Charleston City Paper: Digs - March 2023

Weinstein works to empower women in hospitality

By Chloe Hogan

Randi Weinstein wants women in Charleston’s hospitality industry to be badasses.

The City Paper caught up with Weinstein at her West Ashley home which also serves as the headquarters for her educational business workshop called FAB. The bright, art-filled house overlooks the Wappoo Creek. A stunning stained-glass window hangs above the area where Weinstein works in her kitchen, filling the space with colored light. Her art collection includes works by Richard Hagerty, Mary Edna Fraser and Sermet Aslan, pointing to her love of the area.

Sitting on her blue velvet couch with her morkie, Roscoe, Weinstein explained how she found the inspiration for FAB — and the skills she needed to pull it off — through her career in the hospitality industry, which included working at the thennamed Charleston Food and Wine Festival for seven years and serving as Butcher & Bee’s project manager. She also started a scholarship fund called “Bad Bitches” which in 2014 raised more than $50,000 in scholarships for women in the food and beverage (F&B) industry.

Weinstein’s career successes deepened her passion for educating and empowering women in hospitality and forged the path for the creation of FAB, which kicked off its first workshop in June 2017.

The annual Charleston-based workshop continues to grow, now bringing together more than 400 women in the industry each year. The intent of FAB is to be a place for women to connect, share stories, become each other’s resources, champions, and ultimately, empower one another. Tickets are on sale now for this year’s threeday June workshop at thisisfab.com.

The winding path to FAB

Originally from Long Island, New York, Weinstein moved to Charleston in 1988.

“My family was a garment-center family. My father manufactured sweaters. I worked in food and bev in my teenage years, managing restaurants, waiting tables and bartending.”

Weinstein said one of her first real jobs was working in a children’s showroom.

“I wound up actually buying the showroom. And I loved working there,” she said. “At that same time, I started dating my now exhusband, who was born and raised in Charleston. I’m a very ‘go with the flow’ person, so I moved here in 1988. Seven years later we divorced, and then it was a big decision, should I stay or should I go? And I wound up staying here. And that really propelled my whole journey.”

Weinstein said the success of FAB relies on her personal pillars of “total transparency and zero bullshit.”

She said nothing she did in New York was transferable to Charleston, which had no garment industry.

“I didn’t want to work in retail, and so I wound up working for someone who does promotional items. It was not the most exciting thing, but it was fine, and it enabled me to take care of my young son.”

Then her dad died suddenly.

“I had this epiphany — life is short, and I need to really kind of do whatever it is I want to do. And I had always wanted to own a restaurant.”

Planting the seeds

Weinstein started working with Sermet Aslan to open the downtown location of Sermet’s Corner, located on Wentworth and King streets until 2017. She loved the fast-paced role but she needed something more sustainable while she was raising her son Seth. So, she put a pin in her restaurant career, and moved into the mental health space for a while. She created educational and recreational programming for schizophrenic and bipolar individuals while working for a now-defunct nonprofit called Palmetto Pathways.

“That’s when I started getting to plan events, because I had to fundraise for my position. And I just loved it because it was kind of melding my passions of doing events and helping a population that really needed it.”

Everything changed for Weinstein when she attended the first year of the Charleston Food and Wine Festival in 2005.

“I went to year one as an attendee and I loved it. I said f*** it. I’m just going to email this executive director. I wrote this

super-long email about the virtues of hiring me. The director at the time, Angel Postell, emails back like, ‘We’re not hiring right now.’ And I was just like, ‘No, you want me on your team.’ ”

Weinstein laughed and said she “was pretty relentless” until Postell finally brought her in for an interview.

Weinstein said the first seeds of FAB were planted in that first year while working at the festival, especially in overseeing its trade day event.

“It was basically an information trade [of things like] how to design a restaurant, how to make an award wine list. And it always stuck in the back of my mind.”

been the one to contact all of the scholarship recipients. It was really rewarding. We sent people to culinary school. We sent Denise Richardson to chocolate making class in Chicago. Stephanie Burt started her podcast from that money. We had a number of people take their sommelier certifications.”

Weinstein decided she wanted to take her work empowering women in the hospitality industry a step further by providing educational resources.

“These women needed to understand, though, the business of the industry — what opening a restaurant means, what you have to do — tax returns, paperwork, all that stuff that people don’t think about. So that’s when I started planning FAB. I wanted to create an educational workshop with the overarching message to invest in yourself.

THE LOWDOWN ON RANDI WEINSTEIN

Age: 59 (ugh).

Birthplace: New York City.

Education: Northeastern University and Fashion Institute of Technology.

Family: Husband and four children.

Something people would be surprised to learn about you: “I use a shoehorn to put on all my shoes; yes, sneakers too.”

Favorite thing to do outside of work: Shoot hoops.

Books on bedside table: Think Again, by Adam Grant, and Black, White and Grey, by Mashama Bailey.

Favorite food to eat: Pasta or anything Italian.

Favorite cocktail or beverage: Ketel One on the rocks with a slice of lemon — simple like me.

Five foods you always need in your refrigerator: Castelvetrano olives, hearts of palm, chicken, mustard and lemons.

Three people (alive or dead) you’d like to dine with: “If I can have two groups, Jerry Garcia, Tom Petty and Chris Cornell. The other group is my dad, mom and poppa Sam.”

What meal would you want served to you for your last supper: “Slice of pizza from New York, baked ziti and a chicken parm hero; also a smoked fish sampler from Russ & Daughters.”

Guilty pleasure: Phish Food ice cream by Ben & Jerry’s.

There are multiple points in Weinstein’s story that point to her tenacity — and her ability to craft an impactful email.

“When I left there in 2014, I sent out this email saying, ‘I’m starting a new journey.’ And Michael Shemtov, who owns Butcher & Bee, reached out probably within three minutes, like, ‘I have no idea what for, but I would love to hire you.’ It was being back in restaurants that I was really excited about.”

She organized events in that role, including a themed dinner series with all-female chefs. That’s when she met chef Sarah Adams and pastry chef Kelly Kleisner, with whom she created a scholarship fund called “Bad Bitches” in 2014.

Weinstein, Adams and Kleisner decided that, in tandem with the dinner series, they wanted to raise scholarship money for the women who were working the events.

“We raised just under $50,000. I had

“You have to know one thing about me: I am never afraid to ask anyone for anything. If I see it, I can believe it. I’m just not going to ever take ‘no’ for an answer, because if I think it’s a good idea, I’m going for it.”

Weinstein said her hope with FAB is that people in Charleston, and especially women, learn the value of investing in themselves.

Of 120 national applicants this year, 48 were awarded. Weinstein said only 12 of those applications were local, and she would like to see that change.

“Invest in yourself, know your worth and knowledge is power. I love seeing people flourish. I love hearing all of the connections that people have made at FAB. I love when people are making those connections, expanding their businesses and being able to take other people under their wing. That’s what really makes me continue this journey.”

Describe your best day in 50 words or less: “Wake up, have coffee, exercise, listen to music, have lunch on my dock, chill and go out for dinner and drinks — and have someone come on board as a big financial supporter of FAB. That would be a 10-out-of-10 day.”

Philosophy: “ASK. All they can say is no, but also know, I never take no for an answer.”

Your advice for better living: “Have fun. Life is way too short for bullshit.”

Your advice for someone new to Charleston: “Get involved in the local politics and understand how this city works.”

‘I won’t take ‘no’ for an answer’

Photos by Rūta Smith

Weinstein’s home is filled with bright colors as exemplified by her husband Victor’s English cameo glass perfume bottles (top) and stained glass windows (above).

Weinstein works out of her art-filled West Ashley home overlooking the Wappoo River.

Shana

shana.swain@carolinaone.com To

MUSIC LIVE LOCAL

Don’t throw shade at the shade in your yard

By Toni Reale, Roadside Blooms

Many look at the shady spots in their yard and only see problems or disappointment. Instead, think of those spots as opportunities to plant some fun varieties that you’d miss out on otherwise. Try these five plants to transform your shady spot into an area that you can find joy on those oppressive midsummer days.

Giant Elephant Ears

Alocasia macrorrhiza, commonly known as Giant Taro or Giant Elephant’s Ear, is a show-stopper of a shade plant. Their mature size alone is remarkable. The shape of the leaf resembles an elephant’s ear with ruffled edges. These plants grow quickly with little maintenance. While they will die in the frost, they will come back year after year and spread. The sap of the plants can irritate hands, so don’t let your kids play with them. (Unfortunately, I know this firsthand after my kids cut them, and the sap made their hands feel as if on fire.)

Tractor Seat plant

Farfugium japonicum, or the Tractor Seat plant, is becoming very popular in Lowcountry landscaping, particularly the variegated kind. Its interesting shape pairs well with most other shade plants as it really doesn’t look like anything else. It shoots up a petite yellow flower in the fall that attracts pollinators. These are slow-growing so it’s better to plant more than you would with a fast-growing plant. You can divide the clumps in the spring to spread out their coverage.

Fringe tree

Chionanthus virginicus, otherwise known as the Fringe Tree, is blooming right now all throughout the Charleston-area. This Southeastern native tree is petite and has beautiful showy ivory-colored flowers that resemble fringe. In the fall, birds are attracted to the small berries it produces.

Japanese pieris

Pieris japonica’s bell-shaped flowers would be a beautiful addition to your shade garden. They are evergreen bushes with floral varieties in white, pink and dusty rose. The flowers make an excellent cut flower with a long vase life. This shrub will mound and grow over time, so be patient.

Plantain lilies

Hostas, or plantain lilies, are a no-fuss option for shade gardens. There are more than 40 varieties, some of which are variegated and really stunning. There’s no shortage of hostas to fit your overall design aesthetic. They also make a great border or edging. They spread overtime through underground runners and will fill in nicely. Note: Deer love hostas so they might not be

good in some suburban environments.

Autumn ferns

Hands-down, my favorite fern to plant in a shade garden is the autumn fern. It is unique in that its leaves emerge a copper color that matures to dark green. These plants will spread and fill in the shade garden. Don’t fret when they die back as they will emerge in the spring.

As you plan your shade garden, take into consideration the growth habits of each plant selected and how one might impact another. Additionally, think about color when choosing your varieties. The plants in this article are low maintenance, but they do need some care. Be sure to keep the soil moist and pay attention to the leaves to ensure that nothing is getting over or underwatered. With any plant, research its optimal environment to create that at home. Set yourself up for success and some shade-loving times this summer!

Toni Reale is the owner of Roadside Blooms, a unique plant, flower, crystal, and fossil shop in Park Circle in North Charleston. roadsidebloomsshop.com

Giant Elephant’s Ear will come back year after year — but beware of the irritating sap.

6 ways to keep your pets happy and healthy

From Staff Reports

Warmer weather means it’s time to spring clean, get grooming and prepare your pets’ diets to support them through the season. Keep your furry friends happy and healthy this spring with these six tips from the experts at Zesty Paws:

Give skin and coats a little TLC

Many pets form winter coats during the colder months to help them stay warm and comfortable. They then shed the coats in the spring to prepare for warmer temperatures. Some pets may need extra help maintaining their shiny, healthy coats, especially if mats have formed in their fur or if they are breeds that develop a thick undercoat.

Professional grooming, at-home brushing and regular bathing can be helpful ways to speed up the process to remove some of the extra fur and decrease the prevalence of dander, dust and pollen that can attach to fur and skin.

Get back to more exercise

The change in weather means more time for outdoor adventures with your pets, but don’t forget to cool down and warm up as you and your pets ease back into the season. Plan for short, leashed walks and timed play sessions to help your

pets gradually prepare their hips and joints for fun, warm weather activities.

Watch out for pests

Once temperatures start to rise, tiny, creepy critters start crawling. Fleas, ticks and other pests can cause serious health concerns for pets. Make sure your pest control programs are primed and ready this spring for added protection. Talk to your veterinarian about the best routine and products for your pets.

Freshen bedding and bowls

It’s important to keep a clean environment by scrubbing, sweeping and vacuuming regularly to decrease allergens in the home. When you’re tackling this year’s spring cleaning, remember to put your pets’ bedding and bowls on the list, too. Updating or disinfecting your pets’ blankets, litter boxes, toys and other supplies is a good way to keep them feeling safe and comfortable.

Schedule an annual visit to the vet

Spring is a good time to schedule your pets’ annual vet visits. Make sure they’re up to date on all vaccinations, get their dental health checkups and re-evaluate nutrition plans.

Add seasonal allergy support

Just like humans, furry friends can develop and experience seasonal allergies. Giving your pets’ immune systems some extra support can help ease some common allergy symptoms. There are all sorts of chewable supplements that provide seasonal allergy support by aiding normal immune functions, skin health and gut flora. They may also help maintain normal histamine levels. Check with your local pet store or veterinarian for suggestions.

Photos by Getty Images

Pets shouldn’t be excluded from annual health checkups.

Don’t just dive into long walks and runs in the heat, ease your pet back into the warm-weather season.