Beaufort June July 2012

B EAUFORT, P ORT R OYAL A ND T HE S EA I SLANDS

Meet Stephen Brown

The Man With The View

June/july 2012

CONTRIBUTORS

An adventurous and inveterate traveler, Mary Ellen, originally from the Main Line of Philadelphia, is now equally at home on St Helena or on the road without reservations. Her best pieces of work ever are a daughter in New York and a son in Denver. Having lived on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, and later on the canals in France, she was drawn to Beaufort by the tide, and is waiting to see where it takes her next.

Mary Ellen Thompson

Cindy Reid has been published in About Town, skirt!, Salon.com and TheCoastal Mariner. A graduate of Mills College in Oakland, CA, she spent most of her career working with authors in the retail book business before becoming one herself. She has a daughter who lives in the state of Washington. A native of New York’s Hudson Valley, she now makes her home on St. Helena Island, SC.

Cindy Reid Located in Port Royal, SC, Paul Nurnberg’s national and local clients include Beaufort Memorial Hospital, JCB Inc., Spring Island, TCL, and The Tefair Museum of Art. In addition to work for dozens of trade and business publications, he also photographs for many consumer magazines including: People, Southern Accents, Coastal Living, Food Arts, and Elegant Bride. During the year Paul teaches photography classes at ArtWorks and through his studio and photographs select weddings and individual portraits.

Susan Deloach was born Susan Bessinger in Beaufort, where she still resides with her husband Larry and sons Hudson and Tucker. Susan has a gift for capturing the personality and unique essence of her subject whether on location or in the studio.

Her portraits are as diverse as the personalities of the people she photographs - some are edgy, some joyful, but all have one thing in common: the sensitive, skilled and thoughtful approach of the artist behind the camera.

Susan Deloach

Paul Nurnberg John Wollwerth is a photographer raised in New York, now living in Beaufort. He specializes in wedding and commercial photography, with additional background in portrait and stock photography. His work has appeared in such publications as The Washington Post, the Minneapolis Tribune, Coastal Living, and South Carolina Homes and Gardens. John is involved with the Photography Club of Beaufort and the Professional Photographer of South Carolina. He is also involved with humanitarian and missions work in Africa. He lives with his wife and three children.

John Wollwerth Clark Byron is an award-winning singer/song writer.

He, wife Elaine and daughter Sarah are newcomers to Savannah. A native New Yorker, Clark spent the last 26 years in Kansas City in various executive capacities and also did plenty of freelance writing. The Byrons moved to Savannah in November 2010 in fulfillment of a longtime dream. He is now a fulltime freelance feature and business writer whose services are much in demand. Clark is an urban history enthusiast and has a passion for all things nostalgic. He holds a doctorate in Ministry and is an avid student of Philosophy. Clark is an accomplished cook and enjoys regional and fine cuisine.

Clark Byron

Beekman Webb is a local restoration contractor and a native of Beaufort. He is passionately interested in birds, banjos, boats, old buildings and good food.

He believes in conservation and actively supports local preservation groups. He and his wife Cathy live on Coosaw Island and have two children, three grandchildren, a dog and a few chickens.

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June/July 2012 Julie Hales owner/publisher julie@idpmagazines.com One Beaufort Town Center 2015 Boundary Street, Suite 311 Beaufort, SC 29902 (843) 379-8696

Victoria Patterson officer manager victoria@idpmagazines.com Lane Gallegos layout & design lane@idpmagazines.com Lea Allen administrative assistant/circulation lea@idpmagazines.com

LETTERS TO THE PUBLISHER Write to us and tell us what you think. Beaufort Lifestyle welcomes all letters to the publisher. Please send all letters via email to Julie Hales at julie@ idpmagazines.com, or mail letters to One Beaufort Town Center, 2015 Boundary Street, Suite 311 Beaufort, SC 29902. Letters to the publisher must have a phone number and name of contact. Phone numbers will not be published.

ARTICLE SUBMISSIONS Beaufort Lifestyle welcomes story ideas from our readers. If you have a story idea, or photo essay you would like to share, please submit ideas and material by emailing Julie Hales at julie@idpmagazines.com All articles and photos will be reviewed by the publisher, and if the articles and accompanying photos meet the criteria of Independence Day Publishing, Inc., the person submitting the material will be contacted. Stories or ideas for stories must be submitted by email. Only feature stories and photo essays about people, places or things in Beaufort, Port Royal or the Sea Islands will be considered.

Beaufort Lifestyle is published bimonthly by Independence Day Publishing, Inc. Reproduction in whole or in part in any manner without the written permission of the publisher is strictly prohibited.

Beaufort Lifestyle | June/July 2012 07

CONTENTS June/July 2012

features

10 The Man With The View Meet the Beaufort bridgekeeper, Stephen Brown.

57th Annual Water 16 Beaufort’s Festial Commodore John Gentry

18 Water Festival Schedule 22 Meet Greg Rawls

DragonBoat Beaufort Coach shares his passion.

36 Celebrate Everything!

Debi Covington shares her story and love for cooking.

departments

30

Artist Profile

42

Beaufort Style

William Rhett III

Old Beaufort Courthouse

45 Low Country Weddings 50 Dining Guide The Foolish Frog

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PUBLISHER’S Thoughts

On the Cover

Bring On The Water Festival

Stephen Brown, bridgekeeper

-Cover Photo by JOHN WOLLWERTH

Connect with us on Facebook. Be the first to know what is going on with Beaufort Lifestyle and what new and exciting things we are working on.

Become a fan today.

Since the inception of Beaufort Lifestyle, I have been so very fortunate.....fortunate to meet some of the most fascinating people that make this area their home. With each issue we publish, I get to experience something new, something different. I am certainly one of those lucky individuals that can truly say they enjoy what they do.

The Water Festival issue is definitely one of my favorites. Last year I got the opportunity to meet the wonderful Reaves family and learn more about local shrimping and what it means to our people. They took us out on their boat for a day of shrimping to learn all about what they do. I got to meet Mr. Joseph Legree and watch him make a cast net by hand. What an amazing experience.

This year, we have some great water related articles again along with a complete schedule of the Water Festival. You sure don’t want to miss this year’s 57th annual event. Commodore John Julie Hales, PUBLISHER Gentry and his crew have worked very hard this year to bring you a great festival.

Our cover story about Stephen Brown, our bridge keeper, is fascinating. I think this is one of my favorite stories. I have not had the opportunity to meet Mr. Brown personally yet, but cannot wait to. His story is very intriguing and just reading about him makes me want to meet him.....and hopefully I will be able to before this magazine hits the streets.

Greg Rawls, coach of Dragon Boat Beaufort tells us about his passion for Dragon Boat. I, for one, cannot wait to see the Dragon Boat demonstration at Water Fest. It is going to truly be a sight to see this amazing group of people in a dragon boat on the Beaufort Water Front.

Our artist profile for this issue is William Rhett, III. He was chosen this year to design the official Water Festival logo. His creation is titled, “Sandbar.” William tells us how he came up with this idea and the steps he took to make it happen.

And, we have an author profile in this issue as well. If you have never met Debbi Covington, you should. She is the epitome of a true Southern Bell. Debbi tells us the story of her passion for cooking and how her new cookbook, “Celebrate Everything,” comes from that passion. The book will be released later this month and I can’t wait to get my hands on one.

Enjoy the following pages....I bet you will see someone you know!

Beaufort Lifestyle | June/July 2012 09

The Man With The View As a child growing up in Beaufort, Stephen Brown loved to go to the waterfront, which was where the shrimp boats docked, and watch the bridge open.

Now, he gets to operate that old-style swing bridge.

Story by MARY ELLEN THOMPSON Photographs by JOHN WOLLWORTH

F

ifteen feet above the roadway and forty five feet above the Beaufort River at high tide, the bridge house sits on top of the world of Beaufort in the octagonal green building. Up there, Mr. Brown has a real honest-to-goodness bird’s eye view of the Intracoastal Waterway, the downtown waterfront, Factory Creek, passing ships and the big blue sky. After 35 years of working for the Beaufort County Fire Department/EMS, Mr. Brown retired and got the job of bridge tender for the Woods Memorial Bridge. His space has a beautiful wood paneled ceiling, a large desk, a bathroom which is supplied by a 500 gallon water tank and a 500 gallon septic tank. There are oodles of buttons and controls on a panel, and a view that will take your breath away.

Although he says he doesn’t notice it any more, it feels like being on a train with the movement the cars make crossing the bridge. When the bridge swings open, it mimics those first few seconds on a carousel ride; it’s a magical place!

What does he like best from his aerie perch? “I love looking at nature, and talking to boaters from all over the world. It’s

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a very relaxing job and being retired makes it even better!”

What is it like up there when it storms? Mr. Brown loves the storms, “You’re encircled by windows, the rain sounds on the tin roof, the lightning is all around you; it’s quite a show! In here, you are completely surrounded by transformers and steel, but there is a big lightning rod on top, so God willing, it works! It takes a lot of faith to be up here in a storm.”

The Woods Bridge basically opens every hour on the hour, with some exceptions, for pleasure craft.The bridge will open any time for commercial vessels. There are two separate channels under the bridge, each is 90 feet wide and 300 feet long; there is 30 feet of clearance at high tide. Four steel wedges under the center section of the bridge allow that part to drop down about four inches in order for it to clear the roadbed when it swings open; after that happens two huge gears engage and actually turn the bridge. It takes three minutes for the bridge to fully swing open, an average bridge opening takes six to eight minutes unless there is excessive river traffic, or a barge is underway.

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The Woods Memorial Bridge is one of nine moveable bridges in South Carolina, and one of two swing bridges in Beaufort County, the other being the Harbor River Swing Bridge.

The Woods Bridge opens at any time for commercial vessels. For pleasure craft, the bridge opens on demand every hour on the hour with the following exceptions: during the week the bridge does not open for pleasure boats from 7 - 9 am, 11 - 1 pm, and 4 - 6 pm. That means the bridge opens for pleasure boats at 9, 10, 11 am and 1, 2, 3, 4 pm and then from 6 pm to 7 am during the week. The bridge will open on the hour twenty four hours a day during weekends, but again, only on demand. Pleasure boats requiring an opening must radio ahead to the bridge about a half an hour ahead to notify the bridge tender of their intention.

The closing sequence is: first, the red lights go on to warn people to stop crossing the bridge (motorists and pedestrians alike), then the metal gate goes down; after that it takes three minutes for the bridge to fully swing open. An average bridge opening takes six to eight minutes, but as noted in the story, can take longer for commercial vessels.

The bridge is under the jurisdiction of the 7th District of the United States Coast Guard(USCG) in Miami, FL. So it is they who decide the rules, the opening times, evacuation procedures, and closings. If the bridge is closed for any reason, the USCG notifies vessels of the closings. The bridges will close if a sustained wind reaches 25 mph.

Other bridge closings occur when a request is sent in and approved for special events.

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Interestingly, when the tugs and barges go underneath the bridge, they have to go at full speed because the current is very strong. Mr. Brown explains, “ Many of the barges carry fuel oil and are headed to Charleston or the MC Air Station. Dredge tows are three stories high and pull up to five barges with thousands of feet of pipe line trailing behind so they can take up to twenty minutes to pass through. The length of the vessel, the speed of the current, and the lack of speed of the vessel make it difficult to line up with the bridge and it is not uncommon for them to hit the fender.

An impact is very dangerous, not only for the bridge, but also for the bridge tender. “You never get over the fear when you see one of those big barges head toward you!” Additionally, Mr. Brown states, “This bridge is one of the most expensive pieces of equipment the State owns.”

There are people who call the bridge tender to find out why the bridge is open, why it is open so long, how long it will be open, why it is open now, when will it close?

Many of us find bridge openings a nuisance, a delay in our day. We forget, or don’t realize, that the bridges are simply a crossroad on a

waterway. Mr. Brown points out The Coast Guard controls the bridge opening schedules and they feel that the water was here first, then the bridge was built and it impacted the waterway, so the waterway should come first.”

An icon in this town, Mr. Brown says he may have a monopoly on “firsts” here; “God has blessed me with being the youngest Captain in the Pioneer Fire Company (1968), the first African American paid firefighter hired by the Beaufort Fire Department (1970), the first African American firefighter of the year (1973), the first State and National certified EMT hired at the contracted ER at the Naval Hospital (1986), and I am the first African American Supervisor over the Woods Memorial and Harbor Island Bridges. I have a lot of history here!”

The son of the late Harold and Audrey Brown, Mr. Brown attended the Robert Smalls School from elementary school through graduation in 1969. His family lived on Newcastle Street next to the St. Helena Episcopal Church and the Cherokee Inn, which is now the Rhett House. “My father and mother raised us with God fear and wanted us to

strive to be better than they were God blessed my parents to see us succeed and He has blessed me to see my children also succeed.”

Of his childhood days, Mr Brown reminisces, “There was a dock at the end of Bay Street where my dad used to take me out on the river in a bateaux. I like the water but I never learned how to swim.

We played hide and seek in the graveyard at the St. Helena Church, I know all those tombstones! When I was ten years old, I cleaned the store windows on Bay Street; in high school I worked at the United 5 & 10 Store.” Reminiscing about those wonderful old-time variety stores, Mr. Brown declares, “I loved 5 & 10’s!”

“I had four brothers and four sisters and I always knew that I wanted to follow in my father’s footsteps and be a firefighter.

Until 1970, Beaufort had segregated fire departments, the all white Washington Fire Company, and the Pioneer Fire Company, both of which merged into the Beaufort Fire Department. When I was little, the Fire Chief, Charles Haig let me look at the fire trucks. I joined the Pioneer Fire Department in 1966. In 1969 I integrated into the Beaufort Fire Department as the first African American.

I was raised to believe that people are people, but I learned that if their color is different, then they are distinguished

by that.” What was it like to be the first African American in that all white environment? Mr. Brown explains “There is prejudice in all races. John Harriott, the Fire Chief, said to me, ‘I hired you for the work you do.’ In 1970, the City got a brand new fire engine, I got to drive that engine in the Water Festival Parade! After two years I was Firefighter of the Year; I went through the ranks to Assistant Chief of The Beaufort Fire Department then I went over to Parris Island Fire Company. When I retired in 2001, I was Senior Medical Technician and Fire Captain.”

When not atop the bridge, Mr. Brown’s interests are varied. He is Associate Minister at the Lady’s Island Baptist Church; he was ordained by the Board of Presbytery in Philadelphia, PA in 1975.

“I’m always doing something, I’m on call here at the bridge, I’m involved with my church, and I spend time with my grandchildren.” He and his lovely wife, Marilyn, have nine children and twelve grandchildren between them. “We were high school sweethearts; we met again thirty five years later and were married in 2003.”

A love of music started at an early age for Mr. Brown; he was eight when his parents bought him a Lone Ranger guitar.

“When I would play on the street corner outside the Sea Island Motel on the corner

of Bay and Newcastle Streets, people would give me money. I love to sing; everyone tells me I sound like Elvis! Growing up, I was in the choirs at the Tabernacle Baptist Church and in school. I sang in the talent show at the Water Festival for four years beginning in 2000; I won second place twice and third place twice. This year I will participate again, for the last time.”

A member of the Lady’s Island Baptist Church Male Chorus, Mr. Brown proudly states, “We are known all over! I just love singing, it gives me an inner peace. One of the greatest songs of worship is How Great Thou Art; when I perform that song, I always ask God to let people be blessed.

It is my favorite song, and the one most requested of me and the Male Chorus, which is evident by the standing ovation after each performance.” His rich, deep voice reverberates off the walls of the church and fills your heart with awe. Elvis may still be with us after all!

It’s perfectly clear that Mr. Brown loves life. His cheerfulness is infectious and his gregariousness is returned in kind - he talks to pedestrians as they cross the bridge, boat operators stop, smile and wave and often exchange a greeting.

“You can’t beat this,” he says, “this is a wonderful job!”

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The 57th Annual Beaufort Water Festival will have already begun by the time you read this article, thanks to the tireless volunteer staff lead this year by Commodore John Gentry. The dates of the events that take place at the downtown Waterfront Park are July 13 through July 22 but sporting events start much earlier and the planning starts, well the planning starts before the previous year’s Water Festival is even over

C

ommodore Gentry says, “The planning for the next year starts in your head right away, before the current Water Festival is actually over. Then the Coordinators and I get together and start strategizing and planning it all out for the year.

“The Coordinators each have separate areas of responsibility and each Coordinator has many years of volunteering and team work behind them.

This year’s Coordinators are: Dan Thompson, Program Coordinator and Bonnie Thompson, Dan’s wife, is the Administration Coordinator. Sports Coordinator is Clark Robinson, Parks Coordinator is Brandy Gray. Water & Air Coordinator is Tank Morris, Productions Coordinator is Alan Langford.

Another husband and wife team is Sales & Admissions Coordinator Chris Canaday and wife Stacey Canaday who is Marketing/PR Coordinator. Sponsors Coordinator is Bill Damude and Treasurer is Nicky Fowlkes. Along with the Directors and all the other volunteers that make up the staff, over 400 in all, the team really pulls together to make Beaufort Water Festival the area’s signature event.

Beaufortonian Commodore Gentry’s roots run deep in the Beaufort community. “I grew up in Beaufort and lived here until I went in the Army. After the Army I returned to Beaufort in 1981 to coach and teach at Beaufort High School,” he says. “After 31 rewarding years as a teacher and coach in the Beaufort school system I will be retiring this June.” Being an educator actually lead to Commodore Gentry’s involvement in the Beaufort Water Festival in the first place. He says, “In 1981, when I was teaching and coaching, I was making very little money but I had the summers off. One of my friends told me that the water festival needed people to help out during the day and I could get tickets for my family, and that’s how we were able to go to the events.”

He continues, “I started working with the Water Festival in 1981 and I volunteered until 1987. In 1987, I went to work for the state department and when that was finished in 1993 I started volunteering with the water festival again as a helper.

“He continues, “From 1987 through 1993, my job prevented me from volunteering, and I missed it. Then Richard Norris had me help him and I got back into it then. He offered me the position of Director of Sports and I was very content doing that. Then I was asked to be a coordinator. I was a Director for three years, a Coordinator for eight years and now Commodore. So that’s nineteen years straight. “ Gentry’s family has deep roots with the Festival as well. “My father was one of the original planners of Children’s Day, both of our daughters Megan and Erin were Pirettes and our son Kyle was a Director. My wife Jan has been by my side helping me every step of the way.” First Lady Jan Gentry has also been part of the Beaufort school system for many years, as she has been at Mossy Oaks Elementary for 26 years.

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Something for Everyone The Beaufort Water Festival will be held downtown at the Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park from July 13 -22 but many of the sporting events are held in June. The festival truly offers something for everyone, from sporting events diverse as softball, golf, kayaking and bowling, to the concert in the park with James Otto, to Children’s Day! Check the website http:// bftwaterfestival.com for further information, including a full schedule of events, ticket sales and event registration.

BL: Why have you devoted so much of your time and energy into the festival?

JG: “It is the volunteering, the people, a team, part of a team that is diverse. It is fun!”

BL: What was your favorite job?

JG: “Water & Air Coordinator. I was lucky enough to do it twice. The first year we brought The Sprit of South Carolina in from Charleston, it was beautiful! The water and air components are part of the Water Festival that have always been there and we still have remnants of those early years.

Our events now include the fly overs, the Coast Guard cutters, the ski show and the shrimp boats. That is the heart of the water festival. We have been called a ‘heritage festival’ because that is what we are all about, starting from a small group of men and women who put the first ones together to where we are now.”

This year’s water and air events include a Family Fishing Tournament, Raft Race, the Children’s Toad Fishing Tournament, Coast Guard Cutter Tours, Shrimp Boat Tours, Gatorland Ski Show, a Sailing Regatta, Boat Bingo and the Air Show.

BL: What is new this year?

JG: “On Sunday, we will be bringing back the Nonprofit Expo, we’ll have Chris Jones providing live entertainment for the public, and of course the Blessing of the Fleet, and ending the day with a flyover. A perfect ending to the week!”

BL: Is there anything you would like our readers to know?

JG: “The one thing I want to say is thank you to the volunteers and the sponsors for giving their time and giving back to the community. The volunteers do everything, including manning the ticket booths and the concession stands and we donate back to those organizations. We could not do it without them. And our sponsors who are hanging in there with us, especially the Beaufortonians, deserve a big thank you for giving our community an event to be proud of that everyone enjoys. And we will not be increasing our ticket prices in honor of our families in the community and long time Water Festival supporters.”

57TH ANNUAL WATER FESTIVAL

commodore John Gentry Story by CINDY REID Photo by SUSAN DELOACH

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57

57th Annual

Beaufort Water Festival Schedule

SATURDAY, JUNE 16

TUESDAY, JULY 10

Horseshoe Tournament Sponsored by Wood Tech Cabinets 9 a.m., Live Oaks Park- Port Royal Entry fee, $30 per 2-person team

Corn Hole Qualifying Round 3 Sponsored by Nippy’s Fish Restaurant 7:00 p.m. Nippy’s, 310 West Street, Beaufort FRIDAY, JULY 13

Men’s Softball Tournament Sponsored by Marine Federal Credit Union Two day tournament, Saturday and Sunday Captain’s Meeting 8:30 am, Check – in at 9am Football/Softball Fields on Parris Island SATURDAY, JUNE 23 & SUNDAY, JUNE 24 Men’s Golf Tournament Sponsored by A Southern Sign and Awning Entry Fee, $150 per player (2-day tournament) Fripp Island Check – in begins at 8:15 am, Shotgun begins at 9 am Applications are due by June 16. Limited to the first 120 applicants.

MONDAY, JUNE 25 Women’s Golf Tournament Sponsored by A Southern Sign and Awning Entry Fee: $70/player for 18 holes, $40/player for 9 holes Dataw Island Golf Club Check-in begins at 9:30 a.m., shotgun start at 10:00 a.m.

FRIDAY, JULY 6 Cornhole Qualifying Round 1 Sponsored by Nippy’s Fish Restaurant 7:00 p.m. Nippy’s, 310 West Street, Beaufort Check-in begins at 6:30 p.m. $30/2 person team

Festival Art and Craft Market Noon – 5 p.m., Promenade, Waterfront Park

Coast Guard Cutter Tours 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., Waterfront Park Free to the public Lowcountry Estuarium 10 am – 4pm, Waterfront Park Free to the public Shrimp Boat Tours Noon – 4 p.m., Waterfront Park Free to the public

Opening Ceremony Sponsored by the South Carolina Education Lottery Gates open 6 p.m., Ceremony begins 7 p.m.

Featuring the Parris Island Marine Band and a spectacular Fireworks Show at dusk.

Free admission Shuttle service available from Beaufort County Government Center SATURDAY, JULY 14 Raft Race Sponsored by Schiller Law Firm 9 a.m., Waterfront Park $185 for entry fee for commercial businesses, $145 for Military or Non-profit organizations Applications must be received by June 29.

A team meeting will be held on Wednesday, July 11 at 6:00 pm Bocce Tournament Sponsored by JoCo Construction/Sea Island Elevators 9 a.m., Waterfront Park $40 entry fee per 2-person team Applications must be received by July 7th

Badminton Tournament Sponsored by AC Harvey’s Screen Printing 11 a.m., Waterfront Park $30 entry fee per team Gatorland Ski Show 1:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m., Beaufort River, Waterfront Park Free to the public Sailing Regatta Sponsored by Ameris Bank 12:00-1:00 PM registration. Sailing Instructions available at registration table at Beaufort Yacht and Sailing Club (BYSC).

1:00 PM Competitors’ Meeting 2:00 PM Warning for first race; other races to follow Dragon Boat Exhibition 4:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m. Beaufort River, in front of seawall in the Waterfront Park Free to public CONCERT IN THE PARK

Festival Art and Craft Market 9 a.m. – 5 p.m., Promenade, Waterfront Park

Sponsored by New Country BOB 106.9 FM 8 p.m. – 11:30 p.m., Waterfront Park Gates open 7 p.m., Show starts 8 p.m.

Entertainment by James Otto

Sponsors’ Expo 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., Waterfront Pavilion Free to the public

James Otto is the voice behind “Sweet Little Summer Song” and “Just Got Started Loving You”

Children’s Toad Fishing Tournament

Opening Entertainment by Chuck Courtenay

Sponsored by Sea Island Atlas Van Lines 10 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., Waterfront Park Free for ages 12 and under only Bring your own Rod, Reel and Tackle; Bait will be provided

NO STROLLERS ALLOWED Admission $20 Shuttle service available from Beaufort County Government Center

MONDAY, JULY 9 Cornhole Qualifying Round 2 Sponsored by Nippy’s Fish Restaurant 7:00 p.m. Nippy’s, 310 West Street, Beaufort Recreational Bowling Tournament Sponsored by Marine Federal Credit Union 6:00 pm AMF Ribaut Lanes Bowling Alley 1140 Ribaut Road Beaufort, SC $25/person entry fee, 4 person teams 9 PIN format

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Sandbar Summers - Southern Nights July 13th to the 22nd, 2012

of Events SUNDAY, JULY 15

MONDAY, JULY 16

Festival Art and Craft Market 9 a.m. – 5 p.m., Promenade, Waterfront Park

Croquet Tournament Sponsored by Modern Jewelers 9 a.m., Waterfront Park Entry fee: $20 per person, or $30 per person for both tournaments Festival Art and Craft Market 10 a.m. – 5 p.m., Promenade, Waterfront Park

Boat Bingo Sponsored by Powell Electric 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., Local Waters Entry fee Coast Guard Cutter Tours 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., Waterfront Park Free to the public Lowcountry Estuarium 11 am – 3pm, Waterfront Park Free to the public Shrimp Boat Tours Noon – 4 p.m., Waterfront Park Free to the public

MOTOWN MONDAY Sponsored by Lend Lease Community Fund/ Atlantic Marine Corps Communities 8 p.m. – 11 p.m., Waterfront Park Gates open 7 p.m., Show starts 8 p.m.

Entertainment by Deas-Guyz Admission $7 – FREE to ACTIVE DUTY MILITARY with valid Military ID. Shuttle service available from Beaufort County Government Center TUESDAY, JULY 17

CHILDREN’S DAY Sponsored by Coca-Cola Featuring shows with rides, games, and prizes 11:00 a.m. – 3 p.m., Waterfront Park Free to the public

Croquet Tournament (continued) Sponsored by Modern Jewelers 9 a.m., Waterfront Park

Gatorland Ski Show 2 p.m. – 4 p.m., Beaufort River,Waterfront Park Free to the public

TROPICAL TUESDAY Sponsored by Palm and Moon Bagel Company 8 p.m. – 11 p.m., Waterfront Park Gates open 7 p.m., Show starts 8 p.m.

Entertainment by the Tsunami Wave Riders Admission $12 Shuttle service available from Beaufort County Government Center

Sailing Regatta (continued) 2:00 PM Warning for final race in front of BYSC; no races will start after 4:30 5:00 PM Awards Dinner to follow TEEN DANCE Sponsorship Available 6 p.m. – 9 p.m., Waterfront Park Gates open 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. ( No entry after 8 p.m.) NO RE-ENTRY ALLOWED. Entertainment DJ Jeff Taylor Ages 13-17 only–VALID ID REQUIRED CLUTCH PURSES ONLY (6×9)size Admission $10 No shuttle service available

Festival Art and Craft Market 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., Promenade, Waterfront Park

WEDNESDAY, JULY 18 Croquet Tournament (continued) Sponsored by Modern Jewelers 9 a.m., Waterfront Park Festival Art and Craft Market 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., Promenade, Waterfront Park TALENT SHOW Hosted by the Preceptor Omega Chapter of Beta Sigma Phi Sorority.

Sponsored by McDonald’s 7 p.m. – 11 p.m., Waterfront Park Gates open 6 p.m., Show starts 7 p.m.

Admission $10, Free with Official 2012

Beaufort Water Festival T-Shirt.

Shuttle service available from Beaufort County Government Center THURSDAY, JULY 19 Croquet Tournament Finals Sponsored by Modern Jewelers 9 a.m., Waterfront Park Festival Art and Craft Market 10 a.m.- 5 p.m., Promenade, Waterfront Park LOWCOUNTRY SUPPER Sponsored by Waste Pro USA 6 p.m. – 11 p.m., Waterfront Park Gates open 6 p.m., Supper served 6 p.m.

– 7:30 p.m.

Main Show by Too Much Sylvia Opening entertainment by the Broke Locals Admission $15 Shuttle service available from Beaufort County Government Center FRIDAY, JULY 20 Festival Art and Craft Market 10 a.m.- 5 p.m., Promenade, Waterfront Park Bed Race Sponsored by Advanced Mold Technologies Check – in at 4:30 pm Race at 5 p.m. on Bay Street, starting at Harrington Street and ending at Newcastle Street.

Entry fee: $25 per bed Applications are due by July 13th RIVER DANCE 8 p.m. – Midnight, Waterfront Park Gates open 7 p.m., Show starts 8 p.m.

Opening entertainment by Shark Rodeo Main Show by The Design MUST BE 18 OR OLDER WITH VALID ID TO ATTEND NO STROLLERS ALLOWED Admission $12 Shuttle service available from Beaufort County Government Center SATURDAY, JULY 21 Festival Art and Craft Market 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Promenade, Waterfront Park

Beaufort Lifestyle | June/July 2012 19

Schedule of Events cont.

Coast Guard Cutter Tours Noon – 4 p.m., Waterfront Park FREE the public Lowcountry Estuarium Noon – 4pm, Waterfront Park Free to the public Shrimp Boat Tours Noon – 4 p.m., Waterfront Park FREE the public Corn Hole Tournament Finals Sponsored by Nippy’s 11:30 a.m., Waterfront Park- Double Elimination Frame Tournament to determine the last 3 spots in the field Air Show 1 p.m. – 4 p.m., Waterfront Park FREE to the public (Beaufort River Closed- refer to the link on the home page for dates and times)\

20 June/July 2012 | Beaufort Lifestyle

COMMODORE’S BALL Sponsored by Allen Patterson Residential Construction 8 p.m. – Midnight, Waterfront Park Entertainment The Headliners Gates open 7 p.m., Show starts 8 p.m.

Admission $10 Shuttle service available from Beaufort County Government Center

Noon – 2 p.m., Beaufort River in front of Waterfront Park Free – boats must register to be eligible for prizes All applications must be at the judges stand prior to noon.

Prizes will be awarded for: Best decorated boat Commercial $100 Best decorated personal watercraft $100 Judges award $100

SUNDAY, JULY 22 Festival Art and Craft Market 9 a.m. -3 p.m., Promenade, Waterfront Park

3 p.m. Festival Ends

Lowcountry Estuarium 11 am – 3pm, Waterfront Park Free to the public Non-profit Expo 11am -2pm Free to the public Entertainment by Chris Jones 1:00 p.m.-3:00 p.m.

Blessing of the Fleet and Parade of Boats Sponsored by the Water Festival Commodores

57

Water Festival Grand Parade Sponsored by The Greenery, Inc. Organized by the Beaufort Lions Club 10 a.m. – Noon, Downtown Beaufort Entry fee: $25

Beaufort Lifestyle | June/July 2012 21

Greg Rawls Renowned Glass Artist and DragonBoat Coach

•Story by CINDY REID Photos by SUSAN DELOACH• Greg Rawls moved to Beaufort in December of 2011, from Daniel Island in Charleston, because he says, “After thirty years of corporate America, I decided I had had enough and I wanted to pursue my glass art full time. I wanted to ‘reboot’, to change my surroundings and since I had always loved Beaufort, and my folks live here, I decided I would move here.” Making changes, “trying to get out of old ruts” as he puts it, led Greg to Leadership Beaufort, teaching at Artworks and …DragonBoat Beaufort.

The DragonBoat Beaufort involvement starts with Greg’s art. There is a lovely piece of glass art hanging in Greg’s kitchen which depicts a dragon and boat paddle. It was seen by a friend who asked if he was working with DragonBoat Beaufort. No, the glass piece was something Greg had created in reference to his involvement with a dragon boat team in Charleston. Greg had spent five years as part of a team sponsored by his previous employer, MeadWestvaco Specialty Chemicals.

When asked how that started he says, “It was pretty simple, one day I got an email from the human resources department asking if I wanted to be part of a team they were putting together to participate in the first Charleston DragonBoat festival. I said ‘Sure!’” The team trained, they competed, and Greg says he had a great time and so when asked if he wanted to be team Captain Greg said” Absolutely! I loved being part of the team, I was hooked on it!”

But when he moved to Beaufort his involvement with the Charleston team had ended and he was concentrating on settling in and working on his glass art. Greg says he had missed the showing of “Awaken the Dragon” at the Beaufort International Film

Festival and was completely unaware of the movement to start a dragon boat team in his new hometown. When the friend who saw the dragon boat glass art in his house asked if he was interested in being part of the Beaufort team he said “Yes, because there was kind of karma to it!” New home, new team- why not?

DragonBoat BeaufortNo one in Beaufort had been part of a dragon boat team, so based on his experience Greg quickly became one of the two coaches (Kyle Faucher is other coach) and got right to work with his new teammates. Unlike the team, Greg was involved with in Charleston, the Beaufort team is a 50/50 mix of cancer survivors and their supporters. (Although many on the team roster are, you do not have to be a cancer survivor to be on the team.)

He says, “When I got to the first practice I saw a lot of people I knew. DragonBoat Beaufort is a great remedy, to take someone who has been through cancer, put it aside, get wet, and paddle together. Most participants find that ‘this is pretty cool’!”

Regarding varying levels of strength and fitness he says, “People wonder ‘Can I be good enough?’ and the answer is always ‘Yes. You are good enough.’ I tell our team to work on endurance. It is a 20 seat boat, the six in the middle are the power, but there is room for everyone.”

He says, “The people in Beaufort are amazing. It’s amazing that within 3 months of our first team practice, we competed at our first races at the Charleston DragonBoat Festival May 5th.”The most exciting news is the team has just ordered its own boat. He

says, “Now we will have a boat, which was purchased through a combination of fund raising and matching funds generously provided by the Stewarts. The giving spirit in Beaufort is amazing and very gratifying.

Boats cost approximately $ 16,000, which is a tremendous amount to raise in such a short time.”

Works of Art Greg’s journey to becoming a glass artist started with a stained glass class twenty five years ago. He found a class and thought “Let’s try this out”. He says he made a few stained glass pieces and, “its fun but I am better at the kiln formed glass.” Started exploring and creating kiln formed glass 15 yrs ago. Kiln formed, or fused, glass is essentially art created by melting glass in a kiln. Unlike stained glass there are no lead lines used and most contemporary fusing methods involve stacking, or layering thin sheets of glass, often using different colors to create patterns or simple images. (wikipedia. org/wiki/Fused glass) In 2012 Greg won the Cooper River Bridge Run design contest, with a glass art submission. His cheerful image of the “sunburst behind the bridge” graced 50,000 tee shirts and 2000 posters, and was seen all over the Charleston area.

“Once I got good enough to sell my pieces, I got into a cooperative gallery in Charleston, and from there I got into other galleries, including The Gallery here in Beaufort.” Deanna Bowdish,

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owner of The Gallery says, “Innovative, fun, fresh and unique, Greg continues to amaze me with the intricate patterns and techniques he uses in his fused glass art.

His incredible sense of color sets his work above the rest. One cannot help but smile and feel the sense of pride Greg puts into every design. Whether he is creating a one of a kind glass sculpture, a functional bowl or making his newly designed fused pendants supporting DragonBoat Beaufort, Greg loves what he does and it shows.”

Recently Greg designed and created two different fused glass art necklaces for sale as a fundraiser for DragonBoat Beaufort. One is a beautiful square of dark glass with a subtle dragon design and is available in a variety of color combinations; the other is also a square and has a unique design of dragon scales.

Both are gorgeous. This is an opportunity to own a beautiful piece of local glass art and support DragonBoat Beaufort at the same time as all proceeds will go to the organization.

Full Circle “I was an Army brat, born in Germany but South Carolina is home. I went to high school, college and grad school here,” says Greg. A graduate of the University of South Carolina, Greg has a BS in Biology and a MS in Public Health, his major being in Industrial Hygiene. This means he is expert at evaluating, recognizing, and controlling work hazards such as chemical

exposures and radiation risks in order to protect the people who work with these substances and others. Even though he has retired he still stays active in his field, as he says, “I am the resident health and safety expert in the glass field”. Reflecting for a moment he says, “Living life is a riskit’s how you manage the risk”.

He says, “One of the things that motivate me to be involved in DragonBoat Beaufort is that I have many close relatives and friends who are cancer survivors. Cancer affects everyone – directly and indirectly. Because of this it’s a joy and honor to be involved in this great endeavor! “

The DragonBoat jewelry line is available at:

The Lollipop Shop 103 West Street Extension, off Bay St., Beaufort and

The Gallery 802 Bay Street, Beaufort.

For further information visit these websites: wwwdragonboatbeaufort.org and www.gregorieglass.com

Discover a great shopping experience...

downtown beaufort

Think Unique, off the Beaten Path. Think Sense of Time

History • Shopping • Dining • Nature

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Fo r m o re i n fo r m at i o n v i s i t w w w. p o r t roy

and Place. Experience Small Town Charm.

Old Village ofPort Royal

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Beaufort Lifestyle | April/May 2012 27 Beaufort Lifestyle | February/March 19

www.PortRoyal.org

Visit Port Royal

28 April/May 2012 | Beaufort Lifestyle

Beaufort Lifestyle | June/July 2012 29

artist profile William M. Rhett III

Story by CLARK BYRON Photography by PAUL NURNBERG

His name is William M. Rhett III. He’s part of an amazingly talented, creative and business savvy family with deep roots in Beaufort.

Truth be told, he is actually the tenth William Rhett since his family first landed in the New World in 1694. The first, Colonel William Rhett, arrived from London to settle right here in the Lowcountry. Colonel Rhett is credited with capturing the pirate Stede Bonnett, also known as “the Gentleman Pirate.” His mother, Nancy Ricker Rhett, can trace her colonial roots all the way back to 1666 and Dr. Henry Woodward, the first British Colonist.

Rhett comes by his talents honestly. He is a fifth generation artist on his mother’s side and fourth generation artist on his father’s side. As you first walk in the gallery, you are met with what looks like an extremely well taxidermied pair of fighting gamecocks. In fact, it is a wooden sculpture, right down to its finest feathers. It is the work of Rhett’s father, William M. Rhett Jr. “It took my father four and a half years to do this,” said Rhett. It is an amazing piece–a must see. The majority of the original art you’ll see at the Rhett Gallery presents images of life in the Lowcountry over many generations. It is a virtual mirror of the past and present in Beaufort and the surrounding area. His mother, Nancy Ricker Rhett, is also profoundly talented as a painter and illustrator, as well as an author.

The Rhett Gallery in downtown Beaufort has been a landmark for many years. The work that is sold out of the historic building at 901 Bay Street includes fine original art from at least three generations, photography, antiques, vintage firearms, civil war

30 April/May 2012 | Beaufort Lifestyle

Beaufort Lifestyle | April/May 2012 31

memorabilia (much of it original), vintage guitars, and even real estate. “We wear many hats here,” said Rhett, who himself is a licensed realtor with Exit Realty of Beaufort. The gallery is also licensed to deal in firearms.

Rhett, 28, is an accomplished painter working mainly in watercolor, acrylic and oils. He particularly enjoys painting landscapes, birds and fish. The crisp realism is almost photographic. His work includes painting detailed watercolor images on ivory piano keys. As for the truly photographic, Rhett’s fiancée, Jamie Thompson, has a photography studio that’s an important part of the gallery as well.

The collectible guitar side of the business is one of Rhett’s personal specialties.

After 20 years behind a guitar, he’s the resident expert. He plays lead guitar in a local band. The vintage guitar collection includes some of the best-known brands with some of the rarest models. There are vintage amplifiers as well.

Recently, Rhett used his considerable skills to design the logo for the 57th Annual Beaufort Water Festival, July 13-22.

The logo, titled “Sandbar,” presents a colorful likeness of activities of the festival at the popular Sandbar, including boating, an air show, and lots of celebrating.

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T-shirts, bumper stickers, cups and many other items are sporting the grand logo. “I don’t think anyone has done a close up of the Sandbar in the heat of summer,” said Rhett. “I really felt that was a great idea.”

The theme of this year’s festival is “Sandbar Summers & Southern Nights.”

The festival wanted a local artist, a native of Beaufort, to do his or her take on the festival in creating the logo. There is usually a competition. However, this year, the event’s Commodore, John Gentry, approached Rhett directly. “I was overjoyed,” said Rhett. “It was an honor to be asked to do it.”

“I decided to paint the Sandbar with everybody on it and Beaufort in the background,” said Rhett. “It took several weeks of planning just to get all my photographs together; the images to do the painting.”

Rhett said his friends who frequent the Sandbar are diligently searching for themselves in the logo. “They say, ‘I’ve got to be in there somewhere. I know I’m in there somewhere,’” said Rhett. He also decided to put the names of some of his high school friend’s on the boats in the picture.

Rhett said he had to get a long lens for his camera and get everybody out on the Sandbar to get the photo images he needed to do the watercolor logo. The painting itself took a solid week and a half to paint

and is the product of combining images from the hundreds of photographs he took. “Getting all the information together was harder and more time consuming than actually painting the logo,” he said.

Rhett, who paints in realism, stretched his talents to something a little less detailed and more festive. “I really had to change my style up,” said Rhett. “I did [the logo] more in an almost cartoon fashion.”

Rhett changed his palette completely for the project. “Normally, I use a lot of earth tones,” said Rhett. “With this project, I went to a lot of fun tropical bright colors.”

Prints of the prized logo are now for sale in the gallery. Rhett waited about two months after the logo’s public release before making them available. “I wanted the Water Festival to have all the glory and selling the T-shirts instead of me also selling the prints in the gallery,” he said. The piece has been on the Water Festival website since its public release. “People are saying, “We don’t know who did it but we love it,’” he said.

The original of the logo is truly a Beaufort treasure. Rhett said he’s not exactly sure what he will do with it. “I may put it in the gallery and sell it, I don’t know yet,” he said. If it does go up for sale, don’t expect it to go cheap. “A lot of work went into that thing,” he said.

Beaufort Lifestyle | June/July 2012 33

Alzheimer’s Family Services of Greater Beaufort Presents the 6th Annual Dinner Theatre

BEAUFORT STORIES YOUR MOMMA NEVER TOLD YOU

Steven Kevserling

Bernie Schein

Harry Chakides

Enjoy and Share in the story telling of three local “not so reliable” Beaufort “boys”. They recount their personal, humorous and sometimes not so humorous stories and photographs of life as they saw it on the streets at a time when “Beaufort wasn’t crowded”

Saturday, June 16th, 2012 - The Shed in Port Royal Tickets $60 Cocktails and Silent Auction 6:00PM Dinner Stations Open 6:30-7:00PM Opening Act 7:00PM Intermission - Dessert 7:30-8:00 Silent Auction Closes 7:55 Showtime 8:00PM Remember all those stories you lived and probably even shared with friends about growing up in Beaufort? Remember the stories about when Mizu was the Piggy Park, and going to the Greenlawn Drive-In, the Breeze Theatre or the Shack? Remember when Koth’s was the place to go for boiled peanuts or Pruitt’s Grocery Store on Ribaut Road was where you went after school to turn in your soda bottles for a refund and a handful of penny candy? Remember when Joe’s Spaghetti house and the Yankee were “fine dining”, when Mossy Oaks had only dirt roads and there was no gate at Hunting Island beach? Remember when there was no “Waterfront Park”, when the waterside of the shops on Bay Street hung over the water, and the Water Festival was so much smaller and events were held under the “shell” in the marina parking lot? Well sit back, relax and prepare to be entertained as three “not so reliable” local Beaufort “boys” tell Beaufort Stories Your Momma Never Told You! On Saturday, June 16th Alzheimer’s Family Services of Greater Beaufort will host their 6th annual dinner theatre at the Shed in Port Royal.

The three “unreliables” Bernie Schein,

Dress - “40’s, 50’s, and 60’s Beaufort Casual” The 3 B’s of Beaufort Casual : Bowties, Bermudas & Bass Weejuns For ticket locations or more information please call 843-521-9190 or visit our website www.afsgb.org

Steven Keyserling and Harry Chikades will entertain you with their stories of growing up in Beaufort at a time when “Beaufort wasn’t crowded”. Through story-telling and the use of photographs they will share their personal, humorous and sometimes not so humorous tales of life as they saw it on the streets of Beaufort.

Setting the story-telling mood for the evening, Ron Daise, former star of Gullah, Gullah Island will start the evening off with some stories of his own, Gullah style.

The evening’s events will also offer ten different food stations with various entrees, salads, sides and desserts all prepared by local chefs, a silent auction and a very retro photo booth!

All proceeds from the evening will benefit Alzheimer’s Family Services of Greater Beaufort (AFSGB), a local nonprofit providing care, support and respite for area caregiver’s of persons with Alzheimer’s disease. AFSGB, a United Way of the Lowcountry service agency, depends heavily on proceeds from their fundraisers, donations and grants to be able to offer their services to those who so desperately need them. All of their funds are raised and used

locally.

Offering three days a week of group respite through their Social Day program, In-home respite on an as needed basis and weekly support groups, it is the goal of AFSGB to reach out to and offer assistance to every Alzheimer’s caregiver in the community. The agency is committed to increasing their awareness in the community and making this the year that no one can come to them and say “we wish we had known you were here before now”.

For more information about the Dinner Theatre or the agency and the services they offer visit their website at www.afsgb.org or call the office at 843-521-9190.

Beaufort Lifestyle | June/July 2012 35

Celebrate thing!

y r e Ev

Author Debbi Covington shares the story of her latest cookbook and her passion for cooking.

Story by MARY ELLEN THOMPSON • Photography by SUSAN DELOACH In 1991 Debbi Baker Covington came to Beaufort as the bride of Vince Covington, her college sweetheart. Compared to Raleigh, NC where she had been living, moving to Ladys Island twenty-one years ago induced a state of culture shock for the vivacious Debbi. Her background was in advertising and her job in Raleigh had been in personnel management, so finding a job in Beaufort at that time was a bit challenging. However she settled in nicely to being the pastor’s secretary at First Presbyterian Church.

Then one day, the proverbial fork in the road presented itself. A lady member of the church had her seventieth birthday approaching and a party was being planned. Debbi offered to prepare the food, the pastor gave her a budget, and on June 1, 1997 Debbi Covington catered her first party and has been doing it ever since. For eight years she worked both at the church and catered events, but in 2005, decided to take on the catering full time.

Cooking is not just a job for Debbi, it’s her passion. She reads cookbooks instead of novels, she chooses magazines that focus on food, her food has been featured in Southern Living Magazine and Better Homes and Gardens Magazine. Debbi also writes the wildly popular column, Everyday Gourmet, in the Lowcountry Weekly. Not only have her recipes been featured in the Best Kept Secrets of the South’s Best Cooks cookbook, she published her own cookbook, Dining Under the Carolina Moon, in 2005 and her new cookbook Celebrate Everything! will be released this June.

For someone who cooks for a living, does she still enjoy cooking at home? “I like to cook for myself and Vince, I make dinner every night. I especially like to make salads, I make amazing salads!” As

36 June/July 2012 | Beaufort Lifestyle

one who pays attention to every detail, she dissects what happens in a good salad: it should not be overdressed, it should have a good mixture of ingredients but not too many,” (And you will never find Ranch dressing on her list of ingredients). “You don’t want to have too much going on in one dish. All the different types of lettuces have a unique flavor; some taste peppery, tangy, sharp, or herby. Salad ingredients should focus on the season; for instance, in summer tomatoes should be a main ingredient because they’re fresh.”

How does she choose a restaurant when she wants to go out? “I basically choose the restaurant or the food that I can’t or don’t cook at home. I don’t cook fried foods so sometimes I just want fried chicken. I really like Paninis fire-grilled pizza, I go to the Foolish Frog for their wreck fish, I like the wonderful outside porch at Sweetgrass; I love to go out for breakfast because egg dishes are the messiest to clean.”

Is catering for so many people at all kinds of events really as easy as she makes it look? “Yes,” she replies. “Basically it’s a breeze for me because I love it so much.

There are the few times when something unexpected happens, recently I catered a wedding and a family member made the wedding cake. The event was outdoors and it was very hot, the cake was really big and it started to lean to one side on the plate. I had to stuff cocktail napkins under one side of the plate to get it to look straight.” Crisis averted. When questioned further if there is some drawback, some pitfall, to so much cooking, Debbi initially demurs but finally admits: “Sometimes I have spent so much time with that food I just get tired of it. I choose recipes, make a list of ingredients, go to the store, choose the ingredients, put the food in the buggy, take it out and put it on the conveyor belt,

get the bags out of the buggy and put them in my car, take them out of my car and take them into the kitchen. Then I take the food out of the bags, put it on the counter, put it away and then have to take it all out, assemble the ingredients, cook the food, pack the food, unpack the food, present the food and when that is over I have to pack up the leftovers. By then I may be tired of fussing with that particular dish; for instance if I’ve made chicken salad for 300 people, I just want a steak.”

Debbi is the quintessential gracious hostess and that is one trait that carries her through functions where she is catering for hundreds of guests. The fact that she has a quick wit and wonderful warm smile are also assets to any event, she knows how to make anyone feel instantly at ease.

What is the biggest event she has ever done? “At the Yacht Club, there were supposed to be about one hundred people for a party, but the guest list grew and about four hundred and fifty people were there. It was not only a challenge feeding them in that size space, but it also stormed that night so everyone was inside! All went well though, everyone was fed and had a good time.” What are her favorite events to cater? “Cocktail parties in people’s homes - they’re fun!

Also fund-raisers because everyone seems so appreciative.” Where does she buy her food? “Locally whenever possible!”

She goes to Publix for many things but “I buy fresh local shrimp and fish off the boats, and vegetables and fruit at the local farmers markets; I use a butcher for some cuts of meat because it is already trimmed and ready to cook. Fish that isn’t local, and difficult to find food items come from a food purveyor.”

The Covington’s home is so tastefully decorated that it looks like it should be

Photographer Paul Nurnberg and Debbi choose photos for her cookbook while Gizmo looks on.

featured in a magazine as well as Debbi’s picturesque food. Husband Vince’s expertise in his interior design business of window treatments gives every room just the right amount of privacy and takes advantage of the natural light. Unless you peek behind cabinet doors and can see all of Debbi’s assortments of serving plates, dinner dishes, wine glasses, pretty and unusual serving pieces and implements, all of which is what she collects, you will gravitate to the art. “When we first got married we bought art, we spent all our extra money on art!” Debbi exclaims.

Eagerly awaiting the delivery of her new cookbook Celebrate Everything!, Debbi reflects on her first cookbook, Dining Under the Carolina Moon. “I knew a couple of people who had written cookbooks, and I had been writing for Lowcountry Weekly for awhile so I had a small following. The book was selfpublished and all 4000 copies sold, but I didn’t think I would do another one.

Then when my mother got sick and came to live with us, I decided maybe it was time to publish a new cookbook because she so encouraged me to do so; she was the foodie in the family and she was the

38 June/July 2012 | Beaufort Lifestyle

reason I was initially interested in food.

My original thought was to have a group of photographers take the pictures but I soon realized that logistically that wouldn’t work, so my friend Paul Nurnberg offered to do all the photography and I happily accepted. The way I got all my friends involved was to have them over to eat the food that I was featuring so I had parties that were photographed; there are forty of our friends in the book and I can’t begin to tell you how many dirty dishes there were!”

Celebrate Everything! is in hardback with 216 pages of recipes with accompanying photographs. It will be available on Debbi’s website: wwwcateringbydebbicovington.com and will be sold in various locations in Beaufort. Debbi is going to “Take some time this summer and focus on the book because in summer it’s too hot to eat anyway.” Several non-profit organizations such as Beaufort Film Society, Historic Beaufort, CODA, and the Lowcountry Food Bank are going to host book signing parties where they will receive a percentage of the profits; Debbi will also host Celebration parties of her own. With

27 chapters all illustrating a celebration of some sort, there are over 200 recipes, 99 percent of which Debbi says are easy to prepare. All the recipes are new in this cookbook with one exception and that is Debbi’s mother’s famous Sour Cream Coconut Cake; like many cooks, Patricia Baker had a secret ingredient in her cake.

In Debbi’s first cookbook she published her mama’s recipe; Mrs. Baker sold her coconut cake at church auctions and raised a goodly amount of money for her causes. She kept telling Debbi to add a bit of black walnut flavoring to the cake and when Debbi finally did, she knew that little bitty one thing made a big difference.

Also, Debbi confides, “Refrigerate the icing overnight, it will stick to the sides of the cake better.” If you want to know any more than that you will have to buy the cookbook. It took her eight months to write it so we’re not giving away any more of her secrets.

With a summer full of projects ahead of her and the cookbook on its way, Debbi’s signature good humor shines as she smiles and says, “The whole thing was just fun!”

Sour Cream Coconut Cake Big, beautiful, moist and delicious! This is one of the recipes for which my mother was famous! Bake and frost the cake at least three days before you plan to serve it. It actually gets better with age.

1 (24-ounce) carton sour cream 1 cup sugar 1 (14-ounce) package sweetened flaked coconut 1 (18.25-ounce) yellow cake mix 1 teaspoon black walnut extract (optional) Combine sour cream, sugar and coconut in a medium mixing bowl. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours. In the meantime, prepare cake according to package directions, with the addition of 1 teaspoon black walnut extract, making two 8-inch layers.

When completely cool, split both layers making 4 cake rounds.

Reserve 1½ cups sour cream-coconut mixture. Spread the rest between layers. Frost cake with reserved sour cream-coconut mixture. Seal in an airtight container. Refrigerate for three days before serving. Serves 10 to 12.

EXPLORING

The Sea Islands

Beaufort Lifestyle | April/May 2012 41

Beaufort Style United States District Courthouse

By Beekman Webb The old courthouse on the corner of Bay and Bladen streets on Beaufort’s waterfront was built on the site of the old Barnwell Castle, a monumental, 18th century tabby house that burned in 1881. Completed in July of 1884, the courthouse served as the seat of Beaufort County government for 52 years. The eclectic building originally featured an arched, Romanesque entrance arcade and a “French” roof.

It was designed by R.N. McGrath of Augusta, Georgia in a style typical of the Victorian Period and constructed by an out-of-town contractor at a cost of $13,315.

Some accounts suggest that the building was damaged by a hurricane in the 1930’s and in 1936 a major renovation was undertaken Wooden windows were replaced with steel, muliple fireplaces were replaced by a new steam-heating system and, most significantly, the courthouse was transformed into the Art Deco structure that we see today. In

42 June/July 2012 | Beaufort Lifestyle

1991, Beaufort County moved it’s courthouse into a newly-constructed building at the Multi-government Center on Ribault Road and the old building was leased to the U.S. Government for use as a federal courthouse.

Although it has been maintained and even updated under federal occupation, it has been virtually abandoned for the last 20 years as most federal court activity has occurred in Charleston.

Recent news reports suggest that the feds will soon turn the building back over to Beaufort County and there is much speculation concerning the next period in the life of this venerable old structure.

We can hope that a worthy use will be found and that this fine building, the best example of Art Deco influence in Beaufort, will remain as a landmark on the bay for generations to come.

Beaufort Lifestyle | April/May 2012 43

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LOW COUNTRY WEDDINGS

Photo By SUSAN DELOACH

LOW COUNTRY WEDDINGS

C

Bride: Mary Gollihugh Groom: Brandon Crosby Wedding Venue: Gregorie Neck Plantation Florist: Laura’s Carolina Florist Catering: Jimmy Fitz Catering Cake/Cupcakes: Cookies by Charlotte Band: Mark Bonds Photography: Susan DeLoach Photography

Brandon & Mary

Crosby

46 April/May 2012 | Beaufort Lifestyle

Photography by SUSAN DELOACH

Beaufort Lifestyle

April/May 2012 47

What Is the Unity Candle Ceremony?

One thing that has become increasingly popular in the past ten to fifteen years is the unity candle ceremony. The purpose of the unity candle ceremony is to celebrate and symbolize the union of a husband and wife.

Marriage, through this visual display, is being shown as a way to bring two people’s lives together into one.

If you’re thinking about having a unity candle ceremony, you can always request to have one at your wedding ceremony. First it’s important to understand the set up for the unity candle ceremony.

The Set Up The unity candle ceremony usually involves a set of three candles. One larger,

48 June/July 2012 | Beaufort Lifestyle

singular candle is placed between two slimmer, smaller candles that are placed on either side. The candles are usually placed in holders (there are specialized unity candle holders if you are interested). The unity candle is usually set aside during the ceremony, and is only brought out during the specific unity candle ceremony.

The great thing about the unity candle ceremony is that there is no “set” way to perform this ceremony; you can really set it up to look how ever you please. There is also no specific time in which the unity candle ceremony must be performed. Think about your own particular wedding ceremony and plot out a time line, and think of when the unity candle ceremony would be most fitting.

Before the Ceremony Before the unity candle ceremony, you may have to find and purchase both the candles and the holders for your ceremony. Before the ceremony on the day of your wedding, you will have to have the unity candle ceremony area set up. You will probably want to try lighting the wicks of the candles before

the ceremony and blow them out. This will ensure that the wicks of your candles will light easily during your ceremony.

During the Ceremony As mentioned above, the unity candle ceremony is not a ritual that is set in stone.

Some couples like to light the two smaller, separate candles prior to the ceremony to help represent themselves as individuals prior to their marriage. Others will light up these candles after the wedding is underway, or just before they light the one larger unity candle.

Another option is to have the mother of the bride and the mother of the groom light up the unity candles before the bride and groom enter the ceremony, or during. The mother of the groom and the mother of the bride may be escorted by an usher to light the candles prior to the bride and groom entering the ceremony, or if it is during the ceremony, the mother of the groom is escorted by an usher and the groom himself will often escort the mother of the bride.

If you have children in your current relationship, a great way to have them become a bit more involved in the wedding is to have them light the tapers or even the unity candles themselves.

However you choose to light the two smaller candles, once that is done, the bride and groom can choose when ever they like during the ceremony to light the one large marriage unity candle.

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The Foolish Frog Story by MARY ELLEN THOMPSON Photos by PAUL NURNBERG

I

n the colorful world of today’s competitive chefs and high tech gastronomy, the absence of pretension often takes on the most beautiful hue. Housed in a restored historic building, The Foolish Frog has an inviting ambiance and simply wonderful food. No aspect of the decor or menu tries too hard, or tricks you into thinking it is something that it isn’t. Chef, Bob Roderer says “If I don’t like it, I can’t sell it and I’m not going to cook it just because it’s trendy!” The atmosphere in The Foolish Frog’s dining room is comfortable, soft, and warm; the outside deck has a killer view of the marsh, and the food just makes you feel like you could curl up and purr.

Add to that mix some live music, and what more could anyone want?

The restaurant is a perfect reflection of the friendship and personalities of the

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owners, Beekman Webb and Bob Roderer.

Roderer (as he prefers to be called) met Beek in thirty-eight years ago when they were both working in North Carolina; Beek was working for a boatyard and Roderer was working on a boat. They got to be friends back then and they kept up with each other through the years. Roderer opened the restaurant Jockey’s Ribs, in Nags Head; Beek moved back to his native Beaufort, and they talked about opening a restaurant here together. When the old post office in Frogmore became available, they bought it and a “weekend” restoration project ensued for the next three years. “Finally we had to open because we had so much money in it!” Beek explains with a shrug and a laugh. Roderer says, “Restaurants are fun, they are a good business especially if you’re the boss! You get to hire people

you like, so being at work is like hanging out” Although Roderer is the chef, Beek also shares a love of cooking, “We both grew up in the kitchen and loving food.

That’s how I got involved in the restaurant business, I like to cook, always have since I was a kid.” For Beek it was traditional Southern fare: his grandmother’s cooking and local Gullah food. Roderer, who says “I like to play with food,” grew up in a more ethnic environment where he was exposed to “German, Hungarian, Polish, and Slovenian foods. All the corner grocery stores were different!”

Their combined efforts have produced an extensive menu based on locally sourced foods whenever possible. When asked what his favorite thing to cook is, Roderer replied “What I’m doing right then!” Seafood, steaks, chops,

The best foods in Beaufort, Port Royal and the Sea Islands sandwiches, burgers, quesadillas, etc. can be accompanied by fresh salads and vegetables and to-die-for sauces.

Whatever inspires Roderer that day will be a special that evening, and Roderer never lacks for inspiration. A favorite special is wreckfish, pan roasted and served over mashed potatoes topped with a beurre blanc sauce infused with Louisiana Crystal Hot Sauce that surprises your taste buds with a delicate explosion of flavors, accompanied by crisp carrots and snap peas to complete the color palette. The Catch of the Day might be grilled, or encrusted with cornflakes or herbs, or oven roasted with a sun-dried tomato and olive tapenade, or served with a wine shallot beurre blanc sauce; all the coatings and sauces are created in the kitchen.

Beek says that Roderer is particularly fond of his steaks and “That’s why we have two big broilers back there,” as he indicates the kitchen. Roderer continues, “We use the best beef, certified black Angus. One broiler is 1000 degrees; it

sears the outside of the meat, giving it a slight crust so it stays juicy inside. We cut all of our steaks here.”

Fresh local shrimp is a staple on the menu

and their shrimp and grits are some of the very best in the South where we love our grits, so also on the menu is a side order of

grits that are fried and served in wedges - crispy on the outside and creamy, meltin-your mouth, on the inside. There are about a dozen shrimp items on the menu, but when asked how many preparations they have for shrimp, both Beek and Roderer started listing ways until they outdid Bubba Gump.

Soups, gumbos, and the salads are enticing and imaginative.The crab corn chowder is so rich and creamy and dreamy that it makes one remember the “When Harry Met Sally” restaurant scene.

The special house salad is presents itself like a pretty summer frock; white feta cheese morsels sit like flower petals atop the cheerful green lettuces with luscious strawberries nestled in with candied pecans and cosseted with a dressing so barely discernible that it only serves to enhance, rather than overwhelm, the medley of flavors and textures.

For those who read the dessert menu first, you may want to start there and work

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your way backwards. All created by Roderer from scratch, there is a mouth-watering selection of pies, cheesecakes and yummy things like creme brulees, depending upon the day.

Most popular is Roderer’s secret recipe peanut butter pie; it is actually a light, and almostbut-not-quite fluffy, peanut butter mousse in a graham cracker crust; it is so good that one group calls ahead from Atlanta to reserve some pie when they are headed for Beaufort!

Named after the “Foolish Frog” song that Beek remembers as a child, and its location in Frogmore, the restaurant is also a great venue for musicians. The Tuesday night outdoor bluegrass jamming sessions are like having a party that you don’t have to host. There is a great sense of community that attracts professional and amateur players with a myriad of abilities and instruments. The evening is always so delightful that the audience wishes it could remain their secret because, after all,

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there is only so much space. Live music is as much a part of The Foolish Frog experience as the food. Just as Beek and Roderer both love cooking, they say “We both like music, we like it a lot” and that is evident. Beek is a renowned musician in these parts, his band plays at the highly acclaimed Piccolo Spoleto Festival in Charleston as well as here and there around town. Check their Facebook page for the music as well as the menu specials.

So, whatever delights you - a drink and appetizer at the bar, a beer and a sandwich on the deck while listening to music, or a lovely dinner, The Foolish Frog is the place to go.

The selection at the bar will suit the most discriminating of tastes, the service is attentive and professional. Treat yourself - you deserve it!

The Foolish Frog 846 Sea Island Parkway Downtown Frogmore, SC (843)838-9300 Griffin Market 403 Carteret Street Beaufort, SC 29902 (843)524-0240 www.griffinmarket.com Luther’s Rare And Well Done 910 Bay Street Beaufort, SC 29902 (843)521-1888 www.lowcountrydining.com Moondoggie’s 930 9th Street Port Royal, SC 29935 (843)522-1222

Southern Graces 809 Port Republic Street Beaufort, SC (843)379-0555 www.facebook.com/ southerngraces Sweetgrass Rest. & Bar 100 Marina Dr. St. Helena Island, SC 29920 (843) 838-2151 The Upper Crust 7 Sea Island Pkwy.

Suite 201 Beaufort, SC 29907 (843) 521-1999 Yes Thai Indeed 911 Boundary Street Beaufort, SC 29902 (843) 986-1185

Palm & Moon Bagel Co. 221 Scott Street Beaufort, SC 29902 (843)379-9300

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P UBLISHER’S P I C J u n e / J u l y 2 0 1 2

Photo Submitted By Donna Kirkpatrick, Member of Photography Club of Beaufort dmariephoto1@yahoo.com (505) 412-2320 To have your photo considered as the Publisher’s Pic in our next issue, submit photo to julie@idpmagazines.com

Beaufort Lifestyle | April/May 2012 55