Har-Tru lighted courts, practice facilities and a clubhouse and pro shop. There’s also plenty of seating for spectators at the frequent USTA league and friendly social competitions. Moss Creek’s fitness center and community pool complex is unique in that it is located on Mackay Creek near the marina. “It’s the most beautiful setting for a pool and fitness club in the entire Hilton Head area. Nobody else has a fitness club and a pool on the most valuable piece of property,” Turner said. “The members absolutely love it,” Johnston added. “There are very few places where you can sit by the pool with a beautiful view of the marsh and enjoy lunch and drinks!” Miles of leisure trails for jogging, walking, rollerblading and biking wind through Moss Creek for members to enjoy the natural surroundings. And in keeping with true Lowcountry reverence for the land and wildlife, there are two nature
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preserves on the property: the Fording Island Nature Preserve and the Blue Heron Sanctuary. Moss Creek is one of the earliest off-island private communities, thus the homes by and large adhere to the classic Hilton Head style architecturally, such as you might see on the island in Sea Pines, Palmetto Dunes or Hilton Head Plantation. Most are single family, but there are villa complexes and patio homes as well. The majority are sited with fairway, lagoon, or saltwater marsh views. Homes currently on the market range in price from about $150,000 to just over $1 million. In terms of location, Moss Creek is probably the only choice for anybody who wants to be in a private community that is offisland, but is close enough to feel like it’s on the island. “Moss Creek is a great location. It’s got all that greater Bluffton has to offer in terms of all this shopping and restaurants and grocery stores on the mainland. And then it’s got all that Hilton Head has to offer also right there. So it’s a tremendous location for people who like the beach or people who want convenience—maybe one spouse works on the island and the other in Savannah,” Turner said. Longtime Moss Creek member and even longer time Hilton Head resident Rocky O’Sheill put it quite succinctly when asked about the benefits of Moss Creek’s location. “You’re half an hour closer to everything else.” Meaning, if you’re on Hilton Head
june
2012
Moss Creek is one of the earliest off-island private communities, thus the homes by and large adhere to the classic Hilton Head style architecturally, such as you might see on the island in Sea Pines, Palmetto Dunes or Hilton Head Plantation. Island, whatever you need to do in Bluffton and beyond isn’t as far away, and vice versa. O’Sheill moved to Moss Creek 21 years ago, after 17 years living in Sea Pines. He and his wife moved to Moss Creek to find some separation from the tourist trade at a time when the options were somewhat limited. That’s no longer the case, but the O’Sheills are still there. “We go up north for three months during the summer,” O’Sheill said. “When I’m gone, the neighbors keep an eye on the place. I like that we all kind of look out for things.” “It’s a very social kind of place,” Turner said. “They’re very active socially in all kinds of ways. There are groups who play cards together and groups who travel or go to the theater together or get involved with volunteerism. They’re really committed to the membership.” The way a neighborhood ought to be.
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What you need to
know about
Refinancing
Ar ticle by Lew Wessel
S
//
Photography by Anne
eems like every other piece of junk mail I get is a hyped up offer to refinance my current mortgage. “Refinance Now!” “Rates are at an historic low!” “Don’t miss out on this once and a lifetime opportunity!” As one who firmly believes that if something sounds too good to be true, it is, I normally advise against getting too excited about these come-ons. In this case, however, the hype is reality. Four percent on a 30-year fixed mortgage is, in fact, a truly amazing rate—just 1 percent above historic inflation rates. If you haven’t explored this opportunity, I encourage you to do so. What I will warn you about—what is not too good to be true—is that the refinancing process involves significantly more than a flip of the switch from your current to a lower rate. The process can be downright grueling! Nevertheless, the end result will, in most cases, be worth the effort. Here is what you need to know. Before we get too far into the subject we need to make a distinction between loan refinancing and a loan modification. A modification is a restructuring of your current loan, which may involve reduction in principal, interest rates, terms, etc. Loan modification begins with a call to your current loan servicer (the people to whom you send your monthly mortgage payment). If you are in trouble on your loan, have missed a payment or two or more, this is going to be your primary and possibly only route to some sort of debt relief. Refinancing, on the other hand, is a process in which your current loan is completely paid off and simultaneously replaced with an entirely new loan. The new loan may or may not be originated, owned and/or ultimately serviced by the same companies as your old loan. Unlike a modification, if you have been delinquent on your current mortgage, you’re not going to qualify for refinancing, even through one of the more flexible
government programs such as FHA, VA or HARP (see below). Why not? Remember, this is a new loan, and why would anyone want to give you a new loan if you have failed to meet your obligations on your old loan? Refinancing will also be precluded if your credit rating is below 620 or your financial ratios (see below) are not even close to acceptable levels.
Why should you refinance?
The primary reason to refinance, expressed quite simply by Brian Neumann of Mortgage Network, is that mortgage interest rates are, indeed, at an all-time low—around four percent. Even if your current rate is five percent, which, at least historically isn’t bad at all, refinancing to four percent has the potential to save you thousands of dollars per year in interest. Another factor to consider is the terms of your current loan(s). If your current mortgage has a variable interest rate or has a balloon payment coming due in the next few years, refinancing into a 30-year fixed mortgage may be a great idea. It will certainly reduce the stress in your financial future.
Why not refinance?
Assuming you qualify to refinance, the end result must make bottom-line financial sense. There are lots of formulas and rules-of-thumb you can use to determine this, but, to put it as simply as possible, if you can at least recoup the cost of refinancing through future savings on mortgage payments, then refinancing makes financial sense. As Nick Kristoff, also of Mortgage Network, points out, this calculation is going to be different for everyone, because it depends on the interest rate spread between the old and new mortgage, the amount of time you expect to hold the new mortgage, and other factors.
Thanks to the new Dodd-Frank Consumer Protection Act and other consumer protection laws, your loan originator will give you a complete and binding list of all the expenses involved in refinancing your mortgage. These will include such items as a new appraisal of your property (the collateral for your loan), fees for the attorney doing the closing and numerous other charges including, perhaps, a loan origination fee. In some cases, these fees may be included in your new mortgage by increasing your loan amount; in others, the fees may be paid by increasing your loan rate. Assessing the bottom line can get complicated, but, in general, it will involve simply multiplying the interest rate difference between the old and new mortgages by your principal balance and then multiplying the resulting number by the number of years you expect to spend in your home. If the resulting number is more than the cost of refinancing, you’ve got a winner…maybe.
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Even if refinancing makes financial sense, is it really worth it to you? Using a seasoned mortgage banker or broker can help, but I can tell you from my own recent personal experience, refinancing is not for the faint of heart. While everyone’s financial situation is unique, be prepared to provide your most recent tax returns, every K-1, brokerage statement, W-2, etc. that went into those returns and significantly more financial minutia if you happen to be self-employed and/or own rental properties. Expect the whole process to take anywhere from 45 to 100 days or more, depending on the mortgage professional you use. (Do your research on this!) Only you can decide if the end result is worth the effort. Note: The refinancing process for FHA and VA loans is a super streamlined process, according to Kristoff. If you are lucky enough to have one of these loans, contact a mortgage pro and get moving on a lower rate!
Will you qualify for refinancing?
It helps to picture the qualification process as a three-legged stool. No matter how strong those legs are, the stool collapses if one of the legs fails. You have to pass all three of the following tests in order to qualify: Income ratios: Your total debt payments, which basically include every recurring monthly payment, including mortgages, auto loans, credit card bills, etc., cannot exceed 45 percent of your gross income. In calculating this ratio, the underwriter is going to use historical and verifiable information, which usually means your prior tax returns and supporting information such as K-1’s and brokerage statements. If you have been less than forthright on your self-employment (Schedule C or 1120S) income, this is, unfortunately for you, payback time. Credit scores: Although you may be able to refinance with a credit score in the
June 2012
What you need to
know
about
600s, you are going to need a score of 740 or more to qualify for the best rates. One note of caution here: The score you see on various websites may not be the true FICO score used by the mortgage industry. Your mortgage professional will fill you in on the details. Loan-to-value ratio: This must be no higher than 80 percent (i.e. a 20 percent down payment) to qualify for the best rate. Anything less will require mortgage insurance, an additional monthly fee that will be added to your mortgage payment until you reach the magic 20 percent equity figure. (Note: this fee will vary based on your credit score, loan amount and loan to value ratio.) Remember when the loan-to-value ratio used to be the only ratio mortgage lenders cared about? Now it’s the least important of the three although, as mentioned, you still must hit all three numbers to qualify for the best rate. Note: Refinancing is certainly possible with less equity; in fact, under the Home Affordable Refinance Program (HARP), even seriously underwater mortgages are eligible for refinancing if owned by Freddie Mac or Fannie Mae. Unlike loan modifications, you won’t be able to qualify for this program if you have missed a mortgage payment within the last six months.
Starting the refinance process
The gatekeepers of the mortgage origination process include mortgage bankers, mortgage brokers and banks. Banks and mortgage bankers (which are sometimes subsidiaries of banks) originate, underwrite and purchase loans; in other words, they control the entire process. They will more than likely sell your loan after closing, but up until then, it’s entirely their show. Mortgage brokers, as the name implies, guide you through the process, but other entities actually make the decisions on your loan. You’re going to have to choose one of these three to handle the process. Even though Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac will probably end up owning your loan, you can’t pick up the phone and deal directly with either of them. So which should you choose? Someone you know and trust and, in my opinion, someone local who understands the local real estate and general business market. Don’t hesitate to get a second opinion if the first mortgage professional you contact is negative about your situation. The refinancing profession is more art than science, and a hard-working, smart mortgage professional can work financial magic for you (Magic…not miracles). Under the Dodd-Frank duty of care provision, mortgage originators, including brokers and bankers, are now licensed and regulated and must pass an initial competency exam as well as complete continuing education requirements. You can verify a mortgage professional’s license through the National Mortgage Licensing Systems website.
A final word
I hate to show my age, but my first mortgage, in 1979, carried a whopping 10 percent interest rate. I purchased my second home a few years later with a 15 percent first mortgage and a 13 percent owner-financed second mortgage. I felt lucky at the time to get both of them. So, today’s four percent rate on a 30-year fixed mortgage does, indeed, strike me as an amazing opportunity. I encourage you to sit down with a mortgage professional whom you trust to discuss the possibilities. To comment or for more information, e-mail lewwessel@ hargray.com. june
2012
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M AY o r
Drew Laughlin Hilto n Head I sl and Photography By Anne
It Wasn’t Raining When Noah Built the Ark
H
ere we are on sunny, delightful Hilton Head Island, enjoying a quality of life measured by a menu of amenities the envy of many. We enjoy a sense of security, peacefulness, and serenity. And that is good. At the same time, we live on a barrier island along the East Coast, vulnerable to hurricanes that have devastated other coastal communities. While we do not possess the ability to change the risk of experiencing hurricanes and tropical storms, we do possess the ability to prepare for them and increase our ability to recover from them. Former Indiana basketball coach Bobby Knight was asked in an interview, “Why is it, Bobby, that your basketball teams at Indiana are always so successful? Is it the will to succeed?” He replied, “The will to succeed is important, but I’ll tell you what’s more important—it’s the will to prepare.” Too often, hurricane victims’ ability to recover and rebuild are hampered by the fact that they were not prepared to recover and rebuild. We can do better, and the tools do so are at hand. The Town of Hilton Head Island’s emergency reserve account, established many years ago so that funds would be readily available to begin recovery efforts should a storm occur, remains in place and strong. The ability this would afford to begin working immediately to restore our services, infrastructure and economy is a tremendous advantage. Another key to our ability to respond effectively and rebound quickly is you. Our residents and business community are our most vital partners, and the plans you make to protect yourself and your family, home, and business do more than safeguard your loved ones and investments. Your effort also truly assists in speeding our overall recovery and the restoration of our quality of life. To assist you in preparing, we are pleased to provide several resources and services: • The Citizen’s Guide to Emergency Preparedness folder is available at Town Hall, our fire & rescue facilities, and on our website (hiltonheadislandsc.gov/publicsafety/ citizensguideemergencyprep.cfm). • An Emergency Permitting and Repair/Rebuilding Guidance brochure is available at Town Hall and on our website (hiltonheadislandsc.gov/publications/brochures/ emergencypermittingbrochure.pdf). • Our free E-Subscription Service allows you to receive emergency alerts via e-mail or text. Subscribe for this free service through our website at hiltonheadislandsc.gov/ publicsafety/emergencyalerts.cfm. • Media releases and announcements will be issued frequently during weather events to keep you informed. These will be transmitted via our E-Subscription service as well as available on our website (hiltonheadislandsc.gov) and the recorded Hurricane Hotline (800-963-5023). Let’s all take a few moments to prepare in case Mother Nature has something other than a peaceful summer planned for us! 120
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M AY o r
Lisa Sulka B LU F FTO N Photography By Anne
In Support of Preservation
W
ith the recent approval of the demolition of the Graves House in Old Town Bluffton, I thought it appropriate to remind everyone who has an interest in preservation what we have done in the past in reference to our Old Town. We are in the process of reviewing our code to ensure that future requests will be handled much differently, and we are still hopeful that preservation will win out in the end. In 1996, the Old Town Bluffton Historic District was designated a National Historic District. The Church of the Cross is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Additionally, there are currently 86 contributing structures (updated in 2008) in the Old Town Bluffton Historic District. Contributing structures are locally designated significant structures 50 years or older and located within the National Historic District. In 2005, the Town of Bluffton was established as a Preserve America Community, a designation indicating the Town of Bluffton is committed to preserving and promoting its heritage and shares common goals of strengthening regional identities and local pride, increasing participation in historic preservation, and supporting economic vitality. In 2006, the Old Town Master Plan was adopted, which serves as a guiding document for future growth and preservation of the Old Town Bluffton Historic District and sets forth principals to protect the National Register Historic District. Over 100 implementation strategies were identified in the Old Town Master Plan. Many have been completed, and many more have been adapted into routine application reviews and other daily operations. Since adoption of the Old Town Master Plan, there has been significant private and public investment in the Old Town Bluffton Historic District. The estimated public investment is approximately $7 million, including streetscape improvements along Calhoun Street, May River, Bruin, and Bluffton Roads; improvements to Oyster Factory Park, DuBois Park, & Pritchard Park; creation/ implementation of a wayfinding signage program designed to promote the Old Town Bluffton Historic District; The Wharf Street redevelopment project; and expansion of sewer services. The estimated private investment is over $40 million and includes development of the Calhoun Street Promenade, Carson Cottages, Stock Farm, and Tabby Roads; new and expanding commercial businesses; restoration and rehabilitation of contributing structures including, but not limited to, Seven Oaks, the Pine House, and Preston Pottery; construction of the M.C. Riley Early Childhood Center; construction of new single-family residential structures; and hosting of many Old Town festivals. The Old Town Master Plan update presentation, which provides additional information on the growth of the Old Town Bluffton Historic District, is located on the Town of Bluffton website, townofbluffton.sc.gov, under “News and Announcements.” june
2012
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THE LOCALS INDEX YOUR TOOL FOR FINDING THE BEST DISCOUNTS IN TOWN
EATS SWEETS & SPIRITS Captain Woody’s, p. 46 Palmetto Bay Marina, 785-2400, See Ad For Details Catch 22, p. 63 37 New Orleans Road, 843-785-6261 See Ad For Details Chocolate Canopy, Ltd., p. 101 Palmetto Bay Rd, 842-4567 10% Off Non-Sale Items (with minimum purchase of $10)
HEALTH FITNESS & BEAUTY Mellow Mushroom Pizza, p. 70 Park Plaza, 686-2474 10% Off Old Fort Pub, p. 22 Hilton Head Plantation, 681-2386 See Ad For Details Palmetto Bay Sunrise Cafe, p. 29 Palmetto Bay Marina, 686-3232 10% Off Monday-Friday Phillys Cafe and Deli, p. 77 55 New Orleans Road, 785-9966 15% Off with your C2 Card
Coconuts Bar & Grille, p. 44 39 Persimmon Street, 843-757-0602 See Ad For Details
Sake House, p. 117 1017 Fording Island, Rd, F-105, 843-706-9222 See Ad For Details
CQ’s Restaurant, p. 25 Harbour Town, 671-2779 See Ad For Details
Salty Dog Cafe, p. 124 (Backcover) 843-671-CAFE, www.saltydog.com See Ad For Details
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Kingfisher, p. 70 Shelter Cove Marina, 785-4442 10% Off Food
SERG Group Restaurant, p. 47 www.SergGroup.com See Ad For Details
La Hacienda, p. 31 25 Bluffton Road, 815-4540 11 Palmetto Bay Road, 842-4982 See Ad for Details
Skillets Café, p. 31 Coligny Plaza, 785-3131 See Ad For Details
Los Jalapenos, p. 77 Hwy. 278, Bridge Center, 837-2333 20% Off Entire Bill (Lunch and Dinner) Main Street Café & Pub, p. 29 843-689-3999, hiltonheadcafe.com See Ad For Details Market Street Café, p. 110 Coligny Plaza, 686-4976 10% Off Entire Check
Sublime Prime, p. 35 163 Bluffton Road, Suite F, 843-815-6900 See Ad For Details The Big Chill, p. 45 6 Target Road, 843-714-2774 See Ad For Details Wild Wing Cafe, p. 43 Hilton Head - 843-785-9464 or Bluffton - 837-9453 See Ad For Details
Club Tan, p. 95 38-C New Orleans Road, 843-686-4826 10% Off For New Clients Comprehensive Family Care, p. 74 2 Greenwood Drive, Suite C, 843-341-3232 See Ad For Details Core Pilates, p. 33 The Courtyard Building, Suite 306 681-4Core (4267) See Ad For Details Dermatology of the Lowcountry, p. 66 689-5259, Offices on Hilton Head, Bluffton/Okatie/Beaufort See Ad For Details Faces Day Spa, p. 37 The Village at Wexford, 785-3075 See Ad For Details Heavenly Spa by Westin, p. 59 2 Grasslawn Ave., Port Royal Plantation 681-1019, See Ad For Details Sanctuary, The - A European Day Spa, p. 101 Park Plaza, 843.842.5999 See Ad For Details Shear Miracle, p. 31 6 Bow Circle, Suite A-4, 843-785-4333 50% Off Any One Service Stephens Pharmacy, p. 66 Pineland Station, 843-686-3040 See Ad For Details The Village Spa, p. 66 14 Johnston Way, Bluffton Post Office Complex 815-4811, See Ad For Details Weniger Plastic Surgery, p. 86 25 Clarks Summit Drive, Suite 104 843-757-0123, See Ad For Details
SHOPS BOUTIQUES & MORE Black Market Minerals, p. 15 Coligny Plaza, 1. North Forest Beach Dr., Unit 124, 785-7090 See Ad For Details Fresh Produce, p. 13 & 14 Coligny Plaza, 843-842-3410 10% Off Non-Sale Items with C2 Card GemJewelry, p. 63 Port Royal Plaza - HHI, 843-342-3663 See Ad For Details Great Frame Up, p. 110 22 Plantation Park Dr., Suite 108, 815-4661
See Ad For Details Jamaican Me Crazy, p. 59 Coligny Plaza 785-9006 10% Off Non-Sale Items with C2 Card Lowcountry Saddlery, p. 31 1541 Fording Island Rd., Suite 3, 837-8700 10% Off Your Entire Purchase Luciana, p. 105 37 New Orleans Rd., Suite C 686-5620, 10% Off Nash Gallery, p. 110 13 Harbourside Lane, 2H, 785-6424 See Ad For Details
Palmettoes, p. 42 71 Lighthouse Road, Suite.414 363-6800 See Ad For Details Smith Galleries, p. 27 The Village At Wexford, 842-2280 Smith Galleries' Rewards Program Tail-Waggers, p. 69 The Village At Wexford 843-686-3707 10% Off With CH2 Card
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Country Club of Hilton Head, p. 50 & 101 Contact Catherine daugherty at 843-681-2582, ext. 123 see Ad For details Covert Aire, p. 23 7 estate drive - Bluffton 706-5090, see Ad for details EAC, p. 21 76 Beach City road 843-681-3999 see Ad For details EnergyOne, p. 110 270 red Cedar street, suite 104 www.energyoneamerica.com see Ad For details Foundation reality, p. 4-5 www.hiltonheadrealestates.com www.Blufftonrealestates.com 686-4002, see Ad For details
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Interior Motives, p. 108 48 Pennington drive, suite e 843-815-6747 Call for your Free Consultation Island Car Wash, p. 121 hwy. 278, 785-9274, Kitties Crossings, 815-4666 - $5 off Gold Wash Lowcountry Motors, p. 109 www.lowcountrymotors.com 843-815-5100 see Ad For details Mattress Firm, p. 19 1172 Fording island road 837-FirM (3476), see Ad For details Window Fashions of Hilton Head, p. 113 30 d hunter road, 843-689-3990 Call for a Free Consultation
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www.celebratehiltonhead.com