CH2: Celebrate Hilton Head - August 2013

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT OBAMACARE, PART 1 TREBLE AY

” Alice Cooper to play at CELEBRITY GOLF TOURNAMENT

AUGUST 2013

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August 2013

August 2013

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FEATURES

CONTENTS

august 2013

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>> Features

Hilton Head Celebrity Golf Now in its 32nd year, Celebrity Golf remains focused on the original mission—helping the area’s disadvantaged children lead happier, healthier, more successful lives.

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Treble Jay An original sound that blends earthy blues-rooted influences with modern sonic embellishments.

P50 A Sea of Libations The Ladies of CH2 Go Bar Hopping The assignment: hit the water and visit the Hilton Head and Daufuskie Island restaurants and bars that can be reached by boat.

P56 Getting Back To School Bus schedules to budgets

P66 How to feel 20-Something at 30-Something Before Becca Edwards celebrated her 35th birthday, she had a mini freak out.

C2’s Pretty Products A few items we have in our arsenal

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The Branding of Bluffton How do Bluffton town leaders brand the nebulous, multi-faceted, and often indescribable qualities that make Bluffton a “State of Mind?”

Charlie’s L’étoile Verte Imagine an amalgamation of the quintessential American storyteller Ernest Hemingway and the legendary French chef Jacques Pépin. Add a deeply rich Southern soul and a mind filled like a vault loaded with gems, in the form of memories and tales, lessons and recipes, and you have Charlie Golson, founder and owner of Charlie’s L’étoile Verte on Hilton Head Island.

P82 The Thrill of the Hunt Consignment shopping on Hilton Head Island

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P86 What You Need to Know About ObamaCare : Part 1 If you are looking for a political discussion on ObamaCare, look elsewhere…we present “just the facts ma’am.”

>> Business profiles

42 Brooks Cobb Guitars Seeking Sonic Perfection

A Steady Course Prevailing winds for Pau Hana & Flying Circus

P62 Busy Bees Fly to B’s Kitchen B’s Kitchen is a progressive culinary concept where all it takes is a phone call and a brief stop to arrive home happy with ready-to-heat repasts minus the prep time and subsequent clean-up hassle.

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Live to Give Sometimes life gets a little weird >>> ON OUR COVER Alice Cooper will make a guest appearance on local golf courses for this year’s Hilton Head Celebrity Golf Tournament.

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WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT OBAMACARE, PART 1 TREBLE AY

P72 New Science BRCA gene affords proactive path

“NEED A TH

Alice Cooper 2011 © Ross Halfin / Wikimedia Commons / CC-By-3.0

” ALiCE COOPER TO PLAY AT CELEBRiTY GOLF TOURNAMENT

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August 2013

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08.2013

From the Editor

> The view from a tent can be just as stunning as the view from a four-star resort.

Publisher / Editor-in-Chief: maggie washo Art Director: Kelly stroud Art & Production Catherine Davies Advertising Sales: Ashton Kelley kim crouch Kandace wightman Executive Assistant Lily Bartell Hunter Kostylo Kaity Bennett Contributing Writers: kitty bartell lily Bartell Frank Dunne Jr. Rebecca Edwards

From Atlantis to a tent

R0bert Gilbert Courtney Hampson Drew Laughlin Meg Park MICHAEL PASKEVICH Pete Popovich Lisa Sulka Debbie Szpanka Lew wessel Contributing Photographers / Artist: Photography by anne Photography By john brackett Contributing Art Direction: Tom Staebler P.O.Box 22949 Hilton Head Island, SC 29925 843.689.2658 m.washo@celebratehiltonhead.com

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Last month I was lucky enough to join family friends on a trip to Harbour Island in the Bahamas. I spent a long weekend on pink sand beaches and at the famed Atlantis Resort where, if you sneeze, it costs you about $17, with 15 percent added gratuity for your convenience.

They say the key to a happy life is diversity in experience (I made that up), so for my next vacation, something completely different.

I will spend the first few days of August in the pristine wilderness of the Adirondacks in upstate New York.

In stark contrast to the California king bed at a four-star hotel, there will be a 10x15-ft. tent with an inflatable air mattress. Instead of a quick stroll to Starbucks to get a venti mocha cappuccino, there will be a 25-minute wait for the water to get hot enough over the fire to brew weak coffee (with the grounds mixed in for good measure) with powdered “milk” for creamer.

But wait, there’s more. For dinner, we’ll enjoy Uncle Matt’s Chicken Mush-Mush, a delectable mixture of chicken, rice and cheese

that is slowly heated in a large pot over a campfire until warm. It’s actually better than dinner at Nobu.

No, really. It is. Instead of swimming with dolphins, I’ll be dining with chipmunks and listening to loons call. Making s’mores around the campfire will replace gambling in the casino.

I can honestly say that I am just as happy in the islands of the Bahamas as I am in the mountains of New York State. Ultimately, no matter where you choose to vacation this summer, what it really is about is experiencing new things with the people you love. Make the most of your time together before the kids go back to school and the world gets back to work.

Safe travels to all.

See you in September!

M. Washo Publisher / Editor-in-Chief

August 2013

C2

A SERIES OF FORTUNATE EVENTS

Winner, Winner Chicken Dinner!

Residents from Indigo Pines head out to the Bluffton Chik-Fil-A for the “Dress Like a Cow Day” on Friday July 12.

You Did It! Technical College of the Lowcountry and the Greater Bluffton Chamber of Commerce celebrate the graduates of their Entrepreneur class in May. This class was a 12-week course taught to individual business owners to enhance their entrepreneurial business skills.

CH2 Bachelor Alumni Celebrates New Business Foster McCarl celebrated the new location of his business, Action Coach, with a ribbon cutting.

A Second Location Dr. A.G. “Skeet” Burris and Dr. Travis Fiegle are pleased to announce the opening of a second office, Winning Orthodontic Smiles, in Bluffton, South Carolina.

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August 2013

August 2013

Where’s the Fire?

Congratulations to Brendan D. Long who recently joined the Bluffton Township Fire Department.

Welcome to the Team Mary Haycock has joined The Alliance Group Realty.

August 2013

Congratulations!

Linda Hay, Registered Senior Client Associate, recently celebrated 30 years with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. She has been part of the Susan Ketchum Team for the past 21 years. She has also served on the National Client Associate Advisory Council to Management for the Southeast division.

A New Director for VIM Volunteers in Medicine Hilton Head Island (VIM HHI), now celebrating 20 years of healing, announced that Raymond L. Cox, MD, MBA, has joined VIM HHI as its new executive director.

Go Team USA Nick Russell of Hilton Head Island was one of 14 junior golfers to lead the International Junior Golf Tour’s Team USA to a sixth consecutive victory over the Canadian Junior Golf Association in the 11th Annual North America Cup, held at Weston Golf & Country Club in Toronto.

Way to go!

Dr. Liz Shelly of Palmetto Dental Arts in Bluffton recently received The Concept of Complete Care Dentistry Award from the prestigious Dawson Academy, recognizing her commitment to quality continuing education.

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.

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M A Y or

Drew Laughlin Hilton Head Isl an d

Photography By Anne

Our Numbers Game

I

am a baseball fan. As such, I like baseball statistics and numbers.

While the Town of Hilton Head Island’s budget statistics may not be as interesting as, say, Pittsburgh Pirate lifetime hitting statistics, nonetheless, as mayor, and on behalf of a hard-working Town Council and staff, I am duty-bound to convey to residents our budget figures, because it is important that you know what we are doing with your dollars. See our web page: www. hiltonheadislandsc.gov then click “financial dashboards.”

We have increased our services with no millage rate this year. Did you know that in 1994, 47 percent of our revenues came from property taxes, but that we have reduced that percentage to 27 percent? It’s true. In fact, for the average-priced home, you pay exponentially more in your annual cell phone costs than you do in annual town taxes. Town councils have made it a point to balance the costs of operating our beautiful island between visitors (2.45 million-at last count) and residents. Visitors pay what I would describe as “user costs” for the demands they place on our roads, beaches, pathways, parks and beach parks. That is fair. Many visitors pay accommodations and beach preservation taxes (short-term rental, hotel/motel) and hospitality taxes (prepared meals/beverages). That is fair.

Did you know ?

that in 1994, 47 percent of our revenues came from property taxes, but that we have reduced that percentage to 27 percent?

Our total consolidated budget this year is $65,834,327. This represents our General Fund (operating fund of the town for all financial resources except those required for capital projects and debt service as well as a proprietary fund), our Debt Service Fund (accounts for the accumulation of resources and the payment of debt of our governmental funds), our Capital Projects Fund (accounts for the financial resources used to acquire land and facilities and to construct and improve public facilities, including roads, pathways, fire stations and parks. It also includes beach management and monitoring), and our Stormwater Utility Fund.

Some of our capital projects highlights will include: park developments at a community dock on Squire Pope Road with dock and pier components and Chaplin Linear Park; new facilities at Coligny/Pope Initiative Area; pathways at Pembroke and Gardner Drives; roadway improvements at Leamington/ Fresh Market Shoppes; and beach management projects for an emergent issue named Ocean Point and early stages of the next major renourishment in 2015.

We developed our budget with the view of an improving island economy recovering from the economic recession. Our budget reflects Town Council’s adopted strategic plan. Going forward, we face challenges of increasing demands for services and facilities, and expanding our local economy.  20

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August 2013

M A Y or

Lisa Sulka B LU F FTON

Photography By Anne

Comprehensive Plan Assessment & Update

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ver the next six to nine months, town staff will be assessing each of the chapters of the Comprehensive Plan and recommending updates to the Planning Commission and Town Council. The Comprehensive Plan is a document created to guide the future growth and development of the community. A well-thought-out and executed Comprehensive Plan helps ensure that Bluffton remains a highly desirable community for residents, businesses, and visitors alike.

The Comprehensive Plan accomplishes this by setting forth goals, objectives, and action items that preserve and enhance the qualities of the community that the residents, businesses, and visitors consider important. These include, among other items, the following: • Providing a pattern for land use which will provide a sustainable community with a diversified tax base to support the desired facilities and services with reasonable tax rates.

• Providing a legal basis for zoning and other regulations for the type, intensity, and timing of development.

• Ensuring that, as development occurs, the most significant cultural and natural features are preserved or enhanced.

• Recommending improvements to the transportation system, including roadways that need upgrading, traffic management tools to preserve roadway capacity, access management standards, and non-motorized options.

• Addressing the desires and needs of residents, businesses, and visitors to preserve and enhance the community and its natural aesthetics.

• Coordinating land use recommendations with anticipated land use changes, infrastructure improvements, and surrounding communities.

Town Council adopted the current Town of Bluffton Comprehensive Plan five years ago, which in addition to being a best management practice, is in compliance with the State of South Carolina Comprehensive Planning Enabling Act of 1994, which requires local governments to assess and update their Comprehensive Plans every five years and adopt a new plan every 10 years.

Town staff has initiated the assessment process and is currently updating the population chapter with 2010 census data. The results of the assessment and any recommended updates will be presented in public workshops before the Planning Commission.

The first public workshop will take place in late summer or early fall. Please follow the Town of Bluffton website and social media pages for more information as it is available.

The current Comprehensive Plan can be found on the Planning & Community Development page at townofbluffton.sc.gov.  August 2013

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August

2013 Sunday

Monday

TueSday

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All Month long CrAFt Cove ACtivitieS

CrAbby enCounterS

MAgiC oF gAry MAurer

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6 &13

Mon & Fri Mon, Wed & Fri 12-1:30PM 9–10:30AM tues-thurs 12-3PM sea Pines Resort sea Pines Beach $15/adult, $10/child Club (843) 842-1979 (843) 842-1979

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sun.-FRidAy gregg ruSSell 8-9:30PM under the Liberty Oak tree In Harbour town greggrussell.com

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WedneSday

ShAkeSpeAre SuMMer FilM FeStivAl -August 26

At the salty Dog Cafe - Every Wed, thurs, and sun at 7PM & 8PM. Fun for everyone in the family!

nightly FireworkS At hArbourFeSt

First Presbyterian Church 7:00PM (843) 681-3696

shelter Cove Harbour 9PM. two shows (6:30 & 8:30) by shannon tanner at the gazebo and more!

All Month long

tuesdAys

Children’S MuSiC with AnnelizA At the salty Dog Cafe in the courtyard - Every Mon, tues, Fri & sat at 7PM & 8PM. All Month long

SuMMer JAMS 7:00-10:00PM Family friendly music and games! shelter Cove Park islandreccenter.org

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kidS’ ACtivitieS & FACe pAinting!

7 days a week! salty Dog Cafe (843) 683-6465

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bACk to the neSt! shelter Cove Community Park 4PM - 9PM All proceeds benefit HHIHs Athletics.

(843) 683-7204

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27 ShriMp City SliM At pAlMetto bluFF gates open at 5:00 PM. Concert begins at 6:30 PM. If you love blues and blues-based original songs brimming with vitality, real commitment, and a sense of humor, welcome to the world of shrimp City slim!

Proceeds benefit Bluffton self Help. Bring your own chairs. Food and beverage will be available for purchase (cash sales only) $25/car (load `em up!) at the gate.

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3-21 Fun tiMe with Albert the AlligAtor –August 19 Mondays; 5:30–7PM sea Pines Resort (843) 842-1979

6 7-9 bee geeS tribute bAnd- StAyin Alive Arts Center of Coastal Carolina 8:00PM www.artshhi.com

ThurSday

Friday

SaTurday

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the big Show the sOBA gallery on Calhoun st.

All Day Event Admissions: FREE (843) 757-6586

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lowCountry ghoSt StorieS sea Pines Resort Every thursday 8:30-9:30PM (843) 842-1979

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lowCountry FeStivAlwedneSdAyS on the wAter

gArden & gun FiShing rodeo Palmetto Bluff 4:00PM settle in at Palmetto Bluff and then head offshore in search of your big fish story. the two-day package of fishing and fun (and top-notch accommodations) will allow guests to experience the best of the Lowcountry (866) 706-6565

w@w All Day Village at Wexford Free weekly events fun for every family!

All Month long

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Shelter Cove FArMerS MArket Every Wednesday from 9AM-1PM

eVeRy thuRsdAy FArMerS MArket in old town bluFFton Every thursday 2:00-7:00PM Calhoun street

29&30 MASterS oF Motown 8:00-9:45PM Arts Center of Coastal Carolina tickets: $44 (843) 842-ARts

eVeRy sAtuRdAy live MuSiC by luke MitChell the Black Marlin 12-4PM (843) 785-4950

Windows on the Waterway 6-9PM Admission: $40 Adults/ $15 Kids 4yrs to 12yrs/ No Charge Kids 3yrs and younger Call (843) 689-7526 for Reservations

wedneSdAyS

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24 2nd AnnuAl 70’S & 80’S dAnCe pArty Hilton Head Beach & tennis 7:30-11:30PM (843) 689-4871

30-1 hilton heAd Celebrity golF tournAMent All Day Event hhcelebritygolf. com

31 29 run For ret 8:00 AM sea Pines Forest Preserve 5K run/walk, open to all levels and ages retfoundation.com FAMily FreShwAter FiShing tournAMent 9:00AM - 12:00PM sea Pines Forest Preserve $15/person including a fishing pole, or $10/person w/out a pole.

August 2013

A Line in the Sand

Photography By Anne

One subject. Two opinions.

Frank Dunne Jr.

Does everything really happen for a reason?

Is everything meant to be?

Courtney Hampson

F

unny you should ask, Courtney.

Those questions were very much on my mind when I received your e-mail. Of course, there’s a story…

Earlier this summer, Roommate and I took in a

young lady from Alabama (I’ll call her Ally to protect the innocent) as a houseguest. She didn’t know us, never intended to stay with us, and given the choice probably never

would have. She was here only because a house-and-dog-sitting gig for Roommate’s friends went a little sideways, so Ally and three rather amusing Pomeranians took up temporary residence with us.

I wasn’t about to object. Show me a damsel in distress, and I’ll show you the “S” on my chest, but I was a little uneasy about the arrangement.

You see, our vacant rooms are upstairs… where I live…meaning the poor thing, on top of an already bizarre situation for her, had to stay a few steps down the hall from some strange dude old enough to be her dad. Awkward. And I’m talking about me.

Imagine what Ally was thinking.

L

ast month Frank and I lobbed softballs at each other as we debated our favorite movie, which proved difficult for me.

I was devastated to later realize that I forgot Footloose. How could I forget Kevin Bacon?

Anyway, somewhere in the middle of the movie column, I drove a line drive right up the middle and tested Frank’s position on whether or not everything truly does happen for a reason.

His response, in a subsequent Facebook chat, was, “Yes, I believe there is a plan.” Ah, I’ve got him right where I want him now. If there is a master plan, why does bad stuff happen to good people? Why do planes crash? Why do mad men rush into schools and shoot

children? Why do dogs only live for a dozen years? Why? Why? Why? As luck (or the grand plan) would have it, this morning the Today Show had correspondent Kerry Sanders live in Florida at the trial of George Zimmerman. They showed a year-old clip from a Fox News interview in which George Zimmerman was asked, “Do you regret that you had a gun on you that night?”

Zimmerman’s response, “I feel like it was all part of God’s plan and I shouldn’t second guess it.”

Um, George…allow me to speak up for just a moment. Are you saying that God wanted you to have a gun, and as such, God also wanted Treyvon Martin

Frank Dunne Jr.

Apparently she was thinking, “No problem.”

Ally calmly settled into her strange surroundings and showed nary a hint that she felt anything but safe and secure. We all went to the movies, went out for pizza and did stuff like that. Roommate and I grew very fond of our new “little sister” in no time. “I really like having her here,” said she a few days into Ally’s visit.

“Yeah. Me too.”

Having never married and no kids of my own, I’ve never had that compass to guide my decisions and actions.

I don’t dare suggest that we became close friends.

Far from it. The right and proper course for me was to balance being friendly and welcoming with keeping a polite distance, and so I did.

There was time spent talking with her, though; and living in the same house over two weeks, you’re naturally going to gain some insight into a person’s character.

Smart, kind, thoughtful, wise beyond her years would all fit in the bucket of adjectives and superlatives I might employ to describe Ally, but they’d only be words. I’d rather just say she makes wherever she is a nicer place, and spirits flew higher than usual in this house while she was with us.

I’m a guy who has little if any faith in the youth of America these days, but Ally stopped that train dead in its tracks (for now at least) and prompted me to board another one of introspection.

Ally is nineteen years 26

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old, so it’s no stretch to imagine that, had I followed a different path, I might have a daughter about her age now. I wondered to myself, would my daughter be anything like Ally? I’d sure be proud of her. And then, would my daughter be as proud of her papa?

Having never married and no kids of my own, I’ve never had that compass to guide my decisions and actions.

Admittedly, stretches of adulthood have been spent flying with no compass at all, and thus, my current course could be a little straighter.

I just need to make some decisions and take certain actions, some of which I’ve put off…some of them for years.

Time came for Ally to return to her own life, her own dog, her own bed, her favorite coffee mug, and her plans for a transfer to The University of Alabama in the fall. We were happy for her but sad to see her go.

Coming home the first time to see Ally’s car gone from the driveway felt as empty as the parking space itself. To fill the void I made a call…one of those decisions I’d been putting off.

I don’t believe for a second that the confluence of events and circumstances causing my path to cross Ally’s when it did is as random as a coin coming up heads. I needed a messenger to smack me in the head and say, “Listen man! You’ve got to do this thing and you’ve got to do it now!” And there she was, without intention and without even knowing it. A higher power is at work here folks. Believe it. It is real.

Thank you, Miss Ally. Roll Tide!  August 2013

Courtney Hampson

Does everything really happen for a reason? You hear people say that all the time, almost as an excuse. You didn’t get the promotion you were gunning for? Well, everything happens for a reason. to die? I’m intrigued… and, I think you’re nuts.

The media is full of all kinds of juicy “it was meant to be” tidbits. A few years ago, CNN ran a story about a married Florida couple who discovered that they had crossed paths much earlier in their lives. Just before their wedding, the two were looking at old photos from the bride’s childhood vacation to Disney World. Upon further inspection, the groom realized that the kid in the stroller in the background of the photo was him! They met, face-toface, decades later and are now married.

Is that fate—part of the master plan? Or did their parents both happen to take advantage of the same summer special that Walt was running? And, is that fate? Or is it really just a small world after all?

Does everything really happen for a reason? You hear people say that all the time, almost as an excuse. You didn’t get the promotion you were gunning for? Well, everything happens for a reason. Your dog died? Well, everything happens for a reason. Your wife left you? Well, everything happens for a reason.

I do believe that euphemisms happen for a reason. You know, so that we don’t have to say what we are August 2013

really thinking, like: “You weren’t qualified.”

“He was 16 years old, and his ticker couldn’t take it anymore.”

“You’ve been sitting on the couch eating wings and sucking the sauce off your fingers for 10 years instead of looking for a job and she was sick of it.”

When a magical moment comes together and you just can’t believe your luck, do you question a higher power, look to the stars, and wonder how can it be that you just happened to be looking at the classified ads for a new vacuum, and a fly landed on the paper, so you rolled it up to swat the fly, and when you unrolled it, it was on a different page, and even though you were looking for vacuums you found a help wanted ad for your dream job, and then you applied, and you got the job. Wowee. Who sent that fly to your house to find you that job? Or, did you spill sweet tea on the coffee table and that is what the fly was attracted to?

I understand the belief in a higher power and I respect it. Hell, two months ago in this very magazine, I was wishing for “someone” to send me a message from my deceased dog Darby.

But, I also question whether everything happens for a reason, because that means that bad things happen to good people for a reason, and I can’t process that. I prefer to live with the belief that I will make my own destiny… bonus for me if someone else is actually looking out for me too!

My destiny right now?

Well, to school Frank in the way of the world, of course. www.celebratehiltonhead.com 27

OUR Town

h i lto n h e a d c e l e b r i t y g o l f ROBERT GI L BERT

Þ To register your team and buy event tickets, or for more information, visit hhcelebritygolf.com.

ALICE COOPER

ANTHONY ANDERSON

DENNIS HAYSBERT

t’s 1979, and shock rocker Alice Cooper is playing to sold out arenas, stalking the stage in leather pants, microphone in one hand and boa constrictor in the other.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the country, an ambitious group of Hilton Head Island residents is busy launching a celebrity golf tournament in hopes of raising a few dollars to support local charities.

Fast forward more than three decades, and a few things have changed. These days, Cooper spends his time stalking golf courses rather than stages. The leather pants have been replaced with plaid slacks, the boa constrictor with a nine iron. And the Hilton Head Celebrity Golf Weekend is now an annual Labor Day weekend tradition, with those “few dollars” totaling an incredible $3.9 million raised for well-deserving children’s charities around the region.

However, some things have stayed the same. Just

like Cooper remains a rocker at heart, Celebrity Golf remains focused on that original mission—helping the area’s disadvantaged children lead happier, healthier, more successful lives.

With one of the most impressive celebrity line-ups in the event’s history, Paul Smith, the tournament’s director, hopes even more area residents will take part in this year’s festivities in one way or another.

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“This tournament was started by the community, it has been sustained by the community, and it continues to benefit the community.”

“The community aspect is really what makes this event so special,” said Eddie Andrews, tournament board chairman.

“This tournament was started by the community, it has been sustained by the community, and it continues to benefit the community.”

In fact, as Andrews points out, the fact that the weekend event has been able to weather the difficult economic conditions of the past several years is a testament to that strong community support.

“Whether it’s fielding a team and enjoying the three amazing courses, sponsoring an event, donating to the foundation, or simply coming out and following our celebrities around the course, there are several ways for people to get involved,” Smith said. “And in order to encourage more area residents to participate in this year’s tournament and evening events, we have introduced special local rates.”

Along with Cooper, who will bring his impressive (really…

he boasts a two handicap!) golf game to this year’s tournament, a host of other celebrities will tee off on Friday, August 30, including Alan Thicke (star of TV’s Growing Pains), Anthony Anderson (Law & Order), Dennis Haysbert (24, Heat), Brian Baumgartner (The Office), celebrity chef Robert Irvine, and many more.

This year’s tournament will return to Palmetto Dunes Resort’s Robert Trent Jones Oceanfront course for Friday’s round, and will wrap up Sunday on Harbour Town Golf Links at The Sea Pines Resort. Making its tournament debut for Saturday’s round will be the Arnold Palmer Signature Course at Wexford Plantation.

“We’re excited to add Wexford to our weekend lineup,” Smith said. “We pride ourselves on offering an unparalleled golfing experience for our celebrities and players every year, and this year is no exception.”

August 2013

The Boardroom’s Boo-tiful Painting was stolen. Call with information 363-6636!

O’clock

It’s

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Mellow Mushroom (Bluffton)- Trivia Night (9PM)

Old Fort Pub- Happy Hour (5-7PM) The BoardroomJo Vicars (Every Monday Night)

One Hot Mama’sTaco Tuesday Begins at 5pm $2 Tacos and $2.50 Coronas

Kingfisher- Joseph the Magician (Every Monday)

Ela’s Blu Water Grille- LIVE Music (6:30-9:30PM)

Skull Creek BoathouseSunset Reggae Party $3 Red Stripes $4 Rum Punches Live music by Patwa (Every Monday Night 5:00-8:00PM)

Old Fort PubHappy Hour (5-7PM) The BoardroomCranford and Sons (Every Wednesday)

Charbar Co.Reid Richmond (Every Tuesday 6:30-9:30PM)

The BoardroomSin Night (Every Sunday)

Vineyard 55- Tom Aycock (Every Tuesday 7:3010:30PM)

Charbar Co.- Reid Richmond (Every Sunday 6:30-9:30PM)

Old Fort Pub- Happy Hour (5-7PM)

The Salty DogLive Entertainment (6-10PM)

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Wednesday

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Tuesday

Sunday

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Monday

somewhere!

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Truffles- Ladies Night Every Tuesday Happy Hour (4-Close) $5 Absolute cocktails $5 appetizers at the bar

Send your event/entertainment listing to c.davies@celebratehiltonhead.com

Charbar Co.Taylor & John (Every Wednesday 6:309:30PM) Giuseppi’s Pizza and Pasta, Bluffton (Kitties Crossing)You Call It Wednesdays From 4-6pm, any 1-topping large pizza is only $6. What time you call in your order is the price you pay. Order at 7:10, you pay only $7.10.

(Clock starts at 6pm.)

The Jazz Corner- The Earl Williams Quartet (8:00PM)

Ð

CALL A CAB 686-6666

KingfisherEarl Williams, Jazz & Blues

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Saturday

F

Friday

thursday

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Ela’s Blu Water Grille - LIVE Music (Starting at 8PM)

Ela’s Blu Water Grille - LIVE Music (Starting at 8PM) Gillan’s- Live Music on the patio with David Wingo The Electric PianoAugust 23: Scott Morlock & Dueling Pianos

HH Prime- David Bohn & Happy Hour (5-7PM) Ela’s Blu Water Grille - LIVE Music (Starting at 8PM)

Charbar Co.- Tommy Sims (Every Friday 7-10PM) The Boardroom-August 2: Treble Jay w/ Mckenzie Eddy August 9: Rowdy Cloud August 16: Btown Project August 23: Rowdy Cloud

Gillan’s Fresh Seafood & Oyster Bar- Live Music on the patio with David Wingo

Charbar Co.- Jason Damato & Derrick Ludaway (Every Saturday 9-12AM)

The Electric PianoAugust 22: Scott Morlock & Dueling Pianos

Vineyard 55August 3:Jim Harper August 10: Lauren La Point August 17: Glen Jacobs

Charbar Co.- Mike Bagenstose (Every Thursday 7-10PM) Vineyard 55August 1:Tommy Aycock August 8: Jeff Beasley August 15: Jude Michaels Wild Wing Cafe- Treble Jay The Boardroom- August 1 & 15: Rowdy Cloud August 22: Btown Project

The Electric PianoAugust 24: Scott Morlock & Dueling Pianos

The Jazz CornerAugust 2 & 3: Honoring the Music of Antonio Carlos Jobim with Vic Varner & Friends (8:00PM)

Hilton Head Beach & Tennis Resort-August 24: 2nd Annual 70’s & 80’s Dance Party! Music provided by Deas-Guyz Tickets $20/person To buy tickets call 689-4871.

(7:00PM) The BoardroomAugust 3: Btown Project August 24: Big B and the Stingers

 Golf Tips From a Pro

Pete Popovich, 2012 HHIPGA Player of the Year

How to Read Greens Photography by Anne

Y

ou could be the best ball striker in the world, have the most technically sound putting stroke and a custom-fit putter. If you do not know how to read the green, you will never be able to make consistent putts.

Many factors are involved in reading the green. Here are a few tips: Controlling distance To read greens effectively, you must control distance.

Approaching a putting green that has a significant side slope, most beginners hit the ball straight at the hole and usually 15-20 feet past. This happens because they have no concept of distance control, thus no idea how much break to play.

Recent studies have shown one of the most effective ways to learn something is through music. Tempo and rhythm are easily adapted if such a tempo matches the student’s internal rhythm. Through our research, we have found that using a metronome is the best way for golfers to learn distance control.

Metronomes can be downloaded as free apps on most smart phones or can be

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purchased at any music store. Set the beats per minute (BPM) to 76. The goal is to have your putter reach the top of the stroke at “tick” and impact at “tock.” Start with a 15foot putt and practice until you are matching your stroke to the beat. If you are consistently short, the tempo is too fast. Try reducing the BPM by one beat to 75. If you are consistently too long, increase the tempo by one beat to 77. Continue reducing or increasing the number until you find your number, then stick with it.

The tempo is the same for a three-foot putt as it is for a 40-foot putt. The difference on the shorter putt is that the distance the putter head travels is shorter and slower. On the longer putt, the distance traveled is longer and faster, yet both have the same tempo/ rhythm.

Aiming to the right spot Now that you have command of your stroke and can control the distance, you are ready to read the green. Reading the slope of the green is easy, but determining where to aim can be achieved in two different ways.

Players who are analytical find it beneficial to putt to points. These golfers can see straight lines as their

August 2013

 Knowing which way the grain of the grass is growing is an important factor when calculating how much break there is to your putt and how to play the shot.

brains work very well with points, lines and angles. They know how to aim at a spot left and short of the hole, yet stroke it firmly enough to reach the hole.

Creative and artistic-minded people typically see the entire path the ball will take to the hole. They see in curves and arcs as opposed to straight lines. It is beneficial for creative people to imagine the hole as a clock with 12 furthest away and 6 closest. Depending on the slope, they would see the putt falling into the hole at a “time.” For example, a right-to-left putt might be 4 o’clock and a left-to-right putt 7 o’clock. Creative people can then look at that “time,” and their subconscious minds will calculate how far to aim. You are either an analytical putter or a creative putter. You cannot be both.

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Reading the grain Knowing which way the grain of the grass is growing is an important factor when calculating how much break there is to your putt and how to play the shot. Bermuda grass, indigenous to the Southeast, has a strong grain, which can either aid or inhibit the ball from moving in a certain direction. To determine how the grain is growing, look at the hole and notice where the wear marks are. If the left side of the hole is worn, the grain is growing to the left and will alter the putt by pulling it in that direction. If the hole is worn on the far side of the hole, it is down grain, and the putt will be faster. If the wear marks are on the side of the hole closest to you, you are into the grain and the putt will be slower.  If you would like to know more about how to read greens and become a better putter, contact the GPA-HHI by calling us at (843) 338-6737 or e-mailing pete@golfacademyhiltonhead.com.

Follow us on Facebook at Golf Proformance Academy-Hilton Head, YouTube at GPA Hilton Head or Twitter @GPAHHI.

August 2013

Three Guys Named

> John Ruxton and Jesse Watkins

T

reble Jay is in the house, a Hilton Head pizza house to be precise, and the rock band’s three founding members are sharing mid-day slices and background about their lives and an original sound that blends earthy bluesrooted influences with modern sonic embellishments.

From left, there’s inventive percussionist John Ruxton, whose claim he’s from Hardeeville is offset by an obvious Irish brogue and knowing smile.

He left hometown Dublin in 1994, toured for an extended and inebriated time with bands out of New York City and, “like every other person on this island, first came here on vacation then went home and saw four lanes of traffic on both sides of me.”

Ruxton and wife Deborah settled here in 2004, opened a self-named painting and interior design company and set to work on raising a family that now numbers two.

Jesse Watkins played golf and guitar growing up outside New York City, but it was the former skill that brought him south almost 25 years ago; he’s now a wellrespected pro at the club at Long Cove.

Watkins kept playing music, of course and, via the usual unplanned connections, ended up firing out memorable leads for The Mundahs, a talented rock trio that became local legend in the 1980s and beyond while touring cross-country and coming close to a big-time commercial breakthrough. (The Mundahs still play advance-sellout reunion shows every few months at the Big Bamboo).

Then there’s John Cranford, a bearded Wisconsin boy of Norwegian descent whose regular visits as a kid became permanent after his mom “bought a little condo in Shipyard and I came down with no clear intentions beyond getting some money in my pocket.” He toiled at subsequent food and beverage gigs and worked on his music, one night in 2008 wandering into another (and nowdefunct) pizza parlor where Watkins was hosting an open mike night. Cranford’s debut was raw and unpolished.

(and Phil Sirmans)

> John Cranford

“He showed up in tight pants, a wool vest and one of those Wisconsin stocking caps, and his (guitar) pedals were nailed to a piece of plywood,” Watkins recalled with a laugh, “but he had a certain tone and it was obvious that he was into doing something original. His voice and his sound drew me immediately.” Watkins joined Cranford for a few numbers that evening, and ensuing sessions cemented a personal connection that helped develop an organic sound that employs minor keys and open tunings, slowly unfolding and hypnotic rhythms and brooding lyrics sometimes delivered awash in autotune technology.

Drummer Ruxton joined the fray by way of Internet inquiry and was quickly taken by an alternative approach that

granted him fresh-born freedom. “I’m able to get away from the usual pop-rock patterns which can be a bit boring,” he said, “and now I can keep things more spare and airy. I used to be a lot busier player, but this is about finding new tones.”

Likewise, guitarist Watkins says his learned style is changing. “For me, this band is not about playing a lot of notes, but concentrating more on (repeating) signature riffs that enhance the overall mood,” he said.

Cranford has witnessed his own admittedly primitive skills grow stronger, thanks to time and Watkins’ tutelage.

“I couldn’t really play the guitar,” he admitted, “but Jesse has shown me so much and taught me other things like how it’s important to have good gear and to take care of it.”

Article By Michael Paskevich // Photography By Anne

The trio made its debut at an area dive, adopting the Treble Jay moniker at the last second by pooling the opening letters of their first names, while making equally subtle reference to a musical notation about higher frequencies and the band’s lack of a bass player. Fill-in bassists were later enlisted and one of them, Will Snyder, will handle mixing of a second album due later this fall on Cranford-founded Swampfire Records.

Another friend and bass player, Phil Sirmans, was recently called upon to augment upcoming studio work and live performances with musicians who have an ever-growing bond.

“They are like older brothers to me, and we’ve become a family that really enjoys being together,” said Cranford, who at age 28 gives way by decades to a pair

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of more seasoned cohorts. “We’ve really found our sound, and the new album is going to focus on material that’s always changing, getting fuller and getting better.

We know each other now and never worry about trying new things and taking chances. We’ll work on the same riffs for hours, and there’s nothing like looking each other in the eye and capturing the feeling we get playing together live.”

Meanwhile, one of Cranford’s side projects, the Rebel Americana-styled Cranford & Sons, has become one of the hottest touring acts in the Southeast, with non-stop gigs that find the front man and company on the road from here to Atlanta for consecutive nights on end. His Treble Jay cohorts couldn’t be happier, having endured their own touring rigors and bids for mainstream success. For now they’re

content watching a little brother grow up and find his own way amid an increasingly commercially driven market that favors easy hooks and party-hearty cover tunes.

But Treble Jay isn’t buying into contemporary hype, fashioning a sometimes dark and still- emerging original sound that’s breaking barriers about playing the same old songs for boozy bar patrons. Smarter venue owners have taken note, and the band’s upcoming bookings include a slew of island engagements, among them an August 2 engagement at The Boardroom that will find the trio backing progressive jazz/triphop singer and Swampfire Records label mate McKenzie Eddie.

The pizza is long gone. Watkins is due back on the golf course and Ruxton has house painting to do. Cranford, sounding suitably ragged after 17 nights on the road with Cranford & Sons, will return to tireless duties promoting his varied projects. “At the end of the day, it’s still a business,” he said, “but this band is the core, and I don’t foresee us ever stopping. The other stuff helps pay the bills, but what we’re doing together is art for art’s sake.”  Treble Jay’s August Schedule: • August 2 at The Boardroom with Mckenzie Eddy • August 8 at Wild Wing Cafe

August 2013

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Seeking Sonic

P

A r t i c l e B y M i cha e l P ask e v i ch

erfection

B

rooks Cobb builds hand-crafted custom guitars in a secluded shop not far from Old Town Bluffton, and his ongoing quest for perfection begins literally from the ground up.

“I’m always looking for the perfect cut of wood with tight grain, and there’s just not that much of it around these days that hasn’t been affected by pollution,” said Cobb, who imports high-quality slabs of maple, spruce, walnut and even rare Koa from Hawaii for his creations. “What I’m offering is more like a Stradivarius (violin) where, hundreds of years ago, the wood grain was tighter and free of impurities; that’s where you get the resonance and playability.”

Cobb was born in California but traveled widely growing up, spending time in Europe and competing in lacrosse and downhill skiing before a broken back derailed his desire to pursue college athletics. He also played guitar and recalls a woodworking instructor building a primitive stringed instrument as a class project. Cobb, who still cherishes the classic sounds of Jeff Beck and Jimi Hendrix, knocked around with various bands while majoring in music and architecture at a liberal arts college in upstate New York.

Business has grown to the point that Cobb can consider hiring an apprentice at his quiet and climate-controlled workshop.

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He pursued independent studies building and restoring vintage guitars, met a furniture maker who helped hone his skills and later found steady work in construction to pay the bills. But the selfdescribed “seeker” hadn’t found his true calling yet, ending up in Alaska where he ran sled dogs before grabbing a gig repairing guitars in Anchorage. “I started working on hundreds of guitars and began thinking about coming up with a guitar that’s jazz-inspired and has ultimate playability,” Cobb said. “Orders kept coming in, and after a few years it became all about doing custom work.”

Brooks Cobb Guitars was founded in 1996, and the proprietor moved to Bluffton last September to be closer to family.

He now spends hours best measured in triple-digits on each guitar, sawing, crafting and steam-shaping each creation to precise standards for serious players and collectors who want the best. Prices start at $1,800 for basic bolt-neck guitars and swell from there based on specified wood choices, styles and electronic needs.

“These are really acoustic instruments to begin with and the electronics come later,” he said. “They are classically inspired so they have the aesthetics, and the handbuilt design gives them the perfect tone.”

Professional musicians have found Cobb via website marketing and crucial word-of-mouth, many starting out with basic repair and restoration of guitars that can take a beating on the road. “The industry joke is that musicians have $5,000 guitars and drive them around in $500 cars,” Cobb said with a smile. “They value their instruments more than anything else, and I have some faithful guys who end up bringing their friends to me.”

Players soon realize that Brooks Cobb can also build their dream guitar, customfit to every desire. Business has grown to the point that Cobb can consider hiring an apprentice at his quiet and climatecontrolled workshop. “People can call me and I’ll meet them for a cup of coffee and discuss what they need,” he said. “There are so many choices, and it’s all about the details.” 

For more information or to make an appointment, call Brooks Cobb Guitars at (843) 505-1426 or visit brookscobbguitars. com.

August 2013

Southern soul with a French drawl



Charlie’s I Article By Kitty Bartell Photography By Anne

magine an amalgamation of the quintessential American story teller Ernest Hemingway and the legendary French chef Jacques Pépin. Add a deeply rich Southern soul and a mind filled like a vault loaded with gems, in the form of memories and tales, lessons and recipes, and you have Charlie Golson, founder and owner of Charlie’s L’étoile Verte on Hilton Head Island. Spending time with Charlie and his daughter Margaret Golson, learning about the restaurant’s Lowcountry-French history, a bit about the family, and some about the family home in Bluffton, likely revealed only the skin of the peach. It would require many more hours, quite possibly several bottles of wine, and the mental dexterity of a puzzle genius to piece it all together. However, distilling all the parts of that day, left me with a warm feeling, much like skillfully distilled whiskey.

How do you say warm fuzzy in French?

<

Charlie and Nancy Golson with their children (Margaret, Palmer and daughter-inlaw Marty) and grand children on the porch of their “haunted house” on the May River.

L’étoile Verte “We’re uniquely local,” Margaret said. “My dad is from Savannah. My brother and I were both born and raised here, even before there was a hospital on Hilton Head—we were born in Savannah. We grew up in Bluffton on Myrtle Island.

My parents still live in the same place.” Charlie’s Lowcountry roots tap deep. As a child, he played on the May River and tells of the “haunted house” that captivated him, and in which he and his wife Nancy raised their children and still live today. “I would tip-toe by the abandoned house. All you could see were three chimneys. Wisteria had enveloped the entire building and we tip-toed along the edge of an old dock. We would look back, and all you could see were three chimneys, and we said, ‘that’s a haunted house.’”

How the three chimneys and the “haunted house” became

the Golson’s homestead began in the 1960s when a man from Savannah purchased the property, pulled down the vines and modernized much of the property. “It was a river house that sat up on piers with lattice work. He put beautiful Savannah gray brick around it; made it look like quite a nice house,” Charlie explained. The property remained in other hands until the 1970s when it was purchased by the Golsons.

Consisting of three un-insulated (to this day) small houses connected by a huge screened porch, the Golsons made it through those first cold, damp, winter nights, sleeping with four blankets and a dog—quatre des couvertures et un chien.

“It’s a fun house. The middle house is the living room and the kitchen. There’s no other house like it in Beaufort County,” the patriarch said with amusement.

Greeted by an inviting Lowcountry porch, guests have the option of dining in the country Frenchinspired dining room, or in the bar where a new lighter-fare menu has been developed by Margaret and is overseen by Jeff Mix, long-time, beloved bartender known for his cocktails and for handing out Hershey kisses.

The two side houses are bedrooms that mirror-image each other, each with a fireplace and chimney. According to Margaret, “The chimney in the middle house is really unique, made out of granite bricks,” and is larger than the other two. With grout that looks like thick rope, Charlie says that his brother, a Savannah historian, has discovered that it matches the masonry work on a chimney in an historic civic clubhouse in Savannah. Thirty-one years after opening Charlie’s L’étoile Verte, Charlie and Nancy (creative genius behind, and owner of Eggs ‘n’ Tricities in historic Bluffton), continue to enjoy their Myrtle Island “haunted house,” where there are still plenty of blankets, dogs, children, and grandchildren—just no ghosts… as of yet.

Opened in the winter of 1982, Charlie’s L’étoile Verte was the Southern salute to the little family-run French restaurants where Charlie ate during his time in France in the early 1970s, including the restaurant’s namesake L’étoile Verte in Paris. “I ate in so many cute little restaurants that were mom-and-pop operations, and maybe even the kids came in and helped. They were all very small,” Charlie said. With a chalkboard menu that changed in response to the best fish, meat, poultry, fruit and veg available each day, the original Charlie’s was the incarnation of several mentors and a desire to cook and live well.

One of Charlie’s first restaurant jobs was in Savannah at the Chatham Club, a private club where lunch was served during the week, and dinner on Fridays and Saturdays. They hired a French chef, and Charlie said, “I was the only one who was dying to learn how

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August 2013

In 2001 Charlie’s L’étoile Verte moved from its original cozy spot to its current home on New Orleans Road where the building literally speaks of its dual personality.

to make everything… without a recipe. Chef would say, ‘Okay, tomorrow we’re going to have chicken and puff pastry shells.

Get out the butter, get out the flour, get a pound of this, two pounds of that,’ and he made puff pastry in two days… from scratch!” Speaking a little bit of French, a little bit of Gullah, and English, Charlie was the natural translator in the kitchen where, in one year, he came to realize he wanted to cook for a living.

In 2001 Charlie’s L’étoile Verte moved from its original cozy spot to its current home on New Orleans Road where the building literally speaks of its dual personality. Greeted by an inviting Lowcountry porch, guests have the option of dining in the country French-inspired dining room, or in the bar where a new lighter-fare menu has been developed by Margaret and is overseen by Jeff Mix, long-time, beloved bartender known for his cocktails and for handing out Hershey kisses. It feels like you’re coming home. At the time of the move, Charlie and Nancy’s son Palmer set aside his career in forestry and joined the kitchen staff as chef, arranged the kitchen to accommodate his style of cooking, and has been on board ever since.

With a degree in Italian and a palette to be envied, Margaret is the restaurant’s wine buyer, assembling an awardwinning cellar. There were crates and bottles of wine stored in every nook of Charlie’s, and Margaret knew, “I needed to put together a wine list and start taking care of it because it had gotten out of control.” According to Charlie, “Margaret became the only person in the whole building who could do everyone else’s job.” And according to Margaret, when she is away, or when it gets really busy, they call on Marty Smith, Palmer’s wife, who according to Charlie, “Can walk into a disaster and organize it perfectly.” Further expanding the family, Margaret is getting married in October to Chris Pearman. Chris proposed in France on a trip that included a visit to the original L’étoile Verte. Who knows? We just may see him in the family business as well.

It seems Charlie has managed to recreate the spirit of the original L’étoile Verte—family and fabulous French-inspired food—all with a Southern soul. It’s hard to tell if this was planned all along or if the pieces of this crazy puzzle just fell into place by happy happenstance, but I’m willing to sacrifice a bottle or two of wine to figure it all out. And by the way, if you’re at Charlie’s L’étoile Verte and you get that warm fuzzy feeling, simply say, chaleureuse and merci.  Charlie’s L’étoile Verte is located at 8 New Orleans Road, Hilton Head Island. Open Monday through Friday for lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., and for dinner Monday through Saturday from 5:30 p.m. until. Reservations are recommended. (843) 785-9277. For more information, visit charliesgreenstar.com.

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Steady Course A

Prevailing winds for Pau Hana & Flying Circus

q Article By Kitty Bartell

I

t is relatively easy to pick them out in a crowd. Honey-tanned weathered skin, the good kind of deep wrinkles that come from years of squinting into the wind and sun, knotted hands from holding tight to the sheets (those are ropes to the uninitiated), salt-stained boat shoes, and an amused twinkle in their eye. It’s as though they know something the rest of us have yet to learn; and that’s because they do. Sailors have found Shangri la, and if they are fortunate enough to take the tiller on a regular basis, or make their living hoisting a sail, there’s good reason for that twinkle.

Jeanne Zailckas and John Passaloukas have been making a life and a living sailing out of Palmetto Bay Marina for 25 years on their two stunning catamarans, Pau Hana and Flying Circus. Each bringing their talents and passion for sailing to their sailing charter business has made for a special kind of marriage. Jeanne’s path to the sea has seen several incarnations, including marketing, sales, and acting, while John’s journey began in his homeland of Greece.

“Everything I’ve done in the past, combined with John’s phenomenal expertise both with engines and sailing knowledge has made it a good mix.” Jeanne Zailckas August 2013

“I have done all the marketing, reservations, and sales. Everything I’ve done in the past, combined with John’s phenomenal expertise both with engines and sailing knowledge has made it a good mix,” Zailckas said. “It’s been fun.”

Experiencing the Lowcountry from the deck of a sailboat is an entirely therapeutic adventure, and Pau Hana and Flying Circus never disappoint. The double-hulled design of these catamarans makes for a more stable sailing experience with less heeling, while still providing loads of fun. Pau Hana, at 53 feet long and 26 feet wide, sets sail with as many as 43 passengers and plays host to every imaginable event, from family outings to anniversaries, birthdays, bachelorette parties, neighborhood events, reunions, and even weddings. Guests are welcome to have their events catered or may bring their own food and drinks.

Flying Circus is a GT Stiletto racing catamaran, meaning she’s lighter and faster than Pau Hana, offering a sailing experience that’s a little closer to the water. “She covers a lot of area,” said Zailckas of this 30-foot, six-passenger boat.

Whether on Pau Hana or Flying Circus, learning a bit about the Lowcountry from an on-the-water perspective is a special part of the experience. From watching dolphins tail slapping to learning about the tides from a sailor’s viewpoint, “It’s wonderful to give people the experience of being out on the water, and giving them some knowledge about being there,” Zailckas said.

Zailckas and Passaloukas have had a special vantage point from the helms of Pau Hana and Flying Circus, watching kids grow up over the years when their families take their annual sailing excursions. “There have been so many memorable moments, and guests from all around the world,” Zailckas said. It could be that these sailors have a twinkle in their eye because of the sun or the sails or the prevailing winds, but it just may have a little something to do with all the memories made and one-of-a-kind days shared at sea.

Jeanne Zailckas and John Passaloukas

For more information, please visit Pau Hana & Flying Circus Sailing Charters at hiltonheadislandsailing.com or call (843) 686-2582. www.celebratehiltonhead.com 47

shelter cove marina

Libations: The Ladies of CH2 Go Bar Hopping Article by Lily Bartell On this island of beauty and allure, not enough residents of Hilton Head Island experience all that this place has to offer. Islanders often get stuck in the day-to-day rut of work, family, and responsibility, while forgetting about the natural artistry that surrounds the island they call home.

Needless to say, this “nose to the grindstone” attitude traps everyone at one time or another, but here we have the luxury of getting away from it all right in our own backyard.

After nearly eight years of hard work, the CH2 ladies did just that—got away for the day. Our assignment: hit the water and visit the Hilton Head Island and Daufuskie Island restaurants and bars that can be reached by boat.

With cooler in tow, the girls and I started our adventure at Skull Creek Boathouse where we boarded a beautiful vessel captained by Grant Kaple along with his wife Jennifer, the perfect first mate.

Stop number one was Shelter Cove Harbour, including San Miguel’s, Kingfisher Seafood & Steak House, Bistro 17, Ela’s Blu Water Grille, Scott’s 48

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Fish Market Restaurant, Parrot Cove Grill & Bar, and Little Venice Restaurant & Lounge, all with exceptional ambiance, wonderful views, and delectable food prepared by some of the best chefs on the island.

Due to our early arrival, most of our potential destinations were not open; accordingly, we decided to make our first stop at San Miguel’s. The girls’ mission was to sample the restaurant’s ever-famous and refreshing margarita.

shelter cove marina San Miguel’s

Lily Bartell, designated writer

shelter cove marina San Miguel’s

As designated writer, and being only nineteen years of age, I watched them enjoy their cocktails. Along with the festive flair of San Miguel’s came a beautiful view, savory Mexican cuisine, and a variety of cocktails that were a hit with our party. Every boater should visit Shelter Cove Harbour if only to sample a few drinks.

As we boarded our craft, we headed to Up the Creek Pub & Grill. This stop was a quick decision on Grant and Jennifer’s part due to the

typical tropical afternoon storm headed our way.

Thankfully, their timing was impeccable as it started to pour just as our heads ducked under the restaurant’s awnings.

We didn’t let the rain put a damper on our day as the girls ordered up the restaurant’s signature drink, a Long Island Iced Tea, a few beers from their vast selection, and appetizers for the group to share.

The Long Island Iced Tea lived up to its spiked reputation and was sipped with care by all August 2013

With cooler in tow, the girls and I started our adventure at Skull Creek Boathouse where we boarded a beautiful vessel captained by Grant Kaple along with his wife Jennifer, the perfect first mate.

As we boarded our craft, we headed to Up the Creek Pub & Grill. This stop was a quick decision on Grant and Jennifer’s part due to the typical tropical afternoon storm headed our way.

Broad creek Marina Up The Creek Pub

the girls during our visit. Adding to the pub’s charm, dollar bills with funny notes written on them were taped to the walls, pillars, and the ceiling. The walls were painted with riotous colors, creating a fun Lowcountry feel. Tying it all together, the staff treated us with the classic Southern hospitality we all know and love.

As the rain subsided, our group went back to the boat and navigated through choppy waters to Black Marlin Restaurant and the Hurricane Bar, famous for their specialty Hurricane drink and frozen daiquiris. The outside bar is perfect for guests dining at Black Marlin, but also for August 2013

guests who only want the bar experience. There is plenty of shade for sticky summer days, with loads of atmosphere when it cools down and the drinks start pouring a tad faster, making Uncle Kracker and Kenny Chesney’s song “When the Sun Goes Down” a blissful reality.

The girls tasted the fruity Hurricane and frozen daiquiris

from the bar. The drinks were well-received, and to-go cups were exactly what were needed to keep the party rolling along.

Another perk of the Hurricane Bar and Black Marlin is that they take call-ahead orders for food and beverages that can be taken away by boat— perfect for those days on the water when chips and beer is not enough.

So far, everyone was having a brilliant time, and as the sun started to peek out from behind the clouds, we decided to make our way to Harbour Town to visit the Quarterdeck before heading off to Daufuskie for dinner. The

boat ride into Harbour Town Marina is easily one of the most scenic in the area. With the gorgeous water, the 18th green at Harbour Town Golf Links, and the iconic lighthouse, one would be hard-pressed to find a view more representative

Palmetto Bay Marina Black Marlin Bayside Grill - Hurricane Bar

of Hilton Head Island. Grant brought us dockside and we made our way up to the Quaterdeck’s patio where pineapple and mango cocktails were sampled—the perfect treat to hold everyone until dinner… or so they told me!

Our final stop was Marshide Mama’s Café on Daufuskie Island. After a smooth 30-minute ride, we parked at the dock, arriving just www.celebratehiltonhead.com 49

Harbour Town Yacht Basin The Quarterdeck

in time to see Marshide Mama herself eating dinner with friends. We were greeted like family, and our drink orders were taken. A few of the girls ordered the bar’s specialty drink, the Marshide Mama, which included a mix of rums and citrus juices. It was the ideal drink to top off a day full of flavorful, fun, and fantastic beverages… or so I hear!

would be that life gets in the way; but every now and then, everyone needs to get away for the day, drink a cocktail, and experience the Lowcountry as it was meant to be enjoyed… I can’t wait to be 21!

Although we had every intention of making it to each bar and restaurant on the water, weather and time limited our

Beaufort County public dock Marshide Mama’s Café

The restaurant’s menu, written on a chalkboard, is updated every day and passed around from table to table, lending charm and a sense of community. We enjoyed fried fish and grits, burgers, and fish fresh from the water, while soaking in every ounce of Marshide Mama’s.

For the trip home, we all sat in the front of the boat and listened to music, enjoying the sea breeze blowing through our hair one last time. This trip was a fun, bonding experience, allowing each of us to experience what Hilton Head Island has to offer from a waterfront perspective.

On our final leg back to Skull Creek Boathouse, I found myself wondering why I don’t get out to enjoy everything the island has to offer. Usually my answer 50

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Perfect evening at Marshide Mama’s Café August 2013

ambitions. Here is a list of the information for all the bars and restaurants we visited, as well as the ones we saved for our next day off.

Thanks Grant and Jennifer!

Happy Boating!

1 Skull Creek Marina Skull Creek Boathouse 397 Squire Pope Road Hilton Head Island (843) 681-3663 Charthouse 2 Hudson Road Hilton Head Island (843) 342-9066 Hudson’s 1 Hudson Road Hilton Head Island (843) 681-2772

2 Hilton Head Harbor Marina Sunset Grille 43 Jenkins Island Road Hilton Head Island (843) 689-6744

Scott’s Fish Market 17 Harborside Lane Hilton Head Island (843) 785-7575 Bistro 17 17 Harbourside Lane Hilton Head Island (843) 785-5517 Little Venice Restaurant & Lounge 2 Shelter Cove Lane Hilton Head Island (843) 785-3300 Parrot Cove Grill & Bar 13 Harbourside Lane Hilton Head Island (843) 341-3500 San Miguel’s 9 Shelter Cove Lane Hilton Head Island (843) 842-4555

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6 Palmetto Bay Marina Black Marlin Bayside Grill 86 Helmsman Way #103 Hilton Head Island (843) 785-4950 Palmetto Bay Sunrise Cafe 86 Helmsman Way Hilton Head Island (843) 686-3232

7 Harbour Town Yacht Basin The Quarterdeck 149 Lighthouse Road Hilton Head Island (843) 842-1999

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Ela’s Blu Water Grille 1 Shelter Cove Lane Hilton Head Island (843) 785-3030

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3 Broad Creek Old Oyster Factory 101 Marshland Road Hilton Head Island (843) 681-6040 4 shelter cove marina Kingfisher 18 Harbourside Lane Hilton Head Island (843) 785-4442

5 Broad creek Marina Up The Creek Pub 18 Simmons Road Hilton Head Isle (843) 681-3625

Daufuskie Island

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9 Freeport Marina Old Daufuskie Crab Company 1 Freeport Rd, Daufuskie Island (843) 342-8687

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8 South Beach Marina The Salty Dog Café 232 S. Sea Pines Drive Hilton Head Island (843) 671-2233

10 Beaufort County

public dock Marshide Mama’s Café 15 Haig Point Road Daufuskie Island (843) 785-4755

August 2013

Bus schedules to budgets

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Article by Kitty Bartell

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The preschool and elementary years he absolute best part of going back to school, for me, was Security and predictability are the watch-words for the toting my newly purchased school supplies to school and preschool through elementary years. Even if you have a seasoned arranging them in my very own personal hinge-lid desk. Lining third grader who has been through this several times, children up my pens, pencils, and crayons—tolerating the years when the adapt better to their new classroom, new teacher, and new eight-pack was required, and humming with delight when it was environment if they have a pretty good idea of what to expect the 64-pack with the built in sharpener. The fresh bottle of pure and how to handle the unexpected that will inevitably arise. white Elmer’s glue nestled beautifully next to the red plastic ruler, First, and foremost, make it fun. If you are grousing about the manual pencil sharpener, the Scotch tape, and the mini box of the expense of supplies and uniforms, finagling the car pool Kleenex tissues. Everything was in order, and I was in heaven. Of lane, or deciphering the bus schedules, your child will feel that course, this bliss lasted only a few short elementary school years, tension immediately. Without the help or presence of your little until we began moving from room to room, and teacher to teacher pupil, spend some time mapping out and researching what your for our various classes. Which meant we were now assigned a child will need to start the school year; then include him or her locker that, in theory, would be our “home base” for books, supplies, in the fun of getting it all together. Getting your child’s input and jackets; however, it was never quite the same as those desks picking out pencil boxes and sneakers or practicing catching that contained those run-of-the-mill school supplies, along with the bus is much more rewarding than a child freaking out with baseballs, hair ribbons, contraband bubble gum, yoyos, treasured the thought of standing alone on Spanish Wells Road, waiting cartoon valentines, and any number of paraphernalia that spoke of for a school bus that might have already passed by. No matter our true personalities. I’m a bit like Tom Hanks in the film You’ve how cool and collected your child appears, he or she is likely to Got Mail when his character Joe Fox e-mails his anonymous online be at least a little nervous. friend, played by Meg Ryan, “I would send you a bouquet of newlyThe National Association of School Psychologists has a few sharpened pencils if I knew your name and address.” Some of us never sound recommendations get over the thrill of going for laying the groundwork back to school, and getting for a great start to the ready is the best part. school year. Visit school Preparing your child with your child. Call ahead and yourself for a new to make sure the teacher/ school year takes on various teachers will be available incarnations, depending on to introduce themselves the ages of your children to your child. Visit the and the type of school classroom, lunchroom, etc. they will be attending. and give your child plenty Naturally, each child and of time to ask questions. every grade level will have Also, at least one week different requirements; before school begins, however, school prep can be establish a bedtime routine effectively divided into three that includes turning off the tiers: preschool through television to allow for some elementary years, middle This year’s tax-free shopping weekend in South Carolina quiet time to ease into a and high school years, and is August 2-4. DEFINITELY PUT THAT ON YOUR CALENDARS! good night’s sleep. the college years.

The middle school and high school years Setting achievable expectations will make for a great start to the school year for middle and high school students. The pace really ramps up during these years, and getting your child on board and sharing the responsibility for what is required will set him or her on a positive path. First, assign your child with the task of visiting the school’s website and researching what is required for the coming school year. As with all tasks, set a deadline, and then do not do the parent flake-out and forget to follow up! Just a reminder, for a while you will need to follow up on everything you ask of your child. It will may seem like double the work; however, over time, you should see some improvement and may ultimately be able to send your child off into the world, (i.e. college or the work force) with some degree of confidence that he or she may actually survive.

On the school’s website, look for uniform policies, school supplies required for specific classes, athletic requirements such as physicals, team try-outs, and practices, school-required paperwork, parking policies for those who will be driving to school, and summer reading and assignments (hopefully these have already been completed). Both you and your child will learn a great deal more about the school and what it means to attend by completing this project.

Be sure you and your child each have a calendar, and begin by both of you writing in all the school holidays and special events—always have something to look forward to!

Then make necessary appointments such a sports physicals, dental, vision and hearing exams, and write them down. Next, be sure to block out any time needed to complete summer reading or assignments. Add sport and club practices and meetings. Finally, schedule some fun: a day at the beach,

block out any time needed to complete summer reading or assignments.

going uniform shopping, buying supplies and a new backpack, or just a “kid’s choice” day where your child chooses something fun as summer’s last hurrah. Hmmm … I’m thinking zip lining, or kayaking, or a movie, or bowling…

Another assignment for your child is to read all the sale circulars in the newspaper and check out available coupons, including those found online. This year’s tax-free shopping weekend in South Carolina is August 2-4. Definitely put this on the calendars! It is a great opportunity to work as a team, save some money, and get uniforms (required in all Beaufort County Public Schools, along with most private schools), clothing, accessories, footwear, school supplies, computers, and computer equipment, all in one weekend. Score!

Finally, plan a special family dinner following the first day of school to celebrate the launch of a great year. Setting the expectation that day-one is going to be a positive one and that the year ahead is going to be successful will put your child in the proper mindset to succeed, whether in kindergarten or twelfth grade. Remember, you do not need to be Julia Child or to assemble all the grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins (although that’s nice too). Simply gather together around the kitchen table, a booth at giuseppi’s, or a picnic table at Crossings Park to talk about the successes and challenges of the day.

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The college years Security, predictability, and achievable expectations extend from the early school years all the way to helping your college-aged child launch a new year on campus. Encourage your child to take full responsibility for researching the school’s website for information related to starting a new academic year. This should include information about housing, move-in schedules, class schedules, where to get books and supplies, dining options, parking requirements, university-required paperwork, health exams, athletic team requirements, schedules, and practices, and fees and payment schedules. Of course, you will need to go back over every detail with a fine-toothed comb to check facts, dates, and fees. Be assured that your child is getting better at this, but mistakes at the college level could be very costly.

Clearly set expectations about how much money your child will have to spend on a weekly or monthly basis while away at school and what will happen if he or she runs out.

Opening a joint account at a local bank, along with an account where the campus is located is most convenient for everyone and can help expedite fixing financial hiccups.

I recently heard someone say, “While in college, live like a college student so that when you get out of college you no longer have to.”

Getting back to school is anticipated with great enthusiasm by some and with trepidation by others. With preparation and teamwork, parents have the power to create a solid foundation for an outstanding year. My parents must have been very good at this, because I still buy new pencils and rosy-red rubber erasers when I visit the office supply store as the school year approaches. My desk may not have a hinged lid, and I may never again receive a cartoon cut-out valentine with an embarrassing limerick about love; however, I will always have a bouquet of newly sharpened pencils to celebrate the new school year.

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Article By Michael Paskevich Photography By Anne

Busy Bees Fly to B’s Kitchen

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fter a long day of working, hosting visitors or even just chilling on the beach, there’s no need to sacrifice a hand-crafted meal to reward yet another deserving effort. Enter B’s Kitchen, a progressive culinary concept where all it takes is a phone call and a brief stop to arrive home happy with readyto-heat repasts minus the prep time and subsequent clean-up hassle.

Tucked inside the well-established headquarters of Celebrations Catering and Events just off Marshland Road, B’s Kitchen offers a fresh retail twist on traditional take-out for folks who value both their time and health. “This is kind of a spin-off to reach out to people by offering fresh locally prepared items,” said Andy Borgmeirer, executive chef of both newly arrived B’s Kitchen and the parent catering company that’s been a Hilton Head Island mainstay since 1996.

“We do small-batch cooking from scratch and then freeze it to have it ready for pick-up,” he added. “It’s the same high-quality food that we buy from our suppliers for our high-end weddings, only in smaller individualized servings (4-6 people), using local products wherever possible and no preservatives.

All they have to do is follow the cooking instructions, and after they’re finished they don’t have a big mess to deal with.”

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“We do small-batch cooking from scratch and then freeze it to have it ready for pick-up.”

Borgmeirer credits his father (Roger) for the idea of extending his kitchen skills beyond the flow of more formal onetime events catered by Celebrations. So the younger Borgmeirer created a menu of entrée favorites, including Grandpa’s Meatloaf and Aunt Lynn’s Stuffed Shells, plus side orders and desserts made ready for retail. The “B’s” moniker also makes rightful marketing reference to a clientele of “busy bees,” too busy for lingering cooking sessions.

“We’ve had moms stopping by with their kids on the way home from soccer practice,” said Molly Kennedy, a principal in B’s Kitchen in addition to her ongoing duties as Celebrations catering director. “Other people are picking up food for those who’ve been in the hospital or just had a baby. They stock up the freezer for them so they don’t have to worry about cooking. We’ve also been selling gift cards that people are giving to their neighbors, friends and teachers.

“You just call up and we’ll have it bagged and waiting for you,” Kennedy added, noting that dishes can be thawed in advance for people planning to enjoy them the same evening. “There are no preservatives in any of our food, so you’re not getting prepackaged (commercial) food that’s usually so high in sodium.”

Big sellers include Chef Andy’s creamy chicken pot pie and thick-layered lasagna with Italian sausage. The convenience is

matched by a comfortable cost that works out to just a few dollars per person, with entrées starting at less than $20. Customers have also called on B’s Kitchen for selections of side orders such as corn soufflé or molasses baked beans to round out their home-cooked entrées or to pick up cowboy cookies or a key lime pie for dessert.

B’s Kitchen recently expanded its market-style offerings to include seasonal salads and a “create your own” menu, plus family meal options that include all the trimmings. All orders are packaged in containers for easy re-heating that further eliminates post-meal clutter. Phone-ahead orders are processed weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and walk-ins are always welcome at B’s where everything is prepared in a wellequipped modern display kitchen.

“We have many items readily available if people want to buy them a la carte,” Borgmeirer said, “and we’re always excited when people stop in and we get to show them around and tell them what we do.

Using high-quality ingredients makes for a high-end product, and all you have to do is enjoy your meal.” B’s Kitchen is located at 12 Capital Drive (Capital Business Park), Hilton Head Island. Orders and pick-up are available 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday. For more information, call (843) 785-1185 or visit wecelebrateyou.com.

August 2013

S o m e t i m e s L i fe G e t s a L i t t l e We i rd

Living to g i v e

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his is a story of Biblical proportions. It does not, however, involve anything as dramatic as the parting of the Red Sea or the raising of the dead. It is a classic tale of brokenness, redemption, and service, magnificently manifesting as love, creativity, and even a bit of weirdness.

If the Bible is on your list of preferred reading, you may already know this, but one of its many authors, the Apostle Paul, wrote a great deal about being a servant of God. Had he known Deb Copeland, he would most certainly have written about her. Paul identified a topfive list of what it takes to serve the Lord well: 1) be a thankful servant; 2) be a prayerful servant; 3) be a submitted servant; 4) be a giving servant; and 5) be a humble servant. From the outside looking in, it seems Deb Copeland has lived several lives, with each one bringing her closer to fulfilling Paul’s top five.

Brokenness came early in Copeland’s life, experiencing abuse as a child, and in her early teens being left as the sole caregiver for her dying mother after her father abandoned the family. Following her mother’s death came a period filled with, “baggage, pain, and confusion,” fueled by alcohol and drugs, she said. Eventually coming out of the fog, Copeland says, “I woke up one morning and said to God, ‘If you’re really real, it’s time to help me out of here.’ So I stopped all the nasty habits, and from that point on I was a Christian and served God.” While her focus shifted and her heart for service grew, her passion and drive created a multimillion-dollar temporary staffing company, which she later sold.

Ever the workaholic, Copeland then founded a business consulting firm that effectively kept her on a speaking tour for 25 years, during which time she and her husband were raising six children; she wrote two best-selling motivational/spiritual books, and lived a fast-paced, high-profile life. Okay, you’re saying, I see the brokenness and the redemption, what’s next? Then the wheels really came off, when over the course of several years, Copeland was diagnosed with lupus, had a series of minor strokes, and a brain tumor. It took health issues to slow Copeland’s pace long enough to hear what God was calling her to do: serve.

At age 50, Copeland knew she had to go to work for God, 100 percent, all in. Founding the Christian non-profit, Live to Give—A God Thing, she now had a place for her God-given gifts of love, creativity,

A r t i c l e B y K i t t y B a r t e ll

and dogged determination to take root and grow.

“I turned 50, and I really had a revelation with God. That is if I was able, through His grace and His help, to make the kind of money I had made, and to do the kind of things I had done, with a very limited education and zero support, then maybe from 50 on, I should just work for Him. So I made a pact with God and my husband, that from 50 on, every penny I made on the speaking tour, on the books, whatever, would go to Him,” Copeland said.

Writing a third book was only the beginning. Even before founding Live to Give, Copeland and her husband Don Lucci had already said yes when asked for help by a pastor in Kenya for a group of street orphans, who now have a school to attend. Copeland says that Kenya was where God began showing her who her neighbors were and how she could serve.

Always prayerfully searching for ways to serve, one of Live to Give’s early fundraising projects continues today and has inspired others along the way. Helping to clean out a friend’s home several years ago, Copeland

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Dr. Michael Szynski and live to give founder Deb Copeland at the live to give gallery open house and lemonade social.

began thinking about excess, and how refurbishing excess might benefit others. Inspiration struck gold when she had the idea to refurbish donated jean jackets, embellishing them with fabrics and trims and reselling them to help feed the hungry and homeless.

“It seems like everything I get involved in through Live to Give—and I don’t think it’s an accident—is pure Christ. It gives on both ends. Some of the ladies who make the jackets have been seamstresses their whole lives, but maybe they’ve never been acknowledged. There are smiles on their faces and they are thrilled to have just been appreciated,” Copeland said.

All of this creativity has culminated in Copeland’s latest outlet, the Live to Give Gallery on Hilton Head Island, where Gail Mooney, a fellow Hilton Head Christian Academy mom, manages and serves. Copeland says of Mooney, “There’s nobody like her.

For every weakness I have, she has a strength; we do different things. Her heart is really in it.” One hundred percent of the profits go to assist those locally who are less fortunate.

In addition to finding a darling jean jacket, Copeland has artfully assembled a gallery of gifts and furniture not to be missed. On the heels of the jean jacket success, Live to Give Gallery is holding a “Chair-ity” auction on Monday August 26 from 5 - 7 p.m. Artists and crafters are invited to donate a transformed (decorated, painted, personalized) chair. All entries will be displayed from August 24-26 and entered in a silent auction. Also, coming in January 2014, is Sweets for the Soul, where local chefs and restaurateurs will compete for best dessert, with proceeds benefiting Live to Give and the local community.

One of Copeland’s passions is “teaching kids the oldfashioned values of what we should be doing: putting Christ first.” Holding a weekly meeting of the Weird Club (named by the members, not Copeland), where primarily middle school kids are invited to play, eat, pray, and listen to speakers who support the idea of walking right with God. “Be weird in a God way,” Copeland explained. “If you don’t drink and don’t smoke, the kid sitting beside you is going to think you’re weird, and they’re not going to have anything to do with you. You might as well be prepared for that battle and stand up against it and say, ‘It’s okay. I’m weird and I know it. I’m fine with it.’”

I believe the Apostle Paul would say that Deb Copeland is serving well. 

Live to Give Gallery is located at 4 Southwood Park Drive, Suite #3, Hilton Head Island. They are open Monday through Saturday 10 a.m.-3 p.m., or by appointment. For more information, call (843) 715-0617. Books by Deb Copeland include Attitude Therapy, Good Morning… Good Night: 99 Days to Your Spiritual Recovery, and Face to Face with God. August 2013

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30 “something” writer Rebecca Edwards with her girls Ransom, Ruth and Camelia.

How to feel 20-Something at 30-Something A week before my 35th birthday, I had a mini freak out. Here’s why: When I would say “35,” to myself or to others (when prompted what big eminent number I was turning on June 13), I felt like I was mouthing the number “35,” yet the distinguishable, audible sound that my ears and others heard was “40.”

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he disconnect was unsettling, and as a fighter by nature, I decided to fight. So, I dedicated the seven days leading up to the three-tothe-five to feel not so three-to-the-five. In the process (chronicled below), I met some awesome anti-aging assistants and came to a powerful, climatic conclusion about birthdays—and no it’s not your grandfather’s

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old and somewhat dark jest that, “birthdays are great; it’s the alternative that’s not.”

Day 1 (June 7): I woke up with a yogic mindset: “Okay, let’s meditate and see if I can get my head around agelessness.” I was not so successful on this one, but an interrupting cat on my yoga mat might have been part of the problem—plus it was

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time to get the kids up, dressed, and ready for camp.

What did help was setting up an antiaging attack game plan. Hilton Head Island is home to some great spas: Ahh Green Spa, All About Me, Faces DaySpa, Fountain Spa, Island Medical Spa, Le Spa, The Sanctuary, and Serendipity Medical Spa—just to name a few. Then

there are holistic providers like Greg Schenkel (massage and Jin Shin Jyutsu) and Susan Hacket (cranial sacral therapy) at Jiva Yoga Center, Dr. Kelley LeBlanc (Kelley Chiropractic and Wellness), Molly Tomiczek (cranial sacral, energy healing, and massage therapy) and Jeanie Kelley (Rolfing) at Island Soma, and Peter West (acupuncture) at The Hickey Wellness Center—again, just to name a few. It was time to make some calls.

Day 2: I had met Jennifer Wolfe, MS, CSCS, CPT-PMA, owner of TrueFit Pilates and Training Center, while doing her Burn at the Barre certification.

Since her undergrad days at Western Illinois University, Wolfe has dedicated her life to nutrition, physical therapy/training, and staying youthful “first and foremost mentally” and physically.

“I don’t allow my TrueFit clients to use age as an excuse,” Wolfe said. “I’ll accept physical limitations, but not age. For the most part, we can do anything we set our minds to at any age and at any stage.”

Wolfe, who just joined the three-to-the-five crowd, was not as forlorn as I was on or since her birthday.

She believes a positive attitude (which entails

laughing with friends and not worrying about your age, among other things) is critical to feeling happy, healthy and, yes, young at heart.

“I would also say rest, too, even though I suck at it,” Wolfe added.

Wolfe, who is a dedicated mother of two young boys, wife and business owner (and thus does not sleep), also confesses to “momnesia,” (mom plus amnesia).

To counteract momnesia and other age-related afflictions, she has spearheaded a few youthreclaiming options which I quickly grasped. I started with TrueFit’s threeday catered cleanse (which equal $10-12 a meal). Wolfe and Tisha Chafer, a.k.a.

Green Smoothie Girl, take the guesswork out of jumpstarting a revved-up metabolism and giving your kidney and liver a muchneeded break. A typical day on the cleanse includes a veggie and fruit smoothie for breakfast, “massaged” kale salad for lunch, almond butter with organic celery or apples for snack, and a black bean and quinoa stuffed roasted red pepper for dinner. Everything is as locally grown and organic as

August 2013

How to feel 20-Something at 30-Something possible, measured out, labeled as to what date/time to consume, and preserved in Be Green Packaging (a Hardeeville company).

Day 3: I continued the TrueFit prepared meals. I also finally received my first two turn-back-theclock spa treatments: The Sanctuary’s bioslimming body wrap and age reducing facial.

The Sanctuary has been in business for 16 years, and owner Lisa Murphy has been rejuvenating her clients for over 25 years. “Of course I want people to feel pampered here, and they do,” Murphy said.

“But our treatments are more than just about pampering. We want people to leave here with long-lasting

results.” And I did.

After the bioslimming wrap, I lost one inch from my thighs, waist and stomach and had smooth, cellulite-free legs. The process was relaxing as Murphy applied aromatic and skin tingling creams and gels. Then I spent 30 minutes in the Alpha Environmental Capsule, which is like going back into the womb.

As if I could feel more relaxed and youthful, Murphy finished the time-warping treatment with a cooling cream that made my skin feel downright giddy. Next, I felt the years fall away with my facial. This skin-plumping-o-rama included a collagen mask and enzyme peel on the hands, face and décolleté. (When I got home my husband said,

“Not bad, for 35,” to which I replied, “Not bad for 25.”)

Day 4 & 5: Still on the TrueFit diet and feeling the effects of the bioslimming (I lost two pounds from both), I explored my energy therapy and fitness options. I enjoyed a cranial sacral session with Susan Hackett, who focused on a long-running and ageinducing neck injury.

I pledged to exercise one hour a day, five days a week by buying fitness packages at Jiva Yoga Center, Core Pilates, and TrueFit (for barre classes). On Day 5 I did a once over makeover at Faces DaySpa. I got my eyebrows tinted, my eyelashes tinted and shaped, and an express

manicure and pedicure.

The combination of services proved to be inexpensive and transformative. When I saw a fellow mom in the grocery store, she commented, “You look so rested!”

“Ha,” I responded. “I haven’t slept in years, but thanks!”

Day 6: This is the day my husband took my anti-aging campaign to a whole new level.

He booked a cottage at the Inn at Palmetto Bluff and scheduled a 90-minute massage for me, dinner at the Canoe Club and gourmet s’mores on the lawn. When we got back to the room, I soaked in a lavender bath and slept like a fully-satiated, pampered baby.

Day 7 (June 13, a.k.a. the Big Day): I returned home and hugged my daughters Ransom (six), Ruth Love (four) and Camellia (two).

I had given my body and mind enough recharge time to be operating on full bars.

I felt rejuvenated, in part, because of my treatments, but owe most of my newfound vibrancy to taking time for myself, establishing a new personal wellness plan and enjoying my family.

My take away harked back to something Jennifer Wolfe said to me in her interview. “If someone throws out a negative about their age, I will always come back with a positive.

Age truly is just a number.” 

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Article By Kitty Bartell

> BRCA is the designation for the breast cancer gene that has received so much media attention of late, thanks in part to actresses Christina Applegate and Angelina Jolie.

New Science BRCA gene affords proactive path

Femininity can express itself in many fabulous ways. Does the sale rack at your favorite boutique make your heart beat a little faster? Do increased income projections at work inspire you to make a rewardyourself-purchase in the form of a new Spartina 449 bag? Can your hairstylist predict your relationship status based on the cut and 72

color you select? Does your doctor know your BRCA gene status?

I hear some mental wheels screeching to a halt. Does my doctor know what?!

BRCA is the designation for the breast cancer gene that has received so much media attention of late, thanks in part to actresses Christina Applegate and Angelina Jolie.

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Like something out of a science fiction movie, the terms gene mapping, cancer suppressor, and prophylactic mastectomy raise questions and fears.

You ask, “What does all this Sci-Fi have to do with me and my feminine fabulousness? Possibly nothing at all; however, should you be one of the approximately 10 percent of all women who will be diagnosed with hereditary breast cancer, it is the cutting edge of what could keep you fabulous and protect your family’s health at the same time.

“We’ve seen such a change in our understanding of breast cancers. When I started my career, one in 11 women got breast cancer; now it’s one in eight. For female children born today, it’s going to be one in seven,” said Dr. Virginia Herrmann, local surgical oncologist specializing in breast cancers. “For a long time, breast cancer patients were all treated pretty much the same. In 1994 and 1995, scientists discovered the BRCA gene.”

Following 18 years on the faculty of St. Louis University’s medical school, Herrmann joined Washington University, where their genetics program and cancer center afforded her the opportunity to consider the genetic component in both diagnosis and treatment of patients.

“It was a natural carryover,” Herrmann said of joining the Medical University

of South Carolina, where she continues her work combining genetics with cancer surgery and treatment.

So just what is the BRCA gene?

“Everybody has the BRCA gene.

It’s really a cancer suppressor gene—we have lots of cancer suppressor genes,” Herrmann explained.

“When the BRCA gene has a break or mutation, it doesn’t function properly, so it increases your risk for breast and other cancers.”

A mutation in the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene increases the risk of breast cancer to about 87 percent and increases the risk of ovarian cancer between 27 and 40 percent. Further, breaks in the BRCA1 gene may manifest in early onset, more aggressive, harder to treat breast and ovarian cancer, while breaks in the BRCA2 gene are associated with male and female breast cancer, melanoma, melanoma of the eye, pancreatic cancer, and prostate cancer.

Herrmann explains that the BRCA gene mutations are passed on equally to males and females; if either parent has the gene, the likelihood of passing it on is 50/50. The main reason the focus has been on breast cancer is that “women are more likely to get breast cancer due to the estrogen in their August 2013

August 2013

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bodies,” she said.

With a basic knowledge of the BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene, it would seem like a no-brainer to visit your doctor and ask for the test to determine if you have the anomaly. Not so fast. Digging into your genetic fingerprints and learning what they mean for the future of your life—the one that may have been going along rather fantastically—has significant implications for both you and your loved ones. It is not to be taken lightly or

August 2013

without professional guidance.

“We consider it wrong to do genetic testing without some counseling initially,” Herrmann said. “If the test is positive, I tell the patient that this is a gift, because now you have an insight into what you can prevent, and you can increase surveillance for you and your family members. If the test is negative, you may still have a gene; it’s just not one of these two genes.”

In addition to genetic counseling, a history

Photography by John Brackett

“We’ve seen such a change in our understanding of breast cancers. When I started my career, one in 11 women got breast cancer; now it’s one in eight. For female children born today, it’s going to be one in seven,” Dr. Virginia Herrmann.

Dr. Virginia Herrmann

of family cancers is mapped to assess the possibility of cancers being hereditary versus sporadic where there is little or no family history.

Once a patient has been counseled and has tested positive, the real decision-

making begins. The options may include prophylactic surgery, a long-term course of medication, or surveillance.

BRCA2-positive Beaufort resident Becky Woods had a long and detailed family history of cancers that helped make her

decisions relatively straightforward.

Cancer of the breast, colon, prostate, and bone has touched the lives of or ended the lives of at least 10 of her family members. As a wife of 17 years and mother to two boys, ages 11 and 8, these were the driving forces

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BRCA gene affords proactive path

behind her decision to have a prophylactic hysterectomy in October 2011, followed by a prophylactic mastectomy and breast reconstruction beginning in January 2011.

“As soon as I got the result, I saw Dr. Herrmann and we got the ball rolling.

She was the one who wanted me to have the hysterectomy first. It’s just so hard to detect ovarian cancer. I had a little more time with the breast than the ovaries, so let’s just nip that one in the bud first,” Woods said. Despite the inevitability of her decision, it was never a simple or easy road; however, she had a great deal of support along the way. “You hear people say that they are afraid to find out. With my family history, I was never afraid.

I just wanted to know. I felt

August 2013

like I needed to know,” she said, adding that her husband and family were supportive throughout the entire journey.

Joining FORCE (Facing Our Risk of Cancer Empowerment), a nonprofit related to supporting people and affected by hereditary breast and ovarian cancer, has been a source of empowerment for Woods.

FORCE was instrumental in the June 2013 Supreme Court decision prohibiting patents on naturally occurring human genes. Woods knew this meant that genetic testing would be more widely available and would encourage research.

“It helps our children and our children’s children by knowing that one day cancer is going to be eliminated,” Woods said. FORCE also

provides opportunities to participate in studies and research, and Woods’ DNA is part of a database available for research as well. “If researchers have their way, cancer will be a thing of the past,” she said.

Taking ahold of your future and protecting

it with all the science and medicine available may not sound demure or feminine.

However, facing your own genetic lottery and taking the bull by the horns and wrestling him to the ground before he has a chance to pin you down sounds like a whole lot of fabulous girl power. 

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Branding a town is a tough task. Branding Bluffton is even more challenging. How do Bluffton town leaders brand the nebulous, multi-faceted, and often indescribable qualities that make Bluffton a “State of Mind?”

W

hat makes this branding task even more complex is that Bluffton is a potpourri of contradictions. It’s rustic and laid-back yet has Palmetto Bluff, one of the world’s most upscale resorts and residential properties.

Bluffton boasts of its natural beauty and recreational opportunities of the May River. Sometimes described as the “Key West of the Lowcountry,” Bluffton is also the first non-metropolitan town in South Carolina to establish a business incubator.

The Don Ryan Center for Innovation, a partnership with Clemson University’s Institute for Economic and Community Development, is now providing a template for other towns to cultivate technology and knowledge-based business start-ups.

Combining the “Salt Life” with cutting-edge innovation is a difficult visual. While the Town is many things to many people, one common theme keeps emerging from its residents. There’s a big love for Bluffton. Whether someone was born here or landed here from the Northeast, Midwest, or other points in the South, those who have attended the public branding sessions are all singing different notes of the same love song.

How do you capture and cultivate this love for a town, the abstract “State of Mind” of Bluffton and the Town’s many qualities into one brand? A committee of Bluffton community and business leaders called in the experts.

The Branding Task Force selected and hired Charleston-based advertising experts, Rawle Murdy, to find a branding direction through the jungle of attributes

that make up Bluffton. Branding Bluffton is one part of the Town’s campaign to direct its destiny as an economicallydiverse area, while holding onto its unique flavor of being one of the last coastal villages of the South. The process is expected to take about six months as town leaders, researchers, social media experts and advertising executives listen to many audiences about what attracts or distracts people from coming to Bluffton as a resident, tourist or business owner. Accommodation tax proceeds will underwrite the project.

To ensure that as many people and opinions as possible are involved, the branding process consist of a handful of charrettes, or public sessions, in-depth interviews, a survey and the monitoring of social media sites.

Why brand a town? Ask a cattle farmer Thanks to cattle farmers, branding was born as a way to differentiate cows as they freely roamed on each other’s properties. Farmers marked or branded their cows so they knew what was distinctive about each herd. As cows were converted to cash, those differences also determined which farmers got richer.

Destination branding operates under the same concept as free-roaming cows. Many people graze in and out of the boundary lines of the Lowcountry, not knowing where one town starts and one ends.

“Our residents strongly believe we are a world unto our own; we have our own culture, our own businesses and our own

identity,” Mayor Lisa Sulka said. “However, we repeatedly hear non-residents say they don’t know where exactly Bluffton begins and how far it extends.”

Sulka said newcomers often overlook Bluffton as a gem of the Lowcountry.

“Overnight Bluffton went from a one-square mile town to a 54-square mile jurisdiction due to annexation in the late ’90s; we are now one of the largest towns in South Carolina,” Sulka said.

“However, Bluffton, at times, is literally the middle child of the Lowcountry, as it is sandwiched between the success of Hilton Head Island and the popular culture and historic sites of Savannah.

“What doesn’t help matters is when businesses on Highway 278 such as Sun City have Hilton Head as part of their names. Some of those businesses are miles away from Hilton Head Island, and some are even located in a different county,” Sulka said. “However businesses want to be a part of the island’s success story—and that’s effective branding.”

Bluffton grows up Since 1852, Bluffton was a sleepy onesquare mile town—a place where wealthy plantation owners went in the summers to catch a break from the heat as the breeze from the May River wafted through summer homes. The Town skyrocketed in size in 1998 when it annexed Palmetto Bluff, a tract of land nearly the size of Hilton Head Island.

That annexation triggered several other tracts of land requesting to be annexed by the Town, which expanded the Town from one square mile to its current 54-square miles.

U.S. Census numbers skyrocketed from 2000 to 2010, indicating that the Town grew 882.7 percent during that time.

“If you drive through Bluffton, you will see a quaint, beautiful town on the surface. What bubbles just underneath the surface is a slew of innovation, progressive land planning and big goals to create a prosperous future for the Town and its residents.

“The Town is like a high school senior.

We have a proud past and solid indicators of where we want to go; we just have to do the work now to get there,” Sulka said.

Bluffton takes a lesson from Vegas Branding Bluffton is just one task in a multi-faceted plan to recruit knowledgebased jobs to the Town to diversify its economy and provide primary jobs to its residents for years to come.

“People don’t realize how much time and effort is involved in building quality brands,” said Dr. Simon Hudson, director

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The Branding of Bluffton started in June with a handful of public sessions. Researchers from University of South Carolina and the University of South Carolina/Beaufort (New River Campus) facilitated exercises to “dig deep” into people’s perceptions about Bluffton.

of the Center of Economic Excellence in Tourism and Economic Development at the University of South Carolina.

“Las Vegas gives us a great example of what works and what doesn’t work in destination branding.”

Hudson, who is also a researcher for the Bluffton branding project, said that in the ’90s, Las Vegas tried to brand itself as a family-friendly destination.

The city’s big mistake was its new family-friendly brand evolved from a process involving only representatives from the hospitality industry. MGM Grand even spent $100 million to build an amusement park for children.

“This brand failed miserably; apparently parents couldn’t multi-task babysitting and gambling on vacation. It just didn’t mix well.” Hudson said.

August 2013

“Las Vegas then spent three years interviewing a wide-range of audiences from frequent gamblers to people who have never been to the city. That research indicated Las Vegas was a place for people to be safely dangerous on a vacation,” Hudson said. “Now its brand, “What Happens in Vegas, Stays in Vegas,” is one of the most successful destination brands.

Hudson said that quality branding is a process that takes time as it involves exploratory surgery into many people’s opinions about the town.

Bluffton as a celebrity The Branding of Bluffton started in June with a handful of public sessions.

Researchers from University of South Carolina and the University of South

Carolina/Beaufort (New River Campus) facilitated exercises to “dig deep” into people’s perceptions about Bluffton.

What makes people live and establish their business there, or what turns them away? That’s the main question.

It was an open invitation to anyone with an opinion to attend. More than a 100 people came. During one exercise, researchers asked the participants to describe Bluffton as a celebrity. Andy Griffith, Forrest Gump, Sandra Bullock and Jimmy Buffett were common answers.

Add in the Town’s business incubator and the starship Enterprise comes up.

How does one combine a box of chocolate, a hometown gal, a margarita and Spock? Stay tuned. Bluffton is scheduled to roll out its new brand by the end of the year. 

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Article By Rebecca Edwards

The Thrill

of the Hunt Consignment shopping

T

he hunt is on. She pursues her prey with an eagle eye and a leopard’s pounce. She will show no mercy. It’s not innate to her species—she is a consignment connoisseur, and she devours deals. I know. I’m one. Born and bred.

Thankfully, I can flex my frugal shopping skills quite easily on Hilton Head Island and in Bluffton. The area’s long list of consignment shops is like a smorgasbord of savings. From quirky knickknacks to estate pieces to designer suits, a veritable feast of high-demand goods is waiting to be snatched up and taken home.

On a recent consigning trek, I found a white leather sofa from Hilton Head Consignment I can’t and won’t live without for $599 (shhh, don’t tell my husband), lusted over a pair of pink floral Lilly Pulitzer shorts from Chella D that would liven up some of my boring but comfy white shirts and tanks, and picked up a “play money” check from Sacks for clothes I consigned. Not bad, right?

But let’s not cheapen consignment shopping by just focusing on the discounts. Consigning is an art form, and like Andy Warhol and The Factory, it has its own following, subculture and social dynamics.

“We’re like a sisterhood club,” said Donna Sist of Chella D in South Island Square. “The shop is meant to feel like home.” Sist’s husband built a coffee bar in the store so you can sit on a barstool, sip on a latte and snack birthday cake flavored Oreos while you contemplate life, fashion and all things girl power with Sist, a friend or another shopper. (Note to moms: I was able to take my fouryear-old daughter—who gravitated to the Oreos like a shoe-aholic gravitates to Jimmy Choo’s—and talk shop with Sisk uninterrupted.)

> Hilton Head Consignments

> Chella D

Voted the Island Packet’s Readers’ Choice Award for Best Clothing Consignment Shop, Chella D offers a wide range of wares. “We’ve got Versace, St. John and Cabi and we’ve got Gap—we run the gamut, and we are not afraid to put a Banana Republic top with a Prada jacket,” Sist said.

Sist and her business partner Carol Sprague know style and how to have fun. The two worked together for eight years at Ann Taylor in the old Mall at Shelter Cove and have been good friends for nearly two decades. After working in “almost every retail clothing store in Shelter Cove,” Sist and Sprague wanted to create a more personal shopping experience. “The core of our store is a stress-free, no-sticker-shock, social environment. We tell people to bring in an item so we can understand their style and look out for accessories or clothes to complement their look.”

Mary Lou Haskell of The Stock Exchange in the Main Street Village (behind Frankie Bones) also takes the personal shopper approach with her regulars. “We have a wish list program,” she explained. “We get to know your look and what you like, and we will call you if we get something in we know you will love.”

While I’m perusing the racks (which include designers such as Marc Jacobs, Dana Buchman, Pucci, Armani, Chanel, and Prada), a woman steps out of her dressing room. Haskell is helping her pick up a formal gown for an annual Christmas party, and I think to myself, “Wow, Mary Lou could really get me organized—and six months in advance, too!”

Stopping in at Forever Young on New Orleans Road, I am also struck by the friendliness of the store. Owner Marcella O’Fee (who has two other business partners, Katie Trew and

> Forever Young

> Bargains & Treasures

Top 5 Consignment Tips

 Make a day of it. Map out your plan of attack and maybe invite a shopping buddy to join you.  Set some PARAMETERS. Make a list of what you need or bring swatches if you are matching furniture or clothing pieces if you need to complete a look/outfit.  Stick to a budget. Buying 10 random, “I bought this because it was sooo cheap” things for $100 is not as satisfying as purchasing one awesome, “this is just the thing” item for $80. Stake out the joint. You might want to consider consigning some items and recouping some moola. Introduce yourself to the people on the floor. Build a rapport with the storeowner or salespeople and they will keep an eye out for you and “winner winner chicken dinner” deals.

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Consignment shopping

Jacqui Wilkins) is chatting with a young woman at the counter.

The two talk casually, asking about each other’s families, the young woman’s recent high school graduation and college plans, and mutual acquaintances. Someone tries on a dress and, feeling the Forever Young vibe, strangers and friends alike comment on it, giving the woman a boost and pumping up her shopping experience.

This type of retail camaraderie is not exclusive to the clothing consignment shops. Step into Furniture Solutions (which shares the same owners as My Sister’s Closet) on Arrow Road, and you are likely to find consigners, salespeople, and or shoppers hanging out on a sofa talking about their day and favorite artwork. Down the street at Classic Consignments, owner Marianne Barker asks me about my three daughters and how I enjoyed my recent trip to Nova Scotia.

There is also a rapport between the storeowners and the consigners. “Some of my consigners have been with me for 15 years,” Haskell said. “We know each other and how to work well with each other.”

Kevin Raymond of Furniture Solutions added, “Even with 7,000 consigning families rotating in and out, we make every effort to build a personal relationship with our consigners.”

And there is also a special relationship with the inventory.

“We are very selective about what we look at, and we take a lot of time and care to decorate the showroom and create attractive vignettes. One of my favorite things is when we sell out, which happens often, and we get to start over,” Barker said.

Elaine Spahr of Bargains and Treasures enjoys the story behind the furniture and the buyer. “Every piece has a story— how and why it was made, what purpose it served and why someone loved or used it. Also, I find it amazing what people have, sell, and/or keep,” Spahr said. 

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> Vintage Market

> The Stock Exchange

Consignment Shops: Annie’s Attic 142 Arrow Rd (843) 686-6970

Hilton Head Consignments 1504B Fording Island Rd (843) 815-3300

Bargains & Treasures 88 Arrow Rd (843) 785-7929

Michael & Company 138 Arrow Rd (843) 686-3222

Chella D 841 Wm. Hilton Pkwy, Suite D (843) 341-3999

My Sister’s Closet 1020 Wm. Hilton Pkwy (843) 785-4988

Classic Consignments 122 Arrow Rd (843) 842-4041

Sacks 1012 Wm. Hilton Pkwy (843) 842-4222

Forever Young 51 New Orleans Rd (843) 785-9686

The Stock Exchange 1401 Main Street Village (843) 689-6777

Furniture Solutions 151 Arrow Rd (843) 785-7560

Vintage Market 28 Kitties Landing - Bluffton (843) 757-9010

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What you need to

know about

ObamaCare Ar ticle by Lew Wessel

Part I

I

f you are looking for a political discussion on ObamaCare, look elsewhere. The Island Packet letters page would be a good start, especially if you are looking for inane, uninformed rants.

What I’m going to try to do here instead is to give you the details of The Patient Protection & Affordable Care Act (ACA) that will help you deal with it as an individual, a business owner and a taxpayer. The ACA is, in fact, a reality, and it’s not going anywhere as long as President Obama is in office; that takes us to at least January, 2017. It is a truly complex and transformative law, one which has been in effect since 2010 and is about to ramp up big time on January 1, 2014. Due to its complexity and broad scope, an explanation of the ACA requires two articles (at least). The first will present background information as well as what you need to know about the ACA as an individual member of the American health care system. The second, in next month’s issue of CH2, will address the ACA from a business perspective and will also describe the various new taxes imposed under the ACA. Here’s what you need to know:

The ACA to date January 1, 2014 will no doubt be looked upon as the key date in the history of the ACA. Nevertheless, many significant changes to our health care system have already taken place since the ACA was passed into law in 2010: • Health care insurance policies offering dependent coverage have been required under the ACA to allow children to stay on their parent’s health care policy until age 26.

• There are no longer lifetime dollar limits on health care policies, and annual limits must be “reasonable” (Note: Annual limits of any dollar amount will no longer be allowed as of Jan. 1, 2014).

• The ACA has removed the rescission threat from health insurance policies; i.e. your policy can no longer be cancelled

because you actually made a claim.

• Small businesses offering health care to their employees have received federal credits of up to 35 percent of their health care premium costs. This credit limit increases to 50 percent in 2014 and 2015.

• Insurance companies have been required to refund premiums if they spend less than 80 percent of premium income on actual health care for their policy holders. So far these refund checks have totaled $1.1 billion paid out to 13 million Americans, including yours truly.

• The ACA has required insurance companies looking to raise their health insurance premium rates by 10 percent or more to justify the increase in a transparent manner. Not surprisingly, the percentage of requests of 10 percent or more has dropped from 75 percent to 14 percent of all rate increase requests. In addition, the average premium increase request in 2012 was 30 percent below the 2010 rate; per Health Care.gov, the trend continues in 2013.

• Beginning January 1, 2013, ACA-related taxes have been imposed on the “wealthy” (Much more about this in Part II of these ACA articles).

• Other ACA-mandated changes to date include creation of a temporary “high-risk” health insurance pool, a $250 rebate of the Medicare Part D “donut hole,” the freezing of Medicare Advantage payments, reporting of medical premiums on W-2s, a 10 percent tax on tanning salons, and more.

Almost all of the ACA changes so far have been fairly painless, except to insurance companies and the very few of us making more than $200,000 per year as individuals or $250,000 as a couple. And, while important, most of the changes to date could appropriately be described as “tweaks” to the health care system. Starting January 1, 2014, however, those tweaks will be



What you need to

know

about

joined by a major jolt to the system.

Beginning January 1, 2014, the ACA kicks in full force to try to achieve its objective of getting every American covered with affordable, quality health insurance. For most individuals and businesses, these changes will have minimal or no effect; but for some individuals and businesses, the changes will be dramatic.

The individual mandate The ACA mandates that by January 1, 2014, all American citizens and their dependents, must either have Minimum Essential Health Insurance Coverage (MEHC) or pay a “Shared Responsibility Penalty” (Note: there are a few groups exempted from this mandate, such as prisoners, members of certain religious sects, etc.). The penalty, to be phased in over three years, will be the higher of a fixed dollar amount or a percentage of household income.

The penalty is per uninsured adult in a household, but the maximum fixed dollar penalty can be no larger than $2,085 per household (3X the individual amount).

Note, however, that if the percentage of household income amount is higher, that will be the penalty.

Minimal essential health coverage (MEHC) So, how to avoid the penalty? Simple, get a health insurance policy that covers you and your dependents and meets the minimum requirements as outlined in the ACA. Minimal Essential Health Coverage (MEHC) is an insurance policy that must include goods and services within at least 10 of the following categories: • Ambulatory patient services; • Emergency services; • Hospitalization; • Maternity and newborn care; • Mental health and substance use disorder services; • Prescription drugs; • Rehabilitative and habilitative services and devices; • Laboratory services; • Preventive and wellness services and chronic disease management; and Pediatric services, including oral and vision care.

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A MEHC policy is, in short, a comprehensive “major medical” policy that includes preventive services, the latter with no co-pay or deductible requirement.

The end of underwriting Of course, as any uninsured individual with any serious medical condition (or non-serious for that matter) knows, there are two major impediments to obtaining a decent, comprehensive insurance policy: 1) a preexisting medical condition that might preclude obtaining a policy at any price and 2) a prohibitive premium cost even if the policy is obtainable.

The only way to get everyone into a MEHC policy is to require insurance companies to agree to insure everyone, no matter how sick or old. (And the only way this universal coverage mandate would make any economic sense is for insurance companies to counterbalance the resulting influx of new sick and elderly (and expensive) customers with the healthy and young… and everyone in between. This is the reason for the individual mandate.)

Beginning January 1, 2014, insurance companies will no longer be able to deny coverage or even differentiate the cost of health insurance coverage due to prior illnesses or health conditions.

In fact, insurance companies won’t even be able to ask the question! Gender will also no longer be a variable.

The only three factors influencing health insurance rates will be age, geographic area and whether one is a smoker or non-smoker. Even here, no one can be denied insurance, and the impact on premiums will be lessened. For example, the rate penalty due to age is required to be no greater than 3:1 as opposed to the current 7:1 (this is known as rate compression).

How individuals will get their MEHC—avoiding penalties and receiving subsidies Exhibit A (on the right) is a terrific flowchart from the Kaiser Foundation that graphically displays the various ways an individual can get a MEHC policy under the ACA. Coverage can be obtained in one of four ways: 1. Through your employer; 2. From your state Exchange or “Marketplace”—these will officially open October 1, 2013; 3. Through a licensed insurance agent; or 4. Through a government program.

By design, most Americans won’t be significantly impacted by the ACA because they already have their MEHC policy through either their employer or a government program such as the VA or Medicare or Medicaid. For these Americans, roughly 6 out of 7 of us, complying with the ACA will most likely consist of no more than checking a box on the 1040 tax form to verify coverage by a MEHC. For the 50 million Americans not currently covered, the ACA represents both an obligation and an opportunity to get decent, affordable health insurance coverage. As mentioned above, insurance companies will now be required to offer policies that insure a quality package of preventative and curative care; these policies have to be “guarantee issue” with no annual or lifetime limits and no rescission rights; and, the policies have to be efficient, with the “medical loss ratio” no smaller than 80 percent. All well and good! The second part of the coverage equation is making these policies affordable to most of the uninsured.

Premium credits and costsharing reductions The ACA offers direct financial assistance to individuals in two new ways: 1. Unless a state opts out, the ACA expands Medicaid coverage to everyone making less than 133 percent of the federal policy level (FPL); thus, the Medicaid threshold will be set at about $15,500.

This expansion takes care of the very poor who currently, pre-ACA, end up in charity clinics like our own Volunteers in Medicine or, more often, in our hospital emergency rooms where treatment, paid or unpaid, has been required since Ronald Reagan passed the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act “EMTALA” in the 1980s. This is a big deal. For example, Hilton Head Hospital and Coastal Carolina were saddled with $29,000,000 in bad debt and charity expenses in 2012, a large portion of which was attributable to EMTALA. (See box below regarding the SC rejection of Medicaid expansion.)

2. For those making between 100400 percent of FPL (See Table 2 on page 90), ACA offers “premium tax credits” and “cost-sharing subsidies” that limit the amount individuals have to pay for their coverage.

As you can see from the table, no individual or family will be required to spend more than 9.5 percent of their income on quality insurance coverage (defined as “Silver” plans in The Marketplace), with the cap as low as 2 percent for those nearer the actual FPL.

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Example: Joe Smith, whose family income is $75,000, purchases a “Silver” family health insurance plan on his state’s Marketplace. The annual premium for the plan is $15,000, but at his income level, Joe is only expected to contribute 9.5 percent, or $7,125, of his annual income to pay for the premiums. He will be entitled to a premium credit of $7,875, which can be paid directly to the insurance carrier or taken as a refundable credit on his tax return.

Note: Subsidies are not available if you get coverage through your employer and that coverage meets MEHC requirements (see above) and it is “affordable.” (“Affordability” in this situation means that you are not required to spend more than 9.5 percent of your paycheck on the cost of your individual coverage.)

In addition to premium tax credits, those individuals and families making between 100 percent and 400 percent of the FPL will also be eligible for cost-sharing reductions, which will lower the maximum out-of-pocket medical expenses on a sliding

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What you need to

know

about scale. For those making between 100 and 200 percent of FPL, these expenses will be reduced by two-thirds; between 200 and 300 percent by one-half; and between 300 and 400 percent by one-third. Presumably, these subsidy payments can be made directly by the Treasury to the insurance carriers.

Subsidies will only be available if you purchase your policy through “The Marketplace” (one of the insurance exchanges). These computerized market places will be open for business on October 1, 2013 and are envisioned as user-friendly sites where insurance policies, described in newly-mandated plain English, can be compared side by side. All of the policies on the exchange will be MEHC-qualified and will be listed in “metallic” groups according to their affordability: Bronze plans will require the policy holder to pay 40 percent of health care costs until reaching a maximum out of pocket amount; Silver will require 30 percent, Gold 20 percent and Platinum 10 percent.

Note: The “Bronze” or minimum coverage plan was specifically designed to

August 2013

So what to do? If you are on Medicare or in the VA system, you don’t have to do a thing; you’re covered. If you are an employee, your employer should have already or will soon be giving you notice of whether your coverage complies with ACA minimum requirements.

match the current requirement for an HSA eligible health insurance policy, with out-ofpocket limits of $5,950 for individuals and $11,900 for families based on 2010 dollars.

“Navigators”—real human beings—will be available to help consumers make their insurance policy selections. FYI: Your South Carolina government has decided not to operate an exchange or “Marketplace”; fortunately, under the ACA, the federal government will step in and run it for us.

Your ACA plan of action So what to do? If you are on Medicare or in the VA system, you don’t have to do a thing; you’re covered. If you are an employee, your employer should have already or will soon be giving you notice of whether your coverage complies with ACA minimum requirements. (Note: the actual requirement for large companies to provide MEHC policies or face a penalty has been delayed until January 1, 2015.

How that will affect reporting requirement is unknown at this time.)

If you are uncertain about your coverage through work or feel that you may be eligible for a subsidy anyway, you should go onto the Marketplace and fill out the Application for Health Coverage and Help Paying Costs. This application, in both long and short forms, is currently available in sample form on HealthCare.gov; it’s not too bad as government forms go.

Individuals who must purchase their own insurance should also go to the Marketplace to fill out the appropriate application and to search for desired coverage. Everyone is also able to shop for coverage outside the Marketplace with a licensed and knowledgeable independent insurance agent. Subsidies will not be available if you use an agent outside the Marketplace, but this is a moot point anyway if your income is above 400 percent of the FPL.

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To comment or for more information, e-mail lewwessel@hargray.com.

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Photography by Anne

Your insurance policy must be in place by January 1, 2014 or you will be subject to the Shared Care Penalty. This penalty, which is non-deductible, will be due on your 2014 tax return (due date April 15, 2015) and will be assessed for every month you are not covered. There is an exception for short periods (up to three months) of unemployment.

Should you just ignore Obamacare and pay the penalty?

Let’s face it; the ACA penalties for not obtaining a MEHC policy are not very onerous, particularly in 2014. Nevertheless, there are two big problems with ignoring the ACA individual mandate.

First, and certainly most important, you won’t have health insurance. Personally, that’s a gamble I would never take nor offer as advice. Secondly, by sticking your head in the sand, you may be passing up credits and subsidies that would make a quality health insurance policy truly affordable to you and your family.

What to do now? The most important thing is to educate yourself on the facts of the ACA and get as ready as possible to take advantage of the health care Marketplace when it officially opens for business on October 1, 2013. Helpful websites include: www.

Healthcare.gov; www.enrollamerica.org; http://kff.org/health-reform; and www. obamacarefacts.com.

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Vacation Homes Your Home Away From Home

ď&#x201A;&#x; Article by Meg Park

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oing on vacation is an event many of us plan for an entire rooms, it is easy to see why the visitors continue to choose a year. We investigate places to go, research the area privately owned vacation rental property. Some of these extra we have chosen, and finally make reservations. Every benefits include: a fully equipped kitchen, laundry facilities step of the process on the property, takes into account the multiple living spaces, entertainment and private bedrooms and comfort of each member bathrooms, private of the group. Perhaps the pools and hot tubs, and single most important multiple televisions. part of any vacation is These homes and the accommodations. villas offer the ability When traveling, people for families to have are searching for the their own space, same comforts and but to also come amenities available to together as a family. them at home in their The extra space and vacation rentals.

In privacy is a comfort fact, worldwide, more most yearn for, but travelers are finding that cannot obtain inside spending time in a small a quaint hotel room. hotel room after a day of Renting a vacation fun and adventure is dull, home or condo can and therefore begins to also give families detract from their overall the opportunity to vacation experience. experience amenities On Hilton Head they may not have in Island, a large number their own home, such On Hilton Head Island, a large number of visitors choose to stay of visitors choose to as a hot tub or Jacuzzi in a vacation rental. By offering amenities not available in hotel stay in a vacation rental. bath, ping pong table rooms, it is easy to see why the visitors continue to choose a By offering amenities or breathtaking ocean not available in hotel views. With over 2,000 privately owned vacation rental property.

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Staying in a vacation rental also allows you to experience your destination as a local. Many of the vacation rentals are located in areas where the locals live, shop and play. Here on Hilton Head Island, vacation rentals can be found in the Sea Pines, Palmetto Dunes, Shelter Cove, Shipyard, Forest Beach and the Folly Field beach areas.

homes, villas, and condos to choose from, the amenity options are endless.

Staying in a vacation rental also allows you to experience your destination as a local. Many of the vacation rentals are located in areas where the locals live, shop and play. Here on Hilton Head Island, vacation rentals can be found in the Sea Pines, Palmetto Dunes, Shelter Cove, Shipyard, Forest Beach and the Folly Field beach areas. Dispersed among residents who live here full-time, vacationers will shop at the same grocery stores, eat at the same restaurants, play golf and tennis at the same locations and share our bike paths. When traveling throughout the United States, Canada and other destinations, a vacation rental will allow you to experience these areas outside of the tourist spots as you become a real part of the culture.

So how can you find a vacation rental for your next excursion? Perhaps more than any other segment of travel, vacation rentals require a little more advance research and planning. There have been many articles and blogs written about this topic. They almost all mention one key point: work with a reputable and professional management company.

While renting a home or condo directly through the owner can be slightly more cost effective, it can also have some major drawbacks. Many of the owners do not live in the same town as their rental property. This leads to the question, “If I have an issue while in residence, who do I contact?” A professional management company has people available 24/7. They work with local vendors to ensure all issues are resolved efficiently.

Professional companies also manage multiple properties, so if an issue arises which may take longer to fix than expected, they have additional options for your family, to help ensure your vacation time is just that—your vacation time.

The best way to find a reputable company is to contact the town’s local Chamber of Commerce to be assured the company August 2013

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is in good standing within the community. If no Chamber of Commerce is available at your destination, do some searches online. Look for companies whose websites have detailed descriptions and pictures of the properties, while providing you with reviews from previous guests.

When you have found the vacation home, villa or condo matching your family’s needs, be sure to ask the following question: • Is a rental contract required? If not, how will all transactions be handled?

• Is a security deposit required? If so, how will it be returned to me?

• What is the refund/cancellation policy?

• What is required before departing the property?

• What is included in the rental—household supplies, hair dryer, towels and sheets?

• Are there any fees for additional guests?

• Are pets allowed?

No two rental properties or companies are alike, so it is important that you ask the questions before you arrive at the home or condo.

Wherever your travels take you in the future, be sure to check out the vacation rentals available at your desired destination. With so many options to choose from, you will be pleasantly surprised to find the privacy, amenities and cost savings a vacation rental can provide over traditional hotel rooms. Safe travels!  Writer Meg Park is the Marketing Manager for Beach Properties of Hilton Head.

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