Columbia Living Mar/Apr 2011

www.columbialivingmag.com www.columbialivingmag.com www.columbialivingmag.com

January/February 2010

Interior Design 12 Columbia Designers Share eir Insights

Women in Business

An Extraordinary Group of Women Stand Above e Crowd

Spring Fashion Shake Up Your The Future of Wardrobe With Bright Nickelodeon Colors and Bold Theatre Shoes

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January/February 2011 2011 || 11 January/February

Walking into the Cenegenics Carolinas office two years ago, I was a pale shadow of who I am today. I was exhausted, depressed, overweight and weak.

Today, I can say I’m a happy, vital person enjoying an active life.

Cenegenics Carolinas is a first class medical institute that helps patients manage the aging process through a personalized plan of fitness, nutraceutical supplementation, a low glycemic diet and bioidentical hormone optimization.

I spend most of my days in the operating room and after that, I want to get out and enjoy life!

The Cenegenics program has made that possible. I’m 56 years old and can keep up with my teenage sons doing the activities we love.

Lynne Gartenhaus, 58 years old

Our goal is to improve your quality of life, allow you to feel years younger than your age and prevent age-related disease. Our patients enjoy increased energy and focus, an improved sex drive and a renewed zest for life.

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are yOu COnCerneD abOut: Overall health Weight gain heart disease Decreased energy Flabby, wrinkled skin Irritability and anxiety Decreased libido aches, pains and stiffness Cholesterol Poor sleep Memory Loss

Let Cenegenics Carolinas put you on the path to a healthy, vital life. Call us tODay for a confidential, complimentary consultation.

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843.724.7272 www.cenegenicscarolinas.com/columbia Lynne Gartenhaus, Before Cenegenics, age 54

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our Contents » F E AT U R E S March | April 2011

29 »

Spring Fashion

Spring’s recipe for shaking things up calls for bright colors, bold shoes and beautiful handbags as we showcase what to wear now.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY JAY BROWNE

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SPECIAL SECTION

Women in Business The spirit of the entrepreneur is alive and well, and our list spotlights an extraordinary group of women, all doing business right here in the greater Columbia area.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY JAY BROWNE

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The Dirty Dozen

Columbia’s top interior designers share their insights on turning the average into astonishing. www.columbialivingmag.com

On The Cover »

Model Amanda Bluestein.

Shot on location at the EdVenture Children’s Museum; photograph by Jay Browne.

Interior Design 12 Columbia Designers Share eir Insights

Women in Business

An Extraordinary Group of Women Stand Above e Crowd

Spring Fashion Shake Up Your Wardrobe With Bright Colors and Bold Shoes

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A store with a wonderful mix of art, antiques, furniture, lighting, rugs, and decorative accessories

1127 Gregg Street s Columbia, SC 29201 Monday - Friday 10-5:30 Saturday 11-4:00

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www.verveinteriors.com March/April 2011 | 5

our Contents » D E PA R T M E N T S Buzz

13 Events Local fundraisers, cultural events, family outings, and more 14 Art Seen Jamie Blackburn showcases his talents with mixed-media from a

25

unique perspective 16 Staff Picks New book titles for some good reading 17 Automotive Mercedes-Benz takes top honors among women drivers

Well Styled 18 Fashion Local merchants chime in on what’s haute for the spring season 20 Beauty Spring makeup trends

Southern Drawl

22 An attorney by day, troubadour by night, Bentz Kirby is a driving force behind

Columbia’s music scene

18

Health 25

Diet Tips on slimming down without having a completely separate diet from your family

History

57 The Carolina Cup celebrates its

heritage as one of the oldest trophies in horse racing

Food & Wine

59 Dining Out Liberty Tap Room & Grill 61 Restaurant Guide The best spots for eating

and drinking in Columbia Sweet Treats Blue Flour Bakery whips up

distinctively good cookies and specialty sweets 66 Now Open New restaurants worthy of a bite

62

ew

Travel N

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PHOTOGRAPH BY SALLY TAYLOR

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY PALM BEACH CVB

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68 Discovering Palm Beach:

This chic Florida

resort has become an appealing year-round destination

Philanthropy 71

NYC fashion designer Carmen MarcValvo

Unmasking Colon Cancer Gala

comes to Columbia for the 5th Annual

Fundamentals 10 12 71 72

Reader Services Publisher’s Letter Advertisers Index

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March/April 2011 | 11

From the Publisher

It’s Spring!

There is much to celebrate – March is that wonderful time of year when spring and winter take turns showing their splendor. There is much to do in Columbia, especially in the springtime. As you venture out of your homes after this very cold winter, take some time to explore the city. Whether you’re a native or just passing through, you’ll be amazed at the many escapades that await you. Walk the Congaree Trail, ride a bike, enjoy an outdoor concert or visit a museum.

This issue of Columbia Living is all about transformation, and our focus is on the home and spring fashion. We assembled a talented group of designers to share their insights and individual styles for the home. Read our story (page 48) to find out how they take a room from average to astonishing.

Spring also means it’s time to update the wardrobe and pack up all those bulky sweaters until next year. Our fashion pages are filled with the latest beauty tips and trends for this season, and we showcase the haute clothes to wear now (page 29).

The entrepreneurial spirit is alive and well in the Midlands, as we discovered in our spotlight on a group of women (page 35) that stand above the crowd when it comes to achieving success in today’s competitive market.

Although Columbia has much to offer, sometimes we need to pick up our things and get out of town. So we have added a new travel section (page 68) to highlight our southeastern towns, great getaways, and the Caribbean.

Columbia Living exists to celebrate the beauty all around us, and these pages are filled with great food, fun and fashion, along with reports of good things in our city. Go outside and celebrate the beauty all around you – you’ll be glad you did.

robert@columbialivingmag.com

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Buzz

Ar t Seen » Automotive » Events » Staff Picks Local fundraisers, cultural events, family outings and more…

March 1-May 22 Who Shot Rock & Roll The first major exhibition on rock and roll, including 175 works by more than 100 photographers. Covers Era from 1950s to present. Columbia Museum of Art. 799-2810. Times and prices vary. www.columbiamuseum.org March 3-May 1 Animal Grossology Explore the disgusting side of science with some of the slimiest and stinkiest creatures in a blockbuster exhibition.

South Carolina State Museum. 898-4921. www.southcarolinastatemuseum.org March 11 Winter Jam 2011 The largest annual tour in Christian Music with one of the most popular bands Newsboys. Colonial Life Arena. 576-9200. $10 donation. www.coloniallifearena.com March 12 Inaugural St. Pat’s in Five Points Pageant First ever beauty pageant for ladies of all ages in celebration of Five Points. Martin Luther King Park. 748-7373. www.stpats5points.com March 12-13 Repticon Columbia SC Reptile & Exotic Animal Show Features vendors offering reptile pets, supplies and merchandise. Jamil Shrine Center. 863-268-4273. Sat 10-5, Sun 104. Adults $10, Children $5. www.repticon.com March 12-13 45th Annual Home & Garden Show The largest home & garden exhibition in the Midlands with over 300 exhibitors.

South Carolina State Fairgrounds.

256-6238. Fri 10-8, Sat 9-8, Sun 11-6. www.columbiabuilders.com March 13 Columbia Blues Festival Scheduled to appear are Mel Waiters, The Manhattans, Marvin Sease and more.

Township Auditorium. 576-2350. 6pm.

Ticket prices vary. www.thetownship.org

March 15 USC Symphony Orchestra Concert with flutist Jennifer Parker-Harley.

Koger Center for the Arts. 777-7500. www.music.sc.edu March 18-19 Professional Bull Riding Top bull riders compete against fierce bucking bulls. Colonial Life Arena. 576-9200. 7:30pm.

Prices vary. www.coloniallifearena.com March 19 6th Annual Ballet Stars of NY World class dancers from New York City Ballet share the stage with USC Dance Company.

Koger Center for the Arts.

777-5112. 7pm. Prices vary. www.cas.sc.edu/dance March 25-27 SC’s 27th Annual Palmetto Sportsmen’s Classic Browse a world of exhibits for the latest in hunting, fishing and outdoor sports equipment and clothing. South Carolina State Fairgrounds.

734-4008. Times vary. $8. www.psclassic.com

March 26 Springtime at the Garden Festival Consult with experts on keeping your gardens in bloom, live music and crafts for the kids.

Riverbanks Zoo & Garden.

779-8717. 9am-4pm. www.riverbanks.org April 1 17th Annual Food & Wine Festival-Gala Event Guests can select from hundreds of wines from around the world and sample local cuisine. The Medallion Center. 254-5601. 7-9:30pm. $75 in advance. www.yourfoundation.org

April 8-17 The Somewhat True Tale of Robin Hood A frantically funny, Monty Pythonesque retelling of the classic story. Columbia Children’s Theatre. 691-4548. Times vary. $8. www.columbiachildrenstheatre.com April 14-17 Midlands Plant and Flower Festival Features plants and yard décor for sale from local and regional vendors. SC State Farmers Market. 734-2210. Thur-Sat 8-6, Sun 12-5.

Free. www.agriculture.sc.gov April 16 2011 Rock N Roll Gala Black tie gala with live entertainment, dance music, hors d’ oeuvres and libations.

Columbia Museum of Art. 343-2159. 7pm. $150 per person. www.columbiamuseum.org April 30 SC Philharmonic Masterworks 7- Fantastique Finale Featuring Holst, Mars, piano Berlioz. Koger Center for the Arts. 771-7939. 7:30pm. www.scphilharmonic.com April 30 Providence Heart & Sole Women’s Five Miler SC’s only female road race offers the choice of a five-mile race or three-mile walk with a Health & wellness expo. Finlay Park.

731-2100. 8:30am. Fees start at $25. www.heartandsolerun.com

Editor’s Pick

March 19

St. Pat’s In Five Points ne of the nation’s largest St. Patrick’s Day Festivals will celebrate its 29th year. Come experience the luck of the Irish in Five Points. Festival includes a 5K run and 1 mile walk, Chick-fil-a St. Pat’s Parade, Wachovia Children’s Carnival, and four stages of live music with over 20 musical acts. Five Points/Devine Street. 799-8168. 8:30am-6pm. Admission $12 in advance, $15 at the gate. www.stpatsinfivepoints.com

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March/April 2011 | 13

Buzz » Art Seen

Installation Art

Jamie Blackburn applies his talents from a unique perspective

F

raming art that came from his own brush for well two decades, Jamie Blackburn never conjured up any ideas of framing himself. But to start 2011 as an art year he’ll never forget, he put himself inside a glass frame and there he lived, painted, and observed Columbia from a most unique vantage point. For a full month.

Passion Floral, 36” x 48”, mixed media on canvas

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Painting 123, 48” x 60”, mixed media on canvas

“Art made during this block of time will be auctioned off with proceeds going to help people attain homes through Habitat for Humanity.” urban art center idea a full year ago. “Jamie was one of the first artists to recognize the potential of the center and agreed to participate. Late in 2010 he foresaw the idea of making one of the windows an organic installation project as a month-long way to keep attention riveted on the project.” Blackburn’s corner window was adjacent to Columbia City Hall, so his presence amounted to daily reminders for city officials to issue final approvals that had been left hanging in the balance for months.

His residency-in-glass began officially on the New Year’s First Thursdays at Tapp’s night. On a bitter cold January night, a crowd hunkered around the corner window as a static figure seemed to wake up in a pulse of strobe lights and begin painting at the art desk inside. Those on-lookers started a buzz: that downtown Columbia was being revitalized with art applying the needed brushstrokes.

A stretch of his time in the window coincided with the city’s record-breaking winter weather. For days Blackburn’s vantage point of Columbia was like being inside a shaken snow globe from which he looked out onto a Main Street that Currier and Ives might have painted. The weather made his segregation from family, friends, colleagues and fellow Columbians all the more stark.

Time alone stoked his productivity.

Blackburn’s versatility as an artist has been applied in numerous ways during his unique storefront experience. “Art made during this block of time will be auctioned off this spring with proceeds going to help people attain homes through Habitat for Humanity,” Blackburn explained.

Art signed by Blackburn during this unprecedented month was mostly on square canvases, like his glass cubicle, abstract pieces, but unlike those for which he has become known in local art circles. Examples of his venerable style can be seen at Havens Gallery where he is represented. Just before he voluntarily entered the glass box, he completed a commission of square canvases vibrantly depicting produce grown in the area, an art series now on permanent view in the U.S. Food Services boardroom.

Blackburn’s art first grabbed the public’s attention in the late ‘90s when his series, Lake Murray’s History Beneath the Waves, appeared in area galleries. The Columbia native’s vision for the series came to him in a dream in which he saw the intake towers above and below Lake Murray’s water level. His research, including interviews with lakels (locals who live on the lake) helped fill in imagination gaps, and he depicted a downed WWII war

PHOTOGRAPHS (4) COURTESY JAMIE BLACKBURN; PHOTO (1) BY ELAINE

Throughout January, Blackburn was live Installation Art. He also was artist-inresidence in the Main and Blanding streets corner window of the proposed Tapp’s Center for the Arts, a new iteration for the once-venerable department store that was a downtown retail benchmark throughout most of the 20th century.

Blackburn’s motivations for making the corner window at Tapp’s a temporary live/ work space sprung from the notion of using the windows for installation art while art organizers, counting on repurposing Tapp’s as the latest downtown art destination, await the City of Columbia’s final check-ff.

“So while we wait, we determined we could be using the window space for installation art,” said Project Facilitator Brenda Schwartz Miller, who conceived the

Helping the Midlands plan their most memorable events since 1999

Dynamic Encounter, 36” x 48”, mixed media on canvas

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Columbia’s Oldest Colorcrack, 18” x 24”, mixed media on canvas

bird resting on the lake floor, visited only by fish.

In 2005 when that aircraft finally was recovered by the Lake Murray B-25 Rescue Project, Blackburn’s fine art prints depicted the plane underwater found new purpose. Officials of the Southern Museum of Flight wanted rights to the art ot use as exhibit backdrop in the Birmingham, Alabama museum where the plane was going on, and continues to be on display.

In Columbia, Blackburn has been a catalyst for engaging new patrons for the arts. While he no longer resides in his glass studio, he sees continued evidence that the power of art can transform. Art appears to be a bellwether for downtown Columbia’s revitalization. And First Thursdays could be a tip of an iceberg, according to Schwartz Miller.

“We could have this kind of activity going on seven days a week,” said the artist/art facilitator. “Already at Tapp’s we have original artwork, from paintings and sculpture to installations and jewelry, as well as photography and film-making. On these showcase evenings, there are pottery wheel demonstrations going on. We will be able to do so much more for downtown’s vibe when the artists can begin actually working in studios - just waiting to be built inside the former retail location,” Schwartz Miller said. - Rachel Haynie

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March/April 2011 | 15

Buzz » Staff Picks

The Perfect Escape No need to travel. This spring take a break by escaping into the pages of a good book.

WRITTEN BY COURTNEY WEBB

The Storyteller of Marrakesh

by Joydeep Roy-Bhattacharya, W. W. Norton & Company

I

n the exotic city of Marrakesh a crowd of individuals gather every year to listen as Hassan a master storyteller recalls the last known moments of a young foreign couple. The tourists seem to have disappeared into thin air on a night years ago on the historical Jemaa el Fna and questions of their fate linger to this day. What exactly happened to the couple on that legendary night? And what happens to their story, as it is re-told again and again? In a tale written as if from another time The Storyteller of Marrakesh explores the very definition of truth and reality as a story is brought to life from memory, myth and pure imagination. East meets west in an elegantly detailed work that transports readers to a magical place full of mystery and dangerous beauty fit snuggly between the covers of the book.

by Heather Gudenkauf, Mira

One moment can change everything.

Allison Glenn was the golden girl of Linden Falls until the night she committed the ultimate crime. One moment she was the perfect teenager and the next the perpetrator of an unthinkable act. However Allison was not the only one forever changed by that night and her sister Brynn must also live every day with the truth of what happened and the wrath of a small town that will never forget.

Exploring modern day morality with riveting characters and a page turning suspense, Gudenkauf delights with a novel that will keep you up late into the night devouring each word until the very last page.

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Gideon’s War

by Howard Gordon, Touchstone

From the executive producer of TV’s sensational 24 comes a book just as fast paced and heart pounding as the show itself. Gideon Davis is known as a peacemaker but when the President of the United States summons him to take on a mission against unknown terrorist Abu Nasir peace may not be an option. The small Pacific island nation of the sultanate of Mohan is being over-run by Islamic extremists led by Abu Nasir and a state of the art oil rig called The Obelisk is now at risk. But taking on this terrorist faction may be trickier than those of Gideon’s past as it comes to light that his estranged brother may be involved in the action. A thrill ride from beginning to end this book will keep action fans entranced and waiting for more from Howard Gordon.

PHOTOGRAPHS (2) BY JAY BROWNE

These Things Hidden

Buzz » Automotive

Mercedes-Benz Snags Top Rating Among Women Drivers German luxury brand soundly beats all competitors when it comes to providing the best overall experience for female buyers WRITTEN BY MARION WALTZ

T

here are many car companies out there that claim to appeal to all manner of drivers, going to great lengths to assure anyone who will listen that their lineups are broad enough to offer something for everyone.

Then there are the car companies - like Mercedes-Benz - that actually do succeed in achieving that most difficult of tasks. In fact, the ability to satisfy the needs of any driver who happens to walk into a Mercedes-Benz dealership is simply part of the company’s daily business. If it weren’t for the efforts of others, it might never come to light that MercedesBenz is actually the brand rated number one by women in the United States.

The website Women-Drivers.com publishes a semi-yearly report that is designed to track the experiences of female car shoppers and owners when interacting with each and every car company in the country. The site helps lift the shroud of mystery that still clouds the automotive industry for many female drivers by providing educational resources, tips and data designed to guide women toward the automakers whose dealerships and policies can provide them with the best overall ownership experience.

In a survey of thousands of women across the country, Women-Drivers.com gathered ratings for each of the car companies currently doing business in the United States using three distinct categories - Purchasing, Browsing and Service - to arrive at an “Overall” rating for each brand.

In the first category, Purchasing, Mercedes-Benz led the pack with a score of 4.83 out of a possible 5 points. This was thanks to the large number of female survey respondents who indicated that they were very satisfied with how they were treated by personnel at every level of the MercedesBenz dealership where they bought their

cars. In particular, women singled out the financing process as being exceptionally well designed with its clarity and simplicity greatly appreciated by those surveyed.

Next on the list, Mercedes-Benz managed to score impressively when it came to the Browsing experience. Posting a 4.52

service indicated that it was easy to schedule an appointment and get an honest estimate of the amount of work that would be required to take care of a problem.

When taken together, the brand’s performance in these three categories was enough to give Mercedes-Benz a convincing

The Open Road: All new 2011 E350 class at Dick Dyer & Associates Mercedes-Benz. performance, the German brand handily beat the 3.72 average for the category. The overall atmosphere created by those working at Mercedes-Benz dealerships was a big part of the company’s excellent ranking with the comportment of salespeople being singled out for specific praise by female browsers.

In the Service category, Mercedes-Benz managed to snag a very competitive score of 4.57. Women who brought their cars in for

lead among all car brands in the U.S. Its overall score of 4.68 is undisputed - Mercedes-Benz has gone out of its way to make a visit to one of its dealerships as welcoming an experience for women as it traditionally has been for men. n

March/April 2011 | 17

Well Styled Beaut y » Fashion

Spring Into Fashion

Local merchants chime in on what’s haute and new for the upcoming season

W

New Look: Bright colors are in this season for men (above) and the always popular navy blazer (right).

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“Orange is supposed to be one of the most popular color choices this spring, along with bright pinks and blues.” pieces because the material is lightweight and breathable-which is perfect for the hot and humid weather that Columbia often sees during the spring and summer months. Plus, designers are taking the look and feel of cotton to a “dressier” level by adding touches of silk and chiffon, so the fabric is perfect for a wide array of looks and occasions.

Perhaps, though, you’re not looking to completely reinvent your wardrobe this spring.

In this sluggish economy, purchasing new clothes for every change of the season isn’t exactly a priority in many people’s budgets.

According to Baynard, that’s okay! “It’s really big to remix wardrobes right now as well, so keep wearing the things that you have and just find that special sweater or accessory to make it new,” she says.

Baynard adds that women should look for must-have pieces that can be mixed and matched with the clothes you already have hanging in your closet. Some of these items include floor-length maxi dresses, cropped tops and sweaters, and bright jewelry. “If you have a bold orange dress... put some turquoise jewelry with it. Make it really fun and a big

statement,” says Baynard.

Fashion-savvy men can also follow this same simple rule. According to Perry Lancaster, the manager of Brittons, there’s no need to completely reinvent the wheel when it comes to purchasing new clothes. “Buy some new shirts and ties to freshen up your wardrobe from last season. It’s just giving it a new punch and a new look,” says Lancaster.

With this season’s bright colors and patterns, taking on the task of rejuvenating your look is easier than ever. Lancaster says men’s clothing this season will be all about bold huesincluding splashes of red, royal blue, green, yellow a n d lavender.

S u c h colors can be found in

PHOTOGRAPHS BY GETTY IMAGES

ithout a doubt, this has been one of the coldest winters I’ve ever experienced here in the Midlands of South Carolina. I’ve found myself ditching my typical 4-inch heels and wedges for warm boots and Uggs, and it’s pretty safe to say that my neck hasn’t seen sunlight in months thanks to the shrouds of turtlenecks and scarves that I’ve carefully selected each morning in an effort to stay warm. To say the least, I am ready to shed my layers and find my place again in the world of fashion-and there’s no better way to do that than by diving into the warm, inviting trends of spring 2011!

This season, women should expect to leave behind the dark, drab colors of winter and embrace brighter hues when they hit local clothing stores in search of the newest spring clothing lines. According to Mila Baynard, the manager of Belladea, orange is supposed to be one of the most popular color choices this spring, along with bright pinks and blues. In addition, women’s wear will be filled with bold patterns and prints, especially nautical-themed designs.

Of course, rich colors and prints usually go hand-in-hand with light, crisp fabrics, and that’s exactly what designers are using for their spring collections. Baynard says local clothing stores will be filled with lots of cotton

Monogramming & Gifts 803-732-7747 wTote Bags wHome Decor wSpecial Occasions wGifts Murraywood Center 7011 St Andrews Rd. w Columbia www.ItsPersonalMonograms.com

Timeless, Elegant, Affordable Haute Styles: This year maxi-dresses (left), nautical themed ware (top), and orange colors are the rage.

everything from men’s shirts and shorts to pocket squares and bow ties.

Lancaster adds that there are several must-haves spring pieces that every male should look for this year. These items include a navy blazer in worsted wool (tropical weight) and a flat-front trouser in a stone or poplin color. Spring is also the time to pull out your seersucker clothes and swap your dark denims for lighter washes. “You think of dark-colored denims more for fall and winter, but your medium shade of blue would be a great thing to put on with a pair of loafers, no socks, and a white linen shirt with attitude,” says Lancaster.

So for men this season, the key idea to remember when shopping for new clothes is to purchase versatile items that can be paired with pieces already in your current wardrobe.

Lancaster also says if you’re ever in doubt about how to go about accomplishing this (especially with pricey items such as suits), local merchants like himself are more than willing to help. “Bring in the suit and let a professional match up new accessories-new shirts, new ties, new pocket squares.”

What could be easier than that? By talking with your local clothing merchandisers and following these simple trends, there’s no way you can step out of your house in anything but style this spring. So go ahead-enjoy the singing birds and the warmer weather! With these easy tips, fashion this season is a breeze!

- Mackenzie Matthews-Taylor

Shop our inventory of dresses, handbags and accessories for the hottest looks in Columbia

Mahogany Me In the Vista 617 Lady St. Columbia, SC 29201

www.mahoganymeshop.com info@mahoganymeshop.com

March/April 2011 | 19

Well Styled » Beauty

Spring Makeup

Trends

Follow these beauty tips to achieve your optimum look WRITTEN BY: DIA ANDREWS

M

akeup plays as much a role in a woman’s look as does fashion. If asked, most women realize fashion trends for clothing change with the season. So why are they not aware that makeup does too? Cosmetics are not just to enhance beauty or cover up blemishes. They help create an updated, confident woman with style. Makeup was intended to be used to obtain diverse looks and suit the fashion trends of the moment.

With that said, Spring 2011 makeup trends are fresher than ever! Eyes are blooming in pastels and lips are light and dreamy. Apricot and pink tones are muted back with blues and violets for modern contrast. Cheeks have a soft virtual glow. Foundation is turning from the sheer, dewy looks to full-on maximal matte coverage.

Eyes still take center stage with color. Pastel tones come in a variety of shades including pinks, violets, apricots, and blues. You definitely can opt for a hue that suits your skin tone. Eye-popping liners include shades of navy and violet that can create a soft daytime look when smudged, or give strong color for evening. Brows are still

The latest cheek look radiates a soft virtual glow with no visible lines of color. Get a gorgeous halo of color by applying cheek color in a sideways horseshoe pattern, starting at the temple.

Lips for daytime are soft and dreamy. Candy tones of peaches and pinks maintain a simple and fresh look. However, if you want to go bolder, which is more for evening, choose a hot-pink, bright coral or fire red tone.

These are the trendiest.

Spring always brings fresh, new, exciting colors for makeup! Try the different trends and see which ones suit you. Don’t be afraid to mix and match pastels to fine the right combination. When in doubt, call on your local makeup expert!

Another eye trend is the use of “white.” Whether it is a cream, powder, or pencil, the use of a white highlighter can lighten, lift and brighten the eyes.

Try this: 1 Dot in inner corners of the eye to lighten, and 2 highlight outer corners of eyes and brow bones to lift.

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Come discover whats new @

columbialivingmag.com

March/April 2011 | 21

Southern Drawl

Musical Justice A local attorney discovers his musical talents and becomes a driving force behind Columbia’s music scene WRITTEN BY JAMES MCALLISTER » PHOTOGRAPHY BY SALLY TAYLOR

O

n a cold winter’s evening, Bentz Kirby - attorney by day, troubadour by night - loads in the P.A. and other musical accoutrements that a one-man music impresario uses to ply his trade. He’s his own roadie, his own manager, his own songwriter, his own guitar picker, and this is another night of doing what he loves best: making live music.

On this occassion Kirby is more, however, than a one-man music road show - yes, it’s an otherwise ordinary weekday evening on Rosewood Drive, but inside Utopia it’s almost time for Right Bank Rails, which is what Kirby calls the singer-songwriter nights he hosts. Now all he needs is a few courageous, fellow tunesmiths to share the open mic with him.

As he tunes up his “cheap Washburn” guitar, he surveys the early dinner crowd occupying the scattered tables inside and out.

“I hope they’re here to check out the music - ‘cause that’s what they’re going to get.” To Bentz Kirby, music is the bread of life, and sharing that artistic sustenance with likeminded folks is what drives his spiritual and creative life.

By day Kirby attends to his civil law practice in Orangeburg, but in the last decade his free time has been spent writing songs, performing, and in general fostering an environment designed to stimulate both artists as well as the music-loving public.

He not only hosts open mic night, but also fronts two different bands - Alien Carnival, a straight-up rock band, and Jellyroll & Delicious Dish, a vocal combo focusing on a more traditional, folk and blues songbook.

In addition, he and his wife May feature what he calls “house concerts,” in which traveling musicians appear in the Kirby living room, playing to small but appreciative audiences. In a town that lacks music venues, he considers these shows, promoted through word of mouth Jam Session: The Alien Carnival band performing at the New Brooklyn Tavern.

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and social media, to be a “public service.”

In addition to those endeavors and his ongoing open mic nights, Kirby also organizes and promotes annual tributes to past, iconic music festivals like Woodstock and Monterrey Pop, in which local musicians recreate the songbooks of classic rock acts. His musical energy seems boundless.

Marty Fort, an influential Columbia musician and booking agent, offers high praise for Kirby: “If every musician in this town cared and promoted as hard as he does, Columbia would be the next Athens or Nashville.” Like millions of people his age - a true American baby boomer, in his late 50s - Kirby’s interest in music goes back to his initial exposure to songs by artists like Bob Dylan, the Beatles, and the Byrds. “I can remember the first time I heard The Byrds’ version of ‘Mr. Tambourine Man,’ in about the fifth or sixth grade,” he says.

“I was in the lobby of the YMCA in Easely

playing bumper pool, and it was just a very strange and different sound.”

His interest was further stoked by seminal rock records such as Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, as well as a onceinvaluable resource on which the iPodgeneration no longer relies in the quest to discover interesting music: the radio. “An old FM station, WQOK, had a lot of influence on me. In one hour you could hear everything from the Beatles to Patti Page to Sinatra to Motown soul music to Johnny Horton.”

As an older teenager, his introduction to large scale live music included several famous concerts of the era. The West Palm Beach International Music and Arts Festival featured superstars Janis Joplin, Jefferson Airplane, and the Rolling Stones, as well as relative unknowns such as King Crimson and Grand Funk Railroad. Kirby Beams at the memory: “On Sunday the Vanilla Fudge played, then

Bentz Kirby »Birthplace: Greenville, SC »Family: Wife, May; children, Richard, Lauren, and Sarah »Career: Of Counsel with Glenn Walters, Attorney at Law, PA »Rock Bands: Alien Carnival Jellyroll & Delicious Dish »Secret of Success: You never know when a small act of kindness, a moment of your time, will make a difference in someone else’s life.

March/April 2011 | 23

Grain of Sand,’ and right about the same time I had been trading email with Roger McGuinn,” one of the voices from The Byrds who’d so captivated his nascent musical intellect. “But then I decided I was losing my nerve and didn’t want to do the song.”

When Kirby wrote to the 60s rock star about his reticence, however, McGuinn encouraged him to go for the experience, writing that any chance to perform music for fellow human beings was a worthy endeavor. Kirby followed through, and a new life began for him.

Following an appearance as opening act for Camden blues guitarist Jeff Norwood, Kirby then had the confidence

Another country tune, “Ridin’ In My Car,” expresses his desire to commune with one of the greats: If I meet Hank Williams’ ghost/I hope we can be friends.

Other songs reflect a wistfulness for past, youthful road adventures, still others name check more music greats, both famous and otherwise, with whom he has shared experiences.

For the moment, though, he remains determined to share his creativity not with superstars, but local artists on their way up. His singer-songwriter nights, he hopes, have helped up and coming talents to get further bookings. “There’s some great songwriters in this town. A

“If every musician in this town cared and promoted as hard as he does, Columbia would be the next Athens or Nashville,” - Marty Fort Johnny Winter, then Janis - they all came out and jammed.”

That next summer, his musical journey included two important events: First, a daylong Atlanta concert called the Cosmic Carnival, at which he saw acts like Frank Zappa and Traffic, as well as a new group that made an impression, the Allman Brothers Band. A month later came the “Southern Woodstock” known as the Atlanta International Pop Festival, where, along with superstars like Jimi Hendrix, he once again saw the Allman Brothers, for whom he had cultivated true admiration.

But the more music he absorbed, the more he wished to make his own.

For all his youthful interest in music, however, a long lapse would come between his initial fantasies about writing and performing music and his current status as Columbia elder statesman of the music scene. “As an adolescent, I wanted to be a rock star, not a lawyer.” As John Lennon once said, sometimes life gets in the way of our dreams.

All was to change, though, because of another source of music in many people’s lives - his church. He’d done some singing with the choir, getting his bearings by listening to the other voices; because he had a guitar, he was asked to play in a praise and worship band.

A church talent show, however, was his first true stab at singing and playing in public.

“I was planning to do Bob Dylan’s ‘Every

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to start performing his own songs, as well as promoting his signature singer-songwriter nights, at clubs like the defunct Red Tub in West Columbia, the Cock & Bull, and now Utopia. His music career about which he’d dreamed had taken off.

His original songs express strong emotions about aging, his family history, and even about the art form itself - his song “Real Music” excoriates the industry machine that cranks out stars but not artists: You can take your songs that sound the same/ pitch corrected singers like Shania Twain/ Clear Channel demographics/it’s insane.

lot of them are also very accomplished guitarists - Josh McGill, Hannah Miller, Scott Brodie Porterfield, Greg Bates, Dave Michelson, James Ponce.”

So let’s add another name to that list of fine local artists, an easy one to remember, especially to anyone who appreciates hearing good music played well: Bentz Kirby, a humble, creative spirit, is not only one of the engines keeping Columbia’s music scene thriving - he might just be single-handedly keeping it real.

Groove Town: Bentz Kirby performing live with various members of Alien Carnival band.

Health

Wellness » Diet » Fitness

Healthy Cooking Family-Style Tips on slimming down without having a completely separate diet from your family’s WRITTEN BY EDNA COX

PHOTOGRAPHS (5) GETTY IMAGES

J

uggling today’s busy work schedules and hectic life styles, weight management or just trying to make healthy food choices is challenging. If you’re a working mom, you may struggle with meeting your needs to lose weight and your family;s food preferences. But women are taught to put the needs of others, husbands, partners and children, before their own. Moms want to please their families and get their kids to eat.

This is an easy trap to fall into and often an excuse for getting sidetracked from your own nutrition goals. At the end of the day it’s easier to pick up the pizza or drive through the closest fast food restaurant. In the long run these routines cost more, not just financially, but also physically and emotionally. This tyoe of eating leads to increased spending, consuming more calories, fat, salt and sugar, and spending less tim connecting with family members.

Food choices that are good for mom trying to lose or manage weight are good choices for the entire family.

Food patterns and healthy lifestyle choices are a learned behavior and are established at a very young age.

Children depend on their family for developing a good foundation for healthy eating and a lifelong love of good food.

Cook With Your Kids, Not Just For Them Make dinners a family affair from start to finish. When dining at home, working moms and dads welcome help with meal preparation. The kids enjoy sharing this time with their parents. For some families, cooking is almost a lost art. Involve the kids in menu planning, preparation and cooking; then sit down to share the meal as a family. The benefits of involving children in cooking are numerous. This time together is an opportunity to teach many basic life skills and create family memories.

Benefits Of Kids In The Kitchen 1 Organizational skills are learned through menu planning and grocery shopping. Kids learn life skills so they won’t rely on fast food to sustain them.

2 Basic math and science skills are learned through following recipes, measuring and observing how food changes through various cooking methods.

This may spark their interest and their creativity!

3 Kids learn about nutrition and healthy eating. They develop habits for a lifetime.

4 Cooking gives kids a sense of accoplishment.

They’re learning something new and contributing to the family. This promotes a sense of belonging.

5 Kids are more likely to try a new food and eat it when they had a role in creating the dish.

6 Cooking as a family becomes quality time for conversation and sharing. It’s an activity that requires interaction and doesn’t involve the computer or television.

7 More mealtimes at home are the single strongest factor in better achievement, fewer behavior problems and less obesity for the kids.

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Health » Diet

Extend Your Meals Cook in large quantities and freeze the leftovers. It might take a little longer to double a recipe, but it will save you time in the long run. Meals that freeze well include lasagna (use lowfat cheese and ground turkey with veggies), chili, and soups.

Create A List of Must-Have Items There are simple foods that can be prepared into a nutritious meal when your time is limited and everyone’s hungry. For instance, breakfast served at dinner time is a favorite in our house - scrambled eggs and raisin bread with a side of baby carrots and hummus can be whipped up very quickly. Remember to check your inventory each week and stock up on items if you’re running low.

Lets Eat: (above) Panini open-face sandwich. (top) Turkey meatballs with rice. (right) Homemade chicken noodle soup perfect for freezing.

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Healthy Items To Keep On Hand Pantry • Quick cooking brown and wild rice • 100% whole-wheat bread and pasta • Sugar-free hot cocoa mix • Raisins • Lowfat peanut butter • Canned chunk light tuna and salmon • Spaghetti sauce (choose one with less than 4 grams of fat per four ounces) • Cereal with high fiber (3+ grams per serving) and low-sugar (8 grams or less per serving) • Vegetarian refried beans • Unsalted nuts and sunflower seeds • No fat refried beans (contains no fat but still has a good flavor and smooth texture) • Lowfat canned soup (choose soups with less than 30% of the calories from fat) Fridge • Lowfat mayonnaise • Nonfat and lowfat yogurt and cottage cheese; skim and 2% milk • Low calorie salad dressing • Hummus • Lowfat cheese (2% reduced fat block, shredded and part skim string) • Eggs and/or egg substitute • Fruit (apples and citrus fruit keep for a long time) • Ready-to-eat veggies (celery sticks, baby carrots, broccoli spears, etc.)

• Light Philadelphia Brand pasteurized cream cheese (half the fat of regular cream cheese) • Louis Rich smoked turkey sausage (looks and tastes like Polish kielbasa but is much lower in fat) Freezer • Vegetables (these work well in soups, stews, or in stir-fry dishes) • Frozen dinners (with less than 800mg. of sodium, and fat limited to no more than 30% of the calories) • Frozen desert bars/pops (avoid those that contain palm oil or coconut oil) • Ground turkey and beef (at least 90% lean) • Veggie burgers • Ready-to-cook chicken breast and tenderloins • Frozen berries, grapes, and sliced bananas

Cooking Strategies Instead of making separate meals, prepare something that fits your weight-loss plan, then make simple adjustments for the family.

Lunch: Sandwiches can be open-face on one slice of wheat bread for you, or on two slices of bread with chips for the family.

Dinner: Turkey meatballs can be served with steamed veggies for you, or pasta for the family.

Adapt Your Favorite Recipes Cheeseburgers: Make small hamburgers using a 50-50 mixture of ground turkey breast and ground sirloin (7% less fat by weight). Top with leaf (not iceberg) lettuce, sliced tomatoes, a thin slice of reduced fat cheddar, and gourmet mustard, and serve on a whole grain bun.

Mashed Potatoes: Substitute skim milk or fat free half and half for whole milk, and cut the usual amount of butter in half. Throw in a few tablespoons of fat free sour cream for a rich and creamy taste.

Sausage Pizza: Top a ready-made pizza crust with tomato sauce, sliced bell peppers and red onions, pre-cooked and sliced chicken sausage links or crumbled turkey sausage, and a small amount of grated reduced fat cheese.

Bacon and Eggs: Scramble two egg whites and one whole egg. Serve with Canadian bacon instead of regular bacon, whole wheat toast with marmalade, and fresh squeezed orange juice.

WHETHER YOU MOVE DOWN THE BLOCK, ACROSS THE COUNTRY OR TO ANOTHER CONTINENT...

Please contact Rosemarie and Kirstin for all your real estate needs:

Buy l Sell l Relocate l Retire l New Homes l Building a Home For all our Properties and Lots for sale please visit all our websites or contact us. Our Listings are selling and we are taking new listings.

We will gladly help with your purchase or sale and your next move to and from Columbia.

We know that when you put your heart into everything you do that the results are predictable.

108 Leslie Loch Lane

128 Amberly Court

107 Dickens Crest Court

Ready to occupy!

Beautiful Home in the Heart of Irmo 4 -5 BRs 3 1/2 BA. Great Room with built-ins is open to kitchen. Was custom built for builder in ‘02. Extra large screen porch, in ground pool, privacy fence, home warranty. Simply to much to all list here. Close to Lake Murray & Award winning Lex/Rich 5 schools. $300,000

Rosemarie & Kirstin Rosemarie Averhoff, CRS, Broker, e-Pro, ABR, CSP, GRI, REALTOR

Beautiful Custon Built Brick Patio Home.

Just Right for 1 or 2!

2 BR 2 BA + Florida Room. Open Floor Plan. High Ceilings.

Large Eat-in Kitchen features a walk-in pantry, large island.

Built-in Desk. Great Room Has Built-ins. Formal Dining Area. Hardwood Floors. Move-in Ready. Coldstream area makes it very convenient to everything. Inlcuding Rawl Creek Golf Course, Lake Murray, I-26, downtown, Columbiana Mall and much more are within minutes. $214,900.

Kirstin Averhoff-Gilbert, CRS, ASR, e-Pro, ABR, CSP, REALTOR

Lake Carolina Garden Home!

Tired of Yard Work?

3 BR 2 BA + FROG. High Ceilings Open Floor Plan. Large Eat-in Kitchen. Great Room w/ Fireplace. Screen Porch.

Beautiful Master Suite and Bath. Split Floor Plan. Enjoy the things you like to do and Lake Carolina Amenities.

Community Pool, Lake, Sidewalks, YMCA, Town Center, all features in this community! Excellent location. $189,900.

CapitalRelo@ColumbiaSCHomes.com

RELOCATION SPECIALISTS

803-629-8844 Rosemarie’s Cell

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Each Office Is Independently Owned And Operated

www.ColumbiaSCHomes.com

The Bottom Line Plan and organize. Not having healthy choices on hand makes it more tempting and easier to eat something that’s not so healthy, especially when you have hungry kids.

Be positive. Eating healthy is not

about eating bland food. It can be extremely delectable, and if you talk about it that way, your family will too.

Eating healthy will become second nature.

Take time out. Remember to create time for yourself each day. Even 10 minutes of a calming exercise will help you stay focused on your goals. n

Registered Dietitians will help you achieve your personal health goals for your Physical and Emotional Well Being

.. ..

.. ..

Carolina Nutrition Consultants, Inc. offers individual nutrition counseling for:

Health & Wellness Weight Management Heart Health Renal Disease

Diabetes Management Digestive Disorders Eating Disorders Senior Nutrition

Call 803.996.0312 to schedule an appointment in our office or for your convenience in the comfort of your office!

Corporate or Work-Site Nutrition and Wellness Programs - Contact our Office for More Information.

Learn more at www.CNConWeb.com

March/April 2011 | 27

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Vintage “LaRoque” floral print dress with pockets and elastic waist, $288 at LaRoque; “Hamptons” gold flats by Jack Rogers, $96 at Envii.

Photographer: Jay Browne Models: Amanda Bluestein, Millie Laird; courtesy of Millie Lewis of Columbia Location: EdVenture Children’s Museum

SPRING FASHION ! p u ke it

sha

WITH BRIGHT COLORS, BOLD SHOES & BEAUTIFUL HANDBAGS

March/April 2011 | 29

On Amanda: Elliot Lauren one button jacket, $204, and ankle pants, $134; Mac & Jac blouse, $45; earrings, $12, all at Round Robin; “Jordan Cyrano” platform pumps by Sacha London, $110 at Kicks.

On Millie: kcparker “Simplicity” aqua & white ruffle-neck dress with navy waistband, $60 at Bumble Boutique; Aline sandal in white patent, $64 at Tootsies Children’s Shoes.

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Lace trim “crepe” top, $59.95, open stitch Cardigan, $89.95, knit jeans, $69.95, macro butterfly scarf, $34.95, necklace by Long Media, $69.95, earring

by Long Linear, $29.95, all at Coldwater Creek; “Novato” black patent pumps by Sam Edelman, $120 at Envii.

March/April 2011 | 31

On Amanda: Lela Rose blouse/necklace top, $795, and wrap-skirt, $695; “Paige” stilettos by Loeffler Randall, $550; Alexis Bittar bracelets, $112-$185, all at Coplon’s.

On Millie: Lilly Pulitzer “Carolina” bubble dress with Optical Confusion print, $78; Mini McKim glitter sandals by Lilly Pulitzer, $34, both at Pink Sorbet.

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Sea coral & ropeprint wrap dress by J. McLaughlin, $198, designer inspired handbag with Bamboo handle, $45, both at Just The Thing; “Billie” flats in white/gold by Matisse, $156 at Kicks; white Keshi pearl “shell” necklace, $99 at Beads, Rocks & More.

March/April 2011 | 33

On Amanda: Lilly Pulitzer “Susan” dress with Daisy Darling print, $268; necklace, $56, both at Pink Sorbet; “Beatriz” flats by Anita, $88 at Good For The Sole.

On Millie: Braided-tie swing tank-top by Tru Luv, $49; Capri jeans by Seven Jeans, $47; straw cowboy hat by Sandiego Hat Co., $20, all at Little Lambs & Ivy.

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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Women in Business

The spirit of the entrepreneur is alive and well, and our list spotlights an extraordinary group of women, all doing business right here in the greater Columbia area.

These risk-takers stand above the crowd,and have proven they have the skills and business acumen necessary to achieve success in today’s competitive market.

COMPILED BY ROBIN COWIE NALEPA

March/April 2011 | 35

Ruth

Co-owner of The Chapman Company Fine Jewelers and Owner of Ruth Chapman Consulting, LLC

Chapman

Ruth knows a thing or two about multi-tasking. For 13 years she’s worked along side her husband in The Chapman Company, and is in charge of Marketing and decorating for the jewelry store. Two years ago she started Ruth Chapman Consulting, a business that counsels on workers’ compensation claims.

In both jobs Ruth says she finds it fulfilling to help people through their difficulties.

“I enjoy assisting husbands and boyfriends find just the right piece of jewelry for their wife or girlfriend; with my other business it’s assisting an injured worker navigate through the injury process to a successful return to meaningful work,” says Ruth.

Though a typical day may include a whirl of school car-pool lines, assisting customers in their jewelry selection and answering insurance questions, Ruth finds inspiration in God and family, including her husband of 23 years and three children.

Women in Business

Dia

Dia’s Merle Norman & Boutique

Dia keeps an eye on the constant changes in her industry. As the owner and buyer for Dia’s Merle Norman & Boutique, she stays up on the trends in beauty and fashion to better serve her customers. Dia has owned her retail store for 11 years, but it never gets old “seeing the change in a woman’s attitude from when she enters our doors to when she leaves.”

“She can walk in to just browse and then leave with something that makes her look good and feel confident,” says Dia.

Dia commutes from Simpsonville so going into the office for an extra hour on a whim isn’t an option, but this challenge has made her a better planner. When she isn’t working she plays tympani in her church’s orchestra and devotes her days off to her husband and son.

Andrews

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THE

HAPMAN OMPANY FINE JEWELERS

803-996-5530 www.TheChapmanCompany.com

v

903 North Lake Dr., Lexington, SC 29072

Dia’s Merle Norman 4711-13 Forest Drive Columbia, SC 29206 803-743-9010 March/April 2011 | 37

Emily

Vice President, Folline Vision Centers

As a third generation optician, Emily has been working in the family business since she realized she could make enough money to buy her own RayBan sunglasses at 15. Though Emily learned the business at the side of her father she also holds a Master of International Business from USC in Marketing and French. This degree enabled her to gain valuable experience working in eyewear internationally.

Folline Vision Centers have long carried the most exclusive lines of designer eyewear in the world: Cartier, Barton-Perreira, Tiffany & Co. Today, the vision centers can be found in four locations around Columbia and focus highly on customer service.

“When someone comes into Folline Vision Centers, I don’t want them to just feel welcomed, I want them to feel like there is a brass plate on their chair with their name on it because I want them to keep coming back for years to come,” says Emily.

Mikell

Women in Business

Beth

Pink Sorbet, a Lilly Pulitzer Via Shop

Beth’s biggest challenge in business is finding time to do everything she likes to do. It’s not unusual to see her working in her car to get a little more done. She was in retail before her three children were born and returned to that field when she opened Pink Sorbet three years ago.

Beth’s customers find just what they need in resort and special occasion wear at the Devine Street shop who’s name evokes the confectionary colors of summer days. Beth says she delights in making her customers happy.

“I love the brand, I love my customers, and I love Columbia,” says Beth.

When time allows, the working mother, wife and entrepreneur enjoys entertaining friends, working in the yard and traveling. She finds her biggest inspiration in the Bible and her family.

Baxley

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lafont Paris eyewear featured exclusively at Folline Vision Centers in Columbia Eye Exams by Independent Doctors of Optometry available on premises

"Where You Find The Best Names In Town" Corner of Taylor & Pickens 779-7783 Trenholm Plaza 790-0902 Boozer Shopping Center 772-9229 Camden - Springdale Plaza 432-2573

pink sorbet... now carrying COAST for Men!

Come see our Spring collection of Lilly Pulitzer dresses!

pink sorbet

2726 Devine Street, Columbia, SC 29205 803.251.2525 M-F 10-5:30 Sat 10-5 www.pinksorbetsc.com

March/April 2011 | 39

Jan

Jernigan Vice President, Financial Advisor Morgan Stanley Smith Barney

As a young college graduate, Jan Jernigan started reading the Wall Street Journal. She quickly became “hooked on investing.”

She applied for a job as a financial consultant trainee at Merrill Lynch and soon found herself not just reading about investment but living it.

Though there have been vast changes since she got her start 25 years ago, Jan remains steadfast in her belief in setting goals and formulating a strategy that works best for her client.

“I believe you need a formal plan, taking into account your goals, time frame, and tolerance for risk,” says Jan.

One thing Jan learned a long time ago was being an expert at everything isn’t possible.

“Fortunately, at Morgan Stanley Smith Barney, I have access to investment experts - economists, securities analysts and other specialists who help me do my job.”

Attention to relationships, trust and communication has helped Jan and her clients weather the challenges of recent financial crisis and scandal.

“My clients know that I can’t control the markets, but good planning, diversification and communication will help them get through the hard times,” she says.

Jan believes in supporting her community as well. She serves on the Executive Board for Palmetto Lifeline, an organization that has saved and adopted out more than 8,000 dogs and cats (one of those is her dog Maddie). She also works with the USC School of Dance Board and is co-chairing a gala to raise money for scholarships at the end of April.

Somehow, Jan also makes time to race her sailboats and is Commodore of the Lake Murray Yacht Racing Association.

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© 2011 Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC. Member SIPC.

| 02/11 March/April 41 NY CS 2011 6615636

Hollie-Jo Dostie

Campus Director, Kenneth Shuler School of Cosmetology

Hollie-Jo styled a career from making others look and feel fantastic. In her 20 years in the beauty industry she’s worked as a stylist, a salon owner and a national educator. Now she heads all campus operations for Kenneth Shuler School of Cosmetology where she works with the next generation of stylists and salon owners.

“Whether a seasoned stylist or a beauty school student, education can be the point of difference and the key to success,” says Hollie-Jo.

She credits her success in her current role to understanding the path her students are on.

“I have done what they are about to do, both technically and in business and that gives me an edge, insight and the ability to help them be successful by first making my school successful,” she says.

Others also recognize Hollie-Jo’s dedication to her school and her students. She was awarded the “Director of the Year” at the company’s corporate retreat in January.

Women in Business

Elizabeth Trenbeath

Snelling Staffing Services of the Midlands

Elizabeth’s mother opened the Midland’s franchise of Snelling Staffing Services in 1982. Elizabeth grew up in the business and had a role model who understood people as a resource for success.

Now it’s Elizabeth’s job to place qualified candidates with successful companies and she’s been doing so for 15 years. While her biggest challenge is placing every candidate who comes through the door, she finds great satisfaction “finding the right fit the first time for the client company and assisting candidates with career counseling.”

When Elizabeth is not interviewing clients, working on marketing and financials, or making herself available to her customers 24-hours a day, she relaxes at home with her husband and son and volunteers with the Kiwanis Club of  Lexington.

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March/April 2011 | 43

Candace

Garner’s Natural Life

Garner’s Natural Lifeoffers an extensive selection of the highest quality organic vitamins, herbs, and body care and wellness products. Though the retail store opened in Columbia in 2010, the familyowned business has been going strong for 32 years with deep roots in Greenville.

“Helping people make positive choices for their health is what makes my job so much fun,” says Candace. “I think that the key to Garner’s longevity and wild popularity isn’t just what we sell, but how we sell it.”

Candace makes sure that customers receive more than just products when they shop at Garner’s. They can expect personal attention and education.

Candace has received a number of awards and recognitions including the Suzanne Thaler Rising Star award from GSA Business. The award from the Upstate business journal recognizes creativity, leadership and innovation by a woman who owns or is employed by a for-profit business.

Garner

Women in Business

Lisa

The Happy Cookers

Lisa Waddell and business partner Kay Fortune bought the successful Columbia catering company and eatery, The Happy Cookers, a little more than 2 years ago.

They serve up tasty treats for lunch Tuesday to Friday at their Devine Street location. Customers enjoy soups, salads, sandwiches and daily specials made just right. They also offer no- hassle casseroles for customers to take and bake themselves.

Yet, their passion is catering. They pride themselves on finding the perfect menu for each individual client.

“We work very hard to work within the budget and make the event memorable,” says Lisa.

The happy cooks at The Happy Cookers specialize in “all things bridal” from engagement parties to receptions. However, they are a full-service caterer which means they can do it all for any occasion.

Waddell

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March/April 2011 | 45

Julie

Agency Recruiter, State Farm

Julie started her career with State Farm a decade ago. In that time she has worked her way to becoming an Agency Recruiter for the insurance company.

Julie’s mission is to “find the next generation of State Farm agents.” She identifies successful business people who possess a long list of characteristics including integrity, competitiveness and a high level of entrepreneurial spirit and assists them in the career track process.

“The most fulfilling part of my job is introducing this opportunity to professionals who want to own their own business, assisting them through the agency career track process and watching them grow into State Farm agents and realizing their dreams,” says Julie.

As the mother of twins, Julie is learning to balance career and family. Her favorite thing to do is spend time with family out on Lake Murray.

McDowell

Women in Business

Merritt

Executive Director, Five Points Association

For the past five years, Merritt’s focus has been the Five Points neighborhood.

“In the most basic sense, almost everything that occurs in Five Points is my business and my job,” she says.

From hosting major events like the annual St. Patrick’s celebration to planting trees, recruiting business to building fountains, Merritt works to achieve the goals the association sets out to accomplish. The biggest challenge she faces is weighing the needs and wants of the 130 area merchants and the association’s board of directors.

There is no such thing as a typical day for Merritt, and for that she is thankful. When she isn’t working you can find this energetic young woman running and serving on the board of directors for the Babcock Center Foundation and helping to promote the Olympia Community Festival.

McHaffie

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March/April 2011 | 47

The Dirty Dozen Columbia’s top designers share their insights on turning the average into astonishing WRITTEN BY JACKIE PERRONE

H

ere’s a Word-Association game: what do you think of when you hear: “Interior Design?”

1.

2.

3.

4.

Exotic indulgence for the rich Way-out departure from everyday living Desirable, but unaffordable Help with today’s living environment

Columbia Living hopes you already know that Number Four is the only correct answer. Now that we’re on the right track, we’re here to introduce you to 12 of Columbia’s leading interior designers, expressing their raison d’etre and desire to help you improve your surroundings.

These people devote their careers to their neighbors in creating a home atmosphere which is comfortable, functional, and attractive. If whimsical is part of your personality, that goes into the mix as well. Got an itch for abstract art? Or does Grandma’s cane rocking chair occupy a central spot in your heart? Whether it’s a family heirloom, a ridiculous statuette you picked up in Asia, or a hand-made macramé you’ve been proud of ever since childhood, the professional designer wants to use what you like to express your personality, while working to make your home more livable.

These folks have the pedigrees in education, skill and talent to rank at the top of Columbia design community. Unanimously, they express the motivation that their design work should reflect not their own tastes, but those of the client. “The first step is, get to know the client.” That’s the mantra of the professional designer.

Here, then, meet Columbia’s premier design community. There’s something here for everyone.

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Ellen Taylor

Ellen Taylor Design

PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF INTERIOR DESIGNERS

I am high on Columbia right now: the Vista, the University, the good things happening on Main Street. I hope people here will support local things instead of going out of town.

Right now I am having a ball doing a vacation home on the Pacific Coast of Mexico, north of Puerto Vallarta, for a Charlotte client. It’s everything you would dream of for a vacation home, on a high cliff with a fabulous view, large and airy with a terraza, wonderful for entertaining. The client wants everything in it to be Mexicanmade: furniture, dishes, rugs, art, tile.

I have done South Carolina coastal homes, on Debordieu and Kiawah, but this is the first time I have gone to Mexico for a project. We also do extensive kitchen renovations and millwork.

I think design is like music and art - sort of an unspoken language expressing emotion in the environment. We need harmony in the space around us.

Ellen Taylor Design 807 Gervais Street Columbia SC 29201 (803) 758-1007

Ford Boyd Bailey Allied Member, ASID Verve

I like a challenge, and this business has plenty of them. One recent favorite was renovation in an old house in Florence, where we went from, 8’ ceilings to 11’ ceilings - with absolutely no change in the exterior. There just was plenty of attic space we could move up into.

Young families inherit old houses and want to keep the architectural integrity but modernize them inside for today’s living. My business has changed today from what we were doing five years ago; now it’s more like what we were doing 15 to 20 years ago. People aren’t gutting the entire interior and spending money they don’t have, to change everything drastically. We’re doing smaller jobs, and finding ways to freshen up, making interior space more airy and up to date.

Verve 1127 Gervais Street Columbia SC 29201 (803) 799-0045

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Don Danford

Don Danford Designs

Brandon Davidson

Brandon Shives & Eveleigh Hughey

Brandon Davidson Interiors

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My co-worker is Eveleigh Hughey, and we feel that because we are a small firm, we can give individual attention to every client. We develop personal relationships with each one; what we want is to achieve the vision they have. It’s not what we like, it’s what they like.

We like to lay out a longrange plan. Even if they can’t do everything at once, they can have it set up for the future so that it will all go together.

I have a raft of subcontractors to recommend. These are companies we can depend on, and we stand behind what they do. We’ll take on as much or as little as a client would like.

Sometimes a new lamp, a chair, a rug can do a lot to freshen up a place.

Brandon Davidson Interiors 2200 Devine Street Columbia SC 29205 (803) 929-0047

I don’t like to walk into a room that looks like a furniture store, where everything comes in a set and has to match. I like working with what people already own, especially if a piece is old and has a place in family history. When I consult, I ask first to meet with both the husband and the wife, and I assign some homework: I give them a stack of magazines and ask them to mark the things they like.

Then we know which direction to take.

Color is important to me.

White walls don’t do a thing for me.

Most of my clients are professionals, and often they just turn me loose.

About five years ago, I got involved in doing landscaping also. To me, the garden is a sanctuary. It’s important to the feeling of the whole house. I have never advertised; all my clients come to me by word of mouth.

Don Danford Designs 1611 Hampton Street Columbia SC 29201 (803) 351-6075

Evon Kirkland

Evon Kirkland Interiors / Westend

Working with new construction is my absolute ideal. To be able to plan the space, the windows, the lighting - we can address ahead of time the problems which might have developed. I’ve had my design business 20 years, and opened the retail gallery three years ago. We carry high-end furniture and accessories, and clients like being to look at them in reality, sit on the sofas, etc.

This location on Meeting Street is very easy to get to; we are just an extension of The Vista. Also I have a warehouse where we can store everything on-site to prepare for an installation. We recently hosted a reception for the Committee of 100, a group of developers and realtors and bankers and designers, who work together to bring new commerce to the state. I am on the West Columbia Beautification Board, working to improve the gateways to this part of the city.

Evon Kirkland Interiors / Westend 830 Meeting Street West Columbia SC 29169 (803) 794-5002

March/April 2011 | 51

Katherine Anderson Madison Hall

Steven Ford

KATHY BLACKBURN & STEVEN FORD

Steven Ford Interiors

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For the past two years, renovations have outweighed the new construction projects. Money is not flowing as freely for new homes, and people are making the most of what they already have.

I thought about being an architect, since I’ve always liked drawing, but I didn’t do well in the technical side so I went into design. I like working with architects on new construction, which gives me a chance to input my ideas for space and flow and access. The commercial projects have kept coming; I have worked with hospitals and doctors’ offices to make the most of their budgets.

Steven Ford Interiors 2200 Devine Street Columbia SC 29205 (803) 799-1177

You could say we are a meatand- potatoes resource for our clients.

I really enjoy using what people have, finding new ways to feature them, creating better space and flow. Of course we do sell furniture and fabrics and other new things, but that’s not our main purpose. We have set up what we call a turn-key move into the retirement community. We help the client decide what to keep and what to get rid of, how to refurbish pieces, and we’ll come move it all, then unpack and place it all. We’ll take on your attic, also, and get rid of the mess.

We do commercial and office projects too. I like working with small law firms, helping them make the best use of their space.

Madison Hall 2710 Gervais Street Columbia SC 29204 (803) 931-8877

Linda Goodwin Burnside LGB Interiors

LGB Interiors 2200 Devine Street Columbia SC 29205 (803) 929-5322

I’ve had my business since 1989. I’ ve done a lot of things in the commercial world, what we call “hospitality design.” That encompasses resorts, hotels, vacation homes. I worked on time-shares for the Marriott world-wide (I enjoyed France in particular). Mountain homes, beach homes. Of course we are a full-service firm and can take on a variety of projects.

Right now in the down economy, renovation is big. Many people have changed their minds about selling and moving to a bigger place. They’re staying home and deciding to make it more inviting, a new environment. Even doing small chunks makes them feel good.

March/April 2011 | 53

Pam McPeak, ASID Southern Places

Mandy Summers M. Gallery

I picked the very worst time to open my own business after working at other design companies: October 2008, just as the bottom was falling out of the economy. Now, after two years, I am still here, and things are going well. I was proud to be chosen for the Best of Lexington 2010 award, given by Lexington Life magazine.

I like to think of my office as a source, for things like rugs, for instance. I have a variety of them on hand, but can order just about anything. My gallery in the Old Mill in Lexington is an ideal place to display art and accessories. I am showing 19 local artists here, paintings, photography, clay, custom wood pieces, sculpture, jewelry and tile. And I have some salvage pieces, such as old columns, and some molds and machine pieces from former textile mills.

M. Gallery Interiors Old Mill Building, 711 East Main St. Lexington SC 29072 (803) 785-4620

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Every project is different, and I hope that no one can look at a project I have done and say that it looks like me. My focus is on my clients. Most of my work is residential but I do some commercial work also. I have done medical offices, where I like to create an atmosphere like home, with comfortable chairs, soft lighting, nice artwork. People go to a doctor’s office with a lot on their minds, a lot of stress. The seating area needs to be calm and soothing, not sterile and cold.

Southern Places 9350 Two Notch Road Columbia SC 29204 (803) 788-0559

Paul Sloan

Paul D. Sloan Interiors Inc.

My by-word is color. I want places to be light and airy and bright.

I don’t like dark rooms. It’s fun to add new pieces to blend with existing antiques and heirloom pieces, for a balanced look. Lamps especially can do a lot for a room.

My work is mostly residential, both new construction and renovations. Renovations have parameters, where the challenge is working within existing walls and ceiling-heights, to create an up-dated look. New construction offers a chance to work with the architect to plan specific spaces with a flow.

Paul D. Sloan Interiors Inc. 1012 Gervais Street Columbia SC 29201 (803) 733-1704

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More Notable Designers Verandah Interiors Columbia, SC 29229 (803) 586-9563 www.vcustomdesigns.com Full service interior design firm offering custom interiors, furnishings, and consultation for residential and commercial.

O’Connor Design 1230 C Avenue West Columbia, SC 29169 (803) 791-1232 www.oconnordesignfirm.com

Karen P. Menge, ASID Pulliam-Morris Interiors

I’ve been a partner at Pulliam-Morris for more than 30 years, as well as a professional member of the American Society of Interior Designers. My primary focus is on residential design, but I have done commercial projects also. I go all over the place; recent projects have been in Atlanta, Charleston, Lake Keowee, and Georgetown.

The very best approach is to be on a team with architects and builders, to plan a project from beginning to end. n Pulliam-Morris Interiors 905 Harden Street Columbia SC 29205 (803) 799-4744

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Focus on designing timeless interiors for everyday family life as well as elegant fellowship.

Stevens & Wilkinson 1501 Main Street Columbia, SC 29201 (803) 765-0320 www.stevenswilkinson.com Full service architecture, engineering and interior design firm specializing in commercial projects.

History

Equestrian Traditions The Carolina Cup celebrates its heritage as one of the oldest trophies in horse racing WRITTEN BY RACHEL HAYNIE

PHOTOS (1) COURTESY THE CAROLINA CUP; PHOTOS (2) BY TOD MARKS

C

alling thoroughbreds to their assigned gates for the first race of the 79th Carolina Cup, Kevin Smith’s bugle also will trumpet the arrival of South Carolina’s social spring.

From the instant race founders Ernest Woodward and Harry Kirkland got approval from the National Steeplechase and Hunt Association for their inaugural event to take the lead on the early spring race calendar, the Carolina Cup has doubled as one of the state’s grandest sporting events and one of its most anticipated social occasions.

Thoroughbreds’ afternoon races over flat courses, timber and brush also has been both a tradition keeper and a tradition breaker.

Based on time-honored European racing rules and conventions that established a far-away church steeple as the finish line for a friendly race of two horses, the sport has attracted kings and queens, gentlemen and commoners. Safety concerns for both horse and rider have led to some amended practices over the years, but the sport essentially has transcended centuries just as it began across the pond.

As soon as a third horse entered the

competition, probably for a romp across some sweeping Irish moor, spectators grumbled they couldn’t discern their rider

others being sought in the sea of 70,000 sun-kissed faces. “Check out that girl in the big yellow hat!”

The Cup: (above) Spectators line up at the Carolina Cup, circa-1930. (left) The Carolina Cup Trophy.

- on whom they had wagered - from the competition. The solution? Riders were to don bright colored silk jackets, easy to see from a distance.

Today stables choose and register exclusive colors for their own racing silks, and their jockeys wear only those exclusively.

For instance, the late Mrs. Marion DuPont Scott, the Cup’s benefactress and a highly respected horsewoman, chose French blue and rose-silver for her Montpelier stables.

One look into the Cup crowd suggests jockeys’ practice of wearing vivid colors to distinguish themselves now has been adopted by race spectators as well.

Proximity to the vernal equinox may make the race date a time to break out straw hats and Easter egg colors, but colorful attire also makes easier targets of chums and

The label “clothes horse” may have been first applied at the Cup; seersucker and madras plaid make new debuts there each year. And Palm Beach shades, especially Lilly Pulitzer’s signature pinks and greens, are sported by sorority sisters and oncepreppy matrons who, in the ‘60s, affirmed the venerable Florida designer’s belief that tropical colors and patterns make posh resort attire of simple sundresses.

On race day at the Lilly Pulitzer tent, pitched near the paddock area behind the grandstand, devotees of the line may stop by for updates, register for a bountiful gift basket, and receive giveaways - while they last. Beth Baxley, owner of Pink Sorbet, whose Devine Street shop in Columbia will award the gift basket, says: “Come by early.

The giveaways go fast. And, yes, we will have koozies again.”

March/April 2011 | 57

and is sponsored

by Carolina First Bank. The owner of the winning horse in the signature race will take ownership of a small replica of the stately Queen Anne silver trophy each founder saw and fancied in England - on separate occasions.

The actual Carolina Cup, believed to be one of horseracing’s oldest continuously used trophies, is presented ceremoniously in the winner’s circle, then spirited back into safe keeping until the next Race Time: (top) The latest line of dresses at the Lilly Pulitzer tent. (above) year. In earlier Racers jockey for position as they come around Bend E. event years, the winner was allowed to hold in his possession the two The Lilly Pulitzer brand now sponsors handled silver loving cup until a new winner the first of this year’s six races, the Kershaw claimed it, but this tradition as others Plate. Since the Cup’s fourth running, in have shifted over time.

1934, that race named for the country seat While some traditions have been hosting the tide of visitors also has honored reinterpreted to lesser degrees, others have Revolutionary War hero, Joseph Kershaw. escalated.

The Springdale Course is the To perpetuate a more modern only remaining course on which real pine tradition, female spectators bare their branches are used in its brush jumps, but shoulders for the first time of the season this will be the last year for that practice. on race day, regardless of the weather.

From simple wax-paper wrapped sandwiches Sundresses, after all, are a rite of spring and served from rumble seats, tailgating grew to honor that custom, sponsor Lilly Pulitzer to greater significance as the number of pitches her own tent, a vibrantly colorful races added to the program lengthened the Mecca where devotees can see what the line afternoon - and thereby, appetites. It is not offers wearers thinking ahead to the next unusual in the 21st century to see lavish table social occasion. settings groaning with gourmet picnic fare Other contemporary enterprises and centered by silver candelabras.

- an insurance company, car dealership, The horses are plenty tenacious, but healthcare facility, and party rental business are not the only steadfast elements in the each sponsor one of the races. The actual event.

Regardless of weather condition, the Carolina Cup race is fifth on the race card, race is run, even if it’s snowing, although its

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early continuity was interrupted for three WWII years. The event has survived The Great Depression, multiple wars, economic and gasoline crises and has thrived in spite of the state’s gambling and drinking laws.

Whereas some long-standing traditions risk losing their interest base, the Cup introduces thoroughbred racing to new crops of young people each year. Years ago race officials set aside a special parking area for buses bearing college students from throughout the region.

The sporting and social spectacle the Cup has become would scarcely be recognizable to its founders. In those early years, spectators stood, or sat on fenders of Model T parked on a hill overlooking the track.

As its reputation for heralding spring spread, the Cup’s infield crowds spilled over into the outfield, so organizers kept looking for ways to extend the Southern hospitality to more visitors. By foresight, the course complex has been plentiful; it even includes a practice course across Knight’s Hill Road.

The Springdale Course, conjured up by two well-heeled Camden winter residents who founded the event based on their European spectator experiences, initially included four separate tracks built on a single course carved out of a four-hundred acre plot. The brush course was two miles long, the hurdles a half-mile route, and for flat races, there was a mile-long course.

Four legged luminaries have sustained the race’s prestige within equestrian circles, among them horses sired by Man O’ War. One - Battlefield - owned by Mrs. Scott, later won the Grand National at Aintree, England. Two-legged luminaries have included the late president Franklin D. Roosevelt, governors, other politicians, and movie stars. Proof of the race’s broad appeal can be seen on bumpers: license plates from nearly every state - and Canada.

As the horses drive to the finish lines, spectators’ unbridled socializing gives them a competitive edge, too. The biggest hat?

Most outrageous outfit? Most lavish car?

Posh-est picnic? The Cup’s motto: Meliorem lapsa locavit means “He has done better than those he left behind.” n

Food & Wine Nightlife » Dining Out » Sweet Treats » Restaurant Guide » Now Open DINING OUT » Liberty Tap

L

Room & Grill

ady Liberty greets you in stained-glass splendor as you walk into the Liberty Tap Room & Grill, but you don’t really have to dress up for

her.

Sure, you may mingle with business people, legislators, maybe even the governor. But you’ll also see folks in jeans, fans headed for USC sporting events and young professionals wanting to try an exotic brand of beer.

“It’s upscale casual,” manager Greg Haris says of the restaurant that’s been at Gervais and Lincoln streets in the Vista for seven years.

Continued on page 60 »

New York Strip Steak: Grilled and seasoned to perfection with sweet potatoes and a Cobb salad.

March/April 2011 | 59

Dining Out

With its rustic stars and stripes decor, the Liberty Tap Room occupies a brick structure that was built in 1920 and originally was a grain warehouse.

Folk-art flags line the dining room, and in the adjacent bar, you’ll walk on wood flors salvaged from an old bowling alley. Off the bar is a beer garden - just remodeled - that attracts the after-work crowd during warm weather.

The Liberty Tap Room is part of a restaurant chain that includes similar eateries in Greenville, Myrtle Beach and Mount Pleasant, as well as the Pearlz Oyster Bar nearby in the Vista.

A prime goal of each Liberty Tap Room, Harris says, is to seek out local ingredients for the freshest appetizers, salads, pizzas, sandwiches and entrees.

“It’s not always the cheapest route to go - in fact, it can be more expensive,” Harris says. “But we feel it’s the freshest.”

Popular starters include freshmade potato chips drizzled with blue cheese. A selection of pizzas includes one with white sauce and spinach - a favorite of new Gov. Nikki Haley, according to Harris.

Harris also talks up “what I feel is the best shrimp and grits in town,” made

With full menu selections in both areas, guests can choose either the traditional dining room or the tap-room.

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“The salmon we’re serving today was swimming yesterday,” -Greg Harris with Adluh stone-ground grits, jumbo shrimp and a special Cajun sauce.

If you haven’t been to Liberty Tap Room in a while, you’ll notice a shift toward two new specialty areas. First, Harris says, is an expanded array of fresh fish such as yellow fin tuna, flounder and Atlantic salmon. And he does mean “fresh.”

“The salmon we’re serving today was swimming yesterday,” Harris says.

The second specialty area caters to meat lovers: The restaurant features 100 percent Certified Angus Beef, aged at least 24 days and cut at the restaurant. And to wash down these entrees? Well, how about a beer?

The Tap Room lives up to its name with more than 60 brands on tap including Liberty’s Brown Ale, but urges beer lovers to experiment. Among seasonal variations, you’ll find everything from dark porters to fruity ales to high-gravity beers.

Riding the trend toward microbrews and “handcrafted” beer, “we like to find unique, small breweries throughout the United States and carry their beers,” Harris says.

Thus you can sample Seeing

Double beer from Foothills Brewery in Winston-Salem, N.C.; Bell’s Brown Ale from Kalamazoo, Mich.; or Mermaid’s Red, an ale from the Coronado Brewing Co. in California. Or sip Delirium Tremens, a pale ale from Belgium that was judged the world’s best in 1998.

Libations also are available with the restaurant’s Sunday brunch including unique twists on mimosas and Bloody Marys. But with an array of eggs Benedict dishes, omelets and other brunch specialties, the kick from your coffee might suffice. -Linda Lamb

Liberty Tap Room & Grill 828 Gervais Street, (803) 461-4677 www.libertytaproom.com Mon-Sat, 11-until; Sun 10am-until; Sun brunch 10am-3pm

Restaurant

Guide Locations: (D) Downtown; (DS) Devine Street; (F) Five Points; (FA) Forest Acres; (I) Irmo; (L) Lexington; (N) Northeast; (R) Rosewood; (V ) Vista Area; (W ) West Columbia Five Guys Famous Burgers & Fries (D) 931 Senate St., 799-0441; (FA) 4751 Forest Dr., 787-3178; (I) 285 Columbiana Dr., 407-6443; (N) 460-2 Town Center Place, 788-6200.

Hamburgers, with an array of other options available. Daily 11am-10pm.

Harper’s Restaurant (F) 700 Harden St., 252-2222. Enjoy casual dining with an array of American cuisine, including steak, chicken, seafood, BBQ, burgers and salads. Lunch and Dinner, Mon-Thurs 11:15am-10pm, Fri-Sat 11:15am-11pm, Sun 10:30am-10pm.

Hunter-Gatherer Brewery & Ale House (D) 900 Main St., 748-0540. English-style brew pub with a variety of fresh homemade dishes. Brewhouse serving continental fare and regional favorites. Handcrafted beer made in-house. Lunch, Tue-Fri 11am-2pm, Dinner, Mon-Sat 4-11pm.

Liberty Tap Room & Grill (V) 828 Gervais St., 461-4677. Handcrafted brew-pub with rich ethnic cooking styles serving seafood, steak, chicken, burgers, soups and salads.

Mon-Sat 11am-until, Sun 10am-until, Sun Brunch 10am-3pm.

Ready to Eat?

Use our restaurant listings to find the best eating and drinking in Columbia.

American

Cellar on Greene (F) 2001 Greene St., 343-3303.

Unique combination of wine shop by day and wine bar by night. Offering 3 course meals with steak, seafood or duck as well as pizza and desserts.

Dinner, Tue-Thurs 5-10pm, Fri-Sat 5-11pm.

City Center Grill (D) 1200 Hampton St. (in the Columbia Marriott), 744-6940. Traditional American favorites with regional fare. Breakfast, Mon-Fri 6:30-10:30am, Sat-Sun 6:30-12, Lunch daily,11:30am-2pm, Dinner, Mon-Sat 5-10pm.

Solstice Kitchen & Wine Bar (N) 841-4 Sparkleberry Ln., 788-6966. New American grill with extensive wine list. Serving seafood, pork, chicken, salads. Lunch Tue-Fri 11:30am2pm, Dinner, Mon-Thurs5:30-9:30pm, Fri-Sat 5:30-10:30pm.

Tombo Grille (FA) 4509 Forest Dr., 782-9665.

Forest Acres hotspot serving incredible food, wines, and high-gravity beer. Dinner MonThurs 5:30-9:30pm, Fri-Sat 5:30-10:30pm.

Yesterday’s (F) 2030 Devine St., 799-0196.

Relaxed family atmosphere serving up regional dishes made fresh daily. Menu items include beef stew, BBQ, lasagna and chicken. Lunch and Dinner, Sun-Thurs 11:30am-midnight, Fri-Sat 11:30-1am.

Area restaurants provide this information to Columbia LIVING magazine. It is published according to space availability. No advertising or other considerations are accepted in exchange for a listing. To participate in our restaurant guide, call 843-856-2532.

March/April 2011 | 61

SWEET TREATS

Baked to Perfection

Blue Flour Bakery whips up distinctively good cookies and specialty sweets

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PHOTOGRAPHS (3) BY KATHERINE PETTIT

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ost days, Teri Pringle begins work about 5am. Not that she’s complaining. Recently, her early morning hours were spent creating mini-Red Velvet cupcakes, raspberry swirl cookies and almond cranberry granola bars. The sugar cookies and chocolate chip cookies were already in the bakery case, awaiting their happy fate.

A native of Syracuse, New York, she spent years refining her recipes. Now, she’s opened Blue Flour Bakery in Irmo.

The work is hard, the hours long, and the balance between business and family is tough. Despite all that, this creative entrepreneur is exactly where she wants to be.

Teri is a graduate of the University of South Carolina, with a degree in hotel and restaurant management. She spent nine years with the Marriott Corporation in Charlotte, then married and returned to Columbia, where she worked for 12 years at Embassy Suites as Director of Sales.

“With two small children, I decided to take some time to enjoy being with them,” she explained as she packaged sugar cookies in cellophane bags tied with fanciful ribbons. “Then, when my youngest started kindergarten, I wanted meaningful work and Blue Flour Bakery was born.”

Sweet Tooth: (left) Blue Flour Bakery’s cookies in an assortment of varieties; (top) Freshly baked Red Velvet cupcakes.

But not without labor pains. First she tested recipes, using family and friends for “sometimes brutal” feedback, and employing a technique she called Doorstep Deliveries. She’s droop off a fresh batch of cookies, the call the recipient and ask for comments.

The repertoire was narrowed down to 17, and the Blue Flour name devised fro the venture. “I love blue and everything has flour in it.” As her reputation and name recognition grew, Blue Flour began to market its delicious cookies online and recently, through her retail location. Soon, the patio out front will have tables where patrons can sit and enjoy the magnificent Carolina weather while feasting on heavenly concoctions.

Although the most popular items remain cookies: chocolate chip, sugar, and lemon honey ginger respectively, the bakery case is also filled with mini cupcakes, granola bars, and seasonal delicacies such as pumpkin muffins and key lime tarts.

Her decorated sugar cookies look as good as they taste. Special orders have custom designs (blue and green turtles, for

example, or miniature tennis rackets, baseballs, or flowers).

Want a bit of liquid refreshment with your calories? Not a problem. There are gourmet teas, soft drinks, and coffee from a Greenville roaster (with local milk from Sandy Run Farms). You may find her behind the counter, filling orders. “I love meeting the people who buy my baked goods,” she said, smiling.

Does she want to be the next FoodTV star? Not really. “I like the local aspect of this, and that’s where I want to focus,” she explained. Not a bad plan. As for me, I plan to return soon and pick up a tin of lemon honey sugar cookies to put in my freezer - that is, if they last that long.

-Katherine Pettit

Blue Flour Bakery 7703 St. Andrews Road (803) 407-3603 www.blueflour.com Tuesday-Friday, 9am-4pm Saturadays, 9am-2pm

2.33x10_MSpig_ColaLvg:Layout 1 2/8/11 5:28 PM

Restaurant Guide Asian

Baan Sawan Thai Bistro (DS) 2135 Devine St., 252-8992. Quaint bistro offering traditional Thai dishes with seafood, chicken and beef.

Choose from a variety of Curry flavors. Dinner Tue-Thurs 5:30-9pm, Fri 5:30-10pm, Sat 5:309pm. Take out is available.

M Café (D) 1417 Sumter St., 779-5788.

Fresh Asian cuisine and Mandarin tea room.

Lunch and Dinner, Mon-Fri 11am-10pm, Sat 5-10pm.

Miyo’s (D) 922 S Main St., 779-6496; (FA) 3250 Forest Dr., 743-9996; (I) 1221 Bower Pkwy., 781-7788; (N) 715 Fashion Dr., 7888878; (V) 701 Lady St., 255-8878. Unique Asian flared foods, sushi, fine teas and specialty entrees. Hours vary by location.

SakiTumi Grill & Sushi Bar (V) 807 Gervais St., 931-0700. Serving up award winning sushi with fresh ahi tuna. Grill menu includes steak, chicken and beef. Dinner, Mon-Wed 4:3010pm, Thurs-Sat 4:30pm-midnight.

Thai Lotus Restaurant (I) 612 St. Andrews Rd., 561-0006. Lunch and Dinner Daily, 1110pm, Lunch Buffett11am-2pm.

Bakery

Tiffany’s Bakery & Eatery (N) 8502 Two Notch Rd., 736-2253. Full service delicatessen and custom bakery. Specialty is wedding cakes.

Mon-Fri 7am-6pm, Sat 8am-3pm.

BBQ

Hudson’s Smokehouse (I) 301 Park Terrace Dr., 661-7533; (L) 4952 Sunset Blvd., 3561070. Voted some of the best BBQ in all of Columbia, offering full menu or Southern buffet with all the sides. Lunch and Dinner Mon-Thurs 11am-9pm, Fri-Sat 11am-10pm, Sun 11am-3pm.

Groucho’s Deli (F) 611 Harden St., 7995708; (N) 111 Sparkleberry Ln., 419-6767; 730 University Village Dr., 754-4509; (I) 800 Lake Murray Blvd., 749-4515; 2009 Broad River Rd., 750-3188; (FA) 4717 Forest Dr., 790-0801; (L) 117 ½ E. Main St., 356-8800.

A local favorite featuring made-to-order sandwiches, low-fat options, soups and salads.

Lunch and Dinner. Hours vary by location.

Rosewood Market and Deli (R) 2803 Rosewood Dr., 256-6410. Wide variety of menu selections such as coconut shrimp, gumbo, pasta, soups and salads. Low carb healthy dishes available. Lunch Mon-Sat 11:30am-2:30pm, Sun 10am-2pm, Dinner Mon-Sat 5-7:30pm.

Dessert

Café Strudel (W) 118 State St., 794-6634.

European style café serving an array of sandwiches, soups, salads, and burgers. Breakfast and Lunch Mon-Wed 8:30am-3:30pm, ThursSat 8:30am-10:30pm, Sun 10am-2:30pm.

Nonnah’s (V) 930 Gervais St., 779-9599.

Offering a lite lunch and dinner menu, with some of the best desserts in Columbia. Relaxed, yet upscale atmosphere wonderfully decorated with original artwork from local artists. Lunch Mon-Fri 11:30am-2pm; Dinner Mon-Thurs 5-11pm, Fri-Sat 5pm-12:30am.

Fine Dining

Al’s Upstairs (W) 300 Meeting St., 7947404. Romantic and elegant Italian restaurant overlooking the Columbia skyline. Entrees include fresh fish, steaks, chops, pasta and lamb.

Dinner, Mon-Sat 5-10pm.

Arizona’s (N) 150 Forum Dr., 865-1001.

Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner daily, SunMon11:30am-9pm, Tue-Thurs 11:30am-10pm, Fri-Sat 11:30am-11pm.

Deli/Café

Columbo’s (D) 2100 Bush River Rd. (in the Radisson Hotel), 744-2200. Unique Italian cuisine, prime steaks and a superior wine list served up in a casual intimate atmosphere.

Breakfast daily, 6:30-11am, Lunch and Dinner daily 11am-midnight.

The Gourmet Shop (F) 724 Saluda Ave., 7993705. A local favorite, serving homemade sandwiches, soups, salads, and desserts. Menu items include turkey pesto, reuben, chicken salad, and smoked salmon. Mon-Fri 9am3:45pm, Sat 9am-4:45pm, Sun 10am-3:45pm.

Dianne’s on Devine (DS) 2400 Devine St., 254-3535. Italian influenced cuisine, serving seafood, veal, chicken, pasta, soups and appetizers. Dinner Mon 5-9pm, Tue-Sat 5-10pm.

DiPrato’s (F) 342 Pickens St., 779-0606. New York style delicatessen serving Mediterranean and Italian cuisine with signature sandwiches, soups and salads. Mon-Sat 10am-6pm, Sat brunch 10am-1pm, Sun brunch 10am-4pm.

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Restaurant Guide

Hennessy’s A Main Street Dining Tradition Since 1983

Garibaldi’s (F) 2013 Greene St., 771-8888.

Sophisticated neighborhood café with an art deco bar, serving classic Italian fare and delectable seafood.

Dinner, Mon-Thurs 5-10:30pm, Fri-Sat 5-11pm, Sun 5-10pm.

Italian

Hampton Street Vineyard (D) 1201 Hampton St., 252-0850. Offering an array of cuisines with seafood, pastas, beef and chicken. Menu changes quarterly. Lunch Mon-Fri 11:30am2pm, Dinner Mon-Sat 6-10pm.

Rosso Trattoria Italia (FA) 4840 Forest Dr., 787-3949. Elegant casual Italian food fare serving up local, seasonal products, Menu boasts an array of pastas, grilled meats, steaks, and excellent wine list. Dinner, Mon-Thurs 5-10pm, Fri-Sat 5-11pm.

Hennessy’s (D) 1649 Main St., 799-8280. One of Columbia’s landmark restaurants offering elegant dining in a casual atmosphere. Lunch Mon-Fri 11:30am-2:30pm, Dinner Mon-Thurs 6-9pm, Fri-Sat 6-9:30pm.

Business, Bridal, and Private Dinners and Luncheons are available!

Hennessy’s Restaurant & Lounge 1649 Main Street, Columbia, SC (803) 799-8280 www.hennessyssc.com

“Great Parties Start Here”

Lexington Arms (L) 314 West Main St., 3592700. Serving a wide variety of foods including lamb, beef stroganoff, sandwiches, salads and desserts. Dinner, Mon-Thurs 5:30-9pm, Fri-Sat 5:30-10pm.

Momo’s Bistro (DS) 2930 Devine St., 2522700. Fine dining in a relaxed atmosphere.

Choose from seafood, steak, pork, chicken, lamb and salads. Dinner Mon-Thurs 5:30-10pm, Fri 5:30-11pm, Sat 5:30-10pm, Sun Brunch 10:302:30pm.

Motor Supply Bistro (V) 920 Gervais St., 256-6687. Serving up innovative food with a menu that changes twice daily. Lunch, TueSat 11:30am-2:30pm, Sun Brunch 11am-3pm, Dinner, Tue-Thurs 5:30-9:30pm, Fri-Sat 5:3010:30pm, Sun 5:30-9pm.

P.O.S.H. (D) 1400 Main St. (in the Sheraton Hotel), 988-1400. Breakfast only, Mon-Fri 6:30-10:30am, Sat-Sun 6:30-11am.

Ristorante Divino (V) 803 Gervais St., 7994550. Authentic Northern Italian cuisine, serving homemade pastas, seafood, duck and beef. Reservations suggested. Dinner, Mon-Sat 6pm-until.

Locally Owned and Operated Large Selection of Beer, Wine, and Spirits Excellent Customer Service Party Planning Morganelli’s Party Store 3155 Forest Drive, Columbia 803-787-5651

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Terra (W) 100 State St., 791-3443. Great neighborhood restaurant serving wood-oven pizzas, quail, red drum, steaks and salads.

Dinner, Tue-Sat 5pm-until.

Greek

Grecian Gardens (W) 2312 Sunset Blvd., 794-7552. Authentic Greek cuisine including an excellent wine list. Menu selections include chicken, seafood, steaks, Greek pizza, salads and sandwiches. Lunch and Dinner, Mon-Thurs 11am-9pm, Fri 11am-10pm, Sat-Sun 11am-9pm.

Moe’s Grapevine (R) 4478 Rosewood Dr., 7768463. Casual and personal dining experience with an Italian flare. Lunch, Tue-Fri 11am2:30pm, Dinner Tue 5-9pm, Wed-Sat 5-10pm.

Travinia Italian Kitchen (L) 5074 Sunset Blvd., 957-2422; (N) 101 Sparkleberry Crossing Rd., 419-9313. Contemporary Italian cuisine serving fresh pasta, soups, chicken, pizza, veal and seafood. Lunch and Dinner Mon-Thurs 11:30am-10pm, Fri-Sat 11:30am-11pm, Sun 12-9pm.

Villa Tronco (D) 1213 Blanding St., 2567677. Enjoy casual fine dining in Columbia’s oldest Italian restaurant. Old world charm with authentic recipes. Lunch, Mon-Fri 11:00am2pm, Dinner Mon-Sat 5-9pm.

Japanese

Camon Japanese Restaurant (D) 1332 Assembly St., 254-5400. Hibachi-style cooking with seafood, steak and chicken. Dinner, MonSat 5-9:30pm.

Sakura Japanese Restaurant (FA) 4827 Forest Dr., 738-9330. A local favorite serving up an array of tasty seafood and sushi dishes prepared fresh daily. Lunch, Mon-Sat 11:30am-2pm, Dinner Mon-Thurs 5:30-9:30pm, Fri-Sat 5:3010pm.

Sato Japanese Steak & Seafood (FA) 1999 Beltline Blvd., 782-1064. Authentic Japanese cuisine prepared at your table with the finest chefs. Dinners include appetizer, soup, and salad. Choose from steak, chicken or seafood.

Lunch Tue-Fri 11am-3pm, Dinner 4:30-10pm daily.

Mediterranean

Al-Amir (I) 7001 St. Andrews Rd., 732-0522.

Lunch, Mon-Fri 11:30am-3pm, Dinner MonFri 5:30-9:30pm, Sat-Sun 11:30-9:30.

Gervais & Vine (V) 620-A Gervais St., 7998463. Spanish-styled Mediterranean wine and tapas bar offering a wide selection of beers, outside seating and a menu with culinary influences from across the Med. Dinner, MonThurs 5-10pm, Fri-Sat 5-11pm.

17th Annual Central Carolina Food and Wine Festival going on now!

Remaining Events Wine Dinner March 7, 2011, 6:30 p.m.

Hampton Street Vineyard Guests will be treated to a delicious dinner prepared by Chef/Co-Owner Bill Murphy and his culinary team along with a complementary wine paired with each course by Jean Pierre Chambas of Aleph Wines Corporation.

VIP Wine Tasting March 31, 2011, 6:30 p.m.

Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP This formal wine tasting allows guests the opprtunity to judge a competitive blind tasting of South Carolina distributors’ best pinots and bid on wines during a live auction. A brief reception will proceed and follow the tasting.

Gala Event April 1, 2011, 7:00 p.m.

The Medallion Center

Sponsored by:

Guests can sample from hundreds of wines from around the globe along with tasty treats from several of the Midlands’ most talented chefs and caterers. Enjoy live music and other special features on this April Fool’s Day.

For more information and to purchase tickets visit yourfoundation.org.

All proceeds assist the Foundation in awarding grants to nonprofits in the Midlands.

Kathy Brousseau • Columbia Metropolitan Magazine Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP • Aleph Wines Corporation Kennett Distributors • Merus Refreshment Services Republic National Distributing Company • Southern Wine & Spirits of South Carolina • Delta Dental • Mike Kelly Law Group LLC Schmoyer and Company LLC • Cyberwoven LLC • Colonial Life Elliott Davis LLC • First Citizens • Colliers International Columbia Living Magazine • Rick Palyok • J. Hagood Tighe, Esq.

March/April 2011 | 65

NOW OPEN

Caribbean Fusion Gabriel Williams shares his island-style cooking at Mojito’s Tropical Cafe

I

Cilantro Lime Roasted Chicken: Seasoned yellow rice with black beans, yucca con mojo and sweet plaintains.

“This was our dream for a long time,” says Williams, a onetime salsa dancing instructor who shifted his interests to restaurant work. The family also has a Latin dance club, Salsa Cabana, in Forest Acres.

“Mojitos” makes you think of the minty rum cocktail

“The thing most people don’t know about Caribbean food is that it isn’t spicy hot - it’s very flavorful.” from Cuba - and indeed, there are 10 fruity variations on the menu. But it’s not strictly a Cuban restaurant. Chef Wehunt formerly worked at a Dominican restaurant in Charlotte, and the whole family contributes ideas from their travels.

“It’s more of a

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Caribbean fusion,” Williams explains.

You’ll find Cuban sandwiches - not made with deli meats, but with pork that’s been stuffed with garlic and marinated overnight. Variations include one with Portobello mushrooms. Empanadas -

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savory meat pies stuffed with beef or chicken - come with a creamy chimichurri sauce.

Starchy Caribbean staple yuca is brightened with onions in Wehunt’s mojo sauce, tangy with garlic and citrus.

Carmelized plantains are so tasty, “my 6-year-old daughter

would eat her weight in them,” Whitehouse-Suggs says.

Save room for dessert: Fishburne delights in putting a tropical spin on homey offerings like pina colada cheesecake and chocolate cake with a gooey almond-coconut filling.

With its paddle fans and artwork evoking a classic Miami eatery, Mojitos aims to win over diners who want to explore Latin cuisine beyone Tex-Mex - and maybe broaden their cultural horizons.

“Everyone’s welcome,” Williams says. “That’s what it’s all about.” -Linda Lamb Mojitos Tropical Cafe 1004 Gervais Street, (803)779-1717 Tuesday-Friday, 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m., and 5-9p.m., Saturday 5-9:30p.m.

PHOTOGRAPHS (3) BY SALLY TAYLOR

t’s like a Caribbean vacation in the dead of winter, minus all that annoying steel drum music.

Instead, there’s a warm and lively salsa beat playing at Mojitos Tropical Cafe - and in dishes infused with the inviting flavors of the Caribbean, South and Central America.

“It is wonderful, a little taste of my Miami home right here in Columbia,” says Christina Whitehouse-Suggs, who raves about the empanadas, roast pork and red beans.

“Honestly, everyone I’ve ever introduced to this style of food goes crazy over it.”

That’s music to the ears of owner Gabriel Williams, who opened Mojitos on Gervais Street in August. His family tree has roots that reach to Spain and Puerto Rico, and the family lived in Florida before relocating to Columbia in the 1980s.

Williams’ sister, Lynette Wehunt, is the chef; his mother, Jane Fishburne, makes the desserts; and his girlfriend, Krystal Hamilton, runs the bar and provided the red beans recipe.

Restaurant Guide Seafood

Blue Fin (N) 461-4 Town Center Place, 8657346. An upscale yet casual atmosphere with a full bar. Dishes include seafood, pasta, chicken, soups and salads. Lunch daily 11am-2:45pm, Dinner Mon-Thurs 3-10pm, Fri-Sat 3-11pm, Sun 3-9:30pm.

Blue Marlin (V) 1200 Lincoln St., 799-3838.

Serving dishes with a Cajun and Creole influence.

Menu includes seafood, steaks and chicken.

Lunch, Mon-Fri 11:30-2:30, Dinner Mon-Fri 5:30-10pm, Sat-Sun 11:30am-11pm.

Bonefish Grill (FA) 4708 Forest Dr., 787-6200; (I) 1260 Bower Pkwy., 407-1599. Great seafood dishes prepared on a wood-burning grill, all within a relaxed casual atmosphere. Dinner Mon-Thurs 4-10:30pm, Fri-Sat 4-11:30pm, Sun 4-10pm.

Catch 22 (I) 1085 Lake Murray Blvd., 749-4700.

A fine-dining seafood restaurant with an array of seafood dishes, steak, chicken, sandwiches, soups and salads. Kids menu available. Dinner TueThurs 5-10pm, Fri-Sat 5-11pm.

The Oyster Bar (V) 1123 Park St., 799-4484.

Columbia’s original oyster bar, serving the freshest Gulf oysters, steamed or raw, soups, and shrimp and grits. Mon-Sat 4-until.

Pearlz Oyster Bar (V) 936 Gervais St., 6617741. Fun, eclectic restaurant serving the freshest seafood in a casual dining atmosphere. Daily 4pm-until.

Southern

Ristorante Divino

Mint Julep Bistro & Lounge (N) 120 Sparkleberry Crossing Dr., 419-7200.

Mediterranean style “small-plate” dining with traditional Southern ingredients. Selections include shrimp & grits, gumbo, BBQ, chicken dishes, soups and salads. Full wine and liquor bar.

Dinner Mon-Thurs 4-10pm, Fri-Sat 4-11pm.

Mr. Friendly’s (F) 2001 Greene St., 254-7828.

Serving new Southern cuisine including seafood, chicken, beef and wild game. Sophisticated and casual atmosphere, extensive wine list and a wide variety of micro-brew beer. Lunch Mon-Fri 11:30am-2:30pm, Dinner Mon-Thurs 5:3010pm, Fri-Sat 5:30-10:30pm.

Steaks and Seafood

Ruth’s Chris Steak House (D) 924-A Senate St. (in the Hilton Hotel), 212-6666. U.S.D.A. prime beef, chops, chicken and fresh seafood.

Reservations recommended. Breakfast daily 7-10:30am, Lunch daily 11am-3pm, Dinner SunThurs 3-10pm, Fri-Sat 3-11pm.

Refreshingly Elegant Fine Northern Italian Cuisine

Pastas ~ Gnocchi ~ Risotto ~ Veal ~ Seafood ~ Daily Seasonal Specials Wine Spectator Award Winners every year from 2002-2010 Serving Dinner Monday through Saturday Starting at 6pm 803 Gervais Street, Columbia, SC 29201 Reservations are suggested - 803.799.4550 March/April 2011 | 67

Travel

Discovering Palm Beach This chic Florida resort has become an appealing year-round destination TEXT and PHOTOGRAPHY BY M.C. SPENCER

P

Paradise Found: (above) Spectators enjoy a water show at City Place, a mecca of boutiques shops, restaurants and theatre events. (left) Classic Palm Beach with its palm tree lined streets.

Caribbean, Europe and Asia.

While well-heeled snowbirds still arrive like clockwork in December for the winter high season, they now stay longer before migrating to their summer nests. Both they and permanent residents consider the pace of change in this upscale resort remarkable in recent years. And the changes that appeal to them have made the area an even better place for visitors.

Many of the island’s best-loved clubs, restaurants, shops and spas have been renovated. And new establishments open each season. But change isn’t confined to the island. West Palm Beach, just across the Intracoastal Waterway, has enjoyed a renaissance. Palm Beach residents who, in former times, would rarely cross the bridge

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to the mainland, regularly patronize West Palm Beach’s shops and restaurants.

The biggest news this season is the Worth Avenue, Palm Beach’s worlkclass shopping venue, has undergone a multi-million dollar facelift that includes new seashell-embedded sidewalks, graceful coconut palms lining both sides of the street, a new plaza with fountains and a coquina-clad clock tower that overlooks both the Avenue and the Atlantic Ocean.

The renovation of this area, emblematic of a new energy on the island, was completed last fall, just in time for this year’s high season and the island’s 2011 centennial.

On the Avenue, shoppers continue to find everything from international chains like Saks, Niemann Marcus and

PHOTOGRAPHS (5) COURTESY PALM BEACH CVB

alm Beach, often portrayed by the mainstream press as an elitist, winteronly destination for the rich and famous, has transformed gradually into a more informal, year-round community

This represents substantial change from the early 20th century when Henry Morrison Flagler, a founder of the Standard Oil Company, made the barrier island accessible to affluent vacationers from the northeast via his East Coast Railway and the establishment of luxury resorts such as The Breakers. At that time, and for many years afterwards, West Palm Beach, built on the other side of Lake Worth, was little more than a service town for the island’s seasonal guests.

Today, a relatively young, albeit conservative, Palm Beach crowd has decided to raise their families in what they consider a pleasant, unusually beautiful small town that offers plenty of cultural and recreational activities. Long-time resident Linda Oliver sums up the allure, “It’s the peaceful ambience, the gorgeous homes, the palm-lined streets and the international mix of people that make the area appealing.”

With its international airport, Palm Beach has also become a convenient base for traveling to other U.S. destinations, the

Chanel to small boutiques with one-of-a-kind treasures. Favorite boutiques include Calypso, a shop carrying unusual clothes and accessories for women of all ages, and Richter’s, an estate jewelry shop with rare pieces that would be difficult to find elsewhere.

But those shoppers who appreciate Worth Avenue don’t miss the lesser-known consignment shops on Sunset Avenue, just minutes away. In-th-know bargain hunters visit, for example, places like Razmataz to browse for deals on couture fashions, jewelry and more.

And they don’t overlook the shops along Dixie Highway in West Palm Beach. Now a mecca for interior designers worldwide, the mile-long strip known as Antique Row has become a great place to find furniture and home accessories recycled from Palm Beach’s mansions and other fabulous homes around the world.

Once a sleepy area with few attractions, West Palm Beach’s waterfront has been revitalized with new marinas, shops, promenades and beautifully landscaped bike trails. A small offshore island is even under construction, complete with a boardwalk for viewing wildlife. On weekends in the high season, farmers and merchants come to the waterfront to sell produce at the outdoor green market. Snowbirds, permanent residents and tourists alike arrive early on Saturdays, enjoy breakfast outdoors by the docks and purchase fresh vegetables and fruits, flowers and more.

Early birds who miss breakfast at the green market head to the more popular meeting places on the island. They join the regulars who arrive in exotic sports cars at Cucina dell’Arte, an Italian sidewalk cafe that’s open around the clock and serves up delicious omelettes and other house specialties. Others savor pastries at The Breakers coffee shop or the more informal

City Life: (above) The scenic rout over Royal Park bridge leading into Palm Beach. (top left) The shops along Worth Avenue offer the best in high-end shopping and fine dining. (left) The Worth Avenue clock towers over the beachfront.

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Where To Stay

The Breakers Hotel & Resort: luxury resort with oceanfront room, suites and a spa.

(561) 655-6611, thebreakers.com

Where To Eat

Cafe Boulud: classic French cuisine and fine wines in an upscale yet comfortable setting.

(561) 655-6060, cafeboulud.com Cucina Dell’Arte: premier Italian restaurant known for great pizza with an exciting night life.

(561) 655-0770, cucinadellarte.com

Where To Shop

Green’s Pharmacy that offers basic fare to patrons, ranging from socialites to construction workers.

Additional watering holes on the island continue to thrive. The most popular places for dining, and to celebrate special occasions, are Chez Jean-Pierre, a cozy French bistro, and Cafe Bouloud, where diners savor top European wines and Chef Zach Bell’s exquisite continental cuisine in an elegant garden setting.

New attractions are always on the horizon. The active Palm Beach cultural scene includes an incredible variety of exhibitions and performances at worldclass venues like the Norton Museum of Art and Kravis Center. And a new convention center now hosts art and antique shows that attract dealers and buyers worldwide.

But it’s the year round access to the great outdoors that appeals as much as anything to residents and visitors alike.

They can wander for miles along beaches that are typically uncrowded. Or bicycle on the island’s scenic Lake Trail with the Intracoastal Waterway on one side and Palm Beach’s most elegant homes on the other.

In addition to golf and tennis, outdoor enthusiasts enjoy sailing, deep-sea fishing and sea kayaking. More adventurous people discover some of the best scuba diving along the east coast. And only twenty minutes from Palm Beach is the beautiful Loxahatchee River. Canoeing here through stands of ancient cypresses to spot alligators and tropical birds can fill an entire day with adventure.

As Palm Beach and its environs continue to prosper, the destination will undoubtedly attract even more people seeking a convenient escape to the tropics.

As a recent visitor from North Carolina said, “There’s a magic about the place... the manicured greenery, architectural beauty and extraordinary range of things to do always lures me back!” n

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City Place: the premier shopping and entertainment plaza with boutique shops, restaurants, theatre and water shows, (561) 366-1000, cityplace.com Worth Avenue: legendary international boutiques and specialty stores with excellent casual and fine dining. (561) 655-7191, worth-avenue.com

The Good Stuff: (clockwise from top left) The Breakers hotel offers luxury oceanfront rooms; yachts moored at the city marina; the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts has over 300 shows per year; bikers along the scenic Lake Trail; garden area with children statues along Worth Avenue.

PHILANTHROPY

NYC Fashion Designer Comes to Columbia Carmen Marc Valvo uses high fashion to help fight colon cancer

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enowned evening wear designer and colon cancer survivor, Carmen Marc Valvo, brings high fashion to fight colon cancer in South Carolina. The 5th Annual Unmasking Colon Cancer Gala will feature the unveiling of Carmen Marc Valvo’s spring line, featuring his famous couture gowns.

The black tie affair hosted by Coplon’s, Columbia’s home to haute fashion, will kick off March 19th at 7pm. Event attendees will enjoy a runway show featuring high-end dresses, cocktails, heavy hors d’oeuvres, dancing, and several silent auction items including a Carmen Marc Valvo couture gown. Reference to photos of gowns available at Coplon’s.

Over the past four years, the Gala has raised over a quarter of a million dollars to support colon cancer awareness and screening outreach programs in communities throughout the state. These programs save lives and give hope to the 2,000 people diagnosed with colorectal cancer annually in South Carolina.

For yourself, your family and those touched by this treatable and preventable disease, please join us for an unforgettable evening March 19th, and make 2011 a year to unmask colon cancer.

Tickets are $125 per person and may be ordered online at www.cccr.sc.edu.

For those wishing to sponsor a survivor ticket, make a donation, or would like additional information please call 803-777-1231.

The Center for Colon Cancer Research is pleased to partner with Carmen Marc Valvo, Betty Ann Moore Colon Cancer Fund, BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina, CVS CAREMARK, Olympus America Inc., Coplon’s, Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System, Lexington Medical Center, Consultants in Gastroenterology, South Carolina Gastroenterology Associates, the South Carolina Gastroenterology Association, survivors, and local communities across the state to promote colon cancer awareness, research, and screenings.

Anne Brady Moore Carlson, Gala CoFounder: “I am a cancer advocate; the voice for those who can no longer speak due to losing the battle to cancer, my parents included.”

PHOTO COURTESY CRC

Dr. March Seabrook, 2011 Gala CoChair: “Two of my best friends’ fathers died of colon cancer and ,15 years ago, I dedicated my professional life to it.”

“It’s a privilege to be a physician and I’m inspired by all my patients.”

Couture Gown: Dr. Traci Young Cooper, Chair of Community Health Committee at Palmetto Health Hospital Board, models a Carmen Marc Valvo gown.

(Dr. B) Frank Berger, Director at the Center for Colon Cancer Research at the University of South Carolina “The work of the center and its partners all around the state has made South Carolina a national leader in colon cancer advocacy and I’m proud to be a part of it.” n

ADVERTISERS INDEX Austral Salon................................................................11 Bryan’s Lawn Maintenance & Landscape...................... 9 Carolina Blind & Shutter.............................................15 Carolina Honda Rentals...............................................10 Carolina Nutrition....................................................... 27 CarolinaTravelLife.com................................................. 2 Cenegenics Carolinas..................................................... 1 Clarion Hotel Columbia.............................................. 67 Columbia City Ballet................................................... 15 Dia’s Merle Norman & Boutique.................................37 Direct Buy................................................................. IBC Envii...............................................................................7 Five Points Association................................................ 47 Folline Vision Centers................................................. 39 Garners Natural Life....................................................45 Gervais & Vine............................................................ 11 Hennessy’s....................................................................64 It’s Personal Gifts.........................................................19 Kenneth Shuler Schools of Cosmetology..................... 43 Liberty Tap Room & Grill.............................................3 Logan Raye Luxury Spa & Salon.................................. 7 Mahogany Me..............................................................19 Meeting Street Interiors.................................................9 Morgan Stanley Smith Barney..................................... 41 Morganelli’s Party Store............................................... 64 Motor Supply Company Bistro................................... 63 Palmetto Citizens Federal Credit Union..................... 21 Palmetto Party Rental.................................................. 15 Pearlz Oyster Bar........................................................... 3 Pink Sorbet.................................................................. 39 Plato’s Closet..................................................................8 Providence Hospital.................................................. IFC Ristorante Divino.........................................................67 Rosemarie & Kirstin Averhoff, Realtors.......................27 Rosso Trattoria Italia....................................................57 Round Robin..................................................................9 Snelling Staffing Services............................................ 43 Sox & Freeman Tree Expert Company........................ 21 State Farm Insurance................................................... 47 Sylvan & Dubose Jewelers........................................... 10 The Chapman Company Fine Jewelers........................ 37 The Frame Shop............................................................. 8 The Happy Cookers..................................................... 45 Tronco’s Medallion Center......................................... BC Verve.............................................................................. 5 Wingard’s Nursery & Garden Center.......................... 19

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PHOTO COURTESY COLUMBIA MUSEUM OF ART

The Last Reflection

Barry Feinstein Fans Looking in Limousine, London, circa-1966, printed 2009 Gelatin silver print.

Who Shot Rock and Roll: A Photographic History, 1955 to the Present Who Shot Rock & Roll is the first major exhibition on rock and roll to put photographers in the foreground, acknowledging their creative and collaborative role in the history of rock music. The exhibition includes 175 works by more than 100 photographers, and covers the rock and roll era from the 1950s to the present, including some of the world’s most iconic images. Columbia is the last stop on the nation-wide traveling tour.

Exhibition on display at the Columbia Museum of Art through May 22.

Visit www.columbiamuseum.org for more information.

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