TOWN Dec. 2020 by Community Journals

ART, CULTURE, STYLE OF THE PROGRESSIVE SOUTH

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D EC EM B ER 2020 I

Contents

DECEMBER 2020

100 CULINARY RISING

Despite a global pandemic that crippled the restaurant industry, Greenville’s cuisine scene continues to thrive courtesy of innovative young chefs. by m. Linda Lee,

Angie Toole Thompson & Ariel Turner

“It’s time to ease into earthly comforts, and few things provide it quite as well as having a drink in one hand and a dessert in the other.”

(cover) pastry chef Vanessa Matonis, of Bar Margaret, reinterprets the ice cream sundae; (this page) a pomegranate serves as creative inspiration for Chef Matonis. Cover and this photograph by Paul Mehaffey

DECEMBER 2020 I t o w n c a r o l i n a . c o m

CARLTON MOTORCARS

www.CarltonMB.com (864) 213-8000 2446 Laurens Road Greenville, SC 29607

Sample spirits and authentic amari crafted from Appalachian botanicals at Asheville’s Eda Rhyne Distilling Co. by kathryn davÉ

16 EDITOR’S LETTER 23 THE LIST 31 WEDDINGS 90 MS. BEA WRIGHT 92 MAN ABOUT TOWN 96 TOWN ESSAY 126 DINING GUIDE 134 TOWN SCENE 140 SECOND GLANCE

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MOUNTAIN MEDICINE

Photograph by Paul Mehaffey

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Photograph by Paul Mehaffey

Contents

THAT’S AMORE Alessandro Sordello pays homage to his Italian heritage through hearty pasta dishes at Cucina Del Borgo. by jac valitchka

41 5355 63 7355 113 TOWNBUZZ

ESCAPE

SPORT

STYLE

EAT + DRINK

Enjoy the (nonedible) food art of artist Annie Koelle; Taylor Culliver inspires young Black boys through curated care packages; and activist Meredith Leigh is all about ethical eating.

An untouched island in the Port Royal Sound offers adventurers a glimpse into nature’s bounty; sip a fine wine on a day trip to these area vineyards.

Find all the essentials for a distinguished hunt from Tom Beckbe; sculptor Grainger McKoy adds an exquisite knife to his collection just in time for Christmas.

Wrap up in these warm classic coats for the winter months; find the ideal present for that special someone in our 2020 Holiday Gift Guide.

Eda Rhyne Distilling Co. makes a mean amaro, sourced from Appalachian herbs; sink into sugary bliss at Sidewall Pastry Kitchen; Cucina Del Borgo settles into The Children’s Museum with a slate of grandmainspired Italian plates; and make merry with orange cranberry scones.

DECEMBER 2020 I t o w n c a r o l i n a . c o m

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About the ArtCard:

This year, give your family and friends a gift that will last all year long. For a donation of just $50 or more to the Metropolitan Arts Council, you will receive an ArtCard valid for buy-one-get-onefree tickets for one time at each of the venues below. In just two uses this gift pays for itself, and using it is a great way to sample Greenvilleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fabulous cultural amenities.

Centre Stage Greenville Chorale Greenville Theatre The Peace Center (select shows) Greenville Symphony Orchestra SC Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Theatre (MainStage shows) The Warehouse Theatre

Learn More:

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Open the door, and an entire village is at your feet. The courtyards, greenways, and walkways are all within steps of world-class amenities including a nature preserve and the fine dining and conveniences of the Village Center. Just minutes from downtown and GSP, Hartness offers a sanctuary of peace, a celebration of nature, and a community of sharing.

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Editor’s Letter

Stone Ashe Vineyards, Hendersonville, NC (for more, turn to page 58) Photograph by Kimberli McMillin

YOU ARE HERE

This year has forced us to peer more closely at our surroundings, to change course to something surprising—but perhaps better—than we imagined.

ome. It’s where we begin and end our days, host our gatherings, act out our private moments. This year, home has meant something more—it’s where we survive, cocoon, stay healthy. Where we rise, have breakfast, then turn the corner into our office, or to the corner of the dining table turned desk. Staying home for the holidays is a mandate, a caring gesture, a compromise. But as much as we buck against staying put, our home is keeping us well, safe, and full. It always has, but maybe we’ve not grasped it before. We’ve had to change plans this year. Thwarted intentions have required us to act smarter, adapt, and dig in. We needed a lifechanging act—a pandemic—to shake things up, to help us see more clearly that we can bloom where we’re planted. That this ground is fertile. That we live in a place of possibility. Sometimes a creative path isn’t present until we are forced to change. That was the case for pastry chef Vanessa Matonis, who stalled a move to France this year. She is now honing her skills at Bar Margaret, turning out five-star desserts to pair with cocktails both whimsical and classic. Chef Drew Erickson moved back to his

DECEMBER 2020 I t o w n c a r o l i n a . c o m

native Greenville after training for four years under the eagle eye of Chef Thomas Keller at The French Laundry in the Napa Valley. Now, Erickson has returned to Table 301, the restaurant group that launched his career, with a penchant for the artistry that he learned under Keller’s tutelage. Taylor Montgomery, executive chef at Urban Wren, crafts painterly dishes to pair with the restaurant’s enviable wine list. He utilizes produce grown on his North Carolina farm, where he and his wife live. This year has forced us to peer more closely at our surroundings, to change course to something surprising—but perhaps better—than we imagined. If we’ve been shown anything, it’s that holding too tightly to plans is not the best use of our energy. We must go with the flow. We’ve looked elsewhere for contentment, missing the fact that it’s been right in front of us all along. Home is indeed where the heart is—and where we discover, as if we didn’t know before, that it holds the gifts of our life. Blair Knobel, Editor in Chief blair@towncarolina.com

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Andrew Wyeth (1917-2009) Last Light,1988 watercolor on paper Â©Andrew Wyeth / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York

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WORTH THE WAIT. Home to the world’s largest public collection of watercolors by renowned American artist Andrew Wyeth, the GCMA was named one of South Carolina’s “10 Best Attractions,” by USA TODAY 10Best and as one of the Top Three Things to Do in Greenville by U.S. News & World Report Travel. When the GCMA re-opens, you’ll discover a carefully curated selection of American art, including one of the world’s best institutional collections of works by America’s most acclaimed living artist, Jasper Johns. The museum’s unrivaled Southern Collection highlights a collection of clay vessels created by the enslaved potter David Drake and one of the largest collections of paintings by African-American artist William H. Johnson outside the Smithsonian. The GCMA is grateful for the continuing support of United Community Bank.

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FUTR

Mark B. Johnston

PUBLISHER mark@communit yjournals.com

Blair Knobel

EDITOR IN CHIEF blair@towncarolina.com

Paul Mehaffey

ART DIRECTOR

Abby Moore Keith

MANAGING EDITOR CONTRIBUTING EDITORS

Kathryn Davé Ruta Fox M. Linda Lee Laura Linen Steven Tingle Stephanie Trotter Jac Valitchka Ashley Warlick

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Beth Brown Ables, Terry Barr, Angie Toole Thompson & Ariel Turner CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS, ILLUSTRATORS & DESIGNERS

Robin Batina-Lewis, Timothy Banks, Will Crooks, Jivan Davé & Paul King Andrew Huang

EDITOR AT LARGE

Kathryn Norungolo

EDITORIAL ASSISTANT

Holly Hardin

VICE PRESIDENT, OPERATIONS GRAPHIC DESIGNERS

Kristy Adair, Michael Allen & Kim Collier Donna Johnston

MANAGER OF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MARKETING REPRESENTATIVES

Sangeeta Hardy, Mary Hill & Heather Propp Meredith Rice

SALES OPERATIONS MANAGER CLIENT SERVICE MANAGERS

Lizzie Campbell & Camden Johnson Kristi Fortner

ACCOUNTING & HUMAN RESOURCES

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CONSULTING MEMBER

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GENERAL MANAGER

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TOWN Magazine (Vol. 10, No. 12) is published monthly (12 times per year) by TOWN Greenville, LLC, 581 Perry Ave, Greenville, SC 29611, (864) 679-1200. If you would like to have TOWN delivered to you each month, you may purchase an annual subscription (12 issues) for $65 at towncarolina.com/subscribe. All rights reserved. Printed in the USA.

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THE LIST THE MONTH’S MUST-DOS

HOLIDAY AT PEACE It just wouldn’t be the holidays in Greenville without this heart-warming annual performance. Local television personality Megan Heidlberg hosts this year’s edition of Holiday at Peace. Led by Edvard Tchivzhel, the Greenville Symphony Orchestra plays your yuletide favorites, accompanied by superstar soprano and Greenville native Karen Parks. Plan to come with friends, as tickets will be sold in groups of four for social-distancing purposes. Peace Center, 300 S Main St, Greenville. Fri, Dec 18, 7:30 pm. $45. (864) 467-3000, peacecenter.org

Photograph of Maestro Edvard Tchivzhel, courtesy of the Greenville Symphony Orchestra

D EC EM B ER 2020 I

The List

To celebrate its renaming, the Sigal Music Museum on Heritage Green is featuring an exhibition highlighting the renowned collection of its namesake, Marlowe A. Sigal. After his death in 2018, Sigal’s family donated his internationally renowned collection of antique musical instruments to the museum. See some of the collector’s most prized pieces from among a group of 700 instruments—including keyboards, ﬂutes, woodwinds, strings, and percussion— dating back to the fourteenth century. Sigal Music Museum, 516 Buncombe St, Greenville. Thru Dec 31. Tues–Sat, 10am– 5pm; Sun, 1–5pm. Included with museum admission ($7). (864) 520-8807, sigalmusicmuseum.org

DECEMBER 2020 I t o w n c a r o l i n a . c o m

TD ESSENTIAL MARKET HOLIDAY EDITION It’s the downtown TD Saturday Market you know and love, but with a holiday theme. Sure, you can still ﬁnd seasonal veggies (think: winter squash, kale, and collards) and other food items for holiday feasting, but you can also shop for Christmas gift baskets and handmade crafts among the 30 vendors lining Main Street. Masks and social-distancing measures still apply. Main St at McBee Ave, Greenville. Dec 5 & 12. Sat, 9am–1pm. Free. (864) 467-4494, saturdaymarketlive.com

Photograph courtesy of Sigal Music Museum

SENSATIONAL SIGAL

Face it, no matter how many lights you string across your house and yard, it’s never going to compare to the 100,000 twinkling lights that illuminate Biltmore Estate at Christmastime. The good news is, you can take in all the holiday magic either by day or by candlelight in the evenings at George Vanderbilt’s Gilded Age estate. In addition to a self-guided tour of the house, admission fees give you access to the estate grounds, shops, and winery. 1 Lodge St, Asheville, NC. Thru Jan 10. Daytime visits daily, 10am–5pm; Candlelight Evenings daily, 5:30–11pm. Daytime tickets start at $84; evening tickets start at $114. (800) 411-3812, biltmore.com

Photograph courtesy of the Biltmore Estate

CHRISTMAS AT BILTMORE

THE VIRTUAL NUTCRACKER TEA PARTY

VERY MERRY LOCAL CHRISTMAS MARKET

The International Ballet’s annual Nutcracker Tea Party goes virtual this year. For the price of a ticket, you’ll receive a gift box (available for pickup on Dec 19) packed with all the necessary goodies for tea—it even includes a dainty cup and saucer and a keepsake IB ornament. So put on your party dress and celebrate at home with your little sugar plum fairies.

Snow or no, it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas at Trailblazer Park. From bakers and blacksmiths to potters and printmakers, the roundup of artisans at TR’s holiday market is bound to inspire creative gift-giving. Sip on hot cocoa or cider and enjoy holiday music while you browse. Stick around so the kids can see Santa, who will be ho-ho-ing from 2–4pm. Trailblazer Park, 235 Trailblazer Dr, Travelers Rest. Sat, Dec 12, 1–5pm. (864) 610-0965, travelersrestfarmersmarket.com

WOODLAND CREATURE ORNAMENTS: MAKE + SIP Join this jolly holiday class to make your own wooden creature ornaments, perfect for Christmas gifts or to brighten up your own tree. Attendees (children age 10 and above) will learn how to saw out and finish ornaments, and will go home with at least one completed piece. Feel free to bring your own wine to ramp up the holiday spirit. Make Made Jewelry, 241 N Main St, Ste C, Greenville. Sat, Dec 12, 3–6pm. $55. (864) 412-8087, makemadejewelry.com

Photograph courtesy of Make Made Jewelry

Photograph courtesy of the International Ballet

International Ballet, Greenville. Sun, Dec 20, 1:30–3:30pm. $45. (864) 879-9404, internationalballet.org

December 2020 S

D EC EM B ER 2020 I

CREATIVE

by DESIGN

PelhamArchitects.com

The List

Quick HITS MARTINIS & MISTLETOE

z The official kickoff party for the Bon Secours St. Francis Festival of Trees goes virtual this year, when a ticket buys you private online access to a live performance by Jared Emerson. The painter, who has a studio at Art Crossing in downtown Greenville, is known for the large canvases he creates in front of live audiences. You can bid on his work, along with pieces by 10 other local artists, as part of the party’s silent auction. Thurs, Dec 3, 7pm. $50. (864) 255-1040, stfrancisfoundation.com/event/ festival-of-trees

INDIE CRAFT PARADE: THE SHOP EDITION

Photograph courtesy of Greenville Swamp Rabbits

z The Makers Collective has reimagined the Indie Craft Parade for 2020 as a hybrid of their beloved annual fall festival and their holiday pop-up shop. The Indie Craft Parade Shop is open weekends through December 20 with a rotating selection, and an outdoor mini-market on December 5, so you’ll have plenty of opportunities to find that one-of-a-kind handmade gift by one of 100 artists whose work is featured. 2909 Old Buncombe Rd, Greenville. Thru Dec 20. Fri– Sun, 11am–5pm. makerscollective.org/indiecraftparade

ANDERSON CHRISTMAS LIGHTS

z For the past 27 years, Anderson Lights of Hope has been illuminating the holiday season with more than 3.5 million lights covering 160 displays across 45 acres. Although the pandemic has put a kibosh on the event’s traditional Christmas Village this year, the entrance fee allows you to go around the 2.5-mile drive as many times as you like. So if you need a little Christmas, lift your spirits by heading for this glittering holiday wonderland. Enter on Martin Luther King Blvd, at the corner of Woodcrest Dr (across from Anderson Civic Center), Anderson. Thru Dec 25. Sun–Thurs, 5:30–9pm; Fri–Sat, 5:30–10pm. $10/car. andersonchristmaslights.org

UCB ICE ON MAIN

z Greenville’s answer to Rockefeller Center, the winter ice-skating rink on the Village Green (adjacent to the Courtyard by Marriott Greenville Downtown) is a holiday favorite. Grab the family, lace up your ice skates (or rent a pair on-site), and brush up on those camel spins and double axels. Before you leave, warm up with a cup of hot chocolate and other seasonal sweet treats. 206 S Main St, Greenville. Thru Jan 31. Mon–Thurs, 3–8pm; Fri, 3–10pm; Sat, 11am–10pm; Sun, 11am–8pm. Adults (13+), $10; children (4–12), $8; age 3 & under, free. (864) 467-5751, greenvillesc.gov/1654/UCB-Ice-on-Main

DECEMBER 2020 I t o w n c a r o l i n a . c o m

Greenville Swamp Rabbits If you’ve been missing sports these past months, here’s your chance to get in on the hare-raising fun at The Well. The Swamp Rabbits play three games on their home ice in December, when they take on the Florida Everblades (Dec 18 & 19) and the South Carolina Stingrays (Dec 26). Reserve your tickets, and come root for the home team. Bon Secours Wellness Arena, 650 N Academy St, Greenville. Dec 18, 19 & 26. Fri & Sat, 7:05pm. Prices TBD. (864) 241-3800, swamprabbits.com

December 2020 S

AS 2020

COMES TO A CLOSE . . .

WE WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THESE PAST 30 YEARS

None of us has ever experienced a holiday season like this, or a year like 2020. As we make our way through this time together, please know how much we appreciate our community. Your support means everything, especially now, as we focus on our re-launch . . . some special, socially-distanced offerings . . . and another 30 years. We look forward to being together soon.

Until then, have a happy, safe, and peaceful holiday.

The Greenville Open Studios 2020

Through December 31, 2020 The Greenville Open Studios exhibit features works from the 2020 participating artists all in a 12 x 12 (x12) inch format. Due to COVID-19 the exhibit is only on display virtually this year. Follow the QR code to sample Greenvilleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s diverse talent.

virtual

Katie Walker

Caroline Fowler

Michelle Jardines

Chris Bruner

Jeff Goodman

Meredith Piper

Barbara Baum

Kara Mavar

Diane Kilgore Condon

Jo Carol Mitchell-Rogers

greenvilleARTS.com/virtual-gallery (864) 467-3132 | mac@greenvilleARTS.com @macARTScouncil | #gvlARTS

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weddings C O U P L E S & C E L E B R AT I O N S

On his family farm, JONATHAN HULL AND BLAIR BARNEYCASTLE found their way to “I do.” By Jack Robert Photography

D EC EM B ER 2020 I

Weddings

BLAIR BARNEYCASTLE & JONATHAN HULL OCTOBER 24, 2020

hen Blair moved to Greenville for work, she wasn’t in a hurry to meet a guy. But when a friend from her hometown pressed her to meet Jonathan, she acquiesced after he assured her that Jonathan—who was a friend of his from college—was the nicest person he knew. Once Jonathan had Blair’s number, he was insistent that they meet, and after a few dates, Blair was convinced he really was the nicest, most genuine guy she had ever met. Some four years later, in Blair’s hometown of St. Mary’s,

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Georgia, Jonathan pulled off a surprise engagement at the soft opening of a good friend’s new restaurant. At the end of the meal, when everyone was taking photos, Jonathan took a knee. The wedding was held on the Hulls’ family bison farm in Taylors, where the couple now lives. As their relationship grew in parallel with the farm, they couldn’t imagine getting married anywhere else. In a custom-made gown from Savvy Bride and against a background of bison, Blair said “yes” to forever with her best friend.—Kathryn Norungolo By Jack Robert Photography

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Weddings

MADISON DAVIS & MATTHEW TYLER KERR MARCH 14, 2020 Tyler and Madison connected as teenagers at a chance meeting in Myrtle Beach, and they have been inseparable ever since. The pair dated for three years before Tyler popped the question at the North Carolina Arboretum at Christmastime. As they walked along the garden paths taking in the twinkling holiday lights, Madison noticed a huge sign that read, “Will you marry me?” and suddenly Tyler dropped to one knee. Their big day took place in March, right before the world shut down, at Millstone at Adams Pond in Columbia. Looking resplendent in a Morilee by Madeline Gardner gown, Madison met Tyler in front of the wooden cross he had built for them, and the two were pronounced husband and wife. The couple now lives in Columbia, where Tyler is the assistant superintendent for MB Kahn, and Madison is working towards her doctoral degree in pharmacy.—KN By McKenzie Norman with M. Marie Photography

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D E C E M B ER 2 0 2 0 I t o w n c a r o l i n a . c o m

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CAROLINE HAFER & RAKAN DRAZ SEPTEMBER 18, 2020 Caroline is a former writer at Community Journals, and when she left to pursue a career in event-planning, the friend who filled her position introduced her to Rakan. The two attended a couple of the same dinner parties before they were finally placed next to each other, and they’ve been together ever since. After two years of dating, Cara and Rakan were closing on a new home in March, just before the COVID-19 quarantine. After their final walk-through, Cara left to run some errands, and when she returned, Rakan popped the question in their brand-new home, with flowers and Champagne at the ready. Organizing a wedding during a pandemic poses plenty of challenges, but as Cara plans events for a living, she created a beautiful moment at Overmountain Vineyards in Tryon, with only immediate family and friends in attendance. Dressed in a one-of-a-kind gown made by her dear friend Franky Tran, Cara said “I do” to Rakan in a ceremony officiated by her brother.—KN

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Weddings

COURTNEY GUYESKA & AUSTIN LANIER SEPTEMBER 5, 2020 Courtney and Austin met just after Courtney’s little sister, Angel, passed away, and part of their romance revolved around her memory. Angel had Down syndrome, and in the summer of 2015 the two sisters had planned to go to an overnight camp together. After Angel’s tragic death dashed their plans, Courtney decided to go anyway. It was an experience she kept repeating, in later years with Austin joining her. When it came time to propose, there was no better spot than this camp that had meant so much to both of them. Under the guise of attending the camp dance, Austin arranged for 21 campers to hand Courtney notes on her way to the chapel, listing everything he loved about her. When she found him down on one knee, she couldn’t say “yes” fast enough. Their wedding was set at The Oaks Venue in Salisbury, NC, where Courtney’s mom held Angel’s photo as she walked down the aisle, and at the reception, her dad sang a song he had written when Courtney was born. It was an event full of love, symbolic of Courtney and Austin’s relationship. The couple now lives in Greer.—KN By McKenzie Norman with M. Marie Photography

HAGEN CARMICHAEL & ROD REYES NOVEMBER 2, 2019 Hagen was teaching in Spartanburg in the fall of 2016 when she met Rod, who also lived and worked there. As fate would have it, Hagen moved to Charlotte shortly thereafter, but the couple reconnected in Greenville in 2018. Not quite a year later, Rod was ready to ask Hagen to be his bride at her family’s lake house, the same spot her parents got engaged in the 1980s. Even though the house was under construction, Rod pulled off a romantic proposal, complete with flowers and Champagne set up on the dock. When it came time to find her wedding gown, Hagen had her sights set on the Karlie dress from J. Crew’s 2015 wedding collection, which, unfortunately, was out of stock. She tried on myriad other dresses, but none would do, until she finally tracked down the J. Crew gown in her size from a boutique in Oregon. In the dress of her dreams, Hagen married Rod in the front yard of her parent’s home, where she got ready in her childhood bedroom surrounded by family. Their reception took place in their lush backyard, to the tunes of a live band under an elegantly lit tent. The couple now lives in Greenville.—KN By Emily Barbee Creative

BRANDY JACKSON & SAM SINCLAIR SEPTEMBER 18, 2020 Brandy and Sam are true to their gym. After all, it’s where they both regularly work out and where Sam first worked up the nerve to speak to Brandy. It’s where their friendship blossomed, eventually growing into a deep love for one another. The gym is also the place Sam asked Brandy for her hand nearly a year after they started dating. Though she was dressed in sweaty workout clothes, Brandy didn’t hesitate to say “yes!” When it came time to pick a venue, the pair decided on The School House in Travelers Rest, a rustic vision of a wedding venue. Brandy and Sam celebrated their marriage with friends and family, and two wedding dresses—one for the official photos and one for the reception—as Brandy wanted to look both sleek and like a princess. The couple lives in Lancaster.—KN By McKenzie Norman with M. MariePhotography and The Ten Oh Eight Co. hearing wedding bells? TOWN Magazine wants to publish your wedding announcement. If you currently live or grew up in the Upstate and were recently married, please write to us at TOWN Magazine, Attn: Weddings, 581 Perry Ave, Greenville, SC 29611, or e-mail weddings@towncarolina.com. Due to space constraints, inclusion is not guaranteed.

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town buzz INTERESTING PEOPLE, PLACES & THINGS

Greenville artist ANNIE KOELLE'S work is a playful take on our relationship with food.

Photograph of artwork by Will Crooks

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TB • OUTSIDE THE BOX

GO BANANAS ANNIE KOELLE’S CUISINE-THEMED CURIOS TAP INTO FOOD NOSTALGIA by Beth Brown Ables • photography by Will Crooks

solitary slice of white layer cake missing one taunting, crumbly bite. The juicy pink flesh of a watermelon rind bit to the quick. Éclairs glistening with chocolate ganache. Piles of brownspeckled ripe bananas. Foods conjuring aromas, memories, and hunger—but you can’t take a bite. These are paintings, these are ceramics: this is the irreverent-made-reverent art of Annie Koelle. The simple subject matter of food treated with such considerate

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austerity is simultaneously awe-inspiring and frustrating: it’s not for you to eat. Is this intentional? Well, yes. There’s rarely, if ever, a fork in Koelle’s paintings. “I don’t want people to think immediately of eating it—I want people to observe it,” she says. Cheekily, Annie pipes her ceramic éclairs with the word real in clay frosting, knowing the art will work its own sneaky magic. She wants the viewer to enjoy a painting of a banana or a ceramic éclair for the simple delight of what it is. “I trust that as you sit with art, there’s more that it gives you that you didn’t anticipate. Your body knows things that your brain doesn’t . . . I want to engage people in that way, whether they know that or not.” Passing a slice of cake at the grocery store triggered in Annie this sort of full-body memory. As a child in upstate New York, her

Annie Koelle (left) is a classically trained oil painter, but has recently ventured into clay, exploring the emotions of consumption through her life-like food ceramics.

Sunday School teacher would bring Annie a Pepperidge Farm cake on her birthday. In that moment, standing in the bakery department, all the sensory details from that time flooded into Annie’s consciousness: “That foamy white frosting, that yellow cake, and everyone is singing to you and your favorite teacher is there and you get to take the whole cake home with you and eat it after church . . . I felt so special and so loved.” For Annie, a formally trained artist, exploring and capturing a particular emotion begins with medium over matter. “I liked being able to scratch into oil paint; there’s a particular texture and threedimensional nature to it,” she says. But Koelle found she could only push the paint so far, and ceramics allowed her vision to stretch. “The first time I touched the slip [a slurry of clay suspended in water], I immediately thought frosting,” she laughs.

With handmade plaster molds, Annie casts watermelon slices, éclairs, and bananas into clay forms she later paints with an underglaze, using techniques she’s adapted to her own style—like following a recipe and then making it your own. Many of these forms become vases, which hold their own sacred meaning. “I’m a very ritual-inspired person. Bites of things, the texture of the cake crumbs or watermelon rinds . . . to me, those things represent consumption. Even the bananas aren’t going to go bad. When I put a flower in one of those vase holes, I am voting to be hopeful about the consumable nature of what it means to be a woman or a mother or a nurturer and that all of that . . . will make flowers.” Visit Annie Koelle’s studio at Artifacts Greenville, 3209 Old Buncombe Rd. She is also a member of Hollowed Earth Pottery. For more, go to anniekoelle.com.

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TB • VISIONARIES Taylor Culliver, of creative firm Brains on Fire, started a nonprofit called Brother Box, a care-package service to aid, inspire, and amplify the lives of Black boys. Brother Box is running its first annual “Little Bit of Good” fundraiser from December 1–18. For more, go to brotherbox.org.

TINY MIRACLES TAYLOR CULLIVER HARNESSES THE POWER OF SMALL GESTURES THROUGH BROTHER BOX by Andrew huang • photograph by Will Crooks

aylor Culliver is not a small thinker. He’s an Ivy League graduate with professional stops at Forbes and digital marketing agency Polyphonic & Co. Now, he’s at Greenville creative agency Brains on Fire. Thinking small is not in Culliver’s repertoire. That’s why you might be taken aback when you hear the scope of Brother Box, the nonprofit Culliver founded. Its primary output into the world is objectively small: an orange-and-teal cardboard mailer about the size of a small USPS flat rate box. Inside are equally small items: a pair of socks, a rolled-up necktie, a paperback book, travel-size hygiene products, a pocket U.S. Constitution, an ACLU Know Your Rights card. It’s just a care package. But a small thing can be a big idea. In November 2016, Culliver was an undergrad at the University of Pennsylvania and wanted to create meaningful change. “I remember this collective call to action to be a part of a movement,” he says. “I wanted to start something that could be a small part of making the world just a little bit better.” By 2018, that impulse had coalesced around what would become Brother Box: care packages for Black boys in his hometown of Bay Minette, Alabama. “I wanted these care packages to be a testament to being authentic and knowing you have someone in your corner. I wanted to make sure that Black kids feel that they’re important, that they matter, and that they should have the license to explore whatever talents and curiosities they have,” he says. In the two-and-a-half years since those first care packages were delivered in Bay Minette, Brother Box has raised more than $100,000 and distributed more than 3,500 Brother Boxes across the country, including a recent partnership with the United Way of Greenville County. Brother Box grew out of a fraught moment in American history, but it’s also a reflection of Culliver’s own upbringing. Making a conscious decision to live authentically was how Culliver navigated the pressures and expectations of being a Black kid: instead of trying to fit into the boxes others made for him, he defined who he was for himself. That’s what Brother Box seeks

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to do: make it just a little bit easier for other Black boys to explore their potential the way Culliver was able to. “You’re not going to change a person’s life with one simple care package, but in that moment, it will matter to them and it will be impactful,” he says. Ultimately, the big idea behind Brother Box isn’t care packages. It’s what those packages represent: the ability for small gestures to have outsized impact. It serves as a timely reminder in a world beset with challenges. “We all have a part to play, and sitting out isn’t an option,” Culliver says. “I just want people to realize there are all these small actions we can take throughout our lives to make sure we’re leaving the world a better place than we found it.”

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TB • PROFILE

Through her in-person workshops and online classes—a pivot for the pandemic—food activist Meredith Leigh spreads the gospel of ethical meat practices; (opposite) Leigh’s latest book, Pure Charcuterie: The Craft & Poetry of Curing Meats at Home.

ANIMAL INSTINCT ASHEVILLE’S MEREDITH LEIGH ADVOCATES FOR ETHICAL EATING by Ariel Turner • photograph by Will crooks

armer, butcher, restaurant owner, author, activist, mother. Meredith Leigh has spent twenty years trading one hat for another. Sometimes she wears multiple caps at a time, in every aspect of the supply chain, in her pursuit of food she can feel good about. An adept educator, Leigh travels extensively in a typical year, teaching about ethical meat practices based on her two books, The Ethical Meat Handbook and Pure Charcuterie: The Craft & Poetry of Curing Meats at Home. Thanks to the global pandemic’s cancelation of group events and travel, however, Leigh, like many others, can now add “online course creator” to her ever-growing résumé.

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“I had all these events scheduled and then couldn’t go, so I had to say ‘Here’s an alternative,’” she says. The former two-day, in-person workshops she led have now taken shape as online courses focused on the core skills from her books—whole-hog butchery, the art of charcuterie, and dry curing. The new format allows her to go even more in depth and will continue to provide her students around the globe with additional instruction. “Here’s how to break down a lamb and not just a hog,” she says, for example. But the reimagining of her teaching mode hasn’t been without challenges. “I already want to throw my Go-Pro in a river,” she says jokingly, while taking a break from homeschooling—another result of the current health crisis. Still, the change of plans provided a relief she didn’t know she needed. “Me putting it online is this thing I’m doing for myself and setting it free instead of holding all of this knowledge in my body,” Leigh says. A frequent guest on various social media accounts and virtual events, Leigh’s interest in ethical meat practices extends to local activism, working with grassroots efforts to address the challenges at the source and identifying the systemic issues

Join us at

Woodlawn Memorial Park for

“Why can’t we control our own food choices? How can we mobilize at the community level?”—Meredith Leigh

National

December 19, 2020 at 12:00 PM Wreaths Across America will be at Woodlawn Memorial Park on Saturday, December 19 at 12:00pm to Remember and Honor our veterans through the laying of Remembrance wreaths on the graves of our country’s fallen heroes.

Wreaths Across America Day

present. Soon after states mandated the work-or-home orders in March, many of the shortfalls of the food supply chain— specifically in meat processing—were exposed. “Why can’t we control our own food choices? How can we mobilize at the community level?” were the questions Leigh asked as she began looking for ways to help solve the problem. Giving people and communities the skills to responsibly and correctly source, butcher, and preserve their meat became even more pressing. “People weren’t getting what they needed,” Leigh says. Almost a foreshadowing, the second edition of Leigh’s The Ethical Meat Handbook—the framework for many of her new online courses—was released in January, five years after it had originally been published and two months before the pandemic’s effects would start to be revealed. Along with photography of the prepared recipes, this edition includes information for the non-farming omnivore—in essence, the home cook who wouldn’t already be prepared to weather a food shortage. “I missed the mark on providing info for people who didn’t want to raise animals and/or weren’t already on the train of ‘I have a farmer and market,’” Leigh says of the first edition. This time, she didn’t hold back—emphasizing the idea that individuals and communities need to work together to raise animals in a way that doesn’t destroy the land and contribute negatively to climate change. “In a lot of ways I wasn’t radical enough in the first edition,” she says. “I felt more comfortable to [speak] my mind after traveling.” As for what’s next, Leigh looks ahead with determination as she continues in her role of activist, bringing increasing awareness and change to as many components of the food supply chain as she can.

Please consider:

Join Us in Our Mission

December 19, 2020 @ noon

• Sponsoring veterans’ wreaths

• Volunteering to participate in the wreath laying ceremony This year we honor our veterans and protect each other by wearing masks and social distancing while placing the wreaths throughout the park. If you are unable to attend, please consider purchasing a wreath for a veteran to place on their grave and honor them this season.

Call for information: 8 6 4 - 2 4 4 - 4 6 2 2 1 Pine Knoll Drive, Greenville, SC 29609

Thank you so much for supporting our Veterans and Wreaths Across America!

MereLeigh Food courses are available at learn-meat-curing.thinkiﬁc. com/collections; purchase her books at mereleighfood.com.

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ESCAPE R E G I O N A L P L A C E S & G L O B A L D E S T I N AT I O N S

The wilds of St. Phillips Island near Beaufort include bird species like the roseate spoonbill.

An untouched island off the South Carolina coast, ST. PHILLIPS is nature as it should be.

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ESCAPE • TRAVEL LOG

NATURAL ISLES EXPLORE THE UNTOUCHED WONDERS OF HUNTING ISLAND AND TED TURNER’S FORMER PRIVATE ISLAND, ST. PHILLIPS by Laura Linen

DECEMBER 2020 I t o w n c a r o l i n a . c o m

am no Pat Conroy when it comes to talking about Beaufort and the Lowcountry. This place ran in his blood, and I’m not touching that. But a recent journey had a profound effect on my appreciation of this beloved area of South Carolina. If you are drawn to the wonders of the Lowcountry, St. Phillips Island, near Beaufort, is a worthy destination. To see, feel, smell, and breathe in what nature intended is something we rarely get to do these days, and I was moved by the chance to be in a quiet, pristine landscape. We booked our St. Phillips Island visit through Coastal Expeditions, which allows access to experienced guides who

Hunting Island (left), a staple of the South Carolina State Parks system, offers oceanic views from its longstanding lighthouse. St. Phillips is a short boat ride away. Guests can book day trips to the island, formerly owned by Ted Turner, via Coastal Expeditions, or rent the island for a week, along with Turner's former home.

Among the many native wildlife species that consider st. Phillips home, alligators and oystercatchers are common sights, especially among the oyster beds, where the oystercatchers find a lasting food source.

escort guests through the registered National Natural Landmark without missing one detail. This is an official designation, of which there are only six in the state. Media icon Ted Turner owned St. Phillips Island and sold it to the South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism in 2017. Our trip begins at the Hunting Island Nature Center. (If you’ve never been to Hunting Island State Park, come early so you can take in this untouched beach and maritime forest. My husband and I were lucky enough to hit the island on a perfect day—the waves rolling in sync for the sweetest body-surfing ride of his life.)

We board a ferry, and Captain Henry Brandt steers us through winding estuary passages, which are surrounded by nature at its thriving fullest—oyster beds and little oystercatcher birds who’ve discovered the freshest oyster bar ever, spending their entire migratory journey feasting on the best mollusks from Maine to Florida. When we arrive on the dock at St. Phillips, park rangers greet us in a tram, the only vehicle allowed. Captain Henry captivates us with his knowledge and easygoing storytelling style, and we appreciate the rangers’ practical advice, especially since there are alligators lurking. We stop several times to take in roseate spoonbills, Grande Flora magnolias, and wood storks nestled in the trees. In the low parts of the rippled and forestcovered dunes that provide the topography of the island, freshwater ponds (yes, in the middle of an ocean island) allow for other species of plants and animals to thrive, too. From our natural utopia, we are whisked to Ted Turner’s former home, a five-bedroom house available for overnight reservations. Although large, the mansion sits unassuming in the landscape, and one can understand why Mr. Turner wanted to be here. We learn that guests can rent the island for the week through the parks department, but since no one has, we explore the grounds and beach area of this truly treasured place. Boarding the ferry going back to civilization, we are a lot quieter, more pensive. Being that close to nature’s untouched bounty makes us realize how much we need it. The refreshing experience is a reminder to get back to simplicity, to quiet, to retreat from our overwhelming tech barrage. Only when I see the dolphins popping out of the water, leading us back out to our real lives, do I realize I have to leave—because it belongs to them. We can see it, appreciate it, help preserve it. But it is not ours. Maybe Mr. Turner realized that, too. For more information on St. Phillips, visit coastalexpeditions.com/product/st-phillips-island-ferry

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DECEMBER 6TH 3:00PM HERITAGE PARK

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Escape • FIELD GUIDE

FRUIT FORWARD SAVOR A GLASS AND ENJOY THE VIEW AT THESE NEARBY VINEYARDS by M. Linda Lee • illustration by timothy banks

ucky for those of us who call the Upstate home, sweet escape can be found at the clusters of wineries that dot the mountainsides within an hour’s drive from Greenville. Some surprisingly good bottles pop out of tasting rooms at places like the new Eagle Mountain Winery on Highway 11, Overmountain Vineyards in Tryon, and Stone Ashe Vineyards, the newest member of the federally designated Crest of the Blue Ridge AVA (American Viticultural Area) created in Henderson County, North Carolina, in 2019. So what are you waiting for? Let a local vineyard carry you away.

Eagle Mountain Vineyards & Winery

Wine possesses myriad powers: it can inspire art, motivate music, elevate a humble meal. And as it happens, art, music, and food are the elements that founder Russ Gardiner and winemaker George Bursick aim to pair with their wine at Eagle Mountain Vineyards. After Gardiner retired from his advertising agency in California, he and his wife, Sheila, looked at land all over the Carolinas in search of just the right plot on which to plant a vineyard. They finally settled on a 100-acre site just off Highway 11, a piece of property that Russ proclaims “checked all the boxes.” What he refers to as a “legacy project,” is a collaboration with acclaimed winemaker George Bursick, a veteran of more than 30 years in the industry, including a 21-year stint as director of winemaking at Ferrari-Carano in Healdsburg, California. Tastings are currently being held in the elegantly rustic winery building, the first to be completed on-site. In the works is a second structure, which will eventually hold a restaurant, an art gallery, and a large public tasting room (the original tasting room will be devoted to wine club members). At the top of the property, which commands a superb mountain view, Gardiner plans to add a chapel, a wedding venue, and a clutch of cottages. Other plans call for a 500-seat concert amphitheater, named for local singer/songwriter Edwin McCain, and a 20-acre sculpture park, highlighting the works of up to 75 regional artists. So far, they have planted four blocks of cabernet sauvignon, which Bursick will eventually use to craft Eagle Mountain’s estate wine. Initially, the tasting room will offer three whites and three reds, blended by Bursick from grapes sourced elsewhere. All of Eagle Mountain’s wines will be available exclusively at the winery. “What we care about is making the best possible premium

DECEMBER 2020 I t o w n c a r o l i n a . c o m

wine,” Russ says, “and to provide the ultimate wine, food, music, and art experience.” 2330 Hwy 11, Travelers

Rest, SC. (864) 248-0284, eaglemountainwinery.com

Overmountain Vineyards

Frank Lilly and his family never intended to have a vineyard. When he purchased the 70-acre property in Tryon, North Carolina, in the 1980s, Lilly was intending to farm the land. As part of the farm, he began growing grapes in 1999, selling most of them to Biltmore Estate and reserving some to make his own wine for fun. That hobby eventually led him back to school to study oenology at Surry Community College in Dobson, North Carolina. Today Frank and his daughter Sofia—who abandoned her plans for a career in medicine to join the family business—make Overmountain’s wine from the five varieties of thick-skinned French grapes they grow on-site: cabernet sauvignon, merlot, cabernet franc, petit verdot, and an obscure white grape from southwestern France called petit manseng. The Lillys focus on boutique-style wines, with an annual yield of some 2,200 cases. “We choose to do what the vineyards tell us to do,” says Sofia, “so we don’t produce the same wines every year.” To ensure the quality of their products, everything is done by hand, from picking and sorting the grapes to bottling the wine. “We take a very minimalist approach to winemaking. That means we don’t filter our wines or use chemical additives that change the flavor profile,” she adds. Overmountain’s wine is only available at the vineyard. Their flagship is petit verdot, a full-bodied red aged in oak for 24 months. For the holidays, they make a white called Camellia, a 50-50 blend of petit manseng and chardonnay that Sofia describes as “a big-bodied white with good acid and aromas of green apple and fresh pear.” The small tasting room opens onto a spacious covered patio, a lovely spot to linger over a glass of wine while you drink in the undulating slopes of grapevines below.

2012 Sandy Plains Rd, Tryon, NC (visit by reservation only). (828) 863-0523, overmountainvineyards.com

Stone Ashe Vineyards

On a warm fall day at Stone Ashe Vineyards, gray-tinged clouds float like puffs of cotton candy just above the horizon as guests relax on the terrace and the emerald lawn. Named for the site’s stony Ashe series soil, the 67-acre Hendersonville vineyard nestles in a valley hugged by mountain peaks with names like

Take your pick from a handful of mountain vineyards, all just a short drive from our city limits. Each grows a variety of vinifera grapes to produce some highcaliber wines.

Bear Wallow, Sugarloaf, and Point Lookout. Here, Craig and Tina Little, an oral surgeon and a dental hygienist who moved from Charleston in 2016, produce boutique Bordeaux-style wines on a breathtaking site that shares environmental and climatic conditions with Bordeaux, France. “The site we chose manifested all the criteria that I thought would culminate into producing world-class wines,” says Craig, who aged his passion for wine over years of dinners with the couple’s oenophile friends. “We wanted the altitude and steep slopes,” adds Tina. “Where we sit between the mountains, the wind blows through and protects most of the site from frost.” At the newest (summer 2020) addition to the Crest of the Blue Ridge AVA in Hendersonville, North Carolina, Tina runs the tasting room, while Craig partners with winemaker

Chris Denesha at Plēb Urban Winery in Asheville to create the wines. “Chris and I look at winemaking as a fine chef would looking at cooking, so it’s palate- and not sciencebased,” explains Craig, who is fermenting plans to have his own winery on-site. “We don’t want to interfere with the aromas and flavors that are intrinsic to the site. We want our wines to express a sense of this special place.” In the tasting room, choose among a rosé of cabernet franc and three whites—a Chablis-style chardonnay, a dry riesling, and a crisp sauvignon blanc. The Littles also grow cabernet sauvignon, merlot, petit verdot, and cabernet franc, but those reds are maturing in French oak barrels for at least another year. Stay tuned.

Stone Ashe Vineyards, 736 Green Mountain Rd, Hendersonville, NC. (843) 343-2080, stoneashevineyards.com

D EC EM B ER 2020 I

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Goldplated paperclip chain necklace with silver lightning bolt and clear cubic zirconia accent. Carabiner toggle clasp is the centerpiece of the necklace.

only $42

All collections - each with multiple pieces and styles

Now available at WildIceJewelry.com

COLLECTIONS INCLUDE: LV Again • Hollywood • Island Fire Polished • Far East

Donna Adams, jewelry designer

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this holiday season. 533 N Hwy 25

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fishingthe andbenefits travel outfitters. Fall fishing is here and Fall we’ve fishing stocked is here the and latest we’ve fly stocked fishing gear, the latest apparel fly and fishing gear, apparel and For generations we’vefly known of time spent in solitu technical wear to outfit technical you forwear your to next outfit adventure. you for your Experience next adventure. the Upstate’s Experience the Upstate’s of our sport creates a perfect escape from the stresses of life. T Rest, SC NRest, Hwy 25has Bypass premier fly fishing and premier travel outfitters—located fly fishing Travelers and travel onoutfitters—located Hwy 25 in Travelers Rest, Hwy 25 in Travelers better on time to enjoy all 533 that fly fishing to offer. Let our exp Travelers Rest, SC 29690 Greenville’s gateway 864.610.2140 to Greenville’s the outdoors. gateway to the outdoors. | dodsonfishing.com you with the best gear, technical wear and advice.

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Let’s Have Fun Together!

www.skisugar.com Sugar Mountain, NC

DECEMBER 2020 I t o w n c a r o l i n a . c o m

SPORT T H E B E S T S T O R I E S O F L A N D & W AT E R

Take to the field, the outdoors, and even the city in the fine goods of TOM BECKBE.

Photograph by Paul King

D EC EM B ER 2020 I

Sport

From the first custom Tensaw jacket (left) that he designed, owner Radcliff Menge has expanded his Tom Beckbe line to include smart accessories (opposite) to fit the sporting lifestyle.

PLAYING THE FIELD TOM BECK BE CR A F TS REFINED A ND F UNCTIONA L WEA R FOR THE HUNT by Jac Valitchka • photography by Paul KING

n 1937’s An American Hunter, Archibald Rutledge writes of hunting game birds:

I ranged onward until I came to an old-looking road, down which I wandered. There is peace of heart that comes from such a walk; and I guess, after all, that is what we most want in this life. I felt that the trees and the stream singing away from the roadside thicket, and even the sandy road itself were my friends . . . . My walk took me under tall hemlocks and great oaks—a stretch of virgin timber. Gnarled old giants they were, massive and splendid. Rather open, the country looked, for grouse. But a man can never tell.

D E C E M B ER 2 0 2 0 I t o w n c a r o l i n a . c o m

The spirit of the hunt, and the innate connection to the outdoors that comes with it, is what Rutledge so masterfully conveys through his words—and what Radcliff Menge hits the mark with through his outdoor apparel and accessories line, Tom Beckbe, named after the Tombigbee River in Alabama where Menge would go hunting with his grandfather during visits from Virginia. The decibel of crackling leaves, sips of hot coffee at dawn, bookended by the brace of a celebratory bourbon at dusk. Your companions: not only a good dog, naturally, but your gear—as important to your hunt as they are to your mindset. Menge, an attorney in New York City at the time, realized that if he wanted the best jacket that he could also throw on top of a suit coat and not look out of place, he’d have to design it himself. And so, the Tensaw Jacket, a new spin on an old classic: wax wear with fine tuning, including a higher collar to keep out the cold, came into being. And into its lining? The hue of Alabama red clay that, in the jacket’s advent, was dyed in real clay until Menge started selling so many he had to switch to a fabric dyed to replicate the same color. “We sold Tensaw jackets in two colors for two years in 2015 and 2016, and when I left practicing law in 2016 is when we started adding additional products,” Menge says, from his warehouse in Birmingham where the company is based. He added a women’s line last year. (Menge and his wife, Mary, who is part of the eight-person Beckbe team, also added a new baby and new puppy.) The jacket that started it all expanded into more than just outerwear. Essentials (hats, gloves, bags) and sporting-lifestyle accessories (hat pins and flasks) followed. More functional field gear is slated for 2021. Their hallmark since the line launched in 2015 are the jackets, which are heritage pieces and wear much like the best stories that get told and retold—they get better with age.

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“quote goes here.” Their hallmark since the line launched in 2015 are the jackets, which are heritage pieces and wear much like the best stories that get told and retold—they get better with age.

“I think there is a not insignificant group of people who are rediscovering the simple pleasure of being outside,” explains Menge. “I think we’ve all been forced into this situation this year where we aren’t going anywhere. We are tethered locally in a way that we have gotten away from in the past five, ten, fifteen years.” And now, at a time when substance matters as much if not more than style, whether in the field, your own backyard, or in middle of Central Park, what a happy landing place to find a balance between the two. Find Tom Beckbe locally at Rush Wilson Ltd, 23 W North St, Greenville. For more, go to rushwilson.com and tombeckbe.com.

D EC EM B ER 2020 I

COME

for The 1209 MOUNTAIN SUMMIT ROAD CLIFFS VALLEY $2,250,000 | MLS #1417882 Shannon Donahoo 864.329.7345

600 N GLASSY MOUNTAIN ROAD LANDRUM $1,795,000 | MLS #1427018 Damian Hall 828.817.2046

151 SHACK HOLLOW ROAD SALEM $1,695,000 | MLS #1402894 Kim Crowe 864.888.7053

15 WINDFAIRE PASS COURT PARIS MOUNTAIN $1,395,000 | MLS #1419849 Holly May 864.640.1959

290 STABLE GATE DRIVE CAMPOBELLO $1,100,000 | MLS #1404547 Meg Atkinson 843.601.4191

136 HIGH ROCK RIDGE DRIVE CLIFFS AT GLASSY $975,000 | MLS #1346118 John “Clark” Kent 864.784.9918

156 DEER CROSSING LANE PICKENS $865,000 | MLS #1430447 Damian Hall 828.817.2046

6 IVY LAWN PLACE GREENVILLE $784,000 | MLS #1426345 Kendall Keir 864.430.0301

302 TANOAK COURT FIVE FORKS $609,900 | MLS #1413441 Robbie Randolph 864.567.6805

HOME

Holidays 124 YELLOW FIN COURT LAKE CHEROKEE $549,000 | MLS #1427111 Rex & Kary Galloway 864.630.1111

217 HOLLY DRIVE EASLEY $354,000 | MLS #1428138 Sara Davis 904.813.4768

126 TANGLEWOOD DRIVE ANDERSON $306,000 | MLS #1430455 Whitney Poitevint 757.620.7105

1501 E SALUDA LAKE ROAD GREENVILLE $295,000 | MLS #1430378 Katrina Campbell 864.567.5188

214 HOLMES DRIVE GREENVILLE $289,500 | MLS #1424613 Rex & Kary Galloway 864.630.1111

900 N MAIN STREET NORTHGATE TRACE $279,900 | MLS #1424162 Julie Ghareeb Debruin 703.618.3600

134 OAK WIND CIRCLE GREER $270,000 | MLS #1430580 Jordan Surrett 864.923.6140

115 DOGWOOD DRIVE GREER $235,900 | MLS #1429419 Philip Romba 864.349.7607

138 FOREST STREET GREER $184,900 | MLS #1429704 Jessica Franco 864.918.3352

www.blackstreaminternational.com | 864.920.0303 | 20 Overbrook Ct, Ste 400 | Greenville, SC

SPORT • GEAR

MAKE THE CUT FAMED SCULPTOR GR AINGER McKOY ADDS A SLEEK POCKET KNIFE TO HIS ACCESSORIES COLLECTION by Abby Moore keith • photograph by Paul Mehaffey

outh Carolina’s Grainger McKoy has astonished the world with his gravity-defying bird sculptures for decades. A detail man through and through, McKoy’s penchant for perfection and feathered friends transfers easily into his jewelry and accessories designs, including his latest impeccably lustrous Hand-Cut Knife. “Everything we make has to be uniquely better than anything else on the market,” says McKoy’s son, Grainger Jr., the force behind the knife’s production. “By far, it’s the disappearing blade that is the real head-turner . . . . By using such high-grade materials, we can make the knife see-through and not affect its strength.” The artist’s son is noting the feather-like cuts on the stainlesssteel blade, which when closed, align seamlessly with those on the handle, rendering a disappearing effect. At 2.2 ounces, the knife may feel, well, light as a feather, but the rustless titanium handle and highest-grade steel blade speak to its strength and functionality.

DECEMBER 2020 I t o w n c a r o l i n a . c o m

The knife is non-locking, opening and closing fluidly with one hand, a function Grainger Jr. refers to as “couch flipper’s nirvana.” He notes that as a popular gift item, many of the knives are engraved, and he hopes they become family heirlooms. With a design that reflects the elegance and originality so iconic to Mr. McKoy’s work, it’s easy to suppose the Hand-Cut will be regarded with lasting reverence as any true objet d’art should.

The Hand-Cut Knife is also available for women, featuring rosetinted titanium screws. Visit graingermckoy. com for more.

Grainger McKoy Hand-Cut Knife. S35VN stainless-steel blade, 6AI-4V titanium handle; 2.2 ounces, 3.5 inches closed, about 6 inches open.

According to Grainger Jr., the Hand-Cut Knife developed out of a failed project. “The knife design started as a bracelet that no one would buy. I actually had to buy the bracelets back from our retailers who stocked them because they wouldn’t move.”

The Metropolitan Arts Council would like to thank the following individuals and organizations for supporting its SmartARTS program, housed at the TD Center for Arts Integration in the Greenville County Schools during 20192021. Their support has been instrumental during the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic during which arts integration has never been more vital to our students. Students at Kidzone learn about fiber arts and create characters with Cecilia Ho.

SmartARTS 2019 - 2021 Sponsors TD Bank & TD Charitable Foundation Graha ham am FFoundation oundat atioon Jolley Jo ollley FFoundation oundat ation Thee C Caughman aughman FFamily amily iinn m memory emory ooff Dr.r. M D Martha ar t ha R R.. W Westrope estrope

Meredith B. Skinner in memory of Dwain Skinner Traute E. & Roland H. Engeler Family Duke Energy Foundation M. Ellis Pearce

Carrie C arrie & S Skip k ip G Gordon ordon

Don D on & Zelma Waggoner Foundation

SEW-Eurodrive S EW-EEurodrive

SunTrust Banks, Inc.

South S out h C Carolina arolina AArts r ts C Commission ommission

Peabody Foundation

JJohn ohn II.. S Smith mith C Charities harities

Prisma Health

ScanSource urrce C Charitable haritable FFoundation oundat ation

The Priester Foundat undation attion

Mice on M Main ainn Linda Kelly & Zan Wells

Fannie I. Cromwell

Jeff Holland, Dr. Martha R. Westrope Teaching Artist Fellow. .

What is SmartARTS? SmartARTS is a partnership between Greenville County Schools (GCS) and the Metropolitan Arts Council (MAC) that connects students, artists and teachers to deeper learning and self-awareness through integrating the arts with all areas of education. Arts integration is the collaboration between the arts and other content areas resulting in a richer, more complete whole that fosters deep, connected, personal learning in both areas simultaneously.

Learn more greenvilleARTS.com/smartARTS @smartARTSgvl | #smartARTSgvl

The need has always been there. This year, it happens to be greater. Every night in our community, a child goes to bed hungry. Every month, a single parent has to decide between paying rent and buying groceries. And every day, a man living on the street wakes up on an empty stomach and has no idea where his next meal will come from. This need has always been there, but this year and especially during this holiday season, the need happens to be greater. But you can help meet the need in our community. When you give to The Salvation Army, you help us put meals on the table and into the hands of people in need. A $25 monthly donation helps sustain our food assistance programs, now and throughout the year. Consider giving at SalvationArmyGreenville.org.

TV when it’s on. Art when it’s off.

$200

Bonus Jeff Lynch In-Store Gift Card Model QN65LS03T Artwork, television, movies, and memories - The Frame showcases them all on a beautiful QLED screen. Every piece of content is displayed in stunning 4K resolution and accented by a customizable, stylish bezel that seamlessly complements your home’s décor.

NO down payment and NO interest ‘til January 2023*

STYLE

ALL THINGS STYLISH / UNIQUE / EXTRAORDINARY

Model Elee Diamaduros (Millie Lewis); styling by Kathryn Norungolo; hair and makeup by Isabelle Schreier (Belle Maquillage)

Karlie scoop TN Sweater from Monkeeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s of the West End, $90.

This holiday season, wrap up in these sophisticated WINTER FINDS.

Photograph by Paul Mehaffey

D EC EM B ER 2020 I

WINTER IS COMING BUNDLE UP IN THESE COZY FINDS FOR COLD DAYS styled by Kathryn Norungolo • photography by Paul Mehaffey

Special thanks to model Elee Diamaduros (Millie Lewis), and Isabelle Schreier (Belle Maquillage) for hair and makeup

STYLE • THE LOOK

DECEMBER 2020 I t o w n c a r o l i n a . c o m

riginally from Colombia and now making her home in Savannah, Georgia, designer Ana Barragan has created

agan has created the stylish ecological brand,

Channel 1920s vibes this season with a classic car coat, like the Lilla P from Monkeeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s of the West End (left). The style climbed to female fashion fame with the rise of automobile drivers and soon became a winter wardrobe staple.

(opposite left): camel mock neck sweater, $82; (above) color block coat, $99. Both from Southern Girl Chic.

D EC EM B ER 2020 I

STYLE • THE LOOK

(opposite left) Lysse black moto jacket from Monkee’s of the West End, $148; (above) pumpkin sweater dress, $74, and tan plaid coat, $98. Both from Southern Girl Chic.

DECEMBER 2020 I t o w n c a r o l i n a . c o m

South Carolina Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Thetatre

SUPPORT

Centre Stage

Help Support Greenvilleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Arts Scene The arts have suffered greatly due to COVID-19. Financial losses could exceed over $30 million by the end of the year. Please support your favorite arts groups during this time so that they have the resources to provide outstanding programs and services to you once the pandemic subsides.

If you would like to support the Metropolitan Arts Council, please go to greenvilleARTS.com/donate.

scan me

Turning Gifts Into Heirlooms Our jewelry is selected from the finest craftsman throughout the world. Visit us to see what treasures we have discovered.

Christian Marriage SymbolÂŽ Cross Pendant

301 Haywood Road | Greenville | 864-288-9068 | juliesjewelsandgifts.com

the soul

the senses CITRUS •SETS

LAVENDER •SETS

gingerly GINGER •SETS

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HAIR CARE•SETS

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nour•ish everyone on your list this year with natural ingredients that are good for your body and the environment.

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LOCATED IN DOWNTOWN GREENVILLE • 103 NORTH MAIN STREET • 864.520.1412

visit nourishsavannah.com for more natural products, sets and gifts

H O L I D A Y 1

TRASK RICHMOND BOOTS

Any man will look smart in these imported Italian boots. Crafted in Italy for Trask Reserve, the boots are stained and finished by hand to create a oneof-a-kind patina. Double stretch gores and leather pull tabs in back make pulling them on a snap. Available in Italian calfskin or Italian suede. $325; Smith & James, 222 Trade St, Greer. smithandjames.com

ANA BUCKET BAG

Handmade in Atlanta, Georgia, this hand-cut leather drawstring bucket bag is large enough to hold your essentials hands-free, but small enough to take anywhere without being bulky. The black oil-hide leather, treated with a mixture of oil and wax during the tanning process, makes for graceful aging. $270; Custard Boutique, 718 S Main St, Greenville. custardboutique.com

LOUIS VUITTON TOTALLY MM IN CLASSIC MONOGRAM

The sophisticated styling, expansive space, and superior quality of this Louis Vuitton bag create a chic tote that you’ll want to use every day. It bears the classic Louis Vuitton monogram on toile canvas and a bucket pocket on either side, with buttery-soft but sturdy leather shoulder straps made of vachetta cowhide. $1,545; Monkee’s of the West End, 1103-A Augusta St, Greenville. monkeesofthewestend.com

SOUTHERN GATES SOUTHERN OAK PENDANT WITH CHAIN

GIFT

GUIDE

D E C E M B ER 2 0 2 0 I t o w n c a r o l i n a . c o m

An iconic symbol of strength, family, and longevity, the intricate tree-of-life design adorns this lovely necklace. The sterlingsilver pendant is part of the Southern Gates Series and is shown with a 20-inch 1.2mm rounded box chain with an adjustable smart bead. $85; Ponthieux’s Jewelry Design Studio, 1818 Augusta St, Ste 101, Greenville. ponthieuxs.com

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HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE

FORESAIL QUILTED VEST

Premium polyester fabric gives Coast Apparel’s Foresail quilted vest a soft look and feel. The moss-green zipfront men’s vest is finished with a crab logo on the left chest pocket, while outside pockets and inside pockets add convenient storage. $85; Coast Apparel, 324 S Main St, Greenville. coastapparel.com

EXPANDABLE DIAMOND BRACELET

If you want to make her sparkle for the holidays, this 18k yellow and white gold stackable bracelet pair (can be purchased separately) will do the trick. Each pavé-diamond bar features exquisite round Brilliant diamonds totaling 1.10 carats, while the highly polished finish and expandable design make these beautiful bracelets easy to wear for any occasion. $9,450; Hale’s Jewelers, 32 Haywood Rd, Greenville. halesjewelers.com

FRESSKO GLASS LIFT FLASK

From home to office, this 16-ounce, BPAfree, double-insulated glass flask is sleek and modern, and comes with a leak-proof bamboo lid. Use the 2-in-1 infuser for fruit and veggie waters, loose tea, and instant coffee. $40; C.O.R.E. Grow Strong, 2 W Washington St, Greenville. coregrowstrong.com

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ULTRA-PREMIUM EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL

Locally owned, Palmetto Olive Oil Co. features more than 70 varieties of the freshest ultra-premium extra virgin olive oils, sourced from around the world, while the balsamic vinegars are produced in Modena, Italy, where they are barrel-aged from 12 to 18 years. $12–$30; Palmetto Olive Oil Co., 2243 Augusta St, Greenville. palmettooliveoilco.com

COURTNEY EARRINGS

Dainty and understated, these sweet stud earrings lay beautifully as they accent the curve of the ear. Available in sterling, vermeil, or solid 14k gold, with your choice of gems: white topaz, moissanite, or diamonds (1.5 carats). $215– $4,800; MAKEMADE Jewelry, 241 N Main St, Ste C (lower level), Greenville. makemadejewelry.com

9 6

SMITHEY IRONWARE DUTCH OVEN

Made in Charleston, Smithey Ironware’s 5.5-quart Dutch oven with its domed lid is designed to retain and redistribute moisture to your food throughout the cooking process. The kitchen workhorse features Smithey’s signature polished, nonstick interior. $350; The Cook’s Station, 515 Buncombe St, Greenville. thecooksstation.com

D EC EM B ER 2020 I

FAUX BEAUTY

Bring out your wild side at FAUX Beauty. From luxurious leopard-print loungewear to that soft-as-butter little black sweater that promises to be your cold-weather go-to, the chic collection has you covered for any occasion. And don’t forget accessories. Complete your outfit with festive earrings and a pair of booties that go anywhere with ease and style. FAUX Beauty, 1608 Laurens Rd, Greenville. shop-faux-beauty.myshopify.com

LEOPARD LUXE TRAIN CASE

LEOPARD BOOT

FB BANGLES

SOUTHERN GATES EDEN SCROLL PENDANT

This delicate Art Deco–inspired sterling-silver pendant was inspired by early twentiethcentury ironwork featuring geometric French designs. Additional styles are available, and the rice-bead chain is sold separately. $45; Julie’s Jewels and Gifts, 301 Haywood Rd, Ste 3, Greenville. juliesjewelsandgifts.com

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POLLYANA CONTE WATERCOLOR

This original watercolor of the Liberty Bridge by Brazil-born artist Pollyana Conte will brighten up a desk, table, or even your Christmas tree. The painting comes in three sizes (1-, 2-, and 3-inch squares), with a brass frame and its own stand. $20 (1-inch); $30 (2-inch); $40 (3inch); Mélange Arts Studio & Gallery, 1607 Laurens Rd, Ste 109, Greenville. melangearts.com

VALERIE CRYSTAL BELT

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HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE

GUILTY PLEASURES VARIETY PACK

Please a range of palates with Wicked Weed’s shareable four-pack: Weed Brownie imperial stout with hemp-like flavors; Milk & Cookies imperial milk stout with golden raisins and vanilla; S’mores imperial stout with chocolate, vanilla, and cinnamon; and German Chocolate Cake imperial stout with chocolate and coconut. $13; Wicked Weed Brewing, 91 Biltmore Ave, Asheville, NC. wickedweedbrewing.com

MINI FIZZ RING

Inspired by water tumbling over rocks in a stream, thereby creating small bubbles, each ring in this series features a “fizz” halo of bubble-like beads in 18k yellow, rose, or white gold, perched on a sleek sterling-silver band. If you want to go for the complete look, a coordinating necklace and earrings are also available. $150; Tanya Stiegler Designs, 111 Henry St, Greenville. tanyastieglerdesigns.com

SUPERFOOD ANTIOXIDANT FACE OIL

A best-seller, this face oil is designed to protect the skin from free radicals, balance moisture levels, provide nourishment, and lock hydration into the skin. Exotic ingredients such as cranberry seed, pomegranate, marula, borage, and baobab oils promote healing and lend a more youthful appearance to all skin types. $25; Nourish Natural Bath Products 103 N Main St, Greenville. nourishsavannah.com

HOBO PULSE BELT BAG

Because hands-free is the best way to go, the Pulse bag offers two bags in one: a cool fanny pack and a convenient crossbody bag. It is crafted in soft velvet hide, and features brass hardware, a zip closure, and a convenient front zip pocket. $178; Muse Shoe Studio, 2222 Augusta St, Greenville. museshoestudio.com

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RECYCLED SKATEBOARD HOOPS

These lightweight, eco-friendly hoops are handmade from recycled skateboards in Portland, Oregon. Wear them with the bold side out, or the natural side out, for two different looks. $48; Custard Boutique 718 S Main St, Greenville. custardboutique.com

780 BED SWING

The design of this sturdy porch swing invites relaxation. Arm rests are intentionally made just wide enough for a coffee cup in the morning and a glass of wine in the evening. Deck it out with the twin-cushion package, which comes with a Sunbrella fabric-covered twin-bedsized cushion and four Sunbrella pillows. $2,500; Twenty Eight Eleven, LLC, Greenville. twentyeighteleven.com

D EC EM B ER 2020 I

WILD BIRDS UNLIMITED

From bird baths to bird seed, if it’s related to our feathered friends, you’ll find it at the Greenville satellite of the country’s largest franchise system of backyard bird feeding and nature specialty stores. Stop by Wild Birds Unlimited to stock up on avian supplies and get expert advice on how to turn your backyard into a birdwatcher’s paradise. 626 Congaree Rd, Greenville. greenville.wbu.com *Feeder stands are props only.

ABEL TR BROOK TROUT 4/5 REEL

COPPER TUBE FEEDER

Crafted by expert machinists in Montrose, Colorado, the TR is a lightweight masterpiece. An integrated precision-balanced clicker on the spool eliminates the need for a counterweight, while the pronounced palming rim is deliberately shaped to manually control drag pressure in all fishing conditions. Machined stainlesssteel accents on both the frame and spool add that extra level of detail found only in an Abel Reel. $795; Dodson Fishing Company, 533 N Hwy 25, Travelers Rest. dodsonfishing.com

SILK SCARF

RECYCLED GLASS HUMMINGBIRD FEEDER

Crafted from 100 percent silk twill, sumptuous scarves by British designer Sabina Savage are decorated with hand-drawn prints. Each piece is printed and hand-finished in Como, Italy. $395; Rush Wilson Ltd., 23 W North St, Greenville. rushwilson.com

ECOTOUGH® CLASSIC FEEDER THE DECORATIVE FUNCTIONAL FEEDER

RECYCLED GAZEBO FEEDER

D E C E M B ER 2 0 2 0 I t o w n c a r o l i n a . c o m

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HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE 18

REGAL TA-50 VICE

The Regal’s flagship series, the Medallion is the pinnacle of vice technology. Open the jaws, insert your hook, and start tying. There’s nothing to adjust, even when you switch from a tiny midge to a huge streamer hook. All Medallion Series vises revolve around a 360º axis and articulate 220º up and down. This series includes six different vise heads and works with all of our base options. $190; Dodson Fishing Company, 533 N Hwy 25, Travelers Rest. dodsonfishing.com

19 17

MAKING PORCHES BRIGHT

Make your front door festive this holiday season with this personalized doormat by Board and Brush. The Merry and Bright design comes in three sizes and is the perfect way to greet your guests. Buy it pre-made or make it yourself in a DIY doormat workshop at the studio. $50, pre-made; $40, workshop. Board and Brush, 1411 Laurens Rd, Greenville. boardandbrush.com/greenville

RUBY & DIAMOND ANTIQUE FASHION RING

A flower-shaped halo of diamonds surrounds four oval-cut rubies (totaling 1.13 carats) in the vintage geometric design of this stunning ring. Set in 14k rose gold, the ring will add elegance to any occasion. $1,800; Pace Jewelers, 1250 Pendleton St, Greenville. pacejewelers.com

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BIG GREEN EGG

The Big Green Egg cooks everything from appetizers to desserts. The natural hardwood charcoal heats up quickly, and the stainless-steel cooking grid allows easy clean-up. Free assembly and delivery. Duncan’s Hardware, 1506 Augusta St, Greenville. acehardware. com/store-details/05932

HAITI MADE LEATHER TOTE BAG

There’s plenty of room to carry all your gear in this large, chocolate-brown leather tote, which was beautifully crafted in Haiti. $225; C.O.R.E. Grow Strong, 2 W Washington St, Greenville. coregrowstrong.com

GVL BRACELET

One of the destination pieces hand-made by designer and owner Donna Adams, the bangle-style hook bracelet is crafted of .925 sterling silver. The GVL bracelet is designed to capture wonderful memories of visiting Greenville, and $25 from every purchase goes to local charities. $186. Wild Ice Jewelry, Greenville. wildicejewelry.com

D EC EM B ER 2020 I

RUSH WILSON LTD. Since it opened in downtown Greenville in 1959, Rush Wilson has been synonymous with classic American style. The family-owned business, now run by Rush III, prides itself on exceptional customer service and offers timeless fashion for both men and women. Whether you’re looking to dress for a day in the office or a weekend in the field, trust Rush Wilson to tailor your wardrobe to your individual lifestyle.

ECOTOUGH® CLASSIC FEEDER

Rush Wilson Ltd, 23 W North St, Greenville. rushwilson.com

BARBOUR ANGUS QUILT JACKET

HORNBACK ALLIGATOR BELT

D E C E M B ER 2 0 2 0 I t o w n c a r o l i n a . c o m

TOM BECKBE SPORTING VEST

POLO CASHMERE SWEATER

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HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE

H. GOOSE DIVE WATCH

Greenville-based H. Goose makes this attractive dive watch, which incorporates a Miyota 9015 automatic mechanical movement and a screw-down crown for added water-resistance. $695; Rush Wilson Ltd., 23 W North St, Greenville. rushwilson.com

27 10

LOVELY (HORSE PAINTING)

An original painting (4ft x 4ft) by local artist Cindy Roddey, this evocative image of a horse will add grace and beauty to any home. $1,850; Cindy Roddey Fine Arts, 10 Central Ave, Greenville. 10centralave.com/cindy-roddey

OVAL INSIDE/OUTSIDE HOOP EARRINGS

Diamonds pave the inside and outside of these elegant oval hoops, set in 14k white gold. $3,995; Pace Jewelers, 1250 Pendleton St, Greenville. pacejewelers.com

HAND-PAINTED OYSTER SHELL

Hand-painted by Mélange Studio founder Paula McCallum, these oyster shells are available in multiple patterns. Each back and interior rim is lined with gold, and every piece is sealed with a protective clear coat. $48; Mélange Arts Studio & Gallery, 1607 Laurens Rd, Ste 109, Greenville. melangearts.com

DOLCE VITA SLIPPERS

The classic crisscross shape gets a serious upgrade in this warm, fluffy fur—also available in gray and leopard—making it the perfect slipper to wear with both your silkiest pajamas and your comfy off-duty outfits. $60; Muse Shoe Studio, 2222 Augusta Street, Greenville. museshoestudio.com

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TANZANITE & DIAMOND FASHION RING

Tiffany & Co. introduced this gem to the market in 1968, christening it “tanzanite” after Tanzania, the country in Africa where it was discovered. Wreathed by diamonds, the 1.90-carat tanzanite stone glimmers in tones of blue and violet. $2,695; Pace Jewelers, 1250 Pendleton St, Greenville. pacejewelers.com

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BILTMORE WINERY 35TH ANNIVERSARY CHARDONNAY

Handcrafted from grapes grown in Biltmore’s own vineyard, this special chardonnay, barrel-fermented and barrel-aged, celebrates the winery’s 35th anniversary. $35; Biltmore Wines, on Biltmore Estate, One Lodge St, Asheville, NC. biltmorewines.com

SAMSUNG 65” FRAME TV

When you’re not watching your favorite shows, the framed QLED 4K UHD HDR Smart TV transforms into a lovely work of art via Art Mode. $1,899; Jeff Lynch Appliance and TV Center, 217 Roper Mountain Rd, Greenville. jefflynch.com

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Ms. Bea Wright

THE HEAD & THE HEART

WHEN IT COMES TO DECISIONS, MS. BEA A RGUES FOR A BA L A NCE OF PASSION A ND REASON

aking a decision with both heart and mind aligned can be challenging. Do you follow your heart and ignore red flags that logic is waving in your peripheral view? Or do you make a choice based purely upon rational analytics, missing the passion? Which carries more weight in the decision-making balance— emotion or reason? A decision with a partner or spouse doubles the trouble. Now, there are two hearts and two minds that need to be blended and united. Five years have passed since our dog Schubert died. Heartbreakingly, he died just two months after my husband and I made the gutwrenching choice to euthanize Stella, his litter mate, when neither she nor we could tolerate her suffering any longer. We still talk about them and the joy they brought to our home for nearly sixteen years. This is the longest we have ever gone without a pet in the house (not counting the occasional dog-sitting gigs for family members’ pets). We brought Schubert and Stella home just days after the second of our previous pair of pups died. Our friends and family anticipated that we would repeat the pattern—find another puppy or two in need of a home, fall madly in love, bring them home and spoil them rotten (and vice versa). During the outset of the pandemic, the pull was particularly strong to return to dog-owner status. My husband pitched several heart-driven

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scenarios while reminding me of dog awesomeness: How about just one pup this time? Or what about the idea of providing a sweet mature dog a new home? Don’t you miss having dogs in the house? Truly, were this only a decision of our hearts, we would have welcomed a new best friend or two to the house years ago. We are dog people. However, no matter how much I miss hearing the pitterpatter of puppy feet and despite my longing for the faithful, loving companionship that comes with pet ownership, I have not been able to take the pet plunge again. Logic has won this decision-making battle . . . so far. From experience, we know that owning and loving a pet requires a big commitment of time, money, and effort. Honestly, and somewhat guiltily, we have enjoyed the freedom to come and go without worrying about how long we can leave Fido at home by himself. On top of all of that, I truly do not think my heart can bear the loss of another dog. Thankfully, my husband and I both understand that the decision cannot be made unilaterally. Sometimes following your heart wins the day. Other times, your mind and an analytical assessment dictate. But when making vital, long lasting decisions, it is best to engage both logic and emotion. I’m here if you need me. Until then, y’all behave.

Man About TOWN

A RUFF HOLIDAY HIS MOTHER’S DOG IS NOT THE M A N’S BEST FR IEND by Steven Tingle

ast Christmas Eve, my mom, glass of merlot in hand, shuffled into the kitchen and yelled, “Where’s Malli?” My kids, who are both in their twenties, glanced at me, and with the synchronization of a professional drama troupe, we all three rolled our eyes. Malli is a ninety-five-pound English Mastiff, not the type of dog that is easily overlooked. And even though she is only two years old, barely legal drinking age in dog years, Malli’s lifestyle resembles that of an octogenarian at an assisted-living facility. When she’s not sprawled on the sofa staring indifferently at the bird feeder that hangs just outside the living room window, she’s in my mom’s bed, head on a pillow, snoring like a passed out drunk. Of course these hobbies are interspersed with three daily meals along with a steady stream of Beggin’ Strips, Snausages, and Ritz crackers slathered in peanut butter. From the kitchen I called Malli’s name. When she failed to appear, I shook a bag of Pup-Peroni’s and recited the magic phrase: “Who wants a treat?” While most dogs would answer that call like a demon summoned from the bowels of hell, Malli sauntered into the kitchen with the apathy of a teenager who’d just been asked to empty the dishwasher. As Malli gnawed on her treat, my mom exhaled sharply and topped off her wine glass. “Malli, you’re the best thing in my life,” she said. The kids rolled their eyes again while I eased the bottle of wine behind the toaster oven. To my mom, Malli is a comforting companion. A reassuring presence

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that, despite being the size of a miniature horse, is coddled and indulged like a toddler named Piper or Dashiell. But at age 80, my mom’s mind is not what it used to be, and the anxiety that often accompanies mental decline can easily send her into a panic. “Hurry, close the door before Malli runs away!” my mom will scream when I step out to get the mail. And while I do sometimes fantasize about Malli sprinting down the driveway then hopping into an Uber for a nice long ride to a farm somewhere on the other side of the state, I know she has no desire to escape. Malli is like my 24-year-old son who still lives with me, is still on my phone and auto insurance plans, and eats 75 percent of my groceries. Why leave when you have it made? On Christmas morning the kids and I unwrapped our gifts, while Malli ate French toast and strips of bacon directly from my mom’s fingertips. When we’d finished, my mom took the last gift from under the tree and placed it on the sofa next to Malli’s face. Malli gave the package a couple of unenthusiastic sniffs then rolled over onto her side. My mom removed the wrapping to reveal a bag of something called “Wild Weenies Cage-Free Duck Recipe Dog Treats.” When I commented that Malli was probably going to have to be forklifted to her next vet appointment, my mom hissed at me to “Hush!” Malli nibbled a cage-free duck treat and stared at me. I could swear she was smirking.

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Essay

HOLY DOUGH A BELOVED CIT Y STA PLE, GREENFIELD’S BAGELS & DELI RECONNECTS THIS WR ITER W ITH HIS SOUTHER N JEW ISH HER ITAGE by Terry Barr • illustration by timothy banks

n his collection of essays, The Lonely Days Were Sundays, Southern Jewish historian Eli Evans recounts how in his youth in Durham, North Carolina, Sundays meant his best friends spent much of their day in a place he couldn’t go: church. Well, he could have, I suppose, but Evans, like many Southern Jews, had to fend for himself on this Christian holy day. And though he adjusted, doing so nevertheless demonstrated to him that he and his friends had one fundamental difference—a difference that for some could cause unsettling conflict. When I first came across Evans’s collection, I understood immediately what he meant, even though as a Southern half-Jew, I traveled a different path on the Sundays of my youth in Bessemer, Alabama. My mother dragged my brother and me out of bed early Sunday mornings, forced us into tight-fitting suits (with clip-on ties) and by 9:45, put us in place in our respective Sunday School classes at Bessemer’s First United Methodist Church. I had many friends

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in church, and though the Bible lessons left me cold, sitting with these friends was anything but lonely. This early morning ritual was followed by the most important meal of the week: a Sunday lunch of rump roast or leg of lamb, seasonal vegetables and potatoes, and usually a home-made pound cake for dessert. After lunch, some of my friends and I would play football in the front yard, or reenact war or Tarzan movies in the back alley. But when 3 p.m. arrived, whatever I was doing had to cease because I had to dress up again like a proper Southern boy, and travel with my family the fifteen miles to my grandmother’s apartment. My Jewish grandmother. Now, I loved my Ma Ma, and I loved spending time with my Dad at her place. Most of all, I loved stopping at the Jewish deli, Browdy’s, with its cramped aisles, strange and exotic food items with brand names I couldn’t pronounce, and with its butcher and deli counter, where I saw meats I never saw in the larger grocery stores my mother frequented. All of this made me think of something old-world European. Every week, Dad ordered the same food for us all: fifty cents worth of Kosher bologna, the same for kosher salami; a half-pound of corned beef; a whole Kosher

“It’s about family,” Robin says. “I feel like I’ve created my own Jewish Community Center here. But I’m not just talking about my customers; there are the kids I’ve given jobs to, some of them their first job.”

pickle; Kaiser rolls or twist bread (aka Challah); and either slaw or potato salad. Ma Ma already had chips— Golden Flake, Alabama football coach Bear Bryant’s sponsored favorite, and later, Charles Chips, after my beloved aunt married a Charles Chips driver. However, as welcoming as this late-Sunday ritual was, it caused me to rebel in my adolescence when my church friends would gather on Sunday evening for Methodist Youth Fellowship. What I didn’t understand then was that the loneliness I felt in not being with my friends on Sunday night would be matched later on by my loneliness in not being with my family, after I begged and was granted permission to start attending MYF. Browdy’s quickly became a distant memory. I tell you this not to gain sympathy, but to explain why, when I discovered Greenville’s Greenfield’s Bagels and Deli almost twenty years ago, I felt like I had found home again. Greenfield’s began on August 27, 1999, as a bagel and deli counter in the old Harris Teeter on Roper Mountain Road. A Jewish deli in Greenville? When I moved to Greenville in 1987, there were downtown sandwich shops like Maureen’s and The Red Baron. They were fine; Maureen’s had good tuna fish, and the Baron had a tasty potato salad. Neither, of course, was Kosher—not even remotely so. You could get corned beef in both, I think, but it wasn’t the same to me, as if anything from the present could ever replicate the past. So when I walked into the old H-T, I didn’t expect my past to follow me. This place was squeaky clean— not a bad thing for a grocery—bright, shiny, and decidedly uncramped. But behind the deli counter, I recognized two women, smiling, and waiting to help me. By “recognized” I don’t mean that I knew them. What I mean is they could have emerged directly from the community Ma Ma lived in. I don’t know how to explain this any better, but when I heard their voices, I recognized something Southern-Jewish. I recognized family in Robin and Patti Greenfield. For years, I thought they were sisters. But they were friends, not meeting until after Robin moved to Greenville from Miami Beach. I bought a dozen bagels (14 in a Greenfield’s dozen) that day, selecting some everything, some black Russians, a few sesame, and several egg bagels, my favorite. Of course I got a couple of tubs of “schmear,” smoked salmon and scallion, and vowed I’d be back when they ran out.

I’ve been going back now for the last twenty years. Over that time, Robin and Patti moved the business to its current location in the Verdae Market plaza, originally the site of Beau’s Bagels. Eventually, Robin bought Patti out, an amicable split. Given the larger building, Greenfield’s could offer more deli items and a space for customers to eat and commune with likeminded smoked-meat lovers. Greenfield’s is certified Kosher, under rabbinical supervision. Still, as Robin says, “You don’t have to be Jewish to like Jewish-style food.” The Jewish half of me, however, believes that being part of the tribe helps. But as I look around Greenfield’s, noticing who is eating a Reuben, who is noshing on whitefish salad, or who is smearing cream cheese and lox on an onion bagel, I know that Robin is wiser than I. “We get our dough from New Jersey. We’re the only deli that boards that dough, proofs it for two days, and then completes the process by boiling and baking,” she assures me. These days, sadly, I am gluten-intolerant. Yet Greenfield’s caters to those of us who are gastro-challenged. They stock gluten-free bagels from Sammi’s Bagels in Miami. Onion, cinnamon-raisin, plain, and mixed berry. So, while my wife still enjoys egg bagels in my honor, I get my Reuben on an onion bagel that is very close to what I used to love. Greenfield’s offers a variety of other Jewish-origin foods like potato knish, chopped liver, brisket, sliced nova, Kosher hot dogs, and, of course, pastrami, corned beef, bologna, salami, and corned beef tongue, a true delicacy. But please don’t forget Greenfield’s for breakfast: lox, onions and eggs, and, of course, bagels. Twenty years is a long time to serve in any food-related business. So I asked Robin what part of her business life she’s most proud of. “It’s about family,” she says. “I feel like I’ve created my own Jewish Community Center here. But I’m not just talking about my customers; there are the kids I’ve given jobs to, some of them their first job.” I understand. Twelve years ago, Robin gave my older daughter, Pari, her first job, delivering bagels at 6 a.m. on every Saturday and Sunday morning. “Pari-leh,” as Robin calls her, as if my daughter still works there—as if she is Robin’s darling niece or something. To further combat my own loneliness, as the holidays of Hanukkah approach, I am reminded of how my family began celebrating this ancient cultural festival of light, lighting our menora and hearing Pari-leh’s beautiful voice sing the blessing on each of the eight nights. We started our family ritual at about the same time we discovered Greenfield’s. It’s never too late to discover who you are, who your family is. And to honor all those years of ritualized love. Visit Greenfield’s at these three Greenville locations: 101 Verdae Blvd, 206 E Coffee St, and 870 E Super Rd, greenfieldsbagelsanddeli.com. For more from Terry Barr, visit terrybarr.com.

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Lights of Love PRESENTED BY BRITE LITE DÉCOR BENEFITING RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE CHARITIES OF THE CAROLINAS

Be a light of hope and love for families at the House this holiday season! THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2020 Official Lighting Ceremony

NOVEMBER 19–JANUARY 1 Drive-through and enjoy the lights For more information text RMHlights to 50155 or visit rmhc-carolinas.com/lights-of-love

MISSION

LOVE

SPONSOR

SPONSORS

Providing Care in a Crisis , R esponding to Community Nee ds

$100,000 COVID-19 Community Relief Fund at United Way

$100,000 Phillis Wheatley Community Center, Urban League of the Upstate, Pleasant Valley Connection, Creative Advancement Centers & Greer Community Outreach Centers

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$275,000 IN TOTAL GRANTS TO LOCAL NONPROFITS DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC Supporting emergency assistance, housing, minority-led nonprofits, direct service providers, and the arts.

$40,000 Greenville Housing Fund, Habitat for Humanity & Homes of Hope

$20,000 Artisphere, Peace Center for Performing Arts & The Warehouse Theatre

$15,000 www.cfgreenville.org

Greer Relief, Center for Community Services & Foothills Family Resources

ELECTRONIC DETECTION K9s MAKING A DIRECT IMPACT The K9s have the ability to locate hidden evidence that helps rescue children and stop offenders. The evidence the K9s are able to locate includes, laptops, hidden cameras, burner phones, thumb drives, micro SD cards and more. These devices are so small they are easily missed by officers. Just one device found by the K9s can have information to lead officers to rescue a child or children.

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CULI NARY RIS ING ALONG WITH OUR CITY’S GROWTH, WE ARE REAPING THE BENEFITS OF FRESH TALENT. THESE YOUNG CHEFS ARE NOT ONLY BRINGING PASSION TO THEIR WORK, BUT THEY ARE RAISING G R EEN VI L L E’S F O O D G A M E. BY M . L I N D A L E E , A N G I E T O O L E T H O M P S O N & A R I E L T U R N E R

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PHOTOGRAPHY BY P A U L M E H A F F E Y

An elegant dish featuring roasted poussin by Chef Taylor Montgomery at Urban Wren. D EC EM B ER 2020 I

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DREW ERICKSON, TABLE 301

IT WAS

“

A CHRISTMAS GIFT THAT JUST SNOWBALLED,” SAYS DREW ERICKSON, WHEN I ASK HOW THE DIRECTOR OF CULINARY DEVELOPMENT FOR TABLE 301 RESTAURANT GROUP GOT INTERESTED IN COOKING. HE’S REFERRING TO THE TABLE 301 CHEF-FOR-A-DAY PACKAGE THAT FRIENDS GAVE HIM WHEN HE WAS 16. SPENDING A DAY WITH CHEF SHAUN GARCIA IN SOBY’S KITCHEN PLANNING A MENU AND PREPPING INGREDIENTS WHETTED HIS APPETITE FOR CULINARY GREATNESS. After high school, the aspiring chef went to work in Soby’s kitchen, where he stayed for three years. “I consider Shaun Garcia my mentor,” says the Culinary Institute of the Carolinas graduate. “He taught me all the things.” That experience led to a position as sous-chef under Teryi Youngblood Musolf when Passerelle opened in 2013. The 27-year-old recently returned to his hometown after spending four years working with Michelin three-star chef Thomas Keller at his celebrated restaurant The French Laundry in Yountville, California, an experience he describes as “gratifying and terrifying.” What began as a two-week stage (an unpaid internship in a restaurant kitchen) blossomed into four years under Chef Keller’s tutelage. As a culinary journal, he kept copies of every menu from every day he was there.

Like everyone who works at The French Laundry, Drew started as a prep cook, or commis, and worked his way up through each station in the kitchen. “Discipline is one of the most important things I learned, beyond how to constantly deliver on expectations that are on such a high level. At The French Laundry, we would say: ‘Every day’s the Super Bowl.’ You don’t get any second chances.” Humility is a virtue in Keller’s kitchen. “The reason I wear the blue apron,” Erickson explains, nodding to the denim-colored apron neatly rolled up on the table in front of him, “is that these are the actual aprons all the cooks wear at The French Laundry.” This is typical of the hierarchical French brigade kitchen system, where the apprentice wears a blue apron, instead of a white one, so the

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“Discipline is one of the most important things I learned, beyond how to constantly deliver on expectations that are on such a high level.” chef can keep an eye on the new kid. “Even though Keller and his team operate on a three-Michelin-star level, everyone wears the blue apron, signifying that there’s something new to learn every day, no matter what your level.” While in his current role he’s involved with all the Table 301 restaurants, Erickson is also instrumental in developing new concepts. One of those, he anticipates, will be his own fine-dining restaurant in Greenville. “I’m so excited about having the opportunity

Chef Drew Erickson (below and opposite) plates scallops with beets and mandarin oranges; (opposite) the chef’s inventive take on tomato soup and grilled cheese; fingerling potato-crusted snapper with cauliflower almondine.

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(below right) Vanessa Matonis’s culinary magic at Bar Margaret nearly never happened. Earlier this year, the pastry chef’s sights were set on a gig at a bakery in Paris, but the pandemic shifted her path; (opposite) Chef Matonis’s carrot crêpe cake.

to step into a space of my own and have it be the combination of all the things that I’ve learned,” the chef shares. “My philosophy will be to have a positive work environment where we can create cuisine of the highest level. And to carry on Thomas Keller’s philosophy of mentorship, collaboration, and humility.” —M. Linda Lee

/CHEF

as having a drink in one hand and a dessert in the other. “There’s so much heart and love that comes from winter for me,” Matonis shares, offering a glimpse into Bar Margaret’s winter dessert menu. The dishes are imaginative and exciting, evoking idyllic Rockwellian winter and childlike wonder. There’s an ice cream sandwich, for example, with a mint semifreddo and fudge swirl between dark chocolate “cookies”; and a pear frangipane tart with burnt cinnamon and amaretto ice cream. “When I make this ice cream, I toast cinnamon sticks till they smoke then toss them straight into the milk and cover with a lid, trying to capture that [fireplace] flavor,” Matonis says. It’s a menu you can imagine enjoying with whiskey cocktails or eggnog, with old friends and beloved family.—Angie Toole Thompson

“Paris isn’t going anywhere . . . . all I needed was a kitchen to make dessert and people to eat it.”

VANESSA MATONIS, BAR MARGARET

AS THIS YEAR DWINDLES ENDLESSLY ON, AND OUR DAYS ARE STUNTED EARLY, A FAMILIAR SEASONAL FARE PROMISES COMFORT, REFUGE FOR OUR WORN AND WEARY HEARTS AND MINDS. I’M SPEAKING, OF COURSE, ABOUT BUTTER AND SUGAR. The patron saints of our cold-weather holidays are the timehonored tools of Vanessa Matonis’s trade. Matonis herself seems primed to conjure holiday recipes, having navigated stops and starts of her own this year. Now, the 26-year-old pastry chef has her feet firmly planted in the kitchen of Bar Margaret, in the Village of West Greenville, and is heartily churning out confection after beautiful confection. Last March, Art Institute alum Vanessa Matonis had her sights on France. “I had been in touch with a pastry chef at a bakery in Paris,” she says, “It was always a passion of mine.” She left her brief but bountiful gig at The Anchorage, preparing for an education in French patisserie and—boom—COVID-19 happened. Matonis wasn’t deterred one bit. “Paris isn’t going anywhere,” she quips, explaining how the unexpected turn gave her the mental space to dream up the desserts that she would make if left to her own devices. As fate would have it, she soon would be. Matonis connected with Chris and Sarah, the owners of Bar Margaret. “All I needed was a kitchen to make dessert and people to eat it.”

Matonis’s summer sabbatical from kitchen work left her reeling with young chef energy. “I was like a shaken can of soda.” She hit the ground running in September, partnering with Bar Margaret’s well-versed cocktail staff on booze-inspired desserts like rum flan patissier, macarons with a limey, rum-infused ganache, and this genius idea: a sorbet to add to half-drunk cocktails to cool them back down and mutate their flavor. Matonis is clearly energized by the restaurant itself, feeding off the collaborative atmosphere. “Working with people who are so knowledgeable about what they do gives me direction,” she says. Bar Margaret’s vibe is unfussy éclat, and Matonis’s dessert ethic thrives in that environment. The bar’s foundation of well-made, thoughtful cocktails lays out the welcoming mat for the relaxed refinement of Matonis’s pastry work. Now that December is here, so is peak dessert season. It’s time to ease into earthly comforts, and few things provide it quite as well

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Chef Vanessa Matonis dreams up delightful spins on classic desserts, like a pear tart (above left) and an ice cream sandwich with mint semifreddo and fudge swirls (above middle); utilizing a wide range of ďŹ&#x201A;avors inspired by his travels, Chef Taylor Montgomery designs artful plates at Urban Wren, such as scallop and king crab with Berkshire pork belly (bottom right) and black cod with white shoyu and edamame whip (opposite).

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(right) Sharpening his chef knives in country club kitchens, Taylor Montgomery expresses his culinary creativity at Urban Wren through vibrant dishes, like Wagyu bavette with vidalia-peppercorn ash, Montgomery Sky Farm roots, and pomegranate reduction tilt (opposite), that complement the restaurant’s impressive wine list.

/ CHEF

TAYLOR MONTGOMERY, URBAN WREN

“I’M A SPONGE,” SAYS TAYLOR MONTGOMERY, EXECUTIVE CHEF OF URBAN WREN IN GREENVILLE’S HISTORIC WEST END. This quick summation of his approach to learning came amid retelling his favorite moments of culinary inspiration. There was the first time he tasted real pad Thai, in Thailand, with Buddhist monks; the trip to Vienna, Austria, that led to experiencing authentic wienerschnitzel; and the comfort of his aunt’s sweet potato casserole.

While it may appear one of these anecdotes is not like the other, for Montgomery, any of his fond food memories is as likely as another to inform the next dish he puts on the restaurant menu. “All the flavors that trigger nostalgic episodes—I want everyone to try them,” he says. That “everyone” begins first with his kitchen staff—from his chef de cuisine down to the dishwashers. And that’s the way he’s operated his kitchen since Urban Wren opened, only weeks before statewide mandated closures shuttered all indoor dining in March, which, as it turned out, led to even more teaching opportunities for the entire staff. “Everybody learned how to pickle and brine and cure,” he says of the necessary preservation that took place to salvage the remaining fresh ingredients that would otherwise go to waste. After culinary school, Montgomery came up through country club kitchens—admittedly not always the most experimental and creative environment—but credits his apprenticeship under a great teaching chef for his solid background. “A country club is a great place to learn,” he says about the structure and technique required for the level of consistency expected. A seven-year stint at Mountain Air Country Club in Burnsville, North Carolina, before joining the Urban Wren team, gave him the creative latitude to incorporate more of the global flavors he was picking up on his travels. “It groomed me for a concept like Urban Wren,” he says. That concept from the outset has been a scratch kitchen, which sources as much as possible from Montgomery Sky Farm—a circa-1910 dairy farm in Leicester, North Carolina, he and his wife brought back to life in 2018. The resulting dishes are designed to complement one of the largest and most diverse wine selections in Greenville. “We try to put as much whimsy into the dishes as we can to match the extensive wine list,” Montgomery says.

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“All the flavors that trigger nostalgic episodes—I want everyone to try them.We try to put as much whimsy into the dishes as we can to match the extensive wine list.” Look no further than the Lobster-Chorizo Corn Dogs with grapefruit slaw and avocado yum yum on the small-plates list for a glimpse of both the playfulness and global flavors Montgomery showcases with each new menu. He involves his 10 back-of-house team members in constant research and development, asking them, “What are the best flavors you’ve ever tasted?” and helping them translate that to a completed dish. “I want every one of them, who has the passion, to be an executive chef someday,” Montgomery says. It’s this philosophy that ensures Chef Montgomery’s culinary success, season to season.—Ariel Turner

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EDA RHYNE DISTILLING CO. bottles a taste of Appalachia in its small-batch spirits.

Photograph by Paul Mehaffey

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E D • OPEN BAR

Organic Appalachian botanicals (above) flavor a variety of Eda Rhyne amari, like the Amaro Flora (right) and other spirits distilled in Asheville by co-founder Rett Murphy (opposite).

MOUNTAIN MEDICINE ASHEV ILLE’S EDA RHY NE DISTILLING CO. CR A F TS BOTA NICA L LIQUEURS A ND FINE SPIR ITS by KATHRYN DAVÉ • photography by Paul MEHAFFEY

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“

e made the stuff that we want to drink,” explains Rett Murphy, co-founder of Eda Rhyne Distilling Co. His reasoning is not an uncommon refrain. More smallbatch spirits producers and winemakers say the same these days—an indication, perhaps, that the American palate is starting to shift. Eda Rhyne, a mountain distillery rooted in Asheville, makes small-batch spirits inspired by the unique terroir of Appalachia and its tradition of folk medicine. So far, Eda Rhyne’s offerings have concentrated mainly on different amari, the bittersweet herbal liqueurs first made famous in Europe and now having a moment in the States. Are pioneering distilleries like Eda Rhyne the result of changing American tastes or the cause? It’s the sort of chicken-

and-egg question that distracts from the real mystery here: how the distillers have managed to bottle such a distinct expression of Appalachia. The recipes are closely guarded secrets, of course, but you might say the answer grows on Murphy’s vegetable farm and in the wooded mountains around Asheville. In fact, the botanicals found there are the genesis of Eda Rhyne. A bit burned out on farming, Murphy was playing around with herbal spirits and wanted to try his hand at distilling. He met Chris Bower, owner of two beloved Asheville bars, The Double Crown and The Lazy Diamond, who was tinkering with similar concoctions—specifically, an Appalachian fernet. That fernet became the foundation of Eda Rhyne. “We spent so much time on our Appalachian fernet that some of our other spirits actually grew out of the fernet’s product development,” explains Murphy. Currently, the portfolio includes three other types of amaro—the subtle, light, refreshing Amaro Flora, the bittersweet Rustic Nocino, and the complex, rhubarb-based Amaro Oscura—as well as a vodka flavored by a local plant called spicebush. Future releases include a rare rye whiskey and

canned carbonated amaro sodas called “amaro pops,” with plans on the horizon for other spirits. Eda Rhyne’s distillers take terroir seriously. “It’s very important that our spirits taste like western North Carolina,” says Murphy. They are committed to using only organic botanicals, many grown right on Murphy’s farm or foraged from the woods around Asheville, and locally sourced grain and corn. This relentless pursuit of place differentiates Eda Rhyne’s botanical liqueurs from the European tradition—and has drawn the eyes of editors at Bon Appétit and Garden & Gun, where Eda Rhyne has twice been a semi-finalist for the Made in the South Awards. Although Eda Rhyne began production in 2017, their bottles first appeared in North Carolina liquor stores in 2018, with the opening of a small tasting room at their Asheville distillery in late 2019. The pandemic pumped the brakes on in-person tastings for a while, but bottle sales have continued to grow as their distribution expands across state lines. Like their hardworking Appalachian ancestors, Eda Rhyne’s distillers have not been deterred by challenges, using the slowdown to focus on product development. “We’re now making the best spirits we’ve ever made,” says Murphy. Find Eda Rhyne spirits at their Asheville distillery on Thurs–Sat for bottle pickup. 101 Fairview Rd, Ste A, Asheville, NC. edarhyne.com

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E D • SWEET SPOT A kaleidoscope of doughnuts and other sweet treats colors the pastry case every weekend at the new Sidewall Pastry Kitchen in Travelers Rest.

SUGAR & SPICE SIDEWA LL PASTRY K ITCHEN SURPR ISES A ND DELIGHTS W ITH FRESH-BA KED GOODIES by M. Linda Lee • photograph by Paul Mehaffey

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hen it comes to the holidays, sweets go with Southern celebrations like biscuits go with gravy. And this December, there’s a new spot to satisfy your sweet tooth. In the former Rocket Surgery space on Main Street in Travelers Rest, husband-and-wife team Andy O’Mara and Loren Frant recently opened Sidewall Pastry Kitchen. “We’ve made our own ice cream at Sidewall Pizza since we opened in 2015,” says Loren. “Over the years we’ve built on that program, and as we opened other brands, we continued to develop our in-house pastry program to support our restaurants. We were able to build a really strong team around our internal pastry and dessert needs, and we wanted to be able to highlight the talent of that team and bring something fun to downtown TR.” Made-that-morning brioche doughnuts, biscuit cinnamon rolls—a clever combination of flaky, buttery, Southern biscuits and traditional cinnamon rolls—and homemade soft-serve ice cream are the shop’s flagship products. The luscious array of muffins, cookies, cakes, pies, and gluten-free treats—macarons, anyone?— change each weekend (the menu is announced on social media), depending on the season and experiments with flavor combinations by executive pastry chef Kirsten Martin and her team. “One of our most exciting challenges is being able to keep our production pace up with all the creative ideas that the pastry team has,” Loren admits. For the holidays, the shop will offer a specialorder menu, to be released early this month. Expect gift boxes with a variety of regular and gluten-free items, plus festive cakes and pies to top off your holiday meal. “We want to be the place that people think of when they need a dessert for a party, or they want to get a gift,” says Loren. “We would love to be part of people’s sweet traditions.” Sidewall Pastry Kitchen, 164-D S Main St, Travelers Rest. (864) 660-9392, sidewallpastrykitchen.com; open Sat & Sun, 8am–3pm.

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E D • HOT PLATE

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I THAT’S AMORE A LESSA NDRO A ND SA R A H SOR DELLO CHA NNEL GENER ATIONS -OLD COOK ING OF A N ITA LI A N HER ITAGE by Jac Valitchka • photography by Paul MEHAFFEY

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t took a village. Not just any village, mind you, but Borgo d’Oneglia, in the city of Imperia in the state of Liguria, which is the smallest state in northwestern Italy on the Italian Riviera. This is where Alessandro Sordello’s grandmother, Germana, would make either rabbit or gnocchi with pesto when her American grandson would come for his almost yearly visit to Italy. Through the years, Alessandro would be by her side in her kitchen, absorbing the art—or more aptly—learning to speak the language, not only of Italian, but the (love) language of cooking. So, it is only fitting that he now has her photo hanging in his work kitchen, where he and his wife, Sarah, make pasta, sauces, and soups for their Italian take-out business, Cucina Del Borgo (“village kitchen”) based on Nonna Germana’s recipes.

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From pasta Bolognese (opposite, left) to nourishing minestrone soup (above), Cucina Del Borgo’s dishes pair family recipes and fresh ingredients with lots of love.

“My dad says, ‘You can mess everything else up, just not the pesto!’” laughs Alessandro.

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Alessandro, who is from Greenville, and his father, who is from Borgo d’Oneglia, worked together for four years on Bainbridge Island in Washington state, making pasta and sauces for his dad’s Italian market. Alessandro moved back to Greenville in 2015, but it wasn’t until his wedding in 2019 in Sorrento, Italy, that he and his wife, Sarah, decided to make the food they craved here. “We didn’t really know what that looked like,” explains Sarah, “but in January 2020, we found a commercial kitchen to rent at the Children’s Museum.” Which is where you can find them on Wednesday evenings to pick up fresh (not frozen, madonna mia!) pasta, in 10 different varieties like radiatori, linguini, campanelle, bucatini, ravioli, and gnocchi sardi. They rotate their list of sauces, piqued with balanced notes and fresh flavor, but they usually have Bolognese, puttanesca—“the garlicky, tangy spicy tomato sauce with olives, capers, anchovies,” describes Alsessandro, as well as meatballs, each one rolled by hand 20 times.

Their hearty Bolognese sauce hugs the gentle curves of the radiatori, and will make cold winter nights seem like a gift. But the standout, the one sauce that was invented in the region of Italy where Alessandro’s family is from: pesto Genovese. Ah, the vibrant, verdant tongue tickler with its perfect pairing of pine nuts, garlic, and basil that hails from Genoa, the capital city of Liguria. “My dad says, ‘You can mess everything else up, just not the pesto!’” laughs Alessandro. The Sordellos use local ingredients, and the label on their minestrone soup reads like a cure-all for what might ail you: squash, Swiss chard, spinach, potato, carrots, onions, and fresh herbs and spices to name a few, all swimming around the delicate ditalini pasta in a most humbly elegant pairing. It’s like if you saw Sophia Loren shopping at Ingles. That’s how good it is. One bite and you’ll think you’re in Nonna Germana’s kitchen too. Find Cucina Del Borgo at the TD Essential Market, Dec 5 and 12, and the Very Merry Local Christmas Market in Travelers Rest, Dec 12. Open Wednesdays, 6:30–8:30pm, at the Children’s Museum. For more, go to cucinadelborgo.com.

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35 Years

of special occasions and everyday moments

1895 BILTMORE'S STORY BEGINS IN ASHEVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA

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1985 BILTMORE WINERY OPENS

1992 BILTMORE WINES EARNS 1ST DOUBLE GOLD MEDAL

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E D • KITCHEN AID

MORNING STAR W INTRY CR A NBER RY OR A NGE SCONES SHINE IN THEIR SIMPLICIT Y by Kathryn Davé • photography by Jivan Davé

he thing about breakfast is that it’s only good if someone else makes it, my husband complained recently. His complaint is more dramatic than it is honest, but I think it’s a reasonable one for a sleep-deprived father-of-three forever stuck on breakfast duty while I feed a baby. The morning meal in our house these days is generally loud and chaotic, a mad scramble to feed a bunch of hungry bellies. There’s a tight kernel of truth in what he said, however: breakfast does taste like a treat when it’s served to you. Enter a basket of wintry cranberry orange scones. Warm from the oven, fragrant with citrus, tender and buttery—the scones are a breakfast luxury. But their real gift is their simplicity. They come together so easily you can make them for someone you love; you can make them ahead of time as a grace for a harried morning; you can make them for yourself, the ultimate treat. We all want to wake up to a sign that someone has thought about us, and what better one than a baked treat? Cold house on a dark December morning. Cold butter straight from the freezer. Quick, zest the orange!—bright citrus perfumes the air. Shaggy dough, a few turns with floury hands, crinkle of parchment paper. Sip coffee, hot and strong, while the scones rise golden in the oven. You don’t need much to make someone’s morning. You just need to make them some scones.

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Warm from the oven, fragrant with citrus, tender and buttery the scones are a breakfast luxury.

—

Come Christmas morn, Santa himself would likely trade any cookies for these buttery cranberry orange scones.

GLAZED CRANBERRY ORANGE SCONES Yield: 8

INGREDIENTS: 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting 1/2 cup sugar 1 orange (for zest and juice) 1 Tbs. baking powder 3/4 tsp. kosher salt 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, frozen 1 cup frozen cranberries 1/2 cup sour cream 1/4 cup milk 1 egg, beaten 1 cup confectioner’s sugar 2–3 Tbs. fresh orange juice (from whole orange) Coarse sugar, for sprinkling (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 400º. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

SESAME TUNA WITH SPICY SOBA NOODLE SALAD Serves 4

2. Measure sugar into a large bowl. Zest one whole orange into the bowl, rubbing the zest into the sugar with your fingers until the sugar is moist and fragrant. Add the flour, baking powder, and salt to the sugar mixture and whisk. 3. Using a box grater, grate cold butter directly into the dry ingredients. Use your fingers to work the butter into slightly smaller pieces. Add cranberries and toss to combine. 4. In a small bowl, whisk together sour cream and milk. Use a fork to stir the liquid mixture into the flour until all the dry bits are incorporated, but the dough is still shaggy. Knead the dough a few times until it barely holds together, and then dump the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. 5. Pat dough together to a 1-inch-thick disc. Cut like a pizza into 8 wedges, transfer to the prepared sheet, and chill in the refrigerator for 15 minutes. If you’d like to make the scones ahead, you can refrigerate them overnight until you’re ready to bake.

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6. Brush the tops with beaten egg and sprinkle with coarse sugar. Bake until golden brown, 18–24 minutes. Let cool slightly. 7. Meanwhile, whisk fresh orange juice into confectioner’s sugar in a small bowl, one tablespoon at a time, until the glaze reaches your desired consistency. Drizzle over scones and serve. Keep scones covered at room temperature for up to 3 days. FOR MORE RECIPES: TOWNCAROLINA.COM

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Dining Guide

T HE BE S T B A R S, C A F É S & RE S TAUR A N T S

AMERICAN The Anchorage With a focus on local produce, Chef Greg McPhee’s globally influenced menu changes almost weekly. A hoard of fresh harvest arrives daily from area growers, like Horseshoe Farm in Travelers Rest, which informs McPhee’s creative dishes. The restaurant’s menu and stellar cocktail program is updated regularly, and now The Anchorage is offering a weekly online market featuring pantry items, wine, and more. $$-$$$, D, SBR. Closed

Mon–Tues. 586 Perry Ave. (864) 219-3082, theanchoragerestaurant.com

Augusta Grill Augusta Grill is a Greenville institution featuring upscale comfort food. At the bar or in the intimate dining room, patrons can enjoy dishes such as the wild mushroom ravioli with pancetta and roasted garlic cream, or the sautéed rainbow trout with crabmeat beurre blanc. The lineup changes daily, but diners can always get Chef Bob Hackl’s highly sought-after blackberry cobbler. $$$-$$$$, D. Closed Sun &

Mon. 1818 Augusta St. (864) 242-0316, augustagrill.com

Bacon Bros. Public House You might think you know what meat lover’s heaven looks like, but if you show up at Bacon Bros. Public House gastropub, you’ll know for sure. From a board of cured, smoked, and dried meats, to a specialty sandwich, there’s no shortage of mouthwatering selections. The drink menu mirrors the food, featuring whiskeys, bourbons, bacon-infused liquors, and even smoked sorghum syrup. $$-$$$, L, D.

Closed Sunday. 3620 Pelham Rd. (864) 297-6000, baconbrospublichouse.com

The Burrow The comfort of a home-cooked meal, plus the ease of an elevated dining experience: the newest restaurant from Josh Beeby of Barley’s and Trappe Door fame does it all. A cozy setting encourages conversation and gathering, while artful dishes and cocktails serve a sense of indulgence. You can’t miss with the chargrilled octopus or the whiskey sour. $$, D,

SBR. 2017A Augusta St. (864) 412-8677, theburrowgville.com

Fork and Plough The quintessential farm-to-fork partnership between Greenbrier Farms and Chef Shawn Kelly, with its casual, familyfriendly feel, Fork and Plough brings a butcher shop, market, and restaurant to the Overbrook neighborhood. Chef Kelly masterminds an ever-changing roster of locally sourced dishes. $$$, L, D, SBR. Closed Tues. 1629 E North St. (864) 6094249, forkandplough.com

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Foxcroft Wine Co. Charlotte-based Foxcroft Wine Co. transformed the West End space vacated by Brazwells Pub into a lovely wine bar decorated with warm woods, a barrelvaulted ceiling, and racks of wine. On the menu are tasty flatbreads and truffle fries, as well as signature lamb sliders and pan-seared scallops to pair with a generous list of wines by the glass. $-$$, D (Tues–Sun), shop open 10am– 11pm (Tues–Sat). Closed Mon. 631 S Main St. (864) 906-4200, foxcroftwine. com/greenville

GB&D The restaurant’s description itself—Golden Brown & Delicious—tells you all you need to know about this joint. Locally sourced dishes of American favorites— like the killer burger on a house-made brioche bun—star at lunch. Check out the extended menu at dinner, which features an impressive repertoire of creative dishes, from its new location at The Commons.

$$-$$$, L, D, SBR. Closed Tues. 147 Welborn St, Ste B1. (864) 230-9455, eatgbnd.com

Halls Chophouse The renowned Charleston steakhouse puts down roots along the Reedy River with a selection of wet- or dry-aged steaks (USDA Prime beef flown in from Chicago’s Allen Brothers). Try a Durham Ranch elk loin with root vegetable hash, and don’t miss the lavender French toast at brunch. $$$$, L (Fri–Sat), D, SBR. 550 S Main St. (864) 335-4200, hallschophousegreenville.com

Larkin’s on the River Located between the Peace Center and the Reedy River, Larkin’s balances upscale dining with comfort. Start with the shecrab soup, then select an entrée from the day’s offerings—or opt for an aged filet mignon with mashed potatoes and asparagus. Enjoy the river view on the enclosed outdoor patio and the extensive wine list. $$$-$$$$, L (Mon–Fri), D (daily), SBR. 318 S Main St. (864) 467-9777, larkinsontheriver.com

Northampton Wine + Dine Linger in the relaxed atmosphere of Northampton’s wine bar, where elegant bar bites accompany wines by the glass or bottle. Or, stay for dinner and select from an ever-changing menu, which includes seafood, beef, and wild game. The outdoor patio is a relaxing location for a meal or a glass of wine. $$-$$$$, L, D. 211-A E Broad St. (864) 271-3919, northamptonwineanddine.com

Oak Hill Café & Farm A former faculty member in Furman University’s environmental science department, Lori Nelsen blazes a new trail in the restaurant world with co-owner

Chef David Porras. The duo fulfills a long-time dream of creating a healthy, sustainable, and quality dining experience with an on-site farm and culinary research lab. Lovers of food innovation will not want to miss their multicourse tastings, an ode to nature’s bounty. $$-$$$$, D (Wed–

Sat); L, SBR (Fri–Sun). 2510 Poinsett Hwy. oakhillcafe.com

Restaurant 17 Restaurant 17 blends contemporary European bistro with Blue Ridge bliss. The menu changes seasonally, but expect dishes from Executive Chef Haydn Shaak (formerly of The Cliffs) like the woodfired octopus with pine nut romesco, baby beets, and Georgia olive oil or the Johnny Cake with country-style prosciutto. $$$-$$$$, D. Closed Sun & Mon. 10 Road of Vines, Travelers Rest. (864) 516-1254, restaurant17.com

Rick Erwin’s West End Grille Traditional surf-and-turf meets upscale dining at Rick Erwin’s. The dining room is decorated in rich, dark woods that, along with low lighting, create an intimate, stylish atmosphere. Entrées from Chef Scott Kroener range from sashimi-grade tuna and panseared sea bass, to certified Angus beef. $$-$$$$, D. Closed Sun. 648 S Main St. (864) 232-8999, rickerwins.com

Soby’s Local flavor shines here in entrées like crab cakes with remoulade, sweet corn maque choux, mashed potatoes, and haricot verts. Their selection of 700 wines guarantees the perfect meal complement. Featuring different weekly selections, the Sunday brunch buffet showcases the chefs’ creativity. $$$-$$$$, D,

SBR. 207 S Main St. (864) 232-7007, sobys.com

Tandem Creperie & Coffeehouse Tandem lures Swamp Rabbit cyclists with aromas of Counter Culture Coffee and a happy stomach guarantee. Try The Lumberjack (cornmeal crêpe, ham, bacon, eggs, cheese, bechamel, and maple syrup) or the tasty banana nut crêpe. Stuck between savory and sweet? Split one of each with a friend in the Tandem spirit: “Together is best.” $, B, L, SBR. 2 S Main St, Travelers Rest.

(864) 610-2245, tandemcc.com

Topsoil Kitchen + Market If they can grow it, locally source it, or make it in-house, they will. Located in the former Williams Hardware space in Travelers Rest, and just off the Swamp Rabbit Trail, this restaurant and market combo serves up fresh and modern veggie-driven dishes. Find unique wines and cocktails on the menu, too. $-$$$, D. Closed Mon–Wed. 13

S Main St, Travelers Rest. (864) 517-4617, topsoilrestaurant.com

Urban Wren This newcomer in the historic Markley Station fashions a chic city atmosphere where the food takes its cues from the restaurant’s carefully curated wine selection. Round up some friends and share a selection of seasonal small plates, such as cauliflower drop dumplings and rye whiskey beef short ribs. $$$-$$$$. D. Closed Tues. 116 N Markley St. (864) 867-1081, urbanwrenwinery.com

Woodside Bistro Down-home comfort food gets a fresh spin here, where portobello burgers, wedge salads, pesto chicken sandwiches, and rainbow vegan bowls color the menu. A casual go-to spot, Woodside aims to be a welcoming dining destination for all— whether you’re a vegan or meat lover.

$, L. Closed Sun. 1112 Woodside Ave. (864) 203-2333, woodsidebistro.com

BARS & BREWERIES 13 Stripes Brewery Providing patrons and patriots alike with a wide porch area and spacious interior bar, 13 Stripes rotates a loaded arsenal of aptly-titled suds—including the Rise & Fight Again IPA and the Sgt. Molly American wheat—and rolls out session beers, IPAs, porters, and other seasonal kegs that pair perfectly with one of 13 Stripes’ “ration plates,” laden with freshcut meats and cheeses. Taylors Mill, 250

Mill St, Ste PW 3101, Taylors. (864) 3491430, 13stripesbrewery.com

Bar Margaret This craft-cocktail bar takes over the former Village Grind and GB&D space on Pendleton Street with a funky fresh vibe and an eclectic variety of drinks, paired with bar bites. Try the Damn Good Burger featuring double beef patties, American cheese, onion rings, and Mars mayo on house-made brioche, served with a spicy pickle spear. Mixologists Sarah Cochran and Chris George shepherd the cocktail program, and while curated creations are their speciality (try the cOlá fashioned), patrons can find approachable brews, wine, and non-alcoholic bevs. $-$$. L, D. Closed Sun & Mon. 1269 Pendleton St, Greenville. barmarg.com

KEY: Average price of a dinner entrée (lunch if dinner isn’t served): Under $10 = $ $10-$15 = $$, $16-$25 = $$$, $25+ = $$$$ Breakfast = B Lunch = L Dinner = D Sat or Sun Brunch = SBR

REID’S FINE FOODS

Whether it’s a salmon plate, a bottle of wine, or a delectable pastry, Reid’s has everything a foodie heart could desire. Newly opened in the former Caviar & Bananas space, this Charlotte staple is a one-stop shop for breakfast, lunch, and a last-minute dinner party cheese board. Grab anything on the menu to go, or settle into the likes of a flat iron steak (above left), with squash & Brussels sprouts hash, chimichurri butter, and truffle cabernet sauce. B, L, D. $-$$.

1 N Laurens St. (864) 283-0940, reids.com

Photograph by Andrew Huang

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THE HOLIDAYS ARE CALLING. TIS’ THE SEASON FOR FESTIVE DRINKS!

Birds Fly South Ale Project Birds Fly South Ale Project has come home to roost in Hampton Station. Though closed for production Monday through Wednesday, the open-air taproom is the perfect end-of-week place to drain a cold glass while noshing on local food truck fare. Expect to find a rotating roster, such as the People Power saison, or the I Think It’s Gonna Be imperial IPA. 1320

Hampton Ave Ext. Closed Mon & Tues. (864) 412-8825, bfsbeer.com

Carolina Bauernhaus Enjoy the delights of autumn with good friends and good beer at Carolina Bauernhaus. Now open in the new Poe West area, this brewery sports an impressive tap list, as well as wicker picnic tables, hanging chair swings, and a smorgasbord of yard games. Take a load off in their outdoor patio space while sipping your favorite ale. $, L, D. Closed Mon & Tues. 556 Perry Ave. (864) 553-4371, carolinabauernhaus.com

The Community Tap / Tap Trailside Convenience, expertise, and atmosphere collide at The Community Tap. Choose from a wide selection of local, national, and international brews—or have a glass from one of the ever-rotating beer and wine taps. Check out their second location at The Commons and enjoy a glass with food from Automatic Taco, GB&D, or Methodical Coffee. 217 Wade

Hampton Blvd. (864) 631-2525; Tap Trailside at The Commons, 147 Welborn St. thecommunitytap.com

EXILE There’s a new bar in town, with nary a television or wing in sight. If you’re craving an expertly crafted cocktail (or a local beer) in a space with style, this will become your go-to spot. Ideal for a predinner stop, an after-work drink, or for a nightcap. Closed Sun–Tues. 9 Anderson St. exilegvl.com

live music every weekend!

Fireforge Craft Beer Fireforge brings a boozy twist to the phrase “small but mighty.” The smallbatch craft brewery made a home for itself in downtown Greenville in late June 2018, and founders Brian and Nicole Cendrowski are on a mission to push the boundaries of beer. We recommend The Fixer Smoked Baltic Porter—a smooth lager with a hint of cherrywood-smoked malt. 311 E Washington St. (864) 735-0885,

fireforge.beer

Piney Mountain Bike Lounge Part taproom and part full-service cycle shop, Piney Mountain Bike Lounge offers the perfect pit stop after a long day of riding the trails. Local craft brews, wine, and cider complement a regular food truck schedule of popular mobile eateries. Kids (and adults) can enjoy the pump track out back. 20 Piney Mountain Rd, Greenville.

(864) 603-2453, pineymtb.com

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Quest Brewing Co. Eco-minded Quest satisfies your beer cravings and environmental enthusiasm in a single sip. Grab a pint of QBC’s signature West Coast–style Ellida IPA, packing a punch of flavor, or venture to the dark side with the Kaldi imperial coffee stout (crafted with locally roasted beans). Stop by for an afternoon tour, then follow up with an

evening full of food truck fare and live music. Wed–Sat. 55 Airview Dr, Greenville. (864) 272-6232, questbrewing.com

Swordfish Cocktail Club The term cocktail club calls to mind a time in history when pre- (and post-) dinner drinks were not only expected but revered among friends for an evening of fun. Swordfish resurrects this perspective in downtown Greenville, with a classic collection of handcrafted cocktails and small plates that are as stunning as they are delectable. $$, D. 220 E Coffee St. Wed–Sat, 5pm–12am. (864) 434-9519, swordfishcocktails.com

Tasting Room TR Wind down on the weekend at this combination gourmet wine shop, beer tap, and sampling space. With nearly 200 wines and 150 craft beers for sale, there’s something to satisfy every palate. Not sure what vino revs your engine? Taste-test a few by the glass and pick up a favorite. Enjoy cheese and charcuterie while you sip. $$, L (Sat–Sun), D (Wed–Sat), Closed Mon– Tues. 164 S Main St, Ste C, Travelers Rest. (864) 610-2020, tastingroomtr.com

Taxi House Wines The bright yellow sliver of a building in the Village’s plaza was once the neighborhood taxi stand, hence this curated shop’s moniker, Taxi House Wines. Now, in collaboration with The Anchorage, the vino destination offers more than 80 unique wine selections, chosen from small, familyowned wineries that focus on sustainability. Stop by for a bottle, or two, or peruse the collection online. Closed Sun & Mon. 586

Perry Ave. Tues–Sat, noon–8pm. (864) 2070685, taxihousewines.com

The Whale Originating in Asheville, this craft joint comes to South Main with a plethora of whale brews—rare and sought-after beers like the exclusive Spreadsheets and Deadlines hazy IPA, brewed just up the mountain in North Carolina. Having a hard time choosing? Knowledgeable staff are on hand to help you find the beer just for you. 1108 S Main St, Ste #116. (864) 263-7529, thewhalegvl.com

CAFÉS Bridge City Coffee A coffee shop with a mission, Bridge City’s philosophy is all in the name. The local roaster seeks to uphold community values by partnering with area organizations to offer employment opportunities for underresourced teens and adults. The fresh space presents a variety of drinks crafted with inhouse roasted beans. Getting hangry? A selection of treats is also available. $-$$. B, L. Closed Sun. 1520 Wade Hampton Blvd. bridgecity.coffee

Coffee Underground Coffee Underground boasts a wide selection of specialty coffees, adult libations, and dreamy desserts like the peanut butter pie with graham cracker crust and a peanut butter and vanilla mousse. If you’re craving more substantial fare, choose from a splendid breakfastanytime option, sandwiches, soups, salads, and more. $-$$, B, L, D, SBR. 1 E Coffee St. (864) 2980494, coffeeunderground.info

Dobrá Tea Tea is the new coffee at this cheery café in the Village of West Greenville, where you can choose among more than 100 different types of tea from around the globe. Pair your favorite cup with a gluten-free, vegan or vegetarian snack from the list of sweets and savories. $-$$. B, L, D. 1278 Pendleton St. (864) 520-1832, dobrateasc.com

Due South Coffee Roasters Birds Fly South Ale Project no longer has a monopoly on cold brews now that Due South has set up shop in Hampton Station. In their new digs, the coffee shop sports a café vibe, with baked goodies like Swamp Fox Doughnuts complementing espresso drinks and cold brew nitro (infused with nitrogen). Beans, sourced from around the globe, are roasted on-site. $, B, L. 1320 Hampton Ave Ext, 4B. (864) 283-6680, duesouthcoffee.com

Grateful Brew A brew joint where you can enjoy both the non-alcoholic and alcoholic varieties, Grateful Brew provides guests with made-to-order Counter Culture espressos, pour-overs, and locally crafted brews. Enjoy food trucks most nights, or bring your own grub. The Brew welcomes every member of the family, even those of the four-legged sort. $, B, L, D. Closed Sunday. 501 S Pleasantburg Dr. (864) 558-0767, gratefulbrewgvl.com

Kuka Juice Created by nutrition mavens Abigail Mitchell and Samantha Shaw, Kuka doles out coldpressed craft with health-minded passion. Grab the ginger binger juice, or dig into the Taco ’Bout It bowl with romaine, walnut meat, salsa fresca, black beans, avocado, and pepitas with cilantro lime vinaigrette. Paninis, bowls, soups, toasts, smoothies, and more are also available. $, B, L. 580 Perry Ave,

Greenville. (864) 905-1214, kukajuice.com

Methodical Coffee Whether it’s the white marble countertops or the gleaming Slayer espresso machine, Methodical is a coffee bar built for taste. Coffee guru Will Shurtz, designer Marco Suarez, and hotelier David Baker ensure there’s plenty of substance to go with style. With single-origin espressos, wine varieties, and now a café menu, it’s all worth the rave. $-$$, B, L. 101 N Main St, Ste D; 207 Wade Hampton Blvd; 147 Welborn St. methodicalcoffee.com

Mountain Goat Greenville A destination for brews and bikes, Mountain Goat proudly serves Methodical Coffee, along with more than 40 types of beer and wine. The sleek, industrial space provides a friendly atmosphere to sip on your beverage of choice, but be sure to check the food truck schedule. Plus, every purchase helps provide tutoring, mentoring, and job opportunities for at-risk youth in the community. $-$$. B, L, Closed Sunday. 120 Shaw St. mountaingoatgvl.com

O-CHA Tea Bar A trip to O-CHA will have you considering tea in an entirely new light. This sleek space, located right on the river in Falls Park, specializes in bubble tea—flavored teas with chewy tapioca pearls. For a more intense cooling experience, try the mochi ice cream. The dessert combines the chewy Japanese confection (a soft, pounded sticky rice cake) with ice cream fillings in fun flavors:

tiramisu, green tea chocolate, mango, and more. $, B, L, D. 300 River St, Ste 122. (864) 283-6702, ochateabaronline.com

Old Europe Located in the West End, Old Europe satisfies your sweet tooth with dozens of decadent pastries and desserts. Éclairs and cookies pair well with an extensive coffee selection, while savory breakfast items are always on hand. Sink into a slice of opera cake, paired with a glass of Champagne. $, B, L, D. 716 S. Main St. Sun–Thurs, 8am– 9pm, Fri–Sat, 8am–11pm. (864) 775-0210, oldeuropedesserts.com

Southern Pressed Juicery A healthy-eaters haven, Southern Pressed Juicery offers super-food fans organic smoothies, bowls, juices, and more. Try a power-packed energy bowl like the dragon blood, a hot-pink concoction of dragon fruit, almond milk, banana, layered with buckwheat granola, raw honey, coconut chips, kiwi, and bee pollen. $-$$, B, L. 2 W Washington St. (864) 729-8626, southernpressedjuicery.com

Sun Belly Café The chefs at this health food joint on the Westside plan lunch specials daily, based on what their farmers harvest in the morning. Week by week, the full plantbased menu changes to accommodate seasonal dishes and fresh, wholesome ingredients. The wild mushroom pho is all the rage, but if you’re on the go, pick up a tasty $6 vegan salad. Options for meal prep and family-sized lasagnas mean healthy cooking is always on the table. $-$$, B, L.

Closed Sunday. 1409 West Blue Ridge Dr. (404) 309-7791

Swamp Rabbit Café & Grocery Grocery store, neighborhood café. Local produce, delicious food. These intersections are what make the Swamp Rabbit Café a staple. But new to the operation is wood-fired pizza. Sourcing every ingredient from area vendors, the ever-changing toppings feature local cheeses and fresh-from-the-farm produce. Beer taps flow with excellent local suds. $, B, L, D. 205 Cedar Lane Rd. (864) 2553385, swamprabbitcafe.com

The Village Grind Tucked between art galleries and eclectic shops in the heart of Pendleton Street, The Village Grind is a cheerful, light-filled space for java lovers. Emphasizing community, the coffeehouse brews up beans by a variety of local roasters and serves flaky treats. $, B, L.

HOME

for the Holidays A sincere thank you to all of my wonderful clients with whom I have had the opportunity to build relationships over the years. It has been an honor and a privilege to help you achieve your dreams. May you have a peaceful holiday season and a happy new year!

1258 Pendleton St. (864) 915-8600

Two Chefs Catering & Café Count on this deli for fast, high-quality food, from homemade soups to a traditional grinder and a turkey melt. Grab “crafted carryout” entrées and sides, or impress last-minute guests with roasted turkey and Parmesan potatoes. Choose from the menu, or check back for daily specials. $-$$, B, L, D. Closed Sun. 644 N Main St, Ste 107. (864) 370-9336, twochefscafeandmarket.com

Upcountry Provisions Serving up gourmet sandwiches on freshmade bread, Upcountry Provisions is well worth a trip to Travelers Rest for breakfast or an extended lunch break. Snack on the shop’s daily crafted cookies, scones, and muffins, or bite into a devil dog BLT with hormone-free meat on just-baked white

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focaccia. $, B, L, D. Closed Sundays. 6809 State Park Rd, Travelers Rest. (864) 8348433, upcountryprovisions.com

ETHNIC Asada Asada, a brick-and-mortar taqueria on Wade Hampton Boulevard, serves traditional Mission-style fare. Grab a bite of flavor with the grilled sweet potatoes & leeks sopes, a savory vegan dish served on scratch-made sopes topped with homemade charred red peppers and guajillo romesco salsa, and queso fresco for the dairy-inclined. $-$$, L, D. Closed

Sun & Mon. 903 Wade Hampton Blvd. (864) 770-3450, asadarestaurant.com

Asia Pacific Deemed the largest Asian supermarket in Greenville, Asia Pacific also doubles as a restaurant with a host of authentic cuisine. The menu is pages long, with more than 100 options and a multitude of soups, noodles, and combinations. If you’re planning a visit, be sure your stomach is as big as your eyes. $-$$, L, D, Mon–Sun

10am–9pm. 420 N Pleasantburg Dr. (864) 603-1377, asiapacificgreenville.com

Elizabeth McDaniel Owner

Artisan chocolates, cocktails, wine, beer, espresso, desserts, and more! Poe West | 556 Perry Avenue Suite B115 | NOW OPEN 12-9 Wed-Sat 864-263-7083 | www.LaRueFineChocolate.com

Kairos Greek Kitchen This Charleston-originated spot serves up heaping portions of traditional Mediterranean cuisine, like slow-roasted kabobs that explode with flavor even before you dip them into the tzatziki sauce. Their choose-your-own approach leads to creative salad combos, and you can also turn any meal into a pita wrap, bowl, or platter. $-$$, L, D. 1800 Augusta St. (864) 520-1723, kairosgreekkitchen.com

THE GREENVILLE SPIRIT WE LOVE GREENVILLE AND WE KNOW YOU DO TOO, SO...

ocally owned restaurants, including franchisee system restaurants, are the heart and soul of the Upstate food and beverage industry. The owners are struggling alongside their employees to keep everyone safe while trying to support the community and its dining needs. Supporting locally owned businesses allows them to keep staff employed and to support locally owned purveyors as well. The local economy and community is stronger when we all try to support local businesses. – Mike Porter President & Managing Member Bacon Bros. Public House

3620 Pelham Road | 864-297 6000

AT THE eart OF OUR COMMUNITY FOR OVER 20 YEARS h w e i n f o r m . w e c o n n e c t. w e i n s p i r e . w e d e l i v e r.

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Lemongrass Thai This Main Street institution’s long, lofty interior sets a calming tone for its authentic Thai cuisine. The menu features standards like pad Thai and outstanding curries, but also chef’s specials like Soft Shell Crab and Clay Pot Seafood. $-$$, L, D. 106 N Main St, Greenville. (864) 241-9988, lemongrassthai.net

Mekong Taste the nuances of fine Vietnamese cuisine at Mekong. Favorites include the grilled pork vermicelli: marinated pork, lettuce, cucumber, bean sprouts, mint, cilantro, peanuts, and crispy shallots, and the spring and summer rolls. Also try the Vietnamese crêpes or the pho, which is flavored with fresh herbs from the restaurant’s home-grown herb garden. $, L, D. Closed Mon. 2013

Wade Hampton Blvd. (864) 244-1314, mekongrestaurantgreenville.com

Pita House The Pita House has been family-operated since 1989. Inside, it’s bare bones, but the cognoscenti come here for tasty Middle Eastern fare such as hummus, falafel, kibbeh, and shwarma. And save room for baklava and other Mediterranean sweets for dessert. Also, check out the grocery in the back of the restaurant for some homemade inspiration. $, L, D. Closed Sun. 495 S Pleasantburg Dr, #B. (864) 271-9895, pitahousesc.com

Sacha’s Café Bright walls and a long, inviting bar make a sunny backdrop in which to chow

down on Colombian food at Sacha’s. Arepas are available with ingredients like beans, chorizo, avocado, shredded beef, and more stuffed inside (rellenas) or piled on top (encima). The patacones, or deep-fried plantains, are thick and sweet. Hungry groups can order the fiesta platter, a sampler that serves six people. To drink, try one of the natural fruit juices, or the imported cervezas. $. L, D. 1001 N Pleasantburg Dr. (864) 232-3232, sachascafe.com

Swad Tucked off of Laurens Road, this venerable family-run Indian restaurant hones in on vegetarian cuisine. South Indian specialties such as idli (steamed rice cakes) and dosas (thin rice crepes) served with sambar (lentil stew) delight regulars, while those biding their budget go for the value meals that come with basmati rice or naan. $, L, D. 1421 Laurens Rd. (864) 233-2089

TruBroth TruBroth takes healing arts and blends them seamlessly into deliciously crafted meals. Appease your curiosity with a visit to this Travelers Rest gem, which offers a varied mix of Vietnamese staples, health-happy bites, and coffee. $$, L, D. 36A S Main St, Travelers Rest. Sun– Thurs. (864) 610-0513, trubrothcoffee.com

EUROPEAN Bake Room The final addition to The Commons food hall, Bake Room provides a tasty touch. Naturally leavened breads and handmade pastries are baked in Wade Taylor’s German deck oven and Swedish rack oven, and are the perfect complement to a coffee from Methodical, strategically placed right next door. $, B, L. 147 Welborn St, Greenville. Wed–Sun, 8am–3pm. @sc_bakeroom

Jianna With stellar views of Main Street from its wrap-around terrace, this modern Italian osteria offers patrons daily house-made pastas, the region’s freshest seasonal ingredients, and, of course, oysters—all led by famed chef Michael Kramer. Grab a cocktail or a glass of wine from the 40-foot bar, and nosh on pasta dishes like potato gnocchi, radiatori, or tonnarelli with local tomatoes, corn, and chanterelle mushrooms. $$-$$$, L (Sat– Sun), D. 207 S Main St. (864) 720-2200, jiannagreenville.com

The Lazy Goat The Lazy Goat’s tapas-style menu is distinctly Mediterranean. Sample from the Graze and Nibble dishes, such as the crispy Brussels sprouts with Manchego shavings and sherry glacé. For a unique entrée, try the duck confit pizza with a sour cherry vinaigrette and a farm egg. An extensive variety of wine is available in addition to a full bar. $$-$$$, L, D. 170 River Pl. (864)

679-5299, thelazygoat.com

Limoncello This latest Larkin’s spot serves up Italian cuisine out of the former Playwright space on River and Broad streets. The menu ranges from pesto pizzas to chicken marsala to classics like

spaghetti and meatballs—but the real winner is an all-Italian wine list, curated from award-winning vineyards across the region. After you’ve had your glass, grab a bite of the housemade limoncello gelato. $$-$$$, L, D. 401 River St. (864) 263-7000, limoncellogvl.com

Pasta Addict This Italian haven satisfies at West End outdoor food hall Gather GVL. From gnocchi to tortellini, indulging in cheesy goodness is easy out of their iconic cone containers. Pair your favorite bottle of vino with a bowl of fresh spaghetti alla chitarra, featuring San Marzano D.O.P. tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, toasted breadcrumbs, and Addict oil. $, D, Sun lunch. Closed Mon. 126 Augusta St. (864) 404-0095, pastaddict.com

Ristorante Bergamo Open since 1986, Ristorante Bergamo focuses on fresh produce and Northern Italian cuisine: fresh mussels sautéed in olive oil, garlic, and white wine, veal with homegrown organic herbs, and pasta creations such as linguine with shrimp and mussels. The bar fronts 14-foot windows along Main Street, making it a prime location for enjoying a glass while people-watching. $$$, D. Closed Sun

& Mon. 100 N Main St. (864) 271-8667, ristorantebergamo.com

Stella’s Southern Brasserie Boasting French flair and fare, this sister to Stella’s Southern Bistro is the second of Jason and Julia Scholz’s eateries. Stationed in Hollingsworth Park, French staples like blue-black mussel shells with smoked tomato broth, Marsala-spiked onion soup gratinée, and roasted game hen are served up daily in a lively, chic environment. Don’t miss the breakfast pastries. $$-$$$. B, L, D, SBR. 340 Rocky Slope Rd, Ste 100, Greenville. (864) 6266900, stellasbrasserie.com

PIZZA Coastal Crust Now in the Village of West Greenville, these Neapolitan-style pizza pies are baked in a wood-fired brick oven and topped with local produce from Reedy River Farms. Check out the aptly-named West Village pie, a classic pepperoni pizza punched up with burrata, caramelized onions, sautéed peppers, and sausage.

$$, L, D. 1254 Pendleton St. (843) 654-9606, coastalcrustgreenville.com

D’Allesandro’s Pizza Hailing from Charleston, D’Allesandro’s brings dough heaven to Greenville. The D’Allesandro brothers’ philosophy is simple—if the pizza is good and the beer is cold, people will come. Created with quality ingredients, the shop pushes out pies in the North Main area, where guests can enjoy savory pizzas, calzones, and even signature CalJoes. $$, L, D. 17 Mohawk Dr, Greenville.

(864) 252-4700, dalspizzagvl.com

Sidewall Pizza Company This pizza joint is a fast favorite with its handcrafted, brick-oven pies made from local ingredients. But their salads are nothing to ignore, not to mention dessert: the homemade ice cream will make you forget about those fellas named Ben & Jerry. $$, L, D. Closed Sun & Mon. 35 S

Main St, Travelers Rest, (864) 610-0527; 99

Cleveland St, (864) 558-0235; 3598 Pelham Rd, (864) 991-8748, sidewallpizza.com

Stone Pizza Serving both Neapolitan- and New York–style pizzas, this spot is ideal for a classic family outing or catching the game with a few friends. Stone and its fireinspired pies are crafted with house-made mozzarella, San Marzano tomatoes, Caputo flour, and baked in a wood-fired oven. $$, L (Sat & Sun), D. 500 E Park Ave. (864) 6094490, stonepizzacompany.com

Vic’s Pizza The sign that says “Brooklyn, SC” at this family-run walk-up/take-out joint makes sense when you see what you’re getting: piping hot New York–style pizza, served on paper plates. Purchase by the slice, or have entire pies delivered (as long as your home or business is within three miles).

$, L, D. Closed Sun & Mon. 12 E Coffee St. (864) 232-9191, vicspizza4u.com

World Piece From the owners of downtown’s beloved Coffee Underground, World Piece brings Chicago-style pizza to Stone Avenue. Offering a line-up of draft beers and menu features like buffalo chicken wings, salads, burgers, french fries, and, of course, savory pies, this pizza joint ensures there’s something for everyone. $-$$. L, D. 109 West Stone Ave, Ste A1. (864) 568-5221, worldpiecemenu.com

TA C O S Automatic Taco Since 2015, Nick Thomas has delivered new wonders and old favorites from his food truck, treating the tortilla as a work of art. From its new brick-and-mortar spot in The Commons, Auto continues to serve up creative takes on tacos, with standout chips and guacamole, salsa, sides, and cocktails. $-$$, L, D. 147 Welborn St. (404) 372-2266, automatictaco.com

Papi’s Tacos Jorge “Papi” Baralles brings family tradition and the familiar childhood flavors of Cuautla, Mexico, to this walk-up taqueria on the Reedy River. The menu is short and to the point. Get your tacos with shrimp, barbacoa, al pastor, carne asada, carnitas, or chicken and chorizo, or sample some gelato in the display case. $, L, D. 300 River

St. (864) 373-7274, eatpapistacos.com

White Duck Taco Shop White Duck sets up shop at Hampton Station in the Water Tower District, and feels right at home next to Birds Fly South Ale Project. Try the Bangkok shrimp taco or the mushroom potato with romesco, and pair with their fresh peach sangria or an ale from Birds Fly South’s rotation. $-$$, L, D.

Learn More Marsh & McLennan Agency 870 S. Pleasantburg Drive Greenville, SC 29607 +1 864 271 6336

MarshMMA.com

Closed Sun & Mon. 1320 Hampton Ave, Ext Ste 12B. whiteducktacoshop.com

Willy Taco Much like its Spartanburg-based sister, Greenville’s Willy Taco is a straight-up Mexican fiesta. Housed in the former Feed & Seed, the atmosphere pairs perfectly with its festive food presentation. Choose from a variety of taco flavors; we suggest the mother clucker—topped off with a margarita. $-$$, L, D. Closed Mon. 217

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1922 Augusta St. Suite 111 Greenville, SC 29605 greenville@stretchlab.com | (864) 808.3125 stretchlab.com

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From holiday dinners “to go” and intimate home parties to socially distanced celebrations, Table 301 Catering is here to help with all your food and beverage needs.

Have Food. Will Travel. visit table301catering.com to book your next party

2 • 0 • 2 • 0

Teahouse and Healthy Café In the Village of West Greenville

READER’S

LENS PHOTO CONTEST The Greenville Journal invites you to

share your best photos of what the Upstate has to offer.

Each month one Editor’s Choice winner will win a $50 gift card to an Upstate business. Three honorable mention photos will also receive a $25 gift card to an Upstate business. Winning entries will be published in the Greenville Journal.

DECEMBER 2020 THEME:

HOLIDAY SPIRIT

For details on each month’s contest, or to submit your photo and vote, visit:

GreenvilleJournal.com/ReadersLens

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Thru Jan 31

UCB ICE ON MAIN Greenville’s answer to Rockefeller Center, the winter ice-skating rink on the Village Green (adjacent to the Courtyard by Marriott Greenville Downtown) is a holiday favorite. Grab the family, lace up your ice skates (or rent a pair on-site), and brush up on those camel spins and double axels. Before you leave, warm up with a cup of hot chocolate and other seasonal sweet treats.

206 S Main St, Greenville. Mon–Thurs, 3–8pm; Fri, 3–10pm; Sat, 11am–10pm; Sun, 11am–8pm. Adults (13+), $10; children (4–12), $8; age 3 & under, free. (864) 467-5751, greenvillesc.gov/1654/UCB-Ice-on-Main

Thru Jan 30 White Christmas: The Exhibition | Thru Jan 30

WHITE CHRISTMAS: THE EXHIBITION If you’re dreaming of a white Christmas, this new exhibit at the Upcountry History Museum should do the trick. Celebrating the Academy Award–winning Irving Berlin song,

Upcountry History Museum, 540 Buncombe St, Greenville. Tues–Sat, 10am–5pm. Included with museum admission ($10). (864) 581-2298, upcountryhistory.org/ exhibitions-events/changing-exhibits/ white-christmas-the-exhibition

Thru Jan 10

CHRISTMAS AT BILTMORE Face it, no matter how many lights you string across your house and yard, it’s never going to compare to the 100,000 twinkling lights that illuminate Biltmore Estate at Christmastime. The good news is, you can take in all the holiday magic either by day or by candlelight in the evenings at George Vanderbilt’s Gilded Age estate. In addition to a selfguided tour of the house, admission

Garrison Opticians Holiday Sale $100 off a complete pair of prescription glasses $125 off each additional pair of prescription glasses 15% off non prescription sunglasses and accessories 50% off discontinued frames

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864-271-1812 • GarrisonOpticians.com

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Photograph courtesy of the Sigal Music Museum

DECEMBER

first sung by Bing Crosby in 1941, and the eponymous musical that followed in 1954, the 2,000-square-foot exhibit displays the film’s legendary costumes, props, replica backdrops, and sheet music. The beloved story of two WWII vets who team up with singing sisters to save a failing Vermont lodge, White Christmas still ranks as the highestgrossing musical of all time.

Photograph courtesy of the Upcountry History Museum

Town Scene

Photograph courtesy of the Sigal Music Museum

DEC

ons

Sigal Music Museum, 516 Buncombe St, Greenville. Tues–Sat, 10am–5pm; Sun, 1–5pm. Included with museum admission ($7). (864) 520-8807, sigalmusicmuseum.org

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SENSATIONAL SIGAL To celebrate its renaming, the Sigal Music Museum on Heritage Green is featuring an exhibition highlighting the renowned collection of its namesake, Marlowe A. Sigal. After his death in 2018, Sigal’s family donated his internationally renowned collection of antique musical instruments to the museum. See some of the collector’s most prized pieces from among a group of 700 instruments—including keyboards, flutes, woodwinds, strings, and percussion—dating back to the fourteenth century.

Sensational Sigal | Thru Dec 31

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Thru Dec 31

Thru Dec 25

ANDERSON CHRISTMAS LIGHTS For the past 27 years, Anderson Lights of Hope has been illuminating the holiday season with more than 3.5 million lights covering 160 displays across 45 acres. Although the pandemic has put a kibosh on the event’s traditional Christmas Village this year, the entrance fee allows you to go around the 2.5-mile drive as many times as you like. So if you need a little Christmas, lift your spirits by heading for this glittering holiday wonderland.

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1 Lodge St, Asheville, NC. Daytime visits daily, 10am–5pm; Candlelight Evenings daily, 5:30–11pm. Daytime tickets start at $84; evening tickets start at $114. (800) 411-3812, biltmore.com

fees give you access to the estate grounds, shops, and winery.

Enter on Martin Luther King Blvd, at the corner of Woodcrest Dr (across from Anderson Civic Center), Anderson. Sun– Thurs, 5:30–9pm; Fri–Sat, 5:30–10pm. $10/car. andersonchristmaslights.org

Thru Dec 20

INDIE CRAFT PARADE: THE SHOP EDITION The Makers Collective has reimagined the Indie Craft Parade for 2020 as a hybrid of their beloved annual fall festival and their holiday pop-up shop. The Indie Craft Parade Shop is open weekends through December 20 with a rotating selection, and an outdoor

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2909 Old Buncombe Rd, Greenville. Fri–Sun, 11am–5pm. makerscollective.org/ indiecraftparade

MARTINIS & MISTLETOE The official kickoff party for the Bon Secours St. Francis Festival of Trees goes virtual this year, when a ticket buys you private online access to a live performance by Jared Emerson. The painter, who has a studio at Art Crossing in downtown Greenville, is known for the large canvases he creates in front of live audiences. You can bid on his work, along with pieces by 10 other local artists, as part of the party’s silent auction. Thurs, 7pm. $50. (864) 255-1040, stfrancisfoundation.com/event/ festival-of-trees

5 & 12

TD ESSENTIAL MARKET HOLIDAY EDITION It’s the downtown TD Saturday Market you know and love, but with a holiday theme. Sure, you can still find seasonal

Martinis & Mistletoe | Dec 3

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veggies (think: winter squash, kale, and collards) and other food items for holiday feasting, but you can also shop for Christmas gift baskets and handmade crafts among the 30 vendors lining Main Street. Masks and social-distancing measures still apply. Main St at McBee Ave, Greenville. Sat, 9am–1pm. Free. (864) 467-4494, saturdaymarketlive.com

18, 19 & 26

GREENVILLE SWAMP RABBITS If you’ve been missing sports these past months, here’s your chance to get in on the hare-raising fun at The Well. The Swamp Rabbits play three games on their home ice in December, when they take on the Florida Everblades (Dec 18 & 19) and the South Carolina Stingrays (Dec 26). Reserve your tickets, and come root for the home team.

Bon Secours Wellness Arena, 650 N Academy St, Greenville. Fri & Sat, 7:05pm. Prices TBD. (864) 241-3800, swamprabbits.com

VERY MERRY LOCAL CHRISTMAS MARKET Snow or no, it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas at Trailblazer Park. From

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Photograph of Jared Emerson by Will Wright

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mini market on December 5, so you’ll have plenty of opportunities to find that one-of-a-kind handmade gift by one of 100 artists whose work is featured.

Town Scene

bakers and blacksmiths to potters and printmakers, the roundup of artisans at TR’s holiday market is bound to inspire creative gift-giving. Sip on hot cocoa or cider and enjoy holiday music while you browse. Stick around so the kids can see Santa, who will be ho-ho-ing from 2–4pm. Trailblazer Park, 235 Trailblazer Dr, Travelers Rest. Sat, 1–5pm. (864) 610-0965, travelersrestfarmersmarket.com

Photograph courtesy of the International Ballet

WOODLAND CREATURE ORNAMENTS: MAKE + SIP Join this jolly holiday class to make your own wooden creature ornaments, perfect for Christmas gifts or to brighten up your own tree. Attendees (children age 10 and above) will learn how to saw out and finish their ornaments, and will go home with at least one completed piece. Feel free to bring your own wine to ramp up the holiday spirit.

Make Made Jewelry, 241 N Main St, Ste C, Greenville. Sat, 3–6pm. $55. (864) 412-8087, makemadejewelry.com

personality Megan Heidlberg hosts this year’s edition of Holiday at Peace. Led by Edvard Tchivzhel, the Greenville Symphony Orchestra plays your yuletide favorites, accompanied by superstar soprano and Greenville native Karen Parks. Plan to come with friends, as tickets will be sold in groups of four for social-distancing purposes. Peace Center, 300 S Main St, Greenville. Fri, 7:30 pm. $45. (864) 467-3000, peacecenter.org

THE VIRTUAL NUTCRACKER TEA PARTY The International Ballet’s annual Nutcracker Tea Party goes virtual this year. For the price of a ticket, you’ll receive a gift box (available for pickup on December 19) packed with all the necessary goodies for tea—it even includes a dainty cup and saucer and a keepsake IB ornament. So put on your party dress and celebrate at home with your little sugar plum fairies. International Ballet, Greenville. Sun, 1:30–3:30pm. $45. (864) 879-9404, internationalballet.org

HOLIDAY AT PEACE It just wouldn’t be the holidays in Greenville without this heart-warming annual performance. Local television

The Virtual Nutcracker Tea Party | Dec 20

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CSI: KEYBOARDS Join Sigal Music Museum as our curatorial team and guest scholars explore the history of multiple keyboard instruments in our collection with an engaging and free 4-part lecture series.

JEWELRY ORIGINAL DESIGNS CUSTOM REPAIRS

Lecture II: Materials Matter

A deep dive into: • Unique piano case craftsmanship and furniture making with Greenville Woodworkers Guild • Metals and leathers compatible with early pianos • The decorative place in the early American home

December 13, 2020 • 3-5pm Facebook Live & Zoom

For sign-up details visit us online:

SigalMusicMuseum.org/calendar — SPONSORS —

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PHOTO BY ARTISTIC TILE

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SPARTANBURG 530 S. Blackstock Road 864.587.9732

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Join us in Honoring the

2020 AWARD RECIPIENTS and their Contributions to the Greenville community.

VISIONARY LEADERSHIP AWARD

EDUCATION SPIRIT AWARD

RECIPIENT

Carl Sobocinski

RUTH NICHOLSON AWARD

On Track Greenville

Marie Monroe

SPONSOR:

RECIPIENT

founder and president of Table 301 Restaurant Group

SPONSOR:

HEALTHCARE TRANSFORMATION AWARD

COMMUNITY SPIRIT AWARD

LEADERSHIP IN ARTS AWARD

PHILANTHROPIC SPIRIT AWARD

RECIPIENT

Dr. Scott Sasser SPONSOR:

Greenville Free Medical Clinic SPONSOR:

South Carolina Children’s Theatre SPONSOR:

Bill Pelham SPONSOR:

Members of SCCT’s Capital Campaign Cabinet

AWARD VIDEOS AND FULL FEATURES ONLINE AT TOWNCAROLINA.COM/CGA2020 CGA2020 Winners_Dec TOWN fp V2.indd 1

11/13/20 11:23 AM

Second Glance

TIME AFTER TIME GREEN V ILLE’S HA MPTON III GA LLERY CELEBR ATES FIF T Y YEA RS OF EXCEPTIONA L A RT

(left to right) Tom Stanley, Attic Drawing #5, acrylic, 30” x 22”; Edward Rice, Dark House, oil on canvas, 42” x 48”.

ifty years ago, a young teacher at Bob Jones University collaborated with three art faculty friends to establish a singular space to display their work. Directed by Richard Rupp, the Hampton III Gallery opened in 1970 exhibiting the talents of now nationally lauded artists like Carl Blair, Emery Bopp, and Darrell Koons. Throughout the years, the gallery has continued to present exceptional works to the public, from the likes of Southern abstract artist William Halsey to painter Leo Twiggs. The gallery celebrates this significant anniversary with the honorary exhibit Hampton Gold: 50 Years, highlighting works from artists represented by Hampton III through December 31. Hampton Gold: 50 Years will be on display at Hampton III Gallery through December 31. 3110 Wade Hampton Blvd, Taylors. Tues–Fri, 1–5pm, Sat, 10am–5pm. View online at hamptoniiigallery.com.

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