Local Life Magazine February 2019

H I LT O N H E A D • B L U F F T O N • B E AU F O RT

Feb 2019

before the bridge

O U R H I S T O R Y R E V E A L E D + S TA B L E S T Y L E + L O V E B I T E S

Stay Stay Warm.

Warm.

Stay Stay Outside.

Outside.

Patagonia Patagonia Capilene Capilene Base Layer Base Layer Ideal for Ideal golf, forboat, golf,ski, boat, beach ski, beach walk, travel walk, -travel everything everything you’ll need you’llthis need winter. this winter.

est. 1979 est. 1979

996 •99 8 4 3.686.6 8 4 3.686.6 ShopOutside.com 6 • ShopOutside.com The Plaza The at Plaza Shelter at Shelter Cove (next Coveto (next Whole to Whole Foods)Foods)

BRING BRING IN A DONATION IN A DONATION of any jacket, of anycoat jacket, or sweater coat or sweater and get up andtoget up to

50% 50% OFF AOFF NEW A NEW ONE ONE Through Through FebruaryFebruary 15th 15th

|

|

|

|

35 CUMBERLAND DRIVE

Belfair | $725,000

38 KERSHAW DRIVE

Belfair | $854,000

68 LEXINGTON DRIVE

Belfair | $1,450,000

8 EVERGLADE PLACE

Port Royal Plantation | $3,600,000

Hillary 843.290.3063 | Eric 843.816.6489 The Dollenberg Team leverage years of industry expertise with a true passion for Hilton Head Island, the surrounding area, and everything it has to offer.

www.ERICDOLLENBERG.com

YOU

BELONG at

CROSS

SCHOOLS Voted Bluffton’s Best Private School and Preschool

32

'' W

IT’S G OO D

A W NO UT BO

TO

ROSS RIG AT C HT BE

5

0 .5

18

°1

'5

692

'' N

4 8 0° 5

'2

5.

2

495 Buckwalter Parkway Bluffton, SC 29910 843.706.2000 www.CrossSchools.org

©2019 EILEEN FISHER INC.

Located in lovely Sea Pines Center

the team WHAT MEMORY DO YOU HAVE FROM YOUR EARLIEST DAY HERE?

“My dad, sister and I took sailing lessons in 1969 at South Beach. It was just a beach with no development at all.”

PUBLISHER Lori Goodridge-Cribb (Local since 1986) lori.goodridge@wearelocallife.com 843-802-2258, ext. 100

- LORI

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Lance Hanlin (Local since 2007) lance.hanlin@wearelocallife.com 843-802-2258, ext. 101

“A ‘Beware of Alligator’ sign, located next to the largest gator I had seen at the time.”

- LANCE

“Crabbing off the dock and then accidently leaving a few raw chicken pieces in the breezeway at my sister's condo. The stench has scarred her for life.”

ART DIRECTOR / DESIGNER Jeremy Swartz (Local since 2003) jeremy.swartz@wearelocallife.com 843-802-2258, ext. 102

- JEREMY

DESIGNER Charles Grace (Local since 1997) charles.grace@wearelocallife.com 843-802-2258, ext. 102

“How the water tasted.”

- CHARLES

“Since I became a local in 2016, my earliest memory is packing, hurricane proofing, and evacuating just a few weeks after I moved here. That was quite a welcome!”

SOCIAL MEDIA Allison Cusick (Local since 2016) allison.cusick@wearelocallife.com 843-802-2258, ext. 103

- ALLISON

“Moving day, all the way from Canada, peering out the windows of our new home and having deer peer back in.”

PHOTO EDITOR Lisa Staff (Local since 2003) lisastaff@hargray.com

- LISA

DISTRIBUTION & LIST STRATEGIST Bruce Wolff (Local since 2002) bruce@propertyownerlists.com

“Jet skiing in Calibogue Sound with my then 15-year-old son, Daniel.”

- BRUCE

PHOTOGRAPHERS Martin Bergman Arno Dimmling Sonja Evans Michael Hrizuk Jason James Thomas Love

John McManus Henry P. Moore Mike Ritterbeck Lisa Staff Lloyd Wainscott

WRITERS Lisa Allen Amy Bredeson Laurie Brown Terry Cermak Eddy Hoyle Barry Kaufman

Carolyn Males Robyn Passante Jeremy Press Dean Rowland Luana Graves Sellars Bob Stavnitski

CONTRIBUTORS Jessie Baker Roxanne Gilleland MariaNoël Ashlan Saeger Weston Sanders Kelly Manuelsmith Jean Meaney Wheatly

800 Main Street Hilton Head Island, SC, 29926 843-802-2258 + LocalLifeSC.com

The Shops at Sea Pines Center 71 Lighthouse Road #215 843.671.3677 Hilton Head’s foremost and most fun fashion boutique.

6

BACKDOORHILTONHEAD

LocalLifeSC.com + APRIL 2018

VOL. 3, NO. 2

LOCAL Life is published monthly by Momentum Media Group, Inc. All contents are copyrighted by Momentum Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. Nothing may be reprinted in whole or in part without written permission from the publisher. For back issues or advertising information, call 843-802-2258. Return postage must accompany all unsolicited manuscripts and artwork if they are to be returned. Manuscripts are welcomed, but no responsibility can be assumed for unsolicited materials. “Promotional” and “Promotional Feature” denote a paid advertising feature. Publisher is not responsible for claims and contents of advertisements.

omentum MEDIA GROUP

PROUD MEMBERS OF THE CITY AND REGIONAL MAGAZINE ASSOCIATION

CAG Local Life 011819-alt.qxp_Layout 1 1/21/19 4:20 PM Page 1

1 5 YE AR S O F AUTHE N TIC LOWCOU NT RY DESIGN

American Institute of Architects 2018 Merit Award Winner H I LH T IOL N NNDD T OH N EHAEDA DI SI L SA LA

||

B LU U FFFFTTOON N BL

courtatkins.com | 843.815.2557 RESIDENTIAL & COMMERCIAL ARCHITECTURE • INTERIOR DESIGN

|

| S ASVA AV NA NN AN H A H

features

Feb

118

Before the Bridge

Š HENRY P. MOORE

Long before developers set their sites on Hilton Head, it was an isolated island populated primarily by descendents of slaves. It wasn’t until after World War II that the island garnered much attention from the outside world.

FREE AT LAST A liberated female slave and Union soldiers stand at the entrance to the captured plantation of General Thomas F. Drayton in May 1862 on Hilton Head Island.

18

Island Landmarks Many historic sites and monuments are still here

24

Historical Books

Good reads that will change how you see the Lowcountry

8

LocalLifeSC.com + FEBRUARY 2019

78

Comfort Foods

Taste the real deals of Lowcountry meals

92

Old School Cocktails A healthy toast to how locals drank back in the day

124

Living Off The Land Native Islanders ate mostly what they grew or caught

128

Mother Rivers

Local centenarian vividly remembers how it was

130

Links To Our Past

History preserved at Discovery Museum and Heritage Library

134

Civil War Letters

Family archive reveals local letters written 160 years ago

Ben Ham Gallery

Inspired by Nature

Captured on Film

Ben Ham Galleries 210 Bluffton Road Old Town Bluffton, SC

416 King Street Charleston, SC

843.815.6200

843.410.1495

WWW.BENHAMIMAGES.COM

Feb 12

contents

Publisher

This issue is dedicated to that quiet time we don’t hear much about; back when our island paradise was a primitive and untamed patchwork of beaches, marshes, palmetto trees and plantations.

14

96

Contributors

Meet the locals behind this issue

16

In and Out

Links

Spanish Wells home opens an entirely new concept in outdoor living

Special video and bonus content you can find online at locallifesc.com

46

74

64

18

50

Blend

Business

Learn to talk like a 1950s hipster

Tips and advice from a higher education leader

31

Mensa Quiz

54

Wellness

112

110

72

Shopping

His and hers accessories from local businesses

74

Eats

112

Destinations

On the Civil Rights Trail from Jackson to Montgomery

140

Scene

Challenge your brain with a new set of questions

Warning signs that you may be having a heart attack

Fresh seafood has kept the Hudson family afloat

Social photos from exclusive events around town

46

64

108

144

Celebrity

The comic relief of Rita Rudner

10

Style

Outfit ideas for outdoor fun at Moss Creek

LocalLifeSC.com + FEBRUARY 2019

Outdoors

Homegrown trees and plants in the Lowcountry

Happenings

Festivals and events happening around the area

156

Real estate

Stunning million dollar homes on the local marketplace

160

Porchin'

Relax at the Dye Clubhouse at Colleton River Club

H I L T O N

H E A D

The freshest cuisine AND

A GREAT

WINE SELECTION. 843-686-3388 • R E D F I S H O F H I LTO N H E A D.CO M •

8 ARCHER RD, HILTON HEAD ISL AND

publisher

Honoring the Islanders who came first

m

Many locals know the story of Mitchelville and the important role Hilton Head Island played in the Civil War. And most of us are aware of Charles Fraser and the work he and the other developers started nearly 100 years later. But what about those years in between? What was Hilton Head Island like before the swing bridge went up in 1956?

This issue is dedicated to that quiet time we don’t hear much about; back when our island paradise was a primitive and untamed patchwork of beaches, marshes, palmetto trees and plantations.

The island was only accessible by barge from the mainland back then.

There was just one dirt road and very few automobiles — kind of like Daufuskie is today. It was an agricultural island, populated by the native Gullah-Geechees, the ancestors of freed slaves who settled across the coast of South Carolina, Georgia and Florida.

February is my Back then, locals raised hogs, trapped mink, picked oysters and ate birthday month, conch meat. They grew sweet potatoes, okra, sugar cane and more in and I’m going to their backyards. We tracked down several locals who experienced that life be one of the first locals to sign up firsthand and many other descendants of those pioneers. Inside you will find for the LOCAL Life historical stories, photos from back in the day, old school recipes, facts about Birthday Club. local landmarks and many more links to the Lowcountry’s past.

Find more details This issue has plenty of other content as well, including the continuation CROSS THAT BRIDGE Even after 30 years, driving about joining the over the bridge to Hilton Head has a calming effect on of our new Mensa brainteaser series. Find answers to last month’s quiz and club on our Facemy soul. I love to travel, but there's no place like home! book page. Get the new set of questions on page 31. How did you do last month? If you got a complimentary more than two correct, I’m impressed! sweet treat from We also unveil a new feature called Local ITK (in the know), where we take an The Chocolate unbiased approach to explaining an important topic in our community. Our first subject Canopy on your is Project SAFE, a collaboration between the Community Foundation of the Lowcountry, special day! the Public Service District and the Town of Hilton Head Island. If you didn’t know, hundreds of families on Hilton Head Island are not connected to our public sewer system and instead still use septic tanks to treat their household wastewater. Project SAFE is helping deal with the problem, which has plagued our community for far too long.

Also, Valentine’s Day is just around the corner. If you are stumped about what to do for your main squeeze, nothing says “I love you” - MARCUS GARVEY more than cooking a homemade meal. We collected sweet and savory recipes using chocolate from some of the top chefs in our community that will help you win the holiday on Feb. 14.

We also have all the information you need for the many highly If you would like to continue anticipated local festivals and events coming this month, including receiving this magazine in your the Hilton Head Island Seafood Festival. Like the Heritage and the mailbox, you must fill out the BLAST FROM THE PAST Concours d’Elegance, it’s one of those events locals simply should provided subscription card on Have you seen the LOCAL Life Jeep around town? not miss. Let’s hope for another beautiful sunny day like we had last Page 32. If you have already This month, we rolled up next to local historical figure year. I hope to see you there! filled one out, all is good! ©PHOTO BY LISA STAFF

JOIN THE CLUB

“A people without the knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is like a tree without roots.”

DON'T FORGET

LORI GOODRIDGE-CRIBB PUBLISHER lori.goodridge@wearelocallife.com

12

LocalLifeSC.com + FEBRUARY 2019

Mary Kirk (1793-1851), who bears a striking resemblance to Heritage Library volunteer Laveda Keeling.

Kirk is looking great, considering she’s 167 years old and is buried at Zion Chapel of Ease Cemetery.

contributors

MEET OUR WRITERS + PHOTOGRAPHERS + PEOPLE BEHIND THE SCENES Sonja Griffin Evans Artist

FOR THIS ISSUE: Provided several original paintings to help illustrate how life was like before the bridge.

HOMETOWN: Beaufort, born and raised

Luana M. Graves Sellars Self-titled community activist FOR THIS ISSUE: Before the Bridge article HOMETOWN: Dix Hills, N.Y. CURRENT HOME: Port Royal Plantation, Hilton Head LOCAL SINCE: 2015 FAVORITE PERSON IN HISTORY: Harriet Tubman, hands down! There's no other way to describe her other than as the ultimate bad ass! The more that I learn about her, the greater amount of respect that I have for her accomplishments. From the Underground Railroad to army strategist to her influence on policy.

Did I mention that she was a spy and had brain surgery without anesthesia, too? Right! A bad ass!

FAVORITE HISTORICAL QUOTE: “I have learned that success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has had to overcome while trying to succeed.”

— Booker T. Washington FAVORITE HISTORICAL BOOK: Roots. I started to read it and eventually watched the movie. The journey that Alex Haley's family made from life in Africa to slavery into freedom was my first vivid depiction of how life was for my ancestors. The story became a significant catalyst for my interest in minoring in Black History.

14

LocalLifeSC.com + AUGUST 2018

FAVORITE HISTORICAL MOVIE: Glory is my favorite historical movie because it is a reflection of the critical and emotional moments preceding the Reconstruction era, 1861-1898, a historic period in which the United States grappled with the question of how to integrate millions of newly freed African Americans into social, political, economic, and labor systems, a time of significant transformation.

Nineteen soldiers from the all black Massachusetts 54th and 55th depicted in the movie are buried in Beaufort National Cemetery, plus I love Denzel Washington.

FAVORITE HISTORICAL BOOK: The Bible. It is the Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth.

FAVORITE HISTORICAL LANDMARK: Memorial to the Abolition of Slavery in France.

FAVORITE MEMORY FROM HISTORY CLASS: The moment I learned of the contributions of even the few people mentioned in the history book who looked like me.

It is what inspires me to create art that helps to tell our story and share the importance of our history, our heritage and our culture. I believe as Dr. Carter G. Woodson that those who have no record of what their forebears have accomplished lose the inspiration which comes from its teachings and if a race has no history, no worthwhile tradition, it becomes a negligible factor in the thought of the world, and it stands in danger of being exterminated.

Jessie Baker Intern

FOR THIS ISSUE: Toy’s Everyone Wanted in the 1950s HOMETOWN: Rustburg, Va. CURRENT HOME: Beaufort HOBBIES: Hiking, hanging out with my dog and cat.

FAVORITE PERSON IN HISTORY: Mary Jackson. She was a mathematician and engineer in a time when it was rare for a woman, let alone a woman of color, to hold such a position. Learning about her was inspiring and personal.

My mom is an engineer and I think it’s amazing to see intelligent and powerful women doing things they once never thought possible.

FAVORITE MOVIE: Hidden Figures. It was the movie that introduced me to Mary Jackson and other incredible women.

FAVORITE QUOTE: “There is no charm equal to tenderness of heart.” — Jane Austen FAVORITE HISTORICAL BOOK: Night

by Elie Wiesel. I read this book when I was in high school and had never truly been informed of past tragedies that people had experienced. It gives you a sliver of what victims of the Holocaust went through and I think that it’s important for people to understand the reality of what has been and could be.

FAVORITE HISTORICAL LANDMARK: Mitchelville and the MLK Monument.

FAVORITE HISTORICAL LANDMARK: WWII bomber crash on Sharp TopPeaks of Otter. This site is on one of my favorite hikes in Virginia.

FAVORITE MEMORY FROM HISTORY CLASS: Discovering what I found to be a lifelong lesson about all of the incredible contributions, including a lot of basic creature comforts, that Black American inventors made that make our lives better.

FAVORITE MEMORY FROM HISTORY CLASS: I had a British teacher for World History in high school and the French club kept putting fliers on her door and for a week a feud persisted between her and the French teacher of exchanging fliers door to door.

J O N A T H A N

Young Dave

Flying Kites

14 x 11

18 x 24

Oil

Oil

G R E E N

Red Blanket

Shadows

14 x 11

14 x 11

Oil

Oil

Celebrating 50 Years of Fine Art in the Lowcountry.

The Red Piano Art Gallery 40 Calhoun Street • Suite 201 • Bluffton, SC 29910 843.842.4433 • redpianoartgallery.com

Be My

Valentine!

links

LOCALLIFESC.COM + BONUS CONTENT + DIGITAL OFFERINGS

online exclusives LOCALLIFESC.COM

Expert advice: Estate planning Preparing financial and legal documents to protect your heirs is a vital part of ensuring that your investments, properties and loved ones are taken care of. An estate planning attorney is an essential resource when it comes to these preparations. Local lawyer Emily Boatwright offers advice in a new online series.

Online video: Horsing Around Check out our February fashion spread on page 64, then watch video of models Amanda Calamari and Eric Kuhn having fun with Cruz Bay and Tank at the Moss Creek Equestrian Center.

Photos from around town See photos of Josh Michaud's talk on global health for the World Affairs Council of Hilton Head, images from Bluffton's first Coffee and Chocolate Fest and more online.

Allegiant announces new nonstop services

and as always, complimentary gift wrapping.

The Village at Wexford, Hilton Head Island

843.341.5116

www.prettypapershhi.com 16

LocalLifeSC.com + FEBRUARY 2019

❤❤❤

Allegiant announced four new nonstop routes to Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport from Allentown, Pennsylvania; Grand Rapids, Michigan; Niagara Falls, New York; and Portsmouth, New Hampshire beginning in June, with fares as low as $49 one way.

About the Cover

The cover features the painting “Da Gullah Rose” by local artist Sonja Griffin Evans.

The artwork honors Palmetto roses, decorative flowers made from leaves of Palmetto trees. It's said that Southern ladies would give their true love an everlasting Palmetto Rose to keep them safe from harm as they went to war. “The little girl in the painting knows that she too is a Gullah Rose with so much love inside to give to others. However, the sadness in her eyes depicts her acknowledgement of the fact that not everyone will want to receive it from her.” Find more of her work online at sonjagriffinevans.com

FROM OUR WAREHOUSE TO YOUR HOME.

Grey Agate Semi-Precious

AGM Imports offers you the best stone available, in one fantastic warehouse, where you are welcome to select the perfect stone at the perfect price. At our 100,000-square-foot facility in Hardeeville, you’ll find thousands of stone slabs in over 250 different material options.

We offer natural stone selected at quarries located around the world, plus quartz from leading suppliers like Teltos, Polarstone, and Diresco. You’ll also find porcelain and semi-precious stone choices, along with an entire warehouse section devoted to white stone - quartz, granite and marble.

No wonder we are the area’s leading stone supplier.

Visit today or call for an appointment. 843.784.4400

199 Marble Road | Hardeeville, SC | 843.784.4400 | AGMIMPORTS.com O T H E R L O C AT I O N S : C H A R L E S T O N , S C | C H A R L O T T E , N C | AT L A N TA , G A

local blend

WORD ON THE STREET + COMMUNITY TIDBITS + FAST FACTS + LOCAL LANDMARKS

Island landmarks

t

PHOTOS BY ARNO DIMMLING These historic sites and monuments were on Hilton Head Island long before the swing bridge was built in 1956.

18

LocalLifeSC.com + FEBRUARY 2019

BEAUTIFUL RUINS STONEY-BAYNARD RUINS (Local since 1793)

Revolutionary War captain Jack Stoney built Baynard Plantation, part of Braddock’s Point Plantation. His family remained there for several decades until a Stoney heir lost the property to William Baynard in a latenight poker game (you gotta know when to fold ‘em!). When Union forces invaded the island in 1861, the Baynards evacuated the property. It served as Union headquarters shortly before it was burned. Some locals believe it’s haunted.

GUIDING LIGHT

LEAMINGTON LIGHTHOUSE (Local since 1879)

This historic lighthouse, also known as the Hilton Head Rear Range Light, was constructed at Leamington Plantation to help guide ships into Port Royal Sound.

The lighthouse was taken out of service in the 1930s and now helps guide passing golfers on Palmetto Dunes’ Arthur Hills course. Some locals believe it’s haunted.

Tourists started flocking to Hilton Head Island once the bridge was built in the 1950s. Honor those early visitors by incorporating a few of these hip old phrases into local conversations.

Talk like a 1950s hipster Agitate the gravel: To leave in a hurry.

“278 is a parking lot. Everybody is agitating the gravel to get to the Seafood Festival.”

Your roof is leaking: You’re a little crazy “You’re going to the grocery store on a Saturday? Your roof must be leaking!”

Cold meat party: A funeral “I can’t meet you for lunch. My uncle died. I’ve got a cold meat party to get to.”

Dropping a dime: An informer “He was in the back for a few minutes. Turned out, he was dropping a dime on my sketchy neighbor.”

SHELL YEAH

SEA PINES SHELL RING (Local since 2000 BC)

This mysterious landmark dates back 4,000 years and is the oldest known archaeological site on Hilton Head Island. The ring is made up of hundreds of thousands of oysters, clams and mussels. It is one of 50 known shell rings found along the coasts of South Carolina, Georgia and Florida, all of them dating back 3,000 to 5,000 years.

Old enough to vote: Vintage liquor or wine “This wine list is huge. Got anything old enough to vote?”

Know your groceries: Be aware, or do things well.

“You can’t give a TED Talk on something unless you really know your groceries.”

Free to run for president: Out of work “I got a pink slip today. Guess I’m free to run for president.”

Butter-and-egg: An out-of-towner than spends freely “He always shows off his money when he visits. He’s a real butter-and-egg man.”

Have one on the town: Drink some water “We’ve had too much to drink. Let’s have one on the town and call it a night.”

HOLDING DOWN THE FORTS

FORT MITCHEL, FORT SHERMAN AND FORT HOWELL (Local since 1861)

Hilton Head Island was home to four military forts at the height of the Civil War. While there is no trace of Fort Walker left, the remains of Fort Mitchel in Hilton Head Plantation, Fort Sherman in Port Royal Plantation and Fort Howell off of Beach City Road can still be seen. More information on all four forts can be found at the Heritage Library.

FREE FOR ALL

MITCHELVILLE (Local since 1862)

Mitchelville was a town built on Hilton Head Island during the Civil War for escaped slaves.

It was named for one of the local Union Army generals, Ormsby M. Mitchel. The town was a population center for the enterprise known as the Port Royal Experiment, a program in which former slaves successfully worked on the land abandoned by planters.

BRIDGE TUNES

Many locals would not call Hilton Head Island home if there was not a bridge. To honor our connection to paradise, we offer these 12 connected classics about our favorite elevated structure, which ranks among the most structurally deficient bridges in South Carolina.

Find this and other LOCAL Life playlists by searching for locallifetunes on Spotify.

“Bridge Over Troubled Water” — Simon & Garfunkel “Traffic in the Sky” — Jack Johnson “Under the Bridge” — Red Hot Chili Peppers “Love Can Build a Bridge” — The Judds “Unsafe Bridge” — Pepper “Across the Bridge Where Angels Dwell” — Van Morrison “Slow Ride” — Foghat “Burn That Bridge” — Jimmy Buffett “Don’t Burn the Bridge” — Dionne Warwick “Bridge Back to Your Heart” — The Beach “Love is a Bridge” — Little River Band “One More Bridge to Cross” — The Supremes FEBRUARY 2019 + LocalLifeSC.com

19

blend

hot tech

Must-have gadgets and accessories to enhance your LOCAL Life.

MECCANO M.A.X. ROBOT The future is here and it’s ready to play. This 12-inch-tall robot features both artificial intelligence and customizable programming. It’s the perfect companion for budding engineers, builders and visionaries. Available at amazon.com. $104

GOTENNA MESH OFF-GRID DEVICES These clever devices pair to your phone and enables it to privately relay texts and GPS locations between other goTenna devices up to four miles away. You don’t need phone service, routers, towers or satellites to use them. Available at amazon.com. $126

WHISTLE 3 PET TRACKER This location and activity tracker uses advanced GPS and cellular technology to pinpoint your pet's location anywhere in the United States on AT&T. The device is like a cell phone for your dog, so it requires a subscription plan for cellular connectivity. Plans start at $7 a month.

Available at amazon.com. $75

TC1200 PRO TACTICAL FLASHLIGHT This water resistant all-purpose LED flashlight is made of aircraft grade aluminum and produces 100,000 hours of lamp life at up to 1,200 lumens. It has five modes, including SOS with a blinding strobe.

Great for locals that frequently walk on dark bike paths. Available at 1tac.com. $80

LocalLifeSC.com + FEBRUARY 2019

CARRY ON COCKTAIL KIT Share a toast at 30,000 feet with this kit that includes the tools to mix two cocktails mid-flight, including a bold and spicy small-batch ginger syrup in the Moscow Mule kit.

Other choices include Gin & Tonic, Bloody Mary and Hot Toddy. Available at huckberry.com. $16

HYPERICE VYPER 2.0 FITNESS ROLLER This cutting edge fitness and recovery roller uses pressure and vibration to improve your overall performance.

Vibration frequency levels include 45, 68 and 92 hz. Available at amazon.com. $200 AREAWARE MINIM PLAYING CARDS Impress your poker buddies with these simple playing cards. Simple geometric symbols are reductive versions of hearts, clubs, diamonds and spades. Minimal diagonal lines mark the backs. Available at needsupply.com. $12.

20

NIGHTGUIDE HD GLASSES These innovative glasses were designed to reduce night driving glare and eye strain, and to dramatically improve seeing at night or during rainy conditions. Your eyes will benefit from less strain, thus avoiding fatigue overload and ultimately preventing any drowsiness while driving.

Available at nightguidehd.com. $70

LUMOS BIKE HELMET With integrated lights, brake signal and turn signals, this smart helmet incorporates 48 individual LEDs in the front and back to help ensure you are seen on the road. The mountable wireless remote control lets you engage the turn signals. Available at rei.com. $180

FUJIFILM INSTAX SQUARE CAMERA This square instant camera allows you to preview and edit your image before you print. Select your photo and apply any of the 10 filters. Save your images to the internal memory or micro SD card then share online.

Available at amazon.com. $130 FIXD Know why your check engine light is on, how severe it is, and how much it’s going to cost with this device invented by three Georgia Tech grads.

FIXD plugs in below your car’s steering wheel and sends everything you need to know about your car directly to your phone via a free app. Available at fixdapp.com. $60

WE HAVE A

‘PIPE’ DREAM.

The Town of Hilton Head Island, Hilton Head PSD, and Community Foundation of the Lowcountry have come together to connect low income homes on the island to our public sewer system. That means no more septic system waste contaminating our environment and no more children getting sick from playing in their own backyards.

With your help, Project SAFE will provide the funds needed to connect and protect our island and our people permanently.

We can do it. We’re almost there.

And here’s how you can help.

DONATE ONLINE TO

CF-LOWCOUNTRY.ORG/PROJECTSAFE

CONNECT FOR GO 0D

blend

Toys every kid wanted in the 1950s

Life was much simpler before the bridge came to Hilton Head Island in the 1950s. So were the toys children played with. Here are a few simple treasures that stood the test of time along with their 2019 value, just so you can kick yourself for throwing yours away.

ROY ROGERS AND BULLET ACTION FIGURE Gone but never forgotten, Roy Rogers lives on in his movies and action figures.

2019 value: Vintage figures of him, Trigger and the lot for around $250

MOKO LESNEY MATCHBOX CARS Like Lincoln Logs, Matchbox cars could leave your mom in a mood like nothing else. These cars are perfect for collectors.

2019 value: Around $150

ORIGINAL MR. POTATO HEAD Before the 1960s, back when people didn’t realize the health risks of playing with your food, Mr. Potato Head was intended to be used with actual vegetables.

2019 value: Around $120

LocalLifeSC.com + FEBRUARY 2019

LINCOLN LOGS Like Legos, Lincoln Logs are still timeless favorites today. Moms are forever thankful for the messes they leave on the floor.

2019 value: Around $60

CORN POPPER Can you hear that sound? Wheel your way back to childhood in the ‘50s with an early version of the Fisher Price Corn Popper.

2019 value: Around $30

PLAY-DOH In the 1930s, Play-Doh was originally intended to be used as wallpaper cleaner. By 1956 it was in stores as modelling clay for kids.

2019 value: You probably won’t be able to find the actual dough, but the original cans are around $30

22

HOWDY DOODY MONKEY If you watched any Howdy Doody episodes in the ‘50s you’d know that Zippy was a popular guest star. Zip dolls boomed in popularity after Zippy appeared on the show.

2019 value: Around $100

1959 ORIGINAL BLONDE BARBIE DOLL The original Barbie was introduced in 1959. Sporting a ‘50s-style white and black strapless swimsuit, golden blonde hair and vibrant red lips, she’s not much different from today’s Barbie.

2019 value: Around $4,000

MICKEY MOUSE ROLY POLY FIGURE Walt Disney created many icons and Mickey Mouse was no exception. Mickey Mouse Roly Polys were very popular in the ‘50s.

2019 value: Around $30

1950S CHILTERN HUG-ME TEDDY BEAR Another popular toy in the ‘50s was the much loved Chiltern Hug-Me Teddy Bear. Its distinctive cuddly fur makes it the quintessential teddy bear.

2019 value: Around $170

MOBLEY CAT SQUEAKY TOY In the 1950s, Mobley Cat squeaky toys were almost as popular as the real thing, but you never had to worry about these toys scratching you.

2019 value: Around $60

Spartina 449’s l e ar pp A t es New Collection Arrives mid-February!

Elevate your everyday wear with our premier line of dresses, skorts, and tops designed with form-flattering Peruvian cotton blends and stylish detail.

28 Shelter Cove Lane HILTON HEAD ISLAND

32 Calhoun Street BLUFFTON

Also In

South Carolina CHARLESTON SAVA NNAH

North Carolina HIGHLANDS

(Coming Soon) WILMINGTON & ASHEVILLE

SPARTINA449.COM

blend

Read all about it These historical books that will change how you see the Lowcountry.

“SHORT & TALL TALES OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND”

By Margaret Greer Too often, more than twice-told tales lose more than just their accuracy. Some of the stories in this book were told to the author by native Islanders, others by "old-timers,” and a few actually happened to the author and her friends. This book is her way of passing those stories along, sprinkled amid photographs by naturalist, ornithologist, environmentalist Barry Lowes, some sketches by her husband Walter Greer, and assorted memorabilia shared by many.

“HIDDEN HISTORY OF HILTON HEAD”

By Alice E. Sink This book offers a lively array of historical tidbits and tales, focusing on people, lifeways, believe-it-or-not snippets and beloved local places. Discover the ties that Harriet Tubman and Clara Barton had to the region and learn about the lives of oyster shuckers, root doctors, debauched "Jack-ashores" and many other characters in the island's rich history. From beautiful poems written by renowned locals to the songs that guided the slaves to freedom and time-tested regional recipes, author Alice Sink's collection truly encompasses the spirit of the Lowcountry.

“HILTON HEAD ISLAND IN THE CIVIL WAR: DEPARTMENT OF THE SOUTH”

By Robert Carse If you are interested in Civil War history, this book is a great account especially of the Battle and Occupation of Port Royal. This part of the war is fascinating, especially for those of us who love the Lowcountry. This book has photographs and lots of other information about the period.

“REMEMBERING THE WAY IT WAS”

By Fran Heyward Marscher In the 100 years separating the Civil War and the 1950s, the Lowcountry was a world unto itself. The big plantations were gone and for those remaining, life had to be wrenched from the soil and the creeks. But for some, these isolated barrier islands offered heaven on earth: virgin maritime forest, pristine saltwater, sand roads and plentiful wild game. This fascinating collection of stories speaks to us of life in a simpler time.

24

LocalLifeSC.com + FEBRUARY 2019

“A NEW SOUTH HUNT CLUB”

By Richard Rankin The Hilton Head Agricultural Company, incorporated in 1917, was comprised of mill owners, bankers, physicians, and other local leaders from three communities: Gastonia, N.C.; Clover, S.C.; and Chattanooga, Tenn. Every year, those men would slough off their high-powered business concerns, pile in their cars, make the long drive to the coast, arrange for a boat to Hilton Head, and traverse the wild island to the simple hunting camp they had established here.

“THEY SERVED”

By Nancy Burke, Patricia Burke and Susie Marquis This book tells the stories of Civil War soldiers who served in the United States Colored Troops from Hilton Head Island, taken from their military pension record applications. The applications tell detailed and poignant stories of the lives of the soldiers and their families and the hardships they endured, both in the war and in their personal lives before and after the war. They contain many names and relationships of interest to genealogists and historians.

“LEGENDARY LOCALS OF HILTON HEAD”

By Barbara Muller Before the Europeans came, Amerindians celebrated on Hilton Head Island with seasonal oyster feasts. Later, planters made fortunes here with Sea Island cotton. But the island came alive to the guns of the Union in 1861 and, for seven years, was host to the troops who helped former slaves even before the Emancipation Proclamation made freedom official.

The forces left, and the island slept. In the pages of this book are some of the people who kept the Gullah sea island culture alive, a self-sustaining culture of mutual help and integrity, living off the sea and the land.

“THE HISTORY OF BEAUFORT COUNTY, SOUTH CAROLINA”

By Lawrence S. Rowland, Alexander Moore and George C. Rogers, Jr. Three distinguished historians of the Palmetto State recount more than three centuries of Spanish and French exploration, English and Huguenot agriculture, and African slave labor as they trace the history of one of North America's oldest European settlements.

CONSISTENTLY AMAZING VACATION RENTALS

REAL ESTATE | RENTALS | RENOVATIONS

5 Office Way, Hilton Head Island, SC | 80 Madison Avenue, New York, NY | 843.341.3600

To book a BESTNEST, or easily browse every area property for sale, please visit BeverlySerral.com

blend

Love bites

NOTHING IS MORE ROMANTIC THAN CHOCOLATE

TOP 5 THINGS TO DIP IN CHOCOLATE

We reached out to the local chocolate queen, Nancy Paris of The Chocolate Canopy, for a few dipping ideas. Here are her suggestions: 1. Strawberries: Often associated with romance and decadence, chocolate covered strawberries are highly sought after on Valentine’s Day at The Chocolate Canopy.

Add chocolate drizzle or chopped nuts to make them even more attractive.

2. Oreos: The world’s best selling cookie tastes even better when drenched in chocolate, but what do you do with all the broken ones? Add them to a bowl of white chocolate, mix, and spread on parchment paper to make cookies and cream bark.

3. Pretzels: Three ring, rods, or minis, the combination of sweet and salty makes chocolate covered pretzels one of our favorite things.

Add M&Ms or toffee bits for a variety of flavors.

4. Peanut butter: Spread it between two Ritz crackers before dipping or use grandma’s buckeye recipe — the combination of chocolate and peanut butter can’t be beat. There’s a reason Hershey’s sells more than $500 million of Reese’s annually.

5. Dried fruit: Pick your favorite and make it even sweeter by dipping it in chocolate. We feature ginger, apricots, kiwi, and mangos and also recommend dipping dried pineapple in white chocolate for a sweet version of a piña colada.

26

LocalLifeSC.com + FEBRUARY 2019

c

Chocolate and Valentine’s Day are a match made in heaven. We reached out to the Lowcountry’s top chefs and restaurants for their favorite recipes using chocolate.

Wow your sweetie by making one or more of these items on Feb. 14.

MORE INSIDE Find more chocolate recipes from local chefs and restaurants on page 82.

POSEIDON THE PEARL KITCHEN + BAR

Dark Chocolate Avocado Truffles

INGREDIENTS 12 ounces 70 percent dark chocolate discs 2 avocados 1 teaspoon vanilla paste 4 tablespoons cocoa powder 1/4 teaspoon sea salt DIRECTIONS Combine chocolate discs, vanilla paste and sea salt over a double boiler. Melt and stir until smooth. Mash avocado into smooth paste. Remove chocolate mix from heat, add avocado and refrigerate until firm (around 20-30 minutes). Roll into 1-inch by 1-inch balls. Dust with cocoa powder and serve.

— From chef Nathanial Clepper

Flourless Chocolate Torte INGREDIENTS 6 ounces butter 1 pound 10-ounce dark chocolate 6 eggs, separated 1/2 cup sugar 1 cup toasted and chopped macadamia nuts

DIRECTIONS [1] Preheat oven to 320 degrees. Melt butter in stainless steel bowl over a pot of simmering water (double broiler). [2] While butter is melting, in a mixer using whisk attachment on high speed, beat the 6 egg whites and sugar until stiff peaks form.

[3] While egg whites are whipping, return to melted butter and slowly whisk in chocolate chips until fully melted. Remove bowl from heat and whisk in eggs yolks one at a time. [4] Add egg whites to chocolate mixture in thirds. Whisk in the first third until fully combined, then fold in the second third using rubber spatula. Finish by folding in the last third until the mixture is streak-free. [5] Spray a 9-inch cake pan and coat with granulated sugar. Place cake pan in a water bath to go halfway up the sides of the pan.

Cover with foil and bake for 25-30 minutes. Once cooled, add toasted nuts. Cut, serve and enjoy!

— From executive chef Christopher Carge

A. THOMAS BUNDY,MD, FAAD, FACMS BOARD CERTIFIED DERMATOLOGY BOARD CERTIFIED MOHS SURGERY

843.689.9200

www.hiltonheaddermatology.com HILTON HEAD ISLAND

15 Hospital Center Blvd. • Medical Quarters • Suite One

BLUFFTON-OKATIE

4 Okatie Center Blvd. South • Legacy Center • Suite 202

blend

OUR COMMITMENT TO CLIENTS:

We will recommend investments and solutions based on your unique goals.

©PHOTO BY MIKE RITTERBECK

“We will listen, understand and document your financial goals and track progress against them.

i

Adopt this Pet: Scooter

LOVABILITY METER

THIS REDCOAT IS SURE TO REVOLUTIONIZE YOUR LIFE

We will act in YOUR best interest – we are YOUR fiduciary.”

— John Rush

28

LocalLifeSC.com + FEBRUARY 2019

In the colonial period, dogs were imported into the United States for hunting purposes. Various breeds were brought over from England, Ireland, and France, but those dogs were often unable to hold the scent for hunting American animals that did not hide near the ground, but instead climbed trees. This led to the development of tree hound breeds such as the coonhound. It’s a desirable breed here in the sportsman’s paradise we call the Lowcountry — and there’s a beautiful one at the Hilton Head Humane Association named Scooter that happens to be hunting for his forever home. Scooter, 2, is 58 pounds of muscle topped off with a shiny red coat.

He has a nice and gentle personality, and would make a good family dog. Go get him today. LL

MORE ABOUT SCOOTER Color: Brownish red Age: 2 (about 24 in human years) Likes: Chasing things, smelling things, the Clifford the Big Red Dog children’s book series.

Dislikes: “Bird Box” the film. “In the novel, dogs are introduced and one goes crazy, just like the humans. There is no mention of dogs in the Netflix film though.

What’s up with that? People can’t see and nobody has the bright idea of calling for a dog’s help? C’mon man!” — Scooter Adopt him: Hilton Head Humane Association, hhhumane.org.

843-681-8686

Then & Now

Hilton Head Island: How it was before the bridge (1956) vs. how it is today (2019)

MEDIAN HOME COST 1956: $11,700 → 2019: $409,100 MONTHLY RENT 1956: $88 → 2019: $1,585 MINIMUM WAGE 1956: $1 → 2019: $7.25 YEARLY WAGE 1956: $4,450 → 2019: $43,807 STAMP PRICE 1956: 3 cents → 2019: 55 cents HOT ACTOR 1956: John Wayne 2019: Jason Momoa HOT ACTRESS 1956: Marilyn Monroe 2019: Lauren Cohan HOT SINGER 1956: Elvis Presley 2019: Post Malone TV SHOW 1956: I Love Lucy 2019: The Good Place TALK SHOW 1956: The Ed Sullivan Show 2019: The Ellen DeGeneres Show MOVIE 1956: Around the World in 80 Days 2019: The Shape of Water MOVIE TICKET 1956: 50 cents → 2019: $10 HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION 1956: Rocky Marciano 2019: Deontay Wilder LIFE EXPECTANCY 1956: Males 66, females 73 → 2019: Males 76, females 81 FAMOUS QUOTE 1956: "Live fast, die young, leave a good-looking corpse.” - James Dean 2019: “Finally my winter fat is gone.

Now I have spring rolls.” - The Internet KID CRIMES 1956: Chewing gum in class → 2019: Actual crimes

“We are committed to doing right by our clients.”

— John Rush, Financial Advisor

John Rush and Associates A financial advisory practice of Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc.

1533 Fording Island Road, Suite 328, Hilton Head, SC

ameripriseadvisors.com/john.b.rush

Call us today! 843.837.1220 Providing a comprehensive financial planning approach and advice since 1998.

Ameriprise Financial cannot guarantee future financial results. Investment advisory services and products are made available through Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc., a registered investment adviser. Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc., Member FINRA and SIPC. © 2018 Ameriprise Financial, Inc., All rights reserved.

FEBRUARY 2019 + LocalLifeSC.com

29

EXPERIENCE MATTERS. WE GET RESULTS.

blend

Carmen A. Traywick, MD . Frederick G. Weniger, MD, FACS

NONPROFIT SPOTLIGHT

NAMI LOWCOUNTRY MISSION

As your premier medical spa in the Lowcountry, we make it possible to have and maintain a more youthful appearance with the use of clinical procedures and spa treatments.

NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) Lowcountry is dedicated to improving the lives of people with mental illness and their families. It reaches out to our community; advocates for mental health; and provides education and support so that all those affected can build better lives.

BOTOX / DYSPORT DERMAL FILLERS COOLSCULPTING LASER TREATMENTS SKIN CARE Let us bring out your natural beauty today by scheduling a complementary consultation!

SHOW OF SUPPORT NAMI Lowcountry fundraisers include the NAMI Lowcountry Walk and the Mardi Gras Gala.

HISTORY:

In 1988, a handful of Beaufort County families that were all trying to cope with the mental illness of a loved one met through their association with the Coastal Empire Community Mental Health Center in Beaufort. They formed the Beaufort Alliance for the Mentally Ill and continued to meet informally to support each other and find ways to educate the community about serious mental illness. In 1991 NAMI Beaufort County was officially recognized as a nonprofit organization. In 2015 the board of directors voted to change the affiliate name to NAMI Lowcountry to better reflect the expansion of its service area to include Beaufort, Jasper, Hampton, Colleton and Allendale counties.

WHO IT HELPS: NAMI Lowcountry offers programs that support individuals with

350 FORDING ISLAND ROAD SUITE 101 | BLUFFTON, SC 843.781.6672 | LUXHHI.COM LUX, LLC is owned by Carmen A. Traywick, MD of May River Dermatology and Frederick G. Weniger, MD, FACS of Weniger Plastic Surgery.

30

LocalLifeSC.com + FEBRUARY 2019

mental illness. NAMI Connection is a peer-led recovery support group for people living with mental illness in which people learn from each other’s experiences, share coping strategies, and offer each other encouragement and understanding. NAMI Peer-to-Peer is a free, 10-session educational program for adults with mental illness who are looking to better understand their condition and journey toward recovery. NAMI Lowcountry also owns apartments that they rent at reduced cost to the mentally ill who are able to live independently.

HOW TO HELP:

Become a NAMI member at the national, state and local level.

Also, 100 percent of donated money stays in the Lowcountry. You can also support NAMI Lowcountry events, such as the 2019 Mardi Gras Gala on Feb. 16 at Sonesta Resort. LL FOR MORE INFORMATION ON NAMI LOWCOUNTRY Visit namilowcountry.org, email namilowcountrysc@gmail.com or call 843-681-2200

Mensa Moment | Official Mensa Mini-Quiz ®

Answers are available on LocalLifeSC.com/Mensa

6. What word logically comes next in the following sequence? cat bell miss bolt a) came b) two c) run d) hope 7. Which of the following words is the “odd man out?”

SAIL

TEAK

WAND

PANE

8. A palindrome is a word, phrase or sentence that reads the same backwards or forward. The following palindrome tells what you do when the tool you are using gets dirty. ___ A ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ 9. What is the number that is one more than one-half of one-third of one-tenth of 12,000?

10. The same five letters can be rearranged to form two different words to fill the blanks in the sentence below.

“Don’t ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ,” she said. “I realize the painting is magnificent but it ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ more than that.”

LAST MONTH'S ANSWERS 1. Angle, angel 2. If dumb was dirt, he’d be an acre. 3. $100 [100 ÷ 4 = 25 + 5, leaving 70 ÷ 2 + 5 = 40, leaving 30 ÷ 3 + 10, leaving $10 for lunch.] 4. Tapestry; tapes, try 5. 63246

ARE YOU READY FOR MENSA?

American Mensa is where brilliance belongs – it’s where friendships are forged for life, business connections and opportunities are made, and where brilliant minds find the chance to engage with others in an intellectually stimulating environment. Just for LocalLife readers: Take the Mensa Practice Test for just $5! Visit americanmensa.org/mht and use offer code: Local19. Quiz © 2018 Dr. Abbie F. Salny Mensa provides official tests and answers to LOCAL Life as part of an exclusive license agreement. Answers are available on LocalLifeSC.com/Mensa

A familiar face, focused on you.

Emily Bollin, OD

joins our highly skilled, professional staff at Bishop Eye Center.

At Bishop Eye Center, we have the leading expertise to match our advanced technology methods to your individual eye care needs — all framed in an experience you’ll be comfortable with. We’re excited to add Dr. Bollin to our growing practice.

Start here. Your eyes will thank you.

The Leading Center for Cataract Surgery H i l t o n H ea d • Okat ie • 843-689-3937 • B is hopEye.c om

FEBRUARY 2019 + LocalLifeSC.com

31

blend

itk PROJECT SAFE:

FINDING A SOLUTION TO A LONGSTANDING PROBLEM

FOOD FOR THOUGHT If you eat the fresh shrimp and oysters that come from our waters, you should be concered about failing septic systems.

32

LocalLifeSC.com + FEBRUARY 2019

o

On a chilly Sunday morning in mid-December, Pastor Louis Johnson of Hilton Head’s Central Oak Grove Missionary Baptist Church stood before his congregation and proudly declared, “This is one of the biggest things that we have done, and we’re very excited about it.” He shared his hopes “that this donation motivates other people, and other churches will become committed to helping the project.”

The “project” Pastor Johnson was referring to is Project SAFE (Sewer Access for Everyone), an initiative to provide access to public sewer for families, primarily Native Islanders, on the island’s north end. The “donation” was a check to Community Foundation of the Lowcountry for $6,700. It took the Gullah congregation nearly two years to raise the money. The magic number of $6,700 is the average cost to connect a home to public sewer. For several years the Community Foundation has been actively raising money to provide grants to low-income families to pay for connection fees to new public sewer lines. The fundraising campaign has included donations from individuals and businesses, but the donation from Central Oak Grove Missionary Baptist Church was especially meaningful, as many of their congregants live on the north end of the island.

For years Native Island families have dealt with inadequate infrastructure, including a lack of access to public sewer. Many homes rely on septic systems, which frequently fail in our Lowcountry environment of high water tables, sandy soil and labyrinth-like tree root systems. Septic systems often overflow, especially during heavy rains, creating unhealthy conditions in yards where children play. These overflows can also result in raw sewage bubbling up through drains and into homes.

And if you think these families are the only ones affected, think again. Septic system overflow drains into adjacent properties and leeches into our waterways, eroding our delicate ecosystem. If you eat the fresh shrimp and oysters that come out of our waters, you should be concerned about failing septic systems.

Efforts to address the problem aren’t new.

For years Native Islanders advocated for up-

graded infrastructure, but little changed. Finally, in 2000, community leaders joined together to discuss waste system issues. An anonymous donor came forward with a $5,000 donation, which established the Project SAFE Fund at the Community Foundation.

That same year the town received a Community Development Block Grant for $750,000 to develop sewer service to the Muddy Creek Road area. Project SAFE volunteers raised an additional $212,000 to meet the funding match required by the grant. The town, Hilton Head PSD, Community Foundation of the Lowcountry, Beaufort County and a number of private donors all contributed to the program.

After necessary environmental studies were conducted and land was acquired, the project got started in December 2003 and was completed in October 2004. At the end of the project, 42 homes were connected to public sewer. But there were many homes left to get connected.

In 2004, Hilton Head PSD embarked on a long range project to provide public sewer to 100 percent of the properties in its service area.

Because of those efforts, more than 95 percent of their service area had access to public sewer by 2014. During that period, PSD implemented a “round up” program called Bucks for a Better Island. This program still contributes an average of $20,000 to the Project SAFE Fund every year.

Project SAFE continued, but slowly, until 2015, when a Sewer Summit was held with representatives from the Town of Hilton Head Island, Hilton Head PSD and Community Foundation of the Lowcountry. Following this summit, Project SAFE was reborn as a collaborative effort between the three entities.

And they’ve proved to be a formidable team.

The Town of Hilton Head committed $10 million toward the project and has donated townowned land for sewer infrastructure. Hilton Head PSD developed a five-year master sewer plan, which included new main sewer lines, sewer collector main construction and two new regional sewer lift stations, along with upgrades to two existing sewer lift stations. In fact, Hilton Head PSD recently earned the Wastewater System of the Year Award from the South Carolina Rural Water Association because of its contributions to this project. Lastly, Community Foundation of the Lowcountry pledged

Exquisite...

IMPRESSIVE... to raise $3 million to provide grants to lowto moderate-income homes to offset connection fees, which average $6,700 per home. The goal of the fundraising campaign is to raise enough money to connect 350 homes by 2020.

Though the collaboration has seen much success so far, it hasn’t been without challenges. Hilton Head PSD must get approval from homeowners to connect them and some north end residents are skeptical – past promises of infrastructure improvements that never materialized have created a sense of distrust. And with multiple homes sometimes sitting on a single property – along with other heirs’ property issues – getting approval to make sewer connections from all homeowners has, at times, proved problematic. Luckily, Hilton Head PSD commissioner Herbert Ford, a Native Islander himself, was willing to spend innumerable hours going door to door meeting with homeowners to explain Project SAFE and obtain necessary easement authorizations.

Ford’s enthusiasm for the project comes from his early childhood, when his father advocated for infrastructure improvements in the Gullah community and Herbert regularly accompanied him to meetings.

Today, if you travel throughout the island’s north end, you’ll see sewer lines being laid.

You’ll continue to see this for several more years as the Hilton Head PDS’s master plan is completed. So far, the Community Foundation has raised $2.55 million of its $3 million goal. More than 160 families have been connected via grants from the Project SAFE Fund, with 24 more families agreeing to be connected and now await sewer lines in their neighborhoods.

As Helen Keller once said, “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.”

Project SAFE serves as a local example of how the contributions of individuals, businesses, churches, government agencies and nonprofit organizations can find a solution to a problem – and an injustice – that has existed for many years. LL

The goal of the fundraising campaign is to raise enough money to connect 350 homes by 2020.

Interior Design by Denise Stringer

“Building our home was a huge undertaking; designing both the

exterior and the interior was surprisingly, an absolute pleasure thanks to the expertise of Denise Stringer. In my experience, Denise is a very gifted designer who takes the time to listen and get to know her clients. She has exceptional talent and exquisite taste, and gave us the guidance to create what we feel is our perfect French Country home. Denise provided insight and suggestions in a timely manner; when solutions were needed, she was incredibly resourceful, was mindful of our budget.

Interior and Design byalways Cris Taylor Denise is patient, never rushed, and has the ability to educate in a kind and uilding a house is a challenge ... from a distance of 600 miles is a formidable sensitive Mythe wish was to combine some of personal treasures challenge.manner.

I soon saw need to engage the services of my a local talent. Efficient, thorough, organized and ones accomplished, Crisreflect Taylorour became my life-line. and effects with newer that would personal taste.During Denise my visits to the Island, Cris coordinated and attended appointments with fulfilled my wish; she has the ability to merge warmth with elegance, creating vendors to complete construction selections and concurrently orchestrated the asystematic home thatinterior is unique to us, and welcoming allmasterful who visit.methodology.

Denise does not decoration selections, both to with Being able to rely on her she keencreates eye andbeautiful expertise during absence simply design interiors; homesmy and buildswas trusting invaluable. There was never a detail too big or too small to capture her attention. relationships that will last a lifetime.”

She participated in many on-site meetings with our builder to incorporate unique —Dr. Herrmann features in our home. This degree of customer service was neverVirginia expected, but

“B

willingly given. Cris’s skills were further complemented by the dedicated staff at Plantation Interiors who of coordinated thework purchasing, delivery, To view more Denise’s visitwarehousing, her website and set-up with flawless execution. Their showroom is expansive and impressive. It DeniseStringerInteriorDesign.com. symbolizes excellence and excellence is exactly what I found at Plantation Interiors.”

— Bonny & Jack Huffman

10 10 TARGET TARGET ROAD, ROAD, HILTON HILTON HEAD HEAD ISLAND ISLAND n n 843-785-5261 843-785-5261 WWW.PLANTATIONINTERIORS.COM WWW.PLANTATIONINTERIORS.COM FEBRUARY 2019 + LocalLifeSC.com

33

blend

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Bluffton resident Laurie Brown sent us the following letter about what being local means to her. Brown is the founder and owner of Aunt Laurie’s, a company that gives back to the community by providing jobs, job training, projects and a sense of purpose to individuals with disabilities. LOCAL Life welcomes letters to the editor and comments to our website.

Write to lance.hanlin@wearelocallife.com

local What makes it adjective. lo·cal | lō-kəl

1: characterized by or relating to position in space: having a definite spatial form or location 2: of, relating to, or characteristic of a particular place: not general or widespread: of, relating to, or applicable to part of a whole 3: primarily serving the needs of a particular limited district of a public conveyance: making all the stops on a route

It feels like home

LOCAL SINCE 2014 Laurie Brown is shown with Trapper the Wonder Dog. The two are a certified therapy dog team. Brown is the founder and owner of Aunt Laurie’s, a company that was named “Small Business of the Year” in 2018 by the Hilton Head-Bluffton Chamber of Commerce.

34

LocalLifeSC.com + FEBRUARY 2019

t

Travelling back and forth to Hilton Head Island for years is just the start. That is how many of us now can call the Lowcountry our home.

We may not have been born here or lived here for a very long time, but we are local lifers now.

My husband and I could have gone anywhere, and we did. We went to multiple places in Florida, Myrtle Beach, Kiawah Island, Scottsdale, Asheville, Albuquerque, Palm Springs and much more. But, you know what? We always returned to Hilton Head Island.

We felt at home, comfortable. Just the smell of the pine needles and the ocean air made me smile. The golf courses helped a lot too!

I find it hard to understand when someone says, “It took me 20 minutes to get over the bridge.” I used to drive 1 hour 20 minutes each way to work, every day! Twenty minutes on a bridge looking at palm trees, the boats, dolphins, the sun shining on the ocean ripples … let’s get a grip. Things could be worse. You could be sitting in a traffic jam in the middle of a cement city.

It astonishes me when I hear or read about all those tourists on the island. Things like, “So many people, traffic is bad, when are they going to leave? It is overcrowded when the tourists are around,” and on and on. Well, I was a tourist at one time. I loved the island and everything about it. I respected its beauty. This one-time tourist is now a local, and I love it!

Yes, we have tourists. That is what drives our economy. They pay taxes. They buy products. They eat at our restaurants and enjoy our activities. They stay at our resorts and rental properties. They infuse money into our economy, create jobs, and spread the word about our wonderful island we all call home. We need tourists or many of us could not make a living and stay.

So, this one-time tourist now loves being a local and proud of it! I own my own business helping the community. I am active member in many local organizations. My husband and I spend money at restaurants, at golf courses, invest in our home, and continue to help this local economy. We understand and respect the importance of maintaining the area’s beauty. We are proud to now call the Lowcountry our home and are locals for life. Amen. LL

“Every time you smile at someone, it is an action of love, a gift to that person, a beautiful thing.”

– Mother Teresa

Have the smile you’ve always wanted!

Dr. Rothwell is an accredited member of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, and offers you the skill, compassion and dedication to help you have the smile you’ve always wanted.

Bonnie J. Rothwell, DMD, AAACD 11 Hospital Center Common, Suite 200 Hilton Head Island, SC

843.342.6900

hiltonheadcosmeticdentist.com smilesyoulove.com Bonnie J. Rothwell, DMD, AAACD

Call for your complimentary cosmetic consultation.

faces

36

LocalLifeSC.com + FEBRUARY 2019

Before the Bridge MEET FOUR LOCALS WHO REMEMBER WHAT ISLAND LIFE WAS LIKE BEFORE THE DEVELOPERS CAME

i

STORY BY BARRY KAUFMAN PHOTOGRAPHY BY LISA STAFF

It may be hard to visualize, being as we are in the thick of Hilton Head Island’s glitzy resort era, but there was a time when Hilton Head Island was untamed. Wild. Free. It was a time when dirt roads snaked through quiet forests beneath canopies of live oak branches. When communities stretched only so far as to the nearest church. It was a much quieter Hilton Head Island, but there were many who called it home. It was their island long before it was ours, and this was their life before the bridge.

FEBRUARY 2019 + LocalLifeSC.com

37

faces LL Find additional images from these photo shoots online at LocalLifeSC.com

Mary Stewart

t

EVERYONE DID THEIR PART

There’s a simple admission Mary Stewart made at the beginning of our interview that speaks volumes about who she is.

“I got a lot of laughter in me.”

Our interview begins with a prayer, Stewart requesting the Almighty’s help in sharing her story. “Help me, Lord, to say what needs to be said.” It would seem the Heavenly Father was listening, because Stewart proceeded to paint a picture of a fascinating life of a young girl whose growth mirrored the growth of the island.

Born in 1948 in what was then known as Stoney Plantation, the borders of young Mary Stewart’s world rarely extended past the nearby grocery stores and her small school on Squire Pope Road. Her family were all fishermen, working the shore to put shrimp and oysters on the table.

And everyone did their part to keep the family fed. “What is a delicacy to people now, that was a way of life to us,” she said. “At an early age we knew how to pick crab, head shrimp… the Toomers had a dock and they had an oyster factory, so I learned. My momma did not raise lazy kids.”

It was her mother’s strong work ethic that defined Mary Stewart’s upbringing. When

38

LocalLifeSC.com + FEBRUARY 2019

Try Waterfront Living 1 2 MO N T H S AT A T I M E .

Mary would work the vast tomato fields in what is now Hilton Head Plantation, bringing her pay home in the form of fistfuls of dimes, her mother would make sure every one of them made it back to the family.

She’d get back just two dimes, enough to buy candy from her mom’s store. It seems like a story of harsh parenting, but as with all things, Stewart shares it through laughter.

“My mama was always a hustling lady. She always made a dime. I think that’s one of the good things about me and my sisters,” she said.

“I probably would have never told her, but Mama I thank you for the way you treated me. Those old people were firm.”

Her world expanded the first time when the school buses arrived, showing her what lay beyond the borders of Stoney Plantation.

“There was a lot of the island we never saw,” she said. “When they started the school bus, that’s when we saw other kids. It was a lot of people but not a lot of transportation.”

Later on, another set of wheels would see her world expand once again.

“I remember standing in my yard one day and I see all these big trucks passing the house with all these logs, leaving the island,” she said. Those trucks were clearing land, and in the process ushering in Hilton Head Island’s era as a resort

paradise. “Then I heard about this man Charles Fraser building a hotel, and that was the light at the end of the tunnel… I saw him as a blessing because then it took me and my sisters out of the oyster factory.”

Through the newly formed Sea Pines Plantation, Stewart found work in food service and housekeeping that allowed her to build a life, raise her daughters and chart her own destiny. Although the journey took her as far away as Nashville, she always found herself returning to her home. “I couldn’t wait to get back here because of the kindness,” she said.

She’s had her trials and her hardships, but she’s found herself on the other side of them with laughter on her lips and a deep abiding faith in her heart. “I would never be where I’m at today if it weren’t for the day Jesus showed himself.”

And just like her mother taught her, she’s still finding ways to make a dime. Sometimes it’s as a caretaker, sometimes as the purveyor of mouth-watering Daufuskie Island deviled crab.

“I’ve never been a lazy person.

I’m 71 now and I’m still the same way,” she said. “If I can work for a living, you’ll never hear me ask for a handout.”

But what you will hear is laughter, and an inspiring story of growing up step by step with the island she calls home. LL

N O W L EA SI N G BRAN D N EW APARTMENTS

Experience all that WaterWalk has to offer: • Luxury one, two and three bedroom floor plans ranging from 1,054 to 2,121 sf • Sweeping waterfront views • Maintenance-free living • Resort-style amenities • Premium concierge services • Walking distance to shopping, dining and entertainment

TOUR OUR MODEL HOME TODAY

LOCAL SINCE 1948 Mary Stewart has mastered the art of serving crab, from her crab quiche to fresh crab claws. Her Daufuskie Island deviled crab is out of this world.

WaterWalkHHI.com | 843-258-4436 47 Shelter Cove Ln, Hilton Head Island, SC 29928 FEBRUARY 2019 + LocalLifeSC.com

39

faces LL Find additional images from these photo shoots online at LocalLifeSC.com

Robert Graves

f

IT WAS A NATURAL PARADISE Few can claim a front-row seat to the island’s growth the way Robert Graves has.

“Somebody told me this past year I’ve lived long enough to see a town birthed and see it come to fruition,” he said. “I’d never thought about it that way.”

A scion of the esteemed Graves family, who have lived on Pepper Hall Plantation for generations, Graves grew up among its fields and marshes. He vividly recalls the sight of flood waters approaching the plantation during the storm of 1940 which saw Daufuskie and Hilton Head slip beneath the waves. He tells stories, endlessly fascinating stories, of a wild and free Lowcountry.

Raised side by side with native Gullah, he can still slip into their language (although he admits it takes a few glasses of wine). And if you ask him what it was like, he’ll weave together stories of great hunts with his dog Red Rover that stretched from the Colleton River down to the May and west to where the great asphalt tumult of I-95 now runs. He’ll tell you of the peaceful existence of a kid raised on a farm in the midst of a vast natural paradise.

40

LocalLifeSC.com + FEBRUARY 2019

LOCAL SINCE 1951 Robert Graves is still crafting Seacrest, the resort that brought his family to Hilton Head Island almost 70 years ago.

“Back then it was virgin timber.

They’d burn the wood so you’d see under the canopy. It was just beautiful. Deer would be hopping and cattle would be grazing but it was just a different picture then than it is today.”

He came to Hilton Head Island in 1951, when his father bought the Seacrest with an eye toward providing a bed for those who’d missed the ferry. The hotel’s first innkeeper was a doormat, where guests would find a key and leave a $20 after checkout. His father would eventually build on this success until the Seacrest had more than 100 rooms and one of the island’s best restaurants.

And with that, the young Robert Graves saw a future in helping build this island. Selling his beloved livestock to fund his first project, he began building on the island in force in 1959. When he became the preferred builder for Charles Fraser, it was off to the races, with Graves crafting the homes that would fuel the great land rush onto Hilton Head Island.

You’re likely to still find him out on site, swinging a hammer.

“It keeps my mind challenged,” he said. “I can truly say I wake up every day and I can’t wait to do what I do. It’s full of dirt and saw-

dust and all that, but I just enjoy creativity.”

Where his creativity truly shines is in his stories, stories to which we couldn’t possibly do justice.

Late-night fox hunts filled with good-natured pranks. How his love of building boats saw him creating one for legendary boat builder John Rybovich (“That’s like Ernest Hemingway asking you to help him write a book.”) How the front room at what is now The Pearl was once Bluffton’s premiere spot to play some Fats Domino on the jukebox. How the 1972 oil embargo saw him flat broke, with nearly $10 million in work on the ground.

He’ll tell you all about his fascinating journey, and how it all happened in a place he still loves, no matter how much it has changed.

“You can’t take it back to the beauty of what I grew up in. I can tell you about it, but there’s no way to even paint a picture of what it looked like,” he said. “You’d come down these little roads and the moss would be hanging down and it was beautiful. But you had to widen the roads to make them safe. You had to build a bridge to keep the economics going. I’m not against productive things. If it’s creative, I like it even better.” LL

With 75 sizes, born from real data, Stantt offers 98% of guys a perfect fit in under a minute, made just for you and delivered to our store in under 10 days.

in the shadow of the lighthouse HARBOUR TOWN 843.671.2291 FEBRUARY 2019 + LocalLifeSC.com

41

faces LL Find additional images from these photo shoots online at LocalLifeSC.com

Frederick C. Hack, Jr.

s

THE SOUNDS AND SMELLS WERE DIFFERENT

Seated in the living room of his gorgeous Spanish Wells home, Frederick C. Hack Jr. is surrounded by reminders of his youth on a Hilton Head Island that was much different from today’s resort paradise. Walls to either side of him hold artwork that came from Honey Horn Plantation in which he grew up. And the windows before and behind him overlook the lush natural beauty that defines this island – Spanish moss dancing in the live oaks on breezes that come across the water. Both elements, the history and the scenery of unspoiled wilderness, define his upbringing.

“I don’t remember stories. I remember going into the dog kennels and smelling that food,” he said, his eyes far away. Far from the convenience of pet food stores, dogs at Honey Horn ate wild game, turnip greens, or whatever was lying around. “There’s another memory I hear, I don’t smell. The public road to the Spanish Wells and Joneseville areas was Honey Horn Lane that ran across Jarvis Creek. You can still see where the bridge was – of course it’s been pulled out, but there are two pieces of causeway.

The marsh tacky traffic was by wagon and horseback. After dark, I could hear those horses galloping past the house.”

42

LocalLifeSC.com + FEBRUARY 2019

SOPHISTICATED

WEALTH MANAGEMENT

The smells of farm life and the sounds of an island on which the majority of travel was by horseback, this is the Hilton Head Island that Hack remembers.

Brought to the island in June 1950 at 3 years old, Hack grew up on Honey Horn Plantation, among the fields, woods, creeks and buildings that now house the Coastal Discovery Museum. His father had come to the island drawn by timber but would soon become one of the developers who would ultimately build Hilton Head Island’s future, and an icon in the island’s history. But for the younger Hack, the wonder of the island wasn’t in its timbers but in the quiet bucolic childhood it afforded him.

“Most of my life was centered on Honey Horn,” he said. “We played in the barn, we climbed trees. There was activity all the time.”

Again, his description of the island in those days doesn’t come out in stories. It comes out in a rich verbal tapestry woven together in places, people, and sensations. How he used to ride out with his father to the vast truck farming fields inside what is now Hilton Head Plantation, hundreds of acres growing everything from tomatoes to squash. How he and his brother Byron would go far

afield hunting deer or doves. How he and his sister Avary attended a one-room schoolhouse that has long been torn down. How they’d park an old military-style Jeep right on the beach and go surf casting. The sounds of domestic turkeys gobbling in their pens. The smell of a woodfired stove. The bristle of hay as he baled it. This was his Hilton Head.

After the bridge, Hack would attend school in Savannah, then Duke, then, after several years working alongside his father at The Hilton Head Company, South Carolina Law School. But his heart was always on the island. He returned from law school to an island that had changed, but still captivated. As it marched from idyllic getaway to community, he was there to help usher it along, serving on the Hilton Head Commission, a county-created precursor to incorporation. He was a charter member of First Presbyterian Church, which his parents organized in 1957.

The earliest services were held in the chapel at Honey Horn, which he and his sister swept out before service.

He and his family served on the board at Coastal Discovery Museum, with his own involvement starting in 1998.

He was on the board and chairman at Sea Pines Montessori, and has volunteered with Volunteers in Medicine, the Jaycees, Hilton Head Island Rescue Squad. And perhaps most importantly, he and his wife of 35 years, Carol, have raised two daughters on Hilton Head.

From a farm boy in a secluded Southern paradise to a retired attorney who helped play his part in shaping the island’s growth, Hack has lived and breathed Hilton Head Island. And he shares it not in stories, but in moments that defined an island before – and after — the bridge. LL LOCAL SINCE 1950 One of the most historic places to visit on Hilton Head is Honey Horn Plantation. Frederick C. Hack Jr. grew up there.

TO SERVE YOUR INDIVIDUAL NEEDS

OUR TEAM OF ADVISORS left to right

CHRISTOPHER SPIRES Managing Director, Senior Vice President, Investments DUSTIN WILDER Managing Director, Senior Vice President, Investments CRAIG A. GILMOUR CFP®, Financial Advisor

FINANCIAL PLANNING • RETIREMENT PLANNING INVESTMENT STRATEGY ESTATE AND CHARITABLE PLANNING

LET’S UNCOVER THE POSSIBILITY OF WORKING TOGETHER

VISIT US IN PERSON AT 27 Towne Drive, Suite 102, Bluffton, SC 29910

843.836.3320 OR ONLINE AT raymondjames.com/coastalstateswm Raymond James & Associates. INC., Member New York Stock Exchange/SIPC CFP Board owns the CFP® and Certified Financial Planner TM marks in the United States.

FEBRUARY 2019 + LocalLifeSC.com

43

faces LL Find additional images from these photo shoots online at LocalLifeSC.com

JR Richardson

b

IT WAS A SMALL, TIGHT-KNIT COMMUNITY

By now, you’ve no doubt read about the tremendous impact that the Richardson family has had on our island’s history. How Norris Richardson built the island’s first true supermarket, then expanded his Forest Beach Market to encompass Coligny Plaza, bringing with it the island’s first of nearly every business you can think of: laundromat, car wash, ice cream store, etc.

You no doubt know of how his son continued that family legacy, developing Windmill Harbor and the South Carolina Yacht Club, helping found Coastal States Bank, and volunteering his time at nearly every organization you can think of.

But before he was the JR Richardson who helped chart our island’s destiny, he was just a kid traveling by barge to his new island home at the edge of the world. “I remember coming over to the island and thinking, ‘What am I getting into?’”

Hilton Head Island’s bridge was still months away from being built, and on that cusp of explosive growth the island was still in its infancy. Compared to his relatively metropolitan hometown of Thomasville, Ga., the island was wild. Whatever

44

LocalLifeSC.com + FEBRUARY 2019

LOCAL SINCE 1956 Hilton Head Island has seen incredible change over the past 63 years and JR Richardson (shown with his wife, Leslie) has witnessed all of it.

misgivings Richardson had about moving were quickly washed away as he began to explore.

“There was so much vegetation, with dense forests and the roads were two-lane dirt roads,” he said.

“There was one paved road. It was like paradise in the wild kingdom.

And oh that beach, that beautiful pristine beach. I grew up with the ocean as my front yard.”

While he remembers the wilderness of Hilton Head Island in those days, and the endless possibilities it offered for exploration and hunting, many of his most treasured memories of those days center on his family, and the small community around them who called Hilton Head home.

“One time I was playing on the beach with my mother, Mary Katherine, and Collins. On the horizon, so close you could almost touch the boat, Bennie Hudson was shrimping. He yelled to my mother if she swam out, he would give her some shrimp,” said JR. “I can still see her swimming with

a bag full of shrimp in one hand over her head. We had shrimp for dinner that night!”

Even in the years following the opening of the bridge, setting the stage for the development in which JR would play his part, the island was still a small, tight-knit community. One where the novelty of seeing another car driving on the road would be enough to propel both parties to pull over and chat.

“There was a great sense of community for the people that lived on Hilton Head Island. We knew all the people on the south end of Hilton Head Island. We met even more people because my mother wrote a little sign by hand for all customers to see,” he said.

JR would be put to work, setting up the family home on Sunday mornings for Sunday school classes his mother organized for anyone visiting the island.

“We met so many people who loved the beach and the beauty of our Island as much as we did.” LL

GARY T. BEZILLA, MBA 400 Merchant Street Hilton Head Island, SC 29926 843-681-1400 gary.bezilla@wfadvisors.com

FEBRUARY 2019 + LocalLifeSC.com

45

celebrity

+A Q The comic

relief of Rita Rudner CELEBRITY CONNECTION:

THE POPULAR COMEDIAN IS RETURNING TO HILTON HEAD FOR TWO SHOWS AT THE ARTS CENTER. STORY BY DEAN ROWLAND PHOTOS BY MARTIN BERGMAN

See her live

What: The comedy of Rita Rudner When: 5 and 8 p.m., Monday, Feb. 18 Where: Arts Center of Coastal Carolina Details: Suited for all ages. Single tickets are $49. Purchase tickets online at artshhi.com or by calling 843-842-2787

46

LocalLifeSC.com + FEBRUARY 2019

i

In between walking her dog Twinkle, a dog wash, a salon appointment, and a meeting with her stage designer and musical director on a play she and her husband, Martin Bergman, are writing and producing, LOCAL Life spent some time talking with Rita Rudner, the legendary comedienne from her Laguna, Calif., home.

Throughout more than three decades of creative outpouring, the Florida native has performed countless stand-up comedy routines, starred in cable television specials, appeared on late night talk shows including the “Tonight Show” with Johnny Carson, anchored a lengthy record-setting residency in Las Vegas (for 13 years without ever gambling) where they also have a home, headlined cruises, authored five books, and written and performed in musicals. She’s also mom to their daughter, Molly, 16.

Rudner, who moved to New York City at the age of 15 and spent 10 years as a Broadway dancer, will be at the Arts Center of Coastal Carolina on Feb. 18 performing two shows. She’s headlinied corporate events before on the island. Here are excerpts from the interview: [Local Life] Let’s talk a little bit more about your dog. [Rita Rudner] I have a very strange dog, which I didn’t think existed … a Chinese crested powderpuff. She’s the dog with no hair. I wanted to name her Barbara, because I think that would be a good name for a dog— ‘here Barbara’ — but my daughter said, ‘No mommy, it’s my dog,’ so it’s Twinkle.

I don’t want her to talk too much about me in therapy.

When did you first know you were funny and who was your audience when you realized it? [RR] I never realized it; I always worked at being funny. The first time an audience laughed, I guess I knew I had a joke.

I always depend on my audience to tell me if I’m funny.

FEBRUARY 2019 + LocalLifeSC.com

47

celebrity Does your daughter think you’re funny? [RR] No, in a word. She thinks I’m a tiger mom, and I’m too tough on her. And I should just be her friend and laugh at her when she makes some terrible mistakes, when some grades come in that aren’t appropriate.

Is your husband your sounding board for your material? [RR] No, he won’t tolerate that. I don’t have any sounding boards except for my audience. When I was first starting out, I used to send jokes to my friends on their answering machines, but now I’m confident enough where if I say it in front of an audience and they don’t laugh, I move on.

Why did you transition from dancer to comedian, and who were your peers at that time?

[RR] Because I noticed there weren’t too many female comedians. Joan Rivers and Phyllis Diller were the only two women I was aware of who were doing comedy. I knew they were funny, but they had a very specific aggressive style, and I figured I would change. I liked Jack Benny and Woody Allen, and I figured I could be a woman who could do a more subtle style of comedy.

RENAISSANCE WOMAN Rita Rudner is a comedian, screenwriter, author, actress and mom. You may remember her from the films Peter's Friends (1992), Love Hurts (2009) and Tales from the Crypt (1994).

and most inspiring? Do you ever steal ideas from them? [RR] No, I never steal anything. I used to love David Letterman and his quirky style and the way he was understated and overstated at the same time. I was just starting out in New York when he was just starting out in New York. When I came home, my doorman said, ‘I saw you on Letterman, when are you on again?’ I thought, ‘Oh my gosh, I have to write more material.’

Since the early ‘80s you have consistently performed one-night stands, cable specials, on late-night talk shows, a Vegas residency, written films and authored books. What’s your favorite way to express yourself? [RR] Standup comedy. Nothing compares. It’s immediate gratification. The audience is happy, and I’m happy. When you do a movie, you wait a year before it comes out…With comedy, I like taking my life in my own hands. I get to wear what I want, say what I want and just be who I am.

Your web site describes your comic style as “epigrammatic.” What does that mean?

[RR] I don’t know. Tell me again what it says: ‘epigrammatic.’ I don’t know what that means.

I’ll have to get in touch with whoever wrote that. (She turns around and asks her husband who’s in the room what the word means). I guess maybe it means concise. Martin went to school, and I didn’t. Look at how smart he is; I guess that’s why I married him.

What makes you funny and a crowd pleaser?

Where did the Rita Rudner on stage come from? [RR] The most important thing for a person is to be honest when they’re on stage.

The audience will sense if you’re not doing something that’s really true to you.

Of all the colleagues and celebrities you’ve met through the years, who’s the funniest

48

LocalLifeSC.com + FEBRUARY 2019

Is there an end goal in your life or are you just riding your creative wave forever?

[RR] I just want to be a good mother; that’s what I’m working on now.

You’re performing two shows next month at the Arts Center of Coastal Carolina. Do you know what kind of audience you can expect at 5 and 8 p.m.? [RR] Well dressed.

RITA RUDNER,

BY THE NUMBERS 65: Born Sept. 17, 1953 1982: Rudner made her network television debut on Late Night with David Letterman 4: Books Rudner has authored (I Still Have It; I Just Can't Remember Where I Put It, Naked Beneath My Clothes, Tickled Pink and Turning The Tables) 2 million: Tickets sold in Las Vegas. She has the longest-running solo comedy show in Las Vegas.

Which audience has given you the most chills of appreciation and applause? Carnegie Hall, Vegas, a certain comedy club? [RR] Well, I feed off of every audience. But Carnegie Hall was special because all of my friends were there, my dad came from Florida, my in-laws came from London, and my picture was outside Carnegie Hall. Very rewarding.

What’s next for you? [RR] Martin and I are working on a new poster for our musical we’re doing in July and August off-Broadway at the 59 East 59th Street theater. We’re working hard…

I’ve finished writing my autobiography, “My Life in Dog Years,” but I’m going over it and over it and over it because I keep forgetting stuff. And I keep living longer and have to add stuff.). LL

stone

o

tile

o

area rugs

o

wood

o

carpet

35 main street, suite 110 o hilton head, sc 29926 o (843) 342–4955 w w w. k p m f l o o r i n g . c o m

business

Five tips from a higher education leader FORMER USCB CHANCELLOR JANE UPSHAW OFFERS TIPS FOR SUCCESS

STORY BY EDDY HOYLE

d

Dr. Jane T. Upshaw, entrepreneurial higher education leader, mathematics professor and humanitarian, is a Fairfax, Ala., native who holds undergraduate and master's degrees from Auburn University. In 1993, Upshaw earned her Ph.D. in mathematics education from the University of South Carolina.

In 2002, Upshaw was appointed Chancellor of the University of South Carolina Beaufort, becoming the first woman to lead a comprehensive university in the USC system. She joined USC in 1983 as a professor of mathematics and worked her way up to become the chair of the mathematics department, chair of the faculty, director of development, and dean of the university.

Under her leadership, USC Beaufort became a four-year-degree-granting institution with 26 baccalaureate degree opportunities. On-campus student living was built, and an athletics program with nine intercollegiate sports teams was formed.

She is involved with a wide range of community and civic organizations, sits on several boards and has received numerous awards. Upshaw and her husband, Tom, live in Bluffton and have three children and three grandchildren. Here are her tips for success.

Keys to Success

1. There is no “I” in “Team.” “We achieve our greatest success when all voices come together in a beautiful harmony and a common vision,” Upshaw said. “Always realize that you aren’t in the boat alone. Give others the credit they are due; in fact, give them all the credit and they will go to war for you.

It takes a team to accomplish a shared vision, but the leader must own the mistakes. If you take responsibility for the missteps, then you earn loyalty from your team.”

2. Don't always play it safe. “Take risks. If you calculate every step along the way, you may miss incredible opportunities," Upshaw stated. "It is important not to take foolish risks. Calculate the risk versus the reward, and if the opportunity is great, it may be worth the risk. It takes courage. Very few high-reward opportunities have a safety net. Those in leadership need to have the courage to chose not only the road less traveled, but also to chose a road that must be built."

3. Persevere on your journey. Like life, your career is a journey for which you need to prepare. “Learn all you can to have the confidence needed to step up with courage to meet new opportunities,” Upshaw explained. “Then be willing to persevere through good times and bad so that you can move on to those times that are fun. Find your passion so you can give back ... something that resonates deep in your soul. Without passion, your ability to give back will not be as great.”

4. Bring everyone to the table. “Women bring a different approach to leadership because we are nurturers. That enables us to encourage and collaborate, and to look for the best in others to see what they can contribute so that the sum of the parts is greater,” Upshaw said. “We look to problem solving as our first approach, bringing all to the table, especially when we have to make tough decisions.”

LOCAL SINCE 1981 Jane Upshaw is shown at her last commencement in 2015, attending USCB's first appearance in the NAIA College World Series, having fun at her last Student Life Welcome Week, and with her husband Tom and grandson at the Hilton Head Island St. Patrick's Day Parade. They were grand marshals.

50

LocalLifeSC.com + FEBRUARY 2019

5. Communicate. “Communication is critical to effective leadership," Upshaw said. "Listening is a vital part of that communication skill. It has been my experience that if everyone's voice is heard, they may not win the day, but the outcome is better because they have been an active part of the process.” LL

It all adds up.

At Dividend Assets Capital, we build client portfolios around companies that are consistently increasing their dividends. Whether you are growing assets for retirement, currently living in retirement or saving for your children’s financial future, dividend-paying companies can provide both increasing income and asset growth.

Companies that declare dividends and increase those dividends substantially and consistently year after year tend to perform uncommonly well — for reasons beyond dividends alone.

Dividend Assets Capital strives to meticulously develop investment strategies to meet a variety of goals, desires, and investment-time horizons based upon dividend income, growth and total return.

Clarity | Power | Simplicity Past performance is not indicative of future results.

Investing in securities involves risk of loss that clients should be prepared to bear. All investment programs have certain risks that are born by the investor.

Dividend Assets Capital is 100% employee owned and was locally formed in 2003.

dacapitalsc.com | 843.645.9700

crafted

52

LocalLifeSC.com + FEBRUARY 2019

CRA FT S

STYLE

DRINK

H OME

A RT

FOOD

LOCAL LIFE PRESENTS THE

CRAFTED IN THE

LOWCOUNTRY EST.2019

A W S A R D IN PARTNERSHIP WITH

If you are a Lowcountry business owner or artisan that makes and sells handcrafted items, here is your chance to win a prize valued at over $5,000!

LOCAL Life wants to recognize and reward local businesses who handcraft goods that reflect the Lowcountry tastes and lifestyle. Businesses in Hilton Head, Bluffton, Beaufort and Okatie can enter, as long as your items are entirely made in the area and are already sold here.

There are 6 categories which will each have a category winner and of those winners, the grand prize winner will be chosen. The judges are experts in their field including a professional chef, an acclaimed artist, a professional stylist and a mixologist. Categories include: Food, Drink, Art, Style, Home and Crafts.

The Grand Prize includes: Featured on a cover of an issue of LOCAL Life as well as a feature story, an advertising and PR campaign in local media, professional photography and videography, potential additional distribution and more.

For more information and to enter, visit CraftedinTheLowcountryAwards.com. Contest opens March 1 and closes July 31, 2019. Awards will be announced in September at an Awards Show and Gala.

C RA F T S

S TY L E

DRINK

HOME

ART

FOOD

FEBRUARY 2019 + LocalLifeSC.com

53

wellness

HEALTH FACT

Heart disease is the No. 1 killer of women in the United States Women too often chalk up the symptoms to less lifethreatening conditions like acid reflux or the flu. The American Heart Association warns that even when the signs are subtle, the consequences can be deadly, especially if the victim doesn’t get help right away.

Both men and women can experience chest pressure that feels like an elephant sitting on the chest, but women may experience a heart attack without chest pressure.

They may experience shortness of breath, pressure or pain in the lower chest or upper abdomen, dizziness, lightheadedness or fainting, upper back pressure or extreme fatigue. Females often think they had the flu.

54

LocalLifeSC.com + FEBRUARY 2019

Have you kissed a lot of frogs?

At the heart of it all

LOCAL WOMAN PROVES HEART ATTACKS CAN HAPPEN TO ANYONE

b

STORY BY EDDY HOYLE PHOTOGRAPHY BY LISA STAFF

Becky Herman is the picture of health: young, fit, she exercises regularly, and eats right. Yet at 55 years young, she had a heart attack. “I have a family history of heart disease and I really felt I was over-aware and overly cautious because of my father’s history of heart disease and his parents’ heart attacks.

I have been monitoring my heart for 10 years…I have blood tests annually and I felt I knew the warning signs.”

Herman runs every day, goes to the gym regularly and does serious biking.

Six months ago she was working out at a cross fit boot camp. “It just hit me and I couldn’t breathe. It felt like someone was tazering my arms, neck and upper torso. It was just so foreign to me, I didn’t know I was having a heart attack. There were no warning signs.”

At first she couldn’t move, but eventually she got up and drove herself home. When her sister, Susie, saw her, she had no color and could barely move. She called a friend who is a

Are you suddenly single and don’t know where to start with your finances?

We are here to answer your life’s tough financial questions any time of year, through any stage of life.

Join us February 14th at 9 am for a Coffee Talk at our offices “Market Review and Planning Pointers”

Join us February 28th at 2 pm at Corner Perk in Bluffton “Chasing Retirement Workshop”

Join us March 28th at 8 am & 5:30 pm at Corner Perk in Bluffton “Taxes and College Planning Workshop”

Emily A. Johnson, CFP, ChFC, CLU, CDFA Founder/Managing Director Casey J. Bateman, CPC, MHA Director

CAPITAL ADVISORS, LLC

23B Shelter Cove Lane, Suite 401 Hilton Head, South Carolina 29928 ph 843.686.2425 fx 843.686.2476 polariscapitaladvisors.com

Polaris Capital Advisors, LLC. is a registered investment advisor. Information presented is for educational purposes only and does not intend to make an offer or solicitation for the sale or purchase of any securities. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Investments involve risk and unless otherwise stated, are not guaranteed. Be sure to first consult with a qualified financial adviser and/or tax professional before implementing any strategy discussed here.

FEBRUARY 2019 + LocalLifeSC.com

55

wellness health care professional who unequivocally told her to take Herman to the emergency room.

Herman was admitted, underwent angioplasty and a stent was placed in her right coronary artery – which was completely blocked. Herman knows if she hadn’t gone to the hospital she would have died.

“This made me recognize the importance of awareness.

When I told others about what happened to me, they started getting more serious about getting tested themselves. My motivation is to speak out to get someone to take action if they recognize warning signs or to maybe understand what they may be feeling could be a problem.”

Herman and her business partner, Monica Davis, have a goal to raise $10,000 for the American Heart Association’s 21st Heart Ball in February. To help, find Herman and Davis Properties on Facebook. LL

Surprising drinks you should eliminate

The American Heart Association recommends a heart-healthy diet, and most of us know the villains: red meat, deep fried foods, processed and cured meats, pizza and fast food. Here are some other, less known culprits to avoid: Blended coffee is overloaded with fats, calories and sugar and can cause the blood sugar levels to rise. Add in the caffeine and blood pressure levels rise.

Energy drinks contain ingredients like guarana and taurine, natural energy boosters. When these are mixed with such high amounts of caffeine, it can cause racing heartbeats and arrhythmia.

Soda causes inflammation and raises blood sugar levels putting stress on the walls of the arteries.

56

LocalLifeSC.com + FEBRUARY 2019

SCARY STATISTICS ABOUT HEART DISEASE A heart attack strikes someone about every 43 seconds.

Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) rank as America's number 1 killer while stroke is the number 5 cause of death.

Nearly 2,200 Americans die of CVD each day.

That is one person every 39 seconds.

Seated: Al Cerrati, John Chiacchiero • Standing: Jay Bowler, Earl Nelson, Michelle Myhre, CFP®, Christopher Kiesel, CFA, Heidi Yoshida, CFP®

Advisor: “Have you saved enough for retirement?”

Client: “Yes, I’m certain...well, pretty sure...maybe...”

843.757.9339 www.OakAdvisors.net Post Office Box 7318 Hilton Head Island, SC 29938

At Oak Advisors, we believe that a second opinion can stop second thoughts. In these uncertain times, it is essential that your retirement plan isn’t wishful thinking.

Oak Advisors, LLC is a federally registered investment advisor.

HEART ATTACK SYMPTOMS IN WOMEN

If you have any of these signs, call 911 and get to a hospital right away.

1. Uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain in the center of your chest that lasts more than a few minutes, or goes away and comes back.

2. Pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach.

3. Shortness of breath with or without chest discomfort.

4. Cold sweat, nausea/vomiting or lightheadedness.

ON THE BALL The American Heart Association’s 21st annual Heart Ball of the Southern Coast will be held at 6 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 2, at the Westin Hilton Head Island Resort & Spa. It is a black-tie gala with a pre-event reception and silent auction, followed by an elegant dinner, inspiring program, a live auction and entertainment. For tickets, contact Carla Raines at 843540-6338 or visit southerncoastheartball.org.

Long before you need an in home care giver, you may just want some friendly support around the house.

What could be better than a friend stopping by?

Regular Check-Ins

Help with Small Errands

Sharing is Caring Visiting Service Friendly Conversation

Heartfelt Connection

We offer a different kind of assisted living. We help in all areas to make life easier and less worrisome.

Much like a son or daughter helps their parents.

“It’s hard to be away from my parents at a time when they can really use some help. Now they are visited regularly and I am kept informed with pictures, texts, emails and calls. My folks love it and I feel comfort knowing someone is checking on them.”

Call Today to Talk about Scheduling a Visit.

843.422.7560

FEBRUARY 2019 + LocalLifeSC.com

57

wellness

i

MENTAL ILLNESS:

Breaking the silence FOR FAR TOO LONG, MENTAL ILLNESS HAS BEEN BURIED BENEATH STIGMATIZATION. LOCAL ACTIVISTS AND ORGANIZATIONS AIM TO CHANGE THAT.

BY EDDY HOYLE

58

LocalLifeSC.com + FEBRUARY 2019

Imagine that you were injured in a car accident and had to have surgery.

Friends and family would circle the wagons to ensure you had the support and help you needed. They may bring meals, drive you to medical appointments or do errands. Get well cards and phone calls would let you know that people care. In stark contrast, however, when the diagnosis is mental illness, people expect you to push through, to try harder to “get over it,” and are often in denial about the reality of your condition. If your child had a broken leg, you would get them to a hospital for treatment without hesitation, so why is mental illness any different?

NAMI Lowcoun-

try (National Alliance on Mental Illness) wants to “change the tide in the community to one of acceptance,” said Michelle Taylor, vice president of NAMI’s Board of Directors.

Too often in society there is a stigma and shame associated with mental illness.

“Mental illnesses are medical diagnoses, but most people believe them to be separate and different,” Taylor said. “But that is changing. This is a big message, and an important one, so that early diagnosis is possible.

People experiencing mental illness have far better outcomes when symptoms are identified as quickly as possible. Historically, mental illness was thought of as the ‘big, scary diagnoses’ such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. However, most of us have been touched by mental illness through anxiety or depression

BUSINESS INSURANCE THAT MAKES A DIFFERENCE

NAMI’S MARDI GRAS GALA

NAMI invites you to come together as a community to raise awareness and funds for those affected by mental illness in the Lowcountry. You are invited to the 2019 Mardi Gras Gala from 5:30-10:30 on Saturday, Feb. 16, at the Sonesta Resort. The Sonesta Resort will be transformed into a Mardi Gras-themed venue filled with silent and live auction items, a New Orleans-style menu, and a party hosted by Crush Entertainment! Your attendance will fuel the free programs needed to ensure our community remains the safe haven that we call home. Tickets are $100 and can be purchased on the NAMI Lowcountry Facebook page.

during times of change, around the holidays, after the loss of a loved one, or even going through another medical diagnosis. I believe these experiences to be the starting point to our community’s discussion around mental health and wellness.”

Depression can be situational, feeling like a deep, blue funk, or it may be chronic and get to the point where you feel like cooked spaghetti — so limp and weak that you can’t even get off the couch. Anxiety can make you feel out of control and panicky.

NAMI board member Brody Kenneweg explained that signs and symptoms are too often missed. She has firsthand experience with her brother. “He was charismatic, beautiful and had a

Angele Barker Bryant Ext. 23260

Ernie Hess Ext. 24240

Harrison Dolyniuk Ext. 23264

Jim Hudson Ext. 23265

Choosing the right commercial lines insurance agent for your business is critical. We understand the time and attention this process takes, but at claim time it may be the most valuable investment you make.

Our goal is simple, we want to partner with businesses that share our love of our community and build relationships that will last a lifetime. We are committed to providing you with superior service as well as quality insurance companies and products that will provide the best value possible.

Our associates are true insurance and risk management professionals specializing in Coastal Insurance Coverages as well as many other industry such as Construction industry, Hospitality and Non-Profits just to name a few.

Let us prove to you the difference our excellent sales and support team can make for your business. Give them a call or stop by to meet our staff at your convenience.

Member of Correll Insurance Group

22 Locations across South and North Carolina.

Now with two convenient locations to serve you:

Locally Owned & Controlled

We don’t send our money to a home office, it stays right here in the Lowcountry.

15 Bow Circle, Suite 101 Hilton Head Island SC 29928

Education is Key

Keeping current with an ever changing industry.

8 Arley Way, Suite 101 Bluffton SC 29910

1.888.668.8082 www.coastalplains.com “Insuring the Carolinas since 1931”

FEBRUARY 2019 + LocalLifeSC.com

59

LOVE LOSING FAT

wellness

WITHOUT SURGERY

CoolSculpting® isn’t a fad. It’s an FDA-cleared way to safely freeze and remove stubborn fat from abdomen, waistline and thighs. No anesthesia.

Little to no downtime. Unmistakable, lasting results. 7+ million procedures performed world-wide.

COOL EVENT FEB 13 | 5pm at HHPS RSVP 1-843-252-0608 for free consult + $75 value goodie bag.

Cocktails & hors d’oeuvres.

SPECIAL $200 Off | 6 cycles thru Feb 28

View February specials at myhhps.com

David S. Reid IV, MD

60

LocalLifeSC.com + FEBRUARY 2019

great career,” she said. “At 23 years of age, things started to change. He couldn’t stick to deadlines at work; he was one credit short of earning his degree and couldn’t finish. These were signs that something was wrong, but they were missed.”

Friends and family made excuses for his behavior, calling him lazy and unmotivated. The reality was that he was experiencing psychosis (i.e. delusional thoughts, hallucinations) and it took four years and several hospitalizations to get a diagnosis of bipolar disorder. Kenneweg recognizes the importance of getting help early.

Kenneweg and Taylor are concerned about the pressures children are under, particularly because of suicides and recent incidents of guns in schools. “It’s time for us to consider that the pressures our children are under are staggering and that there are significant health implications as a result,” Taylor said. NAMI’s goal is to become a resource in schools to open a dialogue with students about depression and anxiety, to work with kids who need to be heard and acknowledged who may be ostracized and isolated, and to help them find their voices.

Susan Williams is the vice chair of the board of Island House, a recovery center for adults diagnosed with a severe and persistent mental illness. She emphasized that isolation and withdrawal are dangerous signs that could lead to suicide. “The caveat is that if you feel someone isn’t themselves, or if they’re unusually blue or down, you must open a conversation. The worst thing you can do is not bring it up and offer support. You can say something like, ‘I notice you seem really down lately and I’m concerned about you. Do you want to talk about it?’”

“ Depression can be situational, feeling like a deep, blue funk, or it may be chronic and get to the point where you feel like cooked spaghetti.”

Good news: You're not crazy Have you ever asked yourself, “Am I crazy? Is there something wrong with me?” The easy answer is no, you are not crazy. The term “crazy” is commonly used to describe anything from losing one’s temper to experiencing a psychotic break. It is certainly not used as a medical diagnosis. All mental illness is a medical condition, not a judgment of your character. Mental illness affects about one in five adults and is nothing to be ashamed of.

Here are early signs that you may be suffering from a mental illness: •E xtreme mood changes, causing you to feel very low or (conversely) ecstatic • Obsessive thoughts • Difficulty concentrating • Oversleeping or insomnia • Delusions or hallucinations • Paranoia • Excessive fatigue • Suicidal thoughts • Binge eating •N ot eating until it becomes absolutely necessary • Alcohol or drug abuse • Extreme anger and aggression •D ifficulty forming or maintaining relationships SOURCE: WWW.THRIVETALK.COM

Orangetheory Fitness Hilton Head 430 William Hilton Parkway Hilton Head, SC 29926 843.473.4505 *First-time visitors to Orangetheory Fitness and local residents only. Certain restrictions apply. $28 minimum value. At participating studios only. See studio for details. Subject to availability. As with any exercise program, you assume certain risks to your health and safety by starting an exercise program and/or participating in exercise activities. Workout is an extremely strenuous and physically demanding activity. Participants are urged to always consult a medical professional or physician before participating in activity or starting an exercise program. There is increased risk of injury by performing activity incorrectly, especially if you have existing health problem or physical conditions. If you choose to participate in this exercise program, you assume these risks or your own free will and accord.

Abbington [ Lagoon Townhomes A Hop, Skip & Jump to the Beach

If you suspect mental problems, it’s time to break the silence. Both NAMI and Island House can provide information, help and resources.

NAMI offers peer-led support groups, education and socialization, and plans to start support groups for children. NAMILowcountry. org or 843-681-2200.

Island House provides personalized and individualized care for adults with severe mental illness on their journey to recovery. It offers day programs to help clients understand their illness, use healthy coping skills, teach daily living skills, and to manage stress. mhaislandhouse.com or 843-757-8650.

Therapy is now available in the palm of your hand through an online counseling service called ThriveTalk. Life can be hard. Having someone to talk to can help you make positive changes. Therapy isn’t just about discussing your past, it’s about helping you set and reach goals. You don’t have to go it alone anymore.

Check out ThriveTalk.com. LL

DIGITAL BROCHURE u bit.ly/2M9DbHV

843.785.7111 MS

Real Estate • Vacation Rentals • Property Management www.HiltonHeadRealEstateNews.com FEBRUARY 2019 + LocalLifeSC.com

61

wellness

The best exercises for anxiety

WORKING OUT CAN BE PART OF AN EFFECTIVE TREATMENT PLAN STORY BY SCOTT BLAKEY PHOTOGRAPHY BY MIKE RITTERBECK

y

You know you need to exercise regularly for your physical health, but did you know that getting regular exercise can be beneficial for your mental health, too? Studies have shown that exercise leads to improved anxiety symptoms in many people, and for some people, it can even be as effective as medication. While longer workouts are most effective, even a 10-minute walk can be enough to improve your mood.

Exercise helps treat anxiety by reducing stress hormones while increasing endorphins and other natural chemicals in your brain that make you feel good. While the effects of exercise on anxiety can be felt immediately, research has found that they also last long after your work out and can help to reduce the impact of stressful events post-workout as well.

While there are lots of different forms of exercise, these 5 workouts are great for treating anxiety.

Try these workouts:

GET YOUR BLOOD PUMPING

FEEL BETTER Exercise won't cure anxiety or depression, but the physical and psychological benefits can improve the symptoms.

YOGA Yoga combines stretching and strengthening with controlled

breathing. The deep breathing involved in yoga promotes a state of calmness, while the deep stretches will release tension to help your body relax. Yoga will help to improve your mind-body connection, which contributes to reducing stress and anxiety. Since yoga has been shown to have positive effects on people suffering from insomnia, it's a great exercise to incorporate into your nightly routine.

CARDIO KICKBOXING Erica Ellis is a certified fitness instructor who teaches barre fusion classes at Flow Space in Bluffton. She is a mother of two and is passionate about exercise that keeps our bodies strong and full of energy as well as a tool to relieve stress and feel more present for our lives. Erica and her husband, Zach, are the owners of Flow Space, a fitness studio in Old Town Bluffton, set to open in early February. Flow Space will offer fusion group fitness classes including Barre, Kettlebell, Yoga and Bootcamp. Find more information online at flowspacefitness.com.Â

62

LocalLifeSC.com + FEBRUARY 2019

With all the punching and kicking, cardio kickboxing is naturally a great way to relieve stress. Studies have shown that the effects of high-intensity workouts last much longer than other moderate or low impact exercises. This intense workout uses many muscles, which will leave you feeling stronger, both physically and mentally.

Forcing you to focus on the present, cardio kickboxing is a great way to de-stress after a long day.

TAI CHI Like yoga, tai chi also improves the mind-body connection. Thai chi combines balance, relaxed breathing, and mental concentration, all of which contribute to regulating your mood. The slow and flowing movements are meditative, providing you with a deep sense of relaxation. This low impact, gentle exercise puts minimal stress on your muscles, making it the best choice for people of all fitness levels.

RUNNING Going for a long run is a great

way to unwind after a long day and provides a block of uninterrupted time to clear your mind. Not only do you get the benefits of an intense workout but running outdoors will also give you lots of fresh air and vitamin D, which also contribute to reducing anxiety. With no equipment or gym membership required, running is the simplest way to reach your daily exercise goal.

DANCING Another great high-intensity exercise is a dancing class, like Zumba. Dance is a great form of self-expression, which helps to strengthen the mind-body connection. Taking a dance class also provides you with a social connection to like-minded people, improving your sense of belonging. With an energetic atmosphere and upbeat music, dance classes are a great aerobic exercise that you can have fun doing.

While the anti-anxiety effects of exercise begin after even 5 minutes of aerobic activity, to get the maximum mental health benefits you should workout three to five times a week for at least 30 minutes. So whether you squeeze in a run before work or schedule yoga class in the evening, just get out there and get moving. LL

Womens Financial Network Gigi Maxfield LPL Financial Advisor

15 Hospital Center Common, Suite 200F Hilton Head Island, SC 29926 843.681.7526 Office

Elizabeth Loda, MBA Certified Financial PlannerÂŽ

Securities and Advisory Services Offered Through LPL Financial a Registered Investment Advisor. Member FINRA/SIPC

PARTNER WITH US TO PURSUE YOUR FINANCIAL DREAMS AND CONQUER FINANCIAL CHALLENGES FEBRUARY 2019 + LocalLifeSC.com

63

sty l e 64

LocalLifeSC.com + FEBRUARY 2019

style

The good life comes naturally

Many drive past the majestic entrance to Moss Creek, unaware of the wonders that lie beyond the fences of Charleston green. In addition to being a haven for horse lovers, the private community is an ideal home for locals who love championship golf, lighted tennis courts, deep water boat access and peaceful nature preserves.

LOCAL Life stylist Roxanne Gillian scoured the racks of local shops and boutiques to find outfits worthy of the beautiful setting.

� Available at THE BACK DOOR and PALMETTOES ↑ Available at OUTSIDE HILTON HEAD FEBRUARY 2019 + LocalLifeSC.com

65

style

66

LocalLifeSC.com + FEBRUARY 2019

← Available at BIRDIE JAMES

↖ Available at (from left) SHOP!

↑ Available at COCOON and KNICKERS FEBRUARY 2019 + LocalLifeSC.com

67

style

↑ Available at (from left) S.M. BRADFORD CO. ↗ Available at COPPER PENNY → Available at GIGI'S BOUTIQUE and ISLAND CHILD

68

LocalLifeSC.com + FEBRUARY 2019

FINISHING TOUCHES

Complete your look with these stylish accessories from Spartina 449.

BURSTING HEART TOGGLE BRACELET This toggle bracelet, dripping in charms, will arm you with brilliant beauty. $48

BOX TOTE A rhythmic Tidalholm pattern in linen surrounds this boxy beauty on all sides while the leather floral fob is always in bloom. $184

LANEY SATCHEL Unzip to find roomy compartments on either side of a middle full zip pocket, plus two smaller zip pockets. $198

LEATHER KEY CHAIN CARD HOLDER Petite and discrete, this holder features two card slots and a middle slip pocket to stash cash. $35 FEBRUARY 2019 + LocalLifeSC.com

69

style

Credits.

PHOTOGRAPHY Lisa Staff STYLIST Roxanne Gilleland MODELS Eric Kuhn, Amanda Calamari, Grayson Hunter, Worth Hunter HORSES Cruz Bay (owned by Hillary Walker), Tank (owned by Donna Gilmore) MAKEUP Southern Belle by MariaNoël FEATURED PRODUCTS Dior Backstage Lip Palette and Marc Jacobs Beauty Eye-Conic Palette 970 Fantascene

Available at HASKINS & CO. 70

LocalLifeSC.com + FEBRUARY 2019

shopping MOCCAMASTER KBG COFFEE BREWER This coffee brewer features a glass carafe and an automatic drip-stop brew-basket.

The KBG brews a full 40oz pot of coffee in six minutes. Coffee is then held on the unique hot-plate to ensure an even taste from the first cup to the last drop.

Available at Le Cookery

his

All you need is love, but if you want to go the extra mile for your an extra-special dude, consider one of these radical red accessories.

BRACKISH CHEHAW BOW TIE The Chehaw bow tie gets its name from the beautiful Chehaw river found within the ACE basin. Vibrant red pheasant feathers and one guinea feather on either side gives the tie a more formal feel. All Brackish bow ties arrive in a hand-branded, pine gift box.

Available at Pyramids

REVELRY BREWING RED AMERICAN AMBER ALE

PETER MILLAR ZEPHYR LIGHT WOVEN FULL ZIP VEST

Revelry is a brewery out of Charleston.

Red, their American amber ale, offers some fruity esters from fermentation, but these are secondary to the the caramel and toffee flavors of the malt and hop traits. It is unfiltered and is a great cool weather beer without the added weight of a porter or stout.

A fresh addition to any wardrobe, this full-zip performance vest is perfect for the course or casual settings around town. The polyester-spandex double-weave fabric is highly wind-resistant, water-repellant and extremely breathable.

Available at Rollers Wine & Spirits

Available at Knickers

SURVIVALON WINDPROOF JACKET This windproof and water repellent jacket with a brushed twill lining is the perfect accessory for this time of year. A deployable hood with adjustable cinch will keep you dry if you get caught in the rain.

Available at Palmettoes

ISLAND LAVENDER COMPANY LAVENDER CHOCOLATE COFFEE The pleasing compatibility and complementary tastes of rich, dark chocolate and coffee have long been appreciated and enjoyed. Add a hint of lavender, and the result is a fabulous-tasting coffee. This delicious Lavender Chocolate Coffee is made with 100% Arabica beans and is available in decaf which makes it perfect as an after-dinner or dessert drink and in regular for those who depend on their caffeine.

Available at Island Lavender Market (Beaufort)

HURRICANE KAYAKS SOJOURN 146 The SOJOURN 146 is the premier model in the Sojourn series and offers excellent speed and tracking in a package that also navigates tight turns with ease. This boat carves and edges like much longer kayaks and (thanks to expert hull engineering) is super stable from the moment it hits the water.

Available at Outside Hilton Head

FEBRUARY 2019 + LocalLifeSC.com

71

shopping

hers

Can't buy me love, but you can buy your special sweetie one of these ravishing red accessories. Wrap it in something nice and include a card to win Valentine's Day.

DAVID YURMAN ALBION PENDANT Faceted garnet and diamonds in sterling silver and 18K yellow gold.

Available at Forsythe Jewelers

HAND PRINTED FLOUR SACK TOWELS Made right here in South Carolina, these hand block printed flour sack towels are the perfect addition to any home. They’re both utilitarian in the kitchen and beautiful as fine dining linens. They’re ideal for draping over your oven handle, adorning your bread basket, or simply laying on your kitchen counter.

Available at Lowcountry Mercantile JOLIE LAIDE GAMAY NOIR A wine of absolutely striking aromatic and flavor intensity, the Gamay Noir has it all.

Rose petal, lavender and red berry fruit all lift from the glass of this hugely pleasing Beaujolais-inspired red from Jolie-Laide.

Available at Rollers Wine & Spirits

LITTLE BERMUDA ZIPPER HIPSTER The popular Spartina 449 hipster with some added zing! Three outside zippered pockets are highlighted with contrasting leather trim, and a leather shoulder strap is anchored with graceful light gold tone rings. This zippy little hipster is a perfect choice for any occasion.

Available at Spartina 449

72

LocalLifeSC.com + FEBRUARY 2019

LITTLE BERMUDA CLASSIC DRAWSTRING Spartina 449’s most popular drawstring is cinched with a linen, braided shoulder strap and custom Spartina toggle. This Classic Drawstring is also carryall comfortable yet purse-string efficient: inside you'll find one zip and two slip pockets to keep essentials well-organized for on-thego days and off-the-clock nights.

Available at Spartina 449

LITTLE BERMUDA TRAVELER DUFFLE This bag is ready to go at a moment’s notice. Spontaneous and spacious, the zip-top Traveler Duffle is made with durable, coated vinyl for travel-proof durability and accented with a mermaid fob. Carry by the faux leather handles or wear by the adjustable, detachable crossbody strap to keep things moving.

The roomy interior holds plenty and includes a slip and zip pockets for stashing the small stuff.

Available at Spartina 449

BEY-BERK INTERNATIONAL RED “CROCO” JEWELRY BOX This fierce red “croco” jewelry box is the perfect place for all of your accessories. With ample storage and a lock and key, you’ll never have to search for that perfect finishing touch again.

Available at Pyramids

RAINCAPER This reversible, packable, rainproof, windproof, lightweight women's rain poncho has a luxurious, soft supple feel. With so many styles to choose from, the ultra-versatile RainCaper can be worn all year long. Rain or shine!

Available at Gifted

FEBRUARY 2019 + LocalLifeSC.com

73

eats

First family of local seafood

RESPECTED PRODUCT & RELIABLE CUSTOMER SERVICE HAS KEPT THE HUDSON FAMILY AFLOAT FOR GENERATIONS.

STORY + PHOTOGRAPHY BY JASON JAMES

CATCH OF THE DAY The Hudson family has been supplying locals and visitors with fresh seafood for over five generations. The family came to Hilton Head in the late 1890s to open oyster-shucking houses.

74

LocalLifeSC.com + FEBRUARY 2019

t

The aroma of chicory coffee begins to fill the room as Barbara Hudson passes from the open kitchen into her charming living room with two mugs of steaming coffee. After sitting down to discuss the history of one of the two families that have been the gold standard of seafood on Hilton Head, the Hudson matriarch shows me a necklace with a two-sided gold medallion. One side reads “J.B. Hudson Hilton Head, SC” and the other side reads “good for 25 in merchandise.” This memento is a reminder of a once grand seafood dynasty that has been present on the island since the 1890s and at its height, encompassed several oyster factories, a shrimping and crab business, a fleet of workers, and a company mercantile shop.

The Hudson family began as farmers in Orangeburg and migrated during the summers to the cooler temperatures of Hilton Head. After realizing the abundance of seafood, and the money that could be made from its harvest, Ransom Hudson permanently relocated to the island and began to grow his family’s business.

Ransom’s son Benjamin, like his father, also was the local magistrate and postmaster. Besides civic duties, Benjamin managed three oyster factories that processed raw product as well as producing select oysters and canned steamed oysters. In addition, he ran facilities that brought in shrimp and blue crabs. The business and family were thriving on Hilton Head. When Benjamin died in 1954, his son Benny, who managed two of the oyster factories, took over the only family business he was interested in: the seafood.

After declining to move forward with being the next Hudson magistrate judge due to a dislike of spending his days in a courthouse, Benny went head on into growing the seafood enterprise.

After the swing bridge was completed in 1956, Benny married Barbara and together, they took advantage of the influx of visitors and new island development. During the ‘60s and into the ‘70s, the Hudsons were extremely diversified. The family docked dozens of shrimp trawlers and owned and operated several boats themselves. They farmed 52 acres of oyster grounds that were maintained and reseeded every year. On top of it all, Benny was building Hudson's Seafood Restaurant in the old oyster factory located on Skull Creek.

According to Barbara, Benny was hardworking, knew the shrimping industry and was so beloved by the shrimpers that they all wanted to dock with him. Business was booming with the majority of wholesale shrimp on Hilton Head coming from the Hudson facilities.

In the mid-‘70s, the Hudson empire was coming to a close, so Benny and Barbara thought. Benny sold the restaurant to the Carmines family and the two decided to follow their shrimp boat down the Florida Keys on its annual shrimping trip to the area.

The couple decided to stay. After five years of learning life and fishing in the Keys, the Hudsons yearned to be back in the Lowcountry.

Upon their return, the Hudsons soon found that their friends in the shrimping game wanted them to get back at it. The next thing Barbara knew, Benny had built the current dock and fish house located on the GRAB AND GO Benny Hudson property. Trawlers started showing up Seafood is a full-service retail fresh and they were back in business. seafood market, not a restaurant.

NOW AT LECOOKERY

INTRODUCING THE NEW CHAMBRAY BLUE IN CLASSIC BERRY & THREAD

BY JULISKA Rimmed with a simple thread and adorned with a sprinkling of berries, this iconic collection embraces the historic motifs of Juliska’s Bohemian glassware. Made in Portugal and dishwasher, freezer, microwave and oven safe.

FEBRUARY 2019 + LocalLifeSC.com

75

eats This time around the two decided to keep it simple. They opted to just work in shrimp and freshly sourced fish. Oysters and crabs were off the menu, outside of special guest requests.

Things went along as such until October 2016. Hurricane Matthew damaged the dock enough to take it out of commission and two boats were abandoned by their owners; left for dead outside of the occasional fuel belch from below the sound.

As with everything else, the business changed. New regulations, a spike in fuel prices and the influx in lower quality, farm-raised imported shrimp have forced the smaller, family seafood businesses, like Hudsons, to source and sell for a niche market; one that looks for a quality product that they know is responsibly harvested. Now, the Hudson family prides itself on sourcing fresh fish from wherever they can find the best product for their customers. Their salmon may come from Scotland and their scallops from Virginia, but anything they can source locally in season, they do.

Respected product and reliable customer service is what has kept this family afloat for generations. LL

Benny Hudson Seafood: Lowcountry Boil INGREDIENTS 5 quarts water 2 small red potatoes 1 tablespoon Benny Hudson Seafood Shrimp and Crab Seasoning 2 andouille sausage, cut into inch pieces 4 ears of corn, halved 14 fresh, local shrimp head-off, in shell

DIRECTIONS [1] In a large stock pot, bring water and seasoning to a boil. Add potatoes and sausage and cook for 15 minutes. [2] Add corn and cook for an additional 10 minutes. [3] Add shrimp and cook for 2-3 minutes.

[4] Drain pot and pour contents onto a table covered with newspaper. Enjoy with fresh lemon wedges and Benny Hudson Seafood homemade cocktail sauce.

76

LocalLifeSC.com + FEBRUARY 2019

PLENTY OF FISH IN THE SEA

“As the water temperature drops with the colder weather, shrimp swim offshore toward warmer water and begin their spawning. During the colder months, we still have plenty to keep us busy though. Oyster season is in full swing as well as clams and mussels. Blue crabs are also running as well as a few stone crabs here and there. Fish are plentiful inshore (flounder, trout, bass, sheepshead, drum) as well as offshore (swordfish, mahi-mahi, mackerel, snapper, grouper). Some fish are limited to catch-only during certain times of the year or by limited catch restrictions. This is all regulated by SCDNR or South Atlantic Fisheries Management. Both have websites with real time information on restrictions (dnr.sc.gov, safmc.net).” — Tonya Hudson-DeSalve

Benny Hudson Seafood: Rosemary Shrimp Skewers INGREDIENTS 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 3 tablespoons olive oil 2 cloves garlic, finely minced 1/4 cup dry white wine 1 teaspoon sea salt 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, finely minced 18 large shrimp, peeled and deveined Lemon wedges (optional) 6 6-inch rosemary sprigs

DIRECTIONS [1] Rosemary sprigs should be stripped, leaving 1/2 inch of leaves at the leafy end of the sprig. They should be soaked in water — the longer the better. Overnight or a minimum of 3-4 hours. [2] Combine first 7 ingredients in zip-lock bag. [3] Add shrimp and refrigerate 30 minutes, turning bag occasionally. Thread sprigs with shrimp, 3 on each. Make sure not to crowd shrimp for even doneness. [4] Pre-heat grill to med-high heat. Clean and grease grill with olive oil. [5] Cook 2-3 minutes per side, or until just cooked through. Plate with lemon wedges as an accompaniment, if desired.

FEBRUARY 2019 + LocalLifeSC.com

77

eats

The real deals of Lowcountry meals MANY HOMEGROWN FAVORITES CAME WELL BEFORE THE BRIDGE

t

OKRA

LocalLifeSC.com + FEBRUARY 2019

YAMS

STORY BY DEAN ROWLAND + PHOTOS BY FRANK COPELAND

This is not a story about Southern food favorites such as fried chicken, pulled pork smothered in a South Carolina-based mustard sauce, fried green tomatoes, cornbread or hushpuppies. As good as they are, they are found everywhere in South Carolina, other states in the South and well beyond.

This is a story about traditional and sometimes native Lowcountry foods and their subsets of inspiring culinary groups such as Gullah, creole, soul and Cajun, all considered comfort foods. The Lowcountry — a geographic strip of land that stretches along the South Carolina coast from Pawley’s Island in the north to the Savannah River at the Georgia border in the south and extends about 80 miles inland to the Fall Line — stamps its culinary authenticity on okra, collard greens, she-crab soup, Frogmore Stew, Hoppin’ John, and on and on.

Besides the seafood bounty of oysters, shrimp, fish and crabs and its myriad interpretations, rice was the predominant grain cultivated in the LowANYBODY WANT A PEANUT? country because of its hot, wet climate and When Africans were brought nutrient rich marshlands. to North America as slaves, When enslaved Africans from Sierpeanuts came with them. They ra Leone, Angola and other west/central were used for oil, food and a locations were transported to the Palmetto substitute for cocoa.

78

BLACK-EYED PEAS

State in the late 1600s, they brought along their formidable skill of planting and growing rice in their homelands for many centuries. They cleared marshlands to create lush watery rice plains on plantations, and it became an economic staple, let alone part of their daily diet.

Slaves also introduced okra, yams, black-eyed peas, hot peppers, peanuts, sesame “benne” seeds, sorghum and watermelons to coastal South Carolina.

Today, long-grain rice is served as a side dish, cooked with tomatoes and other vegetables to make pilau, red rice with sausage, Hoppin’ John (rice with black-eyed peas and other ingredients), okra rice, rice with beans, and a delicious assortment of other variations.

Charleston can claim that the queen of she-crab soup began in the Holy City in the early 1900s, at least that’s what its historical tour guides say. There’s no dispute that the female crab meat is sweet and that its red-orange roe (eggs), thick cream and a dash of sherry is packed with bisque-like flavor.

And then there’s benne-oyster soup, cooter (turtle) soup, and sweet potato and crab soups.

Frogmore, a small unincorporated community on St. Helena Island, boasts proudly of its Frogmore Stew, or Lowcountry Boil. This savory dish of shrimp, corn on the cob, redskin potatoes, onions and anything else a cook wants to add traces its roots to the 1960s.

Several states lay claim to originating Brunswick Stew, but undisputed is that it’s firmly entrenched as a Lowcountry classic. This hearty comfort food mixes an assortment of meats (chicken, pork, beef, and rabbit), vegetables and seasonings for flavor and color.

While not as well known as its sister stews, Chicken Bog stands out as a porridge for its unique combination of chicken, rice, onions and sausage and as a hand-me-down recipe from generations ago.

The origin of grits can be traced to Native Americans from the woodlands who would grind corn in a stone

Hoppin’ John is said to bring good luck and collard greens brings good fortune.

Here are a few authentic local recipes to warm up with.

SPROUT MOMMA

Vegan Hoppin’ John

INGREDIENTS 2 cups fresh black-eyed peas 8 ounces sliced mushrooms 3 tablespoons oil 4 carrots, peeled & roughly chopped 2 celery stalks roughly chopped 1 whole Vidalia onion, roughly chopped 3 cloves garlic, crushed 15 ounces fire-roasted tomatoes, diced 1 teaspoon smoked paprika 1/4 teaspoon turmeric 1/4 teaspoon cayenne 1/8 teaspoon chili powder 2 cups veggie stock Chopped scallions, for garnish 6 cups cooked brown rice for serving DIRECTIONS [1] In medium sauce pan, heat olive oil, add carrots, celery. Add onion; cook about 10 minutes when onion is translucent, then add garlic and mushrooms and cook mushrooms until they are golden brown. [2] Add tomatoes, smoked paprika, turmeric, cayenne, chili powder, veggie stock and fresh blackeyed peas to the pan. Bring mixture to a simmer over medium heat, then cover and cook until peas are just tender. Remove the lid and continue to cook until liquid has reduced to half. Season with salt and pepper to taste. [3] Serve over steamed rice, garnish with scallions.

LOCAL FLAVOR She-crab soup is commonly featured on the menus of many Lowcountry restaurants. It is named for the "she-crab," or female crab.

UPSCALE SEAFOOD RESTAURANT & WINE BAR

Open 7 nights a week Early Dining 5:00 - 5:45 p.m.

Dinner 5:45 - 9:00 p.m.

Reservations recommended, call 844.627.1665 after noon daily or visit: AlexandersRestaurant.com

HILTON HEAD ISLAND SEAFOOD FESTIVAL JOIN US FEBRUARY 20, 5:00 & 8:00 P.M. FEATURING A 5-COURSE PRIX FIXE LOWCOUNTRY SUPPER WITH WINE PAIRINGS

Located in Palmetto Dunes 76 Queens Folly Rd • Hilton Head Island FEBRUARY 2019 + LocalLifeSC.com

79

eats mill to create its gritty texture. Early writings from Gullah descendants of slaves describe a meal resembling shrimp and grits, and it’s been rooted firmly as a native breakfast food in the Lowcountry marshes along the coast for hundreds of years. These days, shrimp and grits also are served at lunch and dinner, and few diners can pass up melted cheese mixed in and topped with gravy.

Gooey and delicious lobster mac and cheese is universally adored as a comfort food and is found everywhere in the Lowcountry as a side dish at lunch or dinner.

Some say to credit the French for introducing Charleston to its incredibly sweet Huguenot Torte confection in the late 1600s after the Holy City’s founding. The cakelike concoction combines apples and nuts and gives a glowing nod to a crustless apple crisp. Others say it’s derived from Ozark Pudding. Wherever it originated, it’s safely at home in the Lowcountry. LL

SPROUT MOMMA

Collard Greens

INGREDIENTS 5 tablespoon olive oil 1 whole Vidalia onion, diced 1 red bell pepper, chopped 3 cloves garlic, minced 2-3 cups veggie broth 1 teaspoon smoked sea salt 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes 2 pounds collard greens, chopped Salt and pepper to taste DIRECTIONS [1] Coat a large, deep skillet or pot with olive oil. Sauté onions until golden brown, then add garlic and red pepper, simmer until tender and fragrant, about 2-3 minutes. [2] Add in veggie stock.

Season broth with red pepper flakes and smoked salt. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Bring to simmer, then reduce heat. [3] Add in the greens (greens will wilt down as they cook). Simmer 30 minutes to an hour, depending on desired tenderness.

Add more smoked salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes if desired.

80

LocalLifeSC.com + FEBRUARY 2019

LOCAL LIFE TEST KITCHEN

Brunswick Stew

INGREDIENTS 4 ounces diced salt pork 2 pounds chicken parts 8 cups water 3 potatoes, cubed 3 onions, chopped 1 28-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes, chopped 2 cups canned whole kernel corn 1 10-ounce package frozen lima beans 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper DIRECTIONS [1] In a large pot over high heat, combine the salt pork, chicken and water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 45 minutes, or until chicken is tender. [2] Remove chicken and allow to cool until easy to handle. Remove meat and discard the skin and bones. Chop meat into bite-sized pieces and return to the soup.

[3] Add the potatoes, onions, tomatoes, corn, lima beans, Worcestershire sauce, salt and ground black pepper. Stir well and simmer, uncovered, for 1 hour.

ALEXANDER’S

Lowcountry Crab Soup

Chicken Bog

INGREDIENTS 1 cup carrots, large dice 1 cup celery, medium dice 1 cup yellow onion, medium dice 1 pound crab base 2 tablespoons clam base 1/4 pound unsalted butter, cubed 1 quart sherry 1 tablespoon Frank’s Hot Sauce 1 tablespoon lemon juice 2 tablespoons Paul Prudhomme blackening seasoning 2 cups all-purpose flour

DIRECTIONS [1] Place water, salt and onion in a large pot. Add chicken and bring all to a boil; cook until chicken is tender, about 1 hour. [2] Remove chicken from pot and let cool. Remove skin and bones and chop remaining meat into bite-sized pieces. [3] Skim fat from cooking liquid and measure 3 1/2 cups of this chicken broth into a 6-quart saucepan. Add rice, chicken pieces, sausage, herb seasoning and bouillon to saucepan. Cook all together for 30 minutes; bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, keeping pan covered. If mixture is too watery, cook over medium low heat uncovered until it reaches the desired consistency. Stir often while cooking.

DIRECTIONS [1] In a large saucepot over medium-high heat add the butter. Once melted, add the carrot, celery, and onion.

Cook until carrots are cooked through.

[2] Stir in the base, Paul Prudhomme blackening spice, hot sauce, sherry, and lemon juice. Cook for an additional 5 minutes.

[3] With the stick blender, process the mixture. Process until well incorporated, still leaving tiny bits of carrot. [4] Next whisk in flour until well incorporated. Transfer to large pans to cool properly. Once cooled, transfer crab soup base to appropriate container, date, label, and store. [5] In a large sauce pot, add 2 quarts heavy cream and 2 quarts of whole milk. Over medium high heat, bring the liquid to the boil. [6] Once dairy has come to the boil, quickly remove from heat and whisk in one cup of crab soup base (or more to reach your desired thickness.) [7] Return to the stove on low heat and whisk frequently to prevent burning. Once soup has thickened, season to taste with salt, pepper, sherry, and lemon. NOTE: This recipe has been converted from a large batch recipe, so not all of the base may be necessary in accordance with the 2 quarts of cream and 2 quarts of milk.

LOCAL LIFE TEST KITCHEN

INGREDIENTS 6 cups water 1 tablespoon salt 1 onion, chopped 1 whole chicken, around 3 pounds 3 1/2 cups chicken broth 1 cup long-grain white rice 1/2 pound smoked sausage, sliced 2 tablespoons Italian seasoning 2 cubes chicken bouillon

FEBRUARY 2019 + LocalLifeSC.com

81

eats

Outside the box

MORE CHOCOLATE RECIPES FROM LOCAL CHEFS & RESTAURANTS

THE CYPRESS

White Chocolate Raspberry Tart

INGREDIENTS (CRUST) 2 tablespoons butter, melted 2 cups ground chocolate cookie crumbs (this recipe shown with crumbled Chocolate Oreos) INGREDIENTS (FILLING) 2 pounds, 4 ounces white chocolate, chopped 3/4 cup butter, very soft 1/2 cup heavy cream 1 pint raspberries, washed and dried INGREDIENTS (DRIZZLE) 4 ounces milk chocolate, finely chopped DIRECTIONS [1] Spray tart pans and combine melted butter with finely ground cookie crumbs. Mix well. Place one cup of crumbs in each tart pan and spread crust evenly on bottom and up the sides. Sprinkle raspberries on the crust, saving a few for the garnish.

Refrigerate while preparing the chocolate filling.

[2] Place finely chopped white chocolate in large dry bowl and add butter. Bring heavy cream just to a boil and pour over white chocolate. Let sit for three minutes then stir with whisk. Stir until mixture is very smooth. In the beginning it may appear to break, but keep stirring. It will turn into a smooth mixture. Once chocolate mixture is completely melted and smooth, pour mixture over crust and berries.

[3] Carefully heat milk chocolate in microwave or over double boiler until completely melted.

Place in a pastry bag or cone and drizzle over tart. Chill for 2-4 hours or until chocolate is set.

Garnish with additional raspberries.

Chef’s note: This recipe makes one 10-inch tart or two 5-inch tart pans. Use shallow tart pans with removable bottoms. — From executive chef Eric Sayers

82

LocalLifeSC.com + FEBRUARY 2019

CHARLIE'S L'ETOILE VERTE

Pave Au Chocolat

INGREDIENTS 1 pound high quality dark chocolate (either chips or shaved) 1 pound butter, cut into small squares 4 liquid ounces espresso 1/4 pound light brown sugar 8 whole eggs DIRECTIONS [1] In a large bowl crack the eggs and beat together. Set aside. [2] Over a double boiler, melt all other ingredients until smooth. [3] Once the chocolate mixture is smooth, pour a small amount into the eggs, stirring constantly with a whisk. Then pour the rest of the mixture, continually mixing. [4] Pour the batter into 4-5 small loaf pans. Place the loaf pans in a hotel pan with high edges. Create a water bath by filling the hotel pan with about 2 inches of water, or until the water comes up halfway on the sides of the loaf pans. [5] Bake at 350 degrees for about 35-40 minutes or until set in the middle.

[6] Allow to rest in pan for 10 minutes. Remove pans from water, and cool in refrigerator for a minimum of 2 hours. Slice thin and serve over crème anglaise.

“One of the Best Breakfasts on Hilton Head” SOUTHERN LIVING MAGAZINE

Home of the Daily Blue Plate Special!

6am-2pm Mon-Fri • 6am-3pm Sat -Sun • Palmetto Bay Marina

843.686.3232 • PalmettoBaySunRiseCafe.com

HOME . DECOR . RECLAIMED 142 Burnt Church Road • Unit 57B 9am-2pm or by appointment 917.545.5920 • buonaterrawoodworks.com

WHOLESALE . RETAIL

FEBRUARY 2019 + LocalLifeSC.com

83

eats

LOCAL LIFE TEST KITCHEN

Chocolate Almond Popcorn

Bring your family and friends as we celebrate our

INGREDIENTS 1 cup white sugar 1 cup light corn syrup 1/2 cup butter 1/4 cup cocoa powder 2 teaspoons salt 25 cups unsalted popped popcorn 3 cups roasted salted almonds

monthly Tacos, Tunes and Tequila.

Featuring an Al Pastor Spit, all you can eat tacos, tequila, and live music on the patio with DJ STU!

Only $15 per person 5PM until 8PM

!

!

84

LocalLifeSC.com + FEBRUARY 2019

DIRECTIONS [1] Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Mix together the sugar, corn syrup, butter, cocoa powder, and salt in a saucepan over medium-low heat until the mixture is smooth and begins to simmer. Place the popcorn into a very large bowl, mix with the almonds, and then pour the chocolate syrup over the mixture. Stir until all the popcorn and almonds are coated. Spread the chocolate popcorn out onto several large baking sheets in a single layer.

[2] Bake in the preheated oven until thoroughly dry, about 1 hour, stirring every 20 minutes or so to dry all sides of the popped corn.

Allow to cool on the sheet, then transfer into sealed containers.

LOCAL LIFE TEST KITCHEN

Chocolate Martini Cocktail

INGREDIENTS 1 1/2 fluid ounces chocolate liqueur 1 1/2 fluid ounces creme de cacao 1/2 fluid ounce vodka 2 1/2 fluid ounces half-and-half 1 cup ice DIRECTIONS Combine chocolate liqueur, creme de cacao, vodka, half-andhalf and ice in a cocktail shaker. Cover and shake until chilled. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

!

VOTED HILTON HEAD'S BEST MEXICAN, BEST MARGARITA, BEST TACOS & TOP 12 MEXICAN RESTAURANTS IN SC

Holy Tequila represents a new breed of “Mexican” food that incorporates new American flavors, nontraditional gourmet ingredients, and pairs them with authentic preparation methods centered around a wood burning grill.

By using higher-quality, locally-sourced products, Holy Tequila is redefining the standard for a Mexican food experience. The menu features a variety of gourmet tacos, tortas, quesadillas, salads and signature plates.

!

Jorge Covarrubias Executive Chef

CALLAWASSIE ISLAND

Chocolate Laced Ancho Chile Soup (Serves 6-8)

INGREDIENTS 3 dried ancho chiles 4 medium plum tomatoes, cored 1 small white onion, quartered 2 cloves garlic, peeled 1 tablespoon olive oil 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 2 teaspoons sugar 1 teaspoon ground cumin 6 cups good quality chicken stock 3 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste Queso fresco, sliced avocado, and cilantro leaves for serving

!

DIRECTIONS [1] Heat a 6-quart pot over medium-high heat. Add chiles and cook, turning once, until lightly toasted, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl, pour over 1 cup boiling water, and let steep until soft, about 30 minutes. [2] Drain chiles, reserving soaking liquid, and remove and discard stems and seeds. Transfer chiles to a blender and set aside.

Return pot to heat, and add tomatoes, and onion; cook, turning as needed, until charred all over, about 10 minutes. Transfer to blender, along with garlic, cinnamon, sugar, and cumin; puree until very smooth and set aside. [3] Return pan to medium-high heat, and add oil. When hot, add chile purée, and fry, stirring constantly, until slightly reduced, about 10 minutes. Add stock, and bring to a boil; remove from heat, stir in chocolate, and season with salt and pepper. Serve ladled into bowls, topped with a couple of tablespoons of queso fresco, a few slices of avocado, cilantro leaves. (Can sub sour cream for queso fresco)

Additionally, the bar offering features Mexican-inspired, hand-crafted cocktails, Mexican & craft beer, a curated list of Spanish wines, and over 50 premium tequilas ranging from blancos to añejos, reposados and mezcals.

Located in Park Plaza

!

843.681.TACO(8226) HOLYTEQUILA.COM FEBRUARY 2019 + LocalLifeSC.com

85

eats MICHAEL ANTHONY'S CUCINA ITALIANA

Chocolate Soufflé Cake

INGREDIENTS 1 pound extra bitter chocolate chips (64 percent) 1 pound unsalted butter 8 large egg yolks 8 whole eggs 1 cup sugar 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 2 tablespoons cocoa powder Ice cream, for garnish Powdered sugar, for garnish 15 four-ounce ramekins or aluminum soufflé cups Softened butter Flour for dusting DIRECTIONS [1] Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In a double boiler, mix chocolate chips and butter. Melt chocolate, turning it to liquid, stirring occasionally, being careful not to burn. Remove melted chocolate mixture and cool slightly. [2] In a separate large mixing bowl, whisk the eggs, egg yolks and sugar rapidly for approximately 1 minute.

[3] Combine the melted chocolate with the egg mixture, whisking thoroughly. Add the 1/4 cup flour and cocoa while continuing to whisk. [4] Grease soufflé cups generously with softened butter and dust with flour. Fill cups with chocolate mixture below the rim or lip to allow room for rising. [5] Bake for approximately 8 to 10 minutes until the cakes are slightly puffed. Invert cakes onto a plate. Serve with ice cream and a dusting of powdered sugar. Makes 15 individual cakes.

JAVA BURRITO

Chocolate Affogato LL NEED A CHALLENGE? How about an expert level recipe for Chicken Mole Tamales with Bittersweet Chocolate from Oldfield Club. Spoiler alert: it's worth the effort! Find it online at LocalLifeSC.com

86

LocalLifeSC.com + FEBRUARY 2019

INGREDIENTS 1 scoop of vanilla bean ice cream 1 shot of espresso 1 pump of chocolate syrup 1 handful of chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS Place ice cream in your favorite bowl and drizzle with the espresso and chocolate syrup.

Sprinkle chocolate chips on top and enjoy. Voila!

MOSS CREEK

Pots de Crème au Chocolat

INGREDIENTS (Serves 6-8) 11 ounces high quality semi-sweet chocolate chips/coins 1 3/4 cups whole milk 1 1/4 cups heavy whipping cream 7 egg yolks 1/3 cups sugar Pinch salt DIRECTIONS [1] Place chocolate in a bowl and set aside.

[2] Put milk, cream, and half the sugar on stove in a thick bottomed sauce pan and begin to heat. [3] Place yolks in a separate bowl with half the sugar and all the salt and whisk vigorously until pale yellow. [4] Once cream mixture is hot, slowly add to yolk mixture while whisking constantly.

[5] Return all ingredients to sauce pan and put over medium-low heat and stir continuously with a rubber spatula, being sure no part of the pan is allowed to sit unstirred.

Cook until 180 degrees or thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. [6] Immediately pour hot mixture over chocolate and whisk until smooth. [7] Mixture can then be poured into service vessels. Ramekins, martini glasses, shot glasses, soup cups…whatever strikes your chocolate fancy. [8] Set in refrigerator for at least four hours. [9] Top with whipped cream and toasted nuts of your choice and serve. Other garnishes could include shaved dark chocolate, berries, or cocoa nibs.

— From executive chef Lenny Giarratano

FEBRUARY 2019 + LocalLifeSC.com

87

eats

news RESTAURANT

HOT PRODUCTS + AWA R DS + NOW OPE N

Restaurant group announces SERG Takeout Kitchen For busy families and professionals on the go, the SERG Takout Kitchen is offering scratch­made, fresh frozen meals that are easy to heat and serve with no prep time required. Menu choices include seven styles of pot pies, cannelloni, chicken tetrazzini, lasagna, shrimp and grits, meatballs, pulled pork, meatloaf and more. Each item costs $16 and serves two. Family sizes are also available for many items. Soups, side dishes and desserts are also available. Pickup hours are 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Find the full menu online at serggroup.com. To order, call (843) 682­-3663.

Want to cook like a pro?

Celebrate the flavors of the Lowcountry by picking up a copy of Local Flavor, a Lowcountry cookbook compiled by LOCAL Life magazine. The 80 p ­ age cookbook includes easy­-to­-make recipes from many acclaimed chefs, fun food facts, useful tips and more!

88

LocalLifeSC.com + FEBRUARY 2019

GET IT TODAY Pick up a copy at LOCAL Life headquarters (800 Main St.) or buy it online at LocalLifeSC. com for $15 ($11 if purchasing 10 or more).

World renowned chocolatier stops in Bluffton One of the top chocolatiers in North America was in Bluffton recently for a chocolate tasting tour. Oliver Kita of Oliver Kita Chocolates, based in Rhinebeck, N.Y., presented the exclusive event, which was co­hosted by The Store at The Pearl Kitchen and Bar. Guests learned about growing and harvesting cacao from around the equator and enjoyed a special tasting from five different regions. Take­home samples were given. Babbie Guscio, owner of The Store, collaborated with Kita to come to Bluffton for the occasion. “Oliver loves Bluffton and enjoys visiting his family here when possible,” Guscio said. “We are fortunate to have such a talented artist offer this special presentation in our town. His store in New York is one of the most famous in the country. He travels all over the world to share his passion for chocolate, and we’re thrilled that Bluffton made his list of stops this year." Purchase his chocolate online at oliverkita.com.

MidiCi’s Italian Kitchen now open A new Italian restaurant has opened at Hilton Head Island’s Barmuda Triangle (aka Reilley’s Plaza). MidiCi Italian Kitchen offers Neapolitan wood­fired pizzas, authentic pasta, signature appetizers, salads, and desserts made with fresh, natural and mostly non­GMO ingredients. Their drink menu includes wood­ fire roasted coffee, a gourmet tea collection, craft beer and a mix of Italian and global wines. Order online at mymidici.com.

Wine dinner to benefit the Children’s Relief Fund Rose Fotia, founder and chair of the Children’s Relief Fund, has planned a new event for this year’s fundraiser. An Evening in Italy Wine Dinner will be an intimate and elegant event at the new Venue 1223 on May River Road in Bluffton. Chef Ryan McCarthy will create a multi­course dinner paired with fine wines in an exciting and glamorous venue.

“We wanted to be creative with our fundraiser this year,” Fotia said. “Our faithful supporters will be treated to a special evening of fine dining, celebration and camaraderie. Only 140 reservations can be accepted.”

The evening will include dining, wine pairings, live music and a limited live auction. All proceeds benefit the Lowcountry’s special needs children and their families.

Programs that are supported include Area 8 Special Olympics, Heroes on Horseback, SOAR, Fishing with Friends, Pockets Full of Sunshine and the Island Rec Center. Reservations are $250 per person and can be made online at www.thechildrensrelieffund.org.

Magic Memory Ball wins national award The Juice Hive recently won an award at the Good Food Awards in San Francisco. The Bluffton­ based healthy eatery, known for its cold­-pressed juices, smoothies and all­-natural raw foods, earned the national award for its Magic Memory Ball. The snack was created by owner and chef Leslie Rohland, who feels eating it could enhance mental function and improve memory. The ball is made with a variety of herbal infusions and organic fruits and nuts from Beaufort’s Three Sisters Farm, which provides organic products for many local eateries. The Juice Hive’s Berry Bluffton Fruit Leather was also a finalist to win an award. The Cottage Café, Bakery & Tea Room also had the honor of being recognized as a finalist for its Curried Pickled Red Okra. Each year the national Good Food Awards celebrate people throughout the country who make food respectful of the environment and connected to communities and cultural traditions. It is the second consecutive year The Juice Hive has been recognized. Winners were selected in 15 categories, with 199 winners chosen from more than 30 states.

New Girls Scout cookie unveiled With the holiday season behind us, Girl Scout cookie season is officially here. The Girl Scouts shared some exciting news recently on “Good Morning America,” unveiling a new cookie flavor — Caramel Chocolate Chip.

The decadent new treat features rich caramel, semi­sweet chocolate chips, and a hint of sea salt in a chewy cookie. Along with the return of the Toffee­tastic, which was introduced to the cookie lineup in 2015, the Caramel Chocolate Chip is an additional gluten-­free option in the 2019 collection. The cookie will only be sold in select areas this season.

Fingers crossed the Lowcountry is on the short list!

Hilton Head’s Finest Confections Since 1982

For that someone special!

Our quality chocolates and confections are created by hand using the finest ingredients.

55 New Orleans Road, Hilton Head

843.842.4567

Order online at ChocolateCanopy.com

Don’t forget we ship nationwide!

FEBRUARY 2019 + LocalLifeSC.com

89

eats

restaurants SELECT

LOCAL E AT E R IE S YOU DON ' T WA N T TO MISS .

HILTON HEAD NORTH END HEALTHY HABIT Salad Farm-fresh chopped salads featuring locally sourced ingredients, including non-GMO produce, grass-fed beef, cage-free raised poultry and small batch dressings made from scratch.

Each salad is chopped to allow its flavors and textures to envelop every bite. $ healthyhabithhi.com 55 Mathews Drive, Suite 116, Hilton Head Island 843-686-5600 HUDSON’S SEAFOOD HOUSE ON THE DOCKS Seafood The Carmines family owns a fishing fleet and oyster farm. As a result, much of their seafood originates from local waters. Most tables feature incredible views of Port Royal Sound. This place is an institution. $$ hudsonsonthedocks.com 1 Hudson Road, Hilton Head Island 843-681-2772 RUBY LEE’S Southern A hotspot for sports, blues and soul food. Owned by Hilton Head’s former high school football coach, Tim Singleton.

Great Southern-style food at an affordable price. $$ rubylees.com 46 Old Wild Horse Road, Hilton Head Island 843-681-7829 19 Dunnagans Alley, Hilton Head Island 843-785-7825

90

LocalLifeSC.com + FEBRUARY 2019

SPROUT MOMMA Bakery Sprout Momma's flavorful and healthy artisan bread is a farmers market favorite in the Lowcountry. They recently opened a production bakery on Cardinal Road, offering breakfast and lunch items using their artisan breads. Other options include deli prepared salads, vegan cheeses and soups. $$ sproutmomma.com 21 Cardinal Road Hilton Head Island 843-715-2649

NEW LUNCH ITEMS AT SPROUT MOMMA

Popular Bluffton bakery Sprout Momma has added artisan pizzas and sandwiches to its lunch menu. The restaurant, located at 21 Cardinal Road on Hilton Head Island, also unveiled a lunch punch card.

Purchase nine lunches at regular price to get one free.

Find more information online at SproutMomma.com or by calling 843-715-2649.

HILTON HEAD MID ISLAND ALEXANDER’S Seafood One of the island’s most beloved restaurants, now operated

by Palmetto Dunes Oceanfront Resort. Fresh local seafood and a great early bird special. $$$ alexandersrestaurant.com 76 Queens Folly Road, Hilton Head Island 843-785-4999 BIG JIM’S BBQ, Burgers, Pizza A lively, casual American eatery at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Course in Palmetto Dunes offering pizza, drinks and more. Open seven days a week for breakfast, lunch and dinner serving signature Southern dishes. $$ palmettodunes.com 7 Trent Jones Lane, HHI 843-785-1165 THE DUNES HOUSE American An eatery for Palmetto Dunes resort guests with American fare, live music and a beachfront patio. The Dunes House features an entirely outdoor kitchen offering fresh grilled hamburgers, chicken sandwiches, wraps, fish tacos and other fabulous dishes. $$ palmettodunes.com 14 Dunes House Lane, HHI 888-348-9300 ELA’S ON THE WATER Seafood Exceptional water views, fresh catch seafood, prime cut steaks and a sophisticated atmosphere. Family­owned and operated. $$$ elasgrille.com

1 Shelter Cove Lane, HHI 843-785-3030 OLD OYSTER FACTORY Seafood A destination for locals and visitors for more than 25 years.

Voted one of the "Top 100 Scenic View Restaurants" by Open Table. $$ oldoysterfactory.com 101 Marshland Road, HHI 843-681-6040

HILTON HEAD SOUTH END CAPTAIN WOODY’S Seafood A neighborhood bar and grill specializing in shrimp, clams, oysters and signature fish sandwiches. $$ captainwoodys.com 6 Target Road, Hilton Head Island 843-785-2400 17 State of Mind St., Bluffton 843-757-6222 CHARBAR CO. Burgers Award-winning gourmet burgers. Additionally, it features specialty craft beers and nostalgic music memorabilia. $$ charbar.com 33 Office Park Road, Suite 213, Hilton Head Island 843-785-2427 CHARLIE’S L’ETOILE VERTE Seafood, American A family owned and operated restaurant that specializes in fresh seafood, lamb and steak. The menu is written by hand each day. $$$ charliesgreenstar.com 8 New Orleans Road, Hilton Head Island 843-785-9277

HOLY TEQUILA Mexican Gourmet tacos, salads, quesadillas, burritos and small plates all around $10, with a full bar offering mixologist-inspired cocktails and over 50 kinds of tequilas. Be sure to order the Street Corn before your main course and the churros after. $$ holytequila.com 33 Office Park Road, Park Plaza 843-681-8226 MICHAEL ANTHONY’S CUCINA ITALIANA Italian An island favorite for over 15 years. An authentic Italian eatery similar to ones found in the Italian neighborhoods around Philadelphia, where the Fazzini family moved from. $$$ michael-anthonys.com 37 New Orleans Road, HHI 843-785-6272 PALMETTO BAY SUNRISE CAFE Breakfast, American Serving the island’s most popular breakfast all day long. Benedicts, omelets, quiche and baked dishes are out of this world. Early bird special from 6 to 8 a.m. Great sandwiches for lunch as well. $$ palmettobaysunrisecafe.com 86 Helmsman Way, HHI 843-686-3232 RED FISH Seafood, American A blend of housemade spices, tropical fruits and vegetables are combined with Lowcountry specialties at this local favorite. The restaurant uses produce from its own farm. $$$ redfishofhiltonhead.com 8 Archer Road, Hilton Head Island 843-686-3388 SALTY DOG CAFE Seafood Hilton Head’s most famous restaurant. Serving seafood, salads and sandwiches at an incredible waterfront location.

Eat inside, out on the deck or at the expansive outdoor bar. $ saltydog.com 232 S. Sea Pines Drive, HHI 843-671-2233 1414 Fording Island Road, Bluffton 843-837-3344

V

RED FISH OFFERING TUESDAY WINE SPECIAL

proudly presents

W ne Down W e d n e s d ay FEBRUARY 13th, 2019 from 5-8 PM

Join us for an Evening of Wine, Music, Shopping, Refreshments & Prizes.

If you love wine and Red Fish restaurant, Tuesday might be your new favorite day of the week. Each Tuesday, bottles of wine from the restaurant’s extensive list will be 50 percent off with the purchase of a dinner entree. Cheers!

BLUFFTON THE PEARL KITCHEN & BAR Seafood, Steakhouse Serving dinner nightly. This romantic, boutique-style eatery fits in perfectly with its Old Town surroundings. Everything is bright, fresh and interesting. Seafood is the star here, but the steaks are great, too. $$$ thepearlbluffton.com 55 Calhoun St., Bluffton 843-757-5511 SAVORY CAFE AND PROVISIONS French. Chef Pascal Vignau offers a variety of old world French cuisine combined with a Lowcountry twist, rounding up classic treasures such as the Croque Monsieur Sandwich, renowned French Pommes Frites and the oh so fabulous Bacon Crusted Mac-n-Cheese. The warm berry crisp is simply not to be missed. $$ savorycafesc.com 1533 Fording Island Road, Ste. 302 Hilton Head Island 843-837-3336

$10/person, proceeds to benefit Hilton Head Heroes, a 501(c)(3) organization bringing families with children suffering from life threatening illness to Hilton Head Island for cost free week long vacations Limited tickets available day of event.* Enjoy tastings at participating merchants Proceeds to benefit

Buy yours online to secure a ticket today!

Special promotions, sales & in-store demos

To learn more, visit To learn more, visit villageatwexford.com villageatwexford.com *Tickets will be $15/person at the door FEBRUARY 2019 + LocalLifeSC.com

91

eats

Old school cocktails

p

WHERE CAN A GUY GET A DRINK AROUND HERE?

BY TERRY CERMAK

Terry Cermak is a spirit specialist at Rollers Wine & Spirits and Wine & Cheese, If You Please? He is also an online contributor, writer-at-large and creator of LOCAL Life’s local cocktails series.

Rum Punch

The alcoholic fruit drink we know as punch is an Indian invention that was adopted in the 1600s

by British sailors, who later introduced it to the Caribbean islands where it flourished INGREDIENTS 2 cups strong black tea (hot) 1/2 cup demerara sugar 1/2 cup fresh lime juice 2 cups aged rum Fresh nutmeg DIRECTIONS Fill a medium freezer proof bowl with water; freeze. Mix hot tea and sugar, stirring until sugar is dissolved; refrigerate to let cool. Once the tea mixture is cool, add lime juice and rum. Stir well; refrigerate until ready to use. About 30 minutes before serving, loosen ice from bowl and transfer to a punch bowl.

Pour punch over ice and top with a generous grating of nutmeg.

92

LocalLifeSC.com + FEBRUARY 2019

Prior to the 1960s, finding a bar on Hilton Head must have been a pretty futile pursuit. Doubtless there were a few local hangouts, or “friendly houses” where locals could regularly gather, but there’s little to suggest any formal business establishments serving adult beverages, let alone mixed drinks or cocktails.

There was at least one possibility: at one time a two-story structure known as the Hurley House was touted as the grandest home on the island. Standing near the bank of Broad Creek and Otter Hole Plantation, this one-time family house was sold and at some point after modern development began in the early 1950s, the house was converted into a nightclub, operating until it burned down in the early ‘60s.

Thirsty Islanders could always take the ferry to the mainland, where in nearby Savannah they could visit a bevy of bars and taverns, including the Pirate House that, having been built in 1753, is one of the first drinking establishments in the country. Other than that, one can imagine congenial, informal neighborhood meeting places where friends would hoist a few beers or imbibe in a classic rum punch.

In 1941 World War II took our young men and turned them into soldiers. It also took over American distilleries to turn alcohol into torpedo fuel. Whiskey and rum became rare, and when available in bars was usually watered down. Bartenders started adding seltzer to Old Fashions and Manhattans (and some still do!). When the soldiers started coming home to their families, the liquor companies encouraged husbands to mix their own cocktails at

home. This created a cottage industry of pamphlets and Sunday supplements (little pamphlet-like inserts in the Sunday newspaper) with tips on how to be a stellar mixmaster to your family and friends – with the help, of course, of a selection of clever glassware with recipes and measurements embossed on the side of the glass, or a fancy plastic rolodex-type of library of cocktail recipes.

Some of those veterans, however, brought home something else: an appetite for the exotic. Young men who had never before ventured far from their homes had been exposed to the big, bad world, and it fostered an appetite for something other than a hot dog and a Coke (cue “How Ya Gonna Keep 'em Down on the Farm (After They've Seen Paree)”). In particular, those deployed to the war's Pacific theater were exposed for the first time to the South Pacific. They developed a taste for the tropical, which they passed on to the rest of the nation.

That leads us to Tiki.

The Tiki craze was started by Donn Beach, born Ernest Raymond Beaumont Gantt, who left Texas in 1926 and traveled around the world on his own, scouring many of the islands of the Caribbean and the South Pacific. A former rumrunner during Prohibition, he moved to Hollywood and opened a bar then called "Don's Beachcomber" in 1933 where he mixed potent rum cocktails in his tropically decorated bar. Then in 1934, a young Victor Bergeron opened a small bar/restaurant across from his parents' grocery store in Oakland, Calif. He named it Hinky Dink's. As its popularity spread,

The Classic Daiquiri

The Spanish-American War allowed the United States to occupy Cuba and do what Spain had done for centuries before: profit from the vast resources of the island. One of those making a healthy profit was Jennings Cox. The story goes that one night while hosting a party, he ran out of gin. He ran out and bought the easiest liquor he could find, which was rum. Adding lemons, sugar, mineral water, and ice to the rum, he turned it into a punch for his guests, who loved it. While it should have been called a rum sour according to the conventions of the day ("One sour, two sweet, three strong, four weak"), Cox did not feel that was good enough for such a fine drink, so he named it for the nearby beach: the Daiquiri.

INGREDIENTS 2 1/2 ounces light rum 3/4 ounce fresh lime juice 1/2 ounce simple syrup or superfine sugar DIRECTIONS Shake with ice and strain into a cocktail glass with ice or just serve up.

Trader Vic’s Mai Tai

Vic created it for some friends who were visiting from Tahiti. One of those friends, Carrie Guild, tasted it and cried out: "Maita'i roa ae!" ("Out of this world! The best!"). Hence the name. “The flavor of this great rum wasn’t meant to be overpowered with heavy additions of fruit juices and flavorings,” warned the Trader, a warning that has frequently fallen on deaf ears.

The only Gatsby-Esque venue in Hilton Head!

INGREDIENTS 2 oz dark Jamaican rum 1 oz fresh lime juice 1/2 oz orgeat syrup 1/2 oz of Cointreau DIRECTIONS Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker.

Shake and strain into a rocks glass filled with crushed ice. Garnish with the lime shell (and mint if you like).

You can also float some dark rum on top.

the menu and decor developed an increasingly tropical flair, and Hinky Dink's soon became Trader Vic's.

It was a weird moment in history when the whole country became fascinated with the South Pacific just because it was unknown and exotic. Tiki bars and restaurants became wildly popular even though they made no pretense to being authentically Polynesian. Although tiki cocktails often feature tropical fruits and flavors, they are entirely American inventions. Trader Vic and Don Beach both claimed credit for inventing the now-famous Mai Tai. Don The Beachcomber invented a drink he called the Mai Tai Swizzle in 1933, and Trader Vic developed his own Mai Tai, apparently without any knowledge of Don’s, in 1944.

In any event, Trader Vic’s is the one that became the iconic Tiki drink.

Although the Tiki craze faded in the ‘60s, rum has always been a part of the history of the Southeast. As part of the colonial triangle trade route, sugar cane and molasses were distilled into rum and shipped back to England where, among other things, was part of Admiral Edward "Old Grog" Vernon’s infamous Order No. 349, stating: "[The rum should] be every day mixed with the proportion of a quart of water to a half pint of rum,

World War II took our young men and turned them into soldiers. It also took over American distilleries to turn alcohol into torpedo fuel. to be mixed in a scuttled butt kept for that purpose, and to be done upon the deck, and in the presence of the Lieutenant of the Watch who is to take particular care to see that the men are not defrauded in having their full allowance of rum ... and let those that are good husband men receive extra lime juice and sugar that it be made more palatable to them." This is one of the earliest known instances of the combination of lime juice, water, sugar, and rum: the base of what would become the Daiquiri.

So (to take us back to Hilton Head in the ‘50s) while it’s uncertain whether or not there was any kind of tavern or private club where one could order daiquiri or “daily tot,” I think that we can safely say that Southern Hospitality was on full display, and that wherever locals met in the neighborhood spirit of good will, a welcoming drink (as often as not involving rum) made the basis for a healthy toast! LL

• Beer & Wine Bar • Cigar Patio •

• Private Dining Room •

9 Palmetto Bay Road

843.842.1200 | rollerswineandspirits.com + LocalLifeSC.com 93 FEBRUARY 2019

eats

Local Cocktail

n

STORY BY TERRY CERMAK + PHOTO BY MICHAEL HRIZUK

New Yorker fondness for cocktails goes as far concocting the Manhattan, Long Island iced tea, the Brooklyn, to name a few.

Many Lowcountry residents love a great, locally named cocktail as well. With that in mind, the team of mixologists at Rollers Beer, Wine & Spirits have created a series of cocktails that celebrate local landmarks, events and founding fathers.

This month’s featured libation is The Charles E. Fraser, named after the real estate developer whose vision helped transform Hilton Head from a sparsely populated sea island into a world-class resort. This take on the pre-prohibition classic The Last Word needs no further explanation. LL

LOCAL COCKTAIL

The Charles E. Fraser

INGREDIENTS • 1 1/2 ounces gin (use a piney, juniperforward gin like Tanqueray or Sipsmith V.J.O.P.) • 1 ounce green chartreuse • 1 1/2 ounces Gatorade DIRECTIONS Add all ingredients into a shaker filled with ice. Shake vigorously for 30 seconds and double strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

94

LocalLifeSC.com + FEBRUARY 2019

living

THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS The clean modern designs favored by the owners pair beautifully with rustic wideplank flooring and bucolic Lowcountry scenery.

110

LocalLifeSC.com + JANUARY 2019

The new Lowcountry modern THIS LANDS END CONDO RENOVATION IS REDEFINING WHAT LOWCOUNTRY LUXURY LOOKS – AND FEELS – LIKE.

t

STORY BY BARRY KAUFMAN PHOTOGRAPHY BY DOUG SMITH

There’s a movement afoot in Lowcountry décor, one that is subtly transforming what a Lowcountry home feels like. The rustic textures of the Lowcountry – think barn-aged metals and woods, shell-encrusted tabby and a sense of age – are slowly being brought into the modern age with clean lines and simple, contemporary color schemes. The result is an entirely new kind of Lowcountry modern, one where the home mirrors the blissfully bucolic Lowcountry while still oozing contemporary sophistication.

It’s an emerging ethos that finds its most stunning expression in this Land’s End condominium, which recently emerged from a complete gutting and rebuild under the watchful eye of J Banks Design.

“Once I was in a position to decorate my own home, I realized that a contemporary approach was my first choice to express this part of my personality,” said homeowner Nancy Witowski.

“However, Hannah (Toney of J Banks Design) was the one who took the lead to help me realize the other aspect of this home—some Lowcountry elements. She was able to incorporate just the right amount to achieve the optimum balance. Her work with our architect, William Court, was critical to achieving so many elements into technical design.”

JANUARY 2019 + LocalLifeSC.com

111

living

IN THE DETAILS Serving to truly drive home this Lowcountry modern motif is a carefully curated collection of furnishings and accessories from J Banks Design.

112

LocalLifeSC.com + JANUARY 2019

GET THE LOOK OF THIS FEATURED HOME

ATLANTIC DISTRESSED SILVER BOWL VASE This hammered stainless steel fruit or bread bowl with its elegant design and solid, heavy feel will bring elegance to your table. Available at Wayfair. $35

INSIDE AND OUT In bedrooms and baths, colors and patterns were used to marvelously subtle effect to mirror the natural beauty outside.

That balance is on exquisite display in the main living space, where a clean contemporary look is tempered with subtle hints of Lowcountry décor from the seagrass incorporated into a table top to the lush tabby accent wall surrounding the fireplace. It frames a jaw-dropping view of Braddock’s Cove as it snakes away toward the Harbour Town Lighthouse on the horizon. Creating this view took a work of architectural brilliance, as a screened-in porch was brought into the main living space through a series of structural support beams, now invisible behind the finished ceiling.

“Since my husband and

I intended to winter in this home, we wanted to maximize the functional day-to day living space,” said Witowski.

“Although a difficult decision to eliminate the screened-in porch, we opted to maximize the functional day-to-day living space.”

Another huge structural change was the movement of a staircase, whose shift allowed for a larger bathroom in the master suite as well as a pantry in the kitchen. This brilliant stroke added greater functionality to a kitchen defined by materials and textures that carry the “New Lowcountry” motif beautifully. It also allowed for even greater luxury in the

The home team

master suite.

Here we see again how contemporary style and Lowcountry rusticism can go hand-in-hand. A clean look thanks to white walls and rich gray trimwork pairs with natural textures like the accent wall in the master bath whose lines emulate the look of the ocean.

And like the main living space, the entirety of the master suite was built to capitalize on the mesmerizing scenery.

This artfully realized renovation not only breathed new life into an elegant Lands End condominium, it added to a growing movement which is pushing the boundaries of what Lowcountry luxury can be. LL

Designer: Hannah Fulton Toney, J. Banks Design Group Architect: Court Atkins Flooring: KPM Flooring Builder: Gaal Custom Homes Photographer: Doug Smith, Smith + Friel

PRIMAVERA SPUTNIK CHANDELIER One-ofa-kind Italian Sputnik chandelier made with 1960s original vintage clear pressed Murano glasses with textured bubbles mounted on a brass frame. Available at 1stdibs.com. $5,000

ARTISAN HAUTE FLOATING SHELVES Beautify your space with these lavishlooking shelves. Meticulously made from sturdy wood, this set is full of natural character and appeal. Available at delhutsondesigns.com. $60

EDISTO COASTAL HAWKSBILL TURTLE SHELL The shell of an ivory hawksbill turtle is recreated perfectly with this unique piece of wall art. It is a distinct piece of organic style art in any space. Available at kathykuohome.com. $930

JANUARY 2019 + LocalLifeSC.com

113

living

Five ideas for your home

MINOR ENHANCEMENTS & UPGRADES THAT MAKE A MAJOR DIFFERENCE.

SECRETS

TO STEAL FROM OUR FEATURED HOME

WALLPAPER IS BACK An accent wall in the newly created staircase lends five-star resort flair thanks to the textures and patterns of a sea grass-infused wallpaper.

CREATE UNITY THROUGH MATERIALS It’s a subtle touch, but the thick plank slats of the closet doors emulate the look of the plantation shutters in each room, creating a sense of linearity and completeness.

REMAIN TRUE TO THE VIEW “Remember what your focal point is,” said Toney. Every line and element in the main living space and master suite were carefully designed to draw your eye toward the view of the cove.

INCORPORATE NATURAL ELEMENTS IN SUBTLE WAYS The light fixture in the main stairwell resembles rain drops, an accent wall in the master suite evokes the sea and the dining table brings in eye-catching patterns and colors of sea grass. The result is a nod to nature that never overwhelms.

TEXTURE IS THE NEW COLOR One of the most eye-catching aspects of the open kitchen is the leather texture on the granite of the center island. “People go crazy with color, but you can get a lot of impact with texture,” said designer Hannah Toney.

114

LocalLifeSC.com + JANUARY 2019

2

1

3 5

4

Creating Dreams In The Lowcountry Since 1986

1600 MAIN STREET | HILTON HEAD ISLAND | SC 29926 | 843.689.9060 CONTACT US AT INFO@GROUP3DESIGNS.NET

SEE OUR PORTFOLIO AT WWW.GROUP3DESIGNS.NET

THE CALIBOGUE RESIDENCE OF BAYNARD PARK Simply the best Sea Pines has to offer! The design of this home was developed with such meticulous attention, and it is best evidenced by the open comfortable floor plan perfect for both entertaining and family living. The current owners acquired the talented designer, Kelly McRorie, to completely transform this classic Sea Pines home so that it seamlessly integrates the indoor and outdoor spaces maximizing the views of this incredible lot out to the tidal lagoon, marsh, and Calibogue Sound including your personal landing with pull bridge to your private island. The natural beauty of this property offers an owner the opportunity to enjoy a lifestyle of luxury combined with comfort. This is a Forever Home! // $4.5 million

single level | 4910 square feet | 4 bedrooms / 4.5 baths | modern open kitchen | leathered marble flooring | quartz & marble countertops

Everyone has a dream place.

Consistent Top Producers

with a combined 38 years of

experience, Becky and Monica have provided a personalized

Becky Herman | 843.301.3355 Becky@BeckyHerman.com

Monica Davis | 843.384.4473 Monica@MonicaDavis.com

www.HermanandDavisProperties.com

customer experience and

expert advice to countless

buyers and sellers in the Hilton

Faces You Know. Results You Trust.

Head and Bluffton market.

living

Home Hacks

t

CAPTURE FIFTIES STYLE IN YOUR KITCHEN STORY BY JEREMY PRESS

Jeremy Press (aka the Appliance Whisperer) of Appliances by Design has agreed to provide home appliance tips and advice to LOCAL Life readers. Got a great home appliance tip? Contact him at jeremy@appliancesbydesign.com.

The time was colorful, elegant and unique in style. For many, the 1950s definitely deserve the nickname “fabulous.” But in today’s time with wifi everything, and contemporary styles taking the world by storm, can you make your Lowcountry home have the feel of the pre-bridge era? This question can be difficult for the appliance world.

Most of the highest rated brands focus in on stainless steel or black stainless appliances. The times of avocado green, canary yellow, as well as all shades of blue and green have mostly left the kitchen. Luckily, there are a few options to turn the clock back and make your kitchen look fabulous without decreasing the modern luxuries of technology.

If it is the American ‘50s style you crave, there are North American brands that have mastered the style and color of the 1950s kitchen. This unique process is where a modern appliance is built with all of today’s best features and options. Then instead of just painting it a color like some companies do, a whole new body is meticulously built around it, capturing every detail of the ‘50s style, from curves to accents.

The change-up in your kitchen will throw you right back to the ‘50s without giving up any conveniences of today.

This time period was also big for European style in the appliance world, although most appliances in Europe are slimmer than American brands.

Though small in stature, the shaping and color combinations of these appliances were nearly works of art. Capturing this history in today’s kitchen or entertaining area can be done. Just like North America, Europe has manufacturers that have put all the effort to give you an instant feel of being in the ‘50s with color and style.

These vintage styled options allow you to have the look and feel of the Fabulous ‘50s, without giving up any of today’s modern conveniences. LL

" The time was colorful, elegant and unique in style"

Appliances by Design offers this bright line of appliances from Elmira Stove Works.

Retro kitchens and home decor trends are resurfacing in modern home design.

104

LocalLifeSC.com + FEBRUARY 2019

Billy Wood Appliance offers this colorful line of Smeg appliances.

The collection features unmistakably vintage designs whose classic, sinuous lines and vibrant colors combine perfectly with cuttingedge technology.

Winner of the Home Builder’s Association Lighthouse Award for “Best Interior Design”

Your lifestyle, perfectly tailored.

5 Promenade Street Suite 1302 Bluffton, SC 843.540.9759

KellyCaronDesigns.com

living

Secret collection

BLUFFTON WOMAN HAS AN IMPRESSIVE COLLECTION OF JACK DANIEL’S MEMORABILIA

Mixed drinks

All this talk of Tennessee whiskey made us thirsty. Here are a few JD recipes to consider next time you are in the mood for some Old No. 7.

Apple Jack INGREDIENTS 2 oz.of Jack Daniel’s Old No. 7 Apple juice DIRECTIONS 3/4 fill a highball glass with cubed ice. Pour Old No. 7 over ice and top with apple juice. Add apple slice to garnish.

c

Check out this awesome Jack Daniel’s collection displayed inside a Bluffton home. The owner has been collecting items from all over the world for more than 20 years. Surprisingly, all of the bottles are still full!

SQUIRE The owner is a member of the Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Squire Association. The owner was given a small plot of land on the distillery grounds and gets random notifications when someone needs access to the plot, or bees or goats need to cross.

Tennessee Toddy INGREDIENTS 2 oz. Jack Daniel's Old No. 7 1/2 ounce honey 1/2 ounce lemon juice 4 ounces hot water 1 cinnamon stick DIRECTIONS Pour the Old No. 7 into a heavy mug. Add honey, cinnamon stick and lemon juice. Top with hot water and stir.

Gentleman & Ginger

OLDEST This special decanter was put out in 2004 to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Jack Daniel's winning the Gold Medal at the 1904 Worlds Fair in St Louis, Mo.

106

INGREDIENTS 2 oz. Gentleman Jack Ginger beer Squeeze of lime

SHOT GLASSES A collection of shot glasses and special cups collected over the years.

LocalLifeSC.com + FEBRUARY 2019

SIGNED This bottle was signed by Jimmy Bedford, the sixth master distiller in the 143-year history of the Jack Daniel's distillery.

DIRECTIONS 3/4 fill a highball glass with cubed ice. Pour Gentleman Jack over ice. Top with ginger beer or ale. Add lime wedge to garnish.

Enjoy responsibly!

February 18–24, 2019 CELEBRATING SOUTHERN HERITAGE AND CULTURE WITH FOOD + DRINK

HILTONHEADSEAFOODFESTIVAL.COM

All proceeds benefit the nonprofit 501(c)(3) David M. Carmines Memorial Foundation

outdoors

LIVING GIANTS Live oak is the tree most associated with the South Carolina Lowcountry.

The trees range in height on Hilton Head from about 40 to 60 feet, and can have canopy spreads of more than 100 feet.

Homegrown trees and plants in the Lowcountry STORY BY DEAN ROWLAND

108

i

It’s not a stretch to think that the beloved peach is an indigenous fruit in South Carolina and the Lowcountry. After all, South Carolina is second in the nation in its production, it’s our official state fruit, and we produce three times more of the luscious, deciduous fruit than Georgia, the “Peach State.”

Unfortunately, for those clinging to the notion that it’s indigenous to South Carolina, it’s not...but it is native or at least naturalized. The peach originated in China more than 4,000 years ago and didn’t arrive here until the Spanish explorers brought bushels of them in the 1500s. When colonists arrived in the Palmetto State Lowcountry in 1670, Native Americans already were growing peaches. But they had depended upon indigenous plants and trees for centuries before the peach arrived to supplement their diets.

LocalLifeSC.com + FEBRUARY 2019

THROW The net

Retirement isn’t the end of your wealth journey.

It’s a continuation of it.

For over forty years, we have been helping local high net worth families reach their goals through careful financial stewardship that is guided by long-term thinking and rooted in a deep and abiding commitment to our clients.

To learn more about our financial planning, portfolio management and fiduciary services — and why you can trust that your best interests will always be served, please contact Eric Magnin at 843-342-8800.

boysarnold.com

VOTed “FaVOriTe CaBiNeT COmpaNy” iN hiLTON head & BLUFFTON, 2 yearS iN a rOw! lowcoUntRy • UPstatE • savannah • chaRlottE • sandhIlls • tRIad

Botanists would agree that peaches here are “native,” not “indigenous,” which means they were nurtured by nature, not man’s influence.

Some would go so far as to say that peaches are “naturalized,” which means they were introduced by man to the Lowcountry in the last several hundred years and have adapted to our landscape and climate.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture defines “native” as a plant or tree that lives or grows naturally in a particular region without direct or indirect human intervention.

So that’s cleared up…sort of. Whether native

©2019 awR. all rights reserved.

new Countertops & Cabinet storage Enhancements aVailaBlE sEParatElY.

Call for your free in-home consultation

843.815.6700

LiFeTime warraNTy

Let us create your beautiful new dream 1/4'' Solid Wood Cabinet refacing kitchen in less than a week! Superior Mention this ad in Local Life for a craftsmanship and $ 500 discount offer quality. Saves time, www.woodreface .com money and hassle.

• PREMIUM solId wood • aMIsh-cRaftEd dooRs • Many stylEs, fInIshEs • 8 dIffEREnt woods • add/ModIfy cabInEts • nEw coUntERtoPs

BLUFFTON ShOwrOOm Call for hours & loCation

FEBRUARY 2019 + LocalLifeSC.com

THROW A CAST NET It’s not about how hard you throw, it is about how you throw. You need to move in a fluid motion, and remember, you’re not trying to open the net as you throw it.

The net opens itself. Twist your upper body and lean into the throw. Lead the net with your dominant arm and follow the throw all the way through. Practice before you get on the boat.

109

outdoors or naturalized, suffice to say if a certain plant has been in the Lowcountry long enough, it can be called native or naturalized without much of an argument. Here’s a handful of native Lowcountry trees and plants that are authentic staples in our landscape:

Trees

LIVE OAK This majestic salt-tolerant white oak rightfully occupies its iconic status as the quintessential symbol of the Lowcountry. Resurrection ferns cling to their enormous branches, from which Spanish moss, a flowering plant, dramatically hangs.

They loom 40 to 60 feet high, have a canopy more than 100 feet wide and a life span of about 150 years. They also keep local wildlife nourished with their acorn production and provide habitat for many native birds.

PALMETTO AND SAW PALMETTO PALMS The palmetto, South Carolina’s state tree, is a slow grower but at maturity can grow 50 to 80 feet high. Local residents find the palmetto everywhere because of its ability to adapt to a variety of different environments. In the summer, it produces fragrant flowers that attract a variety of pollinators.

After pollination, it produces a nutritious fruit and berries that feed a host of native wildlife species. Similar to the palmetto, the saw palm also produces berries from its flower after pollination, but it rarely reaches taller than 10 feet.

The most distinguishable feature of this “understory” species is its hacksaw-shaped teeth that connects the frond to the underground stem.

110

LocalLifeSC.com + FEBRUARY 2019

SWEET GUM This ubiquitous tree dominates the forest understory and provides food and shelter for wildlife. The sweet sap attracts woodpeckers and can reach 60 feet on the island. The five-lobe leaf turns bright yellow in autumn before falling off. Two seeds are found in the small flowers after pollination and provide a tasty snack for migratory songbirds.

LOBLOLLY PINE This highly adaptive tree can tower 80 feet high in wet and dry soils. It produces abundant seeds in cones covered with short spines that help feed local wildlife while white-tailed deer nibble on the needles and twigs.

Plants

SEA OATS Grown from underground stems, this dominant shoreline plant with leaves up to 2 feet long lends a critical component of the sand dune ecosystem, trapping windblown sand to anchor and build new dune systems. They also are a source of food for many types of wildlife.

WAX MYRTLE Its resistance to disease and tolerance to drought and deer make it a staple in Lowcountry landscapes and as an understory in our maritime forests. Its small, waxy berries are on the menu for migratory birds, and its branches hang over the banks of lagoons and other water sources, offering safe nesting

Full Service Upholstery Shop Monday-Friday 10AM-4PM 45 New Orleans Road, Hilton Head Island, SC 843.681.9995 | JustCushionsHHI.com

INDIGO The fragrant purple and orange flowers of this native deciduous plant attracts three types of butterflies and offers a place for them to lay their eggs. Bees and other pollinating insects gravitate to this shrub in large numbers. It can reach 8 feet in height.

GEORGIA MINT This rare Lowcountry native evergreen shrub grows up to 2 feet, and bees and butterflies love to pollinate its flowers. Its edible aromatic foliage converts easily in a cup of tea, and it’s often used for hedging in local herb gardens.

YELLOW JESSAMINE The state flower of South Carolina showboats with its strong scent and vibrant yellow flowers in late winter and early spring. The toxic twisting vine can grow to 19 feet and is often placed over arbors or to cover walls. Its sweet nectar also attracts a range of pollinators. LL

15% OFF ALL Fabrics in February

FEBRUARY 2019 + LocalLifeSC.com

111

destinations

Deep South Road Trip: Part V ROAD TRIP

Edmund Pettus Bridge

On the Civil Rights Trail: From Jackson, Mississippi, to Montgomery, Alabama

t

BY CAROLYN MALES

There are footsteps on the wide street leading up to the Alabama State Capitol in Montgomery.

Some are images painted on the road; others in memory. On Feb 18, 1861 celebrants paraded to the grand Greek Revival building for Jefferson Davis’s inauguration as president of the Confederate States of America. More than a century later on March 25, 1965, thousands of voting rights advocates, led by Martin Luther King Jr., walked up this same avenue on their march from Selma to Montgomery. The painted footsteps, commemorating the latter, angle toward the statehouse where helmeted state troopers had stood in opposition.

A few blocks away a plaque marks the spot where civil rights activist Rosa Parks stepped onto a crowded bus and took a seat in the “colored”

112

LocalLifeSC.com + FEBRUARY 2019

section. When a white person boarded a few minutes later, the driver moved the sign demarcating the border between the white and black areas and insisted Parks give up her seat. She refused. The police hauled her off and the civil rights movement caught fire. Her arrest led to a city bus boycott that lasted until the Supreme Court struck down segregation on public transport over a year later.

So it was here on the last leg of our Deep South journey in Mississippi and Alabama that we found ourselves immersed in the history and the ongoing challenges of the civil rights movement. It was both an education and a reminder of the turmoil the country had experienced and the work still to be done. It brought both hope for progress made and awareness of inequalities and divisions still to be bridged.

The Mississippi State Capitol

Jackson, Mississippi Named after Andrew Jackson and burned by Sherman’s troops during the Civil War, Mississippi’s capitol city became a staging ground for sitins, boycotts, and other nonviolent civil rights demonstrations in the mid-twentieth century.

Medgar Evers, field-secretary of the Mississippi NAACP who was assassinated by a white supremacist in front of his home in 1963, became a rallying symbol in the movement.

The Mississippi Civil Rights Museum explores the history of the struggle for equality in the state: as a slave colony governed by a black code; through the invention of the cotton gin and the resulting expansion of slavery; during the Civil War and fragile freedom enforced by federal forces during Reconstruction. With the withdrawal of these troops in 1877 came the rise of Jim Crow laws, denying civil liberties and enforcing racial segregation in public facilities, transportation, and schools.

Interactive exhibits spotlight the violence and fear of the era. Approach the façade of a segregated movie theater, and a bolt of light startles as a disembodied voice shouts, “Hey, you all looking for trouble?” A documentary on Medgar Evers ends with a flash spotlighting a case with the rifle that killed him. Even the passage of the Civil Rights laws didn’t guarantee parity. To circumvent them public schools were defunded and private segregation academies founded. The museum’s final gallery documents the state’s progress and what needs to be done.

Visit our website for competitive pricing.

Practical Storage Solutions & Unmatched Quality

843.415.6069

SignatureClosetsAndCabinetry.com

Signature Closets Of The Low Country

Island Lavender Market 707 Bay Street Downtown

“We hand make wonderful lavender specialties …delectable edibles, beauty delights and home pleasures.”

The Mississippi Civil Rights Museum

www.islandlavender.com 920-737-1531 Island_Lavender_Ad_LowCountryNews_4.75x4.75.indd 1

1/5/19 1:29 PM

FEBRUARY 2019 + LocalLifeSC.com

113

destinations

Selma, Alabama

Brown Chapel A.M.E Church

The old cotton port of Selma hit national headlines in early 1965 when civil rights activists, gearing up for a voter registration drive, protested measures like poll taxes, intimidation, and so-called “literacy” tests filled with obscure questions that prevented African Americans from casting ballots. On March 7, a day soon to be known as “Bloody Sunday,” six hundred activists led by Reverend Hosea Williams and John Lewis, began a planned march from the Brown Chapel A.M.E east to the capitol in Montgomery. As they made their way across the Edmund Pettus Bridge, a span named for a Confederate Brigadier General and Grand Dragon of the Ku Klux Klan, they were stopped and tear gassed by state troopers and deputies armed with nightsticks and cattle prods.

Two days later Martin Luther King Jr., would lead another group of peaceful protesters partway across the same bridge in a symbolic demonstration while he sought federal protection. It was granted and on March 21 more than three thousand marched from the Brown Chapel A.M.E Church in Selma under watch of a federalized Alabama National Guard, US Federal Selma Interpretive Center Marshals, and FBI agents. Four days and 54 miles later, the marchers, now 25,000 people strong, stood before the Alabama state capitol building in Montgomery. With national attention focused on Selma, President Lyndon Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act of 1965, prohibiting racial discrimination at the polls.

To mark this landmark event, the US National Park Service has placed interpretive signs along the Selma to Montgomery National Historic Trail. Begin at the Selma Interpretive Center and the National Voting Rights Museum and Institute, located at the foot of the bridge, for an historic overview and exhibits on the movement’s thwarters and supporters.

Afterwards, head out to the Lowndes Interpretive Center for more exhibits including stories about tent cities that sprung up when African American tenant farmers were evicted by white landowners in the law’s aftermath.

Montgomery Alabama

Court Square

114

LocalLifeSC.com + FEBRUARY 2019

Court Square From atop a grand fountain, Hebe, Greek goddess of eternal youth, pours water from her cup which, with the help of twenty-five jets, cascades down upon quartets of boys, men, and three standing birds. This light-hearted romantic display contrasts with the spot’s pre-Civil War history when Africans were forced to stand in line for inspection here as they were auctioned off by slave traders. Three other slave markets sat nearby, close to the railroad station where trafficked men, women, and children were brought in. A century later Rosa Parks would step onto a bus in view of the fountain and change the course of history.

Legacy Museum: From Enslavement to Mass Incarceration There is no better place to get an overview of the legacy of enslavement and subsequent Legacy Museum acts of racial terror in America than this unique, comprehensive museum housed in a former slave market. The immersive history begins with domestic slave trade through subsequent decades of lynchings, segregation, racial hierarchies, ending with an exploration of contemporary issues of mass incarceration and violence. The museum, along with the Memorial for Peace and Justice, is a project of the

Playlist: Musical Miscellany

A long list of blues musicians and rockers share Mississippi and Alabama roots: BB King, Elvis, Jimmie Rodgers, Faith Hill, Robert Johnson, Wilson Pickett, Emmylou Harris, Dinah Washington, Nat King Cole and Cassandra Wilson—to name just a few.

You’ve never heard “Amazing Grace” performed the way BLIND BOYS OF ALABAMA do it—to the tune of “House of the Rising Sun.” The group began singing together in 1939 when they were students at the Alabama School for the Negro Deaf and Blind. By the 1960s they were playing civil rights benefits for Martin Luther King which led to wider mainstream audiences, garnering them Grammy Awards for their gospel albums.

BIG MAMA THORNTON honed her powerful voice in the Baptist church near Montgomery where her father was a minister. But it wasn’t until the late forties and early fifties when she began singing at clubs in Texas, Los Angeles, and then at the Apollo in Harlem, that her rhythm-andblues career took flight. She wrote and recorded “Ball N’ Chain;” however, it wasn’t released until Janis Joplin had popularized the song in 1968.

Visitors entering “The Heart of Dixie” are greeted by green-and-white “Welcome to Sweet Home Alabama” signs, referencing the LYNYRD SKYNYRD hit song. Yet the 1974 single was written by a Californian (Ed King) and two Floridians (Ronnie Van Zant and Gary Rossington) in response to Canadian Neil Young’s “Southern Man” and “Alabama” with their condemnation of the region’s history of segregation. Ironically “Sweet Home,” now a pre-game anthem sing-along for Alabama’s Crimson Tide football team, wasn’t recorded at Muscle Shoals Sound Studio in Alabama but at Studio One in Doraville, Georgia.

The song “Jackson,” a hit for JOHNNY CASH AND JUNE CARTER in 1967 is not about Jackson, Mississippi, as many think. Billy Edd Wheeler, who coauthored the song with Jerry Leiber in 1963 admitted “I didn’t have a specific Jackson in mind” but Cash and Charlie Daniels both were thinking Jackson, Tennessee, when they recorded their versions.

Alabama country-and-blues legend HANK WILLIAMS penned “Your Cheatin’ Heart” (which posthumously hit the charts in 1953) about his ex-wife. His 1948 gospel hit “I Saw The Light” was reportedly inspired by his mother, who upon seeing the lights of the local airport, uttered the phrase to a plastered Williams who lay sprawled in the car’s backseat as they returned home from a concert.

Playlist: Audio Books NPR AMERICA CHRONICLES: CIVIL RIGHTS HOSTED BY MICHELE NORRIS A collection of interviews with famous civil rights activists like Rosa Parks and James Lewis, personal recollections, and tales of both celebrated and unsung heroes of the movement. Hear accounts of life in the segregated South—using “a green book” to find hotels that accommodated blacks, George Wallace blocking entrance at the schoolhouse door, a Pullman porter subtly confronting racism.

FEBRUARY 2019 + LocalLifeSC.com

115

destinations

non-profit Equal Justice Initiative whose mission is to “provide legal representation to indigent defendants and prisoners who have been denied fair and just treatment in the legal system.”

National Memorial for Peace and Justice Standing here amid 800 six-foot steel monuments, engraved with names and dates of more than 4,000 African Americans lynched between 1877 and 1950, the scope of the atrocities is sobering. We learn these are racially-motivated hangings of black men, women and children, and they are only the ones known to have been recorded. On the surrounding walls, victims’ stories are posted along with rationales mobs seized upon for their brutal actions: an African-American man had asked a white woman for a glass of water; another had sued a white man who killed his cow; a woman had protested when they hung her husband. Sometimes entire communities were murdered for “the crime” of having the wrong color skin.

The columns, each representing a US county where a lynching took place, start at ground level but then as you continue on, the monuments begin to rise higher and higher until they’re hanging well above your head like lynched bodies.

Rosa Parks Museum commemorates the “Mother of the Civil Rights Movement” and “The ‘no’ heard round the world.” Step into a darkened room with a bus and witness that day in December 1955 when Parks, headed home from her department store job, made her courageous stand. With the resulting city-wide bus boycott, church leaders, funeral directors, and housewives drove boycotters to their jobs only to endure retaliation as their names and phone numbers were published. Harassed publically and privately, boycotters and supporters would lose jobs, businesses, and even insurance coverage. Churches were burned and homes firebombed. A year later the US Supreme Court struck down segregation on public transport but in 1957 Parks, now jobless and fearing for her family’s safety, moved to Detroit where she and her husband established youth educational programs.

Freedom Rides Museum In 1961 black and white activists rode interstate buses through the Deep South, challenging non-compliance with court-ordered desegregation.

Despite their non-violent act of integration, twenty-one young riders were attacked here at this Greyhound station by a baseball bat-and-pipe-wielding crowd as police stood by.

Civil Rights Memorial Center A project of the Southern Poverty Law Center, the memorial documents those who died in the struggle to end inequality. A Wall of Tolerance digitally displays a half-million names of those who have pledged to take a stand against hatred. A black granite circular table created by Vietnam Memorial designer Maya Lin chronicles the movement and honors forty martyrs for the cause.

The ‘no’ heard round the world.

Rosa Parks Museum

National Memorial for Peace and Justice

Civil Rights Memorial Center

Weidmann’s

116

LocalLifeSC.com + FEBRUARY 2019

Eats Weidmann’s (Meridian, MS) Since 1870 families and businesspeople have gathered at Weidmann’s for Southern fare. Today, fried green tomatoes along with grillades and grits share the menu with Benedicts, quesadillas, spring rolls, and bruschetta. On each table, in place of the usual basket of bread, sits a trademark crock of peanut butter accompanied by crackers, a legacy of a World War II butter shortage.

Chris’ (Montgomery AL) We couldn’t resist eating at a hot dog joint that that Zelda and Scott Fitzgerald once frequented. It turns out that everyone including politicians and presidents have slid into booths and downed chili dogs and fries at these boomerangpatterned Formica-topped tables.

A

Side Trips:

Civil Rights Footnotes:

Eudora Welty House and Garden (Jackson) Books. Books. Books. They're scattered on sofas, tabletops, chairs, piano, beds in every room of Welty’s two-story Tudor Revival house—just as the Pulitzer Prize-winning author would have left them. In her bedroom, a combination officesleeping quarters, she faced her desk and typing table away from the front windows. She didn’t want the distraction.

Scott & Zelda Fitzgerald Museum (Montgomery) In her heyday, hometown girl Zelda Sayre was the embodiment of the Roaring Twenties—a beautiful adventurous flapper wooed by dapper soon-to-be famous author F. Scott Fitzgerald, then a second lieutenant stationed here. They wed in 1920 and lived a peripatetic life but by 1931 when they rented this two-story home, Scott’s alcoholism, Zelda’s mental breakdowns, and their financial problems had doomed their marriage. Photographs and other memorabilia tell the story.

■ I n 2015 an Alabama Senate resolution to rename the Edmund Pettus Bridge as The Journey to Freedom Bridge died. Some deplored keeping the name of a white supremacist on the bridge but others felt that leaving it in place reinforced the bravery of the marchers who risked lives and livelihoods for voting rights.

One of Eudora Welty’s typewriters

■ R osa Park wasn’t just a tired seamstress victimized by a municipal bus driver. She was a NAACP activist who had, in fact, faced down that very same driver a dozen years prior to her historic act. During this first encounter, she had entered the front of the bus and attempted to pay her fare there, a “privilege” reserved by city ordinance for whites.

■ M edgar Evers’s assassin, a Mississippi Klansman, was tried twice for his murder but released when his two trials resulted in hung juries. When new evidence arose, a third trial in 1994 resulted in a life sentence. He would die still in custody seven years later at age 80.

■ I n December 2018, the Senate finally passed The Justice for Lynching Act, legislation that would make lynching a federal crime. Despite two hundred-plus anti-lynching bills introduced in Congress, passage took more than 100 years.

■ B eaufort County, SC’s monument at the National Memorial for Peace and Justice reads “William Cornish 7. 21.1901.” Despite unsubstantiated charges of attempted rape of white women, Cornish, a black sailor, was lynched in Port Royal.

Scott & Zelda Fitzgerald Museum

■ Martin Luther King was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964.

Dream.

Build.

Eat.

1536 Fording Island Rd Suite 104 Hilton Head Island, SC 843.505.3485

Already longing for warmer weather? This welcoming Tropical Blue hue can make chilly days feel a little sunnier. 1950s retro by North Star is truly a unique thing.

appliancesbydesign.com sales service repair FEBRUARY 2019 + LocalLifeSC.com

117

culture

©ARTWORK BY SONJA GRIFFIN EVANS

Before the Bridge

AMERICAN GULLAH This art by Sonja Griffin Evans depicts the unsung pioneers of South Carolina, standing in a rice field with only mere hopes of receiving their rewards in the afterlife.

118

LocalLifeSC.com + FEBRUARY 2019

s e i t i l i b i s s o P s s Endle CARPET • HARDWOOD • LAMINATE TILE & STONE • VINYL • AREA RUGS

General Thomas Fenwick Drayton’s mansion on Hilton Head Island

e

LIFE ON HILTON HEAD WAS SIMPLE, PEACEFUL, FAMILY ORIENTED AND BUILT ON HARD WORK. STORY BY LUANA GRAVES SELLARS

Every day, close to 50,000 cars cross the bridge onto Hilton Head Island. In 1956, the year the first bridge to Hilton Head opened, that was the traffic for the entire year.

Today, having a connection from Hilton Head to the mainland is an afterthought, and traveling to Bluffton, Beaufort or Savannah is as easy as getting in a car and heading west over the James F. Byrnes Bridge, named for a powerful Beaufort congressman. The current four-lane span was built in 1982, replacing the original two-lane toll swing bridge.

But once upon a time, leaving the island wasn’t so easy. Residents relied on the limited state-operated ferry or private boats. Many Gullah families had a bateaux, a small, flat-bottomed rowboat, that they used to reach the mainland. Before the bridge, one could go days without seeing a car. Just like travel, communication with the mainland was difficult too. It wasn’t until 1958, that phone lines were brought to the island. Reliable electricity also didn’t arrive until the 1950s, according to “Bridging the Sea Islands’ Past and Present,” the third volume of Beaufort County history by Lawrence Rowland and Stephen Wise.

The island’s transportation hub was the Fish Camp, where Charlie “Mr. Transportation” Simmons launched his ferry to Savannah. Charlie’s boat, which held six cars, was what Dr. Emory Campbell described as “the lifeline between the island and the rest of the world.” Between the 1930s and the ‘50s, the day-long trip was how goods were transported back and forth to Savannah for sale. Campbell said Simmons “didn’t do it for the money, but as a service to the island.” Even developer Charles Fraser’s first trip to the island was via Simmons, as well as all of the workers who built Sea Pines, the island’s first plantation.

But long before developers set their sites on Hilton Head, it was an isolated island populated primarily by descendants of slaves. After assuming command in September 1862, Gen. Ormsby Mitchel was upset at the living conditions of the former slaves. He confiscated some land on Confederate General Thomas Fenwick Drayton’s Fish Haul Plantation, laid out streets and lots, and provided lumber for the former slaves to build their homes in a town that would be called Mitchelville. It was the first self-governing town of formerly enslaved African Americans. After the war,

(843) 681-4925 hiltonheadisland@floorstogo.com 123 Mathews Drive • Hilton Head Island FEBRUARY 2019 + LocalLifeSC.com

119

culture the freed slaves tried to grow Sea Island cotton but the boll weevil wiped out the crop.

Thus, for more than 80 years, the Gullah families survived by growing food on small farms and hunting and fishing.

The island’s isolation preserved the Gullah community’s culture, traditions and, most importantly, its language, all derived from a blend from several African countries.

The Gullah language, a combination of African dialects, allowed slaves to communicate without their owners understanding what was being said. After slavery, the language provided a sense of identity and community within the families who remained in the Lowcountry.

While fading, the language is still used today.

The community supported one another.

If one had, they all had. If one needed, then someone provided. They didn’t have to go far for food, nor buy it, because everything was right there.

It wasn’t until after World War II that the island garnered much attention from the outside world. A group of timbermen recognized the potential in the Island’s tall, straight pines that they called sea pines and harvested them for lumber that was put to a variety of uses.

©PHOTO BY HENRY P. MOORE

120

LocalLifeSC.com + FEBRUARY 2019

the spirits of the dead could travel easily back to Africa.

Life on Hilton Head was simple, peaceful and family oriented, yet built on hard work. An active community, primarily on the north end of the island, shared their skills and whatever they had with each other. The island was a network of giving and organizing. “People were wonderful in how they took care of each other.

Everyone was your mother,” native islander Mary Green said.

If a house needed to be built, the community came together to build it. The concept of being indebted to someone monetarily was not the expectation. Instead, assistance was given out of one’s ability to do so and out of respect.

Oystering was one of the few industries on the island. At one time, there were five oyster factories. Workers were paid $7 a gallon to

©ARTWORK BY SONJA GRIFFIN EVANS

For more than a century, the Gullah culture has endured in big and small ways, from the sweetgrass baskets to the language to the family Bibles passed from generation to generation. Gullah culture places tremendous value in its ancestors and elders; their significance and wisdom that they impart on the community is invaluable. Most of the families can trace their lineage back five, six, or even seven generations to the slaves who grew cotton and indigo on the island.

Because of that linkage to the past, acreage is more than just a lot that has value to Gullah families. It a priceless, tangible and visible reminder of the blood, sweat and tears that their ancestors experienced.

On an island that prides itself on the high price of a house with a water view, even that is a cultural difference. Gullah houses on the island, for the most part, were built near water, but not on the water. Based on weather experiences and the guidance of elders, Gullah houses were set back as protection from tides and storm surge. Gullah cemeteries, however, were placed near the water so

©HERITAGE LIBRARY

The Lifestyle

A MOMENT IN TIME A Union soldier stands with former slaves in 1862 at the plantation of Thomas F. Drayton on Hilton Head Island. Most of the people in the photograph are wearing similar clothing and accessories. Several have raw cotton stuck to their clothing.

Women’s heads are covered, which was a custom imposed on female slaves.

©PHOTO BY LEWIS WICKES HINE

YOUR NEW KITCHEN STARTS IN OUR NEW STUDIO.

AW SHUCKS A child is shown shucking oysters at Varn & Platt Canning Co. in Bluffton in 1913. Child labor gradually disappeared in South Carolina during the 1920s and 1930s.

wash them, open the shells and drop the shells into a hole. An average day meant six to seven gallons of oysters per person. Louis Cohen, curator of the Gullah Museum, said “my mother used the oyster knife so much that her fingerprint is in the handle.”

Most families also had a marsh tacky horse, which was used for local travel and farming. Having a marsh tacky came with significant pride in ownership. Considered one of the greatest work horses, the little horses helped plow fields and move large items. The horses also were a great source of entertainment for racing on the beach or at the annual Christmas marsh tacky race on Marshland Road.

Evenings brought people together as they went from house to house with food to fellowship.

Several themed social clubs on the island organized roving holiday events where they brought the party with them.

Most of the neighborhoods also had a “juke joint,” which is a Gullah word. Juke joints were gathering places where the newest music or dances could be found. During war times when Marines were based around Palmetto Dunes, a popular juke joint was Doogie’s. Most of the other island juke joints were strictly for Gullah, costing 10 cents to get in.

The island beaches, previously Gullah owned, and named after the Singleton and Burke families, also were very popular attractions on the weekend, known for having pavilions filled with music and food. The area beaches became a stop on the chitterling circuit, drawing huge crowds when performers such as Ike and Tina Turner performed at the pavilion known as Burke’s Hideaway.

843.308.1282 | a r l e n e w i l l i a m s k i t c h e n d e s i g n . c o m ARROW ROAD 6 5 AR R OW R OA D 65 | HI LT ON HE A D I SL AN D SC 29928 HILTON HEAD ISLAND

FEBRUARY 2019 + LocalLifeSC.com

121

culture

The Medicine

©PHOTO BY LLOYD WAINSCOTT

The Gullah also maintained traditional African practices in medicine. The island had its own “medicine man,” William "Frankie" Aiken Sr., who knew how to combine certain plants to fix what ailed you. Natural remedies included peppermint oil, which gave relief from a toothache, garlic which was used to regulate blood pressure or fight an infection, and dogwood tea, which was good for a fever.

“Go get Granny” was the common phrase used when medical attention was needed. Susan "Ma Sookie" Williams and Adrianna Ford were a couple of “Grannies” who were midwives that delivered many of the island’s children. Ford dressed in her crisp uniform and carried her bag of medical supplies around the island, caring for the sick and delivering babies in the 1930s and ‘40s. There was no official doctor until the 1950s, and even then he only came to the island every couple of weeks. Hannah White "Mom" Barnwell was the island's first registered nurse. Just like everything, medical services were bartered for with a bundle of crops, livestock or a skill.

Cherry Hill School

The Education Culturally, having a skill and literacy were two of the most important lessons passed down.

Being able to read was once against the law, so the Gullah knew it made a significant difference in the lives of their children. Even before Emancipation, an education system was established in Mitchelville, the first self-governed town for freed slaves. They also set up a government and a retail center.

Pride in appearance and “deportment”— how one carries themselves, sits and stands — were also critical elements of their education. Before a school was built, classes were held in praise houses, churches and even dance halls. The schools were specifically constructed with

122

LocalLifeSC.com + FEBRUARY 2019

windows on the east side of the building so the sun would shine over the student’s shoulder while they studied at wooden tables and benches. One-room schoolhouses were built at Honey Horn, Community Hall (Spanish Wells), Pope and Cherry Hill. The Cherry Hill School, which was built in 1937, was built after Gullah families raised money to purchase the land for the Beaufort County School District. The Cherry Hill School is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

Children were expected to farm or do their chores in the early morning, go to school and complete their chores in the afternoon. Several age groups were taught within a class of between 25 to 40 students and the primary focus was to learn arithmetic, reading, writing and spelling.

Each day began with the recitation of a Bible verse. Children were educated on the island up to 5th grade and then were sent off island to live with a host family to continue their education at Penn Center or in Savannah.

Notable teachers during the 1940s and ‘50s were Julia Campbell, Reginald Campbell, Dorothy Johnson and Sarah Campbell.

The Religion Like most of America, the church was the governing cornerstone of the island. From the beginning, the island’s Gullah churches were a central part of life for spiritual, personal direction and information. They also provided a safe haven for slaves.

Early on, pastors did not live on the island, so services were held every couple of months. When it was time for service, a bell would serve as a call to worship, which lasted all day. People wore their “Sunday best” and brought food with them to eat throughout the day. When the pastors weren’t available, worship services were held in various praise houses or homes around the island on a weekly basis. Eventually, as more churches were established, services were shared between the pastors and the location of the service would be rotated between them, a practice that continues today.

For many years, the churches followed an ancestral African tradition called seeking. It’s a practice based in the belief that God communicated through dreams. The individual would tie a rope with knots around their head to indicate to others that they were in prayer. The individual would then spend days, and sometimes months, in the woods waiting until “you got through,” with their spiritual dream, which was a rite of passage.

If person was a child who was playing around

NATIVE ISLANDERS Artwork from Sonja Griffin Evans includes A New Day (top), Gullah Dream Catcher (above) and First Decoration Day (top right).

©ALL ARTWORK BY SONJA GRIFFIN EVANS

and didn’t take the process seriously, they were “turned back.” Once the dream was identified, one’s designated spiritual mother or father would interpret the dream and eventually the church leaders would challenge their beliefs. The practice of seeking persisted until the early 1970s.

After seeking, the practice of baptism by river ensured that one’s sins were taken away. Utilizing moving water is a tradition that continues today at Mt. Calvary Baptist Church, where they perform baptisms along the shores of Skull Creek.

The power and influence of the church is significant to the Gullah because it was pivotal in how it structured its message. The church was the guide for how life should be lived in every aspect, from rearing a child to civic involvement and politics. The Gullah church was much more than a place for Sunday worship, it was also instrumental for discipline within the community.

If an individual was found to have “done wrong” or sinned, they would be “put on the back seat” and expected to sit in the back row of the church until it was determined they had repented.

The Gullah respected and protected the island that now call home, too. Hilton Head has always been an island paradise; it began long before any bridge. LL

32 OFFICE PARK ROAD • SUITE 105 HILTON HEAD • 843.785.SHOP

VILLAGE AT WEXFORD 843.686.KIDS

Writer Luana Graves Sellars is a community activist who spends a lot of her time advocating for issues that involve the Gullah, as well as coordinating communication between the Leadership and the Gullah community, in addition to publishing the monthly NIBCAA Native Islander newsletter. To date, she has written more than 80 articles on the island’s Gullah families and culture, and shares her Gullah knowledge and passion for the culture teaching classes for Osher Life Long Learning, as well as other speaking requests.

FEBRUARY 2019 + LocalLifeSC.com

123

culture

This land was their land

GULLAH LIFE AFTER THE BRIDGE SWUNG THEIR WORLD WIDE OPEN STORY BY DEAN ROWLAND + PHOTOS BY LLOYD WAINSCOTT

124

LocalLifeSC.com + FEBRUARY 2019

b

Before he died in 2016 at the age of 87, native islander Charlie Simmons Jr. recalled growing up in the 1930s very fondly. His Gullah life was a good one.

There was food on the table every day; he played with his young friends and cousins, attended the one-room school house near Honey Horn, attended the First African Baptist Church at Mitchelville, and put his skinny little body to work on his family’s small farm, working the garden and tending to the livestock.

Sometimes he helped out his dad, Charlie Simmons Sr., affectionately known as “Mr. Transportation,” by loading butter beans and watermelons onto his truck for delivery. His neighbors in the Spanish Wells area were farmers and fishermen and a few worked for the Army Corps of Engineers in Savannah.

Other tight-knit Gullah neighborhoods on the north end shared the same daily routines.

It didn’t matter much, if at all, that his isolated Hilton Head world had no running water, no electricity, no paved roads, no marinas, no stoplights and, of course, no bridges. Those things were a world apart from what he experienced as a youngster. In his world, he said, there was nothing lacking.

Glow This Valentine’s Day

IN FEBRUARY

SAVE 15% ON FACIALS

HISTORY LESSON Learn more about these and other historically significant structures by going on a Gullah Heritage Trail Tour. For tickets ($32), call 843-681-7066.

About 300 native islanders called Hilton Head home at that time and ate mostly what they grew, or caught or what their livestock produced.

“You know, we didn’t know anything about poverty, we didn’t know anything about segregation, not a thing,” recalled Simmons, who was born in 1928 and was delivered by a midwife. “We were free, the island was about 98 percent black, and the few white folks that lived over here, we got along.”

They wouldn’t have been free had it not been for a propitious turn of events during the early stages of the Civil War that transformed the war — and the island.

A year prior to the Battle of Port Royal in late 1861, the island was humming with activity on the 24 farming plantations that were growing rice, sugarcane, indigo and cotton. Slaves rounded up in western and central Africa and transported to the South Carolina and Georgia sea islands in the late 1600s were doing the hard, sweaty labor.

Freedom for them was on the Lowcountry horizon.

Fast forward to the Battle of Port Royal where the massive Union Navy sunk the Confederate fleet in 1861 and plantation owners and Confederate soldiers fled. The Union now had 10,000 freed men, women and children slaves on their hands.

The solution was creating the self-governing town of Mitchelville for the freed slaves on the former Drayton Plantation in 1862.

By 1875, 1,500 freed families called Mitchelville home. Many of them remained here on the island for years afterward. In 1890,

Treat yourself or a loved on to the perfect antidote for environmentally stressed skin.

Our Let it Glow Seasonal Facial is a doublemasking Skin Authority delight that begins with a gentle sugar cane treatment and a bubbling 7-minute mask infused with supercharged serums and fruit extracts to penetrate the skin. We’ll finish with our most popular Fit and Firm peel-off mask, leaving your skin soft to the touch, hydrated and bright.

Gift with Service includes Skin Authority’s Shimmering Champagne Bath Bomb.

843.258.3981 |

www.indigospa.com

14 VALENCIA RD, HILTON HEAD ISLAND, SC 29928

*Mention this ad at the time of booking to receive Local Life discount and a complimentary glass of champagne. Gratuity is applied to the original service price.

FEBRUARY 2019 + LocalLifeSC.com

125

©HERITAGE LIBRARY

culture

©PALMETTO ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE

A QUIET PLACE This map of Hilton Head Island shows the lack of development before 1861. After General Robert E. Lee’s surrender at Appomatox, the Federal troops departed for the North. Mostly Mitchelville inhabitants remained. With the passage of time, Mitchelville disappeared, and the island was left to nature and mostly freed slaves.

THROUGH THE AGES Top, from left: Replica of a Mitchelville home and a Gullah bateau boat.

Bottom, from left: Mitchelville quarters and a 1950 photo, showing Palmetto Electric Cooperative's first step in bringing electricity to Hilton Head Island by unloading utility poles from a barge.

126

LocalLifeSC.com + FEBRUARY 2019

about 3,000 African-Americans were living on Hilton Head. In 1940, the island’s population was 1,100, nearly all of whom were descendants of the freed slaves.

Simmons Sr. ferried goods, people, paychecks, mail and other routine necessities between the Hilton Head, Savannah and Dafauskie Island on a regular schedule from Fishcamp at Broad Creek. He also provided transportation and other services to those on Hilton Head, owned and operated two country stores, and instilled a model work ethic and pride in his Gullah heritage that was inspirational to others.

In the early 1950s, with the native islanders population at about 300, the island’s three lumber mills were humming with activity for future development, Palmetto Electric Cooperative installed electricity, an

©COASTAL DISCOVERY MUSEUM

FERRY TALES A state-operated car ferry began running from Buckingham Landing to Jenkins Island in 1953.

FINE APPAREL, SHOES & GIFTS

elementary school opened for black students, and a state-operated car ferry from Buckingham Landing to Jenkins Island opened.

Gullah descendants owned most of Hilton Head’s 26,880 acres; today, they own less than 1,000.

“The changes started before I went to college, because the bridge was built in ’56; that’s the year I graduated, and I would say, back in the early ‘50s, is when the development started,” Simmons recalled. “There’s always been a saying that the developers, the white folks, came and took all the black folks’ land. That’s not true. I’ll admit that they bought it, you know, almost at a steal, but they didn’t exactly come and say…’it’s mine.’“ But most of the native black islanders picked up their roots, picked up their money from selling their land in its entirety or portions of it and relocated.

Then came the James F. Byrnes swing bridge in 1956, which connected Hilton Head Island to the world. LL

843.815.3315 COCOONBLUFFTON.COM 6 PROMENADE STREET, UNIT 1008 PROMENADE | DOWNTOWN BLUFFTON

JANUARY 12 – APRIL 8, 2019 Sonnette™ Cellular Roller Shades

Cozier winters.

Cooler summers.

Energy savings year-round.

Ask about rebate savings on select insulating Hunter Douglas styles today.

Budget Blinds Of Lowcountry 880 Fording Island Rd Unit 8 Bluffton, SC M-F: 9:00 am - 5:00 pm Sat: Closed Sun: Closed 843-837-4060 www.budgetblindsofthelowcountry.com

JANUARY 12 – APRIL 8, 2019

*Manufacturer’s mail-in rebate offer valid for qualifying purchases made 1/12/19 - 4/8/19 from participating dealers in the U.S. only. Rebate will be issued in the form of a prepaid reward card and mailed within 4 weeks of rebate claim approval. Funds do not expire. Subject to applicable law, a $2.00 monthly fee will be assessed against card balance 6 months after card issuance and each month thereafter. See complete terms distributed with reward card. Additional limitations may apply. Ask participating dealer for details and rebate form. ©2019 Hunter Douglas. All rights reserved. All trademarks used herein are the property of Hunter Douglas or their respective owners. 19Q1MAGSOIC1

©THE SEA PINES RESORT

Sonnette™ Cellular Roller Shades

SWING INTO ACTION In 1956, the James F. Byrnes Bridge, a twolane toll swing bridge, was constructed at a cost of $1.5 million.

Ask about rebate savings on select Cozier winters. insulating Hunter Douglas styles today.

Cooler summers.

843-837-4060 Energy savings year-round.

Budget Blinds of Hilton Head Island 880 Fording Island Rd #8 Bluffton

BudgetBlinds.com/HiltonHeadIsland

Ask about rebate savings on select insulating Hunter Douglas styles today.

*Manufacturer’s mail-in rebate offer valid for qualifying purchases made 1/12/19-4/8/19 from participating dealers in the U.S. only. Rebate will be issues in the form of a prepaid reward card and mailed within 4 weeks of rebate claim approval. Funds do not expire. Subject to applicable law, a $2.00 monthly fee will be assessed against card balance 6 month after card issuance and each month thereafter. See complete terms distributed with reward card. Additional limitations may apply. Ask participating dealer for details and rebate form. ©2019 Hunter Douglas. All rights reserved.

All trademarks used herein are the property of Hunter Douglas or their respective owners. 19Q1MAGS0IC1

Budget Blinds Of Lowcountry 880 Fording Island Rd Unit 8 Bluffton, SC FEBRUARY 2019 + LocalLifeSC.com M-F: 9:00 am - 5:00 pm Sat: Closed Sun: Closed 843-837-4060 www.budgetblindsofthelowcountry.com

127

culture

LOCAL ROOTS

Mother Rivers

e

BY LUANA GRAVES SELLARS PHOTO BY LLOYD WAINSCOTT

100 AND COUNTING Following the passing of Gertrude Brown Grant, Ethel Rivers (locally known at Mother Rivers) is the oldest living person born on Hilton Head. She had 17 children, 43 grandchildren and 57 great-grandchildren.

128

LocalLifeSC.com + FEBRUARY 2019

Everyone has a story. Some people have action-packed adventures that are full of excitement while others are just plain simple.

Some lives are tragically cut short and others have the blessing of spanning decades.

It’s not often that you have the opportunity to spend time with a centenarian; it’s a chance to pause and to take notes. Time with her is a chance to peek behind the historic curtain and receive firsthand knowledge and unexpected details from someone’s past.

Still active and clear in her memories, Mother Ethel Rivers comes across as though she’s decades younger. It’s only when she starts to share her rich past that you realize how much of a rare island treasure she is. She, however, doesn’t think so. When she’s told that her lifelong experiences have made her into an amazing woman, she simply replies, “that’s what they say.” With Mother Rivers, it is that simple. During her lifetime, she’s cut down trees with a saw, made quilts and worked on cars. “No work was too hard for me. I did what I needed to do.”

When she thinks back, she remembers a life well lived in Mitchelville, the area of Hilton Head in which she grew up. “And that’s a very long time,” she says. “I don’t know how I look, but I feel good. Twenty years ago, I didn’t think that I’d still be here. I must have done some good somewhere down the line. I just put all of my trust in the Lord.”

With a crisp mind full of memories that take her back to her teenage years, Mother Rivers recalls most of what happened on the island during her lifetime, including the Category 2 Georgia-South Carolina Hurricane in August 1940. As the storm made landfall in Beaufort, she says that her family was over near Barkers Field in a house that the storm

A1 Auto Detailing & car Storage hilton head island

blew out all of the windows. Frightened for their safety, the family made its way over to the now historic St. James Baptist Church, which also began to shake violently. Uncertain about their safety in the church, they made it over to Flora Washington’s house, where Joe Bailey was gravely ill at the time. She never saw someone that old or sick before. Scared by his appearance, and willing to brave the storm one more time, she asked, “do we have to stay here?”

Life on the island certainly has changed in a century. Rivers has lived in her house since 1942. Within walking distance there used to be a small store where she would buy a large biscuit and meat for 5 cents. They picked up some meat, sugar, lard and a half a loaf of bread for 50 cents.

She doesn’t cook anymore, but she’s very specific about how she likes her rice cooked. It shouldn’t be “raw rice” and be sure that you can “count” and “spread the grains,” she says. “I like sweets, but they don’t make pound cake like they used to.”

Back then, children started school when they were about 10 years old. Her formal education was in a classroom set up in the parsonage behind St. James Church, but it ended when she reached the 5th grade. An advanced education was only available to children who knew someone with whom they could stay while in school on Tybee or Beaufort. That didn’t end her thirst for knowledge.

“I read everything that I could to multiply my knowledge and learn more. Then I stayed here and got a good husband.”

Her marriage to Nathan “Apple” Rivers lasted for 74 years. He died in 1975 and she pledged not to remarry, because “he was to be her only love.”

On the day we spoke, Mother Rivers had just cast her vote during early voting and reminisced about the first vote that she cast in 1934, when she was 16. She was newly married then and recalls that she was one of the first black women from Hilton Head to travel to Beaufort to vote. At the time, they didn’t even have the courthouse ready; they had a special room for the women to vote.

Growing up, church services at St. James were only every other month.

Over her lifetime, she “worked in every auxiliary at the church and sometimes I even played the piano.”

Mother Rivers shared six principles on how she has lived her life over the past 100 years. It’s important to “make sure that you give your body a rest. God can’t work on your body if you don’t allow yourself to rest. Remember to give one day to the Lord.

Always think about other people and share what you have. Remember to treat people like you want to be treated. And always do the right thing the best way that you know how.”

Mother Rivers celebrated her 100th birthday on Oct. 16, surrounded by the majority of her family, which includes 17 children, 43 grandchildren and 57 great-grandchildren. That’s 117 descendants and counting. As the oldest Gullah on the island and the church Mother at Historic St. James Baptist Church, she says, “it feels good. Everyone is always looking up to you.” LL

“ I feel good ... I must have done some good somewhere down the line. I just put all of my trust in the Lord.”

VEHICLE STORAGE Ideal for Classic and Antique Cars 18,000 sq. ft. Climate-Controlled Storage Facility 24-Hour Security Monthly Storage Fee Includes Movement and Battery Maintenance $225 per Car | $200 Two or More Cars

where every detail counts

BEFORE

AFTER

AUTO DETAILING Paint Protection Film Installation Window Tint Installation Paint & Headlight Restoration Certified Detail Specialists

843.689.2221

Mon.-Fri. 8:30am-5pm, Sat. by Appointment 33 Hunter Road • Hilton Head Island, SC

A1AutoDetailingHH.com FEBRUARY 2019 + LocalLifeSC.com

129

culture

A window to the past

LEARN ABOUT THE LOWCOUNTRY’S HISTORY AT THE COASTAL DISCOVERY MUSEUM AND THE HERITAGE LIBRARY STORY BY AMY COYNE BREDESON + PHOTOGRAPHY BY LLOYD WAINSCOTT

DISCOVER THE LOWCOUNTRY The Coastal Discovery Museum is one of the best destinations on Hilton Head Island.

Explore natural history and cultural heritage on the 68 acre Honey Horn property.

Highlights include the museum’s trails, gardens, live oaks, butterfly enclosure and horses.

130

LocalLifeSC.com + FEBRUARY 2019

h

Hilton Head Island is a history enthusiast’s paradise, a place where you can visit Civil War forts, the first freedmen’s village and a cemetery where two Revolutionary War soldiers were buried.

Not only does the island have several historic sites to see, it also has people who are more than willing to talk about the local history. Two nonprofit organizations that work to promote that history are the Coastal Discovery Museum and the Heritage Library Foundation.

Completely separate entities, the two groups offer tours, lectures and other special events to educate the public about the history of the Lowcountry.

The Coastal Discovery Museum Founded in 1985, the Coastal Discovery Museum is a Smithsonian Affiliate. The museum sits on the 68-acre historic Honey Horn property on Hilton Head. The land is owned by the Town of Hilton Head Island and is home to several of the island’s oldest buildings.

A 6,000-square-foot former plantation home and hunting retreat, now known as the Discovery House, is home to the museum’s indoor exhibitions. The Discovery House features exhibits related to the natural and cultural heritage of the Lowcountry, as well as a kids’ zone. Here are just a few of the programs offered by the museum: EXPLORE HONEY HORN 11 a.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays $10 for adults, $5 for children ages 4-12 MARSH TACKY HORSE TOUR 2 p.m. Fridays between September and May $10 for adults, $5 for children ages 4-12 UNCOVERING THE ROOTS OF RECONSTRUCTION 9:30 a.m. Fridays through May 25 at Mitchelville Freedom Park $15 for adults $10 for children ages 6-12 Civil War Era, 3 p.m. Thursdays, $7 per person for ages 7 and older FORTS OF PORT ROYAL 10 a.m. Wednesdays $12 for adults, $7 for children ages 7-12 Reservations are required for all events. Call 843-689-6767, ext. 223, or register at www.coastaldiscovery.org.

“The museum’s mission is to inspire others to care about the Lowcountry,” vice president of marketing and development Robin Swift said. “You can do that in recycling your oyster shells. You can do it in appreciating the historic buildings and sites that we have ...

Anything we can do to educate people about this historical (Gullah) culture, we certainly have to do.”

S H E L T E R COV E TOW N E C E N T R E - H I L TO N H E A D CORNER OF CALHOUN & LAWRENCE - BLUFFTON

843 842 2622

thebirdiejames.com

birdiejames

FEBRUARY 2019 + LocalLifeSC.com

131

culture

BRINGING THE PAST TO LIFE The Heritage Library houses a wealth of historical information, old photographs and maps of Hilton Head Island and the Lowcountry. It is also home to several interesting artifacts, including this sweetgrass purse and a sword from the Civil War.

The Heritage Library Foundation The mission of the Heritage Library Foundation is similar to that of the Coastal Discovery Museum.

The foundation works to promote and preserve local history. It also provides assistance with genealogy research. Ancestry classes are offered at the Heritage Library on Hilton Head and at the Santa Elena History Center in Beaufort.

The Heritage Library is well known for its genealogy research.

In 2014, USA Today named the local library one of the “10 great places to trace family roots."

Affiliated with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ Family History Library, the Heritage Library opened in 1997 as a ge-

132

LocalLifeSC.com + FEBRUARY 2019

nealogy research center. In 2005, the Hilton Head Historical Society merged with the library. At that point, its focus became not only on genealogy but also on history.

“With that merger, the Heritage Library acquired the two properties that belonged to the historical society,” Heritage Library president and history department chairman Lou Benfante said. “Fort Mitchel in Hilton Head Plantation next to The Old Fort Pub and the Zion Chapel of Ease Cemetery on the corner of Mathews Drive and U.S. 278.”

The library offers tours of Fort Mitchel, which is named after Union Army General Ormsby M. Mitchel, who in 1862 was directed

to command the fort, according to the Heritage Library website.

Mitchel lobbied for better conditions for the contraband slaves.

The first self-governed freedmen’s town in the country, Mitchelville, was named for the general.

Although the Zion Chapel of Ease was destroyed by 1868, the cemetery is still there, and it contains the graves and memorials for four Revolutionary War patriots, according to the Heritage Library website. The site is also home to the oldest existing structure on the island, the Baynard Mausoleum.

The cemetery, mausoleum and Fort Mitchel, are all listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

The library also offers history classes, which cover an array of topics related to the Lowcountry.

Classes are from 10:30 a.m. to noon Tuesdays. Here are just a few of the upcoming classes offered by the Heritage Library: THE STORY OF SANTA ELENA Feb. 5 THE GULLAH PEOPLE AND CULTURE Feb. 12 GENERAL MITCHEL AND RECONSTRUCTION Feb. 26 SEA PINES 1950 – 1983 March 5 Cost is the same for all classes - $15 for library members and $20 for non-members, unless otherwise noted. Reservations are required. For location of classes, membership details or to register for a class, call the library at 843-686-6560 or visit www.heritagelib.org.

“The history of this island is incredible, and most people don’t even realize,” Benfante said. “Most people drive by that Zion cemetery every day and don’t even know what it is. We want to make people aware of what’s here. That’s the goal of our history department.

‘Bringing the past to life’ is our motto.” LL

HANDMADE HISTORY These historic sketches show the fortification of troops at Port Royal and the general hospital on Hilton Head. See both sketches and many more at the Heritage Library, located at 2 Corpus Christi on Hilton Head Island.

VISIT LOWCOUNTRYLINENS.COM

55 Mathews Drive • Suite 230

Hilton Head, SC • 843.785.2425

BEHIND FEBRUARY 2019 + LocalLifeSC.com HOMEGOODS

133

culture

Letters from the past

LONGTIME LOCAL’S NEW YORK FAMILY ARCHIVE REVEALS CIVIL WAR LETTERS FROM HILTON HEAD

t

STORY BY BOB STAVNITSKI

“The Story of the Life of My Great-Great-Great-Grandfather, Andrew George Parke, of Wesley, Cattaraugus County, New York (1839-1915)” was published by his grandson, our cousin in 1983.

We were astonished to find these letters sent to Grandpa Parke by a family friend with a return address of Hilton Head, our new hometown, nearly 120 years after they were written. It is exciting to share these now, nearly 160 years later with LOCAL Life readers.

Grandpa Parke was a sergeant with Company B of the New York 154th Infantry. His childhood friend, Sgt. W.D. Smith, served with Company E of the 100th New York Volunteers. These regiments carried out extensive missions in the Lowcountry, and Sgt. Smith’s letters to Grandpa often bore the return address of Hilton Head.

Mitchelville was perhaps a clearinghouse for mail for the New York 100th as many of the letters are written from distant battlefields.

The correspondence details daily life as Union Army soldiers and their up-close and personal witness to numerous historic events.

From Bottom’s Bridge, Virginia, May the 22nd 1862. Sgt. Smith writes:

QUILL PEN TO PAPER A rarely seen map of Charleston’s Morris Island, drawn by Sergeant W. D. Smith, Co E 100th New York Volunteers.

“Dear Friend Andrew, …. I am still in the land of the living and trying to enjoy myself, but I find lots of trials that almost discourages me, but tonight I hear news that would encourage even the most downhearted person in the world that is this, the enemy is entirely surrounded and there is no chance for them to retreat. We are now within 10 miles of the rebels in Richmond.”

Crossing the Chickahominy River over Bottom’s Bridge on May 20, 1862, provided the Union Army a stronghold on both sides of the river on their march toward Richmond. Just a month later, Gen. McClellan’s Northern Army moved a herd of cattle and 4,000 wagons loaded with supplies across the primitive Bottom’s Bridge span on the way to a change of base on the James River.

The date of another letter from Sgt. Smith written to Grandpa from Morris Island in the Charleston Harbor is elusive; however, the text suggests the second battle of Fort Sumter, September 1863.

“Friend Andrew, …. It is reported that the Stars and Stripes are on Ft. Sumter, but if they are not, they will be by tomorrow…Now I am going to draw you a map of the north end of this island showing Ft. Wagner, Greg, and Sumter.”

134

LocalLifeSC.com + FEBRUARY 2019

MonDAY-SatUDAY 10am-7pm SunDAY Noon-6pm Shelter Cove Towne Centre

shopcopperpenny.com 843.505.6252 GENEALOGICAL GEMS These found documents provide fascinating insight into a turbulent moment of history.

The Stars and Stripes did not fly again on Sumter. Although the fort was reduced to rubble, it remained in Confederate hands until February 1865.

The correspondence between the two New York friends and comrades in arms also includes comforting bits of news from home.

“Sorry to hear about your mother’s illness.”

Smith writes. He also shares that a friend from home “Has Bilious Fever. He thinks he is a little better. He also requests me to send him some money if I have any to spare for it was quite a longtime before he went to the hospital and it cost him all his money to pay his bill.” (Bilious Fever was a widely used diagnosis in the 18th and 19th century. President Lincoln’s son, Willy, was said to have died from complications in 1862, more likely typhoid.)

Our archive unfortunately does not reveal any other information about our friend Sgt. Smith.

Grandpa Parke’s service included time in nearby Robertville, and Sisters Ferry, S.C., as well as Savannah. During the siege of Savannah, Grandpa was posted 4 miles north of the city on the Savannah Riverbank where he was nearly permanently deafened by the blast of a 100-pound Confederate artillery shell. This disability added to his benefits as well as Grandma’s widow’s pension.

Later Grandpa was captured and did time as a POW at Camp Lawton, a Confederate prison in Millen, Ga., north of Statesboro. Although in operation for only three months, the facility housed as many as 10,000 Union Army soldiers but was quickly evacuated in November 1864 in anticipation of Gen. Sherman and the Union Army’s March to the Sea across Georgia in November 1864. LL

DayBreak Adult Care Services is a professional adult care service that provides personal care in the privacy and security of your own home.

I’M GONNA BE ME. I LOVE being Home!

Hourly and live in caregivers can help with hygiene, personal assistance, meals, medicine, transportation & much more. . Companionship . Bathing, Dressing and Toilet Assistance . Medical Reminders . Alzheimer’s and Respite Care

. Meal Preparation and Household Chores . Grocery Shopping and Errands . Hospital, Nursing Home and Assisted Living Sitting

843.415.3211 • daybreakcare.com FEBRUARY 2019 + LocalLifeSC.com

135

©ARNO DIMMLING

culture

Old Sheldon Church near Yemassee was first erected in 1745. It was one of the first Greek-Revival structures built in the United States.

Historic landmarks around the Lowcountry

©ARNO DIMMLING

THESE NATURAL CHARMS OFFER A GLIMPSE INTO OUR PAST

Built in 1846, Baynard Mausoleum is the oldest building on Hilton Head Island.

136

LocalLifeSC.com + FEBRUARY 2019

The Hunting Island Lighthouse was first built in 1859.

The Chapel of Ease was built in the mid-1700s and served the families who owned plantations on St. Helena Island.

Founded in 1862, the Penn Center was the first school founded in the Southern United States specifically for the education of African-Americans.

ŠARNO DIMMLING

The Beaufort Arsenal, constructed in 1798, was home to the Beaufort Volunteer Artillery.

The Heyward House in Bluffton was built in 1841 in the early Carolina Farmhouse style brought to North America by planters from the West Indies.

The Beaufort National Cemetery was commissioned by Abraham Lincoln in 1863.

Fort Fremont on St. Helena Island was built by the Corps of Engineers on condemned private property with construction starting in 1899.

FEBRUARY 2019 + LocalLifeSC.com

137

culture

A COMMUNION OF SPIRIT:

The art of Louanne LaRoche STORY BY CAROLYN MALES

a Land's End

May River Ice

138

LocalLifeSC.com + FEBRUARY 2019

Artist Louanne LaRoche sits at her easel with the salt marsh and May River at her back. Dipping her brush into acrylic color, she adds detail to the canvas, a whimsical portrait of a blue bird in a richly patterned cage. Here in the studio she’s carved out from her living room, spirits surround her. Winged dog sculptures dangle overhead. A Central African fertility totem keeps watch on the red grand piano, the latter a legacy of the Hilton Head art gallery she once owned. An old telephone embellished with beads and domino pieces created by her friend, the reclusive artist Aldwyth, cozies up to its music stand. One is tempted to pick up the receiver, adorned with a taxidermied alligator head, and dial up a fantasy world.

On the big pine table to LaRoche’s right, alongside tubes of paint, lie stacks of photos the Bluffton painter has taken on her journeys across five continents.

These images, her memories, and collected folk art have inspired a body of work that attests to a life of adventure and interest in people across the globe.

What influenced your art and your interest in cultural connections? [Louanne LaRoche] I grew up in Pittsburgh, a great cultural town with museums, libraries, and galleries. And when I began to read, my own natural curiosity drew me to mythology and folk tales from around the world.

I was interested in art from an early age but I was not a colorer inside the lines. I was just all over the place. But I loved it. Carnegie Melon offered Saturday classes for kids by invitation only but I didn’t make the grade. So I started with paint by numbers. But I didn’t paint inside the numbers either. Eventually, though, I did get a fine arts degree from Carnegie Melon.

What brought you to the Lowcountry? [LLR] My ancestral roots in the Lowcountry and Georgia date from the 1700s. My parents were attracted to Charles Fraser’s vision and Hilton Head was close to family, so in 1972 they purchased a home in Sea Pines. Meanwhile I’d taken off a semester and went on a four-month African camping trip in a big overland truck with an international travel group. The trip was supposed to end in Johannesburg but after three months I got too ill to continue and ended up flying home. Immediately I tried to figure out a way to come back. And I did. But instead, I headed to Kenya for nine months. Then after graduation I returned and got a waitressing job at the Calibogue Café. Over the years I continued my travels in Africa and around the world.

You’ve led a fascinating life. You owned The Red Piano Gallery (1980-95), founded the Red Piano Too on St. Helena, married and became a mother. Then you built a house in Belize and discovered some interesting Caribbean-Lowcountry connections. And through it all, you continued to document everyday moments in paint, charcoal, ink, and mixed media. [LLR] An interest in outsider artist Sam Doyle brought me to St. Helena which connected me to the Penn Center where I joined the board. It was here that I discovered my family’s Beaufort roots. Later on a trip to Belize in 1991, I was struck by the interconnectedness of tradition from the Caribbean and the Lowcounty with their shared Sierra Leone heritage.

Those glimpses of everyday moments in both cultures energize me to channel that experience in the process of making my artwork. LL

Swimming off the Dock of the Bay

Heading Home

Church Communion

Sunday At the Beach

Heading Out

Find more of Louanne LaRoche’s work online at larochecollections.com. Her work is also on display at Camellia Art Gallery and Four Corners Gallery.

FEBRUARY 2019 + LocalLifeSC.com

139

MARIA GOES HOME

scene

THE LITTER BOX VOTED HILTON HEAD’S FAVORITE THRIFT SHOP

E V E R Y DAY

we provide safe haven for the abandoned cats and dogs of the Lowcountry.

E V E R Y DAY a wonderful and healthy animal is ready to enrich your life as a beautiful new family member.

Come see who’s waiting for you.

10 Humane Way | 843.681.8686

www.hhhumane.org 140

LocalLifeSC.com + FEBRUARY 2019

Bright ideas over brunch

What: LOCAL Life Brand Ambassador brunch When it took place: Jan. 13 Where: The home of chef privée Geist Ussery Photographer: Lisa Staff Highlights: The LOCAL Life Brand Ambassadors gathered recently at chef privée Geist Ussery’s Bluffton cottage for good food, good drinks and good times. The Brand Ambassadors are a group of locals that share a passion for the Lowcountry and LOCAL Life. They introduce us to interesting people and they spread their love of LOCAL Life. Ussery’s menu included many creative cocktails, including the The GeisTiTo Eye Opener with orange juice, pomegranate juice and Tito’s vodka. Ussery also made a beautiful vase of store-bought flowers brought by Kelly Manuelsmith. Other Brand Ambassadors in attendance were Esmeralda Flores, Kim Hall, Darlene Schuetz and Laurie Brown. A good time was had by all.

OPEN EVERY DAY The Island’s Lilly Headquarters • Celebrating 35 Years

Harbour Town 843.671.9191

The Village at Wexford FEBRUARY 2019 + LocalLifeSC.com 141 843.686.6161

scene

Dancing to Beach Music

What: Hilton Head Island Carolina Shag Club Winter Classic When: Jan. 10-13 Where: Sonesta Resort, Shipyard Plantation Highlights: This fun four-day event drew Shag dancers from throughout the southeast United States. Live music was provided by The Headliners, John Smith and Billy Waldrep. The club is dedicated to promoting the Carolina Shag dance and having a lot of fun in the process. Find more information about the group online at hiltonheadshagclub.com.

142

LocalLifeSC.com + FEBRUARY 2019

37 TH SE ASON / 2018-2019 / HHSO.ORG

HHSO

Inspiring, enriching and uniting the Lowcountry

RANKY TANKY

Who’s got the Chowdah?!?

What: 6th annual Chowder Challenge When: Jan. 12 Where: Reilley’s Plaza Photographer: Thomas Love Highlights: Many local restaurants competed for the title of best chowder in this fun annual fundraiser for the The Heather Trew Foundation for organ, eye and tissue donation. The Judges Choice award went to Carolina Crab Company. The People’s Choice award was given to The Crazy Crab Harbour Town. Captain Woody’s won the Table Decorating award. Live music was provided by The Headliners.

COASTAL TRADITIONS SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2019 • 5 PM MONDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2019 • 8 PM John Morris Russell, Conductor Ranky Tanky Savannah Children’s Choir Hilton Head Dance Theatre The soulful songs of the Gullah culture are brought to life by Ranky Tanky, a band of native South Carolinians who mix the Lowcountry traditions with larger doses of jazz, gospel, funk, and R&B, along with the fabulous HH Dance Theatre and the Savannah Children’s Choir!

SPONSORED BY

2018-19 Season subscriptions & single tickets ($55, $45, $30) are available on our website at www.hhso.org or by calling the office at 843-842-2055. Concert held at First Presbyterian Church on 540 William Hilton Parkway Hilton Head143 Island.

FEBRUARY 2019 +(278), LocalLifeSC.com

calendar FEBRUARY

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

Cut this page out and stick it on your fridge!

FRIDAY

1

THINGS TO DO NEARBY

Savannah Wait Wait … Don’t Tell Me! (Feb. 7) WWE Live (Feb. 25) Wild Kratts Live 2.0 (Feb. 26) Charleston Young the Giant (Feb. 4) Lucinda Williams and Drive-By Truckers (Feb. 5) Disney’s DCappella (Feb. 10)

3

Super Bowl Feed the Birds Day The Day the Music Died

Dawes (Feb. 20) Gin Blossoms (Feb. 27) Columbia James Taylor with Bonnie Raitt (Feb. 8) Clutch (Feb. 19) Three Dog Night (Feb. 21) Fleetwood Mac (Feb. 22) Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Feb. 23-24)

4

Rosa Parks Day Create a Vacuum Day Stuffed Mushroom Day

10 Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra Great Migration on Gullah Culture Umbrella Day

Don’t Cry Over Spilled Milk Day Make a Friend Day

18 Arts Center: Rita Rudner Presidents’ Day Drink Wine Day

24 Gullah Sunday Brunch Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra Academy Awards Tortilla Chip Day

144

Chinese New Year Family and Friends Day Weatherman’s Day

25 Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra

LocalLifeSC.com + FEBRUARY 2019

12 Soul Food and Friends Cooking Classes Lincoln’s Birthday Lost Penny Day

19

so mint to be.

Chocolate Mint Day

26 Carnival Day Paint and Sip

7

6 Lame Duck Day Chopsticks Day

13 Paint and Sip Get a Different Name Day

20 Cherry Pie Day Hoodie Hoo Day Love Your Pet Day

27 Polar Bear Day No Brainer Day

Roasting Room: Tyler Reese Tritt

14 Valentine’s Day Statehood Day Ferris Wheel Day

21 Pitmaster 101 Celebrity Chef Tour Card Reading Day

28 Gullah Music Series Floral Design Day Public Sleeping Day

2

Heart Ball Youth Concerto Competition Ol’ Fashioned Gullah Breakfast Freedom Day Jazz Corner: Emmet Cohen Trio Groundhog Day

Wear Red Day Jazz Corner: Emmet Cohen Trio Rooftop Bar: Tom Petty Revue Arts Center: Winter Exhibition

5

11

17 Honey Horn: Gullah Market Random Acts of Kindness Day

Jacksonville Carol Burnett (Feb. 8) Patti LaBelle (Feb. 9) Monty Python’s Spamalot (Feb. 11) Stomp (Feb. 15) PBR Victory Tour (Feb. 16) Dancing with the Stars Live (Feb. 17) Toby Mac (Feb. 21)

SATURDAY

8

9

Gullah Music Series Coligny: Mountainfilm Film Festival Jazz Corner: Quentin Baxter Quintet

HHI Marathon Sweetheart Ball Arts Center: A Taste of Gullah Arts Center: Youth ArtsFest Jazz Corner: Quentin Baxter Quintet

15

16

Roasting Room: Mountain Heart Jazz Corner: Songs of Love Hilton Head Choral Society Gullah Music Series Honey Horn: Gullah Market Susan B. Anthony’s Birthday Jazz Corner: Songs of Love

22

23

Seafood Festival Pig Pickin’ & Oyster Roast The Jazz Corner: Gypsy Jazz The Jazz Corner: Gypsy Jazz Dog Biscuit Gullah Music Series Appreciation Day All Saints on Broadway

ONGOING Junior Heritage Golf (Feb. 2-3) Lean Ensemble Theater (Through Feb. 3) Arts Center: Blithe Spirit (Feb. 12-March 3) Chamber Restaurant Week (Feb. 4-10) Jazz by the Sea (Through March 28)

IMPRESS YOUR FRIENDS BY STAYING INFORMED. KEEP THIS HANDY FOR QUICK REFERENCE.

SUNDAY

February may be the shortest month of the year but it’s full of romance and food. There are plenty of festivals and other events to keep us busy until the warmer weather arrives. Here are our top picks, along with other days of national and international interest.

LEAN ENSEMBLE THEATER

A Doll’s House, Part 2 by: Lucas Hnath directed by: Blake White

HHPS MAIN STREET THEATRE 3000 main street, hilton head island

January 24-26 & 31 February 1-2 . 7:30 pm Jan 27 & Feb 3 . 2 pm evenings & matinees $40 students & active military $15 group & discount rates available

843.715.6676 LEANENSEMBLE.ORG

Sue MacDonald

The Cypress

“The Cypress has provided me with the opportunity to travel, explore cultural events and most importantly cultivate friendships with Members and compassionate staff. These friendships are everlasting and a joy in life.

I LOVE it here!”

– Sue MacDonald - In front of her Valentine tree.

Cypress Members since 2011.

An Award-Winning Life Plan Community SCHEDULE A TOUR & EXPERIENCE CYPRESS LIVING Nona W. Story, Broker In Charge • Rebecca C. Davis, Sales Manager cypressofhiltonhead.com | 800.458.8585 | 843.689.7000 | 20 Ladyslipper Lane, Hilton Head Island, SC 29926

happenings FEBRUARY

Expand your culinary and cultural horizons

THE HILTON HEAD ISLAND SEAFOOD FESTIVAL CELEBRATES OUR LOWCOUNTRY HERITAGE THROUGH FOOD AND DRINK

Lowcountry Seafood Experience on the Water

t 146

LocalLifeSC.com + FEBRUARY 2019

ŠPHOTOS BY MICHAEL HRIZUK

The Hilton Head Island Seafood Festival is a family friendly, week-long culinary and cultural tourism event with local seafood, special events, celebrity guest chefs and master culinary classes, live music and more.

The annual event, hosted by the David M. Carmines Memorial Foundation and presented by Publix, helps raise money for the Island Recreation Scholarship Fund, Gullah Institute, Port Royal Sound Foundation, Coastal Discovery Museum and the Medical University of South Carolina.

The David M. Carmines Memorial Foundation was established by the Carmines family, owners of Hudson's Seafood House on the Docks, in memory of their son, and the seafood festival is the organization's main fundraiser. Here is a look at the events.

When: Feb. 18-22 Where: Hudson's Seafood on the Docks Details: A two-hour excursion that includes instruction on shrimping, oystering, clamming, and crabbing with local fishermen Christopher and Matthew Shoemaker. After the excursion, guests will enjoy the fruits of their labor at Hudson’s Seafood House on the Docks. $69. Call 843-304-2878 to reserve.

AT TABLE SEASIDE: Discussions about the world of food + drink

When: 4-6 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 20 Where: The Beach House Resort Details: In a panel discussion, David Shields, Barton Seaver, Brian Hoffman and more award-winning chefs/authors will take the stage to discuss topics such as sustainable change, heritage ingredients, pushing the culinary envelope, at-home trends, restaurant revelations and more. $29. Purchase tickets online at hiltonheadseafoodfestival.com.

PITMASTER 101

When: 4:30-6 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 21 Where: Waddell Mariculture Center Details: Learn from the best of the best. While guest pitmaster Bryan Furman of B's Cracklin' BBQ prepares for the upcoming Pig Pickin' & Oyster Roast event, you will learn techniques and get to taste a preview of what's to come. This is a limited class size event. $39. Purchase tickets online at hiltonheadseafoodfestival.com.

Official Seafood Festival After Party

When: 6:30-8:30 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 23 Where: The Beach House Resort Details: Enjoy a showcase of ocean-inspired classic cocktails and culinary delights.

Some of the South’s leading award-winning chefs and renowned resort superstars will be showcasing their special recipes. This beautiful oceanside venue provides the perfect backdrop for an al fresco evening, on the ocean and under the stars with live music. $59. Purchase tickets online at hiltonheadseafoodfestival.com.

James Beard Foundation's Celebrity Chef Tour

When: 6-10 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 21 Where: The Shorehouse, The Omni Hilton Head Oceanfront Resort Details: The James Beard Foundation’s Celebrity Chef Tour dinner series brings to the Lowcountry a taste of what happens at the James Beard House in New York City. Enjoy a multi-course, line-to-table dinner with wine pairings featuring a diverse group of James Beard Foundation Award winners and nominees. Get up close and personal with some of the true experts in the culinary and beverage world. This event has very limited ticket availability. $185. Purchase tickets online at hiltonheadseafoodfestival.com.

PIG PICKIN' + OYSTER ROAST When: 6-9 p.m., Friday, Feb. 22 Where: Waddell Mariculture Center, Bluffton Details: The Lowcountry’s best chefs, celebrity guest chefs and pitmasters prepare local shrimp, whole hogs, whole chickens, chopped BBQ and all the side dish trimmings at Waddell Mariculture Center. Wash it all down with brews, wines and signature cocktails and live music. $79. Purchase tickets online at hiltonheadseafoodfestival.com.

SATURDAY SEAFOOD FESTIVAL When: 11 a.m.-5 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 23 Where: Honey Horn Plantation Details: The family-friendly headlining event features area restaurants and chefs serving up seafood specialties and other tasty cuisine, celebrity chef cooking demonstrations, expanded kids activities, David M. Carmines Foundation silent auction, beer garden, artisan market, celebrity chef and mixology demonstrations and more. Live music by Deas-Guyz. Free admission to children under 10. $10 per person. Purchase tickets online at hiltonheadseafoodfestival.com.

Seafood, Champagne + Gullah Sunday Brunch When: 10 a.m.-1 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 24 Where: Hudson's Seafood on the Docks Details: Music, bottomless Bloody Mary bar and brunch collide for the perfect waterfront experience. The special menu is filled with Southern classics as well as new dishes, along with raw bar and modern takes on culinary classics. $69.

Purchase tickets online at hiltonheadseafoodfestival.com

FEBRUARY 2019 + LocalLifeSC.com

147

happenings

f

GULLAH MUSIC Ranky Tanky is (from left) Clay Ross, Charlton Singleton, Quiana Parler, Quinten E. Baxter, Kevin Hamilton.

Ranky Tanky breathes life into Gullah culture

From the South Carolina Lowcountry, where life is laced with African ways, comes Ranky Tanky, a quintet with music rooted in a culture that has shaped American art, food, language and attitude. Their eponymous album on Resilience Music Alliance celebrates that culture, its people and its mother tongue, Gullah.

"Gullah" comes from West African language and means "a people blessed by God." "Ranky Tanky" translates loosely as "Work It," or "Get Funky!" In this spirit the quintet performs timeless music of Gullah culture born in the southeastern Sea Island region of the United States. From playful game songs to ecstatic shouts, from heartbreaking spirituals to delicate lullabies, the musical roots of Charleston, S.C., are fertile ground from which these contemporary artists are grateful to have grown.

Ranky Tanky is an American musical ensemble based in Charleston. It specializes in jazz-influenced arrangements of traditional Gullah music. Apart from lead vocalist, Quiana Parler, four of the group's members, Quentin Baxter on drums, Kevin Hamilton on bass, Clay Ross on guitar, and Charlton Sin-

148

LocalLifeSC.com + FEBRUARY 2019

gleton on trumpet, previously played together in the Charleston jazz quartet The Gradual Lean in the late 1990s.

Gaining years of valuable experience while developing a deeper appreciation for the Gullah tradition they came from, the band reformed with the dynamic vocalist Quiana Parler, who for over 20 years was the most sought-after vocalist in the Lowcountry. She rose to national prominence after her success on the 2003 season of American Idol. Her performances have been featured on national broadcasts like The View, NBC's TODAY, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, The Tonight Show, The Tyra Banks Show, and Saturday Night Live, as well as the Academy of Country Music Awards and the American Music Awards. Together, the group celebrates spirituals and gutbucket blues — music made by descendants of enslaved Africans that introduced such indelible parts of American songbook as "Kum Bah Yah" and "Michael Roww the Boat Ashore."

Ranky Tanky released its debut album on Oct. 20, 2017. By December of that year, the group had been profiled on NPR’s Fresh Air

with Terry Gross and their album soared to the #1 position on the Billboard, i-Tunes, and Amazon Jazz Charts, besting Van Morrison.

The soulful songs of the Gullah culture are brought to life by this band that mixes the Lowcountry traditions with large doses of jazz, gospel, funk, and R&B. Even before their 13-track debut album appeared last year, they were performing in New York’s highly curated globalFEST world music showcase which earned nods from the New Your Times and Paste magazine, and had played from Norway to Monterey, Calif.

Today, emerging from the heart of this still fertile cultural epicenter, Ranky Tanky is the next generation to illuminate Gullah worldwide. Among them we find some of Charleston's most celebrated and accomplished contemporary artists who share a lifetime of musical collaboration and mutual admiration.

Ranky Tanky is appearing with the Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra at the Coastal Traditions Concert Feb. 24 and 25 at First Presbyterian Church. For information and tickets go to hhso.org or call 843-842-2055.

happenings

ART SHOWINGS, PLAYS AND PERFORMANCES

FESTIVALS AND FUN

Edith Wood presents “In the Eye of the Beholder” Lowcountry photography exhibit

Award-winning photographer Edith Wood has always had a love of the outdoors. She uses natural light and composition to capture perfect moments in time. Her photography exhibit “In the Eye of the Beholder” will showcase wildlife, landscape and macro photography. An opening reception is set from 3-5 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 10, at the gallery. Free and open to the public.

IN THE EYE OF THE BEHOLDER When: Opening reception 3-5 p.m. Feb. 10, exhibit runs Feb. 4-March 3 Where: The Society of Bluffton Artists Gallery Details: sobagallery.com or 843-757-6586

n

23rd HILTON HEAD ISLAND GULLAH CELEBRATION

Hilton Head Prep presents Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat”

Experience the thrilling musical adventure that follows the Biblical story of Joseph and his famous coat, the favorite son blessed with prophetic dreams, on his journey to Egypt after being sold into slavery by his brothers. He rises to become advisor to the Pharoah and eventually reunites with his family in forgiveness. Enjoy an engaging, crazy quilt of musical styles, from country-western to calypso and bubble gum pop to rock ‘n’ roll.

JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT When: Feb. 13 -17 Where: Hilton Head Preparatory School Main Street Theatre Details: www.hhprep.org or call 843-715-8510

150

LocalLifeSC.com + FEBRUARY 2019

NIBCAA, South Carolina’s Gullah Cultural Ambassador, will present the 23rd Annual Hilton Head Island Gullah Celebration and Festival throughout the month of February. The annual celebration will reprise their award-winning Gullah Market, Sweetheart Ball and Arts Ob We People Exhibit and Sale. The featured artwork for the 23rd Gullah Celebration is “Gwain North” by the renowned Dianne Britton Dunham. The event will present a series of events that pleases the palette of attendees and captures the spirit and significance of Gullah culture.

GULLAH CELEBRATION When: Feb. 1-March 2 Where: Multiple locations Details: gullahcelebration.com, 843-255-7303

Mountainfilm on Tour visits Hilton Head Island An afternoon and evening of inspiring and captivating films handpicked from the Mountainfilm festival in Telluride, Colorado.

One of America’s longest-running film festivals, Mountainfilm is a dynamic organization and festival of films, people, art, stories, and ideas that celebrate indomitable spirit, educates and inspires audiences, and motivates individuals and communities to advance solutions for a livable world.

MOUNTAINFILM ON TOUR When: Doors open for the matinee at 4:30 p.m. and for the evening gala at 7:15 p.m. Feb. 8 Where: Coligny Theatre Details: mountainfilmhiltonhead.com

Resort 2019

Eighth annual Darius Rucker Intercollegiate Golf Tournament Long Cove Club will host what has become one of the nation’s premier women’s intercollegiate golf tournaments. Spectators are welcome; golf fans can watch rising stars from top collegiate teams.

INTERCOLLEGIATE GOLF TOURNAMENT When: 8:30 a.m. March 8 and 9; 8 a.m. March 10 Where: Long Cove Club Details: www.longcoveclub.com

Hilton Head Island Marathon regional championship returns This year, the Hilton Head Island Marathon has been chosen as the 2019 Road Runners Club of America Marathon Southern Region Championship. Over 1,300 runners and walkers are expected to participate in this event which includes Marathon Team Relay, Half Marathon & 8K. Marathon Race Day also will feature a Children’s Fun Run, live music, craft beer garden, wine bar, vendors and more.

c l o th i n g • s h o e s ac c e s s or ie s

The 2019 Rankings are in: ratings by

Sea Pines Montessori Academy 50th Anniversary Golden Gala

50TH ANNIVERSARY GOLDEN GALA When: 5:30 to 10:30 p.m. Feb. 23 Where: The Westin Hilton Head Island Resort & Spa Details: seapinesmontessori.com

I @Gigis.Bluffton L @GigisofBluffton

843.815.4450 • 40 Calhoun Street • Old Town Bluffton • Monday - Saturday 10-6

MARATHON REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP When: 8 a.m. Feb. 9 Where: Starting at Jarvis Creek Park Details: bearfootsports.com or 843-757-8520

Celebrate the 50th anniversary of Sea Pines Montessori Academy. An island institution, and the first Montessori school in the State of South Carolina, SPMA has educated thousands of Hilton Head children over the past half-century. Join in a golden evening of fun, food, and festivities. Tickets include cocktail hour and a full plated dinner. Stay for live and silent auctions, and dancing the night away to live music. Black-tie is optional.

FOLLOW US!

#1 Private K-12 School in Beaufort County #1 Boarding School in South Carolina #3 Private K-12 School in South Carolina Top 15% of all Private K-12 Schools in America

Hilton Head Preparatory School | The Place To Be Please Call for a Personal Tour | www.HHPrep.org

8 Fox Grape Road | Hilton Head Island, SC 29928 Mrs. Bobbie Somerville, Director of Admissions bsomerville@hhprep.org | 843.671.2286 A private, independent school serving students in preschool through twelfth grade

TUITION ASSISTANCE AVAILABLE FEBRUARY 2019 + LocalLifeSC.com

151

happenings

FUNDRAISING EVENTS

RECYCLE YOUR JACKET FOR DEEP WELL In an effort to provide warm clothing to those in need, Outside Hilton Head will host its 27th annual Recycle Your Jacket Program this February. The community is asked to bring in donations of sweaters, coats, and jackets in good condition, which will be donated to Deep Well. For those who donate, Outside Hilton Head will provide up to 50 percent off of in-stock jackets and outerwear.

JACKET RECYCLE When: Feb. 1 through 15 Where: Outside Hilton Head, The Plaza at Shelter Cove Details: www.outsidehiltonhead.com or 800-686-6996

Society of Bluffton Artists Presents “Art of the Martini” A fun-filled evening with live entertainment, a silent auction with unique artistic offerings, hors d'oeuvres from The Cottage restaurant and, of course, complimentary martinis. At the end of the evening, each guest will take home a hand-painted martini glass to remember the occasion.

Proceeds to benefit The Society of Bluffton Artists’ (SoBA) outreach art programs, art workshops and operating expenses that support the nonprofit organization.

ART OF THE MARTINI When: 5-7 p.m. Feb. 16 Where: Oscar Frazier Community Center in Bluffton.

Tickets are $45.

Details: sobagallery.com or 843-757-6586

152

LocalLifeSC.com + FEBRUARY 2019

Pocket Full of Sunshine Sporting Clays Shoot This annual event raises funds for intellectually and physically disabled adults in Beaufort County. Pockets Full of Sunshine provides social and vocational opportunities, as well as fun events for the community!

SPORTING CLAYS SHOOT When: March 8 Where: Forest City Gun Club Details: www.pocketsfullofsun.org

MEETINGS & GATHERINGS Eric Metaxas at St. Luke’s Church Best-selling author, radio show host and international speaker Eric Metaxas will lead a discussion about faith’s toughest questions. From his best-selling book, “Everything You Wanted to Know About God (But Were Afraid to Ask.)” ERIC METAXAS When: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Feb. 9 Where: St. Luke’s Church, Hilton Head Island Details: www.stlukeshhi.org

The road to Carnegie Hall begins on Hilton Head Island

HHIPC

Mona Huff Director Hilton Head International Piano Competition

The 2019 competition set a record with 237 applicants from 31 countries. In November a panel of judges winnowed the field to 20 pianists who will spend the second week HILTON HEAD of March delighting music fans with their INTERNATIONAL amazing gifts. The competition judging PIANO COMPETITION panel has grown to seven, the prize money has quadrupled and the winner will perform in Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall in New York City.

But without the support of the community at large, there would not be a competition. Since its inception in 1996, the Competition Committee of 24 of your neighbors manages the competition each year. Committee members recruit and train over 200 volunteers, manage the venues, this year at Central Church and First Presbyterian Church, and provide transportation and hospitality for the judges.

One of the more significant contributions from the community comes in the form of families who host the competitors during their stay on HHI. Each year 20 families take the competitors into their homes and, in many cases, develop life-long relationships that extend to overseas visits and repeat visits to HHI for special events.

Who are these people? They are your neighbors and friends who, like all local residents, work to make Hilton Head and its surrounding communities the best that they can be. Hosting an International Piano Competition isn’t for the weak of heart, it’s for the love of the arts.

So for the “love of the arts,” join us the week of March 11-18, support these remarkable pianists, and be there on Monday, March 18 when the three Finalists play with the Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra where the winner will be chosen and awarded with an engagement at Carnegie Hall, $15,000 and a performance with the HHSO. See you there!

2O19

HILTON HEAD INTERNATIONAL PIANO COMPETITION

20 Pianists from 10 countries compete for $34,000 in cash prizes and performance opportunities.

ROUND I • MARCH 11 & 12

1:30 PM – 4:35 PM & 7:00 PM – 9:05 PM $10 TICKETS • CENTRAL CHURCH • NEW VENUE

ROUND II • MARCH 13 & 14

9:30 AM – 12:30 PM & 1:30 PM – 4:30 PM $10 TICKETS • CENTRAL CHURCH • NEW VENUE

ROUND III • SEMIFINALS • MARCH 16 1:00 PM – 4:45 PM & 7:30 PM – 9:15 PM $25 & $35 TICKETS FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF HILTON HEAD

MASTER CLASSES AND LECTURE/RECITAL MARCH 18 9:30 AM – 12:05 PM & 2:20 PM – 4:00 PM $10 TICKETS • ALL SAINTS EPISCOPAL CHURCH

FINALS • MONDAY MARCH 18

3 FINALISTS EACH PLAY WITH THE HILTON HEAD SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA 7:00 PM $25, $50 & $65 TICKETS FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF HILTON HEAD

TICKETS AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE AT HHIPC.ORG OR BY CALLING THE BOX OFFICE AT 843.842.2055

Official Competition Piano

happenings

COASTAL DISCOVERY MUSEUM HAPPENINGS Oyster Shell Recycling, Renourishment, and Management Oysters are a keystone species in our estuaries and play many critical roles. Come and learn why they are so important and why DNR is returning oyster shell to our estuaries. Ben Dyar, head of SCDNR Shellfish Management, will discuss one way DNR is managing South Carolina’s oyster habitat and ways that you can help.

OYSTER SHELL RECYCLING When: 3 p.m. Feb. 6 Notes: $7 per person and reservations are required Details: coastaldiscovery.org or 843-689-6767 ext. 223

SHORE BIRD MIGRATION Bottlenose dolphins in South Carolina: Populations at risk?

Bottlenose dolphins are arguably South Carolina’s most charismatic, easily accessible marine animal providing a huge impact on coastal economies. Yet their existence in the near future could be threatened by climate change, increased coastal human development, increased noise, and other factors.

Wayne McFee, Coastal Marine Mammal Assessments Program lead, will present this program.

Every spring, thousands of shorebirds utilize South Carolina’s beach and marsh habitats. These habitats provide critical stopover areas for birds on their northbound migration to breeding sites, while others will nest in these beautiful coastal landscapes of South Carolina. Come learn about the important role our state plays in the lifecycle of spring migrants and local nesting species, and what we can do to protect this part of our state’s natural heritage. Nicholas Wallover, the regional biologist for the ACE Basin National Estuarine Research Reserve, will present this program.

SHORE BIRDS When: 3 p.m. Feb. 7 Notes: $7 per person and reservations are required Details: coastaldiscovery.org or 843-689-6767 ext. 223

BOTTLENOSE DOLPHINS When: 3 p.m. Feb. 27 Notes: $7 per person and reservations are required Details: coastaldiscovery.org or 843-689-6767 ext. 223

Blooms of the Lowcountry The Uniqueness of Port Royal Sound The Port Royal Sound stands apart from other estuaries on the East Coast with its vast expanse of salt marsh and critical marine habitat. Learn about this unique environment and how it was formed, as well as about the fantastic biodiversity that lives here.

PORT ROYAL SOUND When: 3 p.m. Feb. 14 Notes: $7 per person and reservations are required Details: coastaldiscovery.org or 843-689-6767 ext. 223

154

LocalLifeSC.com + FEBRUARY 2019

This overview of some of the blooming trees, shrubs, vines, and grasses that are common in the Lowcountry will be presented by Carol Clemens. The presentation includes both native and non-native blooms. Come learn about Beauty Berry, Jessamine, Wisteria, Resurrection Fern, palmettos and many others.

BLOOMS When: 3 p.m. Feb. 28 Notes: $7 per person and reservations are required Details: coastaldiscovery.org or 843-689-6767 ext. 223

MEETINGS & GATHERINGS BRAIN HEALTH SUMMIT RETURNS TO MEMORY MATTERS Keeping your memory sharp is Memory Matters’ goal at its second annual Brain Health Summit, set for March 7 at Hilton Head Beach & Tennis Resort. The educational seminar will feature international speakers from Harvard and the University of British Columbia, as well as local experts.

Kicking off the day will be Vik Khurana, M.D., Ph.D., who will explore “A Solution in Our Lifetime?” Dr. Khurana, Harvard Stem Cell Institute researcher, leads the Khurana Lab at the Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. He will share discoveries regarding “misfolding brain proteins,” using stem cells to “grow” brains for study, and his goal to develop a vaccine for Alzheimer’s.

Next will be Lara Boyd, P.T., Ph.D., who offers real-life interventions in “Healthy Bodies, Healthy Brains.” Dr. Boyd, a neuroscientist, is Canada Research Chair in Neurobiology of Motor Learning and associate professor at the University of British Columbia. As a celebrated TEDxVancouver speaker, Dr.

Boyd will energize the audience with changes to improve brain health and quality of life.

Chef Kim Baretta, a Hilton Head expert on the Mediterranean lifestyle, returns with a cooking demonstration, featuring food prepared for your lunch.

Chef Kim trained at London’s Leiths School of Food and Wine and is a sought-after educator and speaker.

Wrapping up the day will be Steven Plenzler, Ph.D., who will uncover the crucial connection between sound sleep and brain health. Dr. Plenzler is board certified in sleep medicine, earning his doctorate in behavioral neuroscience at Bowling Green University. He is solutions lead for eviCore Healthcare’s sleep program in Bluffton.

The event is open to the public and will run from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. It costs $50 per person, and seating is limited.

To register, call 843-842-6688.

MEMORY MATTERS BRAIN HEALTH SUMMIT 2 When: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. March 7 Where: Hilton Head Beach & Tennis Resort Notes: Open to the public, $50 per person; seating is limited.

Details: mymemorymatters.org or call 843-842-6688

H O SPI C E G I V E S TH A NK S TO… Our new Board Chair, Janet Porter. Janet brings a wealth of experience to the Hospice Care of the Lowcountry board. She has been active in end-of-life issues for her entire career. As Chief Operating Officer of Nationwide Children’s Hospital and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, she developed hospice programs. For the past five years, Janet has been on the faculty of Harvard Medical School’s Center for Palliative Care.

Janet Porter

As your non-profit hospice, we could not provide the gold standard in end of life care, without the help and support of people like Janet, our volunteers, and you.

Board Chair

843-706-2296 7 Plantation Park Dr, Unit 4, Bluffton, SC | www.hospicecarelc.org Hospice Care of the Lowcountry, Inc. is a registered 501-C(3) nonprofit organization. Serving Beaufort, Jasper, and Hampton Counties since 1982.

FEBRUARY 2019 + LocalLifeSC.com

155

living

marketplace REAL ESTATE

Million dollar dream homes

Looking to live in luxury? LOCAL Life is offering readers an exclusive passport to the most exquisite and unique real estate listings available in the Lowcountry. Here are nine homes you are sure to love.

We feel these luxury properties — located in Sea Pines, Port Royal Plantation, Spanish Wells, Bradley Beach and Wexford — are the epitome of opulence. We’re calling this section the Real Estate Marketplace.

If you are looking to purchase an amazing Lowcountry home, these nine properties should be at the top of your list.

38 Plantation Drive

Offered by Collins Group Realty 843.341.6300 $1,325,000

156

LocalLifeSC.com + FEBRUARY 2019

Real Estate Marketplace

40 Brams Point, Spanish Wells

38 Plantation Drive, Sea Pines

Sound front Spanish Wells home exudes charm with its beautiful Lowcountry / French Provincial style, stunning interior, and direct water and sunset views. Situated on over an acre, this updated home boasts a chef’s kitchen, hardwood, 2 fireplaces, 1st floor gorgeous master, 2 en-suite large guest bedrooms, brand new 3-car garage and spacious 4th BR/ in-law suite, new private dock with boat lift. Perfect for entertaining with large pool deck, lawn area, and gardens galore. $3,200,000

Premier listing, like no other! Akin to a private island with a dynamic setting in one of the most beautiful parts of Sea Pines. An extraordinary estate at over 1.3 acres and host to an impressive full-scale renovation, incorporating the latest styles & colors perfectly. Remarkable inside and out, featuring a private pool, Ipe deck, gorgeous wood floors, designer fixtures, tall ceilings, a 620-bottle wine cellar, and a premium chef style kitchen. $1,325,000

Carol Cramer 843.384.3202

Collins Group Realty 843.341.6300

www.wesellseapines.com

www.CollinsGroupRealty.com

22 Bradley Circle

8 Heyward Place, Port Royal

Amazing NEW (2018) Construction looking over the Ocean now available. Rock solid built and superior finishes. Sweeping views of the Atlantic, serene tidal marsh views.

10 bedrooms, all ensuite, multiple master suites. Elevator to all floors. Private EndlessEdge pool. Outdoor environments on all floors. Penthouse features a wood-beamed cathedral ceiling, crowning a huge gathering room/media room/party room/ game room/second dining room w/kitchen...capturing stunning views. $3,995,000

Situated in the private residential oceanfront community of Port Royal, you will find this wonderful 5 bedroom 5.5 bath 3,836 sq. ft. beachfront home with an elevator. Offering stunning, panoramic ocean views, this exceptional, open, light and bright home was built in 2001 with 118 feet on the ocean on 3/4 of an acre property. This is a very special custom home with a land value of at least $2 million! Offered for $2,150,000

David Carroll 843.384.8111

Becky Herman 843.301.3355 Monica Davis 843.384.4473

www.HiltonHeadHomeSource.com

www.HermanAndDavisProperties.com

FEBRUARY 2019 + LocalLifeSC.com

157

Real Estate Marketplace

3 Castlebridge Court, Wexford

8 Brown Pelican, Sea Pines

Double homesite with two docks overlooking a wide section of Wexford’s Harbour and the distant golf course. Stunning kitchen renovation in 2018. 6 BR and 6.5 BA span the homes 8,442 sq. ft. Designed to beautifully unite comfort & luxury. Ideal for large-scale entertaining, yet intimate and comfortable. Spectacular outdoor living with a veranda grill, large swimming pool. Elaborate millwork, a rooftop viewing cupola, card room & theater! Water views from every part of the home! $3,200,000

This beautiful oceanfront house with a fig vine surrounded tabby & brick walkway to the front entrance & cedar shake roof stands out with its architectural beauty. The house offers a living room w/pool & ocean view, paneled den with coffered beamed ceiling, state of the art kitchen with Wolf & Sub Zero appliances, 1st floor master w/ ocean view, updated master bath & 3 large guest suites. New boardwalk to beach from pool with separate bath. Sparingly used, great rental projection. $3,900,000 Furnished

Collins Group Realty 843.341.6300

Laura Cramer 843.384.2358

www.CollinsGroupRealty.com

4 South Calibogue Cay, Sea Pines

8 Everglade Place

Considered to be one of the nicest homes ever built in Sea Pines. Situated on a 1.5 acre lot with deep water views, a private dock and pool. 5 bedrooms, 7 baths, and a 6-car garage. Incredible master suite includes his and her walk in closets, a cedar closet, and a separate laundry room. First floor living room and library, both of which feature fireplaces, office, and an oversized wet bar. Summer kitchen, butlers pantry, game room, storage room, outdoor kitchen & fireplace, and a full size elevator. $6,500,000

Award winning new home is a masterful combination of luxury design, rare craftsmanship & ultimate privacy. Live in the beauty of endless marsh to sky views, & the quiet peacefulness of a gated community. 3 levels provide up to 6 car storage, 3 stop elevator, main level master suite & entertaining spaces, top level guest suites & secondary living spaces. Outdoor areas feature an all weather room outfitted with kitchen, bath & gas fireplace, sun deck & gas fire pit overlooking the marsh. $3,600,000

James Wedgeworth 843.384.7825

Eric & Hillary Dollenberg 843.816.6489

www.JamesWedgeworth.com

158

www.wesellseapines.com

LocalLifeSC.com + FEBRUARY 2019

www.EricDollenberg.com

advertiser index

A-1 Auto Detailing & Car Storage . . . . . 129

Hilton Head Properties Realty & Rentals . . . 61

AGM Imports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra International Piano Competition . . . 143, 153

Alexander’s Restaurant & Wine Bar . . . . . 79 American Wood Reface . . . . . . . . . . 109 Ameriprise Financial . . . . . . . . . . 28, 29 Appliances by Design . . . . . . . . . . . 117 Arlene Williams Kitchen Design . . . . . . 121 Ben Ham Images . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Beverly Serral Properties . . . . . . . . . . 25 Billy Wood Appliance . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Birdie James . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131 Bishop Eye Associates . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Boys, Arnold & Company Wealth Management . . . . . . . . . . . 109 Budget Blinds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127 Buona Terra Woodworks . . . . . . . . . . 83 Charlie's L'etoile Verte . . . . . . . . . . . 77 Chocolate Canopy . . . . . . . . . . . . 89

Holy Tequila . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84, 85 Hospice Care of the Lowcountry . . . . . . 155

DON’T MISS AN ISSUE!

Island Child . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123

Your delivery may stop.

Island Lavender Market . . . . . . . . . . 113 Just Cushions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111 Kelly Caron Designs . . . . . . . . . . . 105 Knickers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 KPM Flooring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 Le Cookery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75 Long Cove Club (Darius Rucker Intercollegiate) . . . . . . 149

Even if you got this in the mail, that could stop.

Lowcountry Mercantile . . . . . . . . . . 133 LUX ~ A Medical Spa . . . . . . . . . . . 30

To ensure continued delivery, free of charge for a limited time, you must fill out a free subscription card and drop it in the mailbox.

Maison Beaufort . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147 Michael Anthony's Cucina Italiana . . . . . 77

Coastal Plains Insurance . . . . . . . . . . 59

Oak Advisors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57

Coastal States Wealth Management of Raymond James . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

Old Oyster Factory . . . . . Inside Back Cover Orangetheory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61

Coastal Treasures . . . . . . . . . . . . 142

Outside Hilton Head . . . Inside Front Cover, 1

CoastalStates Bank . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

Palmetto Bay SunRise Cafe . . . . . . . . 83

Cocoon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127

Palmettoes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Community Foundation of the Lowcountry . 21

Plantation Interiors . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

Copper Penny . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135

Polaris Capital Advisors . . . . . . . . . . 55

Court Atkins Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Pretty Papers & Gifts . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Cross Schools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4, 5

Pyramids . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115

DayBreak Adult Care Services . . . . . . . 135

Red Fish . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Dividend Assets Capital . . . . . . . . . . 51

Robert Rommel Photography . . . . . . . 137

Dr. Bonnie Rothwell . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Roller’s Spirits, Wine & Cheese . . . . . . . 93

ELA’S on the Water . . . . . . . . . . . . 81

S.M. Bradford Co. . . . . . . . . . . . . 141

Eric & Hillary Dollenberg . . . . . . . . . 2, 3

Sharing is Caring Visiting Service . . . . . . 57

Floors To Go by High Tide . . . . . . . . . 119

Shop! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123

Forsythe Jewelers . . . . . . . . . Back Cover

Signature Closets of the Low Country . . . 113

Gifted . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73

Spartina 449 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Gigi’s Boutique . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151

Spring Island . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95

Group 3 Designs . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101 Haskins & Co . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121

Susan Ochsner Sea Pines Real Estate at the Beach Club . . . 37

Herman & Davis Properties Charter One Realty . . . . . . . . . 102, 103

The Back Door . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 The Cypress of Hilton Head . . . . . . . . 145

Hilton Head Dermatology - Dr. Bundy . . . . 27

The Red Piano Gallery . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Hilton Head Health & Indigo Spa . . . . . 125

The Salty Dog . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87

Hilton Head Humane Association . . . . . 140

The Village at Wexford . . . . . . . . . . . 91

Hilton Head Island Seafood Festival . . . . 107

WaterWalk at Shelter Cove Towne Centre . . 39

Hilton Head Plastic Surgery and MedSpa . . 60

Wells Fargo Advisors - Gary Bezilla . . . . . 45

Hilton Head Preparatory School . . . . . . 151

Women’s Financial Network . . . . . . . . 63

If you didn’t get this in the mail, you should. Visit us online to subscribe.

M

A

G

A

Z

I

N

E

LOCALLIFESC.COM

EP IT ROLLING E !

K

FEBRUARY 2019 + LocalLifeSC.com

159

porchin'

w

Cross your heart and hope to Dye

RIVERMEN (AND WOMEN)

Pictured, from left: Marsha and John Conover, David McNulty, Joe and Debi Incandela, Marilyn McNulty, and Richard and Michelle Warner. Find more photos from this porch party online at LocalLifeSC.com. ©PHOTOS BY LISA STAFF

Woodford Reserve Manhattan INGREDIENTS 2 1/2 ounces Woodford Reserve 1 ounce sweet vermouth 2 to 3 dashes aromatic bitters Maraschino cherry, for garnish Lemon peel, for garnish

160

LocalLifeSC.com + FEBRUARY 2019

DIRECTIONS [1] Fill a cocktail glass to the brim with ice so it chills. [2] Add whiskey, sweet vermouth and bitters to a shaker or glass with a few ice cubes and shake gently. [3] Discard ice from martini glass then strain Manhattan into the chilled glass. Garnish with a cherry and lemon peel.

With its grand exterior staircase, white columns, brick arches and 18-footwide veranda accessed through French doors, the Dye Clubhouse at Colleton River Club is charmingly reminiscent of a Southern plantation home. Its wraparound porches offer stunning views of the Chechessee River, Port Royal Sound and Pete Dye’s championship golf course. Ancient live oaks and native seabirds add to the awe-inspiring beauty.

“We just love our life here,” Marsha Conover said.

Marsha and her husband, John, lived in the Midwest most of their lives. Both love to play golf and dreamed of one day retiring to a private golf community.

They made it a reality three years ago, purchasing a Colleton River home.

“We drove in and knew right away this was it,” Marsha said. “It had so much natural beauty and two world-class golf courses. The biggest surprise was how easy it is to make friends. It is a very welcoming community.”

The Conovers were among eight club members that recently gathered at the Dye Clubhouse for an impromptu porch party. The friends munched on a charcuterie board with house-smoked turkey, chorizo, pickles and bread, while taking sips of Woodford Reserve Manhattans.

“There are so many activities here besides golf,” Marsha said. “You can be as busy and social as you want to be.”

The porch is a frequent location for club events as well as unplanned member gatherings and conversations coming off the course. Only a few hundred families call Colleton River home. Built on 1,500 acres, the private residential haven is surrounded on three sides by water and enjoys seven miles of shoreline. Many of the golf scenes from Robert Redford’s “The Legend of Bagger Vance” were filmed there.

We close this “Before the Bridge” issue with an old school cocktail recipe, made with a bourbon that traces its roots back to 1812. Sip, reminisce and repeat. LL