August SouthPark 2021 by SouthParkMag

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FROM THE EDITOR

CATHY MARTIN EDITOR

editor@southparkmagazine.com

f you’ve lived in Charlotte for a while, you’re probably familiar with the expression “The Great State of Mecklenburg.” For the uninformed, it’s how people living in North Carolina’s other 99 counties sometimes refer to our fine city and the surrounding area. It reflects a perceived superiority complex — that Charlotteans view themselves as high and mighty compared with the rest of the state. Of course we’re proud of our city — there are plenty of great reasons why it seems like everyone is moving here lately. I won’t list them here — if you know, you know. And with the city’s rapid growth in recent years, Charlotte does have a decidedly more metropolitan vibe than, say, High Point or Durham. It’s a distinction I struggle to convey to my colleagues across the state who think I’m slighting their hometowns when I say we’re different. Different doesn’t mean better — it just means different. I grew up in eastern North Carolina, went to college in the Triangle, and worked for the statewide Business North Carolina magazine for seven years before joining SouthPark. Over the years, my love and appreciation for this state — and not just Charlotte — has only grown stronger. Newcomers to the Queen City and North Carolina, on the other hand, might be less familiar with all that our wonderful state has to offer. SouthPark is fortunate to be part of a media group that spans the state, including arts and culture magazines in Raleigh and Greensboro. That alliance also provides opportunities to exchange ideas and, occasionally, share content, such as the essay and two short stories that comprise our summer reading feature in this issue. The summer reading series started in PineStraw magazine, our sister publication in Southern Pines, as a way to highlight some of the many talented authors who call North Carolina home. And what better time than August, when it’s too hot to do much besides laze about and catch up on a little reading. This year’s feature includes a personal essay by Frances Mayes, author of the 1997 memoir Under the Tuscan Sun, and works of fiction by Big Fish author Daniel Wallace and Etaf Rum, whose 2019 debut novel, A Woman Is No Man, became a New York Times bestseller and was among Jenna Bush Hager’s first Book Club picks. We realize it’s a little different from the content you’re used to seeing in SouthPark — but rest assured, the cuisine, design, style, travel and personality profiles you’ve grown accustomed to aren’t going anywhere. As always, we love feedback — about this issue or others. Just drop me a line at editor@ southparkmagazine.com. SP

SP behind the scenes

Whitney Yates, left, takes in the view of Lake Norman from the terrace adjacent to her spectacular new closet (Page 24). Photographer Mira Adwell, right, shoots model Dierra Davis in our August style feature at Bald Head Island (Page 88).

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August BLVD.

24 | style Closet crush: Whitney Yellow Robe Yates

30 | gardening A cozy backyard cottage for reading and relaxing

34 | interiors An urban retreat for a new-to-NoDa homeowner

38 | profile Marcellus “MT” Turner looks to the future at Charlotte Mecklenburg Library.

42 | authors Dean Otto shares his remarkable road to recovery in a new book.

44 | givers

Wheel Serve Tennis creates a statewide network for wheelchair tennis players.

48 | around town Latest openings and events

50 | creators of N.C. Miracles bloom year-round at Chapel Hill’s Blawesome flower farm.

54 | happenings August calendar of events

DEPARTMENTS 59 | simple life Miss Mully’s garden, and unfinished business

61 | bookshelf Notable new releases

112 | swirl Parties, fundraisers and events

120 | gallery A North Carolina creative offers a tongue-in-cheek look at our state and national parks.

ABOUT THE COVER Pattern play: Model Dierra Davis photographed on location at Bald Head Island by Mira Adwell. Styling by Whitley Adkins, with hair and makeup by Janis Lozano with Directions USA.

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88 FALL ARTS PREVIEW 64 | At last by Page Leggett After a too-long hiatus, the arts are back. Here are 21 wonderful reasons to head to a theater, museum or arena this fall.

FEATURES 75 | Brave new world by Frances Mayes, Etaf Rum and Daniel Wallace Post-pandemic, three North Carolina authors share tales that offer glimpses of resilience, hope, fear and transformation.

88 | Shore story photographs by Mira Adwell styling by Whitley Adkins Beach-chic style at Bald Head Island.

96 | Fresh approach by Blake Miller Designer Claudia Ricciardone updates a 20-year-old Ballantyne home with a fresh color palette and fun patterns.

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A TRADITION OF KNOWLEDGE AND TRUST

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Owners Jack Andrews, Frank Daniels Jr., Frank Daniels III, Lee Dirks, David Woronoff Published by Old North State Magazines LLC. ©Copyright 2021. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. Volume 25, Issue 8

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THE HUMBLE HIGHBALL An antidote to the annual August meltdown? A cool sip of practically anything in a tall, slim Collins glass. The shape, designed to help carbonated drinks maintain their fizzy effervescence, is perfect for highballs, an unfussy alternative to the complex libations found on cocktail menus today. There are various stories regarding the history of the highball, defined as “pretty much anything that’s a base spirit and one mixer,” according to barman Gary Crunkleton, typically served over ice. Highballs, which became popular in the U.S. in the 1960s along with the tradition of the cocktail hour, are all about simplicity. With minimal ingredients, they’re quick and easy to make — and easy to drink. This Japanese Highball at The Crunkleton Charlotte blends Suntory Toki whiskey with sparkling water and is garnished with a grapefruit peel for a hint of citrusy flavor.

southparkmagazine.com | 23

blvd. | style

CLOSET CRUSH:

Whitney Yellow Robe Yates by Whitley Adkins • photographs by Amy Kolo

orn in Hawaii, Whitney Yellow Robe Yates and her parents came to Charlotte to be close to family. Her uncle was the chief radiologist at Mercy Hospital (now Atrium Health Mercy). “We followed [his family], and my sister subsequently moved here as well,” says Yates, a former model whose mother is from Kentucky and father is a Lakota Sioux Indian of the Rosebud Reservation in South Dakota. A friend introduced Yates to her husband, Doug, president and CEO of Roush Yates Engines, at the NASCAR All-Star Race in 1998. The couple got married in December 2000 and have four children. “I have a stepson who is 25, a son who is 20 and twin girls who are 14,” Yates says. The Yates family lives on Lake Norman, where Whitney recently built the closet of her dreams, a two-story stunner with an elevator and spiral staircase. Assisting with the project were interior designer Melissa Godwin of Crown Design Group of North Carolina, Erick West from Erick West Construction Management, and Dale Bullock, a custom cabinet-maker from Covenant Building Services Inc. “It was all a vision, and they made it real,” Yates says. Comments have been edited for length and clarity.

THIS IS ALL SO SPECTACULAR. HOW DID THIS CLOSET COME TO BE?

I’ve always wanted a two-story closet. The opportunity arose to purchase some land next to us, which gave us the ability to add on to our house. We opted for a new master suite, office and guest bedroom, as well as a larger bar area downstairs and the patio outside. AND THEN THERE IS THE ELEVATOR.

I use the stairs to go up and down to grab a piece, but if we’re moving seasons from one floor to the next, I’ll use the elevator. The bottom floor is for the current season, and my off-season clothes are upstairs. 24

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Above: Yates is a huge Billy Joel fan and keeps a harmonica that belonged to him in her closet. “His lighting person is a good friend of ours. Our friend told Billy Joel I would love to have something from him, and he said, ‘give her this.’ It is very special.”

blvd. | style Yates wore this Rosie Assoulin dress to a NASCAR awards banquet. “It is so colorful, so abstract. ... This dress has made me come out of my comfort zone.”

Top: A black-and-white-striped dress by Tibi is one of Yates’ personal favorites. “It is very easy to wear. ... You can dress it up, or go relaxed with it.”

southparkmagazine.com | 25

blvd. | style

WHAT ABOUT YOUR SHOES?

The shoes upstairs are mainly for winter, and others I don’t wear as often. The first expensive pair of shoes I bought are upstairs. They are Jimmy Choo — I bought them in London, at Harrod’s I believe. This pair of shoes started it all for me — my love of shoes and bags. HOW DO YOU DESCRIBE YOUR PERSONAL STYLE?

I am all over the board. I started modeling when I was 19, so I was a late bloomer, but it showed me that I could wear anything. I’ll wear whatever I feel good in. I don’t think that you have to wear certain things to certain places. You don’t have to wear jeans and a T-shirt to go to McDonald’s. Just wear what you feel good wearing on that day, and wherever it takes you, it takes you. You might be a little over-the-top, but it’s better than being underdressed.

Yates flew to New York to have Naeem Khan design a custom dress and this beaded jumpsuit, right, for her 20th wedding anniversary. She and her husband, Doug, had planned to renew their vows last December — Covid pushed their plans back by a year. “The jumpsuit is the second piece for after the wedding, with a jacket over top.”

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blvd. | style

THIS OR THAT Clutch or tote? Tote — but it could be both! There’s a purse that I carry every day, then there’s the bag that holds the purse and all the other stuff that you need. Summer or winter wardrobe? I’m a winter girl. Heels or tennis shoes? Tennis shoes, definitely. Dress or skirt? Skirt — because I can put it on with a T-shirt and wear my tennis shoes, and I’m done. I love that look right now. Sweatpants or jeans? Sweatpants. For sure, sweatpants. Favorite everyday clothing designers: Alice + Olivia, Zimmermann, Ulla Johnson and Sundry. Favorite evening wear designer: The look is more important than the designer. Am I feeling sporty? Am I feeling evening? Am I feeling a dress? A little sexy? I pay more attention to that than the designer. Favorite bag designer: Louis Vuitton is my longtime favorite. Running a close race is probably [Alexander] McQueen. You don’t find McQueen bags on everybody’s shoulders. It’s very edgy and it keeps me young. Favorite places to shop: I typically go straight to the designer’s store or website, or I will go meet with the designer in person if I’m seeking a specialty piece. Online, lately I’ve gotten a lot of sundresses from Anthropologie. I’ll hit Zara sometimes, and Revolve.

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YOU HAVE A PRETTY IMPRESSIVE BAG COLLECTION. IS THERE A FIRST BAG?

It was a Louis Vuitton, I can tell you that. Louis Vuitton is probably my staple — I love the work, I love the craftsmanship, I love the look. I usually buy one bag a year — same with luggage. I have a set of Louis Vuitton luggage that I’ve been building for years that I want my children to have. I’ll get one piece for Christmas. THERE ARE SOME PRETTY SPECTACULAR CLUTCHES HERE AS WELL. DO YOU HAVE ANY FAVORITES?

This white cocktail bag is an Alexander McQueen, and it’s one of a kind. It’s never been used. They called me from the store in New York and said “We have this bag, it’s the only one. Would you like to have it?” And I said, “Of course I’d like to have it!” I originally went to the store for another bag — I built such a rapport with [client specialist] Nadine, she would start sending things I might like, and the next thing I know I got the call about this one. SP

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blvd. | gardening

A room of her own SANDY FISHER TURNED A GARDENER’S COTTAGE INTO A COZY NOOK FOR READING AND RELAXING. by Whitley Adkins photographs by Richard Israel

ong before Pinterest, and before “she-sheds” became a thing, Sandy Fisher transformed an unused space in the backyard of her Barclay Downs home into a rustic retreat for herself — along with a few carpenter bees and, occasionally, birds looking for a spot to build a nest. Fisher, who worked for 25 years as manager and buyer for retail operations at The Mint Museum before retiring in 2014, moved into the home in October 1988 with her husband, George. Over the years, the Maryland native has filled the space with gifts from friends and decorative items purchased on trips to England and France. “There have been times I’ve been tempted to purchase more items and/or upgrade it with fancier things, but I like the charm of its rustic look,” Fisher says. Fisher’s comments have been lightly edited. “I know the term ‘she-shed’ is popular right now, but being an Anglophile, I have always preferred to call this my cottage. When we moved into our home 33 years ago, this space had a brown canvas hanging down and nothing inside except a few tools. Any garden tools could easily fit in the storage side of the cottage, and this space just seemed like it was waiting to be reimagined. I pulled down the rotten canvas and found the twig chair and the old school desk.

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blvd. | gardening “Over time, I found and added decorative pieces. The mirrored window was found at a flea market. I bought the little tin at Giverny, Monet’s home, and it holds treats for our dog, Abby. My garden apron came from the beautiful English stately home, Chatsworth, and my garden knee pad was purchased at the Chelsea Flower Show. The daughter of a dear friend gave me St. Francis of Assisi after her mother passed away as an expression of our special friendship and remembrance of her lovely garden. My grandfather turned the wooden candlesticks, and the bench belonged to my mom. I especially like the little chandelier that is a new addition and gives the cottage a special charm at night. “One of my favorite items in the cottage is Little Mr. Mouse, who holds up his umbrella with his tail while he reads, which is what I enjoy doing the most in the cottage. There are many memories to savor in this little corner of our yard. “When not relaxing in the cottage, I’m a FWG — a term I made up — which is the abbreviation for ‘fair weather gardener.’ I love being in the garden in the spring to prune, plant and savor, just watching everything come alive again. But once it gets hot and humid and the bugs come out, I retreat inside.” SP

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blvd. | interiors

Trading spaces DESIGNER WENDY FENNELL CREATES AN URBAN RETREAT FOR A

PHOTOGRAPHS BY LAURA SUMRAK

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hen these Ballantyne homeowners were ready to trade suburban life for a home in the city, they wanted “a modern design that was fun with lots of color, texture, patterns and comfort,” says interior designer Wendy Fennell of Bohemian Bungalow Design. Seeking a diverse neighborhood closer to Charlotte’s center city, the couple settled on a new

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blvd. | interiors construction home in NoDa, the bustling arts district north of uptown, providing a blank slate for the designer. “They chose NoDa for the eclectic vibe it offers and for the close proximity to restaurants and shops,” Fennell says. The couple, who split their time between the Queen City and Lake James, also wanted their new home to have a decidedly urban feel. The eye-catching Sprig & Heron wallpaper by York Wallcoverings became the foundation for the primary bedroom design. The bold botanical print with metallic accents complements the view of the trees outside the large windows, Fennell says. “As I was working on this design and found this paper, I knew it would look fabulous in their bedroom and set the tone and the design direction for the space.” Linen window panels from IKEA were enhanced with a decorative trim that matches the custom pillows — a great cost-saving trick, the designer says. The fluffy bench at the end of the bed adds a whimsical flourish, and the oversized gold lamps by Jonathan Adler pull the look together. SP — Cathy Martin

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Well read MARCELLUS “MT” TURNER, CHARLOTTE MECKLENBURG LIBRARY’S NEW CEO AND CHIEF LIBRARIAN, LOOKS TO REFRAME THE FUTURE OF THE LIBRARY BEYOND WALLS.

ike many librarians, Marcellus “MT” Turner loves a good backstory. Since joining Charlotte Mecklenburg Library in April as chief executive officer and chief librarian, he’s been taking in his new environs with a close study of his surroundings. Sculptor Ray Kaskey’s four statues at Independence Square uptown caught Turner’s attention early on, and he made it his mission to learn the background surrounding one of Charlotte’s most prominent public artworks. “I find them so interesting,” Turner says, referring to the installation at the intersection of Trade and Tryon streets. “I want to discover what they are all about. I ask a lot of questions because I love backstories more than ‘front’ story.” Turner’s explorative nature will serve him well as he takes the reins of the 118-year-old library system. He succeeds Lee Keesler, a Charlotte native who retired after nine years as CEO. Turner oversees 430 staff members serving 20 branches. The system saw 2.5 million visitors during the fiscal year ending in June 2020. In that time, more than 5.6 million items were borrowed, and more than 400,000 people participated in the library’s 22,000 programs. Turner has more than 30 years of library experience, most recently as the executive director and chief librarian at The Seattle Public Library. The Mississippi native is an internationally rec 38

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ognized speaker with a master’s degree in library science from the University of Tennessee and a bachelor’s from Mississippi University for Women. He’s poised to take on several important initiatives, including activating the Blueprint 2025 Vision Plan, a 10-year project launched in 2015; advancing the library’s commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion; and supporting the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library Foundation’s fundraising efforts while working with county leaders, architects and builders to complete a new $100 million, 115,000-square-foot Main Library. In addition, the library last month launched a fine-free initiative, eliminating late and overdue fines and removing all outstanding account balances for late materials. The move restores access to library resources for more than 150,000 county residents SouthPark met with Turner to discuss the future of libraries, social consciousness and connecting with the community. Responses have been edited for length and clarity. What attracted you to the opportunity in Charlotte? One thing I heard [in the interview process] was this desire to resume Charlotte’s presence as a national leader in libraries. That’s not to say that we weren’t [a leader] — just as libraries changed and

COURTESY CHARLOTTE MECKLENBURG LIBRARY

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blvd. | profile morphed, and as times changed and morphed, libraries chose different directions and different areas of focus. One of the things that I’m interested in is the future of libraries. I led [work in this area] in Seattle. The future of libraries is big in my heart, and Charlotte is a good place for that. How does Charlotte benefit from our library system being a national leader? One area is in building stronger collections. This community is becoming more diverse, and we need to represent those interests. We have a very educated population, as evidenced by the universities and colleges here. And that ups our game a little bit in the arena. We have a strong North Carolina research collection, and I would love to see that go even further. Historical collections oftentimes represent the printed word, and we’re moving into digital space. I would hate for us to lose those opportunities to connect with our community. Another area [where we can lead] is building a workforce that supports

our needs. We don’t need just librarians working for us. We need reporters. There are kids who walk into a library every day and say, “I want to write on [a specific topic].” What happens if we have a reporter on staff that can write a two pager on this topic, so that we just have it in our collection? As librarians, our job is to help you find information, but we don’t create information. And we know people who can help us create the information so that we can answer the public when they come in. What impact will the new Main Library have on the rest of the system, and how will community members who rarely visit uptown benefit? We want people to know that a branch library that serves their neighborhood can be equally strong as the new uptown library, but they are always welcome to visit Main. It’s easy to get caught up in your routine and your neighborhood, but we want them to say, “I don’t have to go

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there to use it, but I have friends in town, and I want them to see this new library.” That’s what happened in Seattle when it became one of the top 25 libraries in the world to visit. Talk about programming and how you see the future of libraries. The resilience about programming during the pandemic was amazing because [the model had been] libraries waited on people to come to us. Now, libraries are having to take programs out the door. We need to think of how much more we can do when we’re not limited by the walls. We struggle with some of the same things that libraries everywhere struggle with, which is we staff the building and not the program. There are times when people say, “I can’t make it to that program because I’ve got to work the desk.” Should a desk mandate that? Another challenge is making our libraries familiar after the pandemic. People want us to return to normal. My goal is that any kid has an opportunity to come to story time, and it may look different or feel different, but they know what it’s like to be sitting in a circle and be read to. The future of the library is [looking at how] disruptors are going to impact our work. What is AI (artificial intelligence) going to do that makes us have to work differently? My job is to ensure that libraries are in the future. I have one job: To ensure that the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library plays a difference in the lives of our users. It can be finding a job, accessing a computer or getting a book for a child. We have people with varied interests. We shouldn’t be able to offend any sensibility because a person has a curiosity. What are you currently reading? I’m reading Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens, and Mama’s Boy, a memoir by Dustin Lance Black. It’s interesting, because [Black’s] mother was a paraplegic, and he was a gay kid growing up in the South and ponders “How does this happen?” More backstory! SP

Eat. Drink. Lounge.

800o Woodfired Kitchen

Bar One Lounge

800degreesphillipsplace.com // BarOneLounge.com

6815 Phillips Pl Ct. Charlotte, NC 28210

blvd. | authors

Road to recovery FIVE YEARS AFTER HIS REMARKABLE COMEBACK FOLLOWING A CYCLING ACCIDENT, DEAN OTTO SHARES HIS EXPERIENCE IN A NEW BOOK. by Michelle Boudin

ean Otto was lying on the operating table about to be put under when Dr. Matt McGirt, a Charlotte spine surgeon, told the father of two there was just a 2% chance he’d ever walk again. Otto had been out for a bike ride on a Saturday morning in 2016 when he was hit by a truck and knocked unconscious into the middle of Providence Road, the remnants of his bike wrapped around him. He’d shattered two vertebrae and had a broken pelvis, tailbone and leg, and a few broken ribs. Incredibly, Otto defied the odds, and after three months at Carolinas Rehabilitation, he began to walk again. Perhaps what was even more incredible, he not only forgave but befriended the man who hit him, Will Huffman. The two men, along with the surgeon who saved Otto, ran a half marathon on the anniversary of the accident, making national news. For years, people have encouraged Otto to write a book about the experience, but he says he never wanted to profit from it. “It was a struggle,” Otto says. “I waited a long time, and I wasn’t going to do it, but more and more people said, ‘your story will inspire and help people in recovery.’” Otto’s new book, 2% Chance: A Journey in Resilience, Recovery and Rebirth, is told from four different perspectives — the three men, and Otto’s wife, Beth. “The real crux of the story is that this horrible thing happened — a guy runs this guy over — and how that event changed all of our lives, and how all of us have become better men for having gone through that together and the bond we’ve built. Matt’s a better surgeon, I’m a better dad, husband and worker — all because we went through this.” Otto, 56, says he felt it was also important to talk about the part of his past he believes saved him. “The table was set for my 42

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recovery because of my alcohol addiction and the coping skill sets that I needed to learn to be able to get through this ordeal.” The Foxcroft resident attributes his 12 years in the 12-step program with saving his life, back when he started in 2009 and again in the year following his injury. “It allowed me to accept life on life’s terms that this happened to me and it was way bigger than I could handle. I had to give it to a higher power to help manage it. That’s when I was [lying] in the middle of the street and said a prayer, and that’s when I forgave Will. I wouldn’t have known how to do that had I not gotten sober. I can’t have resentments — they could lead to a drink, and I have to rid myself of them. I learned in the program about gratitude and helping people. There’s no way I would have gotten through this. I probably would have carried a resentment for the rest of my life.” Instead Otto, who works in software sales, has poured his energy into helping others with spinal-cord injuries. He raises money for Carolinas Rehab and the Adaptive Sports and Adventures Program (ASAP), which offers activities from curling and snowboarding to kayaking and swimming for people with disabilities. “I was sitting outside on my patio and looking around at my life and realizing this is all great, but it doesn’t really matter. The thing that matters is my family and my friends, and that I’ve got an opportunity to do something really meaningful in my life. And if sharing this story and writing this book can help a lot of people, then I’ve got to do it.” SP 2% Chance: A Journey in Resilience, Recovery and Rebirth is available on Amazon and at rdeanotto.com and twopercentchance.com. Otto plans to donate a portion of proceeds to ASAP for people with disabilities.

6913 Shinnecock Hill Lane

Charlotte, NC 28207

Charlotte, NC 28277

R NT

D UN

Offered at $1,695,000

Offered at $1,300,000

Myers Park Kemp Dunaway Jr. 704-458-6997

Piper Glen Jean Benham 704-363-2938

1815 Belvedere Avenue

2306 Charlotte Drive

Charlotte, NC 28205

Charlotte, NC 28203

Offered at $765,000 Sold for $785,000

Offered at $735,000 Dilworth

Plaza Midwood Tony Nicastro 704-615-5553

Amy Peterson 704 533-2090

401 Canyon Trail

918 Cherokee Road

Charlotte, NC 28270

Charlotte NC 28207

R NT

E ND

Offered at $725,000

Offered at $570,000

Robinson Woods Lauren Campbell 704-579-8333

800 Cherokee Gay Dillashaw 704-564-9393

ALLEN TATE SOUTHPARK

1719 Queens Road West

blvd. | givers

Tennis, everyone A NEW CHARLOTTE NONPROFIT CREATES A STATEWIDE NETWORK FOR WHEELCHAIR TENNIS PLAYERS. by Michelle Boudin • photographs by Kelsie Elizabeth Photography

ennis has always been the go-to sport for the Leonard family. Helen Leonard grew up playing on a backyard court her dad built. Her husband plays, and both of their daughters were on the team at Charlotte Catholic High School. The sport is so much a part of their family experience that when they moved to Charlotte in 2010 after her husband, Bill, took a job at Atrium Health, the couple immediately knew they wanted to get involved in the local tennis community. “Tennis has always been one of the things in a new community that’s opened doors for us and helped us form new relationships,” says Leonard, who lived in Wilmington, Pinehurst, Concord and upstate South Carolina before landing in the Queen City. It’s also been a way for the couple to give back. “When we moved to Charlotte, we volunteered with an adaptive sports program for tennis players. We had a small group of players, and we started playing weekly with them. Over several years, we realized there were limited opportunities for wheelchair tennis in Charlotte and in North Carolina.” It was through the Adaptive Sports and Adventures Program’s wheelchair tennis group that Leonard met Charlotte native Kelly Flohouse. The Piper Glen resident has been in a wheelchair since she broke her neck in a diving accident in 2015. “After recovery and rehab, I was living at home and isolated, and I was looking to get back into the community,” Flohouse says. “I realized this was a path for me. It empowered me — it showed me my capabilities, not my disability.” Last summer, Leonard and Flohouse began talking with USTA North Carolina about developing a statewide wheelchair tennis organization. They established Wheel Serve NC as a nonprofit in late 2020. The volunteer-run tennis association — Leonard and Flohouse are co-executive directors — offers a chance for people in wheelchairs to Helen Leonard, left, and Kelly Flohouse started Wheel Serve NC in late 2020. The Charlotte chapter of the wheelchair tennis organization plays weekly at Queens University’s tennis center.

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blvd. | givers

play recreationally and competitively across the state, with chapters in Charlotte, Asheville, Cary, Greensboro and Wilmington. Additional sites are in the works. “Players wanted more opportunities,” explains Leonard, who in February 2019 was awarded the USTA NC Adaptive Tennis Award for her commitment and dedication to the sport. “Typically, what you see nationally is pictures of elite wheelchair athletes who have made it to the Paralympics, but what we recognized was missing was the recreational opportunities for others,” Leonard says.

The only difference between wheelchair tennis and able-bodied tennis is that the wheelchair players get two bounces. The Wheel Serve Charlotte group plays Wednesdays at Queens University’s Howard Levine Tennis Center on Tyvola Road. Eric Pierce, 62, has used a wheelchair since 1997 when his multiple sclerosis prevented him from getting around without a walker. He plays once a week with the group. “This has been a breath of fresh air to have an organized program — and on a regular basis year-round,” Pierce says. “On the court, we’re just people out there having fun. We’re with friends, and we become family. Being with people like us — we don’t see each other’s wheelchairs, we see each other, and in the process, there is camaraderie and friendship and exercise and sunshine — it spirals into the rest of our lives, having the ability to be a part of a program like this.” As a player, Flohouse’s experience has been similar. “Tennis has been the conduit for me,” Flohouse says. “I arrived on the court isolated in every way, and I left there connected — physically, mentally and socially.” Leonard says she’s the one who’s grateful. “When I first started playing, it was a way for me to give back,” Leonard says. “In reality, when I look back, wheelchair tennis has given so much more to me. It’s given me a great perspective. These athletes I play with are some of the most positive people I’ve ever met, and they’ve taught me many lessons. They’re a wonderful group of people, and they deserve access to tennis.” SP

SUMMERTIME On View Through August 28 Featuring Works By Romare Bearden Katherine Boxall Christopher Clamp Raul Diaz Lee Hall Wolf Kahn Ida Kohlmeyer Robert Motherwell

Ida Kohlmeyer (1912-1997), CIRCUS SERIES 3D #1 1989 Mixed Media on Wood, 18 1/2 x 22 1/2 x 5 inches

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625 South Sharon Amity Road Charlotte, NC 28211 704-365-3000 gallery@jeraldmelberg.com www.jeraldmelberg.com M-F 10-6 Sat 10-4

CHRIS BLACK

LUCY BUTLER

BUSTER COX

CAY CRAIG

LINDA HENLEY

CHIP JETTON

BECKY MCGRATH TEAM

HEATHER MONTGOMERY

JOHN OGBURN

SARA ROCHE

LISA RUPP

HEATHER WOLKING

Built on a foundation of integrity and trust, Cottingham Chalk has a long history of serving the Charlotte community. From the beginning, our focus has been on the people. Now, in our second generation of leadership, we are a family business more than ever. And when you hire a Cottingham Chalk broker, you can rest assured that you have the entire company in your corner.

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blvd. | around town

Eat + drink

Meanwhile two of Charlotte’s long-running restaurant groups are pushing ahead with expansions. Calle Sol Latin Café opened in Plaza Midwood in the iconic Penguin Drive-In location. It’s the newest concept from Frank Scibelli’s FS Food Group, the team behind Mama Ricotta’s, Little Mama’s, Midwood Smokehouse and Paco’s Tacos & Tequila. Expect traditional Latin comfort-food fare inspired by Cuban and Peruvian neighborhoods in Miami and Tampa, Fla., with rum-centric cocktails. Led by 10year FS veteran Chef Paul Cruz, menu highlights include ceviches, vaca frita (braised shredded beef with garlic, onions and lime), and Chino-Latino dishes such as chaufa — stir-fried rice with vegetables, ginger, garlic, soy and your choice of protein. Choose from two versions of the Cubano sandwich — the Miami (ham, roasted pork, and Swiss cheese with mustard and pickles) or the Tampa (all of the above, plus Genoa salami and mayo). 1205 Thomas Ave., callesolcafe.com The Jimmy is the new Myers Park neighborhood hangout from Noble Food & Pursuits, the restaurant group that owns Rooster’s, Noble Smoke, Bossy Beulah’s and Copain Gatherings. The pastaria and pizzeria located in the former Nolen Kitchen spot is led by executive chef Jason Neve and chef de cuisine Vince Giancarlo, previously of Zeppelin. Expect small plates, pastas, pizzas and grilled entrees such as a whole fish with lemon and herbs and a Joyce Farms sirloin for two. 2839 Selwyn Ave., thejimmyclt. com

IRO, the second-floor lobby bar at the new Hyatt Centric Hotel, is open at Apex Charlotte in SouthPark, serving craft cocktails and Asian-inspired fare. 3100 Apex Dr. u Vaulted Oak Brewing opened in a former bank branch in Oakhurst. 3726 Monroe Rd., vaultedoakbrewing.com u Atlanta’s Bocado Bar + Diner, known for its burgers, opened at Atherton Mill in South End in the spot previously occupied by Big Ben Pub. 2000 South Blvd., Suite 530, thebocado.com u Big Ben reopened in the former Carpe Diem spot in Elizabeth. 1535 Elizabeth Ave., bigbenpub.com u The owners of Goodyear House in NoDa opened Old Town Kitchen & Cocktails in downtown Rock Hill, S.C. 300 Technology Center Way, Ste. 203, Rock Hill, S.C., oldtownrockhill.com u Unknown Brewing Co. will stop making beer later this summer and will focus exclusively on its craft ginger ale production.

SOUTHPARK

Shop

Arhaus moved to a new 10,135-square-foot store at SouthPark Mall. The upscale home-furnishings retailer opened in 2018. arhaus.com u Ruxton Mercantile, a “modern general store” selling home goods, selfcare products, clothing and accessories opened in Myers Park/Eastover. 102B Middleton Dr., ruxtonmercantile.com

PHOTOGRAPHS: CALLE SOL BY REMY THURSTON, THE JIMMY COURTESY OF THE PLAID PENGUIN

Charlotte said goodbye to a number of favorite haunts this year: Picnics, potlucks and office lunches won’t be the same without Price’s Chicken Coop, which closed in June after 59 years. Zack’s Hamburgers on South Boulevard also shuttered in June after 46 years in business. Earl’s Grocery in Elizabeth planned to end its seven-year run in July, a year after owners Bonnie Warford and Tricia Maddrey closed its sister restaurant Carpe Diem, a mainstay on Elizabeth Avenue since opening in 1989.

WE OFFER MORE THAN OTHER SENIOR LIVING COMMUNITIES. MORE FOR YOUR MONEY • MORE PEACE OF MIND MORE AMENITIES AND SERVICES Learn MORE reasons to choose retirement living at Windsor Run. Call 1-866-462-6351 or visit WindsorRunCommunity.com for your FREE brochure.

38749

Matthews WindsorRunCommunity.com

SOUTHPARK

blvd. | creators of n.c.

Totally Blawesome A FLOWER FARM WHERE MIRACLES BLOOM YEAR-ROUND

by Wiley Cash • photographs by Mallory Cash

n a lush 4 acres of land nestled between Chapel Hill and the Haw River, 24-year-old Raimee Sorensen spends his days growing, harvesting, assembling and delivering stunning bouquets and custom flower arrangements. According to his mother, Rebecca, “He emanates joy.” The oldest of three siblings, Raimee works alongside Rebecca and a small, devoted team of farmers. It’s clear that everyone at Blawesome flower farm is dedicated to two things: delivering high-quality, organically grown flowers to the waiting hands of their customers and ensuring that everyone on the farm has the opportunity to live and work to their full potential, including Raimee, who has a diagnosis of autism and epilepsy. “When given the opportunity to be amazing and successful,” Rebecca says, “folks with disabilities will rise to meet that challenge. If we are able to provide more opportunities for folks with disabilities to be successful, then I think we would see a moral shift in our communities.” And farming is certainly challenging. “There are always opportunities to problem solve,” Rebecca says. “It’s very cerebral work.” In the morning, Raimee looks at his checklist and gets to work,

deciding how much preservative solution to add to which type of flower and what kind of tool is necessary to harvest each variety. “And when he takes his bouquets out into the world, he gets the confirmation of ‘You’re a wonderful farmer, and you grow amazing things,’” Rebecca adds. From season to season, Raimee’s knowledge and confidence have grown, and Rebecca has seen the skills he’s learned on the farm transfer to other areas of his life. For example, when they host tours and workshops on the farm, Raimee is able to share his knowledge about what’s going on in each production zone, and if someone asks a question, it’s Raimee, who has challenges with expressive and receptive language, who often chooses to answer it. Before starting the farm, the Sorensens homeschooled Raimee for eight years, and during that time, they set up community internships where he could explore a number of opportunities while building varying sets of skills. He particularly excelled at a community farm where he volunteered for four years. He enjoyed being outdoors and working alongside others. Eventually, the Sorensens enrolled Raimee in a charter school specifically geared toward students with southparkmagazine.com | 51

blvd. | creators of n.c.

disabilities, but when the school abruptly shut down, they realized they needed to find an opportunity for him to achieve his greatest sense of independence. Better yet, they would create one. Initially, the Sorensens’ decisions were practical. They had a 1/4-acre strip of land alongside their driveway, and based on how Raimee performed in his work at the community farm, they decided to cultivate the small area into a flower garden. After all, he was good at growing things, and he enjoyed connecting with the community. What better way to connect with others than by putting fresh flowers in their hands? Raimee was not the only Sorensen with a background in farming and a love for flowers. Rebecca grew up in rural northeastern Pennsylvania with a father who was an avid gardener. In high school, she worked at and eventually managed a greenhouse, and later, on the other side of the country, she worked at an organic farm, growing peppers and houseplants in greenhouses in Oregon. She felt confident that she and Raimee could turn this small plot of land beside their house into a successful venture that would allow them to explore their interests and talents. And then the lot next door went up for sale. Rebecca and Raimee’s vision for what they could do grew, and the family shifted again. After purchasing the land, Rebecca applied for a micro-enterprise grant. The initial grant was for $5,000 but after completing the application, she learned that more money was available. She went back to the drawing board and wrote a proposal that eventually won a $50,000 state grant from the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation. The shift had happened. The Sorensens were now owners of land that would become a flower farm, and all they had to do was build it. Working with a team of land specialists and local farmers, the Sorensens grew intimately familiar with their new land, working to create a plan that was realistic in terms of what they could grow and harvest with their small crew. At the same time, Rebecca, whose background is in social work, was traveling the state, leading workshops on affordable housing for adults with mental illnesses. She met an architect from Elon University, and he suggested that 52

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they work on a project together. He went on to design the barn on the Sorensens’ new property, and he brought out teams of university students to help construct it. He would later design the home where Raimee and a supported-living provider live. Blawesome was born, and the flower farm that began on a small strip of land beside the family’s driveway grew into a working farm that provides fresh flowers for everything from weddings to businesses, plus events at UNC Chapel Hill. But no matter how much the Sorensens had been willing and able to shift over the years, Covid presented an incredible challenge. They lost national contracts with huge corporations. Weddings were canceled, and the university moved nearly all of its business online. But people still wanted flowers, and Blawesome met that need. Individual orders soared, as did memberships in their CSA, which provides seasonal flowers year-round to subscribers. “The community just came out and lifted us up in a way we could’ve never anticipated,” Rebecca says. “It was extraordinary.” That says a lot coming from someone who has seen extraordinary things happen, both in her family and in her community. Raimee took medication for obsessive compulsive disorder for eight years, then he was able to stop taking it one year after starting the farm. According to Rebecca, he’s had only one seizure in the same time span. “You can pull Raimee’s Medicaid file for the past four years and see that he has not accessed any of the services he used to access since we started the farm, because he’s happier and healthier than he’s ever been,” she says. Both Raimee and the farm are thriving. “A lot of people in his situation don’t get told how special they are,” she adds. But it is hard work, and the work never stops. “I don’t know if people understand how completely consuming farming is. It’s a lifestyle,” Rebecca says. “I like that for Raimee because it’s every part of his day. There’s not any time when he’s not thinking about it or planning for it or anticipating something, but it’s pretty miraculous to be part of something that is a living, breathing organism. I feel like I’m surrounded by miracles all the time.” SP Wiley Cash is the writer-in-residence at UNC Asheville. His new novel, When Ghosts Come Home, will be released this year.

Three Leaf is now open in SouthPark! Our practice is built around caring for friends like you. Our patients notice the Three Leaf difference the moment they walk in the door! As a specialist in orthodontics, Dr. Markey expertly treats an array of oral health issues related to teeth and jaw alignment. Our combination of cutting-edge technology, quality care, and an experienced team creates a fun journey toward amazing results with braces or Invisalign. Give us a call to schedule a complimentary consultation at our new facility at Apex-SouthPark. We give patients something extra to smile about with convenient hours and flexible payment options, too!

SOUTHPARK 3151 Apex Drive, Suite 102E, Charlotte, NC 28211

WAXHAW 8412 New Town Road, Suite A, Waxhaw, NC 28173

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blvd. | calendar

August

HAPPENINGS

Events + activities Jazz at the Garden at Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden August’s show will feature trumpeter and flugelhornist Rob Zinn. Bring chairs and a picnic, or order dinner when you reserve tickets online and it will be ready when you arrive. Aug. 5, 6-8 p.m.; tickets are $35 (does not include dinner), and members can purchase up to four guest tickets at 30% off. dsbg.org

Carolina Panthers Fan Fest presented by Daimler, Bank of America Stadium The annual preseason event returns — see the team practice on the field and enjoy performances by Sir Purr, the Black & Blue Crew and others. The evening concludes with fireworks and a laser show. Aug. 6.; gates open at 5:30 p.m.; tickets are $5, with proceeds benefiting Carolina Panthers Charities. panthers.com Amphibious Duathlon at U.S. National Whitewater Center Run, paddle, run. Sounds easy, right? Take on two 5K trail runs broken up by a 2K flatwater paddle around Sadler Island. Aug. 7; cost varies by signup option, $6 parking per car. usnwc.org Charlotte Pride Weekend of Service Charlotte Pride invites the community to a citywide weekend of service and solidarity. The event is intended to highlight the community’s passion for giving back and supporting neighbors. Aug. 21-22. charlottepride.org

Museums + galleries (G)LI(T)CHEN at Central Piedmont Ross Art Gallery Lichen — rootless plants that grow on rocks, walls and trees — and their ability to thrive in less-than-optimal environments serve as a starting point for CPCC art instructor Paul Farmer’s narrative in this exhibition. Aug. 16-Oct. 7, Monday-Thursday 10 a.m.-2 p.m. or by appointment. blogs.cpcc.edu/cpccartgalleries Levity at SOZO Gallery As we emerge from a period filled with immeasurable challenges, Levity celebrates lightness and positivity with works by artists Alicia Armstrong, Spencer Herr, Garcia de Marina, Kevin Palme and Beverly Smith. Through Aug. 9. sozogallery.net

— compiled by Amanda Lea

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The Voyage of Life: Art, Allegory, and Community Response at Reynolda House Museum of American Art in Winston-Salem This exhibition curated by Reynolda and Wake Forest University features works that illuminate the chapters of life. Works by artists Alice Neel, Andy Warhol, Lee Krasner, Robert Colescott, Keith Haring, Romare Bearden, Grant Wood and others will be featured. Through Dec. 12. reynoldahouse.org

ANDY WARHOL, ERIC EMERSON, CHELSEA GIRLS, (1982), FOUNDATION FOR THE VISUAL ARTS, INC. / LICENSED BY ARTISTS RIGHTS SOCIETY (ARS), NEW YORK

Joedance Film Festival The annual festival returns in a virtual format, showcasing both short and feature-length films. Joedance raises funds for pediatric cancer awareness. The opening event on Thursday features SNL’s Lauren Holt and filmmakers David Aguilar and Jamie Holt. Aug. 5-7; tickets start at $30 for a single day pass. joedance.org

Fall Preview

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southparkmagazine.com | 55

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2125 Southend Drive, #408

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MYERS PARK

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SOUTHPARK

6408 Seton House Lane

4620 Piedmont Row, #512

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2001 Queens Road East

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2104 Park Road

$1,799,500 - Circa 1927. Beautifully updated $1,295,000 - High income producing & renovated home on private lot. 4BR/4.1BA quadplex. 2BR/1BA per unit. Many updates.

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$500,000 - Beautiful 2BR/2.1BA townhome in SouthPark. Open plan & screened porch.

$175,000 - Adorable ranch on cul-de-sac street w/bright & cheerful interior. Nice lot.

$1,499,500 - Brick ranch on desirable 0.68 acre. 4BR/2.1BA, large Family Rm, sunroom.

$849,000 - Stately home circa 1939 on 0.96 acre. High ceilings, sunroom, serene bkyd.

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6507 Burning Bush Cour t

3734 Columbine Circle

1601 S Wendover Road

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SO UTHPARK | WAVE RLY | L A KE N OR MA N | 7 0 4 . 5 5 2 . 9 2 9 2 | H MP R OP E RT I ES . C OM ©2021 Corcoran Group LLC. All rights reserved. Corcoran® and the Corcoran Logo are registered service marks owned by Corcoran Group LLC. Corcoran Group LLC fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act. Each franchise is independently owned and operated.

|simple life

Miss Mully's garden IT MAY BE UNFINISHED, BUT WHAT IN LIFE IS NOT? by Jim Dodson

hen Covid-19 shut down the world as we knew it last year, I decided this was a sign from on high to finish building my backyard shade garden. The cosmic joke, as any gardener worth his composted cow poop knows, is that, while no garden is ever really finished, it may well finish (off) the gardener. That said, I set myself a goal to have the garden fully laid out and growing by the time the dog days of August rolled around. Beneath ancient white oaks, I began to see elegant stone pathways winding through beds of cool ferns, colorful hostas and other shade-loving trees and plants — the ideal place to sit and read a book when the oppressive heat of late summer lays upon us. You might say I worked like a dog — and with a dog — from February to July, hoping to get the job done. After clearing out the last of the weeds and some forlorn, overgrown shrubs of the property’s former owner, I drew up plans and constantly revised them, laying out pathways and building beds for young plants. Alas, August is here, and while I toiled and toiled away, my ambitious shade garden is yet unfinished. Still, my old dog, Mulligan, never missed a day of work. She’s 16, and either deaf or simply uninterested in whatever her owner has to say. We’ve been together since I found her running wild and free in a park where I’d just given a talk at a festival, a joyous black pup with the happiest eyes I’d ever seen. Workers in the park told me she was a stray that nobody could catch, had been around for weeks, either a runaway or a pup someone simply dumped. She was living off garbage and small critters she chased down in the woods. The girl was a hunter. To this day, I’m not sure whether I found her or she found me. She raced past me as I was preparing to leave, heading back for the woods across a busy highway where I’d seen her cross into the park an hour before, somehow just missing the wheels of a truck. I simply called out, “Hey, you! Black streak! Come here.” Something remarkable happened. The pup stopped, looked back, then ran straight into my arms. I named her Mulligan, a second-chance dog. Mully, for short. We’ve been together ever since. Any time I’m working in the garden, she’s there. Every trip to the plant nursery, the grocery store or any errand around town, she’s along for the ride. It’s been like this for a decade and a half. She’s my constant travel pal — my best friend and the best dog ever — always

ready to hit the road. Four years ago, Miss Mully was along for the ride when I started down the Great Wagon Road for a book about the Colonial Era “highway” that a couple hundred thousand Scots-Irish, English and German immigrants, including all three wings of my family, took to this part of the world during the 18th Century. As I laid out this long-planned journey in my mind, Mully and I would simply breeze down the mythic road together from Philadelphia to Georgia over the span of three or four weeks, meeting colorful characters, diving into frontier history and gathering untold tales from America’s original immigrant highway. The book would almost write itself. I’d finish it in no time flat. Evidently, God and wives both laugh when foolish men make plans, to paraphrase an old Yiddish proverb. From the beginning, my wife, Wendy, thought it would take me five years to complete my mighty road book. She was right. Ditto God. Like my backyard shade garden, my mighty road tale is not yet finished. The sweeping scope of its history and people, not to mention the mother lode of remarkable folks Miss Mully and I encountered along the road, argued for a much deeper dive and more thorough approach to my subject. An unplanned surgery and a worldwide pandemic that shut down the globe for more than a year hardly helped shrink the time horizon. But that’s life. We all have unfinished business. We are all works in progress. With a little luck and continued work, I hope to complete both my book and my backyard garden around the same time, maybe by Thanksgiving. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I understand that the day is growing late for my old dog and her master. She still walks a mile with us every morning, and her dark eyes still shine with the happiest light. Every afternoon, she takes a slow walk around the garden as if inspecting my work or memorizing the plants. I often catch her just sitting alone in the middle of the garden, thinking God knows what. For the moment, our journey together is unfinished. But someday, I hope to sit in the middle of Miss Mully’s garden, reading a book and thinking God knows what, too. Something tells me that won’t be the end of the journey. Maybe, just the beginning. SP southparkmagazine.com | 59

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August books

|bookshelf

NOTABLE NEW RELEASES compiled by Sally Brewster

In the Weeds: Around the World and Behind the Scenes with Anthony Bourdain, by Tom Vitale In the nearly two years since Anthony Bourdain’s death, no one else has come close to filling the void he left. His passion for and genuine curiosity about the people and cultures he visited made the world feel smaller and more connected. Despite his affable, confident and trademark snarky TV persona, the real Tony was intensely private, deeply conflicted about his fame, and an enigma even to those close to him. Tony’s devoted crew knew him best, and no one else had a front-row seat for as long as his director and producer, Tom Vitale. In the Weeds takes readers behind the scenes to reveal not just the insanity that went into filming in some of the most far-flung and volatile parts of the world, but what Tony was like unedited and off-camera. From the outside, the job looked like an all-expenses-paid adventure to places like Borneo, Vietnam, Iran, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Libya. What happened off-camera was far more interesting than what made it to air. The more things went wrong, the better it was for the show. Fortunately, everything fell apart constantly. Alpha: Eddie Gallagher and the War for the Soul of the Navy SEALS, by David Philipps By official accounts, the Navy SEALs of Alpha platoon returned as heroes after their 2017 deployment to Mosul, following a vicious, bloody and successful campaign to drive ISIS from the city. But within the platoon, a different war raged. Even as Alpha’s chief, Eddie Gallagher, was being honored for his leadership, several of his men were preparing to report him for war crimes, alleging that he’d stabbed a prisoner in cold blood and taken lethal sniper shots at unarmed civilians. Many young SEALs regarded Gallagher as the ideal special operations commando. Trained as a sniper, a medic and an explosives expert, he was considered a battle-tested leader. But in the heat of combat, some in his platoon saw a darker figure — a man who appeared to be coming unhinged after multiple deployments in America’s forever wars. In riveting detail, Pulitzer Prize-winning New York Times correspondent David Philipps reveals the story of a group of special operators caught in a moral

crucible — should they uphold their oath and turn in their chief, or honor the SEALs’ unwritten code of silence? The Women of Troy, by Pat Barker Troy has fallen and the victorious Greeks are eager to return home with the spoils of an endless war — including the women of Troy themselves. They await a fair wind for the Aegean. It does not come, because the gods are offended. The body of King Priam lies unburied and desecrated, so the victors remain in suspension, camped in the shadows of the city they destroyed as the coalition that held them together begins to unravel. Old feuds resurface, and new suspicions and rivalries begin to fester. Largely unnoticed by her captors, the onetime Trojan queen Briseis, formerly Achilles’ slave, quietly takes in these developments. She forges alliances when she can, all while shrewdly seeking her path to revenge. A daring and timely feminist retelling of The Iliad from the perspective of the women of Troy who endured it. Her Heart for a Compass, by Sarah Ferguson From one of the most famous former members of the British royal family, Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, comes a mesmerizing novel of a young noblewoman’s coming-of-age that richly details both high and low society in Victorian England. Lady Margaret Montagu Scott is expected to make an advantageous marriage, but she is an impulsive and outspoken girl in a repressive society. Her parents arrange a society marriage, but shortly before her betrothal is announced, Margaret flees, leaving her parents to explain her sudden absence to an opulent ballroom stuffed with 200 distinguished guests. Banished from “polite society,” Margaret throws herself into charitable work and finds strength in a circle of female friends like herself — women intent on breaking the mold, including Queen Victoria’s daughter, Princess Louise. Margaret resolves to follow her heart, a journey of self-discovery that will take her to Ireland, America and back to Britain, where she finds the life she was always meant to lead. SP Sally Brewster is the proprietor of Park Road Books at 4139 Park Road. parkroadbooks.com southparkmagazine.com | 61

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FALL ARTS PREVIEW

At last After a too-long hiatus, the arts are back. Here are 21 wonderful reasons to head to a theater, museum or arena this fall. by Page Leggett

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PHOTOGRAPH ABOVE: COURTESY OF BECHTLER MUSEUM OF MODERN ART

Isaac Julien, What is a Museum? (Lina Bo Bardi –A Marvellous Entanglement), 2019. Courtesy the artist and Jessica Silverman Gallery

t this point, your 8-year-old neighbor’s kazoo recital might qualify as an artistic “best bet.” We’ve been through a long cultural dry spell. Fortunately, the arts are back. You’ve no doubt experienced Immersive van Gogh at Camp North End (you have, haven’t you?) You may have tickets to Garth Brooks’ sold-out show at Bank of America Stadium in September, or Sir Elton’s concert in 2022. But your plans don’t have to be that grand. Sitting in a darkened theater, surrounded by other humans, and witnessing a concert, play or any performance may be a cure for the post-pandemic blues.

August

Charlotte Squawks 16: Going Viral!, Aug. 19 - Sept. 12 The creators describe it as “Saturday Night Live meets Broadway meets our beloved Queen City.” The creative team of Mike Collins and Brian Kahn — a lawyer who can always fall back on comedy writing — collaborate with local singers and actors to make fun of pop culture, politics and Charlotte’s tendency to take itself a mite too seriously. They had to skip the 2020 show, so there’s two years’ worth of material to cover. Booth Playhouse at Blumenthal Performing Arts Center, 130 N. Tryon St. Tickets from $24.50-$59.50 for VIP seats. carolinatix.org Colin Hay, Aug. 19 The former Men at Work frontman’s latest solo tour is sure to contain songs from his new covers album, I Just Don’t Know What To Do With Myself. He’s virtually guaranteed to sing the crowd-pleasing “Land Down Under,” but diehard fans are there for the soulful introspection of his ballads — to love, to his late father, to the joys of sobriety. His between-song banter is often hilarious and endearing. McGlohon Theater at Spirit Square, 345 N. College St. Tickets are $49.50-$69.50. blumenthalarts.org southparkmagazine.com | 65

Trumpet Summit, The JAZZ ROOM, Sept. 10-11 The Jazz Room returns with a season opener of classics performed by five of the top jazz trumpeters in the Southeast. “The trumpet is played over a whole range of musical genres, but the most famous trumpet players inevitably hail from the world of jazz,” reads the news release. Expect songs by Louis Armstrong, Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie and more. Shows at 6 and 8:15 p.m. on Friday and 7 and 9:15 p.m. on Saturday. Stage Door Theater, 155 N. College St. Ticket prices TBD. thejazzarts.org Douglas Tappin’s I Dream, Opera Carolina, Sept, 16, 18 and 19 Opera Carolina is back with an updated version of the 2018 blockbuster. A reimagined account of the last 36 hours in the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., this “popera” celebrates the civil rights pioneer, his inner struggles and the peaceful protest movement he championed. Using opera, jazz and pop, Tappin honors the preacher from Atlanta — a very human hero — who became an icon while pursuing a dream of equality for all. Belk Theater, 130 N. Tryon St. Tickets from $22-$157. operacarolina.org

John Leslie Breck (American, 1860–99). The Cove, Annisquam, ca. 1893, oil on canvas

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John Leslie Breck: American Impressionist, Mint Museum Uptown, Sept. 18-Jan. 2, 2022 The French Impressionists get all the glory, but America produced painters of that perennially popular genre, too. Breck is credited with introducing Impressionism to America after studying with Claude Monet in Giverny, France. Inspired by The Mint’s s 2016 acquisition of his “Suzanne Hoschedé-Monet Sewing,” this exhibition includes 70 of his works. Many have not been on public view in more than a century. Works by other French and American Impressionists will be on view as well. Mint Museum Uptown, 500 S. Tryon St. Admission is $15 for adults, $10 for college students and seniors, $6 for children 5-17, and free for members and kids 4 and younger. mintmuseum.org

ABOVE: COURTESY OF CHILDREN’S THEATRE OF CHARLOTTE / FAR LEFT: COURTESY OF MARTHA RICHARDSON FINE ART, BOSTON

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Lindsey Buckingham or Spike Lee, Sept. 21 Two virtuosos will be making noise at either end of Tryon Street on Sept. 21, and we don’t know how to choose between them. The groundbreaking Fleetwood Mac singer/ songwriter/guitarist? Or the groundbreaking writer/director of such important and popular films as Do The Right Thing, Malcolm X and BlacKkKlansman? Both joints are bound to be hoppin’. Lee is in town for a talk as part of Charlotte SHOUT!, the uptown arts festival that takes place Sept. 17-Oct. 3. Spike Lee at Belk Theater, 130 N. Tryon St. Tickets from $35-$195 for VIP meet & greet. Lindsey Buckingham at Knight Theater, 550 S. Tryon St.. Tickets from $35-$235 for VIP soundcheck package. carolinatix.org Get Out in Concert, Charlotte Symphony Orchestra, Sept. 30 and Oct. 1 Experience Jordan Peele’s comedic thriller with a social conscience (that also gives a nod to The Stepford Wives) live with the CSO performing the soundtrack as part of Charlotte SHOUT! Get Out won the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay, and composer Michael Abels won the Black Reel Award for Outstanding Original Score. The film is equal parts funny and horrifying. Belk Theater, 130 N. Tryon St. Single ticket pricing TBD. charlottesymphony.org

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October Tuck Fest, U.S. National Whitewater Center, Oct.1-3 Cram everything you missed during the pandemic into three days at this family-friendly outdoor extravaganza. There’ll be obstacle courses, trail and kayak races, climbing competitions, yoga and live music. Bands include Steep Canyon Rangers, Dawes and Boy Named Banjo. The 2019 Tuck Fest drew 48,000 people — expect big crowds. 5000 Whitewater Center Parkway. whitewater.org. Bob Saget, The Comedy Zone, Oct. 1-2 If you know Bob Saget only from the squeaky-clean, family-friendly Full House, you don’t know Bob Saget. He’s got a darkly funny side, as evidenced by the title of his 2014 memoir, Dirty Daddy: The Chronicles of a Family Man Turned Filthy Comedian. The popular standup performer has been cracking jokes for more than 30 years. And they’re often raunchy. Shows at 7 and 9:45 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. 900 NC Music Factory Blvd. Tickets are $30 for general admission and $40 for Gold Circle. cltcomedyzone.com The Rocky Horror Show, Actors Theatre of Charlotte, Oct. 6 – 31 Poor Brad and Janet. It’s dark, rainy and they’ve had car trouble. Good thing there’s a castle not too far in the distance — and a sweet transvestite waiting to welcome them. You’re shivering with antici … pation, aren’t you? Let’s do the time warp again. Part of ATC’s “Rock the Barn” series at The Barn at MoRa – A Levine Property, 8300 Monroe Rd. Season subscriptions available; single ticket pricing TBD. atcharlotte.org 50th Anniversary Celebration, Charlotte Ballet, Oct. 7-9 Charlotte Ballet’s season will kick off with a production that honors the Company’s first five decades. Charlotte Ballet II Program Director Christopher Stuart will present a new work set to music by Philip Glass. Former Artistic Director Salvatore Aiello’s The Rite of Spring returns with re-imagined designs and, for the first time, live music performed by the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra. Due to adult themes, this performance is considered PG-13. Belk Theater, 130 N. Tryon St. Single ticket pricing TBD. charlotteballet.org

ABOVE: COURTESY OF THE LITTLEFIELD COMPANY

My Wonderful Birthday Suit, Children’s Theatre of Charlotte, Sept. 25-Oct. 10 A colorful surprise party gives three kids something unexpected to celebrate — their differences. Friendships are in jeopardy when comments about skin color slip out. Fortunately, one of the kids has a “thinking tree” — a place they can go to search for the words to make things better. “We’re excited to have audiences back at the theater — especially for this show because, not only is it a play with music and puppetry about a birthday, but ImaginOn’s birthday is Oct. 8,” said Children’s Theatre’s Alex Aguilar. “We’ll have two things to celebrate closing weekend.” Performances are at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. on Saturdays and 2 p.m. on Sundays. Recommended for ages 4 and up. The McColl Family Theatre at ImaginOn, 300 E. 7th St. Tickets from $15-24. ctcharlotte.org

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Gold Over America Tour (G.O.A.T.) starring Simone Biles, Oct. 27 If you’ve been hooked on the Olympics this summer, you may soon be suffering from withdrawals. But you can get a quick fix of everyone’s favorite Olympic sport. The 35-city tour stops in Charlotte for a high-energy, “gymnastics-meets-pop-concert spectacular” headlined by pint-sized powerhouse Simone Biles. An all-star team of female gymnastic champions will dazzle with their athleticism and grace while spreading messages of empowerment. Spectrum Center, 333 E. Trade St. Ticket prices start at $26.50. ticketmaster.com An Evening with George Winston, Oct. 31 He’s been composing and performing for more than 40 years, sold more than 15 million albums and plays about 100 concerts annually. George Winston may be the best-known pianist in America. His music is evocative, soothing, peaceful — it could be the antidote for stressful times. Knight Theater, 550 S. Tryon St. Tickets from $25-$55. carolinatix.org Isaac Julien: Lina Bo Bardi — A Marvellous Entanglement, The Bechtler Museum of Modern Art, opens Oct. 30 Just as one immersive art experience (van Gogh) leaves Charlotte, another one arrives. This is the U.S. premiere of a nine-screen immersive installation that spotlights Italian-Brazilian architect (and furniture and jewelry designer) Lina Bo Bardi (1914-92) and her contributions to modernism. British filmmaker Isaac Julien (Looking for Langston) pays tribute to the architect and her legacy. The show’s title comes from a Bo Bardi quote: “Time is not linear; it is a marvellous entanglement.” Bechtler Museum of Modern Art, Levine Center for the Arts, 420 S. Tryon St. Admission to the museum is $9 for adults; $7 for college students, seniors and educators; $5 for youth 11-18; and free for kids up to age 10. bechtler.org

November My Dinner with Andrea, Charlotte’s Off-Broadway, Nov. 4-20 “Live actors in front of a live audience,” is what director Anne Lambert shared about this production. Who knew there’d be a day when that would constitute a headline? But it’s big news now. Lambert’s sister, Susan Lambert Hatem, wrote the play inspired by the film My Dinner with Andre. The plot: Julia Grace is a scientist who needs a job. Andrea is a billionaire with a scientific startup. They’re having dinner at the finest restaurant in town. Julia Grace could get an offer that allows her a chance to change the world. Thursdays at 7:30 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. Pay What You Can Night is Wednesday, Nov. 10 at 7:30 p.m. Arts Factory (formerly the JCSU Arts Factory), 1545 W. Trade Street. Tickets are $25; discounted tickets available for students, seniors and groups of 10 or more. charlottesoffbroadway.com. Straight No Chaser, Back in the High Life Tour, Ovens Auditorium, Nov. 9 These nine guys, using nothing but their voices as instruments, helped usher in the national craze for a cappella music. You’ll probably know (and love) every song they sing. The genres they cover include pop, rock, R&B, holiday standards, TV theme songs and commercial jingles. Always a good time. Ovens Auditorium, 2700 E. Independence Blvd. Ticket prices start at $39.50. ticketmaster.com 70

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All Together Now, Theatre Charlotte, Nov. 12-14 The historic building that houses the theater was damaged in an electrical fire in 2020. Ongoing repairs make it impossible to stage productions there, but the show, as they say, must go on! “The Road Trip Season Tour” takes place all over town. The November production is one weekend only, and it’s sort of a Broadway’s greatest hits revue. Sing along to music from Company, Come From Away, Rent, Waitress, Ragtime and more. Dilworth United Methodist Church, 605 East Blvd. Single ticket pricing TBD. theatrecharlotte.org

December Reginald Dwayne Betts, poetry reading and master class, Charlotte Center for the Literary Arts, Dec. 3-4 Before he became an acclaimed writer and Yale Law School alum, Dwayne Betts was a 16-year-old sentenced to nine years in prison. He’s written three volumes of poetry, including his most recent, Felon. Betts’ writing challenges prevailing notions of justice, and his speaking engagements focus on the role that grit, perseverance — and literature — played in turning his life around. Friday, Dec. 3: Evening poetry reading at Midwood International and Cultural Center Auditorium. Saturday, Dec. 4: Master class at Charlotte Center for Literary Arts. 1817 Central Ave. charlottelit.org An Officer and A Gentleman, presented by Blumenthal Performing Arts, Dec. 7-12 You know the movie starring Richard Gere and Debra Winger. You know the theme song, “Up Where We Belong.” Now, see the jukebox musical, which contains other hits you’ll know from the era — “Girls Just Want to Have Fun,” “Don’t Cry Out Loud,” “Material Girl.” The stage adaptation includes choreography by Patricia Wilcox (Motown, A Night with Janis Joplin). Part of Blumenthal’s Equitable Bravo Series, a one-year series featuring five shows. Ovens Auditorium, 2700 E. Independence Blvd. Single ticket pricing TBD. carolinatix.org SP All information was correct as of press time. However, event details, including dates and pricing, are subject to change. We encourage you to check an event’s website before making plans.

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CLOCKWISE: PHOTOGRAPH BY BENJAMIN SKIGEN / PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF BLUMENTHAL PERFORMING ARTS / PHOTOGRAPH BY MAMADI DOUMBOUYA

FRIENDS! The Musical Parody, presented by Blumenthal Performing Arts, Nov. 27 If you loved Monica, Ross, Rachel, Chandler, Phoebe and Joey, you’ll love the musical parody that pokes good-natured fun at the gang that hung out at New York’s (apparently) only coffee shop. In fact, the action takes place in Central Perk. This is a national tour making a one-night stop in Charlotte. Could we be any more excited? Knight Theater, 550 S. Tryon St. Tickets start at $28.50. carolinatix.org

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A brave new world Earlier this year, in the midst of global lockdowns, pandemic fatigue and an unprecedented sense of loss, we asked three North Carolina authors — Frances Mayes, Etaf Rum and Daniel Wallace — to share their tales of our brave new, old world. Offering glimpses of resilience, hope, fear, transformation and what-ifs, each piece is an exploration of freedom and the mystery of the human spirit. Read on for one essay and two works of fiction that open our eyes, minds and hearts through remarkable storytelling.

southparkmagazine.com | 75

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Into the new by Frances Mayes illustration by Gerry O’Neill

uring the pandemic, I became enthralled with The New York Times word game, the Spelling Bee. I’d never been attracted to crossword puzzles, Mensa quizzes or those already-penciled-in sudoku squares in airline magazines. I’d rather read a book. But there I was at midnight, spending good hours I should have used on my nascent novel, staring at seven letters that must be arranged into words. At least I could excel at finding the pangram — the word that uses all the letters. What I couldn’t do at all was imagine what my fictional characters Charlotte, Lee and Annsley possibly could be up to in their imagined world, given that a plague was loose in the real world. Their concerns seemed of no concern. But I was learning dozens of new words, such as lambi, boba, libelee, doggo and ricin — words that proved useless outside of boosting me from “amazing” status to “genius.” Ah, genius. What an accomplishment, that is, until the next morning when the new puzzle appeared. Many friends also had developed obsessive activities. My husband Ed seemed always to be mowing the grass, even measuring the height so it remained at 2 inches. My friend Susan tore through several Indian cookbooks, leaving containers of spicy food at our back door constantly, and an Amazon truck pulled up daily at our across-the-street neighbor’s driveway. She was shopping maniacally.

southparkmagazine.com | 77

Those of us who were lucky survived that suspended and puzzling and frustrating siege. Remember wiping off grocery bags on the porch? Remember when fashion masks in silk prints appeared? Remember those annoying suggestions to keep a gratitude journal? For decades, we’ll be puzzling through this aftermath of grief, its effects on students, what refusal to believe the virus existed means, the incalculable, staggering losses, the global politics, on and on. Per ora — for now, as the Italians always caution — we are reassessing, realizing that we are lucky to do the things we so took for granted. Are we in a Brave New World? By metabolic nature, I’m a traveler. After having covered a lot of the globe and written many books about place, of course I knew that those journeys play a major part in my life. During confinement, I chafed. I started spending hours researching the history of Cyprus, the accommodations at Machu Picchu, a hike from Bratislava to Prague. Working on the Spelling Bee one week about eight months into house arrest, I came to an impasse. Instead of forming the usual words, I saw that I was picking the letters for “London,” “Rome,” “Miami,” “Hawaii.” Not allowed, any place names, but my travel gene was taking over. I couldn’t get “bountiful,” “exciting,” “texting” but adamantly typed in “Paris,” “Kenya,” “Greece.” Travel, it turns out, isn’t just what I like to do, it’s who I am. Did others find such truths? I pushed my novel to the back of my desk — bye-bye Annsley, Lee, Charlotte — and began writing about home. Where’s home? Why leave home? What happens when you do leave home? Why do memories of various homes come back over and over in dreams? How do you make a home? The pull of this subject, so unlike my novel, took over my days. I quit pouring that second, third glass of wine with dinner; I exercised; I lost 20 pounds. Despite all the activity, the desire to go, just go, became overwhelming. Ed and I donned N95 masks and traveled to our home in Italy. I 78

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felt like we held our breaths the entire way. We were allowed in because we have residency cards. Everyone greeted us like returning Olympic stars. We quarantined at our home, then lined up for entering the negozio di frutta e verdura for groceries, enjoyed our friends within the limits of our houses, harvested our olive crop, and, before returning to North Carolina, spent two days in Rome prior to departure. Rome alone. I walk. All day. At night. Walking the soles off my shoes. In this slowed, surreal scape, here’s Rome washed clean, the city showing its beauty unalloyed. I revisit favorites of mine, even though many are closed — Bramante’s Tempietto on the Janiculum Hill, the Baroque extravaganza Palazzo Colonna, the chalk pastel palazzi on Piazza San Lorenzo in Lucina, kiosks of botanical prints and severe engravings of ruins at the Mercato delle Stampe, Gelateria del Teatro for sublime gelato of lavender and white peach, or cherry, or orange and mascarpone. Who can choose? At Trevi fountain, Ed and I stand there alone. For the first time in decades, I toss a coin. In Piazza Navona, too, I can hear the musical splash of water from the Four Rivers fountain and walk around the lovely ellipse of the ancient stadium. The great Marcus Aurelius, copy of the second-century bronze rider, atop his prancing horse at Michelangelo’s Piazza del Campidoglio, gains in majesty as he surveys a vacant piazza. Totally real, Rome feels imagined, conjured as one of Italo Calvino’s invisible cities. Eerie. There’s a lone woman with red fright-wig hair wobbling along the sidewalk with a basket of oranges; the familiar aroma of dark coffee wafting out of a bar, where the barista stands polishing glasses for no customers. The sky is a color a watercolorist might mix, find it too milky pale, and decide to stir in another dollop of cerulean. Trajan’s Column seems to tilt against rushing clouds. The forum appears doubly ancient, columns white as bleached femurs. Church bells send out circles of silver sound. The sculptural pines, the vulgar magenta bougainvillea, the surprise of palms. Because Rome was still “yellow,” low-risk but cautious, some

restaurants are open for lunch outside. We order both the fried artichokes and the artichokes with tender homemade pasta. We’re talking about whether anything of this Rome can be carried forth into normal times. We remember the day we showed our grandson 18 fountains in one day. We remember that Keats rode a pony around the Piazza di Spagna in his last weeks. We remember an apartment we rented with a roof garden that looked down on a clothesline with flapping giant underpants. The waiter forgets our glasses of wine, apologizes, and brings over a whole bottle. (That’s Rome.) I’m thrilled to see Rome like this: an unforgettable, once in a lifetime experience for this traveler. I hope never to see Rome like that again. After a day, I missed the scramble to see what’s on at the Quirinale, new restaurants, friends toasting at wine bars, shopping for shoes, tracking down 10 things on my to-see list. All this amid a chaos of sirens, horns, weaving motorcycles, tsunamis of tourists, overflowing garbage bins, buses spilling out groups from all over the world, silly goofs trying to get in the fountains. Life. People, annoying, glorious people.

ack at home, the bleak holiday season arrived, then in January, hallelujah: the vaccine. A quasi-normal life recommenced. Am I grateful for this period of solitude, introspection, focus? Not a bit. I’m grateful that no one I love died, that’s it. Let’s not whitewash: the period was relentlessly awful and a flash of panic washes over me when I wonder if it will happen again. What remains? Is there no silver lining? Yes, the major takeaway: a heightened awareness of carpe diem, seize the day. I love so many people; have I said so enough? All the posts and emails showed friends making their level best of the situation. I saw anew their humor, resourcefulness, brilliance, thoughtfulness and determination. They signed off not with “ciao,” or “xoxo,” but now with “Love you,”

“Miss you,” “Always and Forever.” Don’t forget this, I told myself, when we’re back at Vin Rouge and JuJu, toasting and chatting and exchanging plans, feeling invincible. We are not invincible. The drastic happened. Don’t forget the lively crowds in Istanbul, the subway crush in New York, the swarms reveling in the extreme beauty of Cinque Terre. Living their lives. Keep the table set, keep the antenna alert for friends in need, keep working to know what’s really going on, keep the rosé chilled, write the check to someone running on ideals, say you are dear to me, order the flowers, the Georgia peaches, the book I just read that X might enjoy. Oh, I do this, but now, my effort doubles and cubes. Brave New World — we know Aldous Huxley’s depressing novel and his title has been used and used, ironically and seriously. Maybe used up. He took the words from Shakespeare’s The Tempest and the whole quote is now somewhat lost. The last half of the sentence is best. Miranda speaks, “O brave new world, that has such people in it.” What mind-bending losses. Memento vivere, remember to live. We go on now, together. You are dear to me. I didn’t give up on the daily Spelling Bee, but if I can’t be a quick genius, I click over to visit Annsley, Lee and Charlotte. They’ve been waiting a long time to resume their lives. When last seen, they were arising from the table after a dinner party, about to make enormous changes. I think they are ready. SP

Frances Mayes’s latest book is Always Italy from National Geographic. Her novel Women in Sunlight is in production as a movie from Water’s End. She is the author of Under the Tuscan Sun, Bella Tuscany, Everyday in Tuscany and other international bestsellers. She lives in Durham and in Cortona, Italy. Her favorite book is One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez..

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The world is still the world fiction by Daniel Wallace illustrations by Lyudmila Tomova

n our last day at the beach the sun came out, and the fog, which for that whole week had draped the shore in a veil of cotton, burned away: We discovered there was an ocean here, after all. It wasn’t blue, really, closer to black, but when the waves flattened out across the beach, the water was perfectly clear and full of minnows and tiny crabs. The shells were just so-so, mostly shards of something that used to be beautiful, like ancient pottery washed up from the ocean floor, there to remind you the world was old. I’d like to say that these discoveries inspired in us a recognition of our own mortality, but the truth was it just felt good to have the sun on our shoulders as my wife and I — so young, newlyweds in fact — walked across the warming sand, hand in hand. She was wearing a black two-piece, simple and very small, and so striking that even the women we passed couldn’t help but stare. Her hair (thick and chocolate brown) was in pigtails, and somehow this girlish maneuver heightened her brazen but effortless display of pure, glorious womanhood. I was invisible in the best possible way. “I’m glad our honeymoon wasn’t ruined,” she said. I stopped walking and looked at her. “I didn’t know it was even close to being ruined,” I said. “We’ve made love like a hundred times, read three novels and watched an entire season of The Walking Dead. That’s almost perfect.” “Yeah,” she said. “I didn’t mean ruined. But you can’t go back and tell people that it was foggy and it rained the whole time and you read and watched TV. It sounds gloomy.” “You skipped the part about making love.”

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“Because you can’t tell people that.” “No,” I said. “Let’s tell them it was sunny every day and we swam with the dolphins.” “But that would be wrong,” she said, and we laughed. Somehow this had become a joke: saying but that would be wrong after every wrong thing we talked about doing. I have no idea why or how, but it was hilarious to us, just to us, the way that something that clearly isn’t funny becomes funny for reasons impossible to explain. “That being said, I’ll totally never forget that ride we took on the humpback whale.” “Because it’s unforgettable. We’ll tell our kids about that.” “Little Johnny and Marie.” “I thought we’d settled on Zeus and Hera?” “I just think that might put too much pressure on them, honey.” I slapped my forehead, and a few grains of sand fell into my eyes. “Of course, you’re right. Why did I never think about that? Sometimes I feel like I knew nothing until we met.” Pause. “At least I know you’re a goddess.” She squeezed my hand. “Keep ’em coming,” she said. “Don’t worry. We’re good for the next 10 years at least.” “Whoa. You stockpile flatteries?” “Flatteries are my specialty.”

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“Oh no,” she said, in a husky whisper, knocking against me with her shoulder. “No, they’re not.” How long had we been walking? I had no idea. I stopped and looked behind us: I couldn’t see our hotel or any landmark at all. Civilization had disappeared behind the curve of the shore. I could imagine that we were on a deserted island, looking toward the horizon for a rescue we knew would never come. I don’t know what she was thinking, but she had that faraway look in her eyes as well, and as I looked into them (her eyes were the color of ivy), the tail end of a wave chilled my toes. I almost gasped it was so cold. She turned to me. “I’m going in,” she said. “No way.” “I could never live with myself if I went to the beach and didn’t get in. I would be ashamed for the rest of my life. You’re coming in, too.” “I don’t think so.” “You’re my husband now,” she said. “You have to. It was in our vows.” “Those vows were ambiguous.” “On purpose, just for occasions such as this.” She let go of my hand and took a deep breath, girding herself.

I took a step toward the water myself, but with her hand on my stomach, she held me back. “I’m first in,” she said. “I’m always first in. Ever since I was little. That’s what I want on my tombstone: First In, Last Out. Remember that.” “I will.” “I’m serious,” she said, and she studied my face. “You’ll remember?” “I’ll remember. But I didn’t know that about you.” “Well,” she said. “I guess there’s a lot you don’t know about me.” “Oh yeah? Like what?” But she was already gone. She ran into the water, whooping, and kept running as fast as she could, but slowed as the water got deeper. She pushed into it until she couldn’t walk at all, and then she dove under, disappearing completely for what seemed like a long time. Then she reappeared about five yards out, the bigger waves rolling against her back, lifting and releasing her, up and down, up and down. I think she was smiling. We’d planned a big wedding, with friends and family coming in from all over. There was going to be a band and your choice of chicken or fish or veg, and a first dance and a sound system that could turn even my mousey 80-year-old Aunt Muriel’s voice into

that of a roaring lion. But all that was postponed, of course. We’d talked about waiting, to do what we’d hoped to do just a little bit later. When things got back to normal. But we couldn’t wait a minute longer. We were married at the courthouse, with our two best friends, witnesses to our contract, safe behind a Plexiglas wall. Now here we were at the beach, in the days just before summer, the rest of our lives ahead of us. Six days of fog and rain, one day of sun, and then the rest of our lives. She waved, I waved. “Come and get me if you dare!” she yelled into the wind, my freckled goddess in the wine-dark sea, the woman who had already told me the words she wanted on her tombstone when death does us part. I wanted to tell her what I wanted on mine, too, but the water was cold, and she was already so far away. SP

Daniel Wallace is the author of six novels, including Big Fish and, most recently, Extraordinary Adventures. He lives in Chapel Hill, where he directs the Creative Writing Program at the University of North Carolina. All-time favorite book? “My most recent favorite book is Bewilderness, by North Carolina writer Karen Tucker. It’s a roller coaster, page-turning literary gem.”

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The stitch around her mouth fiction by Etaf Rum

illustration by Marie-Louise Bennett

he stitch was starting to come undone, shedding fine, thin threads at the corners of her mouth. For as long as she could remember, she had never seemed to notice it — a ribbon the color of dust woven tightly around her lips. It had been there ever since she was a child, ever since her mother taught her how to roll her first grape leaf, ever since her grandmother read the thick, musty grounds of Turkish coffee at the bottom of her first kahwa cup. By the time she did notice it, she was a mother herself, devoting her energy to her husband and children, her feet firm in the fabric her family had sewn. When she awakened one morning to find the stitch unraveling, a wild terror overcame her. She dared not tug at the loose ends of her stitch in fear her world would unspool. She paused to think now as she hurried to complete her chores before her children returned from school. What was it that had snagged her stitch loose now, after all these years? She wondered if she had done something wrong. The worst thing a woman could do was question her condition. Her mother had told her that once. Only she’d barely been thinking lately. She knew such freedoms were the province of boys and men, not for women, whose delicate fibers were spun like webs on the kitchen curtains like a daily reminder. Not for a woman whose life was a tight pattern overlapping her mother’s. There was nothing to think about. Things have always been this way She closed her eyes to the image of her 7-year-old face as she waited in line at the fabric store. Mama had prepared her for the stitching tradition the way Mama’s own mother had done before, wrapping her unruly hair and staining her hands with rust-colored henna. While all the other young girls had locked their eyes on the brightest ribbons, her gaze fell quietly on a strand as pale as wheat. She snatched it, gripped it close to her chest. She thought if she must endure the numbing and needling, the pain that comes with saying words too full, the swallowing of thoughts, the stitch should at least blend in with her olive skin. Others should never know. She stood over the stove now, her afternoon chores completed. The steam from an ibrik of mint chai prickled her stitch. She felt her mouth stiffening, a burning sensation around the edge of her lips. In the distance, she could hear the sound of a school bus, then her two children approaching — a boy of 8, a girl of 6. She tucked her thoughts away. She didn’t want them to notice her loose stitch, confusing them, or worse, igniting their curiosity. She had no answers to the questions they might ask.

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The oven clock read 7 p.m. by the time she finished helping the children with homework and cooking dinner. More than once she considered calling her husband to ask when he would be home. But each time she stopped herself. It would be unseemly to question him, to ask where he was or what he was doing as if he wasn’t working the way she was working. Only what if he wasn’t? She teased her loose stitch with the tip of her henna-stained finger before pulling it away. No, she shouldn’t question such things. Growing up, Mama had said the stitch would make her more desirable, not only in the eyes of men, but also women, who were taught to see beauty in lips that were tightly sealed. Yet it was Mama who originally suggested that she choose a ribbon that would blend in. A plain ribbon will help you endure the pain, Mama had said, holding her hand at the fabric store, steering her down the fig-colored aisles. She could see other mothers in the aisles too, smiling as they helped their daughters select their ribbons. Some ribbons had the luster of pride and joy; others had a glow of satisfaction. But not hers. She had wondered why her mother steered her to a ribbon that was barely visible, and why she even needed to get a ribbon at all. What would happen if she decided not to get a ribbon, like some of the unstitched women she knew? She wondered what her world would be like without a stitch around her mouth. The next thing she knew, the thought escaped her lips. “What if I don’t want to get a stitch?” “Nonsense,” Mama said, shaking her head. “But not every woman gets stitched,” she said, frozen in the center of the aisle. “The woman who reports the news doesn’t have one. Or the widow who opened up the pharmacy in town. Or even the girl who lives a few blocks away from us.” Mama fixed her with a glare. “This is the way things are, daughter. It’s always been this way.” Soon after the stitching, she began to feel a burning sensation in the corners of her mouth, the quiet ripping of flesh. She did what she could to dull the pain, swapping out words, shortening thoughts, sometimes even getting rid of ideas altogether. Some words, she realized, would never be hers to say. Maybe her mother was right. After all, women were woven with a fabric meant to endure the knots and coils of their lives, like carrying the bulbous 86

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world in their center. The stitch was just another natural difference, another law of womanhood. Now there was a sound at the front door, then the twist of a lock, and quickly she turned off the faucet, dried her hands, tucked a strand of dry hair behind her ear. She felt the tip of the dusty wheat ribbon tickle her hands, like the touch of her grandmother’s finger when she read her palms as a child. What would her grandmother say if she knew her stitch was coming undone? What would Mama say? Surely they would tighten it. Her stitch was supposed to last a lifetime, a legacy passed along generations. A loosened stitch was the ultimate disgrace, a shame that would swallow her family whole. Wasn’t it her grandmother who said that no good can come from a wide-mouthed woman? And hadn’t Mama agreed, unquestioning, stitching her lips before she learned how to question? Well, she was a mother now, to a daughter whose mouth would soon need stitching. She swallowed a lump in her throat. She didn’t like to think of it. Her husband awaited her at the kitchen table, glancing at her with knitted brows. There was a silence between them, one which she had learned not to mind, and she hurried to pour the lentil soup into four bowls. A blanket of steam covered her face, and she withstood the temptation to open her mouth, if only for a moment, and stretch the stitch loose. She could feel her children watching her, and she didn’t want them to see her this way, opening her mouth in such an unnatural position, the contortions of her face the opposite of womanly. No — there are some moments a child will never forget, like the sound of a mother’s tears, roaring like rain against the roof. Her children shouldn’t have to feel what she felt now, a mountain of memories clung to her chest. She decided she would only stretch her stitch when no one was watching. Somehow at the dinner table, she could hear her grandmother in her ear, the same way she had heard her as a child. Sayings and lessons, like fortune cookies hanging from her ears. “A woman belongs at home,” her grandmother would say. “No good will ever come from a woman thinking.” Her husband cleared his throat, bringing her back to the room. “I have to travel for work tomorrow,” he said. “Where to?” She let the words leak through her stitch as if by accident so as not to make her mouth hurt. It was a trick her mother taught her. “A conference in D.C.,” he said, shoving soup into his mouth as if to purposely end the conversation. She said nothing, having learned from a young age to find safety in silence. She placed a crumb of bread between her slightly parted lips and clenched hard. Dinners were the same every night, with her husband sitting at the end of the table and all three of them curled around him like children. More often than not, one of them would signal her, and, as if wired to be true to her nature, she would drop her food and leap with eagerness, refilling cups and bowls, smiling to the rhythm of clinking spoons. Look how much they need me, her tender heart would whisper as she scurried around the table. Delighted, her husband would look at her and smile as if to say: Look at the family we’ve created, you and I. Look at what we’ve done. Only tonight, huddled around the dinner table with her fami-

ly, she could hear another whisper: What has she done? The question grazed her stitch, bitterness on her tongue. She looked up at her daughter and felt a tide of guilt rolling in her chest. For a long time, she studied her daughter’s face, resting her eyes on the dull brown mole on her left cheek. All she could think of was the fine needle, slithering up and down her lips like a snake. Soon her daughter would be 7 years old, and what could she do then? She couldn’t stop it. Lately she had begun to think the stitch was the reason she only had two children. Her mother-in-law never missed an opportunity to remind her to get pregnant, as if she had somehow forgotten her duty. In fact, she closed her legs purposefully at night, feigning exhaustion or sleep, or when she was particularly distressed, a desperate sadness. On those nights she felt an ache swelter not only from her stitch but from a place buried inside her. But now, looking at her daughter’s mouth, thinking of what was soon to come, never had she felt a pain deeper than the shame of mothering another girl. She wondered if her son knew how lucky he was. Her husband, noting the strain on her face, scrunched his eyebrows in a knot. “Is there something wrong?” She met his eyes and instantly turned red. Had her face betrayed her? Had her thoughts escaped her stitch? “No, no,” she whispered. “Nothing’s wrong.” He lowered his gaze to the bowl, stirred the soup fiercely before scooping a spoonful into his mouth. Swallowing at once, he said, “There’s something on the corners of your mouth.” He handed her a rag. “Here, wipe.” Calmly she took the rag from his fingers and pressed it against her stitch. She looked at the stain: it was blood. Her husband stared at her in silence before clearing his throat. “Careful now,” he said, reaching over to tighten her stitch. “The children and I need you around.” At that, her children looked at her in their usual way, their eyes glistening with the past and future as if always to remind her. It was as though they’d made a permanent mark upon her heart from which she could never escape. No, she would never escape. In awe of herself, she swept the thought away. Wasn’t she a believer of God, a believer in His will? If He wanted her this way, with this stitch around her mouth, then surely it was for the best. Besides, did she want to be like some of the unstitched girls she knew, still in their mother’s house, unmarried — or worse, divorced — an ocean of shame in their ribs? Of course she didn’t want that. Yet within herself, she didn’t understand why she couldn’t be happy. Inside she could hear all the women, and all the women she could hear were tired. She bit the inside of her lip, swallowing her thoughts. She could hear a whisper in her ear. Be thankful, or God will take it all away. The days passed, and her stitch kept bleeding: at the dinner table, during the day, whenever she stopped to think about it. Only when she wasn’t thinking did she seem to forget the uncomfortable grip around her mouth. But soon enough she would remember, feeling the heaviness in her mind sink into her lips whenever she spoke. Then the sound of a stitch unraveling, then the taste of blood. Sometimes it felt as if her mouth was only one stitch away from slitting all together, as if at any moment a thought would come and undo everything. Her life as she knew

it. She became afraid. Then she began to wonder: Perhaps it’s all my fault. Perhaps I am being unreasonable. And even though there were no noticeable changes in her, all she could think of was what would become of her life if she let the stitch unravel. This fear had become an everlasting whisper in her chest which no amount of thinking could get rid of. Four months passed. The day had finally come. Outside, the sky hung oppressively low, suffocating her. Quietly, she reached for her daughter’s hand as they walked into the fabric store. The room was made of glass, with gold circles glistening across the walls. Between the brightly colored aisles, she thought she could hear, very faintly, the silent sounds of sorrow. She let go of her daughter’s hand. From a distance she watched her reach for a dusty pink ribbon, almost identical to her own. Her heart swelled in her chest. She could feel her stitch ripping open, blood leaking from her lips, desperate to spare her daughter. But she said nothing. How she sewed the ribbon, how she stitched her daughter’s mouth — none of that could she remember later. Only one thought came to her now: the mild expression of submission painted on her daughter’s face as if it had been given to her since birth. Alone, she studied her own stitch in the mirror with shame. She ran her fingers along the edges of her lips, dug them into the corners as if to rip the ribbon out. Trembling, she tried to keep from screaming. She could taste her mother on her stitch and it made her weep. SP

The daughter of Palestinian immigrants, Etaf Rum was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. She has a master’s degree in American and British literature as well as undergraduate degrees in philosophy and English. She lives in Rocky Mount and runs the @booksandbeans Instagram account. A Woman Is No Man is her first novel.

All-time favorite book: The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath

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SHORE STORY PRETTY PATTERNS AND FEMININE FLORALS CREATE BREEZY, BEACH-CHIC STYLE AT BALD HEAD ISLAND.

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Left: Ulla Johnson Gaia top, $475, Erdem Ethelwyn striped seersucker skirt, $3,720, and Veronica Beard Jourdan belt, $295, all Vermillion (Raleigh); Kristin Hayes Jewelry sterling silver curve earrings, $120, KristinHayesJewelry.com Right: Cara Cara long-sleeve crop top, Poole Shop, $345; La Double J printed tiered big maxi skirt, Capitol, $590; Indego Africa handmade bag, $150, and Primaura rattan belt, $75, Chosen; Lele Sadoughi pink satin headband, makeup artist’s own

photographer: Mira Adwell styling + production: Whitley Adkins model: Dierra Davis, represented by Directions USA hair & makeup: Janis Lozano, represented by Directions USA production assistant: Jay Seago photographed on location at Bald Head Island special thanks to Trisha Howarth and Intracoastal Realty Corp., IntracoastalRealty.com

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Above: Staud Frieze top, $225, Ulla Johnson Idalia skirt, $595, and Lizzie Fortunato Agnes belt, $265, all Vermillion; Primaura Khloe hoop earrings, $85, Chosen Right: Tracy Feith long-sleeve robe coat, Capitol, $1,500

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Left: Chloe puff sleeve top, $1,095, Staud Mattia skirt, $310, Gigi Burris Hilma hat, $425, all Vermillion Right: Erdem Augustus floral dress, $1,761, Vermillion; Sheila Fajl Stella hoops, Monkee’s of Charlotte, $73

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Above: Ulla Johnson Dali Maillot swimsuit, $285, Faliero Sarti Ginevra scarf, $225, and Ulla Johnson Meadow bottle bag, $295, all from Vermillion Right: Zimmermann Alaine terry towel dress, Vermillion, $375 SP

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Fresh approach DESIGNER CLAUDIA RICCIARDONE UPDATES A 20-YEAR-OLD BALLANTYNE HOME WITH A FRESH COLOR PALETTE AND FUN PATTERNS. by Blake Miller

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photographs by Laura Sumrak

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styling by Kendra Surface

ike many homeowners who have lived in the same house for 20 or more years, the Reynolds family was ready for a change. “When we bought the house in 2001, it was already built, so even back then we didn’t get to pick out any of our finishes,” says Sheryl Reynolds of the 3,800-squarefoot Ballantyne home. “The layout of the kitchen also was never what I wanted, so that was always in the back of my mind.” The couple, who have three children and eight

grandchildren, wanted a lighter, brighter space but also one that would accommodate their large family for dinners and holidays. In February of 2020, the Reynolds decided it was time to renovate their kitchen and make it exactly as they’d imagined over the last two decades. On the recommendation of two friends, the couple enlisted designer Claudia Ricciardone of Claudia Josephine Design to update the dining room and adjacent kitchen to make the space more

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lively, colorful and practical for family gatherings. “Cheryl ... loves bright color and is a little more adventurous than my typical client,” Ricciardone says. “She wanted a more fun but functional kitchen. And her love of green really spurred the design.” The kitchen’s footprint was redesigned to allow ample room between the island and cooking and prep area. But the redesign also opened the space to the family room, resulting in a large gathering area. Dark maple cabinets were replaced with custom white ones by Eudy’s Cabinets, while granite counters were replaced with Statuary Classique 98

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quartz, with complementary handmade Zellige tiles for the backsplash. The real transformation came with the addition of the custom green lacquered cabinetry on the island, which added just the right pop of color to the otherwise neutral white kitchen. “The green really set the tone for the rest of the home’s design,” the designer says. While the couple didn’t set out to redesign the family room, after the kitchen renovation they realized they’d need new furnishings and accessories to keep the flow between the spaces seamless and functional. The original furniture layout discouraged conversation with those in

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the kitchen, so Ricciardone replaced stationary seating with more functional pieces such as a pair of swivel chairs. “Now you can turn around and talk with everyone in the kitchen, and turn back around and talk with people in the family room,” Reynolds says. “Once you do one room, you realize to make it all work, you need to do it all.” The dining room, however, was on the original punch list, and Ricciardone was eager to add color to the space. Reynolds wanted to keep her existing draperies and rug, so the designer worked with those items, layering in new, more modern pieces such as the Visual Comfort chandelier, Vanguard sideboard, and Woodbridge dining chairs. Ricciardone knew the Schumacher wallpaper would tie together the homeowners’ existing elements. “I like to mix retro, contemporary and traditional elements to help a room feel timeless, because when you design a room solely in the current trend, it will date as soon as that trend is over,” the designer explains. “I use high-quality, beautifully-made furnishings, sticking to the minimum number of 102

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items and layers necessary to make a room feel complete.” After the transformation of the kitchen, family room and dining room was complete, the Reynolds decided to have Ricciardone redesign the rest of the downstairs. In the breakfast nook, the homeowners’ existing table and chairs were made new by the addition of custom Roman shades in a Thibaut fabric. Once the pandemic hit, Cheryl’s husband, Randy, began working from home and soon realized his home office needed an upgrade. “Randy prefers a modern, streamlined look,” Ricciardone says. “We ended up with a midcentury modern-inspired, handsome, moody office with plenty of custom storage, well-suited to a business executive.” Custom window treatments in an Osborne & Little fabric complete the sophisticated space. What began as a simple kitchen and dining-room renovation resulted in a downstairs overhaul that the Reynolds had no idea they needed or wanted until the work was completed. SP

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travel | destinations

Sun days DOMINICAN REPUBLIC’S CASA DE CAMPO — JUST A THREE-HOUR FLIGHT FROM CHARLOTTE — DELIVERS THE VACATION GOODS, FROM PRISTINE BEACHES AND WATER SPORTS TO INVENTIVE DINING AND SOME OF THE BEST GOLF IN THE CARIBBEAN. by Michael J. Solender

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fter more than a year of missed vacations, once-homebound travelers will find many temptations to heed the tropical call of Casa de Campo, one of the Caribbean’s dreamiest resorts. Hop an early morning nonstop flight from Charlotte to Punta Cana, transfer to nearby La Romana, and you can be sipping margaritas by mid-afternoon on the resort’s private Minitas Beach. Guests will find more than 7,000 acres of immaculately manicured grounds at Casa de Campo, where every day is the weekend and the most difficult choices are which of the three Pete Dye-designed golf courses to take on or where to dine among the more than half-dozen on-site restaurants. Spanish for “country house,” Casa de Campo has long been one of the Caribbean’s premier luxe island getaways and sporting destinations. Following a recent $37 million renovation, the property gleams. Whether traveling with a buddy, your significant other or extended family, you’ll find accommodations ranging from luxurious rooms and suites to fully staffed luxury villas, each offering complete access to the resort’s amenities. It’s easy to be taken with the topography and natural beauty of this easternmost part of the island, where sugarcane fields host migratory birds. Spotting cranes, egrets and other waterfowl soaring alongside the ambling Chavon River flanking the property is a fine afternoon diversion. Guests are provided with their own golf cart for the duration of their stay, making navigation of the expansive property a breeze. A most unexpected treat is found in the 16th century-style Mediterranean village overlooking the river, Altos de Chavon. Here, guests stroll cobblestone streets, admire Roman-inspired grand fountains and snap selfies at St. Stanislaus Church, home to the ashes of Poland’s patron saint, a gift from Pope John Paul II. The village was handcrafted by Dominican masons, carpenters and blacksmiths under the direction of Roberto Coppa. The Italian stage and film set designer was engaged by the resort in the ’70s to create this architectural gem. Today, the village is home to art studios,

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retail shops, restaurants and a 5,000-seat outdoor amphitheater that’s hosted the likes of Sinatra, Pavarotti, J.Lo, Elton John, Ricky Martin and Andrea Bocelli.

SPORTING PURSUITS While it’s always in style to chill at the beach with a pulpy novel, guests here are equally tempted by an endless list of sporting activities. Here’s what not to miss: Saddle up: There is an extensive equestrian program at Casa de Campo, with polo introduced decades ago by an Indian maharaja. Ride the trails, volunteer to care for the ponies, or be lucky enough to catch a polo match or a few chukkas. Water, water everywhere: Casa de Campos’ marina extends more than 90,000 meters. Seafaring options include daily sailing trips and lessons, deep sea sport fishing, and personal watercraft tours. There are half- and full-day excursions to Isla Catalina, 45

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minutes from Minitas Beach. Here, snorkelers find the protected cove teeming with sea life, and sun worshippers score perfection on the white sands, with tropical libations and snacks close at hand. Kayakers can navigate the Chavon River with expert guides to keep them on track. Shoot: Casa de Campo’s 245-acre shooting center has more than 200 stations for trap, skeet, sporting clays and pigeon rings. A 110-foot tower projects sporting clays, and novices and experts alike are welcomed by a knowledgeable staff. Tennis: Dubbed the “Wimbledon of the Caribbean,” by tennis buffs, the center has 13 Har-Tru courts and plenty of pros to hit with — even ball boys and girls for your most important matches. Golf heaven: Three of the finest courses in the Caribbean call Casa de Campo home, including the legendary Teeth of the Dog, Pete Dye’s masterpiece oceanside course that’s ranked No. 32 on Golf Digest’s World’s Greatest 100 Golf Courses. The fabled architect’s other island gems, The Links and Dye Fore, perched along

the gorge overlooking the Chavon, are each bucket-list worthy on their own. Play these three on consecutive days for a golfer’s dream trifecta. The caddies, many with decades of service, are guaranteed to shave strokes off your round and spice things up with a colorful yarn or two. Spa/fitness: Therapeutic massages, aromatherapies and detoxifying treatments are all available, as are yoga, Zen hikes, aquatics and a complete fitness center.

EAT & DRINK With full-time play at Casa de Campo certain to generate a healthy appetite, an intriguing variety of dining options covers all the bases. Our favorites: At Minitas Beach Club, the food is as stunning as the view. Mediterranean fare is on tap at this beachside eatery. Expect Spanish tapas like shrimp and ham croquettes, ceviche frito, and chicharron de pollo — marinated chicken with Dominican wasakaka, an herb and lime sauce similar to chimichurri. Mains include branzino, poke bowls and arroz negro — calamari, octopus and local shrimp with squid ink. Pizzas and numerous vegetarian offerings round out the menu. La Cana serves French-inspired cuisine with a Caribbean twist. Beef Bourguignon is classic red-wine-braised short ribs with

a fluffy, spiced potato puree. Confit de Canard is a falling-off-thebone duck quarter with a piquant demi-glace, celery root puree and roasted cipollini onions. An impressive wine list boasts ample French, Californian and South American choices — but no one will blink if you order a cold Presidente, the crisp Dominican lager. At Causa, a recent addition at Casa de Campo, expect three widely popular styles of Peruvian fare: Creole, Nikkei and Chifa; sushi; and stir-fry and mixed-grill offerings that blend Chinese, Japanese and South American flavors. Breakfast is served al fresco at Lago, which overlooks the 18th hole at the Teeth of the Dog course. The selection is staggering, from smoked fish, Dominican sausages, made-to-order omelets, smoothies and tropical fruit of every variety, churros, waffles, and homemade French pastries. As you dine, watching the grounds crew fuss pridefully over the verdant golf course is as entertaining as the aerial show of terns and other small birds trailing after the mowers in search of their own breakfast. With the mantra of “First, Best and Most,” Casa de Campo is designed to pamper. Feeling a bit spoiled during your stay here, however, and you might be planning a return trip before you catch the flight home. SP Casa de Campo Resort & Villas, casadecampo.com.do southparkmagazine.com | 109

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|swirl A monthly guide to Charlotte’s parties and galas

Tea Time in the Garden

May 16, Wing Haven Garden & Bird Sanctuary

Sara and Catherine Cotsakis

Gina, Elizabeth and Amelia Gregg

Sofia and Kara Franco

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Annie and Sutton Kay

Lauren Smith and Mary Caldwell, with Elizabeth Smith and Charlotte Smith

Lynnette, Adele and Michael Kloufetos

Evie and Katie Kenas, Amy O’Malley

Mary, Kate and Hannah Mervine

Ann and Catherine Houghland

Simmons and Amanda Schrum

Allison, Laura and Madeline York

Caroline and Margaret Langerman

Susan Sullivan, Caroline, Sarah and Hollis Hawkins

Claire and Stacey Griffin

PHOTOGRAPHS BY DANIEL COSTON

Children turned out in their best attire as guests celebrated spring with a maypole and other activities, along with traditional tea fare and lemonade.

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|swirl A monthly guide to Charlotte’s parties and galas

UMAR Arts Festival

May 15, Queens University of Charlotte

Ellen Moseley and Ann Bourgeois

Katie Nivens, Stacy Hwang and Zoe Nivens

Marilyn Garner and Kelly Wollinger

Joseph Hawk and Hannah Hawk

West Bolz

Lynn Sustare, Meredith Merchant and Jane Waddell

PHOTOGRAPHS BY DANIEL COSTON

Isis Lima and Jo-Ellen Carsley

Patrons shopped for art, jewelry and more at this outdoor festival benefiting UMAR, which provides residential, employment and cultural opportunities for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Bechtler Museum of Modern Art members event May 10-11

Margaret and John Switzer

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Todd Smith, Bob Scheer and Weston Andress

Bob Scheer, Karen Bernhardt and Kevin Hege

Reggie Tuggle and Evette Beckett-Tuggle

PHOTOGRAPHS BY DANIEL COSTON

Dorlisa and Peter Flur, Laura Meyer and Bud Wellman

The Bechtler Museum opened its doors for the first event in more than 15 months, as members gathered for drinks and bites and to reunite with friends.

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|swirl A monthly guide to Charlotte’s parties and galas

Blumey Awards Performance and watch party May 25, Belk Theater

Kathleen Moore, Davidson Day School

Molly Neal, South Pointe High School

Kathleen Moore, Davidson Day School

Katherine Beason and Lance Lokas

Jackson Randall, Central Academy of Technology and Arts

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Cameron Meyer, Northwest Cabarrus High School

Keyon Pickett Jr., Northwest School of the Arts

Kate McCracken and Bryson Battle

Rachel Ochoa, East Lincoln High School

Megan Mossembekker, left, accepts an award and scholarship

PHOTOGRAPHS BY DANIEL COSTON

Presented by Blumenthal Performing Arts, the annual Blumey Awards returned to the stage to honor the best in local high-school theater. Kate McCracken from Charlotte Latin School and Bryson Battle from Hickory Ridge High School were honored as Best Actress and Best Actor.

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|swirl A monthly guide to Charlotte’s parties and galas

Spring Symposium Benefiting the Mint Museum Auxiliary May 26, Charlotte Country Club

Aundrea Wilson, Felipe Edmiston and Sybil Godwin

Betsy Mayer and Frances Williamson

Jennifer Waugh and Bobbie Sherritt

Esezele Payne and Nadia Meredith

Hobby Sherman, Traci Zeller, Liz Shuford and Emily Browne

Blair Scheuer and Jess Sidhom

David Netto

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Renee O’Brien and Ali Bremmer

Catherine Stern and Leslie McMurray

Rebecca Brown and Greta Hord

Stephen Whitlock, Libby Whitlock, Lee Bullard and Brooke Cole

Alexis Warren and Amanda Callahan

Meredith Chapman and Kendall Hoak

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Renowned architect and writer David Netto headlined the auxiliary’s first public event since 2019, held outside in a large tent behind Charlotte Country Club.

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BELOW EXPECTATIONS THE NORTH CAROLINA CREATIVE WHO LAUNCHED AN ONLINE PHENOMENON OFFERS A TONGUE-IN-CHEEK LOOK AT OUR STATE AND NATIONAL PARKS. BY ADDIE LADNER

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PHOTOGRAPHS BY EAMON QUEENEY

he daughter of a Navy chief, Amber Share and her family spent much of her childhood on the move. By the time she entered high school, Share had lived in Italy and five different states, and family trips took her all over the country. For Share, national parks became home. “Parks solidified a vacation in my mind,” she says. Those experiences have stayed with her since, etched in her mind and soul. “Anytime I want a break in my life, I wind up in a park,” says Share, who studied graphic design and fine art at the University of Nebraska. A few years ago, she began sketching all those national parks on her iPad, creating retro illustrations of places like Joshua Tree National Park’s desert landscape and the Grand Canyon’s rocky ochre horizon. She stumbled across a perplexing one-star review of a national park on Reddit that had her laughing out loud. “Save yourself some money. Boil some water at home,” said one visitor to Yellowstone — the landmark that spans three states and is home to the world’s tallest active geyser. That became her “aha” moment. Soon, she found other strange, yet hilarious, reviews that provided the perfect amount of words to pair with her illustrations. In December 2019, she shared her illustrations on Instagram with the handle @subparparks — and they went viral. In March 2020, Share left her full-time job at a Raleigh creative agency to focus solely on Subpar Parks and other creative gigs. Her book, America’s Most Extraordinary National Parks and Their Least Impressed Visitors, debuted last month. It shows her illustrations of 63 national parks with 13 additional national monuments, seashores, lakes and national recreation areas. As a nod to her resident state’s diverse and awe-inspiring state parks resting on mountains, sand dunes and dense forests, Share illustrated a North Carolina series of Subpar Parks, shown above, exclusively for SouthPark and its sister publications. Share’s illustrations are a reminder of how lucky we are to be surrounded by incredible state parks and recreation areas in North Carolina. Use them as inspiration to get outside this summer and reconnect with nature. SP

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August SouthPark 2021

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