TOWN Jan. 2021

ART, CULTURE, STYLE OF THE PROGRESSIVE SOUTH

WINTER SONG R E C H A R G E Y O U R S P I R I T I N N AT U R E ’ S B E A U T Y

JAN UARY 2021

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One McDaniel Greene, Greenville, SC 29601

Each affiliate independently owned and operated.

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An Important Aspect of Senior Living

of Greenville, we embrace the concept Hilltop of Greenville, we embrace the of concept AAt tHilltop

of keeping our residents believe keeping our residents active. Weactive. believe We in and followina and follow a process referred to as MESH Eat, Sleep, process referred to as MESH (Move, Eat,(Move, Sleep, Heal).

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It Itallallstarts assessment of of thethe resident, startswith witha acomprehensive comprehensive assessment resident, focusing their Physical, Emotional, Environmental, focusingonon their Physical, Emotional, Environmental, Social,Spiritual, Spiritualand andIntellectual Intellectualwell-being. well-being.Our Our assessment Social, takes into takes consideration the individual needs,needs, wants and assessment into consideration the individual likes of our residents..

We focus stress, their ability wants, and likes of our residents.

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We toreview theirreview general and their ability sleep. We theirhealth, generalnutrition health, and overall ability to participate in our program and at what nutrition, and overall ability to participate in our program level.

Finally, set priorities for each for resident and at what level.weFinally, we set priorities each and strive to achieve them. In our environment it is important that resident and strive to achieve them. In our environment we understand that some residents may have significant it is important that we understand that some residents limitations and our programs are customized to their needs may have significant limitations, and our programs are specifically. customized needs specifically. program is to provide a The basis to oftheir our activity/wellness

minimum 14activity/wellness activities each day, whichisallows for variety, The basis ofofour program to provide a choice and the ability to run programs simultaneously. In minimum of 14 activities each day, which allows for variety, addition to the planned activities, each resident is provided choice, and the ability to run programs simultaneously. In a one to one activity specifically designed around their addition to the planned activities, each resident is provided individual needs. a one-to-one activity specifically designed around their individual needs. include active options (walking, gardening, Our programs

scavenger hunt, chair aerobics, chair yoga) and programs that stimulate the mind (trivia, current events, puzzles,

Contact us today at (864) 558-0383 or

Paid Advertisement programsOur include active also options (walking, mindOur matching). programs include food gardening, (cooking scavenger hunt, chair aerobics, chair yoga) and programs, visiting chef, wine and cheese tasting)programs and fun that stimulate the mind (trivia,bingo, currentbowling, events, puzzles, programs (live entertainment, fishing, mind matching).

Our programs include food (cooking card games and of course sporting also events)

In particular, pet therapy is a proven, powerfulintool for with those periods of increased agitation and confusion those residents with Syndrome—evening periodsand of Alzheimer’s.

A Sundowners dog’s non-verbal communication increased is agitation andfor confusion in those with Alzheimer’s acceptance soothing those experiencing difficulties Disease. dog’scommunication non-verbal communication and acceptance with their Aown skills. Even severely residents display better difficulties cognitive with stimulation, programs, visiting chef, wine and cheese tasting) and fun affected is soothing for those experiencing their Finally, we utilize pet therapy. Itbingo, doesn’t take afishing, scientist appetite, andskills. more social behavior when with programs (live entertainment, bowling, card improved own communication Even severely affected residents to know thatand petsofmake humans good. Scientists have, pets.

It’s yet another way stimulation, that Hilltopimproved delivers appetite, happiness. games, course sportingfeel events). display better cognitive and however, explained why: a simple 15 minutes with an more social behavior when with pets. It’s yet another way Finally, we utilize pet therapy.

It doesn’t take a scientist to animal lowers heart rate, blood pressure, and stress levels Stimulating body and the mind, we cater to our residents that Hilltopthe delivers happiness. know that make humans feelserotonin. good. Scientists have, creating a rich fulfilling experience. At the end of the day and raises the pets feel-good hormone, The results theStimulating more joy we bring to our residents, them for our residents are astounding lower however, explained why: a simple 15 cholesterol minutes withlevels, an thecan body and the mind, we caterprovides to our residents less depression, against quality of life that they deserve.At the end of the animal lowersand heartpotential rate, bloodprotection pressure, and stress heart levels with bythe creating a rich, fulfilling experience. disease stroke. andand raises the feel-good hormone, serotonin. The results day, the more joy we can bring to our residents provides for our residents are astounding—lower cholesterol levels,

In particular, pet therapy is a proven, powerful tool for less depression, and potential protection against heart thosedisease residents with Sundowners Syndrome – evening and stroke.

them with the quality of life that they deserve.

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First Glance

Photograph by Blair Knobel

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JA N UA RY 2021 I

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Contents

JANUARY 2021

78 SOUTHERN BOTANICA

Nestled next to Clemson University, the South Carolina Botanical Garden offers 295-acres of horticultural wonder, its bounteous flora shining in winter light. by stephanie trotter

“This is my favorite time of year at the garden, It’s a subdued beauty that makes me happier, because I get to experience it when most people are not looking for it.”

(cover) Southern pine cone; (this page) Matteuccia struthiopteris, or ostrich fern: in spring, the fronds look like ostrich heads popping up on long necks from the ground.

Cover and this photograph by Paul Mehaffey

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Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a new year...

Start it off by looking your best!

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Base MSRP excludes transportation and handling charges, destination charges, taxes, title, regitration, preparation and documentary fees, tags, labor and installation charges, insurance, and optional equipment, products, packages and accessories. Options, model availability and acutal dealer price may vary. See dealer for details, costs and terms.

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LIFE IMAGINED Greenville artist and advocate Suzy Hart explores the human condition through Imaginative Realism. by angie toole thompson

Photograph by Andrew Huang

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Photograph of artwork by Will Crooks

Contents

DINING GUIDE New bakery The Spatula Café turns out fresh-baked breads, sweets, and more near the Swamp Rabbit Trail.

41 5155 59 6555 87 16 EDITOR’S LETTER 23 THE LIST 31 WEDDINGS 70 MS. BEA WRIGHT 72 MAN ABOUT TOWN 74 TOWN ESSAY 102 TOWN SCENE 108 SECOND GLANCE

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TOWNBUZZ

ESCAPE

SPORT

STYLE

EAT + DRINK

Suzy Hart paints honest portraiture; travel takes on charitable vibes through the website Go and Do Good; get your groove on with an invigorating yoga workout at HMF Studio.

An elegant stayaway awaits at Charleston’s 20 South Battery; lose yourself in the winter charms of these area gardens and conservatories.

These lesserknown hikes are sure to satisfy your outdoor itch; Sunrift Adventures offers supreme outdoor apparel, like these Italian-made Salewa shoes.

Find artsy accessories at the West End’s Custard Boutique; treat yourself to some love and kindness at these exceptional local spas.

Ristorante Bergamo’s new owner and chef stays true to its Italian roots; Nashville’s famous hot chicken debuts in Greenville at Yee-Haw Brewing; dinner comes together in a jiff with these delicious ginger scallion noodles.

JA N UA RY 2 0 2 1 I t o w n c a r o l i n a . c o m

TV when it’s on.

Art when it’s off.

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Editor’s Letter

Sunset at Lake Conestee Nature Preserve Photograph by Blair Knobel

After one of the darkest years in modern history, January’s brightness is almost blinding.

WINTER’S BEAUTY

T

here’s something about the look of January—the freshness of it.

Its nakedness mirrors a new beginning, a shedding of the old.

After autumn’s brilliant swan song, what remains are branches baring their full glory; dried flowers and leaves in varied shades of brown, auburn, and gold; crunchy grasses and ground, acorns fallen, the air bracing, sharp and sobering.

After one of the darkest years in modern history, January’s brightness is almost blinding.

Winter is packed with metaphor: what is dormant is still alive, what appears dead isn’t. All is stripped bare to the structure. Light is different in January, bathing the land at acute angles, slicing through limbs like a skilled axman. During this season of short days, we actually see more clearly than at any other time—in the absence of leaves and blooms, we’re left with bones. In light of what was, we can see what is—the cycle that continues, even during the most difficult times. Nature adapts, lives on, and so do we.

In our first issue of 2021, our Wellness Issue, we encourage you to get a strong dose of Vitamin N. Being in nature is an optimal way

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to calm mental static and be present. Our feature story focuses on the South Carolina Botanical Garden, a horticultural gem so close that we nearly overlook it. Its connection and proximity to Clemson University ensure that the staff are well-versed in native plant life, as well as other nonindigenous species that dazzle. With miles of trails through woods and meadows, it’s an ideal place to learn, meander, and relax (“Southern Botanica,” page 78).

In her piece on regional gardens (“Winter Walks,” page 56), Abby Moore Keith writes about winter’s honesty. It is a profound way to describe this season’s forthrightness. Honesty is a gift—when there is nothing hidden, there is nothing desired. Winter is simple and unadorned, without apology. There is a frankness to this season that we all need and benefit from. Nature is a healing salve to the soul.

As we look forward and plan ahead, let’s be calm and carry on— follow me outside.

Blair Knobel, Editor in Chief blair@towncarolina.com

CONFIDENCE. OPTIMISM. RESILIENCE. ENERGY.

RENDERINGS AND DESIGN BY DP3 ARCHITECTS

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Jasper Johns (born 1930) Flags I, 1973 Art © Jasper Johns/Licensed by VAGA, New York, NY

GCMA-20-19-JJohns Worth The Wait Ad TOWN 2Pg 20X12 Dec8 1pm.indd 1

WORTH THE WAIT. Jasper Johns (born 1930) is the world’s most critically acclaimed living artist.

While his reputation is international, Johns has deep roots in South Carolina. He grew up in Allendale, the Columbia area, and Sumter, and he attended the University of South Carolina for three semesters before moving to New York to pursue his career in art.

The GCMA collection of works by Jasper Johns began with several gifts from the artist when the Museum opened in 1974. Today, the GCMA collection is one of the ten largest institutional collections of his work in the world.

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 Jasper Johns, and the world’s largest public collection of watercolors by renowned American artist Andrew Wyeth. The museum’s unrivaled Southern Collection highlights a collection of clay vessels created by 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 ongoing support of United Community Bank.

Museum Corporate Partner

Greenville County Museum of Art

420 College Street Greenville, SC 29601 864.271.7570 gcma.org

Temporarily closed for construction

12/8/20 4:20 PM

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

Lauren Maxwell, Angie Toole Thompson & Charlotte Ward CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS, ILLUSTRATORS & DESIGNERS

Timothy Banks, Robin Batina-Lewis, Will Crooks & Jivan Davé

IN 2021

Andrew Huang

EDITOR AT LARGE

Kathryn Norungolo

At the Y, your membership includes everything you need to take control of your well-being.

Feel energized, guard your body against viruses and illness, and boost your mental and emotional health!

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CHAIRMAN

TOWN Magazine (Vol. 11, No. 1) 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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Verdae_Town_January_BG.indd 1

12/8/2020 7:23:11 PM

THE LIST THE MONTH’S MUST-DOS

STATE OF THE ART COLLECTION: CONTEMPORARY CONVERSATIONS How important are beauty and craftsmanship to contemporary artists? What is the meaning of abstraction?

Can art serve as an agent of social change? If you’ve ever pondered such questions, you may find illumination at this exhibit at the Greenville Center for Creative Arts. Intended as a series of conversations about the role of art in contemporary life, the works here explore the evolution of art over the last 50 years.

Greenville Center for Creative Arts, 101 Abney St, Greenville. Open during gallery hours, Wed–Fri, 1–5pm. Free. (864) 735-3848, artcentergreenville.org

Photograph of “Jar with Heads” by Sara Ayers, 1987, courtesy of the Greenville Center for Creative Arts

JA N UA RY 2021 I

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The List GENESIS—BMW FROM THE BEGINNING

GREENVILLE SWAMP RABBITS

Gentlemen—and women—start your engines! The most comprehensive exhibit of early BMWs ever presented in North America is now on display in Greer. GENESIS illustrates five decades of BMW’s history through 24 cars and motorcycles. Ranging from the 1927 R47 sport bike to the 1950s-era BMW Baroque Angel sedans, the ongoing exhibit pays homage to the innovations of the Upstate’s own German carmaker.

BMW CCA Foundation Museum, 190 Manatee Ct, Greer.

Ongoing. Mon–Fri, 9am–5pm; Sat, 10am–4pm. Adults, $12; youth (ages 6–17), $6; children 5 and under, free.

(864) 329-1919, bmwccafoundation.org

Start the year off with some ice action as the Greenville Swamp Rabbits continue their season at The Well. Greenville’s ECHL affiliate hockey team kicks off 2021 on their home ice, when they take on the SC Stingrays on New Year’s Day and the Wheeling Nailers on January 6. Reserve your tickets today so you don’t miss any of the hareraising fun.

SKATING ON THE SQUARE From beginners to Olympian wannabes, all levels of skaters are welcome at this seasonal ice rink, located in the heart of Spartanburg on Morgan Square. The price of admission allows you to come and go as you please on the day you purchase a ticket, so feel free to take a hot chocolate break, then return to skate some more.

Downtown Spartanburg. Thru Jan 18. Mon–Thurs, 4–8pm; Fri, 4–10pm, Sat, 11am–10pm; Sun, noon–8pm. $10, includes skate rental. (864) 909-6811, cityofspartanburg.org/skating-on-the-square

Photograph courtesy of Bon Secours Wellness Arena

Photograph courtesy of BMW CCA Foundation Museum

Bon Secours Wellness Arena, 650 N Academy St, Greenville. Jan 1 & 6. Fri, 2:05pm; Wed, 7:05pm. $10.

(864) 241-3800, bonsecoursarena.com

$9

ONE-ON-ONE ASSISTED STRETCHING STUDIO feel 24

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BETTER.

play

BETTER.

SC RESTAURANT WEEK Special prix-fixe menus and discounts make it easy and affordable to check out that new restaurant you’ve been wanting to try—or return to your favorite haunts for Restaurant Week specials. Either way, this 11-day event is a delicious way to get a taste of our city’s thriving restaurant scene.

Various Greenville restaurants. Jan 7–17. restaurantweeksouthcarolina.com/city/greenville

Burn off those holiday calories at one of the oldest and largest 5K runs in South Carolina. To ensure the safety of the participants this year, the race, sponsored by The Greenville News and the Greenville Track Club, will be virtual. Participants will have two options: run a certified course and use the official Camera Timing System, or choose your own course and keep time yourself.

Downtown Greenville. Jan 9–17.

Certified 5K, $28; virtual 5K, $23 (prices increase after Jan 3). runsignup.com/Race/SC/ Greenville/RunDowntown

THE PRICE IS RIGHT LIVE Think you’ve got a good grip on how much everyday items cost? “Come on down” to The Well and test your skills. You just might win big prizes (think: vacations, appliances, and even a new car) when television’s longest-running game show goes live in Greenville. To register for a chance to be a contestant, visit the registration area at the arena’s box office three hours prior to show time.

Bon Secours Wellness Arena, 650 N Academy St, Greenville. Sun, Jan 10, 8pm. $25-$45. (864) 241-3800, bonsecoursarena.com

Photograph courtesy of Jianna Modern Italian

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The List

Quick HITS 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) continues to delight cold-weather fans after the holiday mayhem. 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

LIVE MUSIC WITH JASON DAVIS

Photograph courtesy of the Charleston Restaurant Foundation, Inc.

z Crowd-pleasing singer/songwriter Jason Davis regales wine lovers on Thursday nights in January with his original tunes and takes on ’80s and ’90s pop and country songs. It’s a perfect excuse to wash away the January doldrums with a glass or two from the Tasting Room’s well-curated selection of small-production vineyards from around the globe.

Tasting Room TR, 164 S Main St, Ste C, Travelers Rest.

Jan 7, 14, 21, 28. Thurs, 6–8:30pm. Free. (864) 610-2020, tastingroomtr.com

OLD CROW MEDICINE SHOW

z What began as a group of buskers on street corners has grown into an award-winning folk band. The Old Crow Medicine Show launched their career with the help of folk icon Doc Watson, who noticed them playing in front of a pharmacy in Boone, North Carolina, more than 20 years ago. Since then, the group has been inducted into Nashville’s Grand Ole Opry and has garnered Grammys for their albums Remedy and Big Easy Express.

Peace Center, 300 S Main St, Greenville. Fri, Jan 22, 8pm. $25-$55. (864) 467-3000, peacecenter.org

OAK HILL CAFÉ AND FARM WINTER TASTING MENU

z Think January is a dull month? You’ll change your mind once you taste your way through 12 expertly crafted courses by James Beard Award semifinalist David Porras. Using hyper-local ingredients, including those from the café’s on-site farm, Chef David brings his boundless creativity to the plate. Instead of wine, he’ll be pairing dishes with beer from a local brewery.

Oak Hill Café and Farm, 2510 Poinsett Hwy, Greenville.

Fri, Jan 29, 6pm. $110; optional beer pairing, $30.

(864) 631-1397, oakhillcafe.com

Lowcountry Oyster Festival January is prime time for oysters in the Lowcountry, and this venerable festival trucks in some 80,000 pounds of the beloved shellfish to the grounds of Boone Hall Plantation each year. There’s live music and food trucks, too, for those who—perish the thought!—don’t care for oysters. If you’re up for a little friendly competition, the oyster-shucking and oyster-eating contests begin at noon.

Boone Hall Plantation, 1235 Long Point Rd, Mount Pleasant, SC. Sun, Jan 31, 10am–5pm. $18.

(843) 884-4371, boonehallplantation.com/special_event/lowcountry-oyster-festival

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In the midst of the Blue Ridge woodlands, EMILY DAVIS & WILLIAM GILLESPIE JR. honored Celtic roots.

Photograph by Trinity Photography

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Weddings

EMILY DAVIS & WILLIAM GILLESPIE JR. OCTOBER 9, 2020

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s so many people do these days, Emily and Bill met online. When it came time for their first date, the two mixed up their plans, and both thought they had been stood up. Luckily, Emily gave it another chance, and after bonding over people-watching and music trivia, they quickly realized they were right for each other. The couple celebrated their first anniversary a year and three days later at Blockhouse Restaurant and Oyster Bar, and when Bill suggested they go home for a bourbon before meeting up with some friends from out of town, Emily didn’t resist.

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In their living room, Bill presented Emily with a shadow box of all their memories from the past year. As she was gushing over his thoughtfulness, Bill got down on one knee and promised to go on a million more dates with her. Almost a year later, Emily married Bill in a ceremony at Laurel Falls, overlooking the Blue Ridge Mountains, where they incorporated the ancient Celtic ritual of handfasting to honor Bill’s Irish descent. The couple resides in Simpsonville.—Kathryn Norungolo

By Trinity Photography

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Weddings

KEATON WYLIE & AUSTIN McCALL NOVEMBER 6, 2020 Keaton and Austin met in middle school and became good friends when they started at Easley High School. Their junior year, they made their relationship official, and continued to date while at Clemson. Just shy of their 10-year dating anniversary, Austin finally decided it was time to propose. During a weekend in Charleston at a friend’s wedding, Austin popped the question on a walk along Rainbow Row and Waterfront Park, where he asked Keaton to spend forever with him. The coupled celebrated with a ceremony at the Old Cigar Warehouse, because the exposed brick felt like home after living in a renovated textile mill at The Lofts of Greenville. They included their beloved pup, Mowgli, into the day by reproducing her face on koozies and having a staff member from Noble Dog Hotel bring her by for a few wedding pictures. The couple recently purchased their first home off Augusta Road, convenient to Keaton’s work at 6AM City and Austin’s job at Harper General Contractors.—KN

By DeAnna Segars, Beyond the Lens Photography

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True high school sweethearts, Cooper and Francisco met during their sophomore year at Eastside High School. They dated for eight-and-ahalf years before Francisco lured Cooper to the steel RiverPlace bridge in downtown Greenville, under the guise of meeting family for dinner.

There, he asked her to be his bride. Returning to their roots in Taylors, the pair tied the knot at the Southern Bleachery with COVID-19 precautions in place, and one of Francisco’s sisters translated the entire ceremony into Spanish for his family. The couple now lives in Greenville, where Cooper teaches preschool and Francisco works in corrugated packaging.—KN

By Red Apple Tree Photography

EACH OFFICE IS INDEPENDENTLY OWNED AND OPERATED

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Weddings

HANNAH OWENS & ANDREW KING AUGUST 15, 2020

Hannah and Andrew met by chance the day after Hannah graduated from Clemson. She was standing on her family’s dock on Lake Hartwell when a group of friends sailed up in their boat, and Hannah immediately noticed Andrew among the boat’s occupants. Happy to serve as matchmakers, their mutual friends set them up on a double date. From the start, Andrew made it his mission to pursue Hannah, and after just six months, she knew he was the one. It wasn’t until two years later that Andrew popped the question after dinner at High Cotton in Charleston. He had a carriage take them to the pineapple fountain, where both of their families were hiding, and through tears he finally choked out the words “Will you marry me?” In a Lillian West gown from The Poinsett Bride, Hannah married Andrew at Westfield, and as a special touch, the ring bearer’s pillow was made out of her late grandfather’s ties. The couple lives in Fountain Inn as Hannah pursues her degree in occupational therapy and Andrew works as a treasurer at REK, Inc.—KN

By Red Apple Tree Photography

CATHERINE GILLESPIE & DAVIS LEMON AUGUST 1, 2020 During Christmas break in 2011, Catherine and Davis were introduced to one another through mutual friends, and started dating the following summer.

Catherine attended law school after her graduation from Clemson, and Davis went on to dental school after receiving his undergraduate degree from the University of Alabama. They stayed together through it all, and seven years after they first got together, Davis asked for Catherine’s hand during a boat ride on the lake at his parent’s house. When they got back to the dock, their friends and family were there to celebrate (some had even flown in for the occasion). The two were married at Central Energy in downtown Columbia, which was festooned with lemon-themed décor as an ode to the bride’s new married name. The couple resides in Greenville.—KN

By Red Apple Tree Photography

KATHRYN DITTLOFF & WILLIAM SCHMIEDING APRIL 24, 2020 Avid surfers, Kate and Will had often seen each other out on the water off the coast of Charleston, where they both live and work, but didn’t officially meet until Kate reached out via Instagram. The pair’s first date was at Chico Feo, a little dive bar and taco shop on Folly Beach, where their relationship blossomed over a beer. Two years later, after surfing trips had taken them to Florida, Mexico, and Nicaragua, it only made sense for Will to drop to one knee on the beach where their relationship began. During an evening walk on Folly Beach, Will proposed, and they celebrated Kate’s enthusiastic “yes!” with drinks at Chico Feo. Their wedding was originally set at the Charleston Yacht Club, but due to the pandemic, they opted for a ceremony on a private dock on James Island. There, on Will’s parents’ 38th anniversary, the couple said “I do.” Kate and Will remain on James Island, where she works for Groundswell Public Relations and he teaches third grade at the Porter-Gaud School.—KN

By Lindsey Leigh Weddings 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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SUZY HART'S fine art portraits are mesmerizing works that demand a second look.

Photograph of artwork by Will Crooks

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TB • OUTSIDE THE BOX

In her captivating portraits, Suzy Hart (above) delves into Imaginative Realism, often framing her subjects with an allegorical theme.

LIFE IMAGINED SUZY HART'S COMPELLING PORTRAITURE TELLS A DEEPER STORY

by Angie Toole Thompson • photography by Will Crooks

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uzy Hart sweeps her studio floor. She scrapes the glass on her palette, arranges her towels. “I have to create a sense of order to be ready to paint; too much chaos does not serve well,” she shares. This ritual—clearing the space, prepping paint, putting the music on—is Suzy’s way of centering. “Partly psychological prep,” she says. Out of this quiet, clean setting, Suzy is freed to engage in the task to which she has devoted her life—to make meaningful, humanistic work.

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“My task is to create a hook, whether aesthetic or emotional, to entice the viewer to spend more than a few seconds looking at art,” Suzy says. Once hooked, any viewer of Suzy Hart’s beguiling works of Imaginative Realism is compelled to look longer. What they’ll find is masterful realism with inspired messaging, each empowered with barefaced honesty.

Realism, especially portraiture, has long been Suzy’s wheelhouse.

“I used to do imaginative work as a teenager, and, as I loved the human face, I did portraits for a living.” The portraits, though she considered them an “intuitive labor of love,” weren’t enough to sustain her motivations. She wanted to make people think, to create moments for viewers, which she herself experienced while spending a “full half-hour or more” in front of one great painting. “In my youth, it was Van Gogh and Rodin who called to me, but . . . it was Rembrandt who spoke to my soul,” Suzy says, citing Rembrandt’s “honest introspection” as a standout inspiration.

Her own work is built of the same stuff—skillfully created works come alive with an almost mystic channelling of conceptual thought.

“I have always framed my imagery around an idea, be it a revisit to allegorical themes that have cultural significance . . . or more original inventions of my own. As I paint, new ideas suggest themselves and merge into the finished work.”

When asked to define the Imaginative Realism genre with which she identifies her work, Suzy offers both an academic and a personal response. “That question is being [discussed] in the realist art world,” she says. Suzy is a frequent presenter at TRAC (The Representational Art Conference), whose 2018 event addressed what the new realist movement ought to be called.

“We did not want to use the term ‘fantasy’ art, which invariably takes internet searches in unfortunate directions,” she explains, adding that it is vision, not escape, that Imaginative Realists are after.

“We are realists in that we use recognizable forms, but the concepts, now no longer relegated to an inscrutable world of academic artspeak, become accessible.”

Indeed, Suzy’s paintings contain not only keen and lifelike forms and bodies, but they invite the everyman to imagine possibilities in

the world of the painting and of themselves. “Returning to Imaginative Realism is really a coming-home. I have found old and new friends speaking their truth in magnificent and endlessly interesting ways.”

It’s the challenge of the realist to tell the truth of a moment—to accept what is and to respond accordingly. So when presented with a year like 2020, Suzy Hart responded like the realist that she is. “[It] has prepared me to finally be the artist I want to become. I feel the press of time. This last year, I nursed my mother, who died at home with us at age 97. Between that, COVID, and my urgent work in election integrity advocacy, I did not paint,” she admits. “Now I feel as though I know what to paint, and as Joseph Bravo says, ‘Why to paint.’”

Currently, Suzy is at work on her interpretation of The Three Graces, which will center around youth, maturity, and age. “[It’s] women in conversation with each other, standing on shaky, dangerous ground.”

The painting will contain all that honesty and clarity that her other works do, venturing into concepts of race, war, and dangers ahead. “Dark, I know,” Suzy says, “but that’s okay. That is realism, isn’t it?”

For more on Suzy Hart’s work, visit suzyhart.com.

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TB • VISIONARIES A trip to Peru in 2019 led travel blogger Meg James to launch goanddogood.com, her website that promotes national and international hotels that give back to their communities.

Peru? Yes. It was a couple’s trip in August of 2019. Machu Picchu

TRAVEL GURU MEG JAMES DIRECTS ADVENTURERS TO HOTELS THAT GIVE BACK

by Stephanie Trotter

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n a year that delivered disappointment and despair, Meg James unearthed goodness and shared it with all. The world traveler found her wings clipped, right as she was starting a new business promoting international hotels that engage in generous community service. The 35-year-old’s website had barely debuted when COVID-19 hit. Rather than pack it in, she pivoted to feature U.S. hotels she could drive to, with her husband and kids in tow.

Today, James’s Go and Do Good directory lists almost 100 hotels travelers can visit, knowing a portion of their overnight fee is sending kids to school, providing showers to the homeless, feeding employees in times of need, and much more.

How did you come up with the idea for Go and Do Good? I was a mom of two boys under two, and I was losing my sense of business, or purpose. I’d worked in human resources for various companies before I had my first son. I loved being a wife and mother, but I thought, ‘What else can I do to make a difference?’ I started down the path of travel writing. People would say, ‘I loved your write-up on Facebook of your trip to Disney,’ and I turned that into a travel blog . . . but then we went to Peru.

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When setting up the business what did you find? When I research hotels, 98 percent of them are doing something, but it’s for the environment. My directory is for hotels that give back generously to charities in their local communities. I really believe we are being called to share about the things people are not seeing. you barely got the website up and running, then COVID-19 brought travel to a halt. We quickly flipped our plans to U.S. travel and found a number of wonderful places that are community minded.

In 2019, the site was revenue generating. In order to cover the back expenses of the website, I charge a one-time fee. But my way of giving back in 2020 was to waive that fee. It’s never been about making an income; it’s about making a difference and to challenge a traveler’s heart.

In the States, you showcase boutique resorts, like the Sage Lodge in Montana that’s helping healthcare workers escape the stress of COVID-19. I joke with my husband I’ve become an investigator for goodness. I stalk Google for hotels that give back. I’m aiming to show the really good news to come out of travel that you don’t always hear about.

Find hotels that “do good” at goanddogood.com, and follow Meg and her family’s “faith, farm & travel” blog at trekkingtwice.com.

Photograph courtesy of Meg James

STAY IT FORWARD

was a bucket-list item. I was researching where to stay and found Hotel Sol y Luna. When we got there, we realized the hotel runs a school for 200 Peruvian kids who would not go to school otherwise, and when they graduate, the hotel hires them! They gave us a tour of the school and we met these kids with hardly any clothes or shoes. I spent the whole plane ride back developing what the website would look like. From that moment on, we decided we will not stay at a hotel unless it gives back generously to others.

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TONE ON TONE UNDAUNTED BY THE PANDEMIC, LINDSEY BREITWIESER OPENS HER HIGH-INTENSITY YOGA STUDIO IN THE VILLAGE OF WEST GREENVILLE

by Jac Valitchka • photograph by Will Crooks

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ometimes you’ve just got to stretch—your mind, your body, and your possibilities. While the idea of opening a business during the pandemic might have put a cold stop to most people’s plans, Lindsey Breitwieser put both feet energetically forward and opened HMF Yoga Studio (Hustle, Muscle, Flex) last November, with limited capacity, of course.

HMF is not a typical yoga studio. There’s no sitar music and incense wafting through in hopes of clearing your chakras.

Nothing close: it’s a hip-hop yoga studio, with a “No One Does It Like You” mural and a high-intensity playlist to match the high-intensity movement inside. Breitwieser knows it might not be for everyone, but that’s okay because this Long Island native also knows there’s more than one way of doing things.

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When did you move down here? We moved here in 2015.

It’s so funny when I’m talking to people I still say, ‘I just moved here’ . . . five years ago (laughs). I’m from New York, born and bred, and my background is in advertising, and I happened to be working at an agency that had the same holding company as Erwin Penland does down here, and we made the leap. We just thought, ‘Let’s try something new.’ So we came down sight unseen and have been loving it ever since. Now we have two kids, ages four and just about two.

How did you have the chance to open a yoga studio? I have to say, I approach a lot of things this way—even talking to you about moving down [to South Carolina]—let’s just try it. The worst that happens is that we go back to how it was before. What do I stand to gain by not trying or pushing? So that’s sort of how I approached this studio, too. I was like, it’s a pandemic, probably not the best time—I’m just going to go for it!

how have you navigated opening a business—especially this kind of business—with the challenges of the times?

For the past three years, prior to this pandemic, I was a CycleStar at CycleBar Greenville. I taught at other

Lindsey Breitwieser opened her highintensity, hip-hop yoga studio last fall in the Village of West Greenville. For more on HMF Yoga Studio, visit hmfyogastudio.com.

studios—I’m actually trained in sculpt [yoga] through Soul [Yoga]. When this pandemic hit in March, I was still with Cyclebar. I knew the general feelings of the community that was going to CycleBar—how they were pivoting, how they were adjusting, and all of the rules that you really had to follow to be in line with all of the guidelines. So, I was very much in that world in terms of watching people make the transition, and then I fullheartedly believed in March that come September we’re going to be good.

A lot of us were thinking that. I feel very lucky in that HMF knows no different. A lot of studios that were open prior had to implement new processes from the way they were doing it before, so for us, I felt very confident.

I specifically designed the studio to be able to work in this way.

That’s perfect. What is your class limit? Right now our mats are limited to 14. When the studio is at full capacity, it will be able to hold about 20 students. To make sure 14 was the right number, I took a tape measure and we measured six feet from this person’s face to this person’s face, and marked out on the floor where the mats would go.

What has been your yogic journey? I’m sculpt-certified, not 200-hour certified. I do not consider myself a yogi. And that is truly the point of HMF. I was a collegiate athlete, and I always worked out in a high-intensity way. I knew the benefits of yoga. I had tried Bikram, I had tried Yin . . . I was like, ‘I should love this.’ But it wasn’t until I found sculpt and ultimately Core Power that I was introduced to a high-intensity, athletic version and interpretation of yoga.

And how is HMF structured? I fine-tuned our class format and developed three class formats and just sort of developed this attitude. . . . This is for people who have been sold this polished, meditative, vegan version of yoga when really this is yoga too. We don’t have to do it just one way. These postures to breath with a highintensity playlist—it’s still a version of yoga.

What do you say to people who think this isn’t yoga with a capital Y? Personally, I thought through that when I was making the studio—there are going to be people that will look at this and just go, ‘no.’ There are definitely going to be purists no matter what, and this isn’t for them. But what I’ve really tried to grasp onto is that HMF believes there’s not just one way to do something. We are a little bit rebellious, and we’re going to buck tradition, and we’re going to break down that barrier.

It’s All About Others Edd Sheriff

Funeral Director Mackey Funerals & Cremations

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t’s been some 50 years since Edd Sheriff decided to look for a job that was all about others. What he found was a long, satisfying career at Mackey Funerals & Cremations. “I’ve always had a desire to serve,” says Edd, a respected elder at Greenville’s oldest funeral home. “Being a funeral director allows me to make a difference during a family’s most difficult time.” And make a difference, he does. Edd is one of those rare people who can get families to smile, even in those difficult times. Greenvillians have long preferred Mackey, a fact Edd attributes to a tradition of compassionate expertise. “We offer impeccable service,” he says, noting they serve families of all faiths, all income levels. “People trust us.” Now semi-retired, Edd works with families who request him; in the meantime, he enjoys traveling, cooking and entertaining. During his half-century with Mackey, Edd has seen a growing preference for personalized memorials.

“We don’t like cookie-cutter funerals,” he says, and often adds unique touches to tell an individual’s story – playing favorite music, perhaps, or holding the funeral in a special location. “We work closely with families to ensure a tailor-made service that celebrates their loved one’s life.”

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• Orthopedic • Myofascial Release • Spinal Decompression • Back Pain • Knee Pain • Hip Pain • Sports Rehabilitation • Vertigo Treatment • Gait Training • Shoulder Pain • Dry Needling • Radio Pulse Wave

Guaranteed half hour of hands on time with your therapist using manual techniques to improve healing rates.

Parking is right outside the door and we offer early and late hours.

860 S Church St., Suite C Greenville, SC 29601 Since 2004

864-202-6259 PPTGreenville.com

GRAND OPENING January 30; 4-8pm

Alchemy West is a boutique-style medical aesthetics practice located in the heart of downtown Greenville. We are a group of board certified medical professionals that specialize in IV vitamin and hydration therapy and non-surgical facial rejuvenation. We believe that, no matter your lifestyle; carting kids around, ruling the dance floor, commanding the boardroom, or anything in-between, everyone deserves to look and feel their best!

Partied too hard? Jet lag? Migraines?

Or just feeling tired and rundown?

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New Year Day Special IV Vitamindrip $125 Includes your choice of pain, anti-nausea or anti-reflux medication and 10 minutes of oxygen

January Specials: Motus Laser Hair Removal Join us for Motus Free Fridays where your first 4x4 laser treatment area is FREE 15% off all laser hair removal package bought on the day of service Space limited! Book now!!!

27 East Broad Street, Greenville AlchemyWest.com 864â&#x20AC;&#x201C;263â&#x20AC;&#x201C;7868

Ignite Your Health.

Introducing Ember.

A direct primary care practice focused on a more personal approach to medicine.

We provide a more comprehensive pathway to personal well-being, combining lifestyle, nutrition, health training, and direct access to your medical provider 24/7 for a fixed monthly cost without a limit or co-pays.

Opening Spring 2021 | Greenville, SC

Better Care. Better Health. Better You.

EmberModernMedicine.com

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 Penthouse Mansion Suite at the 11-room 20 South Battery boutique hotel has exquisite views inside and out.

Revel in oppulence at Charlestonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s historic 20 SOUTH BATTERY inn.

Photograph courtesy of 20 South Battery

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PAST PERFECT A NATI VE CHA RLESTONI A N TR A NSFOR MS A HISTOR IC HOME INTO A N ELEGA NT INN

by M. Linda Lee

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ars, earthquakes, hurricanes. Those are just a few of the man-made and natural disasters that the stately home at 20 South Battery has endured since it was built in 1843. Like a plucky Charlestonian, however, the four-story brick beauty, which looks out over Charleston Harbor from its perch across from White Point Gardens, has endured gracefully through the decades.

Built as a private Charleston single house for broker Samuel Stevens in the prosperous years before the Civil War, the structure took on its current appearance after South Carolinian and Union colonel Richard Lathers purchased it in 1870. Lathers hired prominent architect John Henry Devereux to remodel the home in the Second Empire style. Among other changes, Devereux added

Photography courtesy of 20 South Battery

ESCAPE â&#x20AC;˘ TOP BUNK

Owner of 20 South Battery, Dr. Jack Schaeffer spent two years restoring the 1843 house and decorating it with fine period antiques before opening the historic home as an inn last fall.

the fourth story and the slate mansard roof, and created the enormous ballroom off the front hall, which Lathers used to host meetings between businessmen and politicians from the North and South.

While Lathers’s efforts to reconcile the two factions proved a failure, the ballroom did eventually gain note as the place where preservationist Susan Pringle Frost (whose family owned the house in the first part of the twentieth century) inaugurated the Society for the Preservation of Old Dwellings—now the Preservation Society of Charleston—in 1920.

Today the home’s current owner, Dr. Jack Schaeffer, a Charleston native, has adorned the ballroom with crystal chandeliers, period antiques, and eighteenth-century Flemish tapestries. “I think of myself as the Great Gatsby of Charleston,” says Schaeffer, who, like F. Scott Fitzgerald’s fictional character, envisions hosting social gatherings,

chamber music concerts, and charity events within the ballroom’s walls. Guests can enjoy the ballroom’s splendor each evening, when wine and cheese are served here.

Schaeffer, who remembers frequently walking past the house as a boy, intended to live at 20 South Battery when he purchased it in 2018, but ultimately decided the home was too much of a historical gem not to share.

Before opening the property as an inn last September, he spent two years restoring the house to its 1870s-era glory, careful to preserve original elements such as the intricate wood parquet floors in the parlor, the Italian mosaic tile lining the floor in the front hall, and sections of the hand-painted frescoes that once decorated the walls.

Thanks to a partnership with Charleston’s David Skinner Antiques, Schaeffer decked the public and guest rooms with fine antiques from around the globe, including furniture from castles and manor houses across Europe. “All of the pieces have a particular history,” notes the inn’s charming general manager, Abigail Batut, “and they’re all for sale.”

At bedtime, my husband and I ascend the graceful spiral staircase to the Lathers Suite on the second floor, where we sleep like literal kings in the hand-carved, four-poster “Raj” bed (we later learn it could be ours for a mere $58,000). All five rooms in the mansion are suites, as are two of the six rooms in the Carriage House, all of which have exterior entrances (if you don’t fancy spirited roommates, don’t rent rooms 8 or 10 in the Carriage House, which are reportedly two of the most haunted in the city). All the baths have been modernized with new fixtures and gleaming white-marble tile.

“This house is my passion,” Schaeffer proudly proclaims. You’ll understand why after you spend a night under its roof in lavish, Old Charleston style.

20 South Battery, 20 South Battery, Charleston. (843) 7273100, 20southbattery.com; rates for a Classic Room start at $259, continental breakfast included.

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Junior League of Greenville

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*Offer valid December 27, 2020 – January 11, 2021 at Jeff Lynch. Save $400 on any size Lux Estate Hybrid Stearns & Foster® mattress. Certain offers may not be combined. Not valid on prior purchases. See store for availability and details. Copyright 2020 Sealy, Inc. All rights reserved. **0% interest for 24 months applies to qualifying bedding packages $1,800 & up. Lower priced sales may qualify for other 0% Interest Financing programs. All Financing Programs are subject to credit approval. Equal monthly payments required. If original balance is paid in full by the due date, then no interest is charged. Current APR is as low as 23.91% and will vary by plan and financing partner. Other plans require minimum payment of 6% of remaining balance. Rate is subject to change without notice. See store for full details.

Escape • FIELD GUIDE

WINTER WALKS TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE DORMANT SEASON AT THESE GORGEOUS GARDENS

by Abby Moore Keith • illustration by timothy banks

C

all me unusual, but winter is fast becoming a favorite of mine. Yes, it’s cold, and stark, and often dreary—but it’s honest, and in my growing years I’ve begun to appreciate frankness in all forms. The true beauty of winter is absence, and when it comes to gardens, good design is revealed by what remains after the pomp and parade have disappeared. Like a chef tests her creativity by limiting ingredients, a winter garden’s artistry is in subtlety and nuance. Southern gardens have long been celebrated for their extended growth seasons, but they’re also lovely when all is laid bare. This season, don’t huddle up indoors pining for spring when you could be out and about. Don a coat and experience the botanical delights that await at these top-notch arboretums, gardens, and conservatories.

North Carolina Arboretum

Nestled in the eastern corner of the Pisgah National Forest, and minutes from downtown Asheville, the North Carolina Arboretum honors the area’s rich botanical diversity. The 434-acre public garden is interspersed with coves and creeks and home to a wealth of wildlife. Peak season highlights include a native azalea preservation collection and the Rocky Cove Railroad model train exhibit, but winter is an excellent time to meander the structured pathways or delve into the arboretum’s 10 miles of hiking trails, which connect to the Blue Ridge Parkway. Seasonal color pops include snowdrops, witch hazel, red twig dogwood, and Lenten roses. Due to COVID-19, the indoor Bonsai Exhibit is closed for the 2020–2021 winter season, but guests can explore the world-renowned miniature plants from home via the arboretum’s Virtual Visits.

Open daily, 8am–5pm. Admission, free; parking, $16 per vehicle. 100 Frederick Law Olmsted Way, Asheville, NC. (828) 665-2492, ncarboretum.org

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Atlanta Botanical Garden

Two hours may seem like a long trip for a garden in the winter, but I have two words—Orchid Daze. February is the crowning jewel of the Atlanta Botanical Garden’s indoor plant exhibits, when its 2,000-plus orchid species collection (one of the largest in the world) is on display in full fragrant glory. The center also includes a tropical high-elevation house, where you can catch bromeliads, heliamphora, and other species native to unique climates in Borneo and the South American Andes. If you’d rather stay outside, the Camellia Walk boasts vibrant blooms from 25 different species, including the coral pink petals of the Guilio Nuccio variegated camellia. Don’t miss the several Chihuly glass sculptures, along with rare varietals in the Conifer Garden.

Tickets are timed, and make sure to bring a mask.

Tues–Sun, 9am–5pm. Admission, $22. 1345 Piedmont Ave, Atlanta, GA. (404) 876-5859, atlantabg.org

Biltmore Gardens and Conservatory

Like all aspects of the Biltmore Estate, the gardens and grounds emanate excellence, which makes sense, as they were designed by the same guy who planned Central Park. Frederick Law Olmsted’s vision of formal spaces easing into elegant natural areas can certainly be appreciated in all seasons. Whether or not you’re a houseplant addict, it’s tempting to get lost in the warmth of the conservatory, where orchids, anthuriums, and asparagus ferns spill over each other in haphazard elegance. But I’d be remiss if I didn’t recommend wandering toward the Bass Pond. The paths are bursting with delights that get lost in busier seasons.

International evergreens are interspersed throughout, like the Blue Atlas cedar, and a keen eye can catch patches of green shoots sprouting snowdrops or early narcissus. Grab a bench along the pond to watch the ducks play in the water, or take the trail to the lagoon for more wildlife.

Open daily. Admission, starting at $54, includes house.

1 Lodge St, Asheville, NC. biltmore.com

When winter woes get you down, take a trip to these area gardens, where bursts of botanical delights are sure to lift your spirits.

Middleton Place

When I get antsy for spring, I head to the coast, where milder temps encourage early bloomers. This national historic landmark is one of the oldest landscaped gardens in the States, reflecting classical style with geometric designs and wide vistas of the Ashley River. It’s worth the visit for the camellias alone—think evergreen hedges bursting forth in shows of ruby, soft pink, and brilliant white. But you can also spot winter daphne, spring snowflake, and perhaps even the tuliplike blooms of the Chinese magnolia. Middleton Place is more than just a garden; as a historical site, it explores all aspects of the estate’s past, including the livelihoods of

enslaved people who toiled there. Don’t miss the white swans in the rectangular reflection pool, or the sheep grazing on the Greensward.

Open daily, 9am–5pm. Admission, $26. 4300 Ashley River Rd, Charleston. (843) 556-6020, middletonplace.org

Honorable Mentions

For options closer to home, catch the orchid conservatory at the Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden in Belmont, NC, and the horticultural greenhouses at the State Botanical Garden of Georgia in Athens. For more on the South Carolina Botanical Garden, see page 78.

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Experienced and Compassionate Care for Women at Every Stage of Life.

Dr. Denise Broderick

Dr. Kimberly Holloway

Dr. Tamela Keller

Dr. Elizabeth Haswell

JANUARY IS CERVICAL CANCER AWARENESS MONTH Are You Aware About The Facts Of Cervical Cancer?

Are You Aware About The Facts Of HPV?

It is the 3rd most common gynecologic cancer in the US.

HPV vaccination is safe and highly recommended.

Approximately 14,000 new cases per year. 4,300 deaths each year.

In 10-20% of women, HPV infection does not go away.

It is a leading cause of gynecologic cancer worldwide.

Most people who are infected with HPV have no signs or symptoms.

HPV (Human Papilloma Virus) is detected in 99.7% of cervical cancers and is the cause of cervical cancer.

There are 15 types of HPV that can cause cervical cancer.

Due to the presence of cervical pre-cancer screening and HPV vaccination, the incidence of cervical cancer has decreased by 75% in developed countries over the last 50 years.

The mean age of diagnosis in the US is age 50.

75-80% of sexually active adults acquire HPV before the age of 50.

Types 6 and 11 cause 90% of genital warts.

Types 16 and 18 cause 70% of cervical cancer.

The Gardasil 9 vaccine helps cover 90% of the strains of the virus that cause cervical cancer and also covers 90% of the strains that cause genital warts.

Risk factors associated with HPV/cervical cancer include:

HPV vaccination reduces the risk of cervical, vaginal, vulvar, oral, and anal cancers.

• Early onset of sexual activity

Who should get the vaccine:

• Multiple sexual partners

If you are 14 or younger, you can get 2 injections 6 months apart.

• History of sexually transmitted infections like Chlamydia

If you are 15 or older, you get 3 injections within 6 months.

• History of vulvar and vaginal pre-cancer

It is recommended for all children (boys and girls) ages 11-12 and has been approved for men and women up to the age of 45.

• Immunosuppression like HIV • Cigarette smoking Risk reducers: • Monogamy • No cigarette use • Routine gynecologic screening • HPV vaccination

Call today for more info and appointment. 864.720.1299 • vidagyn.com • 274-A Commonwealth Drive • Menopause and Hormone Management • Adolescent Care • Abnormal Bleeding Treatment • In-House Ultrasound And Procedures

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

These NATURAL HERITAGE PRESERVES are prime places for woodland wandering.

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Sport • ADVENTURE Sink into nature at these nearby trails, where mountain vistas and winding creeks offer respite and rejuventation.

breathtaking woodland, plenty of obstacles, and the opportunity to hike to a rewarding outlook. The preserve has approximately five miles of trails. The uphill Rocky Bald Loop and Cedar Rock trails provide more strenuous hikes totaling around four miles.

You’ll navigate trees, boulders, and steep gradients. Hikers report seeing black bears, peregrine falcons, rattlesnakes, and freshwater trout. Families with young children may also enjoy Nine Times’ quarter-mile Trillium Trail along the Eastatoe Creek, abundant with wildflowers in the spring. As in many preserves, you should be aware of hunting seasons and wear an orange vest during active hunt periods.

Pickens, SC. sctrails.net/trails/trail/nine-times-preserve

Bunched Arrowhead Heritage Preserve

OFF THE BEATEN TRAILS TAKE TO THE WOODS THIS WINTER TO CLEAR YOUR MIND AND NOURISH YOUR SPIRIT

Travelers Rest, SC. southcarolinabirdingtrail.org/regions/piedmontwestern/greenville/bunched-arrowhead-heritage-preserve

by Charlotte Ward

J

ohn Muir famously wrote, “And into the forest I go, to lose my mind and find my soul.” During times of stress and endurance, humans have instinctively turned to nature for rejuvenation and comfort. As we endure what we hope will be the last few grueling months of the pandemic, many of us are feeling uncertainty, anxiety, and burnout. Scientific studies show that the body’s nervous system quietens in nature, helping us feel less fatigued, sharper, and calmer.

Fortunately, in South Carolina, we are gifted with mild winters and an abundance of outdoor beauty. There’s never been a better time to get outside and find peace in nature. Here’s our pick of four lesser-known trails to quiet your soul.

Nine Times Preserve

Gentle endurance embodies Nine Times Preserve in Pickens. The preserve’s name stems from the nine bridges on the property that guests must cross to gain access. Situated where South Carolina’s Southern Blue Ridge Mountains meet the Piedmont along the Eastatoe Creek, Nine Times is a 560-acre nature preserve with good climbs,

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North of Paris Mountain State Park, just outside Travelers Rest, is the quaint Bunched Arrowhead Heritage Preserve. This low-key preserve has a 1.25-mile loop that offers a pretty, meandering stroll through intermittent woodland and prairie. The preserve is named after the rare Bunched Arrowhead plant, a federally endangered species that grows in its wetland seeps and blooms from mid-May to July. The species is prevalent in just four counties in South Carolina and North Carolina. You could complete the loop in less than an hour or follow the lead of local birdwatchers whose stillness and patience rewards them with sightings of a variety of feathered species hiding amid the brush.

Chestnut Ridge Heritage Preserve Trail

Immerse yourself in the forest at this understated beauty spot in Landrum. What starts off as a fairly ordinary hike, develops into a creekside excursion to striking hardwood forest and rocky terrain.

Nature lovers have reported sightings of bears, deers, raccoons and turkeys. A moderate 5.1-mile out-and-back dirt trail takes hikers to Squirrel Mountain and onwards to the South Pacolet River. Factor in two-and-a-half hours and take time to relax by the water, letting your worries float away. The dates of hunting season at Chestnut are posted on the trailhead kiosk. Keep your orange safety vest on hand.

Landrum, SC. sctrails.net/trails/trail/chestnut-ridge-heritage-preserve

Norman Wilder Forest

This 185-acre preserve between Saluda and Tryon, North Carolina, offers sheer cliffs, a waterfall, and mountain views. Set aside an hour and follow the yellow trail for a two-mile out-and-back amble through towering trees to a vista above a waterfall looking out to the mountains. The red trail features more strenuous uphill terrain to another rewarding view at the top. Sit down, breathe, and be still. Find joy in bird song.

Polk County, NC. conservingcarolina.org/norman-wilder-forest

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

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Sport • GEAR

GOOD FOR THE SOLE

FOR A SUBLIME HIKING SHOE, GO GORE-TEX

by ABBY MOORE KEITH

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•

photography by Paul Mehaffey

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(above) Salewa Alp Trainer Mid Gore-Tex men’s boots in carbon and ringlo; (opposite) Salewa Ultra Flex Mid Gore-Tex men’s shoes in black. All from Sunrift Adventures.

An up-and-coming brand in the alpine gear game, Salewa brings Italian craftsmanship to the Upstate via Sunrift Adventures. An easy pitstop on your way to the mountains, this Travelers Rest staple offers outside aficionados a plethora of adventure products. Find bikes, hiking gear, outdoor apparel, and these Salewa hiking shoes with Gore-Tex protection, guaranteeing hikers waterproof treks. 1 Center St, Travelers Rest. (864) 834-3019, sunrift.com

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NEW BEGINNINGS IN THE...

Remember the moments.

"Brittany babysat Lydia Johnson's kids from the time they were little, and now, all these years later, the roles are reversed and Lydia's kids are now the babysitters of our own littles! It was almost surreal to have Lydia represent us in the purchase of the home right down the street from her, where so many memories were made with her family, and will now be made with our own!"

- BRITTANY + CALEB MOTES

Losing a loved one is never easy...

We are here to help every step of the way.

We can help you celebrate the life, the memories and the moments that made them special.

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Downtown Easley • 864.859.4001 Powdersville Road • 864.442.1800 Duckett-Robinson • Central-Clemson 864.639.2411 or 864.654.4495

RobinsonFuneralHomes.com 864-467-0085 | MARCHANTCO.COM | INFO@MARCHANTCO.COM PHOTO CREDIT: KIM DELOACH PHOTOGRAPHY

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Proudly serving Greenville, Pickens, Anderson and Oconee Counties

STYLE

ALL THINGS STYLISH / UNIQUE / EXTRAORDINARY Wood and bone bold necklace from Custard Boutique, $174.

Explore an eclectic selection of jewelry and accessories at CUSTARD BOUTIQUE.

Photograph by Paul Mehaffey

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STYLE • THE SHOP

(left to right): Wood and shard necklace, $142; Blue Jay wrap bracelet, $109; Anyo hoops, $49, line cuff, $55, and pyramid 2 ring, $43; blue spike hoops, $35, Luna’s cuff, $163, and nightjar earrings, $51. All from Custard Boutique.

PIECE BY PIECE WITH STORES IN GREENVILLE AND SAVANNAH, CUSTARD BOUTIQUE OFFERS UNIQUE STYLES

by Kathryn Norungolo • photography by Paul Mehaffey

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rtisanal and original are two words that come to mind when describing the hip inventory at Custard Boutique in downtown Greenville’s West End. After establishing the flagship location in Savannah, Georgia, owner Tara Kirkland opened Custard’s second location in 2012 right here in the Upstate, offering a diverse array of clothing and accessories for everyone. The boutique’s jewelry selection, though, is certainly a standout. Among the necklaces, bracelets, and earrings fashioned from varying materials and metals, a perfect-for-you piece is easy to find.

Visit Custard Boutique at 718 S Main St, Greenville. Mon–Sat, 10:30am– 6pm; Sun, noon – 5pm. (864) 271-0927, custardboutique.com

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STYLE • THE BODY

Start the year off with a luxurious treatment (or two) at these top Greenville spas.

DON’T MISS BLISS

which features warm Himalayan salt stones, then enjoy a catered lunch in the light-filled Sun Room. OASE uses clean beauty products that are environmentally friendly and free of toxins. (864) 900-2920, oasedayspa.com

THESE DAY SPAS OFFER RELA XING OPTIONS FOR THE NEW YEAR

RIVER FALLS SPA

by Ruta Fox

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ith vacation travel still impacted by the pandemic, we need to look closer to home to seek out some much-needed R&R this January. Right now is the perfect time to indulge in a wide range of luxurious face and body treatments at these local sanctuaries. You’ll feel restored and renewed—ready for 2021.

AO—THE SPACE

URBAN NIRVANA

This new self-described “eco-holistic beauty collective” is a bright white, totally modern, light-filled space that you might expect to find in LA or NYC. Offering a diverse menu of beauty services, this “anti-spa spa” is the perfect place to get innovative treatments like the Customized CBD Foot Soak utilizing essential oils, nourishing clays, and CBD salts to revitalize tired feet. Melt pain away with the Thai Full-Body Stretching treatment that relieves muscular tension, improves flexibility, and loosens stiff joints.

Pop in without an appointment at the nail bar for the waterless, non-toxic manicure. AO uses clean beauty products that are environmentally friendly and free of toxins. (864) 412-8078, aothespace.com

OASE DAY SPA

If you can’t travel to Scandinavia, this is the next best thing. With whitewashed walls, fragrant pine boughs, and birchwood accents, OASE (Danish for oasis) is the absolute personification of hygge—the cozy, wintry feeling of well-being. Enjoy the unique Cocoon Room or sip hot chocolate in front of the roaring fire. Try the therapeutic Heilendi massage,

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The tucked-away location of the River Falls Spa is like a secret underground find. Try the brand-new Gemstone Facial to energize, balance, and achieve a real glow using products infused with the gemstones malachite, citrine, and pink tourmaline combined with healing charcoal, turmeric, and camellia botanicals. The Body Polish removes impurities with exfoliation, increases circulation, and totally transforms your skin using the healing therapy of the Vichy shower, which is followed by a soothing application of an intensely hydrating body lotion. (864) 240-2136, riverfallsspa.com Two locations serve Greenville to refresh and reawaken exhausted souls. Try the Rubbed and Wrapped, featuring an application of warmed detoxifying ginger and lemongrass essential oils, a wrapping to blissfully “bake,” followed by an indulgent 90-minute massage. Or revive dry hair and a tired body with the Wild Lime Blossom treatment of citrus-scented oils massaged into the head, neck, and scalp, followed by a full-body massage. (864) 371-6200, urbannirvana.com/ downtown-greenville; (864) 288-1210, urbannirvana.com/greenville

WOODHOUSE DAY SPA

Furnished like an elegant home, Woodhouse presents an ultrasophisticated vibe. Their signature scent wafts throughout, while mimosas and wine are offered along with a lavender-scented neck pillow to start your spa journey. Try the deluxe Woodhouse Escape with seven specialized head-to-toe treatments including a dry-brush exfoliation and a reflexology foot massage. The signature Minkyti Facial helps defy age and provides deep relaxation. (864) 900-0087, greenville.

woodhousespas.com

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

Where Artistry Meets Dentistry

Dr. Joseph W. Holliday and Dr. J. L. Holliday along with their team provide a friendly atmosphere, putting our patients at ease in our comfortable, yet highly advanced facility. We recognize that each patientâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s case is unique, and our extremely qualified team of experienced professionals will work with you to develop a treatment plan that specifically meets your needs.

Keeping our patients healthy and smiling is what we love to do.

Joseph W. Holliday, D.M.D. | John L. Holliday, D.M.D.

7 Legacy Park Rd., Greenville | 864-233-8639 | hollidaydentalgreenville.com | info@hollidaydentalgreenville.com

Ms. Bea Wright

THANK YOU, NEXT AS WE L AUNCH INTO A NEW YEA R, MS. BEA REFLECTS ON THE LESSONS OF 2020

G

o ahead. Reach around and give yourself a solid pat on the back. You deserve it. While you’re at it, give whoever is next to you right now a double thumbs up. We all deserve hardy congratulations for making it through the year 2020.

Who would have thought that the year that shares a name with “perfect 20/20 vision” would pack so many punches, from East and Gulf Coast hurricanes to West Coast wildfires, the deaths of Kobe Bryant, George Floyd, and Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and numerous protests and demonstrations in a fight for racial equality. We endured a presidential impeachment and witnessed the renunciation of royalty by Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. Together we experienced a raucous political season, an extended election period, and a toilet paper shortage. These events are just the tip of the monstrous 2020 iceberg named COVID-19.

The challenges have been enormous. Some of us lost jobs and income while others endured the tragic loss of loved ones. My intention is not to downplay any of these terrible experiences. But I do think a moment to celebrate the human spirit is appropriate. After all, despite the unexpected curve balls the year threw, we continued to adjust and kept swinging.

Truthfully, while I have no interest in a do-over, I believe the challenge-fraught year taught us a lot about ourselves and human nature.

So, before we close the door entirely on 2020, let’s reflect on the lessons the year imparted. You may have a different list, but here are some of my takeaways.

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Human beings are good at adapting. When the going gets tough, we don’t throw in the towel—we work to find a new way of doing things. The shift in how we worked and played in 2020 was fascinating to experience. From Zoom work meetings and Zoom cocktail hours with friends to back-patio gatherings with social distancing, being together was important enough to make it happen, even though it looked different.

I like myself better as a blonde. I started my life with blonde hair, so I shall aspire to honor those roots and keep darker interlopers at bay.

Stretchy pants are fair-weather friends. Your stretchy, comfortable clothes will deny even knowing you when your regular clothes with zippers reenter your wardrobe.

Teachers joined the ranks of HEROES, along with health care, grocery store, and other frontline workers who kept us safe and the world moving.

Sadly, racial disparities and racism still exist. Conversations, listening, education, self-awareness, humility, and more efforts are necessary to accomplish a systemic change regarding racism. It is past time, y’all.

Slowing down to appreciate the simple things has great worth. The year forced us to consider the difference between needs and wants. This assessment and practice will always add value to our lives.

My goal is to see the upcoming year and decade through the lens of lessons learned in 2020. Perhaps the year of perfect vision can be redeemed after all.

I’m here if you need me. Until then, y’all behave.

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Man About TOWN

NAME GAME THE M A N CONSIDERS THE CHA INS OF ONE’S MONIKER

by Steven Tingle

G

rowing up with the last name Tingle was like walking around with a permanent “Kick Me” sign attached to my back. On the playground, kids would call me “Tinkle,” or “Twinkie,” or “Twinkle Toes,” and then giggle with delight at the sight of my flushed cheeks. By the time I reached middle school, I thought a cool nickname would put an end to the constant ridicule. I wanted something with a hint of danger, like Mad Dog or Terminator. But nicknames are not chosen, they are bestowed, and the one given to me in seventh grade stuck like glue. Even now when I run into an old high school classmate, I’m greeted with, “What’s up, Tingle-Berry?”

By the time I reached my late twenties, I had begun to embrace Tingle. I realized it was memorable, and women seemed to think it was cute. It’s now my wife, Jess, who is ambivalent about the name. She’s an economics professor, and she intends to keep her maiden name. She says it’s for professional reasons, but I think she just doesn’t want to be known as “Dr. Tingle.” Which, in her defense, does sound like a 1970s funk station DJ. As an adult, it’s my first name that has caused me strife. Steven is

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a fine, serviceable name, but many people, I guess in an effort toward efficiency or familiarity, are compelled to shorten it. “Nice to meet you, Steve,” they’ll say after I introduce myself. Steve? I’ll think. Who’s Steve?

Do Steven Spielberg and Stephen King have this problem? Are guys named Phillip or Timothy or David automatically assumed to be Phil, Tim, and Dave? You may think it’s not that big of a deal. But your first name says a lot about who you are.

Last fall, a company that provides legal funding released a study on the names considered clumsiest and most accident-prone. For men, the names Kyle and Blake topped the list. For women, Hailey and Taylor came in first and second place. I’ve not studied the data, but on the surface the findings seem legit. The name Kyle seems to fit someone at a party who would glance at a rickety skateboard then say, “Hold my beer.

I’m gonna try something.” And who at that party is most likely to spill her White Claw on you while attempting to perform the Single Ladies dance on a slippery patio? Doris? Ruth? Oh Hailey, not again! You would be perfectly safe to hang out with Steven at that party. But steer clear of Steve. That guy’s crazy.

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Essay

THE RHODODENDRON RING FROM A N EA RLY AGE, THIS WR ITER DISCOVERED THAT NATURE IS OUR MOST DEPENDA BLE NURTURER

by Lauren Maxwell

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n first grade, I often visited my classmate Blanche’s house. Her name was impossibly Southern and matched her mother’s, which I thought was very cool. Blanche’s family lived only two neighborhoods over from mine, but it felt like another world. At Blanche’s house, at six years old, I was introduced to the woods.

As young confidantes, Blanche and I wove through trees collecting nuts and berries from the forest floor. We filled our adventures with imaginary names and storylines, and at some point, turned a big, sprawling shrub into a magical little cottage all our own, a place where we tucked ourselves away to whisper secrets. The fortress held us snugly, along with our treasures, and we reconvened there every time we were together. We climbed in and stayed, cloaked in leaves, until we were ready to again reveal ourselves to the world.

I’m not sure what plant served as our hiding spot so long ago, but I can still see it in my mind’s eye, and it looks something like rhododendron.

Rhododendron was one of the first plants I got to know after making a home in northwestern South Carolina several years ago, though I’d be lost if I tried to name all its variations. But I recognize our local version when I see it, which is on every single hike. When I started exploring the Blue Ridge foothills

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after moving here, rhododendron leaves, still green in the winter and shaping magical hallways in the woods, immediately caught my eye. That spring, I watched as their blooms came to life like tiny, buzzing, blazing fireworks. After that, I looked for them every year. My favorite variety has white flowers with red stripes that look like peppermint candy.

Through every season, rhododendron grows, providing a fairytale canopy no less enticing than the one Blanche and I discovered in elementary school. Its limbs extend something akin to an embrace, there in the middle of the woods, even in the depths of winter.

Low and draping, rhododendron surrounds you almost like Mother Nature herself reaching out to say we’re in her grasp.

Last fall, my husband and I finally put together the garden we’d started in 2017 but abandoned when life put us on the road for a spell. We began again, built a fire pit for low-risk, virus-friendly socializing, hung lights from trees, and covered our yard in native plants. We’ve long been interested in native gardening, drawn to the idea of giving the birds and the bees exactly what they want, what they’ve evolved to love most, understanding that many ornamental and invasive species used in landscaping harm our local ecosystems.

Around the new fire pit, we installed a ring of rhododendron, putting our fingers in the soil to soak up whatever good is there. The ring is alluring, like the mystical woods crept right into our backyard, calling us closer. Every week, we sit down with those rhododendron and stay a while, just like Blanche and I did when we were six. It’s a comfort.

Our garden’s plants came from the South Carolina Native Plant Society, whose volunteers asked about our dense clay soil and frequent shade and helped us find pollinators that can live happily in our little slice of the neighborhood. We added climbing plants on one side of our fence: American wisteria, Virgin’s Bower, Carolina jessamine, and Coral honeysuckle. On the other side, we put wild blueberry shrubs that, to our delight, should soon bear fruit.

The Native Plant Society became a real source of joy for us this year. We eased the young plants’ roots into the ground, lovingly patted them into place, and fed them with mulch at the base. Now, we wait, wondering what they’ll do come spring.

Growing wild across the western Carolina mountains, rhododendron offers green leaves throughout the seasons, blooming in late May and early June.

There’s something meaningful about caring for the land that holds you, and this year kept me in one place long enough to explore that in my own backyard.

Last spring after lockdown, I listened to the birds go wild, singing as if their lives depended on it every day from my porch. I was no longer due in New York, Atlanta, or Nashville—I was home, with the birds.

Nature had my full attention.

Once summer hit, I needed a change of scenery and visited the trails at The Carl Sandburg House in Flat Rock. The habit stuck, and from there, I watched the seasons turn. In July, a field of sunflowers tipped their faces toward the sky; in August, they bowed their heads to let aster and goldenrods take the stage.

In the early, teasing fall, green leaves began to flirt with red, amber, and gold brushed on like paint.

October became kaleidoscopic, and I kept looking up, up, caught in a spell of autumn’s prize. By November, the colors faded to brown and swept me

into swirling storms of falling leaves, gentle as snowflakes on my shoulders.

As December approached, those leaves formed a thick carpet on the ground, and my heels crushed them back into the dirt, nourishing the very earth from which they came.

Now January has arrived, holding us with something of its own. In the quiet midwinter, the forest is sparse, and trees are stripped of color and activity. But I notice that with all those branches free of leaves, it’s easier to see what’s ahead on the trail. Mountain views open up, sweeping far and wide, and it feels like I could reach out and touch their peaks. Winter is gray, yet I see clearly in all directions.

Our lives, stripped of their former layers, mirror the forest in this season.

Life is quiet on the surface, but beneath the ground, our roots are deepening and strengthening, preparing us for new chapters ahead. Nothing invites presence, it turns out, like staying in one place and watching the seasons change. It helps us reflect on where we’re going.

This winter, I’ll bundle up to walk the same trails, looking for new life. I’ll sit by many fires. The rhododendron will happily hold us till we’re ready to emerge. After all, it always has.

Lauren Maxwell is a writer living at the southern tip of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

She publishes a weekly column called WE’RE ALL FRIENDS HERE.

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SOUTHERN

B O TA N I C A

Our coldest season offers prime time to escape the confines of home and revel in the unadorned beauty of the South Carolina Botanical Garden.

B Y S T E P H A N I E T R O T T E R / P H O T O G R A P H Y B Y PA U L M E H A F F E Y

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BY

Stephanie Trotter /

PHOTOGRAPHY BY

Paul Mehaffey /

HAIR & MAKEUP BY

Isabelle Schreier /

STYLING BY

Kathryn Norungolo

(this page) Erythrina herbacea, Cherokee bean, or coral bean, is found across the Southeast. This plant can grow into a shrub or tree, depending on the environment.

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(opposite and below) Helianthus angustifolius, or swamp sunflower, is one of the four sunflowers native to South Carolina. Each spring, gardeners must race the birds to harvest the valuable seeds for propagation.

varieties, while thousands of species of native and non-native plants pepper cultivated landscapes and natural woodlands that include a Celtic Garden, Aquatic Garden, Jurassic Garden, and two dozen others.

N AT U R A L H E R I TA G E G A R D E N

A magical oasis awaits on the edge of Clemson that will transport you to the Chisos Mountains of West Texas, the mystical shell rings of the Carolina coast, even the foreign fossils of the Cretaceous period. The South Carolina Botanical Garden is open every day, sunrise to sunset, with walking trails that provide the perfect outdoor adventure.“Every day out here is different,” shares plant collection manager Trent Miller.

“We have incredible, localized species that might not occur anywhere else in the world.

You can walk in the same place and still see things differently hour by hour.”

In less than an hour, visitors can walk across South Carolina, from the barrier islands of the coast, to the cool ravines of Jocassee Gorges. Yet most take their time meandering the trail through the granite flatrocks of the Piedmont, the sweetgrass of the Lowcountry, and the pine-scented hideaways of the inner coastal region. The Natural Heritage Garden holds the most comprehensive collection of native plants in a public garden in the Southeast. “The garden features thousands of species from each habitat,” clarifies Allison Kelly, the Natural Heritage Garden manager. “The trail takes you from the Maritimes at the coast, and you work your way diagonally up the state through the Sandhills, all the way to the Blue Ridge Escarpment. The garden is never static.”

As she leans over to trim overgrowth, Allison figures she’s been working here since 2017-“ish,” when she gave up teaching music for studying plants. “Just seeing how the plants evolve

This month, snowdrops should be blooming at the entrance of the Xeriscape Garden, with multiple varieties of rosemary bursting just beyond. But the unobtrusive allure of walking the garden in winter involves the off-season debut of intricate textures and mottled tones that typically hide behind the colorful petals of summer. The view of the horizon during solstice has become stark, bold, and captivating. “This is my favorite time of year at the garden,” reveals Trent. “It’s a subdued beauty that makes me happier, because I get to experience it when most people are not looking for it. Look at the show of those wild rice plants. Those inflorescences? It’s crazy to me. The structure of the plants is just so interesting.”

P R O PA G AT I N G

The Botanical Garden took root at Clemson University in the 1950s as a humble collection of camellias on a small parcel of land beside John C. Calhoun’s nineteenth-century Fort Hill estate. Today’s blossom unfolds to reveal a 295-acre interdisciplinary resource of outreach, awareness, and teaching of plants, animals, minerals, and culture. The site was designated as the state’s botanical garden in 1992 and, under the guidance of longtime director and Emmywinning PBS host Dr. Patrick McMillan, grew into a haven for flora and fauna. McMillan recently relocated to the West Coast, but only after leaving the natural site in hands that learned to till the soil at his side. Today, the Camellia Garden features more than 300

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“Every day out here is different. We have incredible, localized species that might not occur anywhere else in the world. You can walk in the same place and still see things differently hour by hour.”

—TRENT MILLER, PLANT COLLECTION MANAGER

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(above left) As plant collection manager at the South Carolina Botanical Garden, Trent Miller possess an intimate knowledge of the thousands of species he nurtures throughout the garden.

(above) Chasmanthium latifolium, or river oats, is an ornamental grass that enjoys shady areas and moist spots along bodies of water. It can grow more than four-feet tall and is exceptional at erosion control.

(opposite, clockwise from top left) Melaleuca linearis var. linearis Clemson ‘Hardy,’ or bottlebrush; Hamamelis virginiana, or American witch-hazel; Clematis glaucophylla, or whiteleaf leatherflower; the Natural Heritage Garden; Yucca gloriosa, or Spanish dagger

OC TOB E

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“The trail takes you from the Maritimes at the coast, and you work your way diagonally up the state through the Sandhills, all the way to the Blue Ridge Escarpment. The garden is never static.”

—ALLISON KELLY, THE NATURAL HERITAGE GARDEN MANAGER

indigenous to the Carolinas—blood-sucking sundews, pitcher plants, and Venus flytraps. Further down the trail, the Cove Habitats and Mountain Bog include the legendary Oconee Bell, within a secluded hillside forest, providing the perfect spot for tranquil contemplation.

DESERT GARDEN

through time—you get to know it more intimately in the winter. My favorite thing is the sound of the grass crackling as it moves and the birds looking for refuge in the longleaf pines. I just enjoy seeing how things change every single day.”

With ten distinct areas, this, the center’s main attraction, features glimpses of the region’s past and present. The Piedmont Prairie looks as it did when bison, elk, and wolves roamed freely on rich, black topsoil, before human hands stripped it to red clay.

The Carnivorous Display includes examples of bug-eating plants

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Smaller in size than the Heritage Garden, but far more menacing in appearance, the Desert Garden’s spiked cacti and pointy agaves the size of VW bugs dot the hillside landscape in this horticultural marvel. “This time of year, some plants turn a kind of Barney purple,” divulges Trent, as he pushes aside a gnarled frond from the path. “There’s a nice contrast between the spines and the color of the pads depending on the species, and they look even more fierce than usual.”

Hairy stems and stout thorns point in every direction in this surreal landscape, just below the Visitor’s Center. Celtis pallida, Acaciella angustissima. Long Latin names drip from Trent’s tongue as he strolls along, introducing the plants as if they were his children. But in a way, they are. He is part of the crew that has nurtured this seven-year-old garden into the largest collection of Southwestern plants at any botanical garden east of Texas. “We have lots of varieties of agave, yuccas, and prickly pear,” he admits. “We do have six native species of cactus here in South Carolina. You can go down to Edisto and find a pretty rare Opuntia tunoidea. A lot of our cactus came over from the Caribbean in hurricanes. Prickly pear is frequently on the coast, but we do have a kind that is at Table Rock, too.”

While visitors are encouraged to touch, feel, and smell plants, this is one area where caution is advised. Trent takes in the beauty with his eyes. “Oh, this looks like frost when the sun catches it,” he says, pointing to a thin stalk. “In the summertime, this plant produces really showy flowers, but I find in winter time, it’s just a different kind of showy.” A show not to be missed.

Entrance to the South Carolina Botanical Garden is free. Public programs and access to the Visitor’s Center have been reduced due to COVID-19. Check the website for future events: clemson.edu/public/scbg

(opposite) Macrothelypteris torresiana, or Mariana maiden fern, is native to tropical Africa and Asia and can be found in the Jurassic Garden; Opuntia microdasys, or bunny ear prickly pear, is frequently found as a houseplant. This miniature cactus is native to central and northern Mexico. The tiny hair-like spines are called “glochids” and can release with the wind if disturbed.

(above, left to right) Agave x ‘Mr. Ripple,’ or century plant, is a hybrid agave frequently found in Texas and California and can grow five-feet tall and eight-feet wide; visitors may mistake Agave horrida ssp. perotensis, or mexcalmetl agave, as a yucca due to its thinner leaves, but the big teeth give it away. Find it by the entrance of the courtyard near the Geology Museum.

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eat drink FOOD FINDS & CAN’T-MISS DISHES

New chef and owner Gian Pietro Ferro will continue making Chef Nello Gioia’s time-honored favorites, including the fettuccine con porcini, egg fettuccine sautéed in olive oil with garlic and Italian-imported porcini mushrooms, then finished with Parmigiano-Reggiano.

Under new reins, RISTORANTE BERGAMO remains dedicated to authentic Italian cuisine.

Photograph by Paul Mehaffey

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E D • CITY DISH As the new chef and owner of Ristorante Bergamo, Gian Pietro Ferro (below left) plans to add to the restaurant’s current menu with nightly specials.

TAKE TWO CHEF GI A N PIETRO FER RO LEA DS THE BELOVED R ISTOR A NTE BERGA MO INTO A NEW ER A

by M. Linda Lee • photography by Paul Mehaffey

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hen Nello Gioia opened the doors of Ristorante Bergamo in 1986, places to eat were scarce on Main Street. Now numbering among 120 restaurants in downtown Greenville, Bergamo has survived the test of time, winning a loyal base of regulars who keep coming back for Chef Nello’s traditional northern Italian fare.

Last year, however, Gioia decided to retire, and Chef Gian Pietro Ferro— who moved to New York from Italy in 1987—has stepped up to the stoves to carry on Nello’s legacy. A mutual friend put the two chefs in touch by phone, knowing that they both hail from the area around Bergamo in northern Italy.

But they never met until last year, when that same friend informed Gian Pietro that Nello was looking to sell his restaurant.

“Tomato sauce is for pasta. Marinara is a pizza sauce. If you call spaghetti ‘marinara,’ it’s with seafood. In Italy, meatballs are served with polenta.”

ON THE MENU: Monkfish osso buco

Served bone-in like the traditional meat dish that inspired it, thick pieces of monkfish (what the chef calls “poor-man’s lobster”) are sautéed with white wine, tomatoes, and capers, and finished in the oven.

Pork tenderloin with apples and sage

Sautéed in white wine with diced green apples, the pork takes on earthy accents from fresh sage.

Arugula salad with Bosc pears and gorgonzola

This refreshing salad contrasts the peppery bite of arugula against sweet pears and pungent cheese.

Ferro and his wife drove down to Greenville from their home in New Jersey last spring. As luck would have it, the day they met with Nello was the day before the national lockdown. So the couple went back north, where Ferro was working as a chef/ consultant in New York, to wait out the pandemic. Ferro returned in early June, right after Bergamo reopened, and on October 1st, he purchased the restaurant.

Gian Pietro was 10 when he started to work in his uncle’s restaurant, and it wasn’t long before he fell in love with cooking.

When discussing his culinary style, the chef makes the distinction between what he calls “American-Italian food” and “100 percent Italian,” the food he grew up eating. The former includes dishes like chicken parmesan and spaghetti and meatballs that many Americans mistakenly take for bona fide Italian fare, but which, Ferro points out, don’t exist in Italy.

“When you go to [an Italian restaurant in] New Jersey, your meal comes with a side order of pasta. What is that?” Ferro’s query brings to mind The Big Night, a 1996 film about two brothers who move from Italy to open an authentic Italian restaurant in Baltimore down the street from an Italian-American eatery. One night, an American customer asks for a side of pasta with his risotto, and Chef Primo throws a fit in the kitchen. When I ask the chef if he’s ever seen the movie, his wife, Kathleen, bursts into laughter. “It’s our favorite!

That’s him,” she declares, drawing a parallel between her husband and the film’s fictitious chef. Turns out Ferro actually consulted for the movie when he was working at Fiorello in New York City.

Like Chef Primo, Ferro remains true to his Italian roots. “Tomato sauce is for pasta,” he maintains. “Marinara is a pizza sauce. If you call spaghetti ‘marinara,’ it’s with seafood. In Italy, meatballs are served with polenta.”

For the moment, Ferro plans to keep the same menu at Bergamo with the addition of weekly specials. Eventually, he hopes to highlight dishes from different regions of Italy. “Maybe one week I dedicate to Florence; the next week I dedicate to Rome; another to Sicily,” Ferro muses.

Currently, he’s tossing around ideas for osso buco, rabbit with polenta, and carbonara di mare, handmade fettuccine topped with sea urchin and a raw quail egg. And you won’t go wrong ordering any of his variations of risotto, which he considers to be one of his signature dishes. Just don’t ask for a side of pasta.

Ristorante Bergamo, 100 N Main St, Greenville. (864) 271-8667, ristorantebergamo.com

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E D • OPEN BAR

Hailing from Music City, Prince’s Hot Chicken opens its doors in Greenville at Yee-Haw Brewing, where it serves up some seriously spicy fried chicken.

texr here

HOT TO TROT OUR EDITOR AT L A RGE LI VES L A RGE AT THE GREEN V ILLE OUTPOST OF PR INCE’S HOT CHICKEN words and photography by Andrew Huang

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probably look like I am straight-up not having a good time, bro. To paraphrase Eminem, my palms are greasy; knees are weak; arms are heavy. My mouth is on fire, and there are rivulets of sweat streaming down my face. Considering the context, it’s no surprise—I’m eating a leg quarter of Prince’s Hot Chicken.

You know about Prince’s Hot Chicken, right? According to André Prince Jeffries, who owned Prince’s for 40 years before retiring, her great uncle Thornton Prince was a womanizer who ran afoul of his partner. After a particularly late night, she decided to express her extreme displeasure by making a breakfast of fried chicken seasoned with the spiciest things on hand.

Suffice it to say that hot chicken didn’t get the intended response. “He kind of liked his punishment,” laughs Semone Jeffries, Andre’s daughter and owner of Prince’s. “It was a feel-good hurt, you know?” Prince’s kicked off what’s become a worldwide cultural phenomenon known as Nashville hot chicken, and it landed in Greenville because of some old-fashioned neighborliness.

When the original location of Prince’s Hot Chicken shut down (a car crashed through the storefront and caught fire), Joe Baker, the owner of Yee-Haw Brewing Co., offered the use of his Nashville brewery. “We never served beer, so Yee-Haw brings a component we needed,” Semone says. As a result of that complementary partnership, Greenville is now home to the only Prince’s location outside of Music City.

To be clear, Prince’s is far more complex than simply “spicy chicken.” There are a few generally accepted hallmarks of hot chicken, but the pièce de résistance

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is the finish. Each piece of fried chicken is doused in what’s essentially a chile oil: an obscene amount of spicy things blended into the frying oil. (I say “generally accepted” because Prince’s exact process is a mystery. The Jeffries family is notoriously tight-lipped. Even at Yee-Haw, the spices are pre-mixed and transported from Nashville. The only spice Semone confirms—and warily, at that—is cayenne.)

Each finished piece of hot chicken is presented atop a slice of plain white bread, topped with dill pickle chips, and served with sides. “There is a sense of adventure to it,” says Baker. “It’s an experience you want to talk about.”

Speaking of the experience, the heat in this chicken doesn’t nuke your taste buds into oblivion; it’s far more nuanced. It’s a lingering buildup that starts with a tingling in my scalp. At some point, it transitions into a pulsing climax, and I realize I’m riding a wave of capsaicin-induced euphoria.

Half-blind with sweat, I tear off a piece of white bread, hoping its blandness will temper the spice, not realizing it has soaked up all the drippings from the chicken. It’s not until I dig into a side—any side—that I feel some relief: crunchy coleslaw and creamy-tangy potato salad to cool things down; soothing cheesy macaroni; sweet baked beans; the mild bitterness of collards. It’s just enough to make another bite seem like a good idea.

Am I being a little melodramatic about chicken?

Probably. But then again, what else should you expect from a delicacy born of revenge, cloaked in mystery, and served up as adventure?

Prince’s Hot Chicken at Yee-Haw Brewing Co, 307 E McBee Ave, Ste C, Greenville. (864) 605-7770, yeehawbrewing.com

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by Kathryn Davé • photography by Jivan Davé

T

he cooking life is a long one. It comes with its own seasons and weather patterns. Time, interest, inspiration, resources all wax and wane, and if you don’t flow with them, you’ll run aground on the island of Domino’s delivery. At least, that’s where I found myself last year: ordering takeout, eating too much pizza, and slapping together only the most basic meals I could muster. This is temporary, I reassured myself, but a tiny voice in the back of my mind wondered. Was it truly temporary? Had my passion for cooking finally fizzled out?

Turns out that being pregnant in a pandemic while quarantining with two preschoolers who want to eat every hour except the dinner hour is a quick way to burn out on cooking. When the baby came and the weather changed, so did I. Meal planning stopped feeling torturous, and I started bookmarking recipes to try again.

I treated myself to regular grocery pick-up. I was delighted by the return of fall apples and winter squash. I found my way back in.

Ginger scallion ramen noodles with mushrooms were a happy discovery in my search for dairy-free dinners (hello, new season). Easy and quick and unbelievably delicious, they disappeared out of our bowls so fast my husband and I stared at each other, surprised. “I could eat these every week,” he raved. We won’t, of course—for me, that’s a fast track to burnout island.

But I do expect to end up there again at some point. Rest is an important part of any sustainable practice, and I’ve realized sometimes the best way to keep cooking is to stop for a while.

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Scattered with scallion, cabbage, and cremini mushrooms, these ginger ramen noodles are a quick and easy family favorite.

MUSHROOM SCALLION RAMEN NOODLES Serves 3–4

INGREDIENTS: 3/4 lb. ground pork 1 head Savoy cabbage 3 packages ramen noodles, any flavor, seasoning packet discarded 1 lb. cremini mushrooms, roughly chopped 1 (1-inch) section ginger, peeled and grated 2 Tbs. olive oil 4 scallions, sliced thinly Pinch of chile flakes (to taste) Kosher salt 1/4 cup mirin 1/3 cup soy sauce (or coconut aminos) Sesame seeds, for garnish 1 Tbs. sesame oil Sriracha, for serving

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Cut the cabbage in half through the core and then again to make quarters. Remove the core and slice the remaining cabbage finely. Place sliced cabbage in a colander in the sink.

SESAME TUNA WITH SPICY SOBA NOODLE SALAD Serves 4

2. Stir mirin and soy sauce together in a small bowl and set aside.

3. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large sauté pan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the pork and cook until browned, stirring. Add 1 more tablespoon of olive oil along with the chopped mushrooms. Salt lightly and let cook undisturbed 1 minute before stirring, cooking another 3–4 minutes until browned. Stir in the grated ginger, half of the scallions, and a pinch of chile flakes to taste. Cook for 1 more minute.

4. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to boil. When boiling, drop in the ramen noodles and cook until just beginning to soften, about 1 minute. Drain the noodles over the cabbage in the colander, wilting the cabbage as you do so.

5. Return the cabbage and noodles to the sauté pan with the mushrooms and pork.

Pour in the mirin-soy sauce with the last half of scallions and toss until well-combined.

Finish with sesame oil and sesame seeds to taste. Serve in bowls with sriracha or your preferred hot sauce on the side. *Note: This dish is delicious with just mushrooms, so feel free to omit the pork for a vegan option.

FOR MORE RECIPES: TOWNCAROLINA.COM

text here

When the baby came and the weather changed, so did I. Meal planning stopped feeling torturous, and I started bookmarking recipes to try again.

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C O M E F O R T H E B A R B E U E.

Stay for the Bourbon!

Led by Pitmaster & Executive Chef David Jensen. Our pit team utilizes wood-smoking techniques while drawing inspiration from across the barbeque trail map of the culinary South. A comfortable gathering place offering a selection of slow smoked meats, including Ribs, House-Smoked Sausages, Brisket, Pulled Pork and Southern sides along with Husk classics such as the iconic Husk Cheeseburger, Fried Chicken & Pimento Cheese. The bar offers signature frozen drinks, seasonal cocktails, local beers, and the regionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most extensive bourbon and whiskey list. Husk Barbeque will also offer to-go, catering, and boxed lunches.

huskbbq.com

DOWNTOWN GREENVILLE

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huskbbq

722 S Main Street | Greenville, SC 29601 | 8 6 4 . 6 2 7 . 0 4 0 4

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, take-home dinners, 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

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. 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. 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

Husk Smokin’ Barbeque After spending a few months off the docket, this West End staple returns with a refreshed menu focused on all things meat. Continuing in their sustainable partnerships and quality craft, pitmaster David Jensen throws out ribs, brisket, pulled pork, and more, plus a host of scrumptious sides. Expect a heavy tribute to bourbon and whiskeys at the bar, and don’t worry, you can still order a side of those famous pork rinds. $-$$. L, D, SBR.

722 S Main St, Greenville. (864) 627-0404, huskbbq.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

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 with squash & Brussels sprouts hash, chimichurri butter, and a truffle cabernet sauce. B, L, D. $-$$. 1 N Laurens St. (864) 283-0940, reids.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 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 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

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MEETING NEEDS.

EXCEEDING EXPECTATIONS.

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

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

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

A NEW SPACE TO MEET & BEE PRODUCTIVE! SCHEDULE YOUR NEXT MEETING! (864) 720-2975 | ELSE.MILLER@MARRIOTT.COM

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 GREENVILLE DOWNTOWN

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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.

Closed Sun & Mon. 586 Perry Ave. Tues–Sat, noon–8pm. (864) 207-0685, 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 in-house 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

The Spatula Café It can be challenging to find a lunch spot that satisfies both meat-lovers and vegans, but Spatula Café does, and then some.

Open for breakfast and lunch, seven days a week, Spatula offers dishes like a tofu scramble wrap alongside a prosciutto bagel, and duck alongside marinated tempeh. Don’t just focus on the meals, though, because their baked goods truly shine. Check out the vegan cinnamon roll, it’s delectable to any type of eater.

Locally Connected.

Proven Results.

$, B, L. 118 Smythe St, Greenville. (864) 2367467, thespatulacafe.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 Week by week, the full plant-based menu at this westside spot 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.

1258 Pendleton St. (864) 915-8600

As Greenville grows choose a Realtor® you can trust – one who has lived & worked here for 25 years. Virginia is continually one of Greenville’s top-producing agents through her focus on exceptional service, market knowledge, and her expertise in navigating a fast-paced real estate market.

Looking for a knowledgeable, passionate, client-focused Realtor® who specializes in the Augusta Rd, Downtown, N. Main and Parkins Mill neighborhoods? Call Virginia today to help you successfully buy, sell or build!

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864.313.2986

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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

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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 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

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

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

Committed to Keeping Greenville Healthy.

From açaí energy bowls, superfood smoothies, cold-pressed juices and plant-based foods, Southern Pressed Juicery is always committed to bringing you the most delicious ways to eat healthy and stay healthy.

2 West Washington Street, Downtown Greenville, SC (864) 729-8626 | SouthernPressedJuicery.com

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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 authentic Colombian food, like arepas and patacones, at Sacha’s. 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 on the corner of 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 fire-

inspired 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).

Cheers to a New Year!

$, 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

Raising a glass to all my 2020 clients and looking forward to serving current and future clients in 2021!

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,

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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

Laurens Rd. (864) 412-8700, willytaco.com

TOWN magazine accepts no compensation for Dining Guide reviews and selects entries by its editorial discretion. Reviews are conducted anonymously.

864.906.1052 | mattnocks.com | Realtor® Matt.Nocks@JHA-SothebysRealty.com JA N UA RY 2021 I

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FIND, RENT AND EXPERIENCE LIFE ON THE WATER

WATERCRAFT RENTAL HydroShare® is the Premier Watercraft Rental Community!

We give owners the ability to earn revenue by renting their boat or watercraft while it would otherwise lie dormant, and we give renters the ability to enjoy being on the water without the costs of ownership.

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

Sale valid from Dec. 1 - Jan. 15

Listing and renting are both secure and easy. To list, you simply need to provide details about your watercraft and then sit back and wait for rental requests to come in. To rent, you simply need to search based on your preferences and location and then select from the many watercrafts available.

Sign up now through January 31st and HydroShare will promote your listing for FREE in April.

JET SKI RENTALS

SPEED BOAT RENTALS

GARRISON OPTICIANS Fine European Eyewear

McDaniel Village • 1922 Augusta Street, Suite 109 M-F 9:30-5:30 by appointment

864-271-1812 • GarrisonOpticians.com

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Serving a High-end Men’s Barber Shop Experience in Both Greenville and Spartanburg

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FISHING

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Igniting Hope Together

SOUTH C AROLINA

February 20, 2021 Together, we can spark hope for children battling critical illnesses.

SCWISHBALL.ORG

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GOODBYE 2020.

NEW YEAR... NEW JOURNEY.

Wish Kids Madison, Colton and Mauri’Anna

ONE DAY | 28.3 MILES | FOOTHILLS TRAIL

Congratulations 2020 Honorees

Women Inspiring Strength and Hope - W.I.S.H. It is a community - an ever growing network of amazing, inspiring local women.

Thank you Honorees for utilizing your talents, compassion and leadership qualities to become true partners to Make-A-Wish as you raise funds to grant wishes to children with critical illnesses.

Carter Mello

Investigative Reporter, WCSC-TV Live 5 News

Linda Green

Business Management Analyst, TD Bank

Carmen Scott

Attorney, Motley Rice Attorneys at Law

Erin Cannon

Sr. Business Analyst, IT, Blackbaud

Sheri Taylor

Broadcaster, Magic 98.9FM

Michele Miller

Realtor®, Charleston Realty Services

Susan Tallman

Realtor® and Designer,

Berkshire Hathaway & C. Dan Joyner Realtors and M. Judson Booksellers

Thayleigh Brent

Owner, Zyia For All, Zyia Active

Elizabeth Palmer Senior, Furman University

scwishsociety.org

Town Scene

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GENESIS—BMW FROM THE BEGINNING Gentlemen—and women—start your engines! The most comprehensive exhibit of early BMWs ever presented in North America is now on display in Greer. GENESIS illustrates five decades of BMW’s history through 24 cars and motorcycles. Ranging from the 1927 R47 sport bike to the 1950s-era BMW Baroque Angel sedans, the ongoing exhibit pays homage to the innovations of the Upstate’s own German carmaker.

BMW CCA Foundation Museum, 190 Manatee Ct, Greer. Mon–Fri, 9am–5pm; Sat, 10am–4pm. Adults, $12; youth (ages 6–17), $6; children 5 and under, free.

(864) 329-1919, bmwccafoundation.org

GENESIS—BMW from the Beginning | Thru Jan 31

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 27

STATE OF THE ART COLLECTION: CONTEMPORARY CONVERSATIONS How important are beauty and craftsmanship to contemporary artists?

What is the meaning of abstraction?

Can art serve as an agent of social change? If you’ve ever pondered such questions, you may find illumination at this exhibit at the Greenville Center

convenient

locations

...No Referral Required

In the Greenville area, call...

PHYSICAL THERAPY | OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY | SPEECH THERAPY | HOME VISITS

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Photograph of Heartbeat, 2014, by James Busby; courtesy of the Greenville Center for Creative Arts

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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) continues to delight cold-weather fans after the holiday mayhem. 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.

Photograph courtesy of the BMW CCA Foundation Museum

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for Creative Arts. Intended as a series of conversations about the role of art in contemporary life, the works here explore the evolution of art over the last 50 years.

1&6

Thru 18

Bon Secours Wellness Arena, 650 N Academy St, Greenville. Fri, 2:05pm; Wed, 7:05pm. $10. (864) 241-3800, bonsecoursarena.com

Photograph of Heartbeat, 2014, by James Busby; courtesy of the Greenville Center for Creative Arts

Greenville Center for Creative Arts, 101 Abney St, Greenville. Open during gallery hours, Wed–Fri, 1–5pm. Free.

(864) 735-3848, artcentergreenville.org

SKATING ON THE SQUARE From beginners to Olympian wannabes, all levels of skaters are welcome at this seasonal ice rink, located in the heart of Spartanburg on Morgan Square. The price of admission allows you to come and go as you please on the day you purchase a ticket, so feel free to take a hot chocolate break, then return to skate some more.

Downtown Spartanburg. Mon–Thurs, 4–8pm; Fri, 4–10pm, Sat, 11am–10pm; Sun, noon–8pm. $10, includes skate rental.

(864) 909-6811, cityofspartanburg.org/ skating-on-the-square

PAINTINGS BY RIC STANDRIDGE

GREENVILLE SWAMP RABBITS Start the year off with some ice action as the Greenville Swamp Rabbits continue their season at The Well.

Greenville’s ECHL affiliate hockey team kicks off 2021 on their home ice, when they take on the SC Stingrays on New Year’s Day and the Wheeling Nailers on January 6. Reserve your tickets today so you don’t miss any of the hare-raising fun.

5, 12, 19, 26

TRIVIA NIGHT AT GROWLER HAUS Round up your smartest friends and head to the Growler Haus in the Village of West Greenville each Tuesday night in January to test your trivia knowledge. Pit your brainpower against other teams for Haus bucks and brewery swag, while you nosh on burgers, bao buns, and flatbreads washed down with a Haus draft.

Growler Haus, 12 Lois Ave, Greenville.

Tues, 7–9pm. Free. (864) 373-9347, growlerhaus.com

State of the Art Collection: Contemporary Conversations | Thru Jan 27

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7, 14, 21, 28

LIVE MUSIC WITH JASON DAVIS Crowd-pleasing singer/songwriter Jason Davis regales wine lovers on Thursday nights in January with his original tunes and takes on ’80s and ’90s pop and country songs. It’s a perfect excuse to wash away the January doldrums with a glass or two from the Tasting Room’s wellcurated selection of small-production vineyards from around the globe.

Tasting Room TR, 164 S Main St, Ste C, Travelers Rest. Thurs, 6–8:30pm. Free.

(864) 610-2020, tastingroomtr.com

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Various Greenville restaurants. restaurantweeksouthcarolina.com/city/ greenville

Old Crow Medicine Show | Jan 22

Let’s Have Fun Together!

www.skisugar.com Sugar Mountain, NC

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Photograph courtesy of Oak Hill Café and Farm

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Photograph courtesy of Lucky Bird Media

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SC RESTAURANT WEEK Special prix-fixe menus and discounts make it easy and affordable to check out that new restaurant you’ve been wanting to try—or return to your favorite haunts for Restaurant Week specials. Either way, this 11-day event is a delicious way to get a taste of our city’s thriving restaurant scene.

SS

CA

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THE GREENVILLE NEWS RUN DOWNTOWN VIRTUAL PLUS Burn off those holiday calories at one of the oldest and largest 5K runs in South Carolina. To ensure the safety of the participants this year, the race, sponsored by The Greenville News and the Greenville Track Club, will be virtual. Participants will have two options: run a certified course and use the official Camera Timing System, or choose your own course and keep time yourself.

Downtown Greenville. Certified 5K, $28; virtual 5K, $23 (prices increase after Jan 3). runsignup.com/Race/SC/Greenville/ RunDowntown

Photograph courtesy of Oak Hill Café and Farm

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THE PRICE IS RIGHT LIVE Think you’ve got a good grip on how much everyday items cost? “Come on down” to The Well and test your skills.

You just might win big prizes (think: vacations, appliances, and even a new car) when television’s longest-running game show goes live in Greenville. To register for a chance to be a contestant, visit the registration area at the box office three hours prior to show time.

Bon Secours Wellness Arena, 650 N Academy St, Greenville. Sun, 8pm. $25-$45.

(864) 241-3800, bonsecoursarena.com

22

OLD CROW MEDICINE SHOW What began as a group of buskers on street corners has grown into an award-winning folk band. The Old Crow Medicine Show launched their career with the help of folk icon Doc Watson, who noticed them playing in front of a pharmacy in Boone, North Carolina, more than 20 years ago. Since then, the group has been inducted into Nashville’s Grand Ole Opry and has garnered Grammys for their albums Remedy and Big Easy Express.

Peace Center, 300 S Main St, Greenville.

Fri, 8pm. $25-$55. (864) 467-3000, peacecenter.org

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OAK HILL CAFÉ AND FARM WINTER TASTING MENU Think January is a dull month? You’ll change your mind once you taste your way through 12 expertly crafted courses by James Beard Award semifinalist David Porras. Using hyperlocal ingredients, including those from the café’s on-site farm, Chef David

Oak Hill Café and Farm Winter Tasting Menu | Jan 29 brings his boundless creativity to the plate. Instead of wine, he’ll be pairing dishes with beer from a local brewery.

of the beloved shellfish to the grounds of Boone Hall Plantation each year. There’s live music and food trucks, too, for those who— perish the thought!—don’t care for oysters. If you’re up for a little friendly competition, the oyster-shucking and oyster-eating contests begin at noon.

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Boone Hall Plantation, 1235 Long Point Rd, Mt Pleasant, SC. Sun, 10am–5pm. $18. (843) 884-4371, boonehallplantation.com/special_ event/lowcountry-oyster-festival

Oak Hill Café and Farm, 2510 Poinsett Hwy, Greenville. Fri, 6pm. $110; optional beer pairing, $30. (864) 631-1397, oakhillcafe.com

LOWCOUNTRY OYSTER FESTIVAL January is prime time for oysters in the Lowcountry, and this venerable festival trucks in some 80,000 pounds

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TWICE THE EXPERIENCE. TWICE THE SERVICE. TWICE THE SATISFACTION! MEDIA GUIDE //// 2021

LET US HELP YOU WITH ALL YOUR REAL ESTATE NEEDS.

A COMMUNITY JOURNALS PUBLICATION

The Van Gieson Team

New Year. New UBJ. Beginning January 1, 2021, the Upstate Business Journal will publish a monthly magazine with a new layout and packed with feature stories celebrating the Upstate Business community. In addition, we’ll have daily business news online, news stories each week within the Greenville Journal and with our UBJ weekly e-newsletter. We invite you to visit us online or pick up a copy at one of your favorite businesses including local banks, restaurants, grocery stores and pharmacies.

Sam Van Gieson

Jennifer Van Gieson

svangieson@cdanjoyner.com

jvangieson@cdanjoyner.com

864.630.4708

2021 MONTHLY EDITORIAL CALENDAR January................................. Healthcare / Best Lawyers February............................... Commercial Real Estate (CRE) March..................................... Finance April........................................ Hospitality / Food & Beverage May ......................................... Commercial Real Estate (CRE) June........................................ Finance July ......................................... Technology & Start Ups August................................... Commercial Real Estate (CRE) September .......................... Finance October ................................ Manufacturing / Workforce November............................ Commercial Real Estate / Design December............................ Finance

To subscribe, visit us at upstatebusinessjournal.com/subscribe To advertise, visit communityjournals.com/advertise-with-us The Upstate Business Journal’s mission is to educate, innovate and accelerate area business growth through the latest MEDIA GUIDE ////business 2021 news and communication.

A COMMUNITY JOURNALS PUBLICATION Be a part of it.

864.590.4441

500members granting over $6.5 million to 82 nonprofits

more than

We invite you to join Greenville Women Giving in our journey of learning, working and giving together for a greater Greenville.

To learn more or to join GWG, go to greenvillewomengiving.org Giving Collectively | Granting Strategically | Growing a Greater Greenville

2020-2021 Partners

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UBJHseAd_hlfV_TOWN.indd 1

12/15/20 11:15 AM

John McAfee, Jay McAfee, Elizabeth McAfee and Tommy McAfee

The Legacy Continues.

Since 1913, the McAfee family has been part of the Greenville community. Tommy and John McAfee are proud to introduce the fifth generation of the firm.

Downtown Chapel (864) 232-6733

Northwest Chapel & Cremation Center (864) 294-6415

thomasmcafee.com

Southeast Chapel (864) 688-1600 JA N UA RY 2021 I

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Second Glance

BEYOND THE SURFACE F UR M A N STUDENTS CUR ATE A N EXHIBITION FEATUR ING PA INTINGS BY THE L ATE A RTIST M ATT BAUMGA R DNER

(left to right) Matt Baumgardner, Detail, Relentless Variation #3, 2012, triptych, 72x72x2 in.; Matt Baumgardner, Tropic Langur #2, 2004, 18x20 in.

M

att Baumgardner, who lived and worked in Travelers Rest, was as open as he was closed—as layered as his work reflects. Since Baumgardner’s death, his estate has worked with Furman University to create an opportunity for students to learn about the prolific artist’s life and work. Under the eye of adjunct professor Dr. Diane Fischer, this year’s class of eight students in Curatorial Issues and Practices has created an exhibition featuring 17 of Baumgardner’s paintings, as well as personal items and ephemera. Fischer explains how the course study and exhibit was arranged. “We have four major sections of Matt’s life and career in the exhibition: Early Life, New Inspiration in New York, National Endowment for the Arts Award and Windows in the Sky, and Travelers Rest.” It’s an overview of his career and how innate his spirituality, mood, energy, thoughts, and feelings were to the works he created.

Brandon Barney, one of Fischer’s students explains, “The use of Baumgardner’s grids and glyphs reminds me that everything is not always as it seems. Everyone has a multilayered personality. [He] also sheds light on the importance of process—the marks on the canvas are an outer representation of his thoughts and emotions during this process. Hidden glyphs and bold grids show a conflict between a part of the artist that wants to hide and a part that wants to be seen.”

The layers of his “mud”—his paste-like pigmented gypsum medium that he carved into, adding and subtracting at the same time, are now open only for us to interpret. A mile in his shoes wouldn’t even come close, but at least those too are part of the exhibit.—Jac Valitchka Matt Baumgardner’s work will be on view January 19–February 19 at the Thompson Art Gallery for students and faculty only. For the public, there will be a Zoom opening on January 28, 6:30–7:30pm. To attend, RSVP to furmanart@furman.edu. The exhibition will be available to view online, January 19–February 19, via baumgardnerarchives.com. For inquiries, contact the Baumgardner estate at baumgardnerart@gmail.com.

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