December
09
Greenville, SC
free!
skirt!is
I’ve been naughty and nice, so I’ve made my list twice. Nice
Me wants less in life.
Fake fur & true love.
Vegetarian cookbooks and an electric composter. A voluntourism vacation and a hemp backpack. Hand-knitted sweaters and solar heating.
A rescue dog and
Bach Rescue Remedy. A little piece of land and peace on earth. Honky tonk nights and someone’s boots under my bed.
Naughty Me wants the luxe life. Black pearls, black caviar and a Black American Express Card.
A Birkin
bag with a ticket to Paris in the pocket.
Grass-fed filets and vintage wines. Friends with private planes and V.I.P. backstage passes. A Portuguese water dog and a lap pool. A bad boy for fun
and a good man for keeps.
Santa, can’t we have it all ?
Cover art by Trisha Krauss
“Santa is very jolly because he knows where all the bad girls live.” George Carlin
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UNIVERSAL PICTURES PRESENTS IN ASSOCIATION WITH RELATIVITY MEDIA A WAVERLY FILMS/SCOTT RUDINCASTING PRODUCTION A NANCY MEYERS FILM BY ELLEN CHENOWETH MERYL STREEP STEVE MARTIN ALEC BALDWIN “ I T’ S COMPLICATED” JOHN KRASINSKI MUSIC COSTUME EDITED PRODUCTION BY HANS ZIMMER HEITOR PEREIRA DESIGNER SONIA GRANDE BY JOE HUTSHING ACE DAVID MORITZ DESIGNER JON HUTMAN EXECUTIVE PRODUCED DIRECTOR OF WRITTEN AND BY NANCY MEYERS SCOTT RUDIN DIRECTED BY NANCY MEYERS PHOTOGRAPHY JOHN TOLL ASC PRODUCERS ILONA HERZBERG SUZANNE FARWELL A UNIVERSAL PICTURE SOUNDTRACK ON VARÈSE SARABANDE
© 2009 UNIVERSAL STUDIOS
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December
09
about skirt!
Publisher Nikki Hardin editor@skirt.com Greenville Editor Sheril Bennett Turner sheril.turner@skirt.com
features
National Art Director Caitilin McPhillips caitilin.mcphillips@skirt.com
Voodoo Sisterhood Jennifer Willis ..........................................................................................12
Director of Sales Angela Filler angela.filler@skirt.com
The Muses Mindy Friddle ...........................................................................................16
Sales Executive Kathryn Barmore kathryn.barmore@skirt.com
The Muses Anita Sun Pacylowski-Justo ............................................................18
Graphic Designer Shelli H. Rutland
The Muses Photographers John Fowler Coke Whitworth Karla Alvarez Sheril Bennett Turner
Jessica Libor .............................................................................................20
The Muses Angela Easterling ..................................................................................22
Sales 864.357.3669
The F Word: “Will the Revolution Be Digitized?”
FAX: 864.751.2815
Tara L. Conley..........................................................................................26
sheMAIL 1708-C Augusta ST. #335 Greenville, SC 29605
The Plank House Rachel Walls ............................................................................................28
subscribe! For a one-year Subscription (12 issues), send a $35 check to: skirt!Greenville 1708-C Augusta ST. #335 Greenville, SC 29605
ineveryissue From the Publisher/Editor...................................................................8 Letters..............................................................................................................9 Calendar......................................................................................................11 Skirt of the Month................................................................................13 Products........................................................................................................15 skirt.com
He’s So Original w/ Dr. Michael Siebert..........................................24
skirt! is published monthly and distributed free throughout the greater Greenville area. skirt! Reserves the right to refuse to sell space for any advertisement the staff deems inappropriate for the publication. Unsolicited manuscripts must be accompanied by a self-addressed, stamped envelope. Letters to the editor are welcome, but may be edited due to space limitations. Press releases must be received by the 1st of the month for the following month’s issue. All content of this magazine, including without limitation the design, advertisements, art, photos and editorial content, as well as the selection, coordination and management thereof, is Copyright © 2009, Morris Publishing Group, LLC. All Rights Reserved. No portion of this magazine may be copied or reprinted without the express written permission of the publisher. SKIRT!® is a registered trademark of Morris Publishing Group, LLC.
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skirt! Alerts/Brava/It’s a Shame...................................................27 Girl Power w/ Gabrielle Grace Smith.......................................30 skirt! Loves..............................................................................................31 24/7 w/ Karla Alvarez..........................................................................32 Browse..........................................................................................................33 Planet Nikki................................................................................................34
skirt.com
December the inspiration issue
09
~Dear Muses~
Euterpe,
Polyhymnia,
of music, please stop our ears
of vocalizing,
to Chipmunk carols
I want my own karaoke machine
Calliope, muse of epic poetry, don’t let my uncle’s dinner blessing run too long
Erato, Muse OfLove Poetry, Let The Mistletoe be Busy This Year
Clio, muse of history, let’s Cut down on the family home movies this year
Terpsichore, muse of dance, give me The moves for The elecTric slide aT my office parTy
Thalia, muse of comedy, help us laugh away our tears
skirt.com
Decemberw2009greenville
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from the publisher
skirt! & you Let us know what’s on your mind, respond to an article, or give us info on an upcoming event. Send letters or press releases to sheril.turner@ skirt.com, or mail to skirt! Greenville, 1708-C Augusta St. #335, Greenville, SC 29605.
cover artist Trisha Krauss is an American illustrator based in London. She began her career in New York City where she established herself as an awardwinning illustrator. Her work has appeared in many publications, advertising campaigns and books. In New York she was known for her figurative illustrations that were painted on plywood. This style obtained recognition for its sophistication and wit. In London she has expanded stylistically by painting with watercolor and ink, and this offers her more versatility in subject matter. She is also commissioned regularly to hand-paint customized family portraits on Russian dolls and sells them to clients all over the world. Hector, her beloved Weimaraner and muse, passed away over the summer, and she wants the universe—or at least any one who reads this—to know that he is devastatingly missed. Being without a muse is not amusing...not even a little bit. You can contact Trisha at trisha@trishakrauss. com or see more of her work at trishakrauss.com.
We are always looking for new writers and artists. Our guidelines for writers and artists are available online at skirt.com. Submit artwork or essays via e-mail to submissions@skirt.com. Check out our website at skirt.com for giveaways, essays, and other extras that aren’t in the print edition.
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got news?
the inspiration issue Lately, I wish I had a safe place to stash my soul when I leave the house. Because in this economy, it’s tough out
but I also can’t force ideas to bloom
there for a soul. How do I keep myself
before their time. Just as it takes
from becoming hardened or hopeless
patience to wait for paperwhites to
when people I know are laid off and laid
unfurl, so it often requires sleeping
low? What happens when my creativity
on a piece of writing to allow it to
gets a dry mouth and a bad case of the
grow in darkness. On the other hand,
Dreads in the middle of a project?
I know from experience that practice
And how do I plunge wholeheartedly
is everything—to keep writing, to keep
into a brainstorming session when
working, to keep hoping, over and over
I feel brain dead from so much
and over, even when you don’t want to.
uncertainty and flux? I’ve learned that
It’s a delicate balance and one that I’m
I can’t wait for the Muse to pay me a
constantly negotiating. I want my soul
visit on her temperamental schedule,
to survive hard times without going into
Send calendar events to the editor. Inclusion will be based on available space each month.
hiding or disguising its true voice, but I’m always questioning how to do that.
nikki
nikki
And sometimes, the only answer I come up with is “ice cream.” And sometimes, that’s just right.
from the editor In the first grade, left unattended for just a few moments, I decided to do something about the uninspiring blank cinderblock walls of my Catholic school classroom. When my teacher returned to find tiny finger-painted fingers all over the walls—well, let’s just say the good sister was NOT inspired. I never did get the hang of coloring inside the lines, preferring instead to view life as a great big blank canvas that could always use a little finger-painting. In this issue you’ll meet four local muses—an artist, a dancer, a writer, and a singer/songwriter—who share some of the things that inspire them to greatness. Hopefully they in turn will inspire you to let go, release your inner child, and put your own fingerprints on that great big blank wall that surrounds you. But take it from me…never, ever mess with a nun! Heartfelt thanks to all skirt! Greenville readers, contributors and advertisers for a wonderful year! May your holidays be festive and your new year absolutely inspirational!
sheril
skirt.com
sheril.turner@skirt.com
Visit Us! 8
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ni
dearskirt! I want to thank you so much for the great job you did on the 24/7 article for the October issue of skirt! I was a little nervous about the picture and it
...as I read through the stories of these strong women, I can remember a day when I, as well, felt strong.
ended up looking pretty good! It’s fun
I picked up skirt! magazine and as
skirt! makes me a better person. skirt!
I read through the stories of these
makes me want to share. Every issue has
strong women, I can remember a day
something I want to tell someone about,
when I, as well, felt strong. Somewhere
to talk over with a friend, to dream about
between caring for my mother, my
with my spouse, to clip and mail to my
aunt, my adopted daughter, and now
sister or email to my niece in Germany.
my husband who has had Alzheimer’s
skirt! is the perfect balance of feminine,
for over 10 years and is living in the
but not too sorority; intelligent, but
home, I have lost myself. While my
not academic; broadly diverse in the
aunt was dying in my home, I also
viewpoints and opinions, but not
lost my granddaughter of 14 years. All
insulting or in my face. skirt! is always
have died except for my husband, and
interesting.
and definitely fits my personality and Mariani’s! I appreciate the opportunity. Please feel free to contact me if you should need assistance with anything in the future! Take care, and thank you again! Mary Ann Sudnick Mariani’s Boutique Greenville, SC
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Joanne Hughes Burkett, Esq. The Cate Law Firm, PA Spartanburg, SC
I sat by their sides doing whatever was needed for them at the time. For two
Make Your House Feel Like Home For The Holidays!
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Mon., Fri. & Sat. 10-4
years, I struggled with our family doctor to get my husband declared mentally incompetent because he was making so many financial mistakes and now it has left me in almost total ruin. I need work as I am struggling to stay afloat. I have been a faux painter and artist for many years. I can make a wall, ceiling, concrete floors, and furniture beautiful with new life. When I am painting, it lifts my spirit. I am trying to fight back and feel human again. I have strong faith and I know God is up to something.
P.S.
Tues. 11-6
I even got my mother-in-law Upscale Consignment Furniture
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...broadly diverse in the viewpoints and opinions, but not insulting or in my face. skirt! is always interesting.
Jan Carver Anderson, SC
Wed. & Thurs.
Consignment Furniture
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Peace, Love, and Retail Therapy
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[Ed. Note: Marjorie George with the SC Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association offered this advice. “For those struggling
• Weekly Specials • Holiday Digital Photo Card Specials • Gourmet Samplings • Seasonal Tabletop
to balance the need to work with the care of a loved one with Alzheimer’s, please contact the Alzheimer’s Association’s 24/7 local help line at 864.250.0029 or 866.844.0995 or visit alz.org/sc. Besides providing a listening ear, we
Eureka!
can connect them, as appropriate, to a monthly support group, short-term respite services, community education opportunities and other community resources.”]
Have an opinion? Email your editor. All letters to the editor must include the writer’s name and city/state.
Wo o d r u f f R d a t H i g h w a y 1 4 (864) 288-9310 skirt.com
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You are cordially invited to a Complimentary Consultation with Dr. Shawn Birchenough.
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F ind mo re skir t! even ts on lin e at g reenville .s k ir t . c o m / eve n t
sunday
monday
tuesday 1
December Explore Tonglin meditation, a practice connected to the breath that aims to turn suffering into insight and focuses on awakening compassion in ourselves. Learn more from Pema Chodron’s Good Medicine. Available at soundstrue.com.
It’s Holiday Moonlight Movies at the Peace Center Amphitheater! Enjoy How the Grinch Stole Christmas and A Christmas Story. greenvillesc.gov. Book Your Lunch at the Lazy Goat with the author of Saving Cicadas, Nicole Seitz. fiction-addiction.com or bookyourlunch.com.
1-4
See Porkchop Productions: Holly and the Christmas Gift. greenvillelibrary.org.
1-24 Mondays Enjoy cold beer, hot wings, and Monday Night Football at Wild Wings on Washington Street! wildwingcafe.com.
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Greer Christmas Parade. cityofgreer.org. Anderson Christmas Parade. cityofandersonsc.com.
The joint will be jumping at the Peace Center when the Brian Setzer Orchestra returns for another Christmas Rocks! Extravaganza. briansetzer.com
Instead of Christmas or Hanukkah gifts, we’ll be giving friends Winter Solstice (December 21st) candles to light the darkness. ’Tis the season for Frasier Fir votives by Thymes.
Are you Naughty or Nice? Café and Then Some presents this musical comedy that looks at current events through the lens of Christmas merriment. cafeats.com.
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funday
saturday
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HALESTORM with special guests ARANDA and SILVERSTONE at the Handlebar. handlebar-online.com.
Go to the Carolina First Center for the 39th Annual Holiday Fair and find that oneof-a-kind gift for the Christmas Season. carolinafirstcenter.com.
CHRISTMAS IN GREER STATION. cityofgreer.org and greerstation.com.
Come one, come all to Campaign’s Warehouse Sale at Zen! campaignstyle.com.
2-20
Head on over to the Flatrock Playhouse for It Happened One Christmas, because sometimes truth is more miraculous than fiction. flatrockplayhouse.org. Wednesdays Open Mic Night every Wednesday at Mojitos Bar & Lounge. Drink specials include $2 Bud, $2 tequila, $5 mojitos! 864.232.9491. From the Two-Step to the Dance Ranch Romp, learn how to dance ’em all at the Blind Horse Saloon. Lessons taught by champion Matt Krabbe. 7:30. blindhorse.com.
Spartanburg Jaycees Christmas Parade. spartanburgjaycees.org. Béla Fleck & the Flecktones hit the Peace Center for a night of holiday hits from their Grammy®-winning album, Jingle All the Way. peacecenter.org. Book Your Lunch at the Lazy Goat with Greenville resident Melinda Long, author of How I Became a Pirate and Pirates Don’t Change Diapers. fiction-addiction.com or bookyourlunch.com. Tuesdays Pay only $2 for selected sushi rolls on Tuesdays at Tsunami Japanese Sushi Bar and Grill in Greenville. tsunamigreenville.com
15 The Brown Street Club is proud to host the Santa and Friends Fundraiser for the Beach Ball Foundation. For only a $10 donation, children can meet Santa, sing carols, and enjoy the spirit of the holidays. brownstreetclub.com. Enjoy Roper Mountain’s Holiday Lights & Winter Wonderland! Nightly until December 30. ropermountain holidaylights.com.
thursday
wednesday
Holiday skirt! Tricks Crumple skirt! pages & stick in your boots to keep them in shape.
3-19
Centre Stage presents a production of A Christmas Memory, an autobiographical recollection of Truman Capote's rural Alabama boyhood. centrestage.org. Escape to the Old Edwards Inn and Spa in Highlands, NC for their old-fashioned Christmas Tree Farm Package or New Year’s Eve Jazz Package. oldedwardsinn.com
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In Dear Santa, a journey to Santa’s workshop is a reminder of the true meaning of Christmas. A hysterical, yuletide treat for the whole family! scchildrenstheatre.org.
4-13
The Carolina Ballet Theatre presents the classic story of The Nutcracker, featuring December skirt! Profile, Anita Sun PacylowskiJusto. carolinaballet.org.
4-20
Don’t miss the unique Christmas at Ashtabula Plantation, featuring historical reenactments of Christmas past. pendleton historicfoundation.org.
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Clemson head football coach Dabo Swinney will be the next featured speaker at the Potential Youth Foundation / Sid Wilson Foundation Coaches 4 Character program potential youthfoundation.com. Launch your business to higher levels of growth and success! Join Enterprise Launch for a Business Development Workshop with Jake Hayes at Immedion. enterpriselaunch.com.
Greenville Poinsettia Parade. greenvillesc.gov.
Greenville Chorale's 26th Annual Family Christmas Concert at the Peace Center. greenvillechorale.com.
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11-13
Catch the Radio City Christmas Spectacular at the Bi-Lo Center. radiocitychristmas.com.
Don your period costumes for an Olde South Christmas Ball at the Greenville Marriot. oldesouthball.com.
11-20
12-13
A must-see musical and magical celebration of Christmas, A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. greenvillelittletheatre.org.
Join the International Ballet for the Upstate's grandest Nutcracker. internationalballet company.org.
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Join the Caleb Group for their monthly film discussion series, Movies Worth Talking About. Befitting the season, this month’s movie is Oscar nominee Joyeux Noel. Admission is free at Camelot Cinemas. 864.787.4566.
Catch skirt! “It Girl” Angela Easterling at the Saluda Inn Wine Cellar! angelaeasterling.com or saludainn.com.
Just for Kids! The Trillium Arts Centre Elves Workshop is the place for children to create their own holiday gifts for friends and family. Register online at trilliumartscentre.org.
Kenny G's Holiday Show comes to Spartanburg Memorial Auditorium! crowdpleaser.com.
The Carolina First Center will play host to Holiday Hope, a community 18-20 event providing a firstLift your spirits at The Greenville Symphony class Christmas meal and gifts to those in need Orchestra’s Holiday in Greenville County. at Peace. Register to give or receive greenvillesymphony.org. at holidayhope.com.
“Perhaps the best Yuletide decoration is being wreathed in smiles.”
The Moscow Ballet’s Great Russian Nutcracker at the Asheville Civic Center. ashevilleciviccenter.com.
Don’t miss Poetic Symmetry with Martha & Tony Mims at Coffee Underground. coffeeunderground.biz.
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Holiday skirt! Tricks Wrap your gifts in the pages of skirt!.
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Holiday skirt! Tricks Use the pages to make papier mâché ornaments.
Author unknown
26 Don’t miss Corey Smith at the Bi-Lo Center. coreysmith.com.
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One of the funniest humans on the planet, Jeff Dunham entertains Greenville at the BI-LO Center. jeffdunham.com.
A fun and affordable New Year's Eve, the Greenville Chautauqua’s annual benefit, Prelude to Midnight Gala & Silent Auction, is over in time to drive home early or make another party! greenvillechautauqua.org. The Avett Brothers at the Asheville Civic Center. ashevilleciviccenter.com. skirt.com
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The last place I expected to find myself was in a witches’ circle late at night in a sketchy area of downtown Portland, channeling my frustrations into a helpless pastry.
W
Jennifer Willis
hen I relocated cross-country from Virginia to the Pacific Northwest, I figured I’d meet interesting people and try new things. The last place I expected to find myself was in a witches’ circle late at night in a sketchy area of downtown Portland, channeling my frustrations into a helpless pastry. Historically, I’d had few women friends. I’m not particularly girly and have always been shy—plus, my childhood penchant for games that involved past-life recall treasure hunts, invisible spirit horses and Barbies gathering as a witches coven meant I spent a lot of time playing alone. I envied my sister and her lifetime bond with friends she’d made from grade school all the way through college and their shared memories, inside jokes, crazy escapades and absolute reliance on each other. In my mid-30s, I figured my pattern of friendships—few, and of the masculine persuasion—was pretty much set in stone. One night at a local coffee shop changed all that. Hot chocolate in hand, I settled by the fireplace and waited to meet some new faces. I’d signed up for a Portland Meetup.com group to make friends in my new city. Only a half-dozen people made an appearance—all women. I was admittedly disappointed, at first. I’d been hoping to meet a new man and didn’t think I had any real use for girlfriends. We were nearly all new in town, were used to nobody getting our jokes or our rather alternative global perspectives and didn’t have much experience with women as friends. We started sharing stories, and by the end of the evening, it was apparent I’d stumbled into the genesis of my own Ya-Ya Sisterhood, complete with urban mojo and sometimes even silly hats. We are the Coffee Coven—because we’re witchy and because we first met at a coffee shop. And because we’ve conducted a voodoo doll doughnut ritual in the middle of the night atop a newspaper vending machine on NW 3rd Avenue. Two of us had demanding clients who weren’t sure what they wanted but still wanted it yesterday. One had chronic transportation problems, and another was having landlord issues. Yet another had recently been left by her husband. We each needed to vent, in a bad way. So, the Coffee Coven devised a rather unorthodox ritual of release. We headed down to Voodoo Doughnut late one night, dodging frisky goth-punk kids and meth-addicted panhandlers loitering beneath the store’s slogan—“The Magic is in the Hole”—painted on the side of the building.
In a space about the size of my modest closet, Voodoo Doughnut offers pastries like the Memphis Mafia (chocolate chips, banana and peanut butter on glaze), the Arnold Palmer (a cake doughnut covered in lemon and tea powder) and the object of our quest: a voodoo doll doughnut, in the shape of a traditional voodoo doll with raspberry filling (to simulate blood) and pretzel stick “pins.” Giggling nervously, we rested the voodoo doll doughnut atop the newspaper box and formed a circle around it. Someone offered a spontaneous invocation for sacred space, and as the dozen or so late-night party people and drug-dazed bums looked on, we took turns venting our grievances. “This is for temp jobs that don’t pay benefits and buses that are always late,” Candace sang out as she plunged a pretzel stick into the doughnut doll. Next it was Joyce’s turn: “This is for stupid carpeting that won’t stay down even after it’s been installed twice!” “This is for clients with no business plans who expect me to disregard what they say and read their minds instead!” I sank a pretzel stick into the soft doughnut and watched the raspberry goo bubble out from the wound. There was no magical rush of release, but it still felt strangely satisfying, in a sugar-glazed kind of way. After we’d each had several turns, we had to figure out what to do with said pastry, a sticky mess now butchered beyond voodoo doll recognition. The city’s trash cans are vending machines for Portland’s homeless, and there were concerns about an unsuspecting soul ingesting all of the negativity we’d just channeled into the doughnut. Eve grabbed a piece of newspaper from the sidewalk, wrapped it around the sacrificial pastry, and buried the bundle under a shrub. “Earth to earth, ashes to ashes,” she smiled as she finished the job. That was three years ago. I’m not sure if our late night urban voodoo accomplished anything magical, but it did foster a deeper bond with my new friends. Since then, we’ve hosted spontaneous cupcake decorating parties at the coffee shop where we first met. We’ve made dress forms out of duct tape. We’ve hiked together to the top of a waterfall to scatter a loved one’s ashes. We’ve gathered on the winter solstice to set goals and intentions for the new year. We’ve held each other’s babies and grandbabies. We’ve shared recipes and heartaches, and we’ve decorated each other’s gardens and bathrooms. We’ve helped each other move in, move out and move on. Our everyday rituals—brushing teeth, kissing the kids before school, stirring creamer into coffee—bring order and stability to our lives. They give us a comfortable plan to follow. Other rituals—the big events, like baptisms, bar mitzvahs and weddings—mark life’s passages. But sometimes the most cathartic rituals are the ones we create for ourselves, particularly those shared with family and friends. Now, whenever I need to vent, release or celebrate, I’m not so shy about crafting my own rites. I know where to find Portland’s most magical pastries, and I know my witchy friends are just a phone call away.
Jennifer Willis is a freelance writer of all things sustainable and spiritual. Living in Portland, Oregon, with a rambunctious husky, she is still finding new adventures in her adopted city. 12
Decemberw2009greenville
skirt.com
Traci Daberko is an illustrator and graphic designer in Seattle, WA. See her work at daberkodesign.com.
Anü by Natural Skirt Mariani’s Boutique • 3720 Pelham Rd. • Greenville • 864.297.7227
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the muses
Mindy Friddle | Novelist As a child, Mindy wrote poems about golden leaves and jolly toads. Nature still inspires her—she’s a Master Gardener living in a certified wildlife habitat—and is reflected in her two novels filled with Southern wit and vegetation, The Garden Angel and Secret Keepers. “My inspiration to write comes from pots of coffee, cups of green tea, loads of chocolate, walking in the woods, digging and planting in the garden, and the written word; beautiful, funny, moving works from writers, alive and dead, that transport me and remind me how powerful storytelling is.” As founder and director of the Writing Room in Greenville, Mindy also encourages the aspirations of other Upstate writers, although these days, she admits to being a bit more relaxed about her own ambitions. “I try not to be overly focused on the future as much as I used to. I let goals arise naturally...it’s all about flow. And shady hammocks.” Photo by John Fowler
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Decemberw2009greenville
skirt.com
Grow your business!
Seeking Vendors and Sponsors for the following events: Introduce yourself to potential clients & network with other business owners 1
“No Excuses” Health & Wellness Expo Haywood Mall, Greenville, SC January 2 & 3
2
Charlotte Home & Garden Show Concord Mills, Charlotte, NC April 24 & 25
4
No Excuses Health & Wellness Expo January 2 – 3
Spring Arts & Crafts Show Haywood Mall, Greenville, SC March 5 & 6
3
presents the
“No Excuses” Health & Wellness Expo
Haywood Mall, Greenville
Concord Mills, Charlotte, NC May 8 & 9
5
Home-based & Small Business Expo Haywood Mall, Greenville, SC June 11 & 12
6
Christian Business Exp Mall of Georgia, Atlanta GA June 25 & 26
7
Arts & Crafts Show Town Center at Cobb, Atlanta GA June 26 & 27
8
Christian Business Expo Haywood Mall, Greenville, SC August 27 & 28
9
Charlotte Women’s Expo Concord Mills, Charlotte, NC August 28 & 29
10 Holiday Arts & Crafts Show Haywood Mall, Greenville, SC October 22 & 23
11 “Reason for the Season” Holiday Fair
Don’t miss it! All the information you need to get started on a healthy, happy new you is here under one roof!
To Be Determined November 5 & 6
12 “Reason for the Season” Holiday Fair Honey Creek Mall, Terre Haute, IN November 26 & 27
Past vendors have included service & product-oriented businesses, non-profits, cash-n-carry, artists and crafters, network marketing and more. For show details and registration visit
30+ Exhibitors, featuring the latest in Health, Wellness & Personal Growth for both adults and children For details, see our website:
inspiredproductionsinc.com
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Participate in 5 shows, get one free!
If you are interested in participating in this event as a vendor or a sponsor, please call 828-489-2961. Space is still available! If you are in the health & wellness business, you WILL want to be a part of this show!
www.inspiredproductionsinc.com or 828.489.2961 for details.
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Decemberw2009greenville
17
the muses
Anita Sun Pacylowski-Justo | Ballerina Anita’s motto? “Find something you love and then make it your passion to make a living doing it.” As a professional ballet dancer, ballet mistress, and director/owner of the Carolina Ballet Theatre, Anita admits, “I am completely turned on and inspired by people of all ages that empower themselves to grow in the whole sense of the word. I admire fortitude, generosity, and the individual who chooses to make new paths. This fuels me.” Having danced in theatres in Russia, Thailand, France, Argentina, Spain, Uruguay, England, Singapore, and the Netherlands, Anita claims that she’s danced the best of her career here in Greenville after the birth of her children. (She has three!) “It’s ironic,” she laughs. “I gained 65 pounds with my first child and delivered a nine-pound baby girl. One month later, I was on the cover of Dance Magazine—as one of 25 upcoming dancers to watch.” Photo by John Fowler
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Decemberw2009greenville
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19
the muses
Jessica Libor | Artist From cave diving in Mexico to exploring the ruins of a huge ancient abbey in Scotland, what could make Jessica’s heart beat faster? “I entered a talent show one time,” she says. “It took me three cups of coffee to get psyched up to sing.” For this fine artist, though, her adventurous life feeds her romantic soul. “I paint in oil—portraits by commission and scenery that I find beautiful. Often these places and people are from the cities that I have traveled to. I am also inspired by art museums, receiving instruction from a master painter, having a painting turn out the way I envisioned it, music of all kinds, fashion, streetlights in the fog, a deadline, viewers liking my work, going for a long run, brainstorming, and people that believe in me.” Photo by John Fowler
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Feel the warm glow of the holiday season when you help take care of women and children in need while taking care of your own skin. Bring in a new pair of ladies socks or a health & beauty item to benefit Safe Harbor and join skirt! Magazine at skinkare Laser Hair & Skin Solutions for a fun and fabulous day of beauty. In exchange for your generous donation to Safe Harbor, participate in these giveaways and discounts: • FREE Glominerals makeovers from 11am – 8 pm by appointment, but FREE gift with purchase of $75 or more! Call 234-7900 to reserve your space! • - 2 boxes for $199, plus, get a FREE $20 mail-in rebate – your final cost is only $89.50 per box!
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the muses
Angela Easterling | Singer/Songwriter Angela Easterling is a Mad Woman. For her recent “You Could Be on Mad Men” contest submission, this Americana musician channeled her inner Minnie Pearl, turning her video monologue of character Pete Campbell into a yodel-ay-ee-ooo country song. No stranger to outrageous performances, this farm-reared daughter of a preacher once earned her living in L.A. as a kid’s party performer. “I was the number one Mary Poppins in town,” Angela laughs. On her own record label, De L’Est Music, Angela has recorded two albums, Earning Her Wings, and her newest release BlackTop Road, which has been in the Top 40 Americana Radio Airplay chart for the past six weeks. “I am inspired as a storyteller,” Angela says, “to write about things that I feel are not addressed enough in our society, things that trouble and bother me. As a performer, I am inspired by the song, the audience’s energy, and the energy of my bandmates.” Photo by Coke Whitworth
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Decemberw2009greenville
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HE’S SO ORIGINAL
Joe and Andy are cooking up comfort! “Delicious food like Grandma’s”—that’s what Joe Kelly and Andy Melton promise at their homey restaurant, Chicken Noodles. The friends cooked up the idea for their comfort food cuisine after searching for, but not finding, a place to nosh on “just soup and a sandwich.” Keeping it simple, fresh, and recognizable has paid off for the Greenville Tech culinary school grads, with menu items like their signature Chicken Noodle Soup becoming crowd favorites. A soup that didn’t fare as well? “Chili dog soup,” Joe says with a grin. How do you feel wearing a skirt? “ Wearing the skirt helps us feel closer to our grandmothers. Their old style of cooking and making everything from scratch are what people now enjoy eating. Disappointing our grandmothers is the last thing either of us would want to do.” What do you love about skirt! magazine? “The fresh images and pictures. skirt! feels like a sunny spring day regardless of the weather outside.” Photo by John Fowler
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Decemberw2009greenville
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Decemberw2009greenville
 
25
?
[ The F -Wor d | Fe min ists Sp e a k Out ]
Will the revolution be digitized? Tara L. Conley
“For centuries Women (and some men) have been Working on behalF oF human rights
At its core, feminism is a social phenomenon. Built on the backs of women worldwide, the concept of feminism is as grassroots as it is academic, as personal as it is political. For centuries women (and some men) have been working on behalf of human rights for women and girls, and building bridges along the way. With rapid technological advancements, these same bridges are being sustained using modern-day media tools. In 2006, I presented research for the Media Justice and Feminist Futures conference. I spoke on a panel, “Will the Revolution Be Digitized?” with feminist scholars and students that showcased research ranging from a digital video about human trafficking to a digital montage of advertisements and sex tourism in Latin America. I presented my documentary, A Region of Survivors and a paper, “Virtual Volunteers: Hurricane Katrina’s Impact and Women’s Resolve” about women that used social networks to aid survivors of hurricane Katrina. Women and girls, As a proud feminist and womanist (a term coined by Alice Walker and for many women of color, an and building bridges alternative to feminism), I exist at the intersection of social and new media, or as I like to call it, “snew” along the Way. With media. My work in snew media has been largely informed by feminist and womanist thought. So it’s no rapid technologiwonder why I often ask myself, “Where does feminism fit in the age of snew media?” cal advancements, The conference and research of fellow presenters sparked my enthusiasm in the possibility that these same bridges snew media could be an effective means through which feminist ideas and activism can reach, and be are being sustained embraced by, people all over the world. I figured if academia was hip enough to embrace snew media, using modern-day then the critical world outside of the Ivory Tower could surely welcome feminism through snew media media tools portals like Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and MySpace. Maybe social networks could actually help transform the apathetic into passionate feminists—and perhaps even make feminism seem friendly and cool! Well, as it turns out, that’s not exactly the case. I recall a time when I blogged about misogyny on MySpace and received responses like: “Tara, you have man issues.” Or my favorite: “Tara, I’m sorry you were born a woman and so angry.” Just recently on Twitter I engaged in a discussion about feminism and womanism and how, as a woman of color, I proudly identify as both. Here’s one response: “When the shit hits the fan, the feminists (white women) will divide loyalties along the color line.” Even in a virtual space, apathy trumps passion. It’s no secret that the word “feminism” conjures up divisive feelings. Even on social networks like MySpace and Twitter, people still equate feminism with terms like “man-hating” and being a “white woman’s ideology.” The reality is that our belief systems online tend to mimic our beliefs offline and no amount of technology alone can necessarily change commonly accepted notions about what feminism is, and what it isn’t. So while snew media can be a great way for educators and activists to produce and disseminate ideas, it is still a space of contention that self-identified feminists must navigate consciously and lovingly, always remembering the greater purpose of our advocacy. Whether working online or offline, or using a printing press or a digital video camera, it’s not a feminist’s job to make feminism seem “friendly” to the masses. Rather, feminists must remain conscious about those deemed politically, socially, economically and spiritually invisible—and choose our battles accordingly. Snew media is just another battlefield, or rather, potentially transformative terrain, where we can continue to build on the work that our foremothers and forefathers began long before blogs, tweets, and Facebook status updates existed.
�
.
Based in New York City, Tara L. Conley is a nepantla writer, artist and the hardest working young woman in snew media. Besides singing covers on YouTube, blogging about community events and tweeting about feminism, Tara secretly daydreams about being a transformative politician one day. She’s also the proud owner of the entire DVD collection of Roseanne. 26
Decemberw2009greenville
skirt.com
it’sashame
skirt!alerts
Dust
u A new proposal in
Baltimore would require limited-service pro-life
crisis pregnancy centers
off your red suit and
to post a disclaimer
get ready for Op-
saying that the center
eration Santa Claus, a
does not provide
holiday gift collection
abortion, birth control
that brings a special
services or referrals to
u that a new report
touch of joy to the lives
clients.
by Maria Shriver and
of those in the upstate
the Center for American
living with mental ill-
v In one of her first
ness. Please deliver all
interviews since her
gifts to Mental Health
domestic dispute with
women account for half
America of Greenville
Chris Brown, Rihanna
of the US labor force for
County by Monday, De-
tells Glamour that
cember 7. mhagc.org.
her hope is to be a
Knock
Progress finds that despite the news that
the first time in American history, most women
voice for those women
are still poorly paid with
who can’t be heard.
irregular hours and also
out all your holiday
“Domestic violence is
shopping in one place
a big secret…It’s one of
and for a good cause!
the things we [women]
On December 12, a
will hide, because it’s
portion of the pro-
embarrassing. My story
15-year-old girl was
ceeds from the first
was broadcast all over
beaten, robbed and
annual Christmas Ex-
the world for people to
gang-raped outside her
travaganza at Augusta
see…The positive thing
California high school’s
Manor will go to help
that has come out of my
homecoming dance, more
the Salvation Army’s
situation is that people
than two dozen people
Adopt a Family
can learn from that.”
watched, photographed
Christmas program.
typically lack healthinsurance coverage.
v that while a
and filmed the crime
salutationsandsoirees.
w Nicole Kidman, a
com.
goodwill ambassador
instead of reporting it.
for the UN Development
w that Reuters
Fund for Women, testified
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before a House Foreign
hardline Islamist group
Every year, the Har-
Affairs subcommittee
al Shabaab has declared
vest Hope Food Bank
saying that she believes
that bras violate Islam by
provides over 200,000
women are portrayed
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families in South
as weak sex objects in
Women have been
Carolina with nutri-
the movies.
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tious food and related
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shake their breasts,
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say residents.
you can help, please call (864) 281-3995 or visit harvesthope.org.
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Decemberw2009greenville
27
It seemed that elementary school was not my cup of high-fructose fruit punch... But then we were assigned the Native Alaskan Diorama projects, and I changed the face of sixth grade forever.
Rachel Walls
E
lementary school projects never seemed to go my way. I was an eager child, an attribute that seldom made up for the fact that I often failed to think things through. For example, there was the science project where I tried to demonstrate how light affects spore growth by setting out two slices of bread on my desk and another two slices in my desk drawer. Result: a lot of driedup bread. Turning in two weeks’ worth of pictures that documented the bread getting crumblier and increasingly more pathetic-looking was the most humiliating part of that ordeal. Then there was the time that we all took home one of the butterflies we had raised in class because there were still several weeks of Alaskan winter to go before we could release them outside. I was unprepared for the responsibility of caring for something more complicated than a Tamagotchi, and the way the butterfly clung helplessly to my bedroom window and fluttered around my room all night freaked me out so much that I threw it away in the bathroom trash can, burying it alive under a heap of crumpled tissues. I still feel guilty about it. The school Christmas play seemed promising enough with me in the lead, overacting my heart out, and in fact, it went great—right up to the minute I barfed all over the auditorium. It seemed that elementary school was not my cup of high-fructose fruit punch and that I should just accept my failure and try again in junior high. But then we were assigned the Native Alaskan Diorama projects, and I changed the face of sixth grade forever. Well, maybe not. But I sure thought I was going to. The Native Alaskan Diorama projects were the apex of our elementary careers. We were each assigned a particular Native Alaskan tribe, and we then constructed, with varying amounts of interference by our parents, a miniature replica of that tribe’s traditional house. It was a project reserved for sixth graders, and every year when they went on display, I drooled over the rows and rows of tiny houses of wavering cultural accuracy, eager for my turn. The diorama was worth the same as any other project or test, but this was immaterial. As far as I was concerned, this grade measured the very worth of my soul. I wanted my project to be remembered forever, like the works of the greats who came before me: those geniuses who made sugar-cube igloos and glistening hair-gel ponds. Here, I could make up for every sub-par performance that had plagued my short life thus far. This project would redeem me for every poorly thought-out experiment, every butterfly dead by my hands, every unfortunate audience member who found themselves within the radius of my upchuck.
Mrs. Christensen assigned me the plank house, a type of native-Alaskan housing that is complex and symmetrical—a perfect fit for an OCD 12-yearold with delusions of grandeur. After a craft store run—one of the dozens my family had made since I was enrolled in school (buy stock in Michael’s, people)—I sat down in our dining room, which had long since been transformed into a “Boy, This School Sure Assigns a Lot of Projects Workplace,” and got down to business. I delegated all measuring tasks to my engineer parents, who were undoubtedly grateful for the opportunity to continue doing at home what they had spent the last eight hours performing at work. I sliced balsa wood into long planks with an X-Acto knife and meticulously glued them together, recreating the traditional plank house so faithfully that any tiny Native Alaskans who came along could have sought shelter in it. I left half of the roof open—I had seen a student do this the year before and found it brilliant—so that everyone could see the tiny beds I had made out of toothpicks and real leather, the fire pit with shimmery red contact paper for flames, the baskets of itty-bitty food I had baked from clay. The night before it was due, I attached tiny branches of Sitka spruce to make a forest and painted a frothy ocean shore. To finish my masterpiece, I covered the shoreline in sand I’d collected from Hawaii on a family vacation. I knew it was spectacular, and I knew it was the stuff of sixth-grade project legend. I ultimately received a “B” from Mrs. Christensen. “Wrong door,” she had hastily scribbled in offensive red pen. “Should be like Jason’s.” Jason had attached a toilet paper roll to a shoebox and covered it with some moss he had stripped from a tree trunk at recess. I think the lesson I was I supposed to learn was to appreciate the act of creating, no matter what the results, or to find worth in what others don’t. Perhaps it was just to follow directions more closely. Unfortunately, I didn’t take any of these maxims with me. Rather, I pouted a bit and then got over it when I received the next project assignment and was swallowed up once again by my relentless enthusiasm. That diorama still sits in my closet. I took it down to inspect it the other day, and I have to admit, it may not be the most historically accurate thing I’ve ever made. No, the Native Alaskans probably didn’t sleep in bunk beds. Or eat tiny clay hot dogs. But man, what a plank house! Whatever grade I deserved, I recognized some important part of myself there, nestled between those old branches and what’s left of the Hawaiian sand—some vivaciousness and determination that perhaps hasn’t completely left me but is just buried beneath the distractions of adulthood. So maybe I won’t throw it away just yet.
Rachel Walls is an Alaskan who strayed east. She currently lives in Boston where she attends Emerson College. Her latest creative venture is telling jokes to an audience of strangers for free. 28
Decemberw2009greenville
skirt.com
don’tmiss
December
3
Get your holiday glow on! Feel the warm glow of the holiday season when you help take care of
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On December 3, skinkare
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“Feel the warm glow of the holiday season when you help take care of women and children in need...
skirt.com
Decemberw2009greenville
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Like a lot of college freshmen, Jessica
Jessica Lauren Fowler
has been busy embellishing her new abode. Not a problem, though, for this fun-loving and outgoing student. “I change my room at home about a dozen times a year!” Jessica laughs. No stranger to paint chips and fabric samples, Jessica is putting her passion for interior fashion in play at The Art Institute of Charleston, with hopes of owning her own interior design business one day. A chip off the old artistic block, Jessica is also
“My mom, photographer, John Fowler. Kim, is my inspiration. She is always redecorating something!” the daughter of skirt! Greenville
Photo by John Fowler
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Decemberw2009greenville
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fleabg.com
“I fell hard for
Fleabags when I saw them in Elle. Created by two women in New York, the bags are bottomless. Just what I need for work.” Nikki, skirt! Publisher
welove 2
“In addition to her glorious paintings, Greenville artist Jessica Libor creates these hand-inked and embellished ethereal greeting cards that are almost too pretty to mail off. Find yours at etsy.com/ shop/jessicalibor.” Sheril, Editor
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TWENTY-FOUR SEVEN
Karla Alvarez | Photographer My work: Partner with my brother Tate Schabot in Related Images, Inc.
The world would be a better place, if only: Cheese was calorie free.
I love: My family—husband Dan, daughter Gabrielle, and son Zachary.
When I grow up, I want to be: Younger.
My passion: Photographing pregnant women and new babies. I can’t live without: Cheese. I’ve tried, it never works.
Something most people don’t know about me: I pierced my belly button three times before I accepted that my body just didn’t want it. My blog: relatedimagesphoto.blogspot.com. I’d like to learn to: Ride a motorcycle. My favorite possession: My blackberry. I don’t know how I did anything without it. Photo by Karla Alvarez, Related Images, Inc.
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My best friend says I am: Funny, resourceful, and one of the best cooks she knows. My mother always said: “I hope you get a daughter just like you some day.” And I did. I’m inspired by: Other photographers, especially women. Read more at greenville.skirt.com
browse
This issue of skirt! was put together to the sounds of: Splendor in the Grass Pink Martini Beneath the Country Underdog Kelly Hogan & the Pine Valley Cosmonauts Bible Belt Diane Birch
Strict Joy The Swell Season
Page Turners Natural Fashion: Tribal Decoration from Africa Hans Silvester
I’ve been reading about the Surma and Mursi people of the Omo Valley in East Africa, nomadic tribes that use their bodies as a canvas for creative expression. The results are inspiring and magical as well as often serving the practical purpose of protection from the elements. The photos by Silvester are breathtaking. Nikki Hardin, Publisher
Secret Keepers Mindy Friddle
It’s no secret that southern writer Mindy Friddle can spin a yarn with the best of them.You just might recognize a little of home in this Greenville native’s second novel about 72-year-old Emma Hanley, her decidedly dysfunctional family, and a town full of buried secrets.
Sheril Bennett Turner, Editor
At a Glance Miss Dahl’s Voluptuous Delights: Guilt-free Eating with Abandon Sophie Dahl
Written by a modelturned-cookbook-writer, Voluptuous Delights was a smash hit in Dahl’s native U.K. The book is so sensual and delicious, it will be at home on the coffee table as well as the kitchen table. skirt.com
Novemberw2009greenville
33
planetnikki [ a v isua l journa l ]
I want to go to Paris, but I want to be able to communicate. I love Rosetta Stone, but it makes my brain hurt.
“anything is possible.” What’s around the corner? I always think I know what to expect when I get up in the morning, and yet I hear so many stories of how lives can change utterly and irrevocably without warning. The lottery ticket that pays off, the people who walk away from the totaled car, the high school boyfriend who sweeps you off your feet decades later. I forget that life is still magical no matter how mundane I try to make it. By underestimating it, by taking it for granted, by turning down the volume, by going through the motions, by being too grownup to play with it, by being all New Yorky about it, by not learning how to swim in it, by not answering the phone when it calls. No more screening.
I’m giving myself a Polish paper mobile for Christmas. Thanks, Nikki!
Sara Fanelli’s My Map Book for kids is inspiring me right now. I traced my feet and then made a “map” of the actual and emotional places I’ve been. It’s a journal entry in progress.
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Decemberw2009greenville
skirt.com
Puis-je avoir un verre de vin?
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Don’t buy cheap clothes. Buy good clothes cheap.
Kate Spade Calvin Klein Banana Republic Doncaster DKNY Carlisle Kate Hill BCBG Max Azria Worth Bloomingdales Neiman Marcus Ralph Lauren Sigrid Olsen True Religion Dooney & Bourke Louis Vuitton Tods Ellen Tracy St. John ...and many more!
Greenville’s designer consignment boutique. Located in McDaniel Village with Panera Bread and Coplon’s
1922 Augusta Street 864.631.1919 M-F 10-6, Sat. 10-5 www.labelsonaugusta.com