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FROM THE EDITOR
W
hen my kids were small, if our family did something once, it became tradition — at least in their minds. One spring morning, I came downstairs to find a child-sized coat rack adorned with green construction-paper leaves and a paper-bag trunk — a Mother’s Day tree, my little ones told me — with homemade cards and gifts underneath. If it works for Christmas, why not for other occasions, they surely thought. They had worked hard on it, so I suppressed a laugh and pretended Mother’s Day trees were a perfectly normal way to celebrate the holiday. The tradition went on for years. My kids are older now, new drivers learning to navigate Queen City traffic and trying to figure out college and career paths. The peculiar tradition of the annual Mother’s Day tree is behind us — now, we all laugh about it — but part of me misses those simpler days, when the biggest day-to-day concerns were dealing with popsicle stains on the sofa or settling petty sibling arguments. Such is the life of Emily Maynard Johnson, the subject of this month’s cover story by Caroline Portillo. The mother of four, including three toddlers, gained fame as a reality-TV star but has found love, happiness — and a little bit of chaos — raising her family in south Charlotte.
CATHY MARTIN EDITOR editor@southparkmagazine.com
This May issue marks my first as editor of this magazine, and the first edition published by The Pilot, a Moore County-based media company whose holdings include six regional magazines, an award-winning community newspaper, a digital agency and an independent bookseller, the 66-year-old Country Bookshop in downtown Southern Pines. “We envision a magazine with a soul. We want SouthPark to surprise its readers and to delight in bringing them the stories of Charlotte they never knew or have long since forgotten,” says David Woronoff, president and publisher of The Pilot. “We look forward to making sure SouthPark develops an authentically Charlotte voice.” One thing that has struck me since joining SouthPark is the fondness readers and longtime contributors have for this publication. Our goal is to keep the best parts intact and build on that, developing a space where all of us who live in this community can feel connected, through both the print edition and our digital offerings. I’ve lived in Charlotte for 20 years — as many years as SouthPark has been published — yet since assuming this role, I’m already discovering new things about this city I thought I knew so well. I can’t wait to share them with you. And for all the moms reading this: Whether your Mother’s Day tradition involves a lavish brunch, a big family get-together or a simple craft project made by busy little hands, enjoy the time spent with family. It goes by fast.
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ANTIQUES | LIGHTING | ACCESSORIES 6 8 0 9 - c p h i l l i p s p l a c e c t , c h a r l o t t e , n c 2 8 210 | 7 0 4 . 9 9 9 . 6 9 76 | m o n - s a t 10 a m - 5 p m
www.granville-charlotte.com
photo credit by Michael Blevins
May DEPARTMENTS 23 | Blvd Custom confections at Swirl bakery; West End cafe puts community first; and adrenaline junkies take flight at iFLY.
31 | Bookshelf Top picks for readers.
35 | Simple Life Garden therapy for a veteran journalist and author.
40 | Good Sports A pair of Charlotte golf clubs rank among the state’s best. But is one really better than the other?
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47 | Southwords Scenes and situations that could only happen in the South.
78 | Travel Charleston’s Hotel Bennett was more than a decade in the making — and worth the wait.
85 | Swirl From the 2019 Wish Ball to the Art with Heart fundraiser for Safe Alliance, the city’s best parties and galas.
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SNAPSHOT 96 | Joyful Noise Trombonist Cedric Mangum talks about the meaning behind the music of Gospel Shout!
ABOUT THE COVER Photo of Emily Maynard Johnson by Joseph Bradley Photography. Wardrobe styling by Whitley Adkins Hamlin of The Queen City Style.
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G E N E R A L C O N T R AC TO R
FEATURES 56 | The New Reality Emily Maynard Johnson looked for love on reality TV. She found it back home in Charlotte.
66 | Spirit of the Road Irishman Ollie Mulligan finds that making award-winning whiskey is in his blood.
72 | Glass in the Garden An upcoming exhibit at Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden is the perfect panacea for a hot summer night.
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L I V E BEYOND E XPECTATIONS
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Imagine a place to call home where you can experience modern-day luxury living at its fullest capacity. At Inspire you’ll do just that. We believe exceptional living is all in the details, especially those that have been thoughtfully curated and personalized with you in mind. For those who thrive in a community that boasts a diverse and stimmulating atmosphere. Inspire invites residents to create the lifestyle they’ve always imagined while appealing to the mind, body, and spirit.
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Ben Kinney Publisher Cathy Martin Editor Andie Rose Art Director Alyssa Rocherolle Graphic Designer Brad King Page Leggett Blake Miller Caroline Portillo Michael J. Solender Alicia Valenski Contributing Writers Joseph Bradley Daniel Coston Peter Taylor Contributing Photographers ADVERTISING SALES Jane Rodewald Account Executive 704-621-9198
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SOUTHPARK MALL 704-644-4500 ÷ NORTHLAKE MALL 704-598-3151
Website: southparkmagazine.com Instagram: southparkmagazine Facebook: facebook.com/southparkmagazine Twitter: twitter.com/SouthParkMag ©Copyright 2019. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. Volume 22, Issue 5
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blvd. People. Places. Things.
SWEET TREATS PHOTOGRAPH PROVIDED BY SWIRL
C
alling all dessert lovers: Something sweet is coming to Oakhurst. Swirl plans to open this month as the first tenant in a new mixed-use development on Monroe Road. The bakery will offer custom and signature cupcakes, a variety of custom cakes and “Insta-Cakes” that will be available without pre-ordering, as well as other daily desserts. Owner Ella Stone graduated from Johnson & Wales University with degrees in baking, culinary arts and food service management. From there, the Virginia native launched a home-based business called Celestial Cakery, focused primarily on wedding cakes. Stone calls Swirl a test bakery, where she hopes to bypass the “boring” and focus on baking custom confections. Follow @swirlclt on Instagram to keep up with the bakery’s daily specials. swirlclt.com — Alicia Valenski
southparkmagazine.com | 23
|blvd.
Learning To Fly
Experience the power of flight — minus the plane and parachute — at iFLY, the Charlotte area’s first indoor skydiving facility. iFLY opened its doors at 7840 Lyles Lane NW in Concord in late March, inviting adrenaline junkies of all ages to gear up, attend safety training and take flight in an indoor flight chamber with 120-164 mph winds. “Of all ages” isn’t an exaggeration — iFLY, which has 37 worldwide locations, offers a weekly flight school for children, and it’s had guests up to 103 years old participate in its programs. Ready to feel like a superhero? Pricing starts at $69.95 for two flights. iflyworld.com — Alicia Valenski
Green Scene
The 17th annual Wells Fargo Championship tees off on April 29 at Quail Hollow Club, which is hosting the event for the 16th time. (Wilmington’s Eagle Point Golf Club had the honors in 2017 as Quail Hollow prepped for the PGA Championship.) More than 2,300 volunteers come together each year to help ensure a seamless production. Through its Champions for Education charitable arm, the championship has raised more than $22 million, including $12.9 million for Teach for America. Daily tickets start at $55; a seven-day pass is $175. April 29-May 5, Quail Hollow Club. wellsfargochampionship.com
Garden Envy
Sneak a peek at five private gardens during the 25th Wing Haven Gardeners’ Garden Tour on Saturday, May 4 from 10:00 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday, May 5 from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Tickets are $30 in advance and $35 if purchased on the day of the tour. In addition to the self-guided tour, Wing Haven Garden & Bird Sanctuary, the Elizabeth Lawrence House & Garden and the Student Environmental Education Discovery Wildlife & Children’s Garden will be open for visitors, with live music on Sunday. winghavengardens.org 24
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SouthPark Office 6857 Fairview Road Charlotte, NC 28210
WAVERLY OFFICE
7415 Waverly Walk Avenue Charlotte, NC 28277
Peggy Peterson Team KIM ANTOLINI 704-608-3831
HEATHER BONNER 704-756-1394
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MAren BRISSON-KUESTER 704-287-7072
COOK | PIZZO TEAM 704-236-1135
MELANIE COYNE 704-763-8003
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SHERYL HALLOW 704-907-1144
CHRISTY HOWEY 704-996-0484
WENDY KENNEY 704-579-2554
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ELIZABETH M C NABB 704-763-8713
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PEGGY PETERSON 704-904-6279
JIMMY RANDLE 704-651-1955
JOCELYN ROSE 704-975-9900
SANDRA SINGER 704-231-8575
STACEY STOLAR 704-400-1539
PETER J. THEVAOS 704-576-5673
MEG WILKINSON 704-906-5747
MARGARET WOOD 704-904-6022
KIMBERLY YOUNG 704-560-1340
SHARON YOXSIMER 704-819-2567
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Thanks to a $1 million investment by a local nonprofit, a century-old spindle factory in Charlotte’s West End has been transformed into a 5,500-square-foot industrial-chic space called Community Matters Cafe. The casual spot features grab-and-go options such as house-roasted coffee and breakfast sandwiches, along with a full-service restaurant with a locally sourced menu crafted by Executive Chef Nick Kepp. There’s also a selection of baked goods, including cookie sandwiches, biscotti and more from Pastry Chef Ashley Anna Tuttle to satisfy your sweet tooth. But more important than the mouthwatering menu is the cafe’s mission: Community Matters, an organization that provides philanthropic opportunities for insurance professionals, created the cafe specifically with the goal of allowing graduates of the Charlotte Rescue Mission’s four-month training and rehabilitation program for recovering addicts to gain new skills. Stop by this new community gathering spot to enjoy a cup of coffee, take in the view of Bank of America Stadium — and take part in destigmatizing recovery programs. Community Matters Cafe is located at 821 W. 1st Street. communitymatterscafe.com — Alicia Valenski
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PHOTOGRAPHS PROVIDED BY IFLY/ WING HAVEN/ CHARLOTTE RESCUE MISSION
Coffee & Community
malakjewelers.com
|blvd.
TO-DO
LIST
Blumey Awards
MAY
THIS MONTH’S FIVE ESSENTIAL DATES
4/29-5/11 5/4
5/4-5/5
5/19
5/24-6/9
Celebrate art, food, music and innovation at Charlotte SHOUT!, a 13-day citywide festival featuring more than 75 concerts, performances, art installations and more. The celebration begins with the Charlotte Jazz Festival, a multiday event headlined by Wynton Marsalis and the Future of Jazz Orchestra. Ticket prices vary, though many events are free. charlotteshout.com
Enjoy local art, crafts and music along Little Sugar Creek Greenway at the ninth annual Kings Drive Art Walk. The free event, an extension of Festival in the Park, takes place on the greenway between East Morehead Street and the Pearle Street Bridge. Hours are 11 a.m.- 6 p.m. on May 4 and 11 a.m.- 5 p.m on May 5.
Be dazzled by some of the Charlotte region’s most talented high-school students at the 8th annual Blumey Awards, which recognizes outstanding achievement in musical theater. Previous Blumey winners include Eva Noblezada, who earned a Tony Award Best Actress nomination for her role as Kim in the 2017 Broadway revival of Miss Saigon. Tickets go on sale in early May — order early as the show always sells out — and will be available at blumenthalarts.org.
Laugh along with the cast of The Producers, the 12-Tony Awardwinning musical adapted from the 1967 film of the same name. Tickets for the show, at the Eloise MacDonald Playhouse at Theatre Charlotte, are $28. theatrecharlotte.org
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Experience Bank of America Stadium from a totally new perspective when the inaugural Untappd Beer Festival takes the field from 3 to 8 p.m. Hosted by the Wilmington-based company behind the popular beerrecommendation app, the festival will showcase more than 170 breweries and feature live entertainment. Tickets include a souvenir glass and range from $50 for general admission to $200 for a VIP pass, which includes exclusive tastings, food pairings and a “swag pack.” Designated-driver tickets are $10. untappd.com/ festival
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|bookshelf
May Books NEW PICKS FOR DISCRIMINATING READERS
FICTION Tears of the Trufflepig, by Fernando A. Flores This debut novel weaves in ancient myth, foodie culture and a modern Hunter S. Thompson-like journalist on the hunt for truth. Narcotics are legal in South Texas but there’s a new contraband on the market: ancient Olmec artifacts, shrunken indigenous heads and animal species brought back from extinction to clothe, feed and generally amuse the very wealthy. Esteban Bellacosa has lived in the border town of MacArthur long enough to know to keep quiet and avoid the dangerous syndicates who make their money through trafficking. He soon finds himself in the middle of an increasingly perilous, surreal, psychedelic journey, where he encounters legends of the long-disappeared Aranaña Indian tribe and their object of worship: the mysterious Trufflepig, said to possess strange powers. Flores’ writing is already drawing comparisons as a wild Amor Towles.
The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek , by Kim Michele Richardson Thanks to FDR’s Kentucky Pack Horse Library Project, Troublesome Creek got its very own traveling librarian, Cussy Mary Carter, hired to distribute reading material by packhorse. Carter’s not just a book woman, she’s also the last of her kind, her skin a shade of blue unlike anyone else. Based on the combined histories of the Pack Horse Library Project and the families with blue skin, The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek is a novel of raw courage, fierce strength, and one woman’s determination to bring a little bit of hope to the dark hollers.
The Guest Book , by Sarah Blake The best-selling author of The Postmistress examines not just a privileged American family, but a privileged America. Moving through three generations and back and forth in time, The Guest Book asks how we remember and what we choose to forget. It shows the untold secrets we inherit and pass on, unknowingly echoing our parents and grandparents. Blake’s triumphant novel tells the story of a family and a country that buries its past in quiet, until the present calls forth a reckoning. Mistress of the Ritz, by Melanie Benjamin A captivating novel based on the extraordinary real-life American woman, Blanche Auzello, who secretly worked for the French Resistance during World War II. Blanche and her husband, Claude, are the mistress and master of the Ritz, allowing the glamour and glitz to take their minds off their troubled marriage, and off the secrets that they keep from their guests — and each other. In June 1940, the German army swept into Paris, setting up headquarters at the Hôtel Ritz. Suddenly, with the likes of Hermann Goëring moving into suites once occupied by royalty, Blanche and Claude must navigate a terrifying new reality. In order to survive — and strike a blow against their Nazi “guests” — they spin a web of deceit that ensnares everything and everyone they cherish. Based on true events, Mistress of the Ritz is a taut tale of suspense wrapped up in a love story for the ages.
Prairie Fever, by Michael Parker Parker eloquently captures the desolate beauty of the Oklahoma prairie in prose that is both searing and lyrical as he tells the story of two teenage sisters in the early 1900s. Lorena is sensible while Elise is always lost in flights of fancy. When a series of events leads them to realize they have feelings for the same man — their young schoolteacher — the two are driven apart by years and hundreds of miles. With poetic intensity and deadpan humor, Parker reminds us of how our choices are often driven by our passions. NONFICTION Rough Magic, by Lara Prior-Palmer In 2013, the 19-year-old London native and future Stanford graduate competed in the world’s toughest horse race: the 1,000-kilometer Mongol Derby, a course in Mongolia that recreates the horse messenger system developed by Genghis Khan. Driven by a lifelong love of horses, restlessness, stubbornness, and the realization she had nothing to lose, Prior-Palmer raced for 10 days through extreme heat and terrifying storms, catching a few hours of sleep where she could in the homes of nomadic families. Battling bouts of illness and dehydration, exhaustion and bruising falls, she scrambled up mountains, forded rivers, crossed woodlands, wetlands, arid dunes and the open steppe to become the first woman to win the race and the youngest person ever to finish. SP
Picked by our book expert Kimberly Daniels Taws southparkmagazine.com | 31
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|simple life
Dirty Hands, Happy Heart AND OTHER GIFTS FROM THE UNIVERSE
BY JIM DODSON
W
hen all else fails, Mulligan the dog and I head for the garden. Possibly because I hail from a family of Carolina farmers and rabbit tobacco preachers, digging in the dirt is not only second nature and something that draws me closer to my maker, but serves as a cheap and effective therapy in a world that seems increasingly shaped by the insatiable gods of work and money. For many Americans, work has become something of its own secular religion. According to Gallup, Americans average more hours of work per year than any of our fellow developed nations, yet 87% of U.S employees don’t feel fulfilled by how they earn their living. That’s a staggering problem that helps contribute to rising depression and addiction across all sectors of society. In 1919, as Fast Company recently noted, 4 million Americans went on strike to demand fairer wages and a five-day work week — the beginning, historians point
out, of the so-called American leisure class. As a result, weekends became enshrined in the culture. The bad news? We’re losing ground to our obsession to work longer and harder with diminishing returns, the average American working a full day longer than the 40-hour work week fought for by our early 20th century ancestors. Maybe you’re one of the fortunate ones who loves what you do. I certainly am, having enjoyed a varied journalism career and book-writing life that has taken me to places I only dreamed about as a kid. Today, I own the privilege of serving as editor of four robust arts-and-culture magazines staffed by a talented crew of folks across this state. To our good fortune, this month we are thrilled to welcome SouthPark magazine to our family of North State publications, a well loved magazine that speaks to the heart of Charlotte. With Cathy Martin at the helm as editor — fresh from many years helping shape and elevate Business North Carolina magazine — we are confident you will find much of what you’ve always loved about SouthPark as
familiar as ever, simply bolstered by new voices, writing with heart, and subjects that expand our horizons. Whatever else may be true, we are a merry band of storytellers and artists who love what we do and never take that gift from the gods for granted. How we spend our time away from the job says a lot about us, a lesson some of us had to learn the hard way. At age 30, in 1983, I was the senior writer for the largest news magazine in the South, the Sunday Magazine of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, a magazine where Margaret Mitchell once worked and the South’s finest writers appeared. Over my seven years in Atlanta, covering everything from Klan rallies to presidential candidacies, I took only two or three full weeks of vacation. When I finally received the summons to Washington, D.C., for the interview I’d grown up hoping for, I felt utterly empty, burned-out, ready to find a new way of earning my daily crust. The unexpected epiphany came following my big interview in Washington when I phoned my father from the outer southparkmagazine.com | 35
|simple life
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office of vice president George H. W. Bush. I’d been one of the first reporters to travel with Bush during the 1980 presidential campaign and gotten to know him fairly well — sharing a love of baseball, beer and New England. My dad asked how the job interview went. I told him it seemed to go well, save for one small problem: I wasn’t sure I wanted the job — or even to be a journalist any more. “I have an idea,” he said calmly. “Why don’t you change your flight plans back to Atlanta and stop off in North Carolina?” The next morning, he picked me up at Raleigh’s airport and drove us to Pinehurst. My Haig Ultra golf clubs were in the back seat of his car. They hadn’t been touched by me in years. For at that point, almost incomprehensibly I hadn’t played a full round of golf — the game I loved best — more than once or twice while living in the hometown of Bobby Jones. Instead, I’d worked myself into an early grave — or so I feared. After our round on famed No. 2 we sat together on the porch of the Donald Ross Grill and talked over beers about what I feared might be a premature midlife crisis, or worse. He could have laughed at my youthful angst. But he didn’t. My old man was one great fellow, a former newsman and advertising executive with a poet’s heart. My nickname for him was Opti the Mystic. After listening to me pour out my tale of existential career woe, he smiled and remarked, “I wouldn’t give up on journalism just yet, sport. You have a God-given talent for stringing together words and telling stories of the heart. I do, however, have a small suggestion for you. You may laugh.” “Try me,” I said, desperate for any guidance from Opti. “Perhaps you should try writing about things you love instead of things you don’t.” I looked at him and laughed. “What kinds of things?” I asked. He shrugged and sipped his beer. He was 66 years old, the age I am today. “Only you can answer that. Use your imagination. What do you love? You’ll find the best answer there. It may sound ridiculously corny to you, but try telling
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|simple life the universe what you love and you may be surprised at the results. The path is never straight. But trust your gut. One thing leads to another, including people.” Humoring him, I admitted that I loved golf and being in nature but didn’t know a soul in either of those worlds and couldn’t imagine how I would find my way into them. Once a single-handicap golfer, as I’d proven that day at No. 2, I couldn’t even break a hundred on the golf course anymore. Having grown up hiking and camping in the mountains and forests of my home state, it had been years since I’d been deep in the woods. I’d even loved mowing neighborhood lawns and working in my mom’s garden, but hadn’t done that in almost a decade. Still, something got into my head. Or maybe it was my gut. A short time later, I withdrew my name from consideration for jobs in Washington, quit my gig in Atlanta and took a two-month writing sabbatical at the Virginia Center for Creative Arts at
Sweet Briar College. It was springtime in Virginia. I wrote for three or four hours every morning, working on a novel about a Georgia farm family for a legendary editor at Harper & Row. In the afternoons, I took long walks through the pasturelands, fields and woods of beautiful Amherst County, Patrick Henry country. One afternoon, I helped an elderly couple down the road weed their garden and took home a stunning bunch of peonies that reminded me of my mom’s garden back home in Greensboro. The novel was a dud. My heart was never in it. But the legendary editor, pointing out that books would come when the timing was right, insisted that I call Judson Hale at Yankee Magazine in New Hampshire. I followed up on his advice and soon found myself working as the first Southerner and senior writer in Yankee Magazine’s history. I got myself a pup from a Vermont Humane Society, lived in a cottage by the Green River and taught
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myself to fly-fish. My heartbeat slowed. I even rediscovered my lost passion for golf on an old course where Rudyard Kipling once chased the game. A few years after that, a story I wrote about a forgotten hero of women’s golf even landed me a sweet job at Golf Magazine and a decade’s service as the golf editor for American Express, a job that took me around the world and inspired me to take my dad back to England and Scotland where he learned to play golf as a soldier during the war. He was dying of cancer. It was our final journey. The little book I wrote about, Final Rounds, became a bestseller that’s still in print. Opti had been right about all of it — the power of doing what you love, listening to heart and gut while expressing your desires and gratitude to a generous universe. Whatever else may be true, I am proof that one good thing — and more important, one good person — can invariably lead to another. Over the next two decades, I built a house on a forested hill on the coast of Maine, fathered two wonderful children and basically invested their college funds into a massive English garden in the woods. A dozen books followed, including Arnold Palmer’s memoir. That job brought me home again, thanks to a chance to teach writing at Hollins University in Virginia and simultaneously help my partners create distinctive arts-and-culture magazines that people in this state seem almost as passionate about as we are. Today, I consciously belong to an intentionally slower world, taking time to do the work I love but never failing to spend time in the garden with my dog, Mulligan. A golf round with my childhood pal never hurts, either. Perhaps I’ve just come full circle. In any case, friends tell me I’m more productive than ever. If so, that’s probably because dirty hands make for a happy heart, as an aging gardener once said to me. That aging gardener was my mom, who had a magical way with peonies and roses. May was her favorite month, the month where spring gardens reach their glory. Mulligan agrees with me that our roses and peonies have never looked better. SP
SouthPark Office 6857 Fairview Road Charlotte, NC 28210
WAVERLY OFFICE
7415 Waverly Walk Avenue Charlotte, NC 28277
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2500 Red Fox Trail
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7912 Baltusrol Lane
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|good sports
Tale of the Tape CHARLOTTE COUNTRY CLUB AND QUAIL HOLLOW CLUB CONSISTENTLY RANK AMONG THE STATE’S BEST GOLF COURSES. BUT, IS ONE REALLY BETTER THAN THE OTHER?
T
BY BRAD KING
hey are friendly rivalries nearly as old as the game itself — certainly dating back as long as golf has been played in America. There’s Shinnecock Hills versus National Golf Links of America, two of the country’s oldest and most renowned golf clubs located practically across the street from each other on Long Island’s tony northeastern shore. On the West Coast, in California, there’s Pebble Beach versus Cypress Point — two seaside gems succulently nestled side by side along Monterey Peninsula’s jaw-dropping 17-mile drive. In both cases, a pair of classic, highly ranked golf designs share the same zip code. But, between the two, which is really “the best?” In the Queen City, Charlotte Country Club and Quail Hollow Club do not share a zip code. Charlotte CC is located 4 miles east of uptown in the historic Plaza-Midwood neighborhood. Quail Hollow is adjacent to South Park, about 10 miles across town from Charlotte CC. But the two private enclaves both boast centerpiece golf courses that are not only among the best in North Carolina, but anywhere — bucket-list playing experiences for any self-respecting golf nut. In the prestigious Top 100 N.C. Golf Courses for 2019, Quail Hollow ranks No. 6 in the state and Charlotte CC is No. 8, demonstrating the overall strength of the region’s golf industry. The rankings were published in the April issue of
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Business North Carolina magazine and at NCGolfPanel.com. “I think having two markedly different but great courses so close to each other is remarkable,” says Kevin Brafford, longtime executive director of the N.C. Golf Panel, which is comprised of members of the golf media, as well as golf club professionals, noted amateurs, college golf coaches and business leaders. “They offer varying challenges during the course of a round, yet they’re the same in that at the end of the day, you walk off either knowing you’ve just experienced something special.” To determine the rankings, the panel uses a scoring system and considers factors including routing, design, strategy, memorability, fairness, variety and aesthetics. Other Charlotte courses in this year’s North Carolina Top 100 include Myers Park Country Club (No. 38), Carmel Country Club (62), Ballantyne Country Club (72), Cedarwood Country Club (73) and Carolina Golf Club (94). As with Shinnecock Hills and National Golf Links, and Cypress Point and Pebble Beach, Charlotte CC and Quail Hollow are similar in some ways but very different in others. While both clubs have lengthy waitlists to join, Charlotte CC is bigger — it has about 1,000 members — and combines elements of both a family country club and a golf club. Quail Hollow is invitation-only, capped at 350 members and considered more exclusively a golf club. “This is a golf club, plain and simple,” said Quail Hollow President Johnny Harris. “We don’t discriminate against anyone —
but slow players.” Established in 1910, Charlotte CC is older. In fact, Quail Hollow was a spinoff of Charlotte CC dating back to an evening in 1959, when a handful of Charlotte’s most prominent business leaders — all members of Charlotte CC — met to vent their frustration over the club’s expanding golf membership. The men had found themselves reduced to calling the pro shop early on Thursdays to secure a Saturday morning tee time. Johnny Harris’ father, insurance execu-
tive James J. Harris, hosted the meeting at his home. He proposed starting a new club on a parcel of land his wife had inherited from her father, former North Carolina governor Cameron Morrison. After considering numerous other options — including adding another golf course at Charlotte CC — the group determined it would form a new club of its own. Thus, Quail Hollow was conceived. Golf architect George Cobb, who had recently completed work on Augusta National’s Par-3 Course, was handpicked
to design the layout, completing the job in late spring 1961. Charlotte CC’s creation dates back to the beginning of the 20th century. In 1910, golf was still in its infancy in the United States, and there wasn’t a course within 50 miles of Charlotte. That year, what was then known as the “Mecklenburg Country Club” hired three-time Carolina Amateur champion Fred Laxton to produce a nine-hole golf course. Seven years later, the name was changed to Charlotte Country Club.
In 1915, the membership decided to expand the golf course and brought in transplanted Scotsman Donald Ross from Pinehurst to design the layout. A decade later, Ross converted the green complexes from sand to grass, and he further tinkered with the layout off and on until his death in 1948. The golf course at Charlotte CC is strategically old school, while Quail Hollow is big and brawny. Both courses have been renovated through the years, and both have hosted numerous prestigious events. southparkmagazine.com | 41
|good sports At Charlotte CC in 1962, famed golf course architect Robert Trent Jones Sr. rearranged holes to create a practice range and redesigned the others. In 2006, aerial photos of the course from 1938 were discovered, revealing that Jones’ revisions had altered Ross’ original layout. So the club brought in Ron Prichard, an architect known for his work on Ross designs, to renovate the layout and restore the Ross look while keeping the layout up to par with the modern game. In 2009, Golf Digest named Charlotte CC as its Best New Remodel. “Ron Pritchard did an amazing job making this Donald Ross track just pop,” wrote one N.C. Golf Panel member following the reopening. “It is full of excellent holes and phenomenal green sites, fantastic terrain — more uphill approaches than downhill ones, and it oozes with ambience.” Charlotte CC has hosted four USGA championships: the 1972 U.S. Men’s Amateur, 2000 U.S. Senior Men’s Amateur, 2010 U.S. Women’s Amateur and the
2018 U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship. Meanwhile, Arnold Palmer, a close friend of Harris, had suggested through the years that the PGA Tour would bring a new event to Charlotte if it could find the proper venue. “You build the right golf course,” said Palmer, who owned Arnold Palmer Cadillac in Charlotte and was in his playing heyday at the time, “and I’ll make sure it gets a tournament.” True to his word, Palmer delivered. In 1969, the Kemper Open came to Quail Hollow, where the PGA Tour event would remain for the next decade. In 1997, Harris marshaled the transformation of the club’s golf course, bringing in architect Tom Fazio to perform the first redesign work of his career. Cobb’s original layout at Quail Hollow was long, wide and fun, if somewhat nondescript. Fazio added teeth to the course, tightening the fairways, altering or removing the old tee boxes, flashing the bunkers and raising the green complexes, while also adding undulation and false fronts. In 2003, following a 24-year absence,
the PGA Tour returned to Quail Hollow with what is today called the Wells Fargo Championship. Considered one of the Tour’s top events outside the majors and traditionally attracting one of the year’s strongest fields, the championship has become renowned for catering to players — and their caddies and families — with perks and attention to detail, as well as immaculate grounds and large, enthusiastic galleries. Quail Hollow’s trio of finishing holes has regularly ranked among the PGA Tour’s most difficult, earning the nickname “The Green Mile.” In 2014, Fazio oversaw a $6.5-million overhaul of the course, including a lengthening of the brutal three-hole stretch of fairways, greens and water hazards. “I can’t think of three holes in golf, including majors, that are tougher finishing holes than these,” said 2012 U.S. Open champion Webb Simpson, a member at Quail Hollow. Quail Hollow’s latest incarnation took place prior to the club’s hosting the 2017 PGA Championship, one of the
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SouthPark Office 6857 Fairview Road Charlotte, NC 28210
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|good sports PGA Tour’s four major tournaments, and included three new holes on the front nine. In 2021, golf’s international spotlight will return to Quail Hollow once again when the club hosts the Presidents Cup. So, when all is said and done and the numbers have been crunched, which course is “better”? Well, as they say, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. “Both golf experiences are real treats in their own unique way,” says one of the several dozen people with overlapping memberships at both Charlotte CC and Quail Hollow, who wished to remain anonymous. “Charlotte is a traditional Donald Ross design, very walkable, while Quail is massive and challenging, with big undulating greens. I think Charlotte can be just as challenging in terms of its setup. I find Quail harder, but there are others who tell me they think Charlotte is harder. “You really can’t go wrong either way,” he adds. “I count my blessings every day.” SP
2019 top Charlotte area courses ranked by the N.C. Golf Panel 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12.
Quail Hollow Club, Charlotte; N.C. rank: 6 Charlotte Country Club, Charlotte; N.C. rank: 8 Trump National Golf Club, Mooresville; N.C. rank: 26 Myers Park Country Club, Charlotte; N.C. rank: 38 The Club at Irish Creek, Kannapolis; N.C. rank: 45 Gaston Country Club, Gastonia; N.C. rank: 46 River Run Country Club, Davidson; N.C. rank: 56 Carmel Country Club (South), Charlotte; N.C. rank: 62 Ballantyne Country Club, Charlotte; N.C. rank: 72 Cedarwood Country Club, Charlotte; N.C. rank: 73 The Peninsula Club, Cornelius; N.C. rank: 76 Rocky River Golf Club, Concord; N.C. rank: 87
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|southwords
Only in the South WHEN LAYAWAY SIMPLY WON’T DO
BY SUSAN S. KELLY
A
dmit it: There are scenes and situations that could only happen in the South. I’m not talking about moonshine, magnolias, accents or tobacco. Collards, however, are involved. Exhibit A: One bitter-cold, sleeting January, my mother was hosting her luncheon bridge club gathering at her house (it’s worth noting that my mother had lived in a different town for 18 years, and her bridge club had never replaced her; they’d used substitutes. For 18 years). Never mind that these were the ’70s, they were still — Only in the South — the days of linen tablecloths, sterling silver, crystal goblets, and what I term girl food: lemon bars, asparagus spears, and a chicken casserole concocted with Campbell’s mushroom soup. Somewhere between the shuffling and the cleaning, the disposal backed up, the dishwasher broke down, and water from ice-damming in the gutters began running down the walls. The luncheon was not a success. The minute the last guest left, my mother drove straight to Montaldo’s and bought herself a mink coat. (Also worth noting: All through my childhood, when I watched game shows on TV, and fur coats were the ultimate prize, my mother was very firm in her belief that no one under 50 should own a fur coat. She’d reached the required age, but only just.) However, she had to put the mink coat on layaway. That night, she told her mother, my grandmother, who lived in
the ultra-sophisticated burg of Walnut Cove in Stokes County, what her day had been like. The next morning, my grandmother drove straight to Montaldo’s, bought the mink coat herself, and delivered it to my mother. Not so much because she felt sorry for my mother — which she no doubt did — but because there was just no way that a daughter of hers was going to have anything on layaway at Montaldo’s. Exhibit B: A friend of my mother’s — we’ll call her Joan — was having a meeting at her house, necessitating finery, flowers, decorum, and girl food (see above). Minutes before the meeting, Joan smelled something awful. The maid had elected that particular morning to cook up a mess of collards (not girl food). Joan panicked. “You can’t cook collards now, Myrna!” she scolded, revolted by the stench, and that a dozen grande dames were about to descend into her stinking living room. (Did I mention the meeting involved debutantes? Also, Only in the South.) “You’ve got to get rid of those collards!” So, Myrna did what she was told.
She took the big pot of greens off the stove and emptied the whole malodorous mess down the toilet. Which promptly stopped up and overflowed. And no embroidered hand towels in a powder room, or asparagus spears with hollandaise, can overcome a clogged commode, collards, and matrons clad in ultrasuede. Exhibit C: My friend Betty grew up with an irascible, alcoholic mother. A real character, who I loved, but was, nevertheless, a drunk. Years later, at a party, Betty was talking to a friend who was married to another adult child of an alcoholic, in a family that might have had even more dysfunction and irregularities than Betty’s. Still, the son — we’ll call him James — had survived and thrived. Thinking she was delivering a compliment, Betty said, “Look at James. He’s successful. Normal. Happy. With all that was going on in his house, how in the world did he turn out so well?” The friend didn’t miss a beat. “Just like you did, Betty. Good help.” Debutantes, collards, Montaldo’s, and good help. Only in the South. SP southparkmagazine.com | 47
SouthPark Office 6857 Fairview Road Charlotte, NC 28210
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7415 Waverly Walk Avenue Charlotte, NC 28277
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E
mily Maynard Johnson comes to the door with her 1-year-old son on her hip, her 2-year-old by her side and her 3-year-old talking to her from the staircase. “I should have scheduled this for when Ricki was home,” she says, referring to her 13-year-old daughter. “She could have wrangled them.” But Emily, 33, has a good system. She ushers her boys — Jennings, 3; Gibson, 2; and Gatlin, 1 — to the wide front porch of her Montibello home, a stunning stucco with a California-wine-country aesthetic. Scattered around is some leftover confetti from a birthday celebration for her husband, Tyler, also 33. She pulls a wand out of a gallon-size bottle of bubbles, which provides a distraction for all of two minutes. Then, the boys want snacks. Emily ushers them, granola bars in hand, through the blooming cherry trees in the front yard to the trampoline in the side yard, where they jump, roll around and (we’re talking boys, here) knock each other over. Emily, dressed in a gray Blondie T-shirt, fitted Paige jeans and glittered Golden Goose sneakers, climbs in periodically to referee. And when she needs to, she pulls out the trump card: “Do I need to call Santa?”
SEARCHING FOR LOVE
It’s been more than eight years since the world fell in love with Emily Maynard as she searched for love on reality TV. She started on The Bachelor, the popular dating show where women compete for the affections of a handsome man and are weeded out week by week. She was 24 at the time, a single mom from Morgantown, W. Va. Her backstory was memorable: When she was 19, Emily’s fiancé, NASCAR driver Ricky Hendrick, died in a plane crash. Five days later, she found out she was pregnant. She named her daughter Ricki after her dad. Soft-spoken Emily stole Texas bar owner Brad Womack’s heart on the show, which aired in 2011, and the finale ended with a proposal. They split within months. In 2012, Emily returned to the spotlight, this time on Season 8 of sister show The Bachelorette, where she dated 25 men, traveled to exotic places — often with daughter Ricki in tow — and did a lot of talking about her feelings. After two months of filming, she picked entrepreneur Jef Holm, who proposed. For a third time, she said yes. A few months later, they parted ways. “I just felt so beyond broken,” Emily says. “I had promised the world, ‘Really, I really mean it this time.’” Emily came home to Charlotte and settled back into the day-to-day routine of her life with Ricki. Then she got a text from Tyler Johnson.
‘ON ONE CONDITION’
Tyler and Emily had first connected at a birthday party years earlier, before Emily’s appearance on The Bachelor. They bumped into each other again later, when they were both volunteering at Quail Hollow Middle School. Every Thursday, Emily taught jewelry-making. And every Thursday, Tyler would help Emily carry the boxes of beads to her car. He thought she was beautiful and loved her commitment
to the students. She thought he was handsome and loved his calm confidence, grounded in faith. But by the time Tyler asked for Emily’s number, she’d already signed on to be The Bachelorette. He was stunned when she told him. “I was like, ‘This is crazy. Do you not feel this connection we have? Are you nuts?’” Tyler recalls. Then again, he didn’t put much stock in reality-TV-born romance. “If you’re not engaged after the show, we’ll hang out,” he said. But Emily did come back engaged, and, for a little while, she and Holm tried to make it work. A few months after their 2013 split, Emily got a text from Tyler: Would she mind tweeting about an upcoming social-justice conference he was helping promote? I will on one condition, she said: You have to take me to dinner. About a year and a half later, Emily and Tyler were wed in a surprise ceremony at a farm in York, S.C. Attendees thought they were coming to an engagement party. Instead, they found a stunning rustic setting with lanterns suspended from oak trees, a tent lit with chandeliers and string lights, and tables covered in peonies and hydrangeas. Emily and Ricki both wore dresses of blush and white.
LOVE LETTER TO GOD
Little more than a year after they married, Emily gave birth to Jennings. Then came Gibson and Gatlin: three kids in twoand-a-half years. And Emily still thinks about having a No. 5. “I just like chaos all the time,” she says. “That’s when I thrive. Even if they go to their grandparents’ house for a night, for the first hour I’m like, ‘This is amazing,’ and then I’m like, ‘This is horrible.’” Most days, she’s up by 6:30 a.m. Tyler makes breakfast for the kids, typically pancakes and eggs. Emily still has some outfits from her Bachelorette days — yes, they let you keep the clothes — but the high heels, sequins and statement jewelry she was known for on the show (“It was like Dolly Parton and Loretta Lynn threw up all over me,” she says) are a far cry from her current aesthetic. Her goal now: try to wear black leggings only two times a week. Now, the kids are back inside and equipped with Firecracker popsicles on her white sofa. The youngest, Gatlin, drips red popsicle juice down his bare chest and onto a pillow. Emily is unfazed. She turns on a YouTube video of Blippi, an educational series for children, and settles down at her dining-room table. Emily has a level of comfort in her own skin that she didn’t have in her reality-TV days or in the aftermath of the broken engagements, when she would read and obsess over every story written about her. Even if a post was positive, she’d go straight to the comments section. She chronicled her emotional journey in a 2016 book, I Said Yes: My Story of Heartbreak, Redemption, and True Love, published by Thomas Nelson (a faith-based arm of HarperCollins) and written with the help of ghostwriter A.J. Gregory. But while the book unearthed some feelings about her time on the ABC franchises, she says it also served as a love letter — to God. Emily sourced much of her material from meticulous journals she’s kept for years, an exhausting process that left her feeling southparkmagazine.com | 59
wrung out and hungover. The running theme in those journals: loneliness and emptiness, and a constant search for fulfillment through a relationship or through Ricki. “And the one thing I’ve learned over the past however many years is that (fulfillment) can only come from Jesus,” Emily says. “That changed everything for me. I didn’t feel like I needed to be in a relationship. I didn’t feel like I needed the approval of the world. I didn’t feel like if I got a nasty comment on Instagram that the world hated me. There’s not much that rattles me anymore.” Her faith has given her the strength to stop letting others’ comments shape the way she views herself. Tyler, in particular, wants to shape the way Ricki views men — and how she should be treated by them. The general manager of Hendrick Mercedes on Independence Boulevard, Tyler loves to pick Ricki up in a fancy car, bring her flowers and take her on a date. “I fell in love with both of them,” he says. “When I married Emily, I married Ricki.”
NO SELLOUT
In case you’re wondering, Tyler has never seen an episode of The Bachelor or The Bachelorette. And Emily hasn’t seen either show since her own seasons. Watching other contestants and hearing the familiar tropes just felt too weird, too real. “I could just see him, picturing me saying all the things people say on the show, like, ‘I’ve never felt this way before,’” says Emily. “It just felt like cruel punishment to have to watch and imagine your wife saying all those things.” It’s been years since Emily was on The Bachelorette, but her following is still strong. These days, Emily has nearly 380,000 Twitter followers, 317,000 likes on her public Facebook page and nearly 650,000 followers on Instagram. Most of her posts are about suburban-mom struggles — like how Target needs a day care or how she has to summon up courage to take all four kids to Discovery Place at once. In March, Emily traveled to Los Angeles for a reunion of all the former leading ladies on The Bachelorette. There, she realized most of the previous contestants were parlaying their TV fandom into Instagram followings and, in turn, Instagram sponsorships. “We were out there and people were like, ‘You haven’t even posted since February! What are you doing?’” Emily says, “There’s a lot of money to be made, apparently. But I’m not selling Flat Tummy Tea. I’m not selling Sugar Bear Hair. I’m just not doing that, out of principle.” And she won’t let Ricki create any social-media accounts herself just yet. But that doesn’t stop Ricki from calling Emily with a special request. “I have a question,” Ricki says. “My friend follows you on Instagram. Will you follow him back?” Apparently, more than half a million followers on Instagram lends you some serious street cred, whether the 13-year-old contingent has ever seen The Bachelor or not. Emily just laughs, rolls her eyes, and sets her sights on the mound of stuffed animals and toys Jennings and Gatlin are resurrecting from the hall closet: “I’m busy!” she says. SP 60
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DRESS CODE Stylist Whitley Adkins Hamlin of the Queen City Style sat down with Emily to discuss how the Charlotte mom’s personal style has evolved. Comments were edited for brevity. A lot has changed since The Bachelorette. You are now a mom to not just one, but four children! How would you describe your personal style? I am constantly running and chasing, so it’s very easy to throw on a pair of leggings and call it a day. Recently, however, I really have tried to make the effort with my daily attire because I find that it really changes the way I feel. How has your personal style has changed over time? I go for more classic styles versus trends. I am trying to dress my age. When you are 20, you can wear whatever you want. I’m 33 now, so I am dressing more consciously for my body type. Whose personal style you admire? I love layers — I think that Nicole [Scronce] at Capitol is the master of layering. My mother-in-law, Linda Hendrick, has amazing style. She always has on the most amazing outfit that is so natural and perfect for her personality. It’s not about what label is current or trending but more about what is the most unique piece she can find. Let’s talk about Ricki’s clothes and being a mom to a young teenager. Right now, for girls, the style is “less is more.” Ricki is 13, and so I remind her modest is hottest. Ricki has her own personal style. She dresses to [the beat of] her own drum, which I think it is great. What do you think about Tyler’s personal style? Tyler has always had great style. He can dress up in a beautiful suit and look great, or wear farm clothes and look like a super-attractive cowboy. Let’s back it up a bit and talk about your style in The Bachelorette. I had a stylist, and he was amazing. He knew that I was Southern and very girly, so he provided me with clothes that were all totally over the top: sequins, ruffles, feathers. He sort of dressed me like a Southern beauty queen, but I rolled with it and loved it all! You always look put together. Were you into clothes as a child? I always was. I think some of my biggest fights with my mom were about clothes. Now, it is just not my number one priority. I think this is part of being comfortable with who you are. Family is my focus. It’s a season in life ... I can just throw on whatever in my closet takes very little effort and still feel happy.
Attico purple sequin dress, Coplon’s, $3,038, Sophia Webster chiara embroidered butterfly satin sandals, Neiman Marcus, $795, Mercedes Salazar crystal hibiscus earrings, Poole Shop, $338, Noelle Munoz 6 stone ring, $165, all other rings Emily’s own
On Ricki: Giambattista Valli long-sleeve floral mini dress, Capitol, $2,810, Jennifer Behr Daniela stud earrings, Poole Shop, $198 On Emily: Dolce & Gabbana short-sleeve high neck floral gown, Capitol, $2,895, vintage suede belt with gold hardware, stylist’s grandmother’s, Jennifer Behr Belosa earrings, Poole Shop, $525
Caroline Constas Liliana dress, Coplon’s, $795, Eric Javits Antigua woven raffia fringe sun hat, Neiman Marcus, $32, Sachin & Babi white coconut earrings, Coplon’s, $250, Blinde sunglasses, stylist’s own
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On Emily: Marc Jacobs Runway long-sleeve organza blouse, Capitol, $995, Dolce & Gabbana floral maxi skirt, Capitol, $1,495, Elyssa Bass pearl circle earrings, Coplon’s, $178 On Tyler: ABBEYDALE two-piece suit, $1,550, ABBEYDALE custom white dress shirt, $205
“L
et’s have a test,” says Ollie Mulligan in his rich County Dublin brogue. “Try this and tell me what you think.” Standing in the elegant Broken Spoke bar adjacent to Mulligan’s Great Wagon Road Distilling Company, tucked away in an industrial park near bustling South End, the bearded distiller offers his visitor a cocktail made with his pet creation, Rúa American Single Malt Whiskey. “Feel no pressure,” he adds with a mischievous chuckle. “But remember, my old Irish grandfather is probably somewhere watching.” The drink is an Old-Fashioned, the simple all-American bar classic that 66
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predates the Civil War and involves whiskey, simple syrup, a dash or two of bitters, a cherry and a slice of orange. The visitor, who fancies himself somewhat of a bourbon aficionado, takes a wary sip and shakes his head. A huge grin lights up Mulligan’s face. He seems to know the verdict before it’s given. “Wow. Is that ever good,” gushes the surprised whiskey snob. By now, Mulligan should be accustomed to this sort of enthusiastic reaction to the taste of Rúa. The name means “red” in Gaelic. “Generally, as in someone with red hair, which mine was before two kids,” he quips. The simplest definition of a single-malt whiskey is one that is produced by a single distillery, using malted barley as the only grain in
the mash. While single-malt spirits are produced throughout the world, most hail from Scotland, where they are aged in used sherry or bourbon casks. With its distinctive label and notes of vanilla and caramel, however, Rúa is aged in virgin oak barrels and hails from the heart of south Charlotte, with merely its soul born in the ancient Gaelic hills. In 2016 at Christmastime, Mulligan’s small-batch whiskey burst into public view after capturing first place in the drink category of Garden & Gun magazine’s coveted annual Made in the South Awards. “In terms of business, that lit us up like a Christmas tree,” Mulligan says. Prior to this breakthrough, the company was shipping a dozen or so bottles of Rúa a week to customers through its
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online store, hoping to gain a toehold in the competitive world of craft spirits. “Within hours of our win getting out, the impact was amazing. The next week, we sold 200 bottles and have never really slowed down since.” Not long afterward, Rúa captured a pair of top honors at international spirits competitions in London and Los Angeles. “The really nice thing in Los Angeles was that Rúa beat Buffalo Trace bourbon by a point, a spirit that is almost legendary among bourbon fans. We can only hope for that kind of acceptance someday among serious whiskey fans.” Buffalo Trace Distillery, based in Frank 68
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fort, Ky., dates to the 18th century. Someday may not be that distant. From a base of just two ABC stores two years ago, Rúa is now sold in eight states. “We’re still a small company, almost a family affair,” says Mulligan, whose business partner isn’t involved in daily operations. “But we’ve basically doubled our size every year in business.” Near the end of 2018, the 36-employee company was on track to ship upward of 3,000 cases of Rúa annually. Meanwhile, a growing list of enthusiastic commercial and private customers includes Charlotte’s Ritz-Carlton hotel, which last year added Rúa to the honor
bar in each of its guest rooms. Mulligan’s story reads as a true immigrant’s tale. The self-described “character” came to this country more than two decades ago on something of a leap of faith, eager to check out America — Charlotte, in particular — and maybe find a new career. A son of Dublin with roots in the hills of County Kildare, he was working for Motorola Corp. in 1993 when he and several of his drinking buddies decided it might be fun to move to the United States, given Ireland’s liberal annual lottery that was offered at that time. “It was a laugh at first, but I
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applied [with] eight of my friends, and six of us got green cards, if you can believe it. Only one of my friends and I wound up emigrating, however.” His older brother, Fintan, had moved to Charlotte a few years earlier, taking a job selling automated warehouse equipment. “I basically mooched off him for six months until I found a job working for BellSouth in South Carolina” as a radio-frequency engineer, he says. After stints in Florida, California and Austria, Mulligan returned to Ireland in 1999 to build and launch a communications network. But after two years there, he missed America and wanted to return. He found work at a competing communications company in Texas, where he stayed for the next dozen or so years. “Apples perhaps don’t fall far from trees, as my mother likes to say. The
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whole time, through all these travels, I was interested in making my own beer and spirits for my own enjoyment. I had all these stories about my mother’s father running from the law. I even had a newspaper clipping from her scrapbook showing my grandfather Patrick Quinn’s arrest for making poitín in 1953 in the town of Drumlish, County Longford.” Poitín, sometimes spelled “potcheen” or “poteen,” is an unaged whiskey produced illegally for centuries in rural Ireland. Sometimes called Irish moonshine, it was made from potatoes, leftover grains and molasses. The 100-proof poitín Great Wagon Road Distillery makes and (legally) sells today is far smoother and sweeter than most unaged whiskies. Called Drumlish, it is based on a recipe handed down from Mulligan’s grandfather. “That’s why I say his spirit is always with us around this
place,” he jokes. In 2008, Mulligan returned to Charlotte and married his long-distance sweetheart, Lorraine, an interior designer. A few years later, he was sharing a brew with a friend in his backyard when Mulligan saw a vision of his future that Grandpa Quinn would have applauded. “I told my friend, ‘Let’s just get a license and start making whiskey. ... Two days later I went on LegalZoom and formed an LLC. We bought some equipment and found 1,500 square feet in an industrial space in Pineville,” he says. “That was the easy part. Next, I had to learn how to make high-quality, commercial American whiskey.” Mulligan flew to Seattle to spend two intense weeks shadowing Rusty Figgins, one of the country’s most respected distillers. He learned not only how to make excellent whiskey but
also how to avoid common mistakes. “He saved us years of headaches and problems,” Mulligan says. Once Mulligan acquired the right 300-gallon still, Figgins showed up to help him “get everything smoothed out and the operation working properly.” Great Wagon Road Distilling officially launched in 2013. “I wanted a good name that might mean something to people locally, something synonymous with whiskey,” he says. The company is named for the most traveled road of Colonial America, the frontier highway that brought the first European settlers to the Carolinas backcountry in the 18th century. Successive waves of
Scotch-Irish and German immigrants settled much of the state’s western Piedmont. The Great Wagon Road ran straight through Charlotte. “In essence, it’s the road that brought whiskey to America because that was the drink Scots and Irish had been making for hundreds of years.” The company sold its first bottle of Rúa in December 2015. The next year, the distillery moved to a former flooring factory that had space for a bar and tasting room where they could serve craft beer and the five spirits they produce: Rúa, Drumlish, a pair of vodkas called Bán and Salamander, and a second poitín called Quinn’s.
“It was just made for a distillery/ bar,” he says of the current LoSo space, which hosts jazz and bluegrass nights. Mulligan acknowledges that he’s had “friendly approaches” from some of the most notable names of the spirits world. “The big guys,” he jokes. “But for now, we like the fact that we’re a small, hands-on company doing something we love and know how to do very well.” Asked about a spirited future, the genial master distiller gives a final good Irish grin. “We’ll see what happens down the road. In the meantime, would you fancy another Old-Fashioned?” The question was an absolute no-brainer. SP southparkmagazine.com | 71
“I like finding the seldom-noticed thing and bringing attention to it. It could be a beautiful curve or the organized randomness along the edge of a flower petal. Nothing happens by accident in nature.� 72
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Glass in The Garden DANIEL STOWE BOTANICAL GARDEN CELEBRATES ITS 20TH ANNIVERSARY WITH A BLOCKBUSTER EXHIBIT.
PHOTOGRAPHS FROM LUMINA STUDIO
BY PAGE LEGGETT
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hina is the traditional gift for a 20th anniversary, while platinum is the modern choice. To commemorate its 20-year milestone, Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden is eschewing both. Instead, the Belmont destination plans to mark the occasion with the suggested modern gift for a third anniversary: glass. In this case, it’s better than platinum. In a larger-than-life exhibit, Seattle-based artist Jason Gamrath is installing 40 hyper-realistic, botanical glass sculptures, including 10-foot orchids, technicolor pitcher plants and beautiful-but-deadly Venus’ flytraps. Grandiflora: Gamrath Glass at the Garden debuts Friday, May 24 at the nearly 400acre garden. Blending man-made sculptures with natural flora is no easy task, according to the artist. “Inside a gallery, we can isolate the work. There are fewer distractions,” he says by phone from his Washington state home. “But out in nature, we have to make it look like it belongs. You can’t fight with nature.” The artist will be on-site for the installation, which will take between two and three weeks, and for the exhibit opening. southparkmagazine.com | 73
Gamrath, 32, has been working with glass for more than half his life. He discovered the medium when he was just 15. “I got to play with fire,” he says. “Who wouldn’t want to do that?”
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hen you think of glassblowing and Seattle, another artist’s name might come to mind. The Emerald City is also home to the world-famous studio of Dale Chihuly, whose distinctive glass sculptures graced the gardens at Asheville’s Biltmore last year. Aside from geography and medium, the two artists share much in common: Both produce intricate, eye-popping, colorful and curvilinear forms on a grand scale. “Chihuly was really the first to break out of that ‘glass-hasto-be-functional’ mindset,” Gamrath says. “He said, ‘I want to make something people have never seen before.’” That’s Gamrath’s goal, too. His work has parallels to Chihuly’s, though his style is completely original. Chihuly’s work pays subtle homage to nature in its flowing, snake-like forms,
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yet it remains rooted in the abstract. Gamrath’s work, on the other hand, is based on his close study of the botanical world. It’s realistic to the point of being anatomically correct — except for its exaggerated size. “I like to think I’m a mix of some of my favorite artists,” Gamrath says. Chief among those is William Morris, a California-based glass artist and former assistant to Chihuly. Gamrath began working as an assistant to Morris at 16. “I opened and closed the door [to the oven],” he says. “I was the low man on the totem pole, but I soaked up all these skills.”
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oday, Gamrath has his own studio and his own staffers, which he describes as “extra hands attached to my body.” However, he’s not ceding any control. “I have my hands on every single piece,” he says. His studio includes “shops” where specific tasks are performed. “Probably 50% of my work is glass,” he says. “There’s a lot
more than just glass blowing that goes into this work. So, there’s a glass blowing shop, a grinding shop, a metalworking shop and a painting shop. Each is a very specific skill, and there’s no room for error.” Gamrath’s attention to detail would make a botanist jealous. “There are infinite numbers of mysterious things going on in nature we don’t see,” he says. “I like finding the seldom-noticed thing and bringing attention to it. It could be a beautiful curve or the organized randomness along the edge of a flower petal. Nothing happens by accident in nature.” Nothing happens by accident in his
studio, either. His highly methodical process begins with thorough examination of his subject matter. “I find a real specimen and watch it develop,” he says. “I’ll cut a bud open to examine what it looks like. I’ll study the backs of flowers — the part you never see. Then, I try to replicate the stages of development in glass. Since glass is an alive medium, it can mimic the growth of a plant.”
L
ike most glassblowers, Gamrath began by making utilitarian vessels. He soon sought bigger challenges.
“I decided to try to make something realistic,” he says. “Then I wanted to take it a step further and make something hyper-realistic. Then, the next challenge was to scale everything up. I wanted to push the limits of scale and accuracy.” It’s both that intricate detail and the enormity of Gamrath’s botanical works that captivate in equal measure. Most of the pieces in the Daniel Stowe show are part of Gamrath’s personal collection. But there’s one new piece he made especially for the Belmont garden. His Cattleya Orchid “covers all phases of that flower’s blooming and opening.
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You can see new, fresh buds, the in-between stage and the full flowering.” This piece, which will be displayed at Founders Hall in the visitors pavilion, is the one he’s most excited to view. At Daniel Stowe, the gardens are getting a spring makeover to ensure they’re ready for the exhibit. Big, bold, beautiful plants with large flowers and leaves will complement the sculptures placed among them. Guests can explore the Butterfly Bungalow by day, or enjoy a drink and live music in the beer garden on select evenings. Gamrath’s advice for exploring his work? “Don’t think too hard. Enjoy the beauty, and allow yourself to be carried away.” That should be easy to do on a sticky summer evening — when it’s too hot to think, anyway. It may be Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden’s anniversary. But visitors are the ones getting the gift. SP
Experience Grandiflora: Gamrath Glass at the Garden May 24 through Sept. 29 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Beginning May 30, the exhibition will be open Thursdays through Sundays from 6 to 10 p.m. DSBG will be closed for a private event the evening of June 16. Adult admission is $14.95. Seniors 60 and up are admitted for $12.95. Kids 2–12 get in for $7.95, and children under age 2 get free admission, as do DSBG members from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Members get a 30% discount on evening admission. Tickets are available at the door for daytime admission and both online at DSBG.org and at the door for evening admission.
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|travel
Comfortable Elegance CHARLESTON’S NEWEST LUXURY HOTEL WAS MORE THAN A DECADE IN THE MAKING — AND IT WAS WORTH THE WAIT.
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hen you live in Charlotte, driving-distance destinations such as Asheville and Charleston, South Carolina, tend to be frequent getaways. So when a new hotel opens in the heart of historic Charleston, interest is piqued. And for good reason: Hotel Bennett, which opened in January, had been in the works for more than a decade. Michael Bennett of Charleston-based Bennett Hospitality, the property’s owner, put plans for the 179-room hotel 78
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in motion back in 2005. After legal and construction delays, work started in 2015 on the project on King Street overlooking the famed Marion Square. The previous structure that stood on the site was the original west wing of The Citadel military academy and, more recently, the Charleston County Public Library. The latter was razed, and erected in its place is a stunning, nine-story hotel that pays homage to Charleston’s rich culture and history through architectural
PHOTOGRAPHS BY HOTEL BENNETT AND MODUS PHOTOGRAPHY
BY BLAKE MILLER
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PHOTOGRAPHS BY MODUS PHOTOGRAPHY
details and interior aesthetics. The property is managed by Salamander Hotels & Resorts, the luxury hospitality company based in Middleburg, Va. Once approved, the project took nearly four years to complete. While Hotel Bennett feels elegant and grand, it’s also comfortable and welcoming. By day, guests sip coffee and tea on the patio just feet from Marion Square, a 10-acre park that hosts festivals, picnics, farmers markets and more, while couples stroll across the breathtaking two-story atrium you pass through as you enter the hotel. By night, the place buzzes with the chatter of patrons sipping on artisan cocktails in the lobby lounge. This casual, approachable ele
gance is exactly the feeling you get when visiting Charleston’s newest luxury hotel.
BY DAY
You could easily spend the entire day without ever leaving Hotel Bennett and be perfectly satisfied. On the rooftop deck overlooking the park, private cabanas with luxe daybeds encourage poolside lounging. The Fiat Lux rooftop restaurant and bar offers updated, classic Southern cocktails such as a Southern June Bug — a concoction of Wheatly vodka, Midori, Giffar banana liqueur, Cruzan coconut rum and fresh lemon-lime and pineapple juices — and small plates including spicy tuna poke or snapper ceviche. An in-house spa offers
various facial and body treatments. If you do leave the property, channel your inner child and rent bikes from the city’s bike-share program, Holy Spokes — there’s a drop-off area right by the hotel. Tour the city by bike cruiser, and explore the tiny side streets too narrow for horse-drawn carriages. You can wind your way through the charming College of Charleston campus before heading down to the Battery and back again along the waterfront. Head to Leyla on King Street for lunch, where you’re likely to find a crowd waiting for its falafel, kabobs and other authentic Lebanese dishes. If you don’t want to wait for a table, grab a seat at the bar and watch the passersby on King Street. southparkmagazine.com | 81
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PHOTOGRAPHS BY MODUS PHOTOGRAPHY
Shine on. There’s nothing more beautiful than confidence. Don’t let varicose and spider veins dull your shine. A simple, non-surgical procedure could correct the underlying problem, which can cause symptoms like throbbing, burning and heaviness. And it’s usually covered by insurance. Schedule a consultation with Charlotte Radiology’s vein experts today by calling 704-367-7877.
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PHOTOGRAPH FROM HOLY SPOKES
BY NIGHT
Kick off the evening with a cocktail at Camellias, Hotel Bennett’s chic champagne bar. Swathed in pink from floor to ceiling, the lounge serves afternoon tea with petit fours and tea sandwiches. At night, it’s champagne and caviar. For a fine-dining experience, plan on dinner at Hotel Bennett’s own Gabrielle. A more casual option is 5Church, a quick Uber ride from the hotel and located near the Historic Charleston City Market. Like its Charlotte sibling, the restaurant inhabits a former church and sports a modern, eclectic interior. The menu is similar to 5Church in Charlotte, with subtle distinctions. Finish the evening with a nightcap at Bourbon n’ Bubbles on Upper King Street, a short walk from the hotel. Handcrafted cocktails such as the Hemingway — Bacardi rum, Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur, grapefruit and lime — are delicious but not overly sweet. The bourbon selection is impressive, as well. If you’re not too stuffed from dinner, order a handful of small plates such as the tuna tartare, classic deviled eggs or King Street crab dip.
GETTING THERE
A three-and-a-half-hour drive from Charlotte down Interstate 77 South to Interstate 26 takes you right into the heart of Charleston. Rates start at $450. hotelbennett.com SP
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swirl A monthly guide to Charlotte’s greatest galas
T
COURTESY OF UNCF
he annual United Negro College Fund Mayor’s Masked Ball supports private historically black colleges and universities, including Johnson C. Smith University in Charlotte. Honorees at this year’s fundraiser, hosted by Mayor Vi Lyles, included former Charlotte Mayor Anthony Foxx. From left, Foxx, Samara Foxx, U.S. Rep. Alma Adams, Kevin Monroe, Lisa Nichols, Mayor Vi Lyles, Tiffany L. Jones, Michael Lomax, Kellie Lofton and N.C. Rep. Brandon Lofton.
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Refer A Friend and Get A $50 Gift Certificate!
Thursday, May 2 & Friday, May 3
Let’s Celebrate
3 $ 10 $ 50
$ . 20 DYSPORT per unit
Mother’s Day
BOTOX or XEOMIN
per unit
OFF 1ST SYRINGE
of filler
$100 OFF each additional syringe of Belotero or the full lines of Juvéderm, Restylane, or Radiesse
SCHEDULE YOUR APPOINTMENT TODAY 309 S. Sharon Amity Rd., Suite 200, Charlotte
704.344.8846
OFFER: An existing PPSD injectable patient can refer a friend to this event. The friend must be either new to PPSD or is an existing patient who has never received injectables at PPSD. The friend must purchase $300 worth of injectables. The $50 gift certificate can be given to the existing patient once the friend has completed their purchase. The gift certificate can be used at the May event or within 6 months from receipt of gift certificate. Patients must pay in full on Thursday, May 2 or May 3, 2019. Procedures may be scheduled on either of those days or at a later date. Patients may not buy additional product for future office visits.
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|swirl Art With Heart Benefit for Safe Alliance at Elder Art Gallery This year’s Art With Heart event raised more than $150,000 for Safe Alliance, which supports people affected by domestic violence and sexual abuse. Through live and silent auctions, the event has raised more than $1.8 million since its inception. WBTV anchor Maureen O’Boyle emceed the fundraiser held on Feb. 23.
Vicie Moran, Michelle Bannister, Markita Payne, Kate Payne
Bridgette Martin, Deborah Kern, Wan Marsh
Amanda Cannavo, Maureen O’Boyle, Karen Parker
Brittney Banning, Josh Banning
Bill Griesmyer, Isabelle Griesmyer
Sharon Dowell, Justin Gaither
Lindsay Jones, Linda Hawfield Jeremy Deese, Lauren Deese, Jeremy Gomez, Lauren Gomez
DANIEL COSTON
Peter Keane and Kristina Chatham
Jason Stein, Theresa Viera
Ray Collins, John Collins
Cassie Brown, Kathryn Meyer southparkmagazine.com | 87
M McShane Partners W E A LT H & I N V E S T M E N T A DV I S O RY
Announcing
55+ Active Adult Apartment Homes
Break free with us. Maintenance-free living that offers the freedom to live life carefree. • Discover Soul Services & 7 Dimensions to Wellness • Meet new friends • Modern 1- to 2-bedroom apartment homes • Resort-style amenities • Starting at $1,700*
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Experience Overture Today! Email and Schedule Your Visit! overturecotswold@greystar.com
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*Overture is an equal housing opportunity. Amenities and services vary by location. Pricing & availability subject to change. See a Greystar representative for details.
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|swirl What Are You Carrying? HopeWay Handbag Auction at Quail Hollow Club Using the handbag as a metaphor for the anxiety and depression people sometimes carry around with them, guests at HopeWay’s inaugural event on Feb. 6 bid on designer handbags to raise money for the group’s new mental-health treatment center. Betsy and Bill Blue started the nonprofit HopeWay Foundation in 2014 to support individuals and families dealing with depression, anxiety and other mental illnesses.
Alyson Kuroski-Mazzei, Emily Johnson
Catherine Fagg, Catherine Ruth Kelly
Michele Simpson and Valerie McKernan
Ronica Foster, Emily Zuyus, Melanie Hager
DANIEL COSTON
Katie Hallaway, Susan McBarnet, Anna Blair Kneisel, Michelle Neun
Tara Hughes, Meredith Tomascak, Meghann Sehorn, Sarah Edwards
Preeti Deshmukh, Nazy Weeks, Amy Dawson, Taylor Russ, Lori Sklut
Kara Olsen
Ann Tarwater, Sandra Levine
Sarah Fisher, Amanda Hollingsworth, Amy Pittenger
Beth Arentsen, Caci Jaeger
Tara Murphy, Tanner Murphy, Madison Tuttle and Taylor Russ southparkmagazine.com | 89
DISCOVER THE + IN 55+ LIVING + + + +
25 minutes from Uptown Walking distance to new Novant Hospital 17,000 sq. ft. clubhouse opens Summer 2019 New homesites now available
ACT NOW FOR BEST SELECTION OF HOMESITES, PLANS AND VALUES! Charlotte’s best-located 55+ community 9 designer model homes, open daily New homes from the upper $200s to $500s
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CresswindCharlotte.com
© 2019 Cresswind is a registered trademark of Kolter Homes. Prices, homesites, home designs and other information subject to errors, changes, omissions, deletions, availability prior sales and withdrawal at any time without notice.
KCC19_003_AD_7-5x4-834_SouthPark.indd 1
UNDER CONTRACT
1/31/19 5:15 PM
FOXCROFT 2612 Beretania Circle 5 BR | 5.2 BA | 6,307 sq. ft. Updated 2.5 story with fabulous plan. Professional kitchen, study, MBR suite with private screened porch, 3rd floor Rec Room, covered back porch, and in-ground pool.
$ 2 , 2 0 0,0 0 0
UNDER CONTRACT
EASTOVER 301 Hempstead Place 4 BR | 4.1 BA | 3,590 sq. ft. Charming home on a quiet street. High ceilings, abundant natural light. Updated kitchen and baths. Formals, study and den. Beautiful patio overlooks private backyard.
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|swirl Lupus Mardi Gras Gala Benefit for the Lupus Foundation of America, North Carolina Chapter at Founder’s Hall With creole cuisine and a masquerade contest, Founders Hall felt more like Bourbon Street at the 13th annual Lupus Mardi Gras Gala on Feb. 23. The event included a raffle and silent auction, and Todd and Ginger Dickerson were honored as this year’s King and Queen.
Meghan McDonald, Emily Portal, Jessica Weeks
Andrew Brown, Teri Brown
Steve Abbott, Rachel Romero
Hugh Warren, Amy French, Connie Lantrip, Bryan Lantrip, Kalis Egolf, Todd Dickerson
Liz Michel, Jeff Michel, Chad Ayres, Christine Ayres
Angie Lanning, Travis Lanning
DANIEL COSTON
Leif Rauer, Barb Meyer, Nadine Rauer
Christine Padgett, Hampton Padgett
Kay Andrews, David Andrews
Miller Rankin, Leslie Rankin
Ginger Dickerson, right, presents this year’s award for best costume to Barbi Manchester southparkmagazine.com | 91
Let’s go to Tuscarora's for Summer Camp!
33 Scenic acres Huge in/out suites, no cages Nature trail walks Resident club Staff 24/7 Golf cart rides in the forest Van Pickup & Delivery
704-436-6122
IN FULL BLOOM The Tally Ho woman: - Garden party - Graduation - Lakeside picnic - Tea party
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Business North Carolina Store SUBSCRIPTIONS | RENEWALS
Find all of your BNC needs in one spot! Visit our new store at businessnc.com to see all we have to offer from subscriptions and renewals to Movers + Shakers which offers an exciting way to announce executive hires, promotions, board appointments, special announcements and philanthropic activities.
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ANNOUNCEMENTS
|swirl Mayor’s Masked Ball Benefit for the United Negro College Fund at Charlotte Marriott City Center The annual fundraiser supports private historically black colleges, including Livingstone College in Salisbury and Johnson C. Smith University in Charlotte. The March 9 event honored Grammy-Award winning vocalist and producer Anthony Hamilton; Laurie Readhead, UNCF board member and chief data and executive information officer at Bank of America; Curt Fochtmann, managing partner at EY; and former Charlotte Mayor Anthony Foxx, chief policy officer at Lyft.
Patrick Graham, Melissa Graves
Michael Guerin, Tish Forney Guerin
Herb Boyd, Rhonda Mayo, Herb Gray, Tiffany L. Jones, Michael Boyd
PHOTOS COURTESY OF UNCF
Denise Armbrister, Clarence Armbrister
Mary V. Jones, Jesse Jones
Kevin Henry, Teddy McDaniel, Michael Lomax
Honoree Curt Fochtmann, Stacee Michelle
Mel Watt, Eulada Watt
Mia Thornton, Gordon Thornton
William Hunter, Karen Breach-Washington, Harry Washington, Mayor Vi Lyles, Sharman Hunter
William Readhead, Honoree Laurie Readhead
Erica Bryant and Cheslie Kryst (Miss NC USA 2019) southparkmagazine.com | 93
|swirl Queen of Hearts High Tea Daughters of Penelope’s Queen of Hearts High Tea at Carmel Country Club Now in its 23rd year, the local chapter of Daughters of Penelope’s luncheon on Feb. 16 featured a fashion show and raffle prizes to benefit the Partnership of Pediatric Hearts Fund at Levine Children’s Hospital.
Jeanie Taylor, Faye Georgoulias, Jean Keller, Diane LaPoint
Debra Kennedy, Eleanor Lynn Francis
Hannah Taylor, Zoe Politis
Gianna Jackson
Rita Castanas, Theodora Sexstone, Madalina Lowen
Elayna Ramos
Valerie Roberts
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Alexandra Myrick, Luis Machicao
Christina Melissaris
DANIEL COSTON
Sandra Voci, Christina Melissaris, Berhan Nebioglu
|swirl 2019 Wish Ball A benefit for Make-A-Wish Central & Western North Carolina at the Westin Hotel At this year’s gala on Feb. 22, Wish Kids Aniya and Logan’s musical performances brought standing ovations, while Wish Kid William was granted his wish to become a Charlotte Hornet for a day, complete with his own contract. Dr. Jerry Clark, who founded Make-A-Wish Central & Western North Carolina in 1985, also was honored at the “blue-tie optional” affair.
Wish Kid Aniya is hugged by her mom after her performance
Betsy Mack and Matt Rochinski present Wish Kid William with his wish of being a Charlotte Hornet for a day
Dr. Jerry Clark, Amy Brindley, Della Gallagher, Dusty Holcomb
DANIEL COSTON
Mike Modlin, Brooke Modlin, Alison Smith, Mac Smith
Michael Loveland, Hannah Loveland
Riley Fields, Robin Fields
Brooke Hawkins, Daniel Hawkins
Debra Ann Kennedy, Aubrey Tobin
Kyle Schrader, Blake Schrader
Vera Rodriguez, Sean Keyser southparkmagazine.com | 95
SNAPSHOT
Joyful Noise TROMBONIST CEDRIC MANGUM DISCUSSES THE MEANING BEHIND THE MUSIC OF GOSPEL SHOUT! BY MICHAEL J. SOLENDER
G
HOW DID GOSPEL SHOUT! COME ABOUT? Years back, one of my [barbershop] customers took his little girl to the Levine Museum of the New South. He told me, “Cedric, they’re playing your music over there in the exhibit (Cotton Fields to Skyscrapers: Reinventing Charlotte and the Carolina Piedmont in the New South).” I said, “Well, let me go over there and check it out.” There, I met with Tom Hanchett (then staff historian at the Levine and curator of the award-winning exhibit). He took me through the entire exhibit 96
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Cedric Mangum and sure enough, they took music from a recording we did for a CD produced by Smithsonian Folkways Recordings titled “Saints’ Paradise.” Shortly after that, Tom and I got together and held our first Gospel Shout! concert at the First Ward United House of Prayer. The crowd was so large, we moved to the mother house on Beatties Ford Road after that. WHAT IS THE CONNECTION BETWEEN SHOUT MUSIC AND YOUR WORSHIP? The way we worship, the music gives us the timing for dance. We call it a “shout,” but people are dancing in the spirit, giving God praise. We give Him praise in the dance. I say the music is my salvation, and what I mean by that is it helps me in my spiritual realm, the spirituality of my life. WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR YOUR CONGREGATION WHEN YOU OPEN TO THE COMMUNITY AND GET SUCH A LARGE TURNOUT? It means a lot to us. It means that our gospel is being put out and is reaching the
people. We have more than 1,000 people attend. It’s special. THERE IS SO MUCH JOY IN YOUR MUSIC. WHERE DOES IT COME FROM? It’s based on the spirit ... the spirituality. If I enjoy the song that I’m playing, the people who are hearing it are going to receive that same joy. WHAT DO YOU WANT PEOPLE TO EXPERIENCE AT YOUR CONCERTS? The brass, of course. Clouds of Heaven — the band is almost 50 years old — is performing, as is our a capella choir, the Golden Angels, led by my wife, Gigi. I want people to come with an open mind and an open heart and let the spirit take hold. SP Gospel Shout! takes place on Tuesday, May 7, at 7:30 p.m. Soul-food dinners will be available for purchase on-site from 6 p.m. Where: United House of Prayer For All People, 2321 Beatties Ford Road Cost: Free
DANIEL COSTON
ospel Shout! — the raucous, joyous, bright and brassy annual concert showcasing “the Lord’s Trombones” — shifts from fall to spring this year as part of the citywide Charlotte SHOUT! celebration, which runs April 29 through May 11. This cultural favorite, now in its 16th year, joins a lineup of 75 concerts, performances and installations at the two-week event organized by Charlotte Center City Partners in partnership with Blumenthal Performing Arts. Thundering, exuberant, soulful sounds, exaltations and dance define shout bands, and the music is an integral part of worship at the United House of Prayer For All People. This urban Pentecostal denomination is concentrated in the southeastern U.S., and Charlotte’s UHOP is one of the largest in the nation. Cedric Mangum, a local barber who is a musical director at UHOP, served as bandleader of the Clouds of Heaven shout band for 35 years. Mangum shares the serendipity behind how the public concerts started, the joy behind the music and what it means to welcome the community into UHOP.
Nature Deconstructed T RUN K S H OW
Wednesday, May 8th
4521 Sharon Rd, Charlotte, NC 28211
(704) 532-9041
OfďŹ cial Jeweler of the Carolina Panthers
www.diamondsdirect.com