Celebrate Hilton Head Magazine - September 2020

RAISE A GLASS

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T H E LOV E A F FA I R W I T H F O O D I S S U E

B A RT E N D E R S W E LOV E

Jesse Blanco S E P T E M B E R

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JESSE BLANCO E AT I T A N D L I K E I T … U N D R E S S E D

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28 EAT IT AND LIKE IT… UNDRESSED Jesse Blanco is one of the Lowcountry’s most popular media personalities. In fact, Blanco and his show, Eat It and Like It, have become synonymous with food in the region.

WHAT’S INSIDE

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A NOTE FROM OUR MAYORS

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SPECIAL SECTION: THE FACES OF FOOD & BEVERAGE

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YOUR GUIDE TO DINING OUT …

ALONE

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COMING HOME: HOW HILTON HEAD ISLAND’S LONGEST STANDING RESTAURANTS STAY THAT WAY

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JOINING THE CLUB: AMID THE PANDEMIC, MORE AND MORE OF US ARE ENJOYING THE GOLF CART LIFESTYLE ON OFFER AT CLUB CAR.

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EGGS ’N’ TRICITIES NEW OWNER PRESERVES OLD TOWN VIBE

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BUILDING A BETTER SANDBOX CHILDREN’S MUSEUM A BELOVED ISLAND INSTITUTION TURNS THE PAGE ON COVID AND READIES FOR ITS NEXT CHAPTER.

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B A RT E N D E R S W E LOV E

THE LOVE AFFAIR WITH FOOD ISSUE JESSE BLANCO EAT IT AND LIKE IT … UNDRESSED

S E P T E M B E R

RAISE A GLASS 8 BARTENDERS WE LOVE

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JESSE BLANCO E AT I T A N D L I K E I T … U N D R E S S E D

Jesse Blanco at the Alida Hotel in Savannah Photography

by M.KAt

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T H E LOV E A F FA I R W I T H F O O D I S S U E

Featuring

Jesse Blanco

EIGHT BARTENDERS WE LOVE They are perhaps our most unsung essential workers, working on the front lines of our recovery. As we knock back those first pints of postCOVID freedom, it seems like a good time to raise a glass to our bartenders.

79 MomPreneurs 2020 As if being a mother wasn’t hard enough. These women are running businesses, raising children and attempting to fill in the teaching holes left by no public schools in session.

Wonder Women indeed.

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MUSICIANS IN BATHROOMS FEATURING CAMPFIRE TYLER

CB2 CELEBRATE BLUFFTON AND BEYOND!

CH2 CELEBRATE HILTON HEAD!

RAISE A GLASS

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Michael Hodge at Southern Barrel Brewing Co. Photography

by M.KAT

His name inspired us to go deep into the woods in search of the only bathroom you’ll find in somewhat proximity to a fire.

Yep, that’s right. We found us an outhouse for this shoot.

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Architect of Ideas Maggie Marie Washo

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Technology Mastermind Carolyn Hunter Kostylo Financial Warden Marion Elizabeth Bowser Influencer-In-Residence Kim Conrad Crouch Culture Maven “Just Kandace” Wightman The Boomerang Morgan O'Banion In-house Jeweler on Retainer Kaila Jeffcoat Intimacy Mentor Lucille Rosita Gonzalez Washo Celebrity Talk Show Host Jevon Daly The Gatekeepers Greta Von Bowser Vincent Von Bowser The Cut & Paste Crew Jeff Cline Catherine Colby Writing Specialists Cheryl Alexander Amy Bartlett Dr. Ravina Balchandani Danielle Daily Nina Greenplate Linda S. Hopkins Barry Kaufman John McCann Lisa Sulka Tim Wood Lighting Experts M. Kat Photography Krisztian Lonyai Find Us Here PO Box 22949 Hilton Head Island, SC 29925 843.689.2658 m.washo@celebratehiltonhead.com

You’re Missing All the Good Stuff

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f a picture is worth 1000 words, how many words is a video worth? And how much does that cost? These are the things that swirl through my mind when I’m wide awake at 4 a.m., contemplating how media has changed so drastically in the last 14 years.

I remember looking at Google Analytics a few years ago and noticing how many people were viewing our website on a desktop/tablet/phone. Boy have those numbers changed, so we, too, are evolving.

The magazine in your mailbox every month will always be the crown jewel, but if you aren’t following us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and TikTok, you’re missing most of our content. Our Instagram and Facebook stories take you on the journey we embark on every month as we plan out the issue and make it happen. We are somewhere new every day, photographing local celebs and business owners, staging fashion shoots, exploring gorgeous homes, trying out new restaurants and more. General silliness is always on the menu at C2, and we try to get as many people as possible to play along on our travels.

Our YouTube channel is home to hundreds of videos that chronicle special features in the magazine, interviews with the people we are highlighting and so much more. Look for even more videos to be hitting this channel in the near future.

If it’s 15-60 seconds of nonsense you’re after, be sure to follow us on TikTok. Until it’s either banned or purchased by Bill Gates, that is.

Enjoy our twelfth annual Love Affair with Food Issue and be sure to visit our

INSTAGRAM - @CH2HHIMAG FACEBOOK - FACEBOOK.COM/CH2MAGAZINE TIKTOK - @CH2MAG YOUTUBE - YOUTUBE.COM/CELEBRATEHILTONHEAD social media channels to follow along on our day in Savannah with Eat it and Like It’s Jesse Blanco.

We’ve also got live interviews (and silly TikToks) with the bartenders who are featured on these pages, so watch for those on Facebook.

Have a wonderful September—and be sure to eat out often to support the local restaurants featured in this issue.

MAGGIE WASHO Publisher / Editor-in-Chief

M A Y O R

Hilton Head Island Mayor Photography by M.Kat

A Note from John McCann

HIRING NEW TOWN MANAGER IS MAJOR RESPONSIBILITY

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efore the end of this year, Hilton Head Island’s Town Council will have fulfilled its most important role: the selection of a new town manager. When current town manager Steve Riley announced his retirement in June, council gathered to choose an experienced firm to guide us through the recruitment and selection process. This is the first time in 26 years that our town council has been through the hiring process for its top employee, so you can imagine what a huge responsibility we have before us.

We are going through a very formal process that has attracted a field of over 100 applicants seeking this top leadership spot.

In June, we contracted with Colin Baenziger and Associates, a small but nationally recognized consulting and municipal recruiting firm based in Daytona Beach Shores, Florida. Mr. Baenziger held extensive meetings with town council and staff to obtain information about the position, the community and the qualities our next town manager should have. In addition, he and his associates contacted a diverse group of citizens to obtain the same type of information.

The firm used this information to create a thorough overview of our history, demographics, geography, commerce,

< Bluffton Mayor

A Note from Lisa Sulka

A Photography by Krisztian Lonyai

MEMBERSHIP PERKS: WHY YOU SHOULD JOIN THE DON RYAN CENTER FOR INNOVATION 18

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government, challenges and opportunities, and vision of the ideal candidate. This document, which is available on the Town Manager Search page of our website, is filled with information that you may find interesting to read.

With over 100 applications in hand, the recruiting firm will use input already gathered and its recruiting metrics to narrow the field

M AY O R

t the Don Ryan Center for Innovation, we are continually working on ways in which we can best serve the Bluffton community.

Among our entrepreneurial programs and business development endeavors, we choose to focus our efforts on improving the program, which is most beneficial to individuals living in the Bluffton community: Membership!

Membership at the Don Ryan Center for Innovation brings people from every sector of the community together, and it creates a cohesive, united network across all business in the Lowcountry.

You might be wondering why it would be beneficial for you to join the DRCI. Membership at the Don Ryan Center has many amazing perks, and the biggest benefit being offered right now is free membership! The Don Ryan Center is offering one-year memberships at no cost to business owners, entrepreneurs, and young professionals in the Bluffton region.

The Don Ryan Center for Innovation also hosts monthly networking events exclusive to members. Due to COVID-19, these events have been held virtually but have been very successful. Some virtual events held recently include “Zoom the Room” and webinars with various host speakers.

Membership gives you networking and community outreach opportunities as well as free access to events. But most important, membership grants you access to our pool of over 40 experienced mentors. Historically, our mentors only worked with innovators enrolled in one of our programs. However, with the Town of Bluffton passing the Business Resiliency Plan in May, more local businesses seeking help and advice will be able to leverage the skills and expertise of our mentors.

to the top contenders for town council to review and interview. This includes conducting comprehensive background and reference checks.

Based on the information we receive, we will collectively select a group of candidates to proceed to the interview process. And, depending on the status of COVID-19 in our community, a public reception may be scheduled for our top candidates to meet community residents and leaders.

To help you stay up to date on what stage we are in, town staff has created a page on our website (hiltonheadislandsc. gov) that documents the town manager search process. On this page, you will find the position profile, the job description, the timeline of our search, and an overview of how the public has been and will continue to be involved.

Once chosen, this individual will be the fifth town manager in our 37 years as a town. We’ve been fortunate to have some great town managers over the years, especially a manager of Steve’s caliber, values, experience, knowledge and love for community. He has built a solid foundation for the new leader to stand upon.

Our plan is to select the new town manager in early October with the goal to have this leader in place for our annual retreat in early December. Stay tuned!

A Note from Lisa Sulka continued

The Don Ryan Center for Innovation is also partnering with local businesses to give members even more perks! In August, we partnered with The Cottage to offer BOGO lunch to members, a perfect spot to take a client or to talk business. Throughout the fall, the Don Ryan Center will be partnering with more and more local businesses to add benefits for our members.

With all of these amazing benefits and perks, it is easy to see the positives that come with becoming a member of the Don Ryan Center for Innovation. Did you miss our August benefit but don’t want to miss out on the next one? Then be sure to sign up for membership and see what other perks are coming this fall! For more information on membership, head to our website, donryancenter.com, or give us a call at (843) 540-0405.

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This & That

C2 Magazine • September 2020 Edition A Series of Fortunate Events, interesting news and a hodge-podge of other items.

You know…this and that! If you would like to submit something for this special section, please email hunter@celebratehiltonhead.com. If we have room and it’s appropriate for public consumption, we’ll be happy to oblige.

ROC Dental Group is pleased to announce that Dr. Jordan Haire has joined the practice as a general dentist. Born and raised in Owensboro, Kentucky, Haire graduated from the University of Louisville and the University of Louisville School of Dentistry.

PALMETTO ELECTRIC’S ANNUAL MEETING RESCHEDULED FOR SATURDAY, OCTOBER 10

In the past, Palmetto Electric members have come together each year for the cooperative’s annual meeting.

However, this year, the meeting will look a bit different. Due to the uncertainty of the current COVID-19 pandemic and with the health and safety of the cooperative’s members and employees in mind, Palmetto Electric has made changes to the format of the 2020 Annual Meeting.

Drive-thru registration and voting Drive-thru registration and voting will be available Thursday, October 8 and Friday, October 9, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Saturday, October 10, from noon to 4 p.m. at the cooperative’s Ridgeland office, located at 4063 Grays Highway.

Members will drive through to register and cast their ballot for director elections, proposed bylaw changes, and a voting district question. Members will never leave their vehicle, and Palmetto Electric employees will be adhering to all COVID-19 safety precautions.

Members will receive a registration gift as they exit and will be entered in the door prize drawings, which will be held at the conclusion of the Annual Meeting on Saturday, October 10. Winners will be notified, and the results of the drawings will be posted on the cooperative’s website, palmetto.coop, and on their Facebook page.

Business meeting livestreamed On Saturday, October 10, beginning at 5 p.m., the business portion of the Annual Meeting will be livestreamed, online ONLY, at palmetto.coop or the cooperative’s Facebook page. For those who are unable to view the meeting live, a recording of the meeting will be available at palmetto.coop.

While the annual meeting may be different this year, the safety of Palmetto Electric’s members, employees and community is the top priority. More information on Palmetto Electric’s Annual Meeting can be found at palmetto.coop and in the upcoming edition of South Carolina Living magazine.

The Women’s Association of Hilton Head Island is going virtual! This fall, the organization will be hosting two virtual series—one with bestselling authors, the other demonstrations with local chefs. Each session is free to WAHHI members and will be broadcast via Zoom at 5 p.m. As the organization begins its sixtieth year of programming, WAHHI encourages women of all ages to consider membership by visiting www.wahhi.org.

All Saints Garden Tour 2020 Contributions to Charities

Normally all proceeds from the All Saints Garden Tour (ASGT) are distributed to charities in late summer or early fall once the numbers are finalized. In spite of canceling the May 2020 Garden Tour, the ASGT board was delighted that they were still able to continue the practice this year, though at a reduced level. The contributions to the six charities were made possible thanks to the generosity of the ASGT advertisers, early ticket purchasers, and donations from All Saints parishioners and friends.

Thanks to the generosity of many businesses and individuals, the ASGT board made contributions of $1,870 to Family Promise of Beaufort County, Hilton Head Island Safe Harbour, The Hunger Coalition of the Low Country (HHI Backpack Buddies), Antioch Educational Center (Jasper County Backpack Buddies), Crossroads Community Support Services (Backpack Buddies of Bluffton), and St. Stephen UMC Outreach Foodbank.

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This & That

C2 Magazine • September 2020 Edition A Series of Fortunate Events, interesting news and a hodge-podge of other items.

You know…this and that! If you would like to submit something for this special section, please email hunter@celebratehiltonhead.com. If we have room and it’s appropriate for public consumption, we’ll be happy to oblige.

Berkeley Hall Club recently named Adam Kushner as general manager and chief operating officer. Kushner served as the interim GM/COO since April, 2020; he joined Berkeley Hall Club in November, 2015 as director of golf and has been instrumental in leading the community’s golf relations both locally and nationally.

Gullah T’s N’ Tings opened for business on Etsy on June 2, 2020. This “Culture Collection,” is designed and owned by Hilton Head Island native and fifthgeneration Gullah gal, Sonya Jovan Grant.

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The Don Ryan Center for Innovation will be hosting a timely Zoom webinar for professionals throughout all industries, offering strategies, tips and practical, easyto-implement advice about growing businesses in today’s challenging times. The free Zoom webinar, led by global consultant and coach Caprice Thorsen, will take place on Wednesday, September 16 from 8-9 a.m. In this webinar, Thorsen will show entrepreneurs and business leaders how to tap into a hidden variable that will dissolve stress and anxiety, which then shapes everything that comes afterwards.

Thorsen has been a certified personal and professional coach for more than 20 years, guiding business leaders and entrepreneurs to navigate personal and professional challenges with clarity and peace of mind. She has expertise in transformative coaching, business strategy and entrepreneurship, and has an MBA in finance from Carnegie Mellon.

To register for the DRCI free Zoom webinars or for more information, visit donryancenter.com or the DRCI Facebook page.

This & That

A Series of Fortunate Events, interesting news and a hodgepodge of other items. You know…this and that! If you would like to submit something for this special section, please email hunter@ celebratehiltonhead.com. If we have room and it’s appropriate for public consumption, we’ll be happy to oblige.

C2 Magazine • September 2020 Edition

Forsythe Jewelers is excited to announce the addition of a new brand, Sethi Couture, to their suite of designer jewelers. Sethi Couture is based out of San Francisco, California and was started by two sisters, Pratima and Prerna Sethi, taking inspiration from their family’s heritage in India.

The collection is designed to be worn day into evening and not just for special occasions.

Join the Forsythe Jewelers team on Thursday, October 1, from 3-6 p.m. during their Sethi Couture Debut Party to see this special collection. Enjoy a wine & cheese tasting by Hazel Dean’s while you sip and shop! RSVP to (843) 671-7070 or Andrea@ForsytheJewelers.biz.

Walk to End Alzheimer’s

The world may look a little different right now, but one thing hasn’t changed: our commitment to ending Alzheimer’s. This year’s Walk to End Alzheimer’s® is everywhere—on every sidewalk, track and trail in Bluffton and beyond. Join us on Saturday, October 31.

Opening ceremony 10:45 a.m.; walk starts at 11 a.m.

Your health and safety are our top priorities. The 2020 event won’t be a large in-person gathering.

Instead, we invite you to walk in small teams of friends and family while others in the Bluffton community do the same, because we are all still walking and fundraising for the same thing: a world without Alzheimer’s and all other dementia.

Register today at act.alz.org/blufftonwalk.

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This & That

C2 Magazine • September 2020 Edition A Series of Fortunate Events, interesting news and a hodge-podge of other items.

You know…this and that! If you would like to submit something for this special section, please email hunter@celebratehiltonhead.com. If we have room and it’s appropriate for public consumption, we’ll be happy to oblige.

The Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra announces the appointment of Charleston violinist Micah Gangwer to the position of concertmaster. Throughout the pandemic-shortened 2019-2020 season, Gangwer served as acting concertmaster and, in previous seasons, filled temporary principal second violin vacancies.

Permanent Cosmetics HHI is happy to announce that they have moved. Now located in Sheridan Park under the direction of Dr. Atul Gupta, they offer natural brows, eyeliner, lip blushing, scar camouflage and areola pigmentation for breast cancer warriors.

FIRST THURSDAYS ART MARKET AT THE SHOPS AT SEA PINES CENTER

A new monthly outdoor art event premieres September 3 at The Shops at Sea Pines Center. First Thursdays Art Market will showcase the works of the Artists of Sea Pines, an alliance of more than 40 artists who live in the community. Several artists will personally show and sell their work every month from 4 to 6:30 p.m. Musical performances and art demonstrations will be part of the event as well as in-store events hosted by several of the center’s merchants.

“Being able to display our art outside in the plaza ensures plenty of space for social distancing in order to keep guests and artists safe,” said artist and organizer Pam White. “Guests are asked to wear a mask while strolling the market.”

Formed in 2012 to support the creativity of its members, the Artists of Sea Pines exhibit and sell members’ work and host special events throughout the year. The group’s gallery, located inside the CSA Community Room at Sea Pines Center, is currently open Tuesdays from 10 a.m. to noon. Artists donate 10 percent of their sales to the Sea Pines Forest Preserve Foundation.

For more information, call Pam White at (864) 247-1194 or visit ArtistsOfSeaPines.com.

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This & That

C2 Magazine • September 2020 Edition A Series of Fortunate Events, interesting news and a hodge-podge of other items.

You know…this and that! If you would like to submit something for this special section, please email hunter@celebratehiltonhead.com. If we have room and it’s appropriate for public consumption, we’ll be happy to oblige.

Scott F. Wierman has been named president and CEO of Community Foundation of the Lowcountry and will start in the position effective January 1, 2021. Wierman, who is currently president of The WinstonSalem Foundation in North Carolina, holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and earned a Master of Business Administration degree from Babcock School of Business at Wake Forest University.

Chef Greg Elmquist is excited to announce his new ownership (since November 2019) of Gr8 Bites, a True American Deli. Formerly MUNCHIES, the restaurant is located in the heart of Main Street on Hilton Head Island and is open 8 a.m.-8 p.m., serving breakfast all day, lunch, and fresh baked treats and ice cream.

Beaufort Memorial has added two board-certified family medicine physicians to its Bluffton practices. Rhonda Wallace, M.D. recently joined Beaufort Memorial Bluffton Primary Care after completing the McLeod Family Residency Program in Florence as chief resident. She brings a wide variety of experience to the practice, having started her career as a cardiac care nurse and later training and working as a physician assistant in emergency and urgent care. Brad Kelly, D.O. joins Beaufort Memorial May River Primary Care next month.

He has been on the BMH medical staff since 2016 and has been practicing at the hospital’s Hampton County facility. A graduate of the University of Kentucky, Dr. Kelly completed his medical degree at the University of Pikeville-Kentucky College of Osteopathic Medicine.

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This & That

C2 Magazine • September 2020 Edition A Series of Fortunate Events, interesting news and a hodge-podge of other items.

You know…this and that! If you would like to submit something for this special section, please email hunter@celebratehiltonhead.com. If we have room and it’s appropriate for public consumption, we’ll be happy to oblige.

Lowcountry Boil Paddle Fest Outside brings you the Lowcountry Boil Paddle Fest on Friday, September 11, in the lead up to the OluKai Lowcountry Boil Paddle Battle race on September 12. The Paddle Fest will include small group paddle boarding clinics with world champion stand up paddle board racers, Seychelle Webster and Eri Tenorio; an on-water Demo Day with Flying Fish Paddle Boards, and a race sign-up and packet pick-up party. The clinics offer new paddlers the opportunity to get comfortable with paddle board race technique and experienced paddlers the expert instruction needed to hone their skills.

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EVENT SCHEDULE Paddle board clinics with world champions Seychelle Webster & Eri Tenorio Shelter Cove Marina, $100 per person; reservations required and can be made at outsidehiltonhead.com or by calling (843) 6866996.

9-11a.m.: All Levels Paddle Boarding Clinic with Seychelle 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.: All Levels Paddle Boarding with Eri 11:30 a.m.-1:30pm: Advanced Paddle Boarding Clinic with Seychelle 2-4 p.m.: Demo Day with Flying Fish Sup—Shelter Cove Marina, free and open to the public. Try out various models of Flying Fish SUP boards and place custom orders!

5-7 p.m.: Race sign-up and packet pick-up. Outside Hilton Head flagship store at the Plaza at Shelter Cove.

The second annual OluKai Lowcountry Boil Paddle Battle will be held on Saturday, September 12, starting from Hudson’s Seafood House on the dock, beginning at 6:30 a.m. The race includes an 8-mile, a 3.5-mile and a fun 1-mile race. Prizes will be awarded to the top three men and women in each division with more than five competitors. All proceeds from race registration and donations go directly to The Outside Foundation and The David M. Carmines Foundation. Register online at paddleguru. com or in person at the packet pick-up party at Outside Hilton Head on September 11.

Written by Cheryl Alexander / Photography by M.Kat / Design by Jeff Cline

Jesse Blanco

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esse Blanco is, no doubt, one of the Lowcountry’s most popular media personalities. In fact, Blanco and his show, Eat It and Like It, have become synonymous with food in the region. But what you might not realize is the diversity and point of view he offers his followers.

Blanco was born in California and raised in the Coconut Grove area of Miami alongside a “very, very large Cuban-American family,” he said, “where the genetic makeup consists of food, drink, music, dancing, laughing, family, and friends.”

Blanco’s Latin heritage and all that goes along with it have brought a unique opportunity and perspective to his career. His dad came to Miami from Cuba just after the Cuban Revolution, and his mom is Puerto Rican. His parents met and married in New York City, but they eventually moved back to Miami to be near family when Blanco was four years old.

“I visited Cuba for the first time last year,” Blanco said. “I gained a lot of insight about my family, my culture and my own passions.

It was a country full of people I grew up with in Miami. Cuba has its fair share of issues, but so many people are so happy and cheerful.

It is unbelievable. The hospitality is just mind-blowing considering these are people that work for a handful of dollars a month.”

Blanco attended college at the University of Central Florida where he earned a degree in political science, but his curiosity about television news, which would eventually become his career, developed at a young age. “Six p.m. would roll around, and because we only had one TV, my mom would come to the living room where I was watching cartoons and say, ‘Get out of my chair and change the channel.’ So, I watched the news with her. My fascination with the personalities that came through the TV and the news format only grew from that early exposure,” he said.

Since those days, Blanco has enjoyed more than two decades as a beloved and respected television news anchor, reporting on hurricanes, Super Bowls, shuttle launches, presidential inaugurations, and more. He originally moved to the Savannah area in 1998 to work as a sportscaster at WSAV-TV (NBC). Since then, he has worked for or with every television station in the market in a number of capacities—from sports anchor to news anchor to TV show host—and he has lived in places like Orlando, Fort Myers, Nashville, and El Paso.

Jesse couldn’t resist getting a snap of this Instagram-worthy dish at Rhett in Savananh.

Jesse prepares a margherita pizza at Pizzeria Vittoria in Starland Yard.

Blanco was the first Hispanic-American to serve as a news anchor in the Savannah market—an accomplishment he is extremely proud of. Equally important, though, spending time in a variety of places has allowed him to experience and understand diverse people and cultures, including the many varieties of local cuisine, both through cooking and eating the food.

“I have always had an insatiable desire to travel and explore,” he said. “But I’ve always had a fascination with the South. There is so much diversity within it that it was a natural fit for me to learn about the cultures and the people.”

In 2008, Blanco returned to Savannah to work for WTGS-TV (FOX) and, just over a year later, decided to turn one of his hobbies (food) into a small business. Created by co-founders Senea Crystal and Jesse Blanco in the summer of 2010, Eat It and Like It began as a blog about the diversity of food in and around Savannah, Georgia and across the South. Crystal created structure and

Favorite cuisine? Chinese Favorite dish? I love a medium New York strip. Lately I have been passing on potatoes, though, which I formerly loved as much as my steak. But now I prefer broccoli, Brussels sprouts, or spinach. I can be satisfied with just a bite of my daughter’s potato.

Favorite Savannah restaurant? My go-to is The Collins Quarter for brunch. It is a premier brunch, where the food, champagne, and people-watching are equally great. In fact, if I ever opened a restaurant, it would not be too different than what Anthony Debrecheny has done there.

Favorite Bluffton restaurant? FARM. I have never had anything I did not love … great yellowfin tuna, great burger.

Favorite Hilton Head Island restaurant? I love Hudson’s, especially in the off-season. It is less crowded, which allows the staff to catch their breath and deliver a better product.

Best food and view combo in Hilton Head? The Beach Club at Sea Pines, no question about it.

Favorite authentic Lowcountry food? Mrs. Wilkes Boarding House in Savannah. It is the most authentic family-style fried chicken, meatloaf, okra, butter beans, you name it. It is honestly the most legit we have got.

v Jesse with Chef Kyle Jacovino at Pizzeria Vittoria in Savannah.

branding and came up with the name in homage to every mother’s admonition: “You’re going to eat it, and you’re going to like it!”

The two spent six months in preparation and debuted the blog on February 3, 2011. Nine months later, the television show premiered, and within weeks had developed a following. Although the original premise was to promote and drive business to Tybee Island, they agreed that the show should not be limited in scope even to Savannah.

“We knew we’d eventually run out of restaurants if we didn’t include the entire South—keep in mind this was three years before Savannah’s food scene exploded,” Blanco said.

So now he goes to Nashville, Asheville, Atlanta, Charleston, and all over Florida in search of the meals that break Southern cuisine stereotypes. “Everyone outside of the South thinks all we do is eat fried chicken, collards and fried green tomatoes,” Blanco said, “and nothing could be further from the truth.”

Favorite modern Southern cuisine? I love Cotton and Rye or Husk. Cannot go wrong either place.

Favorite burger on Hilton Head Island? It is Marley’s or the Lucky Rooster Street Market.

Best farmers market? I love to go to the Bluffton market because the health department laws are different there. In Bluffton, you can get prepared food and eat it onsite, unlike Savannah. In Savannah, the Forsyth market is wonderful, but the city restricts food service.

Favorite recipe to prepare? Shrimp & grits is my favorite Lowcountry recipe to make. I use a Cajun spice for the shrimp, and my grits are very creamy and very buttery (see recipe on our website @ www.celebratehiltonhead.om). One time I made it for a concert in Forsyth Park, and of course, I made more than I needed. Next thing I knew, there was a line of strangers waiting to try my shrimp-n-grits.

Favorite chef? Chef Kyle Jacovino is the owner and chef at Pizzeria Vittoria in Savannah. Kyle is a tremendous talent who has had more than one chance to leave Savannah for bigger and maybe better, but he has chosen to stay here and help improve our scene. I very much appreciate and respect that.

We need more like Kyle.

v v

Jesse with Executive Chef Jason Starnes of Rhett.

The Rhett Burger served with handcut fries.

Bacon, Egg and Cheese Croissant served with breakfast potatoes.

v

Because his background is not really food or Southern culture, Blanco is always eager to learn how it’s done, and folks recognize and appreciate the authenticity of his approach. “I’m not a chef. I’m a journalist. I’m curious every day,” he said.

Blanco garnered a keen interest in food from his dad, who taught his children an appreciation for well-prepared, beautifully presented, great tasting food. It was his sister, though, who instilled in him a love of cooking and an interest in what it took to make a recipe really taste great.

“We were exposed to lots of great food in my family,” Blanco said, “but I recognized early on that there was something about Sandy’s cooking. Anytime she made something—even stuff I’d had in restaurants—it tasted better. From her I learned that great cooking does not just happen. It comes from attention to detail and from loving what you do.”

Now in its tenth season, Eat It and Like It will continue to explore food and food trends across the South, and Blanco has added a spin-off called Drink It and Like It, which will allow glimpses into Southern breweries, taverns, pubs, and the like.

When asked what this new season’s focus will be, his quick answer came with a sly grin, “Eating out without catching COVID!” “But seriously,” he continued, “our theme this year is to help as many little guys as possible. We will focus on giving the locals both sides of the river as much publicity as possible to drive business and help them survive. I’ve been interviewing them via Zoom all summer, and they all want the viewers to know, ‘We’re here and open and we’re doing this thing tonight, so come on by.’’

Blanco and his crew also took a summer trip to Miami where he went back to his old neighborhood, Coconut Grove.

“I walked through a local park I used to play in when I was a child, and I bought an Italian ice from the owner—the same guy who has been there since I was a kid,” he said. “We sat on picnic bench, and I interviewed this guy I grew up eating ices from. It C2 MAGAZINE

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Blanco has added a spin-off called Drink It and Like It, which will allow glimpses into Southern breweries, taverns, pubs, and the like.

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is truly one of the highlights of my career. My viewers are going to love it.”

They also visited Indian Pass Raw Bar in Port St. Joe. “It’s a little dive where you get beer by the honor system,” Blanco explained. “You order when you go in—steamed oysters or shrimp, or raw oysters—and the coolers full of beer are in the back. When you leave, you show your bottle caps at checkout.”

In Destin, where Blanco has a second home, they featured Red Bar, a quirky, eclectic little restaurant that has been open there since he was a kid. “It recently burned down and just reopened, so we are super happy to share their story.”

Blanco is the self-proclaimed “luckiest guy in the world.”

When he first moved here, his dad was skeptical because Jesse was a Hispanic from Miami moving into the Deep South. But Blanco says that without question, he has been embraced since day one by people on both sides of river, and he is extremely appreciative of all the love and support he has received.

“I’m treated like I’ve been here my whole life,” he said.

“My family and I have never experienced anything but open arms and affection everywhere we’ve ever been in the South.”

Blanco also says that he has lived in enough places to know that you do not move somewhere and try to tell people how to do something. He makes moves based on the “When in Rome…” mindset.

“Sometimes people I run into on the street here in Savannah will ask me questions like, ‘Where is Savannah’s best Jersey pizza?’ When they don’t like the options I give them, they will huff at me and storm off. Listen, you cannot get mad at Savannah if they do not have New Jersey pizza.

That is in Jersey, kids. You’re in the Lowcountry now.”

Blanco loves sharing food and the passion people feel about food. If you have a story idea, email him at tips@ eatitandlikeit.com.

W

hile I think it is critically important to have good quality grits, I really don’t have a favorite. There are plenty of grits recipes on the web. Prepare your grits according to your favorite recipe. The only thing I beg you is to use heavy cream and butter. Don’t cut corners.

Not on this dish.

Ingredients: 4 slices thick-cut bacon, cut into small pieces for rendering 1 shallot minced 1/2 cup chopped onion 1 red pepper 1 yellow pepper 1 tablespoon minced garlic 1 cup white wine 1 pint heavy cream 1 tablespoon Cajun or Creole seasoning 1 tablespoon smoked sweet paprika seasoning 1 teaspoon salt 2 tablespoons tomato paste 1 tablespoon freshly chopped parsley 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese 1 bunch green onion

(I make own withmy Emeril’s Recipe)

Directions: Toss the raw, peeled shrimp with Cajun seasoning—usually 1-2 tablespoons per pound, depending on how spicy you like it. Set aside in fridge.

Render the bacon until tender but not crispy. Pull bacon and set aside.

Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to pan with bacon fat.

Add shallots to the bacon fat to soften, then the onion and peppers.

Medium heat to allow them to sweat and soften together. Add garlic last minute.

Add the white wine. Let the wine reduce to half—about 3 minutes.

Add Cajun seasoning, salt, paprika, and tomato paste. Stir.

Add heavy cream. When the cream mixture is almost bubbling, turn heat to low. Let the cream mixture reduce to half—about 2 minutes. Add chopped green onion and the bacon bites you set aside. Keep plenty of cream on the side to make sure you have enough liquid for your grits.

Add your shrimp to the cream in batches to cook through. Remember they were seasoned already. Don’t overcook them. The shrimp should add flavor to your cream, however, the best way to season this now simmering creamy mixture is with more Cajun seasoning. Not just salt. The seasoning has salt in it.

Finally, stir in some parmesan cheese.

Serve your grits in a bowl with your Cajun Spiced Shrimp topping.

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P H O T O G R A P H Y

B Y

M . K A T

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D E S I G N E D

B Y

C A T

C O L B Y

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n times like these, there is nothing more important than self-care. To truly get your heart and mind balanced, you can turn to a psychiatrist. To ease your anxieties and calm your nerves, you can turn to a pharmacist. To share your concerns and get a second opinion on your life’s journey, you can turn to a friend.

Or, if you’re looking to go the efficient route, you can turn to a practitioner of that most noble profession, one which embodies all three: the bartender.

On paper, the bartender’s job is simply transactional. You slide over a few bills and he or she either pours a frothy pint or whips up a carefully crafted cocktail. But in practice, bartenders’ jobs go much deeper. They can be a sounding board for your biggest gripes, a focus group for that million-dollar idea that always seems to be found at the bottom of a glass, and that trusted advisor who will take your secrets to their grave.

They are perhaps our most unsung essential workers, working on the front lines of our recovery. As we knock back those first pints of post-COVID freedom, it seems like a good time to raise a glass to our bartenders.

R

AISE

the perfect drink does exist...and these are the geniuses behind it!

GLASS

MONICA L. COLLINS

Bartending since: 1998

Where do you currently tend bar?

Whiskey Room Kitchen and Cocktails Person you would most like to pour a drink for and have a chat with at your bar.

Ernest Hemingway What is your favorite bar in the Lowcountry, besides the one where you work?

Cool Cats & Chez George Bistro Bar At the end of my shift, I pour myself…

A gin gimlet ... or maybe whiskey, depending on the day!

I secretly groan when I hear someone order this drink: Lemon drop martini Did you have a mentor/or barkeep you learned a lot from?

My eight years with Outback Steakhouse taught me so much in the FOH. Then the freedom I had at Country Club of Little Rock inspired me to do whatever I wanted with cocktails and however I wanted with spirits and other ingredients.

What is the best pick-up line you’ve ever seen work?

“Pretty sure my bourbon on the rocks is jealous.” (But why?)

“Because you’re the most intoxicating thing in this place.”

Have you ever had to throw someone out of the bar?

Twice. Maybe three times, but who’s counting?

Do you have an original drink recipe that you came up with?

The cocktails at Whiskey Room are all my creations. They do change. I am constantly trying to stay ahead of the industry by teaching people something new about libations and all things whiskey.

ERIC HALEY

Bartending since: Prohibition Where do you currently tend bar?

Alexander’s Person you would most like to pour a drink for and have a chat with at your bar.

My mother, Sharon. She’s been drinking my Bordeaux Manhattans lately.

Have you ever had to throw someone out of the bar?

I have had to throw not even a handful of people out over the years. I’m in upscale dining, so it doesn’t happen that often.

At the end of my shift, I pour myself…

A shot of Woodford rye I secretly groan when I hear someone order this drink: Probably a Negroni; I’m told I make an excellent one using Bulrush, but I can’t stand to drink them; the Campari gets me.

Did you have a mentor/or barkeep you learned a lot from?

My old friend Toby taught me bartending at age 19 at a Chuck Muer restaurant up North, and he taught me the importance of a strong sense of urgency.

What is the best pick-up line you’ve ever seen work?

“Is this seat taken?” works way too often in my bar for some reason.

Do you have an original drink recipe that you came up with?

Grapefruit Cosmo is my first signature cocktail; peach old fashioned is my biggest seller; and the French cucumber 75 is my newest invention.

JEN KANE

Bartending since: 1999

Where do you currently tend bar?

CQ’s Person you would most like to pour a drink for and have a chat with at your bar.

Adam Schefter. I’d love to be able to get the inside scoop on all the sports gossip.

And Taylor Swift because ...

Taylor Swift.

What is your favorite bar in the Lowcountry, besides the one where you work?

I’m more of a restaurant bar person than actual bars. I love Santa Fe Cafe and Frosty Frog.

At the end of my shift, I pour myself…

Usually water ... or bourbon.

Depends on the night.

I secretly groan when I hear someone order this drink: Secretly I groan when anyone orders anything muddled or a key lime martini.

Did you have a mentor/or barkeep you learned a lot from?

No mentor.

What is the best pick-up line you’ve ever seen work?

I’ve seen some pick-ups, but none of them are smooth at all and involve some locals...

Bartenders have confidentiality right?

Do you have an original drink recipe that you came up with?

I serve a special non-alcoholic drink with ginger beer, apple and cranberry juice. You can also add bourbon if you need a kick.

JANELLE SHERMAN

Bartending since: 1987

Where do you currently tend bar?

Every Tuesday through Saturday at Nunzio Restaurant + Bar Person you would most like to pour a drink for and have a chat with at your bar.

My dad. He lives in Reading, Pennsylvania where he owned our local corner bar, Sam’s Goose House. He named it after his grandfather who sold his farm and livestock except for one goose. Grandpa Sam used to bring his goose into the bar for a shot of whiskey.

Guess you can say I grew up in bars. I miss my dad.

What is your favorite bar in the Lowcountry, besides the one where you work?

It would have to be Ela’s on the Water in Shelter Cove Marina. That’s where my better half, David Hanley, bartends.

At the end of my shift, I pour myself…

A chilled crisp sauvignon blanc I secretly groan when I hear someone order this drink: Miami Vice (pina colada & strawberry daiquiri combination). Thank goodness we do not have a blender at this bar.

Did you have a mentor/or barkeep you learned a lot from?

Jeff Mixx from the original Remy’s days. I learned how to work and talk at the same time and to always face paper money in the same direction.

What is the best pick-up line you’ve ever seen work?

“I think you’re suffering from a lack of vitamin me.”

Have you ever had to throw someone out of the bar?

Every once in a while. Mostly at Prime Tyme in the early ’90s.

Do you have an original drink recipe that you came up with?

Yes, Secret Pineapple. You have to come and see me to get one. It’s a secret!

Where do you currently tend bar?

Captain Woody’s in Bluffton Person you would most like to pour a drink for and have a chat with at your bar.

The person I would most like to pour a drink for and have a chat with at the bar would be Flip Pallot. He was a cool dude who loved fishing and the outdoors. He had a way with words about life and nature; he seemed to really enjoy the simple life.

What is your favorite bar in the Lowcountry, besides the one where you work?

My favorite “bar” is the one I create on my boat while cruising Broad Creek at sunset with my wife.

At the end of my shift, I pour myself…

It used to be a Dirty Frank (bourbon and ginger with a lime), but now it’s a Pink Drink (vodka, water with a splash of cran-raspberry); go figure. I guess we do mellow with age.

I secretly groan when I hear someone order this drink: It used to be any frozen drink, but now working without blenders, I guess it would be an Irish car bomb.

Did you have a mentor/or barkeep you learned a lot from?

That’s easy: Andy Jeffrey. You know the saying, “He would give you the shirt off his back”? Andy wouldn’t give customers his own shirt, but he was known to buy sweatshirts for customers who were cold.

FRANK SHUPP

Bartending since: 1989

What is the best pick-up line you’ve ever seen work?

None that I’ve heard have ever worked, but there is one that I will never forget. I overhead a guy tell my friend, “I bet hearing you fart is like listening to a choir of angels sing.”

Have you ever had to throw someone out of the bar?

See above.

Do you have an original drink recipe that you came up with?

This is a shout-out to the old school South Beach gang: nuts and berries with potatoes (it’s Frangelico and Chambord with vodka).

It’s not original but sure is tasty.

MICHAEL HODGE

Bartending since: 2005 Where do you currently tend bar?

Southern Barrel Person you would most like to pour a drink for and have a chat with at your bar.

Freddy Mercury, but if we are talking a living person ... my grandpa, Bob. With COVID going on, I haven’t been able to visit him in New Orleans. He is a blast, especially with a few bourbons in him.

What is your favorite bar in the Lowcountry, besides the one where you work?

R Bar. Love sports, and R Bar is a great place to watch them. Plus, Brittany, Brandon, Tanya and crew are always awesome.

At the end of my shift, I pour myself…

A Damn Yankee IPA and a chilled shot of El Jimador tequila.

I secretly groan when I hear someone order this drink: Over the years, this has changed according to where I am working. Now, I cringe anytime someone orders a beer with sprite or lemonade in it.

Did you have a mentor/barkeep you learned a lot from?

I’ve worked with so many bartenders over the years and have learned a lot from all of those people. I am not sure who said it, but treating people as if they are there for more than a drink is the best policy.

Introduce people to others; don’t make them wait; make suggestions on what to drink next; teach guests something they didn’t know about their drink or the establishment. Making it an experience is what has always allowed me to be

successful, especially in a brewery where “bartender” is a loose term considering we don’t have a “full” bar.

What is the best pick-up line you’ve ever seen work?

My parents aren’t home, and they have a hot tub.

Have you ever had to throw someone out of the bar?

Oh yeah! I bounced for years too. I worked at a place that did 25 cent wings and $4 pitchers of Bud Light on Monday nights. We’d cut off and throw out 10 people a night!

Do you have an original drink recipe that you came up with? I’ve always played with old standards and made them my own. SoCo Manhattans, Hodgea-ritas, Habanero Blood Marys. Those days are gone since I’ve been slinging beer at Southern Barrel for five years.

TANYA CAPRIA

Bartending since: 1997 Where do you currently tend bar?

R Bar & Grill Person you would most like to pour a drink for and have a chat with at your bar.

Josh Allen. We could shotgun a beer and talk about the Bills’ domination this year!

What is your favorite bar in the Lowcountry besides the one where you work?

I don’t get to go out too much, but I would have to say the Dispensary is cool. Great food and bartenders!

At the end of my shift, I pour myself…

An Ultra and a shot of Hornitos.

I secretly groan when I hear someone order this drink: “Something fruity,” or “Surprise me.”

Did you have a mentor/or barkeep you learned a lot from?

Ben Berenson—one of my first bar trainers back in Buffalo. He taught me to always keep an eye on my surroundings and how to always be one step ahead.

What is the best pick-up line you’ve ever seen work?

I have seen so many pick-up lines

in my 23 years of bartending.

I’m not really sure if it’s the lines that actually work or the alcohol!

Hahaha!

Have you ever had to throw someone out of the bar?

Unfortunately, several times.

Do you have an original drink recipe that you came up with?

The Golden Lasso—a layered drink consisting of grenadine, peach schnapps, melon liqueur, OJ, pineapple juice, and blue curacao.

MICHAEL HAYS

Bartending since: 1991

(THE GOOD OL’ COLLEGE DAYS)

Where do you currently tend bar?

I’m currently working at Tiki Hut and am in holding for Fat Baby’s.

Person you would most like to pour a drink for and have a chat with at your bar.

The two people I would love to pour a drink for and chat with are Michael Jordan and Kurt Russell.

What is your favorite bar in the Lowcountry, besides the one where you work?

My favorite bar is Pool Bar Jim’s, for obvious reasons.

At the end of my shift, I pour myself…

A large glass of water and a shot of tequila.

I secretly groan when I hear someone order this drink: The extra dry martini. Just order a chilled vodka or gin up! Lol Did you have a mentor/or barkeep you learned a lot from?

I have three mentors: Douglas Coughlin and Brian Flanagan. If you watched movies in the ’80s, you know them both! Lol. The other is Patty Jeffrey. She was the best; God rest her soul. I think about her every shift because there is always something that I handled just like she would have, or I wish I would have handled it like she would have.

What is the best pick-up line you’ve ever seen work?

Hey, nice shoes, you want to…

Truth is, pick-up lines never work.

They are funny, though.

Have you ever had to throw someone out of the bar?

I have had to throw people out of the bar, in my younger days of course. It’s always a last resort.

Do you have an original drink recipe that you came up with?

We made a shot called the OG back in the day. It was orange and grape vodka, triple sec and a splash of sprite. Pretty tasty if I do say so myself.

BUILDING A NEW HEALTHY HABIT

WRITTEN BY AMY BARTLETT PHOTOGRAPHY BY M. KAT DESIGN BY JEFF CLINE

Creating a lifestyle, restaurant, and brand with owners Nick Bergelt & Andrea Roberts

Nickâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Go-to Arcadia Salad: Vegan inspired featuring mixed greens, wild argula, quinoa, lentils, edamame,grape tomtaotes, and avocado.

“Owning a restaurant can be an occupational hazard,” restaurateurs and entrepreneurs Nick and Andrea Bergelt said, making the common joke about “tasting what you’re making.” That was before they bought (and why they sought) Healthy Habit.

The Bergelts reached a point where several issues were converging, crossing a decade threshold, encountering family health issues, and watching their own health fracture in certain ways. “We’d been opening a restaurant almost every other year and burning the candle at both ends,” Nick recalled. “Relentless 100-hour workweeks started catching up with us. We were constantly sampling, indulging, tasting, in order to get the best product to our guests, and that wasn’t going to continue being good for us.” Unless the restaurant itself was a “healthy habit.”

That was the catalyst for the shift. Nick and Andrea dove into researching options for people in their shoes, discovering how many were looking for the same lifestyle change. They started to think about what Healthy Habit could be. “It was congruent with where we were going in our personal lives,” the Bergelts explained. “We saw it as a platform to be able to better ourselves and, at the same time, turn it into a broader mission to help others.”

GET IN. GET OUT. GET BETTER.

With a laugh that almost masks the marketing savvy, Andrea said, “We’d be on vacation and find incredible healthy eating options and think, Hilton Head needs that. There’s so much good food on the island, and many people visit, in part, for the food scene. Most people can’t eat like that seven days a week and still feel good about themselves, and eating healthy at home is not the same as eating healthy out. The island needed more healthy options, and we wanted to offer a brand where healthy could still be indulgent.”

The Bergelts acquired Healthy Habit as a successful mom-and-pop shop but saw unlimited potential. “From a foundational perspective after getting to know the business,” Nick said, explaining that they were avid customers before taking it on, “we saw a huge opportunity in the brand that could evolve into any food under the sun so long as it was delicious, nutritious, and deliverable at a value and convenience that was comparable to fast-food alternatives—a place where people could get in, get out, and get better.”

First up on the plate of to-dos was creating a bona fide brand. This was Nick Bergelt’s wheelhouse and playground. Bergelt not only spearheaded the brand development of previous restaurant concepts (Charbar Co. & Holy Tequila!), he’s also the founder and the creative entrepreneurial force behind HospitalityX, a portfolio company that’s “re-imagining the traditional notion of what a restaurant is.”

Bergelt engaged frequent creative partner Marco Invernizzi of Mainworks, Co., London, the branding and design

Breakfast bowl.

Almond Power Toast with almond butter, chia seeds, banana, agava on multigrain toast.

team they use for all their restaurants. “We went back to what turned us on to Healthy Habit in the first place, our personal transition of healing and making you feel good by what you’re putting in your body,” he said. “That’s why you see our ‘H’ represented as a smile, and above that the word ‘heal’ sticks out.

It’s this idea that what you’re eating makes you happy and healthy.”

Their signature bright pink palette bears resemblance to beet-based menu items. Asked which came first, the brand or the beet, the answer is surprisingly the brand. “We looked for fun ways to pull that out and create that identity,” Andrea said. “We wanted to pull that pink predominant color into food choices and created a beet hummus that takes on a fuchsia tone.”

“The more you recognize the brand and it becomes ubiquitous, you won’t have to use it in entirety; the pink and white smile alone reinforces the sense of being happy and feeling good because you’ve built your ‘Healthy Habit,’” Nick added.

BUILDING A HEALTHY APPETITE

Healthy and packed full of nutrition build-your-own salad combos.

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Building this brand meant busting stereotypes. “We vet every single menu item through the lens that it needs to be indulgent, crave-able,” Nick said. “The idea that you have to make a sacrifice—that healthy food can’t be delicious, and if it is, it’s probably not good for you—that’s the stigma we’re here to break.”

They drastically expanded the menu “bringing in a heavy component of superfoods and plant derivatives that have intrinsic health properties and putting every item in a position where there wasn’t a tradeoff for the consumer in taste or cost,” Nick said. “We built a menu around those factors: a price point

within reach of any alternative, delivering equally on flavor versus benefit, executed quickly with fresh raw ingredients, and blending flavor profiles that make you crave it enough to come back. We didn’t put anything on the menu that didn’t fit this bill.” Speaking of the bill, they kept 98 percent of the menu under $10 to be sure there was no excuse to not eat healthy, he explained.

Building long-term habits through in-house resourcing and education, Healthy Habit has an exhibition kitchen for customer engagement and is finishing an urban grow room for harvesting leaf lettuces onsite.

Speaking of the bill, they kept 98 percent of the menu under $10 to be sure there was no excuse to not eat healthy, he explained.

Owners, Andrea Roberts and Nick Bergelt.

Healthy Habit’s courtyard located in Park Plaza

“You have three minutes to make guests happy with their in-store experience before you can help them build healthy habits over time,” Andrea said. “Customers discover they feel differently beyond our four walls when health is carried into their life, not just their one meal. When they come for a smoothie but decide to come back tomorrow, that’s when we end up seeing people every single day of their seven-day vacation or see locals making a habit of breakfast, lunch, and after-beach acai bowls.”

“We set out to heal ourselves,” the Bergelts said, “and Healthy Habit became a barometer for realizing what we can do in other communities: making healthy eating approachable, affordable, and delicious for everyone.”

So far, so (very) good.

Healthy Habit is located at 33 Office Park Rd., Suite 227 (Park Plaza shopping center) on Hilton Head Island. For more information, visit healthyhabithhi.com or call (843) 686-5600.

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T H E FAC E S O F

D B & O E V O F EAT, DRINK AND BE MERRY, AND REMEMBER TO TIP YOUR SERVER.

PG. 48

PG. 49

BRANCO & FLORA RAIAC CHEF MICHAEL HEATH & LINDA PROSSER MULCAHY

PG. 50

BETH & MADDIE BARNETT

PG. 51 & 52 BILL RICE TOMMY THOMPSON

c BRANCO & FLORA RAIAC FLORA’S ITALIAN CAFÉ

I

n times like these, when some restaurant patrons are feeling insecure about dining out, Branco and Flora Raiac, owners of Flora’s Italian Café on Hilton Head Island, are pleased to extend a warm, albeit socially distant welcome as they continue to serve their signature Italian and European specialties with a side of love and a strong commitment to the well-being of their customers and employees. “What’s a little extra cleaning and sanitizing when you get to do what you love for people you care about?” Flora said, reflecting the work ethic that has driven the couple’s success throughout their lives.

The Raiacs are no strangers to rules and restrictions, as both grew up in communist Romania, where everyone was required to work for the government.

Business ownership wasn’t an option for Branco, who started cooking as a young boy and was later given the opportunity to go to culinary school. But when his American-born mother returned to the U.S., Branco and Flora followed, moving to New Jersey, where Branco worked as a cook at an Italian restaurant. Flora initially worked as a dishwasher until she got comfortable in the kitchen and learned to bake. Today, she is known for the delectable homemade desserts served at Flora’s.

After 10 years working for someone else, the Raiacs opened their own Italian

restaurant, which they operated for the next 10 years while raising two sons.

Then, while vacationing on Hilton Head Island, an opportunity arose to own a restaurant here; they took a leap of faith, selling everything up North and setting down roots in the Lowcountry, where they have been happily planted for the past 17 years.

Branco’s passion for cooking and 50-plus years of experience along with the couple’s shared dedication to superb customer care makes Flora’s Italian Café a favorite among locals and annual visitors. Offering authentic, homemade Italian and European cuisine, made with the highest quality and freshest ingredients, the Raiacs are fully committed to providing a safe dining experience, generously seasoned with kindness and sincere customer appreciation.

“Our customers are like our family,” Flora said. “We would like to thank everyone for your patience. We love having you back!”

841 William Hilton Parkway South Island Square Hilton Head Island, SC 29928 (843) 842-8200 florasitaliancafe.com

c HEATH & LINDA PROSSER ALFRED’S RESTAURANT What is one meal you could never live without?

Schnitzel! We both love it— veal, pork, even chicken— you name it!

Thailand. The Thai markets and street food are something we want to see and try. Heath wants to eat fried spiders!

Give us your advice for aspiring food entrepreneurs ... in six words or less.

Mise en place is the key!

Cooking at home or going out for dinner?

We like to try new restaurants, but eating at home is definitely the option more often than not!

Which dishes and drinks are your customers’ favorites?

Everything German—plus the Potato Crusted Halibut, Bone-in Veal Chop, Filet au Poivre, and our Crispy Duck!

Chocolate martinis are also a fan fave!

If you were to go on a food tour anywhere in the world, where would you go?

807 William Hilton Pkwy.

Hilton Head Island, SC 29926 (843) 341-3117 www.alfredshhi.com prosshlbj@gmail.com

c MICHAEL MULCAHY

OLD FORT PUB What is one meal you could never live without?

Bacon, lettuce, and tomato How do you relax after a busy day at the restaurant?

Milk & cookies and Netflix Give us your advice for aspiring food entrepreneurs… in six words or less.

You are born to do this!

Which dishes and drinks are your customer's favorite?

Fresh local fish, all seasonal

If you were to go on a food tour anywhere in the world, where would you go?

Italy What is your favorite cookbook?

French Laundry What is your most guilty pleasure?

Frozen peanut M&M’s Cooking at home or going for dinner?

Her choice on dinner What is on your food bucket list?

I’ll try anything What is your drink of choice?

Gatorade Hilton Head Plantation 63 Skull Creek Drive Hilton Head Island, SC 29926 (843) 681-2386 www.oldfortpub.com

c BETH & MADDIE BARNETT EAT ME COOKIES

E

at Me Cookies is a cookie brand on a mission to bring cheer, wit, and occasional bad news in the form of a delicious cookie cake. It was founded in 2020 by sister duo Beth and Maddie Barnett, who share a love of baking and a twisted sense of humor. After fleeing from their shared New York City apartment to their parents’ home in South Carolina, Beth recalled an idea she had months ago about creating a novelty cookie cake that she made for a friend that was never sent, as no companies would deliver it. Feeling inspired by what was shared on a podcast, it was at that moment that Eat Me

Cookies transcended from an idea into a business. In late April, the two sisters took all necessary steps to bring Eat Me Cookies to life by securing the domain, registering the LLC, trademarking the name, and taking the idea to Instagram.

Within a matter of days after launching, Eat Me Cookies received orders from customers across the U.S. and had already become a fan favorite among notable celebrities.

Only five years apart in age, Beth and Maddie have become a power duo and best friends. Before starting Eat Me Cookies, Beth was a career nanny for affluent families throughout Manhattan for 10

years, where she and Maddie both attended English Nanny Governess School. Maddie’s background includes matchmaking for singles across the U.S. and managing a unique fitness studio in Tribeca.

About the Cookies The brand’s 12-inch cookie cakes are made to make people laugh with witty and snarky sayings. Eat Me Cookies are crafted in the Barnett’s family kitchen in Bluffton, South Carolina out of love, and the occasional F-bomb.

The cookie cakes are available in a variety of flavors including chocolate chip, peanut butter, sugar cookie, and funfetti, and are also available gluten-free and vegan. eatmecookiecakes.com

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BILL RICE

TJ’S TAKE AND BAKE PIZZA

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ost everyone loves pizza and has a very strong opinion of what they like. That’s especially true for Bill Rice, owner of TJ’s Take and Bake Pizza on Hilton Head Island’s north end. Bill has been a pizza connoisseur his whole life and has his own strong opinion of what make a great pizza. He first stumbled on TJ’s during a visit to Hilton Head back in 2014 and was impressed with the TJ’s concept: a pizzeria-quality pie you bake up at home at your own convenience. Also impressive was the similarity to the New York-style pizza he loves most, the wide array of signature TJ’s pies, and the reputation TJ’s has enjoyed since its founding in 2003.

After 30 years in the radio business as a sound engineer and journalist, Bill decided he wanted to

move to the Lowcountry to be close to family. When he learned that TJ’s was up for sale, he jumped at it, packed up his life in Cleveland, Ohio and moved to the island. “The timing was right for a new career,” he said. “And now, here I am: a hard-working pizza shop owner providing a product that islanders love.”

You’ll find Bill at the shop most every day, prepping ingredients, making pizzas, working the register, or when asked, encouraging customers to try his absolute favorite pie: the Quattro Formaggio—a white pizza featuring four different cheeses plus tomatoes and basil. And, since it’s routine to make any changes a customer wants to a signature pie, he might recommend adding a little pepperoni.

35 Main Street Hilton Head Island, SC 29926 (843) 681-2900 tjstakeandbakepizza.com

c TOMMY

THOMPSON

GT INTERNATIONAL CAFE

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met Gladys Britos about 16 years ago; we worked together in a restaurant on the south end of Hilton Head Island, and since that time we started talking about opening our own restaurant.

About three years ago, someone showed me this location, and I loved it. I called Gladys to see if she was still interested in the business. She was in Spain, but she said yes! It has not been easy, but our customers make me keep going, and now we’re doing fresh dinners to go. Most of them are vacuum sealed and pasteurized, like veal ossobuco, curry chicken, lobster ravioli, spinach and portobello raviolis, panzerottis and a lot more.

What is one meal you could never live without?

The Colombian Breakfast with a Colombian Coffee.

How do you relax after a busy day at the restaurant?

Walk with my wife and dog on the beach Give us your advice for aspiring food entrepreneurs … in six

words or less.

Love it, or you will go crazy.

Which dishes and drinks are your customers’ favorites?

G T Skillets, GT Breakfast, Colombian Breakfast and our unique Colombian Coffee If you were to go on a food tour anywhere in the world, where would you go?

Europe What is your most guilty pleasure?

Food Cooking at home or going for dinner?

Both What is your drink of choice?

Coffee or Tommy’s Margarita 807 William Hilton Parkway Hilton Head Island 29928 (843) 842-3300 Tommythompson0505@yahoo.com

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DINING OUT ALONE ... ...

ARTICLE BY DANIELLE DAILY

re you eager to dine out but your usual gal pals are social distancing? With public opinion divided on the safety of gathering with family and friends, it’s easy to end up eating at home despite local restaurants being open and hungry for business. Perhaps now is the time to get comfortable dining out alone.

When I first set out to dine solo, it embarrassed me to request a table for one. I know I’m not the only one feeling this way; plenty of people are uncomfortable dining out alone. For many of us, the very idea of dining without a companion is depressing or anxiety-producing enough to send us back into the kitchen to pour another glass of chardonnay and reheat last night’s leftovers, even though we’d

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DINING OUT ALONE ...

THIS ISN’T SCARY

EACH TIME I MOVE FROM BEING UNCOMFORTABLE DOING SOMETHING TO DOING IT WITH EASE, I EXPERIENCE A STRONG SENSE OF EMPOWERMENT. WITH A LITTLE PRACTICE, GETTING COMFORTABLE DINING SOLO COULD BOOST YOUR SENSE OF PERSONAL POWER, TOO.

rather be booking a reservation at that hot new restaurant we’ve been dying to try. However, I’ve found that with the right mindset and preparation, dining out alone, whether it’s because you’re single, new to the area, or your friends are social distancing, can be an enjoyable, even empowering experience.

I was taken by surprise when recently I found myself not just planning to dine out alone but looking forward to it. I’ve always loved dining out with friends because it’s a reliable way to relax and reconnect. However, over time, I’ve developed a love of dining solo because it makes me feel powerful. Not that long ago, dining solo was something I couldn’t imagine myself doing, let alone enjoying. Each time I move from being uncomfortable doing something to doing it with ease, I experience a strong sense of empowerment. With a little practice, getting comfortable dining solo could

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boost your sense of personal power, too. Read on for my tips on how to prepare yourself to step out into the dining solo experience.

Let’s start by checking how experienced you are with dining solo. (You might not be as inexperienced as you think.) Perhaps you have grabbed a quick bite alone while sitting at an airport restaurant while traveling. Or maybe you ended up eating an appetizer by yourself while waiting for a friend caught in traffic on her way to meet you for happy hour. If you’ve done either of these, congratulations! You have successfully dined out alone. I hope knowing you’ve eaten alone in public before (even if you didn’t mean to), makes booking a reservation for one at a local restaurant seem less intimidating.

If you have racked your brain and can’t come up with any examples of having dined out alone, I suggest starting with breakfast or lunch rather than shooting straight for dinner. Lunch at a fastcasual joint is the perfect place to dip your toe in the water, as many working professionals dine alone at fast-casual restaurants. Seeing others also dining alone can help ratchet down any embarrassment or anxiety you might feel about standing out in a crowd. Fast-casual restaurants also have an added benefit in that you won’t sit down at your table until you have your meal in hand, so you won’t have to figure out what to do with yourself during the time between placing an order and receiving your food.

DEPENDING ON WHICH RESTAURANT YOU CHOOSE, OUTDOOR DINING CAN LEND ITSELF TO FREE PUBLIC PERFORMANCES OR INTERESTING PEOPLE-WATCHING.

Once you’ve built confidence around sitting at a table for one at a fast-casual joint, you’re ready to take the next step forward and try eating at the bar in an upscale restaurant. This way you’ll be dining solo but not entirely alone because there will be other people seated at the bar as well. Also, you will find plenty of bartenders who like to get to know their customers by name and will engage in a friendly conversation with you while you enjoy your meal. In my experience, customers dining at a restaurant’s bar are often glad to strike up conversations with other diners, so instead of feeling like you just ate alone, you may leave feeling like you just dined with a new friend.

Lest you fear I will launch you straight into the dining room next, I have one more step for you to try before booking your table for one at a restaurant of your choice. The next step is dining solo at an outdoor table. There’s something about being in the open air that makes it look and feel less unnatural to be dining alone. Depending

on which restaurant you choose, outdoor dining can lend itself to free public performances or interesting people-watching. A patio or terrace near a fountain, square, park or beach, can provide plentiful entertainment and company in the form of live music, children playing together, or teenagers parading by wearing fashions we remember from 30 years ago that trigger fond memories of people and places from the past.

Now that you’ve grown your confidence in a variety of what I’ll call dining solo ‘lite’ environments, you’re ready to tackle booking a table for one at any restaurant you chose. If you are still worried about being all alone, you can always ask for a table in a hightraffic area of the restaurant. This way, as servers pass by, they’re sure to give you the occasional friendly nod. Another strategy would be to bring a book or magazine as a crutch. Of course, you can always fall back on scrolling through your social media feed or organizing the apps on your home screen to distract you while you are waiting to place your order or receive your meal.

If you are not all that enthused after your first dining alone experience, don’t be discouraged. Sometimes the feelings of empowerment that come from stretching ourselves and trying something new are not present during the experience. It is often as we reflect or hear someone say, “I could never do that” when we realize just how brave we were to try something new that felt uncomfortable. Over time, you may grow to love dining solo as I did, or perhaps you’ll discover you prefer eating leftovers at home.

Either way, how will you know unless you try?  Danielle Daily is a TEDx speaker, author, and Host of The Suddenly Single Show podcast. Find her at SuddenlySingleShow. com or on Instagram @TheSuddendlySingleShow.

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Coming Home THE SECRET INGREDIENT: HOW HILTON HEAD ISLAND’S LONGEST STANDING RESTAURANTS STAY THAT WAY

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ilton Head Island is a place of history, of land and sea, and food. Scrolling through centuries, Native Americans built the banks of Skull Creek, Captain William Hilton explored the Headland, and before you reach the 1900s, the Hudsons were already shucking oysters. That’s the same Hudsons shucking and shelling tonight on Port Royal Sound. From the 1890s to 1990s, pre-dating the internet and in some cases “talkies,” a few familiar names started and stayed.

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COASTAL RESTAURANTS AND BARS OWNERS, BRENDON REILLEY, TOM REILLEY, CHUCK LARSON, AND COURTNEY KENNEWEG

1993: SKILLETS CAFÉ & GRILL Known for: Home-style meal with entertainment in a family atmosphere.

What’s the same: The breakfast menu has been the same since opening day.

What’s new: The return of Skillet’s salad bar (missing everywhere in 2020). After Labor Day, the famous salad bar is back via tableside checklists.

What’s coming: Skillet’s Jr. management? In an estimated two years, another generation is returning to Skillets with degree in hand and a few forward-looking ideas.

Staying power: One could assume that Skillet’s signature breakfasts in porcelain skillets are the namesake draw, but owner Amie Baima says a heaping portion owes simply to the at-home spirit set by the skilled staff and the restaurant mission: “to provide affordable meals at any given time of the day” from pasta to prime rib and bistro breakfast to deep-dish dinner. A secret power that “doesn’t get enough credit,” Baima said, “is Mom and Dad.” Dad still comes in six days a week and manages the books, influencing a homey setting, with pooches welcome on the Southern living porch. (Pro tip, ask for a Lucky Dog menu that Coligny canines give two paws up.)

Where to find it: Coligny Plaza 1 N. Forest Beach, Unit J, (843) 785-3131, skilletscafe.com

SKILLETS’ CAFÉ AND GRILL OWNER AMIE BAMIA

1984: CRAZY CRAB Known for: Fresh-from-the-net seafood and spectacular waterfront dining at two island locations.

What’s the same: The Crazy staff. Few if any restaurants can boast “15 employees who have been here for over 20 years.”

What’s new: Crazy’s got back! The new expanded back deck with a huge bar and tons of high-top tables serves the same baked crab dip, baby backs, and puppies. Same spread, spread out.

What’s coming: Always on deck are the seasonal menu changes.

Staying power: Take your pick from the longevity of staff, to ‘sunset-acular’ views from two locations. Perhaps it’s each entrée being individually prepped for your order with heaping sea-to-table servings. Maybe it’s the add-ons of playgrounds, live summer jams and nightly crab races, or the “largest saltwater aquarium on Hilton Head” (Jarvis Creek location).

By a nose, it’s likely the locally awarded “Best Crab Legs” in endless quantities.

Where to find it: North end Hilton Head Island and Sea Pines Resort 104 William Hilton Pkwy. (843) 681-5021 149 Lighthouse Rd. (843) 363-2722 thecrazycrab.com

Coming Home 1983: TRUFFLES CAFÉ Known for: Upscale café dining in a relaxed friendly atmosphere. A family tradition and neighborhood favorite.

What’s the same: Comfort favorites like French onion soup, meatloaf, or ribs, have been on the menu as-is for over 30 years.

What’s new: Chow Daddy’s! Truffles’ “upscale dishes, relaxed vibe” sister.

The same intense flavor palate served by sweet staff pouring sweeter tea.

What’s coming: Increased adaptability engineered by operating partner Fernando Losada and wife Heather, “maintaining what’s timeless, while meeting 2020 needs.”

Staying power: “We work with nice people and translate that to our guests who feel welcome, relaxed, and come craving the comfort foods that have been on the menu for 30+ years,” owners Price and Karen Beall celebrate. They also still make everything from scratch, whether it’s tomato dill soup or chicken pot pie, focused on making all feel at home, in “tennis shoes or tuxedo.”

Where to find it: Sea Pines Resort & Bluffton 71 Lighthouse Rd., Hilton Head Island (843) 671-6136 91 Towne Dr., Bluffton (843) 815-5551 trufflescafe.com

filet mignon,” Pearman said. “Known for our French style, we like to think of ourselves more of a fish house, because every day we look for fish that’s the best to have on the list and bring in eight to 14 fresh fish, going by the season and what’s on the market.” Charlie’s L’étoile Verte (Charlie’s Green Star en français) has always remained family owned and operated.

“We know the angles and run the ship like family.” Reservations (and the Rombauer) recommended.

Where to find it: Mid-island 8 New Orleans Rd., (843) 785-9277, charliesgreenstar.com

CHARLIE’S GREEN STAR GM, PARTNER TRUFFLES OWNERS KAREN

MARGARET PEARMAN

AND PRICE BEALL

1982: CHARLIE’S L’ÉTOILE VERTE Known for: Seafood with a French, Lowcountry flare, creating a menu that’s handwritten daily.

What’s the same: “Tablecloth and bread-basket service are among the traditions and values that haven’t changed since we started, and are not likely to,” according to Margaret Pearman, GM, partner, and Charlie’s daughter.

What’s new: Hailing from the Bronx by way of Puerto Rico, Chef Josh Castillo is a newer ingredient, coming to the Charlie’s table in 2017 with a culinary style that honors his grandmother and Julia Child.

What’s coming: Meeting a growing demand for online orders and to-go services with an adaptable menu, keeping Charlie’s on tables, even if it’s the one at home.

Staying power: Charlie’s is the only restaurant on the island that writes its entire menu daily based on the freshest local seafood available. “Our epicurean dinner menu offers an array of fresh fish, rack of lamb, and

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skillets A SECRET POWER THAT “DOESN’T GET ENOUGH CREDIT,” BAIMA SAID, “IS MOM AND DAD.” DAD STILL COMES IN SIX DAYS A WEEK AND MANAGES THE BOOKS, INFLUENCING A HOMEY SETTING, WITH POOCHES WELCOME ON THE SOUTHERN LIVING PORCH.

1973: OLD FORT PUB Known for: Waterfront dining with Southern flare. The island’s only AAA 4- Diamond Award Winner.

What’s the same: She crab soup. “The best soup in the area and an island tradition since 1973.”

What’s new: Chef Mike Mulcahy, from Ohio of course, trained at the Pennsylvania School of Culinary Arts and U.S. Virgin Islands in pairing foods with wines, bourbons, and cigars.

What’s coming: Yet another AAA Four Diamond award for 2020, the nineteenth consecutive since 2001.

Staying power: Arguably no greater views and a culinary reputation acknowledged by The Food Network and USA Today. From owners Bonnie and Pierce Lowrey, who purchased the establishment in 1992, Bonnie describes Old Fort Pub’s greatest treasure simply: “It is itself.” There’s an artistic milieu in the yesteryear seeping from the walls. In the early 1970s, Hilton Head Plantation developer Charles Fraser sold an ocean-view Sea Pines lot to a Chicago ad man who was the artist behind the “Good Hands” at Allstate, Tony the Tiger, Borden’s Elsie the Cow, and the Jolly Green Giant. Fraser commissioned Ralph Ballantine to design Old Fort Pub and its sister, CQs, bookending the island to the south, adding one heck of a trivia question to the Hilton Head Island deck.

Where to find it: Hilton Head Plantation 65 Skull Creek Drive, (843) 681-2386, oldfortpub.com

1973: CQ’S RESTAURANT Known for: The most extensive wine list on Hilton Head Island—over 400 selections, 70 by the glass.

What’s the same: The heart-of-pine floors underlying what was the first building in Harbour Town.

What’s new: Keeping pace, if not leading the way with increased al fresco, online, and curbside options.

What’s coming: Ask Executive Chef Broderick “Brody” Weaver who heads hours out with rod and reel,

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Coming Home

and spear!?, for cobia, sea bass, red snapper, and whatever he’s posting on Facebook to expect off the boat that evening.

Staying power: “Artist’s loft with interesting ambiance and very good food” is an understatement. Any item on the menu comes with the amuse bouche (or amuse soul? “amuse amé?”) of simply being there. Owner Bonnie Lowrey is still designing the space if not literally then philosophically stating, “You can’t change yesterday, and if you don’t enjoy today, you’ve wasted it.” Waste not, want not, when dealing with “the freshest ingredients from local farmers, local waters, and the Lowcountry bounty.” Reservations (and Blue Point Oysters or Key Lime Pie Martini) recommended.

Where to find it: Harbour Town 140 Lighthouse Road, (843) 671-2779 , cqsrestaurant.com

CQS AND OFP OWNER BONNIE LOWREY

Truffles Cafe É “WE WORK WITH NICE PEOPLE AND TRANSLATE THAT TO OUR GUESTS WHO FEEL WELCOME, RELAXED, AND COME CRAVING THE COMFORT FOODS THAT HAVE BEEN ON THE MENU FOR 30+ YEARS,” OWNERS PRICE AND KAREN BEALL CELEBRATE. 62

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1968: HUDSON’S SEAFOOD HOUSE ON THE DOCKS Known for: Fresh local seafood from one of the island’s oldest and most famous restaurants.

What’s the same: The longest standing, continuously operating restaurant on the island, with generational shrimpers Jeff and Skip Toomer, whose family fishing dates back to the late 1800s alongside the Hudson family.

What’s new: What began as honoring the “Palmetto Priority” (“a commitment made by SC restauranteurs to provide a clean and safe environment for their staff and customers”) turned blessing in disguise, as owner Andrew Carmines celebrates. “Adversity teaches you how to better operate. We eliminated 150 seats but discovered what makes us more efficient and focused on what matters.”

What’s coming: Like a heartbeat brings oxygen, Hudson’s harvest delivers seasonal sea-bound bounty as steady as the tides. Carmines describes it rhythmically: “In the spring, it’s soft shell crab shedding and big row shrimp; summer is snow crab claws, shrimp, and whatever local fish; fall is shrimp and oysters; in winter … a lot more oysters. Having something every season of the year is attractive and enriching for people who want to taste the fresh, local catch.” It’s barely a wonder Carmines eats seafood six days a week for lunch.

Staying power: Hudson’s has been shucking since before man could fly, but the Carmines family, who purchased the restaurant from Benny and Barbara Hudson in the mid1970s, speak highly of both seafood and service. “When people come to the island, they want Southern hospitality.

Service is small things, many touches, short waits, close attention—but hospitality is how you make someone feel when providing that service. We’re producing, harvesting, processing all in-house. We’re not just an integral part of that journey or story; we are the story.”

Where to find it: On the water 1 Hudson Rd., (843) 681-2772, Hudsonsonthedocks.com

HUDSON’S OWNER ANDREW CARMINES

Hurricanes and wars blew through, land was developed, bridges built, and dinner was served (along with breakfast, lunch, desserts, and liberal cocktails). In the food history of Hilton Head Island, restaurants remaining were those that were more than just a menu and a tabletop. They were kitchens and families who, from generation to generation, created gathering places to return to. “Dining rooms” where islanders, Carolinians, and visitors from around the world continue to migrate, having spent their childhood and now bringing children’s children. The winning recipe behind the staying power of the island’s longest standing kitchens seems to be simply “coming home.” It likely always will be.  C2 MAGAZINE

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TASTE OF EUROPE ARTICLE AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY NINA GREENPLATE

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ungarian culture boasts many rich traditions. A country filled with colorful people and striking architecture can also brag about its tempting cuisine.

Taste of Europe chef and co-owner Timea Szanto is passionate about preparing authentic dishes. From the capital city of Budapest, she and her Dominican-born husband, Marco Sanchez, want everyone’s meal to taste like a trip to the heart of Central Europe. “We are a restaurant unlike anything you’ve tasted on the island,” Sanchez said.

Vibrant spices like paprika are signature to Hungarian dishes. The fourth most consumed spice in the world, paprika appears often in rubs, marinades, stews, chili, and garnishes, adding color and zest to many of their intimate menu selections. Chicken Paprikash is a local favorite—a mouth-watering creamy chicken stew, browned in butter, and cooked with onions, paprika and topped

“IT REALLY IS LIKE COOKING FOR YOUR FAMILY AT HOME, JUST FOR A FEW MORE PEOPLE.” MARCO SANCHEZ

with sour cream. Typical Hungarian food features most meats, dairy, and cheeses, all similar to that of neighboring Polish, Czech, and Slovak cooking. Potato side dishes are also common. Another popular and recognized dish is Taste of Europe’s hearty beef goulash, filled with tender beef, onions, paprika and colorful vegetables. Fluffy, meat-filled crepes, pork chops, stuffed peppers, roast tenderloin, white fish, as well as several soups and casseroles, give a glimpse into some exciting dinner choices. Vegetable entrée features include a delicate vegetable lasagna, veggie burgers, green bean casserole, and large-plate salads.

“Nothing is ever pre-made or frozen,” Szanto said. “I shop every day for the fresh meats and ingredients, then come here to cook.”

“It really is like cooking for your family at home, just for a few more people,” Sanchez added. Dinner items average $15, with portion sizes more than ample.

Taste of Europe is excited to offer 12 different Hungarian wines! “We really want our customers to know about how delicious these wines can be,” Szanto said, “especially when they’re paired with our wonderful food.”

An attached bar area offers pub selections like wings, burgers and wraps.

“We close this section of the restaurant around 9 p.m. to attract a different crowd

so that families can feel comfortable coming and bringing their children,” Sanchez said. They hope to incorporate monthly activities in the fall such as live music, karaoke, and possibly dancing.

Amid the COVID-19 reality, Sanchez is still hopeful their business will thrive. “Our customers are starting to come back,” he said. “We see a light at the end of the tunnel.”

Szanto and Sanchez love and support their Lowcountry neighbors. In March they prepared and gave away 200 free meals at the onset of many other restaurant closings. “We wanted to get good food to people who could not get out to shop or prepare food themselves,” Sanchez said.

The owners look forward to continuing this community outreach.

“I have always loved to cook, and I love the excitement of running this restaurant,” Szanto said. Eager to again have friends come out to enjoy great food and socialize, Szanto and Sanchez welcome all to this experience. Open for lunch and dinner daily!

Taste of Europe is located at 435 William Hilton Parkway, Unit O, in Northridge Plaza on Hilton Head Island. For more information, visit tasteofeurope.us.

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H U N T E R & M A G G I E ’ S FAV O R I T E R E C I P E S

Hunter's

CHEWY GINGER MOLASSES CO KIES Ever since visiting Sugar Bakeshop in Charleston, S.C., I have wanted to bake their famous ginger molasses cookies but could never find their recipe. Luckily, I found this recipe that tastes just like them, and I am hooked! Whether I am feeling stressed or need something to bake during the holidays, these delicious ginger molasses cookies are my go-to for dessert.

INGREDIENTS • • • • • •

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1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, softened to room temperature (not melted*) 1 cup granulated (white) sugar 1 cup packed brown sugar 1/2 cup unsulphured molasses 2 eggs 4 1/2 cups (540 grams) all-purpose flour (I recommend weighing your flour for accuracy) 4 teaspoons baking soda 1 tablespoon ground ginger 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon ground cloves 1 teaspoon salt

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In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, soda, cinnamon, cloves, ginger and salt.

Set aside.

Using a separate mixing bowl, either with a stand mixer or a hand mixer, cream together the softened butter and sugars on medium-high speed until the mixture is light and fluffy and a pale yellow color, about 2 minutes, scraping down the sides occasionally as needed. Mix in the eggs (one at a time) and molasses, and beat on medium-low speed until each is combined. Gradually add in the dry ingredient mixture and beat until it is evenly incorporated.

Transfer the dough to an airtight container and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or until the dough is completely chilled.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper; set aside.

Roll the dough into small balls, about 1-inch in diameter. Fill a separate small bowl with sugar, and roll each ball in the

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sugar until it is completely coated.

Place dough balls on the prepared baking sheet.

Bake for about 8-10 minutes, until the cookies begin to slightly crack on top. (They will crack more while cooling.) Remove from the oven and let cool for 4-5 minutes. Then transfer the cookies to wire racks to cool completely.

Serve warm and enjoy, or store in a sealed container for up to 4 days. Or freeze for up to 3 months.

Original recipe by Gimme Some Oven. https://www.gimmesomeoven.com/chewyginger-molasses-cookies/

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H U N T E R & M A G G I E ’ S FAV O R I T E R E C I P E S

Maggie’s

CHEESY BAKED MAC AND HEESE I like my macaroni and cheese so sharp it talks back to you. (note to chef: make sure you use extra sharp New York white cheddar cheese.)This is not a low calorie dish and should only be made on special occasions when you want to feel especially bad about yourself. I mostly make this in the winter and on holidays. When I bring this dish to parties, there is never any left over. For best results, open a bottle of Silver Oak Cabernet and drink it while you cook. Also, maybe put on a holiday movie like Meet Me in St. Louis or It’s a Wonderful Life. Now that’s a recipe for a perfect Sunday afternoon in the fall/winter.

INGREDIENTS • • • • • • • •

1 lb. dried elbow pasta 3 Tb. salted butter 3 Tb. all purpose flour 3 cups whole milk 5 cups grated medium sharp cheddar cheese - divided (measured after grating) 2 cups grated Monterary Jack cheese divided (measured after grating) 1/4 cup Italian bread crumbs Salt and pepper to taste

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Preheat oven to 325 degrees F and grease a 3 qt baking dish (9x13”). Set aside.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

When boiling, add dried pasta and cook 1 minute less than the package directs for al dente. Drain and drizzle with a little bit of olive oil to keep from sticking.

While water is coming up to a boil, grate cheeses and toss together to mix, then divide into three piles. Approximately 3 cups for the sauce, 1 1/2 cups for the inner layer, and 1 1/2 cups for the topping.

Melt butter in a large saucepan over MED heat. Sprinkle in flour and whisk to combine.

Mixture will look like very wet sand. Cook for approximately 1 minute, whisking often.

Slowly pour in about 2 cups or so of the milk, while whisking constantly, until smooth.

Slowly pour in the remaining milk, while whisking constantly, until combined and smooth.- D0 NOT BURN THE BECHAMEL.

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5.

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Continue to heat over MED heat, whisking very often, until thickened to a very thick consistency. It should almost be the consistency of a semi thinned out condensed soup.

Remove from the heat and stir in spices and 1 1/2 cups of the cheeses, stirring to melt and combine. Stir in another 1 1/2 cups of cheese, and stir until completely melted and smooth.

In a large mixing bowl, combine drained pasta with cheese sauce, stirring to combine fully. Pour half of the pasta mixture into the prepared baking dish.

Top with 1 1/2 cups of grated cheeses, then top that with the remaining pasta mixture.

Sprinkle the top with the last 1 1/2 cups of cheese and bread crumbs and bake for 45 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly and lightly golden brown.

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IN I NG O

Amid the pandemic, more and more of us are enjoying the golf cart lifestyle on offer at Club Car.

General Manager, Ben Andrews

T Receptionist Becky Weis Lenny Santiago

he side effects of the COVID-19 virus itself are numerous and well-known, but the side effects of the actual pandemic—the mandated lock-downs, the social distancing, awkward elbow-bump greetings—are only just becoming known.

And they are fascinating.

For the 10 weeks following the initial quarantine period, ER visits for heart attacks and strokes plummeted. The perpetual smog that engulfs Los Angeles cleared for the first time in decades. Marble racing became a legitimate phenomenon in the sporting world.

And the glittering showroom at Club Car, generally filled with the latest model of electric and gas carts, emptied out quicker than a Hilton Head Island bar at 11 p.m.

“It’s been insane,” said Annie Andrews, who owns the local Club Car dealership along with husband Ben and father-in-law Mac. “We’ve owned this store for 10 years, and these past three months are as busy as we’ve ever seen.”

Indeed, during a recent visit, the showroom held but a handful of shiny new Club Car models, the latest from a manufacturer that has perfected the aggressive performance and sleek styles that have made golf carts the de facto transportation for the Lowcountry.

As with clear skies in L.A. and the growing fanbase for marble racing, skyrocketing ownership of golf carts is one of those pandemic side effects that seems odd unless

From Left to Right: Amanda Riley, Clif Rogers, Kameron Postlethwait, Dick Armstrong, Becky Weis, Barry Cook, Jamie Swafford, Becky Andrews, Mac Andrews, Ben Andrews, Annie Andrews, Ken Riley, Lenny Santiago, Kayla Swafford, David Nettles and Tim Carroll.

you really look at the underlying cause. In a nutshell, the pandemic, particularly the early part, was immensely boring. We were all essentially stuck at home with nowhere to go even if we wanted to.

Golf carts, on the other hand, are the opposite of boring.

Just ask any of the denizens of Old Town Bluffton, where a golf cart is simply part of the lifestyle. The wind in your hair, the sharp torque of an electric motor as it zips around the neighborhood, the friendly waves of fellow cart drivers—it’s all intrinsic to the

Lowcountry lifestyle. And that lifestyle puts a premium on Fun with a capital F. If ever there was a cure for the boredom of mandatory stayat-home orders, it’s the thrill of living the golf cart life. A few other factors have added to the run on Club Car’s showroom as well. “A lot of people who may have been on the fence about getting a golf car didn’t take a vacation this year, so suddenly there’s a lot

Golf carts, on the other hand, are the opposite of boring.

Just ask any of the denizens of Old Town Bluffton, where a golf cart is simply part of the lifestyle. The wind in your hair, the sharp torque of an electric motor as it zips around the neighborhood, the friendly waves of fellow cart drivers—it’s all intrinsic to the Lowcountry lifestyle. And that lifestyle puts a premium on Fun with a capital F.

CAP

service SERVICE DEPARTMENT

Ken Riley, Kayla Swafford and Jamie Swaffod

more room in the budget for it,” Andrews said. “And a lot of young families are buying their first just to be able to get the kids out for a ride. I know it was our saving grace when we were stuck at home.”

As a father of three and owner of a six-seater Club Car Precedent, the author can confirm that golf cart rides were vital to surviving the first weeks of lockdown. And we’re willing to bet any of our fellow Club Car owners will confirm the same.

Like any other business, the local Club Car dealership has had to adapt to the changing times. Their $99 annual check-up is now performed without human contact. “You just leave your cart out, we work on it, and we e-mail you a bill,” Andrews said. If the writer may once again inject himself into this narrative, I can personally attest that the $99 annual check-up is some of the best money you’ll ever spend. The service employees are fast, exceptionally courteous, and will go above and beyond, even replacing headlights that may have hypothetically blown out when the cart’s bonehead owner crossed some wires attempting a repair.

CHARGING FORWARD

Golf cart owners know too well the hassles of maintaining traditional batteries: maintaining water levels, cleaning corrosion off of terminal… Well, kiss those days goodbye because the next step in the evolution of the golf cart is here.

The next big thing for golf carts is Lithium-ion technology, and you’ll find the best in the industry at Club Car. Similar to the solid-state batteries in most electronics, these batteries are almost completely maintenance free and protected from the elements by a tough water-tight case. And best of all, they provide a huge increase in high-powered acceleration, keeping you humming even heading uphill.

Check out this game-changing technology in Club Car’s new two- and four-seat Onward models.

“We’re a family-owned business,” Andrews said. “Your experience and your cart matter to us, so everyone here is going to go above and beyond.”

It’s been an odd set of circumstances that has led to this sudden surge in golf cart ownership. But in this day and age, it’s refreshing to see good things happen to good people. If we can say this pandemic led to brisk business at a familyowned firm that has been a staple of the Lowcountry for 10 years, one that puts the customer first at every turn, well then maybe it hasn’t been all bad.

For all those new owners of shiny new Club Cars, we’ll see you out and about, enjoying the good life behind the wheel. Anyone who would care to join us, just visit clubcarhhi. com or call (843) 837-2066.

”

Á

“ Ne w ow ner p re serv e s Ol d T ow n v ibe

GEORGIA HOLAUS WOKE UP ONE MORNING AND SAID TO HERSELF, “I’M TOO YOUNG TO DO NOTHING. I NEED A JOB.” HAVING LIVED IN BLUFFTON FOR FIVE YEARS, SHE WAS ALREADY INFATUATED WITH OLD TOWN. SHE GOT HERSELF ALL DRESSED UP AND MADE VISITS TO THE PLACES SHE THOUGHT SHE MIGHT ENJOY WORKING. ONE OF THOSE PLACES WAS EGGS ’N’ TRICITIES, A BOUTIQUE THAT’S BEEN OPEN IN OLD TOWN FOR 31 YEARS.

ARTICLE BY CHERYL ALEXANDER

PHOTOGRAPHY BY M.KAT

DESIGN BY CAT COLBY

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FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: JOAN WALSNOVICH, GEORGIA HOLAUS (OWNER), ANDREA CREWS, PATSY HODGE AND MASCOT, ARLO. “The boutique was a place I always really enjoyed as a shopper,” Holaus said. “I liked all the people I met there, and the selection of merchandise was so fun. I also loved that you could go shopping with your girlfriends and sit on the porch for a glass of lemonade.”

Holaus ended up getting hired at Eggs ’n’ tricities, where she worked in sales for two years.

In May of 2020, the original owner, Nancy Golson was ready to retire. Knowing that Holaus’ family has a firm background and knowledge of the retail industry (the Holaus’ own two Fretworks music stores—in Bluffton and in Yuma, Arizona), Golson was thrilled to be able to transfer ownership to Holaus, who is committed to preserving the traditional Old Town Bluffton atmosphere.

“I was truly honored and thankful that Nancy trusted me to take over her life’s work,” Holaus said. “I knew she didn’t want the store to go to someone who wouldn’t stay true to the vibe.”

After three decades in business, Eggs ’n’ tricities, or Eggs for short, has been dubbed the “Party Line” by local author Marge Agin. There’s a little something for everyone on Lawton Street, and at this chic boutique, shopping is an event.

You’ll find clothing for the hip, young chicks to mature hens. Johnny Was is a popular brand,

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with embroidered and embellished pieces from tunics to kimonos. “Everybody should have at least one Johnny Was,” said Holaus.

“They are like a little treasure in your closet.”

Every good Southern boutique offers a linen line, and Eggs carries Flax, a brand that can go to church or happy hour, indoors or out. “It’s Southern perfection,” Holaus said.

“It’s a flowy, light, linen that looks just fine a little wrinkled and can stand up to those days when you might be glowing under the humidity a teeny bit.”

Renuar is a Canadian line that’s best described as wash-and-wear, comfy casual. The fabrics are soft and stretchy solids and prints. The brand has become the top selling pant at Eggs that Holaus says are “like yoga pants, but, well … they are real pants.” You’ll also love their Liverpool jeans, which are made to fit every woman’s body, with a little essential stretch.

“Our jewelry is one thing we are known for around town,” Holaus said. The store is stocked with everything from inexpensive and fun items to one-of-a-kind, classic statement pieces. There is always a wonderful selection of freshwater pearls ... long, short, baroque, even coin-shaped, with great color ranges and sizes.

The best-selling pearl jewelry is from designer Catherine Canino, whose drop pearl earrings are super popular. Then there is the

Virgin, Saints and Angels (VSA) collection, whose archetypal, iconic religious pieces are handcrafted and infused with romance and magic. Each tells a story.

Another line with a story is MADE IN THE DEEP SOUTH by Michela Bruno Swafford. Every unique piece is fashioned with a vintage jewel that is then mixed with other elements to create a standout piece; each has a special history.

If you are looking for the perfect bag, then look no further. At Eggs, Boho Fly and Hobo are the bestselling lines. Each Boho Fly bag is handcrafted and features a piece of vintage jewelry. The Hobo bags are the yummiest leather ever in all the classic shapes, from coins to wristlets to shoppers and more.

In addition to clothing and jewelry, Eggs sells tons of gift items such as scarves, pendants, and décor with local flavor. You’ll love the oyster shell vases, mirrors, bowls and bookends crafted by local artist Lena Meeks.

The driftwood and buri rope (straw weaved into rope) items are fabulous. And there are men’s must-haves, too, like the multi-tool, exceptional flasks and shot glasses, or cuff links.

You’ll also find paintings by local artists including former owner Nancy Golson and Margaret Pearman, whose work features recognizable Lowcountry marsh themes.

Mixed in are painted furniture pieces labeled “Brocante Rustique,” which is akin to shabby chic, along with some Archipelago candles and handpainted signs, hilarious cards and cocktail napkins, vintage lamps with bottle lampshades and driftwood fish. Most of the home décor is made by local artisans.

“Our customers love our books,” Holaus said.

Eggs offers the coolest selection, among which are photography books by local photographers Marge Agin and Eric Horan.

Customers can look forward to some craft fair events in the courtyard in October and November where local artisans will be featured. Any interested persons should contact Holaus at georgia@ eggsntircities.com.

Mark your calendars, too, for upcoming sales on Labor Day weekend and the day after Christmas or stop by anytime to enjoy the front porch sale 365 days a year. Online shopping is in the works. The new website will allow online shopping, shipping, and curbside pickup in time for the holiday season.

“Customers love the unique items at Eggs,” frequent shopper Paula Harper Bethea said. “It is the friendliest place in town and has a great selection. I always feel like famif ly when I come in.”

Holaus gives credit to her squad when she hears these kinds of compliments from customers, both old and new. Her team consists of Patsy Hodge, who has worked at Eggs for more than 20 years, knows everyone and everything about the boutique, and helps purchase, sell, and model clothing; Andrea Crews, who creates the store displays, helps to select the clothing, and does in-store sales; and Joan Walsnovich, the Eggs newbie who also works in sales and helps create displays. Holaus wears all the hats.

“I’m so thankful for this opportunity to be a part of the Old Town business community,” she said. “It is especially important to me to carry on the tradition that is Eggs ’n’ tricities. It’s the best place ever.”  For more information, visit eggsntricities.com, or follow them on Facebook at Eggsntricities Bluffton or Instagram at eggsbluffton.

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Meredith Bannon, Esq THE BANNON LAW GROUP, LLC

What mantra do you live by?

If it won’t matter in five months, don’t waste time stressing about it. I spend a lot of time talking clients through real estate transactions.

Acknowledging the stress and bringing perspective helps us all.

What is your favorite thing to do in your free time?

Nothing is better than playing tourist in our hometown. We will grab lunch at Coast, rent a couple of chairs and an umbrella and spend the day at the beach. Pure bliss!

How do you balance your work/home life, or is there even such a thing?

My husband, Jim, is my partner so, we have blurred

Margaret Pearman CHARLIE’S L’ETOILE VERTE What mantra do you live by?

Every day is a new day to do better and try harder.

What is your favorite thing to do in your free time?

Paint and exercise How do you balance your work/home life, or is there even such a thing?

The pandemic has definitely blurred those lines. Taking a phone call with two little ones is super difficult, but fortunately everyone is in the same boat and understands. We are all getting business done at all hours of the day, whether it’s in person or virtual.

What’s the one thing you want your children to remember about you?

I want my girls to remember me for my strength and perseverance. I am not living my dream life, but I work hard looking towards the future.

What is your biggest mom vs. career challenge?

Carving out real fun time is a big challenge. Although I have a very flexible schedule, I can’t take long breaks. We literally never go on

vacation. So that’s something I am working to change. A week unplugged and focused on my family would be amazing.

Apps you can’t live without: Open Table and Pulse give me realtime info about what’s going on at the restaurant. My daughter’s school keeps me informed via Flyer. I am a real gym fanatic, so the pandemic has forced me to adapt to home workouts. Seconds app helps keep me on-point with workouts.

What are the things that help you stay organized throughout the day and make time for everyone and everything?

I try to start my day at my easel around 5:30 a.m. and a workout to follow. It’s a time when I kind of think through the motions of the day and strategize how I can make it all happen. In the restaurant business, whatever you set out to do on any given day ultimately changes. I have to remain flexible.

8 New Orleans Rd. Hilton Head Island, SC 29928 (843) 785-9277 charliesgreenstar.com

lines as to home and work.

Emma Grace creates her fort under my desk and lets Mom and Dad do their thing. She also enjoys raiding the soft drink fridge meant for clients.

What’s the one thing you want your child to remember about you?

That I love fiercely and strongly believe in fighting for what is right.

Apps you can’t live without: I presently curate my Instacart with precision.

I also live and breathe Facebook. Not sure that is healthy, but it keeps me in the know.

10 Westbury Park Way, Suite A Bluffton, SC 29910 (843) 815-4505 Bannonlawgroup.com

What is your favorite thing to do in your free time?

Anything that can make me feel joy.

I try to be in tune with what I need in that moment. Sometimes that is reading a book; other times it is working out, going to the beach, travel, cooking or baking, or having an adult beverage with friends. But usually it involves my daughters and four-legged children.

How do you balance your work/home life, or is there even such a thing?

I make time for myself before the girls are awake, and then when I am at work, I try to be present there.

Once I come home, I am present for my girls. I am not a social media person. I would rather spend my time creating a memory or moment than perusing those of others.

Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the one thing you want your children to remember about you?

That I really cared about them, my family, my faith, my coworkers, my customers, our planet. I want them to know I believed one person really can make a difference.

What is your biggest mom vs. career challenge?

Making sure that the people in each of these sections of my life know how much I value them.

Apps you canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t live without: Duolingo

Kathleen P Mayers K P M

F LO O R I N G

What mantra do you live by?

Currently: Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not how many times you fall down that matters; it is how many times you get back up.

Who has been your greatest inspiration?

My mom. She passed away last December, and her loss has made

me realize what a profound impact she had on my life.

What business-related book has inspired you the most (or what is your favorite book?)

Again, speaking to my recent reads, Make Your Bed, by William H. McRaven

What are the things that help you stay organized throughout the day and get time for everyone and everything?

These days, the girls and I try to plan our week in advance. We have a calendar, and we sit down and talk about/pre plan (as best we can) our activities and our meals.

What is your favorite vacation spot?

Just about any place new. I have traveled to a number of places, and I think about revisiting some.

But mostly, I am pulled to try somewhere new.

35 Main Street, Suite 110 Hilton Head Island, SC 29926 (843) 342-4955 Kpmflooring.com

Afton Ryan EGAN + ELLA BOUTIQUE

What is your favorite thing to do in your free time?

Dining out at the myriad of delicious local restaurants, strolling down the streets of Old Town Bluffton, bowling with the kids, reading a good book, or watching a favorite movie.

What’s the one thing you want your children to remember about you?

I want them to remember that I always make time for fun. I try to sprinkle in as much spontaneous joy as I can! Life is too serious sometimes; the best moments are always the ones being silly and happy.

What is your biggest mom vs. career challenge?

Mom guilt! Questioning whether I’m present enough as a parent, falling short of expectations, or spending too much time on myself, are insecurities that I feel a lot of working moms like myself face.

Apps you can’t live without: Instagram. It’s an integral part of my business but also a fun way for me to feel connected with my friends, family, and all things pop culture.

What is your favorite vacation spot?

Disney World. Being able to relive my childhood memories with my own kids is pure bliss!

135 Towne Dr. Bluffton, SC 29910 (843) 707-9820 eganandella.com

dr. terri hubbard COASTA L P E D I AT R I C D E N T I ST RY

How do you balance your work/ home life, or is there even such a thing?

The challenging part is finding ways to be efficient in both worlds. That requires being able to come to terms with choices and focus on the priorities in the moment. I try to be truly at work when I am at work and truly at home when I am at home.

I try to be more intentional about enjoying and making the most of the time I have with my children by not getting distracted by work-related things.

What was the best advice you ever received?

Best: When you try to control everything, you enjoy nothing.

Sometimes you just need to relax, breathe, let go and live in the moment.

Worst: I make a point of not remembering bad advice.

It takes a village for any mom, but for a mom starting her own business, it must take a huge village. So, who are your go-to people/local services?

Most definitely, my incredible nanny!

She spends hours caring for my children. She always goes above

and beyond! They love her, and so do I. Also, my wonderful staff at the office. I value and appreciate every single one of them and their hard work and dedication every day.

Last but not the least, I am truly blessed to have fantastic friends who support me through all of life’s ups and downs.

What do you do to unwind and recharge?

My favorite way to unwind and recharge is to get in touch with nature. I find being in nature calming and restorative. Whether it is being on the beach, paddle boarding, or just hanging out with my kids outside.

Spending time with good friends is also a great way for me to unwind.

What’s your favorite date night/ vacation spot without your children?

Barbados. I have been fortunate enough to go with a group of friends to Barbados and unwind, and it was truly the best experience. We are now making it a priority each year to reconnect with one another at our favorite spot.

(843) 757-7336 coastalpedo@hotmail.com Coastal-Pedo.com

Amanda and Robin Cifaldi C H E F/OW N E R P O M O D O R I I TA L I A N E AT E RY IN BUSINESS: 8.5 YEARS · KIDS: WYATT 17, SOPHIA 13, MILO 15 MONTHS

B

eing a mom is such a huge responsibility. And it doesn’t end when we leave the nest. I still need my mom. When I started my business eight years ago, I called my mother every night for a month before opening and asked, “Mom, what if they don’t like it? What if they don’t like ME?” She always reassured me that I’d be fine, don’t worry, but what I was really asking was whether or not my lifestyle would fit into the

conservative vibe of this island and whether or not the people of this lovely community would be able to rally behind that and behind me.

Fast forward to the present with my BEAUTIFUL wife, my beautiful children, my beautiful life, and I think, how could I believe they wouldn’t rally behind this? This island has shown me and mine nothing but LOVE and ACCEPTANCE, something I think we can all agree is necessary in these tumultuous times. We all want to be seen. We all want to be heard. We all want to be accepted. I am so GRATEFUL to this community for supporting my business and being the village that helps raise my children.

We are not perfect. We are not scratch-proof or dent-resistant. But we are RESILIENT. We are a home and a town and an island who can show up and support the greater good. I am GRATEFUL for those of you who have continued to support us throughout the years, and who have raised your families at our tables. We will continue to cultivate a place where you are welcomed with open arms and open minds, and we promise to continue showing up as our true selves for you and yours.

Thank you for being there for us and ours. Kid tested, (my) mother approved.

1 New Orleans Rd. Hilton Head Island, SC 29928 (843) 686-3100 gopomodori.com

Jennifer Hall JENNIFER R. HALL CPA, LLC

What is your favorite thing to do in your free time?

We love to go on bike rides throughout the Lowcountry. We also love to travel throughout the country and have planned to visit all 50 states by the time my son graduates from high school.

How do you balance your work/home life, or is there even such a thing?

I prioritize my time at home and work my entire schedule around morning-, dinner- and bedtimeroutines. Even during tax season, I make sure I am home for dinner through bedtime every day.

What’s the one thing you want your child to remember about you?

I want my son to

remember that I was always there, whether it is a school play, an award ceremony, a party, etc. I always made my time with him a priority.

Apps you can’t live without: Google Calendar. I sync everyone’s schedule to one calendar and color code each event. It is a true lifesaver!

What is your favorite vacation spot?

I absolutely love the Great Smokey Mountains! I love to hike and explore the mountainside and waterfalls.

337 Buckwalter Place Blvd.

Bluffton, SC 29910 (843) 815-3575 Jenniferhallcpa.com

Angela Mandigo CIRCLE OF LIFE LLC & GARDENIAS EVENT FLORAL

What is the biggest mom vs. career challenge?

Back when Alex and Kim were younger, balancing time between their schedule and Who has been your greatest my work schedule. Now that inspiration? There are many! they are both in there 20s and My mom, as she is the one Alex came to help out this who inspired me to stay the summer … Mom, don’t lift that! course and keep looking up!

You will hurt yourself! (Well, I What is your favorite thing to can be a little stubborn!) do in your free time?

What are the things that Getting together with my help you stay organized awesome girlfriends (and throughout the day and their hubbies) with great home-cooked food and wine! make time for everyone and everything?

I am a scatterbrained person!

How do you balance your If not for Kayla and Mary and work/home life, or is there Google Calendar, the day even such a thing? would be a mess!

Well, I absolutely love what What mantra do you live by?

It is what it is as the Lord has a plan.

we do with both businesses, so I work almost seven days a week. But I try to take time with my husband Dave, as he is my rock.

What’s the one thing you want your children to remember about you?

I love them, and even though things may become hard at the time, never give up!

What is your favorite vacation spot?

Yellowstone National Park or Alaska—love all the wildlife at its finest!

14 Vine Street Hilton Head Island, SC 29926 (843) 837-6602 circleoflifehhi.com gardeniashhi.com

Jane Misra DOG PEOPLE : DOGS WELL LOVED What mantra do you live by?

I am a deliberate creator of manifesting destiny.

life, or is there even such a thing?

There absolutely is such a thing, and it is a core value in my life and business. I balance it all though realistic goal-setting, technological automation, and a whole lot of winging it and flying by the seat of my pants.

Who is your greatest inspiration?

My aunt, Jane S. DeHart. She taught me the true value of work, self-care, and beautiful environments. She is a bad ass in her world. She just wrote the biography What do you want your children to of Justice Ginsburg! remember about you?

Probably the thing I remember about my What is your favorite book? mom: just how very very much she loved I am reading The Biology of Belief, by Dr. me!

Bruce H Lipton, PHD. My favorite books are spirituality meets science.

What is your biggest mom vs. career challenge?

What is your favorite thing to do in your The responsibility of raising positive, free time? productive members of society and I live by the motto: “Work hard, play hard, accepting that as I work, that can be relax hard and make time for all.” My delegated, and there will be some things I favorite recreational activity is listening to miss because of it. live music, and I miss it a lot!

Apps you can’t live without: How do your balance your home/work My CRM, Dropbox, QuickBooks online,

Facebook and MeetEdgar. I can run my business from anywhere with Wi-Fi. What are the things that help you stay organized throughout the day and make time for everyone and everything?

Lists, alarms, and repeatable schedules. I live by my notebook and my lists. I make a list for everything. I set alarms in my phone to not forget or build a new habit.

I am a lover of flexible routines. I pretty much do the same thing every day and the task during each time bucket comes from the list.

What is your favorite vacation spot?

Since moving here full-time in 2019, I honestly do not know. This year, we are exploring Beech Mountain, NC. 807 William Hilton Parkway, Suite 100 Hilton Head Island, SC 29928 (843) 341-3322 dogpeople.dog

Penny Vaigneur

Penny Vaigneur COPPER PENNY

About Copper Penny Native Charlestonian Penny Vaigneur, former model, breast cancer survivor, mother of three boys and philanthropist, opened her first store in Charleston in 1987. Penny was a stay-at-home mom who loved fashion. Her husband Fred was a commercial fisherman who shrimped and fished out of the local waters of Shem Creek as well as the coast of North Carolina and Florida until the industry was hit hard by new regulations. As the fishing industry changed directions, so did Penny and Fred. Together they rented a location in Mt. Pleasant and started a small ladies clothing business. The husband and wife duo worked long hours between caring for their three boys and building a new business to help support the family. This was the start of what now is known as Copper Penny.

Penny Vaigneur’s desire was to offer stylish on-trend fashions along with personalized service. She did this by creating a unique ladies’ boutique, offering a stylish yet eclectic mix of clothing, accessories and shoes. Personalized customer service has always been her priority and business model for Copper Penny.

Copper Penny Hilton Head at Shelter Cove Towne Centre began as a franchise location in 2015. In August of 2019, the Copper Penny Hilton Head location was taken back into the corporate structure and is now part of the seven family-ownedand-operated locations. It is locally run by Vanessa Hoffman, who started with Copper Penny Savannah in 2008 and maintained a relationship over the years with the Copper Penny family and clientele. In May of 2020, Copper Penny Hilton Head welcomed Jackie Lindstrom, who brings many years of fashion experience.

Both Vanessa and Jackie are always available to assist you with your fashion needs. Stop in and let them help you, and shop designer lines like Trina Turk, Citizens of Humanity, Harper Wren, Tyler Boe, Maven West, Kinross, Michael Stars, Farm Rio, Paige Denim, Splendid, Belle Collection, along with popular accessory lines such as Farrah B, Virgin Saints & Angels, Shelia Fajal, Haute Shore handbags, and Whitley V, (a family-owned-and-operated jewelry design business, founded in 2010 by Vaigneur’s son Bryan and his wife Liz, and named after her granddaughter).

What led you to the women’s fashion business?

I was always interested in fashion. When I was a young girl, playing with dolls, the dress-up part was what I loved most.

As I grew older, I went on to do other things but never lost that love for fashion. I wished I could have my own store but financially never thought it was possible.

How long have you been in this business?

Thirty-three years! Where on earth did the time go? When I think back to how we began, it’s unbelievable to me, the ups and downs we made it through. I feel so blessed to be where we are. I wish my mother and my father were here to see this.

What mantra do you live by?

I have a passion for my business. I love it and don’t want to miss a thing. I like to tell people to find their passion and live it.

Describe your approach to style.

Fashion changes every day. I stay up to date with what’s setting trends without being too trendy. For as long as I can remember,

even as a young girl, I always had to have whatever the hot fashion item was at the moment. Whether it was the color of the year, shoe style or handbag. I carried that love for style into my business. I know what my customer is going to wear and buy accordingly.

Did you face obstacles as a woman in business?

Not really. I faced obstacles being a new person in the business. I went to market right away. I had been to New York before to help a friend buy for her shoe store but not to buy clothes. I used a buying service to get started, then went on to buy in Atlanta, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Dallas and New York, and it all came together.

What sets Copper Penny apart from other boutiques?

Our customer service! We will gladly set up private, one-on-one appointments and also personal shopping appointments. We offer delivery drop off and send out approval boxes to include the newest arrivals and to allow our customers to try on in the privacy of their own home.

We get to know our customers as our friends and have established many long-term friendships. Our favorite part is truly caring about our customers, and it is very important to us they have a positive experience.

What is your philosophy in terms of giving back to the community?

I believe that giving is a great way to get to know a community and those who live in it. I am passionate about raising cancer awareness and supporting cancer research after losing my father and my two sisters to cancer. As a breast cancer survivor, I am an advocate in the fight against breast cancer as well.

Copper Penny is family owned and operated. You must be proud of your family for their contributions to the business and the community.

Yes. My sons Bryan, Blake and Ty are all involved in the business.

Without them, my husband and I would not have made as much progress as we have. Our three sons continue to help us thrive with new innovative ideas including our website www. shopcopperpenny.com. Our family has grown over the years and both of my daughters in law are very involved in the day-to-day operations. I now have two granddaughters after having three boys and two grandsons. Who knows? Maybe one day they will love fashion and become a part of the Copper Penny team.

What do you most enjoy doing in your spare time?

I enjoy reading, beach trips with my family, and spending time with my four grandchildren. I love playing bridge and also baking.

Truly there is not much downtime when you own a business.

However, the rewards can be amazing, especially if you love what you do!

Shelter Cove Town Centre 38 Shelter Cove Lane, ,Suite 123 Shelter Cove Towne Centre Hilton Head Island, SC 29928 www.shopcopperpenny.com.

Carmen Traywick, MD, FAAD LUX ~ A MEDICAL SPA What business-related book has inspired you the most (or what is your favorite book?)

The Energy Bus is my most recent favorite book that has inspired me.

It was recommended by one of my staff members and has been a game changer in our office. We have an amazing group of talented employees in all of my businesses.

Making sure everyone is “on the bus” and ready for challenges ahead has been especially relevant during 2020.

spend hours weekly volunteering for the Cross Schools board of trustees as the vice chairman. I have made this service a top priority and focus a great deal of my energy in expanding God’s kingdom through the school in our local community. I want my children to remember that the work I do is not always for my personal benefit, but for a larger cause.

What is your favorite thing to do in your free time?

Most of my free time is spent with my husband, three girls, three dogs, and kitten. We do a lot of baking, soccer, ballet, and volleyball.

When I get time for myself, I enjoy exercising at Burn Boot Camp.

Since March, I have been doing Zoom workouts with the gym from my home, which has worked great for me. It’s nice to feel socially connected without being in the gym.

What is your favorite vacation spot?

My favorite vacation spot is Manzanillo. We usually go once a year and rent a home in this small, sleepy town on the west coast of Mexico. My sister-in-law and her family live there and own a small local pizza/sushi restaurant in the town. It is beautiful, peaceful, and truly a place where you can relax and refresh before returning to work.

What’s the one thing you want your children to remember about you?

I want my children to remember that it is important to give back to your community by volunteering. I

Apps you can’t live without: Waze, Accuweather, Tides Near Me, Instacart, TeamSnap

350 Fording Island Rd, Suite 101 Bluffton SC 29910 24 Shelter Cove Ln, Suite 50 Hilton Head Island, SC 29928 (843) 781-6672 store.luxhhi.com luxhhi.com

Ashley Cubbage and Leslie Bigwood NOW WE’RE TALKING THERAPY SERVICES

What mantra do you live by?

Ashley Cubbage: Always take the time to tell people you appreciate them.

Leslie Bigwood: A good iced tea can make anything better.

How do you balance your work/home life, or is there even such a thing?

A&L: We are constantly working on this, and thankfully, we have each other for when one of us is needing more flexibility in one area versus another.

What’s the one thing you want your children to remember about you?

AC: I want Tripp to remember that I taught him and lived my life through example rather than just words.

LB: I want my kids to see that I am kind.

What is your biggest mom vs. career challenge?

A&L: Taking pride in our professional accomplishments without letting mom guilt creep in.

1536 Fording Island Road, Unit 105 Hilton Head Island, SC 29926 (843) 837-2080 info@nwt-Therapy.com https://nwt-therapy.com/

Shanel Van Jaarsveld KIDS COLLEGE

What mantra do you live by?

You are not defined by others’ opinions of you. You are who God says you are!

When you fall down, stand up, straighten your crown, smile and carry on.

Who has been your greatest inspiration?

My mom—single mom who raised two kids on her own— born poor, and worked her way up to be a very successful businesswoman in South Africa.

What is your favorite thing to do in your free time?

Spend time with my family and friends, fine art and any kind of traveling.

How do you balance your work/home life, or is there

even such a thing?

Work really hard, surround myself with good, capable people, and take time to enjoy the life I’m working so hard to afford!

What’s the one thing you want your children to remember about you?

I can’t pick just one thing!

I hope they remember my sense of humor, my faith, that I always tried to help others when I was in a position to do so, that they are unconditionally loved, and that they can achieve anything they set their minds to in this life.

17 Goethe Rd. Bluffton, SC 29910 (843) 757-9150 kidscollegellc.com

Jordan Young LOWCOUNTRY YARD ART What mantra do you live by?

It is what it is. You can’t change it, so why worry about it?

What is your favorite thing to do in your free time?

Boating and golf cart rides.

Sawyer loves the water, so it’s always a fun family outing.

How do you balance your work/home life, or is there even such a thing?

What’s balance? As much as I would love to say I’ve got it together, I don’t. In addition to Lowcountry Yard Art, I have a fulltime job, so most days, we are just winging it.

Luckily, my husband is always ready to help.

What is the one thing you want your children to remember about you?

I love to laugh and try not to take myself too seriously.

We’re only here for a short while, so why not have a little fun?

What is your biggest mom vs. career challenge?

Trying to squeeze in as much family time as possible between jobs is a big challenge, but we always make the most of the time we have together.

Apps you can’t live without: Candy Crush, Timehop, and Instagram What is your favorite vacation spot?

I’m a big fan of staycations.

Ever traveled with kids? It’s exhausting.

(229) 869-5489 https://form.jotform. com/92874114150150

Blake Schmid C OA S TA L B L I S S What mantra do you live by?

Everything happens for a reason.

Who has been your greatest inspiration?

My mom. She always had it together taking care of me and my brother growing up, while also helping run our family’s business. She made it look easy. I now know it is not! Ha ha. She is still very helpful to me today. I honestly wouldn’t be able to do what I do without her help. Thanks mom!

What do you enjoy doing in your free time?

Going to the beach, Pure

Barre workouts, and taking family walks with our dog Georgie.

What is your biggest mom vs. career challenge?

Wanting to be in two places at the same time. I absolutely love being with my children. However, I love what I do. Which means I also love being at work and helping customers.

It is a constant struggle!

However, with the help of our families and a great staff, I am able to do both.

Shelter Cove Town Centre 38 Shelter Cove Lane, Suite 126 HHI, SC 29928 (843) 802-4050 coastalblisshiltonhead.com

Heather Nix REALTOR/CO-OWNER OF NIX FLOORING & DESIGN, LLC

Who has been your greatest inspiration?

My husband Kenny. He is a brilliant businessman and loves what he does. I always seek his advice. He is extremely talented, and no matter what life throws at us, he prevails. He also never looks back … except to learn from mistakes and grow.

What is your favorite thing to do in your free time?

There’s not a lot of it. We are running two businesses. We are teaching our girls that if you work hard now, the reward comes later. Which is why it’s so important to really love what you do. 2020 has given me the opportunity to spend a lot of time with our daughters who have accompanied me on quite a few showings and virtual property previews for out-of-state clients. I wouldn’t be surprised if they ended up in home design and real estate as well. I’ll be honest; it would make us very proud if they did.

How do you balance your work/home life, or is there even such a thing?

Balancing work/home life has been much easier since our kids have grown into young adults. I’d be consumed with guilt if they didn’t have so much going on in their own lives. But between school and extracurricular

activities (in a normal year) we don’t all see each other until late evening during the week. And there’s so much to talk about since we’re all so busy. We are a very strong family unit with individual aspirations. There’s a lot of support and encouragement.

What is your biggest mom vs. career challenge?

My biggest mom vs career challenge is without a doubt putting down my work. I’m guilty of doing deals at the dinner table. But real estate is a very time-sensitive industry. You can’t just dilly dally at your convenience. A home is typically someone’s greatest investment, and when you have clients, that investment becomes your priority.

That’s what you sign up for. Luckily, my family understands. Mom and Dad have to work to keep food on the table and a roof over our heads. That means stepping away sometimes to answer a quick call or send an email. There’s so much pressure on parents to spend more time with their kids. It’s not fair.

Kids need to understand that life is expensive, and self-employment is demanding.

6983 North Okatie Highway (843) 384-4769 nixflooring.com heathernixhhi.com

Holly Blocker and Brittany Kennedy B LU E What mantra do you live by?

Perseverance, not perfection, is the key to success, especially in today’s world. The real key to success is the ability to keep going in spite of the setbacks we face each day.

What is your favorite thing to do in your free time?

We both are family-oriented, so you’ll find us spending time with family and friends! We are so blessed to live in such an amazing place. We enjoy life on the water—boating, weekends at the beach, and traveling.

PA L M

I N T E R I O R S

What’s the one thing you want your children to remember about you?

We both had a dream and we made it our reality. You can do anything if you put your mind to it. We want our children to know we pushed through the trying times as our business began not long before the pandemic hit.

Hard work plus determination pays off.

Apps you can’t live without: We owe the majority of our growth to Instagram and Facebook! If it weren’t for these

two amazing apps, our business wouldn’t have grown at the rate it’s currently growing. It’s been a huge marketing tool that we use every day.

(843) 540-5142 Follow Us On

Stephanie Donio Cauller HILTON H EAD H OME G R OUP OF R E / M A X ISLA N D R E A LT Y LIL MISS S OC IA L – D IGITA L M A R KE T IN G QVC & COSTCO PR OD UC T CON SULTAT ION FROM QVC TO HGTV THIS BUSY MOM MANAGES THREE KIDS AND THREE SMALL BUSINESSES. How do you balance your work/ home life, or is there even such a thing?

I work early, (while everyone is still sleeping); I have help and support and spend lots of time outside. I bring my laptop to my porch and set up shop at my table. Just being outside brings me balance, I don’t have an office inside. I also have the best teammates, partners, and husband I could ask for. I could not do a fraction of what I do without them.

What’s the one thing you want your children to remember about you?

I want my children to remember the happy times—the smiles and laughs, the music as much as the meatballs, the time on the boat and with family … simply being together. When they look back on their childhood, I want them to remember the fun.

What is your favorite thing to do in your free time?

If I have free time, you can find me on a boat, cooking, or playing the piano.

Chesapeake Bay and at the Jersey Shore! Now that we live here, I love going “home” and visiting all my favorite spots with my kids.

When it comes to less “homey” vacation spots, I love the Florida Keys, and Colorado. Pre-COVID, I was a big fan of the quick drive to Jacksonville to jump on a long weekend cruise to the Bahamas.

Not sure when that will happen again.

What is your favorite vacation spot?

I spent my childhood on the

(215) 806-6871 HiltonHeadHomeGroup.com LilMissocial.com

YOU ARE NOT ALONE R E A D I N G T H I S M AY L E A D T O C H I L D R E N !

For some, the idea of fostering or adoption has been dinging in your heart like a seatbelt alarm, loud and unignorable: the pitter patter of tiny feet, or a pair of size 13s by the front door, or a pantry full of Pop-Tarts for five siblings who get to stay together because you came along. If you think this doesn’t apply to you, give it 60 seconds, because the list of ways you can make a permanent difference might surprise you. Fair warning: reading this may lead to children.

ARTICLE BY AMY BARTLETT · PHOTOGRAPHY BY M.KAT

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WE READ AN ARTICLE … NOW WE HAVE TWO BOYS Adoptive mom and local Realtor Kristy Gonzales gets misty eyed at the idea that her story might bring another family together.

You can hear it in her voice still, years later. “We were at the end of a long road of fertility treatments that were emotionally and physically exhausting. My husband read an article and said, ‘Why don’t we look into adopting?’ It was a local publication about international adoptions. We made a phone call and had such a positive conversation that we took a step, and then another, and that’s how we got our two boys,” she explained.

Gonzales and her husband were among several area families adopting through the same agency, and during the process, she describes attending others’ homecoming celebrations. “Their success encouraged me that this is what it leads to. This is going to work. I had faith in the process, that at the end of it, you’re going to find your children,” she said.

YOU WILL FIND YOUR CHILDREN Perhaps mother’s intuition, this is something you often hear among Forever Families. Single mom Sandra Bullock, finalizing the adoption of her two children in 2020, told The Today Show’s Hoda Kotb, “The perfect child will find you. You will find your child. I had to become the mom that I was supposed to be for the kids that were waiting for me. When Hurricane Katrina happened in New Orleans something told me, ‘My child is there.’”

Turns out, he was. He was also the voice that influenced her two years later to adopt again.

Gonzales’ journey, adopting two siblings two years apart, was a near mirror image. “People tell me, ‘You’ve given these children a life they would’ve never had,’ but really, they gave me a life I would have never had. I always knew I wanted to be a mother. It’s the hardest but most important job, and they fulfilled my lifelong dream. The joy and the love the kids have given back is priceless. We may have given them a home, but they made me a mother,” she said.

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Katie Belt, licensing coordinator for the South Carolina Youth Advocate Program, addresses the question of who can foster/adopt. “First and foremost, throw out the window the picture many have about who can be a foster parent,” she said.

“We come in all shapes and sizes, colors, backgrounds, and financial brackets, and it takes all these different people to put together a good foster family group, because not all children come from “typical” backgrounds—biological families, mom and dad, big house, white picket fence. It’s good for them to see that diversity is out there because they come from diversity.”

Department of Social Services describes potential parents as simply someone who is “stable and can provide a child with the love and support he or she needs.”

LET’S BUST THE SHORTLIST OF MYTHS: “I can’t afford the fees or startup costs.” There are no fees or costs for applying or training with the DSS through agencies like HeartfeltCalling or SCYAP. “I don’t want to explore because once I start, I’m locked in.” Training for becoming licensed to foster/adopt is offered regularly and is a platform for asking anything in a non-committal environment. You have the freedom to learn and explore before deciding to move forward, with tons of resources and support.

“I couldn’t do it on my own.” Belt emphasizes, “one thing I wish people knew is that you’re not going to be alone in this adventure. Even single, non-parent renters. Whether financial support for foster parents from the state covering costs that come into play with a child in your home, or the huge team of community workers, no one is alone in this.”

“I can’t foster/adopt, so I can’t help.” There are countless ways to care: Donate. Websites list needs like pillows and pillowcases, juice boxes and snacks, pajamas and toiletries, anything from bikes to Forever stamps, or care bags for kids whose belongings are sometimes confined to a trash bag.

KRISTY GONZALES AND HER TWO SONS IN OLD TOWN BLUFFTON

Participate. Organizations like SCYAP need volunteers for providing transportation and other one-off services that keep kids’ lives moving.

Stand in the gap. Become a Resource Family for organizations like the Child Abuse Prevention Association (CAPA), supported by United Way of the Lowcountry. CAPA serves 15 children every night in their Open Arms Children’s Home, open 24/7/365. Recruiting just five resource families would double the number of kids they cover.

“I could never give them back.” According to Belt, this is one of the most frequent reasons given for not starting the foster process. “This hurdle is cleared once we learn to see the child’s return home as not a negative but the best possible outcome. That means the family is back together and one more child doesn’t have to be displaced.” You’re playing a key role in a great gain—a win for the child, you realize, rather than loss.

That’s the heart of fostering. “If we think of our lives, look back asking who’s that person who was in my life at a pivotal point and impacted me on a different level—teacher, neighbor, pastor—somebody who was temporarily in our lives but had a huge impact on our growth, life decisions, trajectory of where we were going at that time,” Belt said. “Most of us can think of a couple of people who really left a positive mark. That’s the foster parent role that comes in and gets to be a big player in a short amount of time.”

Gonzales’ advice for anyone considering fostering/ adoption: “If it’s in your heart, go for it. We didn’t start the process knowing where it was going to go. We read an article, made a phone call, and here we are. Every adoption is a miracle.

I tell my children God brought us together. We were meant to be a family.” Short-term connection or lifelong journey, made for each other or single phone call, “everybody has a different path, but everybody finds it. You only have to start,” Gonzales said.

Where? Google it, ask a friend, say a prayer, use the resources below, put it out there. There are a thousand ways to change a life, including your own.

Heartfelt Calling (SC Foster Parent Association) is the first point of contact for anyone wanting to start the process to become licensed as a regular (non-therapeutic) foster home or approved to adopt with DSS. HeartfeltCalling.org (888) 828-3555.

The South Carolina Youth Advocate Program (SCYAP) is the “premier provider of foster care and community-based services,” specializing in therapeutic foster care and communitybased services. Scyap.com (800) 882-5513.

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PEAK PERFORMANCE FITNESS CENTER ired of exercising and not seeing the payoff? Maybe you’re new to working out and feeling insecure. Or perhaps you are an athlete who is striving to up your game. Wherever you are on your fitness journey, if you’re not reaching your goals or are not sure how, it’s time to hightail it over to Peak Performance Fitness Center in Port Royal Plaza for a new kind of exercise experience—one that focuses on your specific needs and gets you the results you’re after.

“Some people see the name ‘Peak Performance’ and think we are only training athletes here or that it’s only for the young,” owner and veteran trainer Christina Lindstedt said. “Nothing could be further from the truth. Each person has their own potential, their own goals, and their own peak.”

At Peak Performance, the name of the game is life, and fitness is about the quality of everyday living. “An activity of daily living for one person might be getting through the day without being in pain,” Lindstedt explained. “The next person’s ADL might be going out on a sports field and playing well.

Even people who are not the top-notch athletes but are recreational players want to be able to play better and feel good afterwards. And who doesn’t want to look

T

WRI T T EN BY L I N DA S . H O P K I N S PHOTO G RA PY BY M. KAT DE SI G N BY J E F F C L I N E

Christina Lindstedt, owner and Personal Trainer, functional golf training 95 years young Betty Taylor.

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W H ET H ER YOU’ R E J UST STA R T I NG YOUR F I T NESS J OUR NEY OR A RE A SEASONED FI T NESS FA NAT I C , I T ’ S NEVER TOO SO O N OR TO O L AT E TO R EAC H F O R A NEW PE AK .

and feel their best?”

DIFFERENT BY DESIGN

Peak Performance offers two workout options: personal training and small group fitness, by appointment/reservation only.

The non-membership-based business model allows clients to purchase services á la carte or at a package rate and use them as desired without worry about forfeiting the investment when out of town or unable to attend.

The vibe is decidedly different, too, in that no one is competing for cardio equipment, loitering by the weight machines, or exercising willy-nilly on their own. At any given time, everyone present is engaged in a private, focused workout with an individual trainer or is participating in a small group fitness class (the current max is four participants and one trainer).

The personal nature of the workouts at Peak Performance Fitness also ensures that you don’t get injured. Whether you are training for a sport, trying to drop a few pounds, preparing for or recovering from a surgery, nursing an injury, or working on your functional strength and balance, working with someone who has knowledge and experience in performing exercises and proper

use of equipment greatly reduces your risk of hurting yourself.

Your trainer will also tailor your workout plan to meet your goals and make sure you enjoy the process.

“I designed PPFC to have a small, intimate feel but yet offer the social aspect to a degree,” Lindstedt said, pointing out the ease of fitting in. “You don’t have to dress a certain way or be at any certain level of fitness to participate. Because we don’t have the high numbers here, we have the setup so that you don’t need to feel intimidated. We plan your program to meet your individual needs.”

Clientele includes a broad range of ages (10 to 90-plus!) and fitness levels (beginner to advanced). And because of the high degree of education and professionalism among the staff, Peak Performance is the perfect bridge for physical therapy patients who are transitioning out of PT but may need the continued support of a qualified, experienced physical trainer.

CLEANLINESS & SAFETY So, let’s address the elephant in the room. How safe is it to work out at PPFC? “First and foremost, we are not a gym; we are a fitness

Shelby Sharp training Brooke Simons, senior at HHHS varsity volleyball player.

MEET THE TRAINERS Selecting a personal trainer is personal. It’s important to identify a trainer who is best equipped to meet your individual needs and is also a good fit personality-wise. With 11 trainers on staff, it’s easy to find a perfect match for every client, Lindstedt said. “When I sought out people, I was looking for the best. We have a nice umbrella [everything from yoga instruction, barre or dance to sport-specific training and general fitness] that allows everybody to have a place here. There’s a trainer for every single person.”

TRAINER

S P E C I A LT I E S

Christina Lindstedt Camila Pacheco Casey Walker Kara Cooke Stacey Saritelli Phil Mullins Jennifer Brewer Siobhan Bilecki Coach Chris Noss Phil Sandmaier Shelby Sharp

Golf fitness (TPI), Athletic Conditioning, functional fitness Weight loss and functional fitness Functional fitness, strength and balance Golf fitness (TPI), tennis conditioning, athletic conditioning Strength and conditioning thru functional fitness Mindset conditioning, transformation, corrective muscle stimulation Beginner yoga, therapeutic yoga, vinyasa Senior fitness and corrective exercise Sports strength & conditioning, golf biomechanics Strength flexibility balance Pre- and post-surgical rehab and biomechanics

Learn more about the trainers and see class schedules at hhi.fitness.

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center,” Lindstedt said. “And because of our unique business model, social distancing is easy. We don’t have tourists walking in off the streets. Our platform has allowed this business to grow and be well during these trying times.”

In addition, Lindstedt and her team are doing everything they can to ensure the ongoing health and wellness of their clients and co-workers by closely following CDC guidelines and adhering to all state and local mandates. A small reception desk at the door is health-check headquarters; you’ll need to mask up, sanitize your hands, and have your temperature taken before entering. Once you are in, you won’t see a fingerprint or a sweat-streaked mirror. “We’re obsessed with wiping everything down,” Lindstedt said. “If you come in and see how everything is spaced out … we have good airflow, and everything is constantly cleaned and sanitized with the best professional viral disinfectant product available.”

And for those clients who remain uncomfortable coming to the facility to workout in person, virtual classes including bootcamp, guts and glutes, golf fit and more are available via Zoom.

Peak Performance Fitness is located at 95 Mathews Dr., Suite 3-4 in the Port Royal Shopping Center on Hilton Head Island.

For more information, call (843) 715-0540 or visit hhi.fitness.

Coach Noss, PGA tour trainer, stretches competitive amateur golfer, Will Durrett.

Camila Pacheco training member, Jack Howard .

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“SOME PEOPLE SEE THE NAME ‘PEAK PERFORMANCE’ AND THINK WE ARE ONLY TRAINING ATHLETES HERE OR THAT IT’S ONLY FOR THE YOUNG, NOTHING COULD BE FURTHER FROM THE TRUTH. EACH PERSON HAS THEIR OWN POTENTIAL, THEIR OWN GOALS, AND THEIR OWN PEAK.” - CHRISTINA LINDSTEDT

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Ar tic le By Bar ry K a u fma n

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P h otogra p h y by m . kat

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D e si g n ed by Cat Co l by

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C h i l d r e n â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s M u s e u m A b e l ove d is l a n d in s titu tion tu rn s the pag e o n C OVID a n d re a die s for its n e x t c h a pt e r .

The new Sandbox will include 1,200 square feet of outdoor exhibits including a climbing wall, a musical wall, a water exhibit and a kayak simulator.

I

f there is any silver lining to be found in the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s this: Parents everywhere have developed a newfound appreciation for their child’s education.

Between wrapping up this past school year at home and spending a summer trying to find some kind of enrichment

activity beyond video games, most parents have come out the other side of this with a much deeper stake in their child’s development.

Which brings us to a sobering statistic nationwide.

Across the country, children’s museums were forced to shut

Capt. William Hilton’s ship The Adventure located in Celebration Park off of Pope Avenue.

down along with every other non-essential business. And when this is all behind us, one estimate states that 30 percent of them will never reopen.

Thankfully for area parents, the Lowcountry’s own hands-on interactive children museum, The Sandbox Children’s Museum, will not be among the 30 percent. “We’ve been here 16 years and we’ve always had great support from the community,” said executive director Nancy Fish.

That’s not to say the pandemic didn’t present all manner of challenges to The Sandbox. This is, after all, a place where learning is greatly tactile. Here, kids don’t just learn about aeronautics; they get to sit in the cockpit and take to the wild blue yonder of their imagination. They aren’t just told about the history of the island;

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they get to climb the rigging of Capt. William Hilton’s ship The Adventure and experience the thrill of discovering an island paradise. All of these hands-on experiences enrich learning to a marvelous degree, but they are rather hard to convey over a Zoom chat.

That didn’t stop The Sandbox from trying.

“When the pandemic started, we turned from a hands-on museum to providing online activities— things you could do at home,” Fish said. Running the gamut from STEM-based experiments to literacy activities, all of The Sandbox’s programming was made available free of charge through their social media channels.

For parents suddenly finding themselves doubling as schoolteachers, it was a godsend.

And even as the world opens up, parents are still reaping the benefits of having a resource like The Sandbox at their disposal. “As people start to go back, play is such an important thing.

Not just for the children, but for the adults, too,” Fish said. “It’s a therapeutic way for them to deal with emotions. A lot of parents haven’t had much time to exhale and just connect with their children.”

The Sandbox was able to pivot and innovate when schools first went online-only, and with virtual learning making its return in the fall, they’re

offering another indispensable aid for parents. At both the Hilton Head Island and Bluffton Sandbox locations, students can enroll in a K-4 program that lets them learn alongside a small group of students in a pod environment. Running from 8:15 a.m. to 3:15 p.m., “Museum School” will essentially serve as that structured school day that children have been missing, in a small-group setting that will put a priority on health and safety.

“In between their regular school activities, we’ll supplement with enrichment activities around STEM and art and physical activity,” Fish said. “We have all those materials right here. And during free time, they’ll get to go play in the museum.”

Or at least your kids will think they’re playing. Don’t let on, but even when they’re playing, they’ll be learning. That’s been the secret to The Sandbox’s success for 16 years. It’s how they have thrived and how they have now reached the point of explosive growth.

That growth has taken the form of a fabulous new location at the heart of the Coligny District’s upcoming Celebration Park.

Encircled by forested trails, sparkling lagoons and a massive replica of The Adventure, The Sandbox will anchor a brand-new experience for families both local and visiting.

While the Town of Hilton Head Island provided the physical structure for the new museum, what lies ahead is the sizable task of filling that building. And once again, we see The Sandbox coming through with some brilliant ideas. Along with moving over the Pope Ave. location’s exhibits, the new Sandbox will include 1,200 square feet of outdoor exhibits including a climbing wall, a musical wall, a water exhibit and a kayak simulator. Inside, a mammoth sandcastle will anchor a space boasting dedicated spaces for STEM experiments, an arts studio and even spaces to teach children about the Native Islander culture of Hilton Head Island.

If you’re a parent who has taken on the role of teacher over the last few months, it’s an exciting new opportunity. And it’s one you can help make happen. A capital campaign is underway to help get The Sandbox to this next chapter, and your donations can get them there.

“The goal was to raise, realistically, $500,000,” Fish said. “We’re at $200,000 now, and we see a pathway to $300,000.” Beyond individual donations, there are opportunities for local businesses and communities to sponsor individual exhibits. It’s a great way to help a place that has meant so much to area families and to put a smile on a child’s face when it’s needed most.

They are often overlooked when discussing the new normal established over the last few months, but it is the children who have seen the most drastic change to their worlds. For them, the opportunity to engage in play and enrich their minds is an ideal way to cope with those changes. For adults, it’s a great way to set aside the lesson planner and truly reconnect with their children as parents.  To learn how you can help with The Sandbox’s capital campaign, visit thesandbox.org.

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Advanced Aesthetics Academy

OFFERING BASIC ESTHETICS, ADVANCED ESTHETICS, CONTINUING EDUCATION COURSES, LICENSED ESTHETIC COURSES ARTICLE BY AMY BARTLETT

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dvanced Aesthetics Academy is gearing up for an exciting curriculum expansion with new programs being announced soon. Now, more than ever, this is a beneficial time for students to familiarize themselves with an academy that can move them into their professional future and advance their earning potential.

The Advanced Aesthetics Academy is a rapidly growing school, centrally situated to service the areas of Savannah, Pooler, Effingham, Beaufort, Bluffton, and Hilton Head Island, with an incredible success rate of equipping students to reach their goals: 100 percent pass rate, 100 percent graduation rate, 100 percent licensure rate.

A3’s state-of-the-art learning facility includes numerous facial machines in a spa-like clinical environment with a roster of experienced, supportive educators offering the 450-hour esthetics program mandated by the state of South Carolina for licensure. They also administer ongoing continuing education classes for South Carolina cosmetologists and estheticians as well as endorsement for Georgia residents. Courses and learning programs provide maximum hands-on training with advanced modalities such as hydro-dermabrasion, microdermabrasion, nanoneedling, lash lift and tint, lash and brow henna tinting, and full-body waxing as well as customized facials and back treatments.

Owner and lead instructor Heidi Daly has been teaching esthetics for over 11 years. A3 is the fulfillment of her vision to open a state-of-the-art esthetics school with a working spa for the students, benefiting the community with affordable, expert services and giving students the experiential learning needed to advance careers and be equipped for excellence in their field. A3’s full-service clinic provides esthetic services through student practitioners at greatly reduced rates and is run just as a spa would be, making students’ transitions from school to their new career as smooth as possible. All services are supervised by a licensed instructor and have the added benefit of enhanced attention to detail in a training environment. A full menu of products and services can be found on their website.

The team at A3 has over 65 cumulative years of experience in the industry and is extremely passionate about empowering their students. Instructors and programs go beyond service-skills, offering job placement opportunities and job search

assistance such as résumé writing and help with other personal career advancement materials. Once you graduate, you walk out fully confident with the knowledge and skill set you have pursued.

A3 is the nest where they have created the environment and provided the necessary resources that give you your career roots and wings. Now they are branching out further, enhancing current programs and soon-to-be-expanding curriculum.

Watch the website and social platforms for coming announcements and call today to start advancing.

Heidi Daly: Owner/Lead Esthetics Instructor, Esthetics Instructor Shay Moree-Dew: Vice President of Operations, LE, LMT Sana Adeloye: Director of Academics, LE, LMT DeAnn DiGenova: Esthetics Instructor, Cosmetology Instructor Brenda Wilson: Assistant Program Director LeeAnne Marconi: LE Suryia Moore: LE Advance Aesthetics is located at 176 Dermis Avenue in Hardeeville. Hours are Monday through Saturday 9 a.m.-5 p.m., with evening hours, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday 6 p.m.-8:30 p.m. For more information, visit theadvancedaestheticsacademy. com, email admin@theadvancedaestheticsacademy. com or call (843) 784-3376.

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Dr.Ravina Balchandani of Heart Association of Hilton Head.

saying goes, “Prevention is better than the cure,” and it’s what I actively integrate into every session I have with my patients.

That is exactly why I realized the importance of personalized nutrition—for heart health as well as overall body health—and created a health and wellness clinic named NuBodia, LLC to best integrate my cardiovascular knowledge with nutritional knowledge, wellness with personalized wellbeing, and transform it into a whole-package deal.

When you come in as a client, we work to figure out exactly how your individual body works through assessing your genetic predisposition, dietary habits, physical habits, sleep behaviors, and current blood work. Using your complete profile, we will support you in reaching optimal health, also accounting for body image and physical training. We work step-by-step with you to ensure that you have accountability to achieve the results you desire and feel the best you’ve felt in your life.

If you are interested in learning more or booking an appointment, please call us at (843) 682-HOPE (4673) for Heart Associate of Hilton Head, LLC. If nutrition is your main focus, please call (843) 816-3733 for NuBodia, LLC.

NuBODIA MERGING NUTRITION, BODY, BIOLOGY Article by Dr. Ravina Balchandani

Dr. Ravina Balchandani is an interventional cardiologist specializing in disease prevention. She graduated from Gandhi Medical School in 1987 and completed her medical residency, cardiology residency, and interventional cardiology residency at Maimonides Medical Center in New York City. Later, she practiced at Stony Brook University Medical Center, after which she re-located to Hilton Head Island.

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020: it’s a time when everything feels out of our control.

The good news is that we live in an era where we can handselect a lot of things in our lives. Customization is at the forefront of how we make choices—from exactly what toppings we want on our salad to the specific sections we want in our planners. Sure enough, when we are able to personalize these aspects, they bring us better results.

But what about health?

For decades, nutrition recommendations have followed a one-size-fits-all template: we learned to eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables a day, make half our grains whole grains, and have a daily intake of 2,000 calories. Despite these central guidelines aiming to improve eating patterns of large groups of people, people struggling with their health may feel that generic suggestions are not very helpful, and research shows that confusion about food choices and nutrition is all too common. Removing some of the guessing game from what a “healthy diet” means is an enticing prospect.

The medical community has become increasingly aware that “healthy” doesn’t mean the same thing for everyone. So then how do we know what is best for our bodies? The answer lies in personalized nutrition. A personalized nutrition approach is based on the idea that by tailoring nutrition advice to a specific person’s bodily requirements, we may be more motivated to make dietary changes to improve our health and lower risk of conditions like obesity, Type II diabetes, obstructive sleep apnea, stroke, and most important, heart disease. Personalized nutrition is at the heart of what can make our bodies healthy and keep them that way too.

I am an interventional cardiologist practicing for more than a decade now on Hilton Head Island as well as in Bluffton. While “interventional” means that I perform invasive procedures such as implanting stents and pacemakers in patients that need it, my primary passion has always been preventative medicine. As the old C2 MAGAZINE

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Special Thanks to Mick Poolen and Michael Gump for helping us locate an outhouse.

I S C IANS MU in bathrooms MUSICIAN: CAMPFIRE TYLER P H OTO G R A P H Y BY M . K AT

What’s your sign?

Aries. Fiery and hard-headed.

Most underrated song that, in your opinion, should be a classic: “The Way,” by Fastball

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ICIANS MUSin bathrooms Biggest compliment you’ve ever gotten from a fan?

“The world is your oyster.”

What is your favorite piece to perform?

“Backwards Lullaby” off of my debut album What do you sing in the shower?

Parliament’s “Give up the Funk” Favorite cereal?

Trix. I don’t even care if it’s for kids At what venue do you most like to perform?

Hemingway’s in downtown Beaufort Most requested song at shows?

“Snakes.” However, people frequently scream at me to play the monkey song a.k.a. “I Wanna Be Like You” from The Jungle Book.

First concert you attended?

KISS, with Skid Row, in North Charleston back in 2000 Favorite artist?

Billy Strings—traditional bluegrass with a progressive approach.

Place you go to get away from it all?

I have a secret spot near my house where I can sit and simply enjoy the beautiful Lowcountry scenery and ease my mind.

Do you tweet, gram or book?

What’s your handle?

Campfire Tyler on Facebook.

Instagram coming soon.

Who would star as you in the epic retelling of your life on film?

Obviously, Shia LaBeouf

CAMPFIRE TYLER PLAYING HIS NEW SONG "SNAKE" AT OUR RIDGELAND SHOOT.

First instrument you ever learned to play?

Electric triangle Song you were thrilled to finally master?

I haven’t truly mastered any of them yet, but we’re getting there.

What do you wish you knew more about?

Home recording and homemade scones.

What animal do you most identify with?

Koala bears If you got super famous and had to change your name, what would your new name be?

Snazzy McJazz What famous musician would you love to sing a duet with?

Reba McEntire

YOU CAN FOLLOW CAMPFIRE TYLER ON FACEBOOK FOR UP-TO-THE-MINUTE UPDATES ON SHOWS 112

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HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BEYONCE!

TO DO #1 BAKE OR COOK SOMETHING NEW!

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EVERY TUESDAY!

SUNDAY CHECKLIST: GO BACK TO THE TIKI HUT AND SEE SOUNDBOY FROM 1-5PM!

SEA PINES FARMERS MARKET

FARMERS MARKET AT HONEY HORN

Sea Pines Shopping Center 10am-2pm

Coastal Discovery 9am-1pm

14 2ND ANNUAL HAIG POINT FOUNDATION CHARITY GOLF TOURNAMENT All Day Event $300 Per Golfer Open to the Public!

15 NATIONAL ONLINE LEARNING DAY!

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THURSDAYS BLUFFTON FARMERS MARKET Calhoun Street in Old Town 12-3pm

NATIONAL CHEESEBURGER DAY! 23

WAHHI PICNIC IN THE PARK

CUSTOM DESIGN EVENT AT FORSYTHE JEWELERS

Mary Ann Peeples Pavilion at Coastal Discovery Museum 10am-1pm

Work directly with our trusted professional jewelry designer Paula Dawkins to select a new setting or stones to reimagine a new custom designed piece.

RSVP: (843) 671-7070

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“SUNDAY IS THE GOLDEN CLASP THAT BINDS TOGETHER THE VOLUME OF THE WEEK.” -Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

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TO DO #2 HAVE A MARGARITA AT THE TIKI HUT AND WATCH JOJO SQUIRRELL & THE HOME PICKLES!

12 A SOUTHERN FALL CLASSIC: LOWCOUNTRY BOIL The Salty Dog 4-7pm Live music and waterfront fun!

19 CRAFT BEER & BURGER BONANZA The Salty Dog 4-7pm Live music and waterfront fun!

26 WING & CHILI COOK OFF The Salty Dog 4-7pm From spicy to sweet and every flavor combination in between, you be the judge!

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NATIONAL COFFEE DAY!

EVENTS AND MORE COVID-19 INSPIRATIONAL THOUGHTS

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