October SouthPark 2023

ONCE UPON A TIME…

In a kingdom not so far away, a call went throughout the land for the attendance of all Queens and Kings, Witches and Warlocks, Dragons and Druids, Little Red Riding Hoods and Wolves, Jacks and Giants, Princes, Princesses and Pumpkins

For an enchanted evening of feasting, potions & celebration in support of the Duke Mansion

On the twenty-eighth day of the month of October in the year two-thousand and twenty-three From eight O’clock in the evening Until the stroke of midnight

Tickets available at www.dukemansion.com/upcoming-events-at-duke-mansion

400 Hermitage Road | Charlotte, NC 704.714-4400 | dukemansion.org

The Duke Mansion, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, is a nonprofit supported by its patrons, donors and neighbors.

Now Booking Holiday Gatherings

Full service events and drop-off/pick-up catering

Plan your event

With high-end dining options, a stellar retail lineup, Class A office space and ample complimentary parking, Piedmont Town Center is SOUTHPARK’S

Hidden Gem

Bring your appetite and come see what all the buzz is about. Whether you are looking for a new place to take a stroll, grab a coffee, get your nails done, or stay for a drink, you can find it all in Piedmont Town Center, just off Fairview Road near SouthPark Mall.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

In this issue, contributor David Menconi has a story on Charlotte’s own Fetchin Bones (page 50). Back in the ’80s, this band was a force of nature, opening for acts such as R.E.M., the B-52s and the Red Hot Chili Peppers — not that they didn’t have a strong following of their own. I always considered their sound kind of country-punk with a bit of funk. The band, led by vocalist Hope Nicholls, will be inaugurated in the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame later this month and is well-deserving of it.

Reading the piece reminded me of a time when in 1987, when I was in high school and Fetchin Bones was in its heyday. My high-school buddy had an incredible cherry-red 1962 Buick Electra 225. We drove that thing everywhere — in fact, we took our dates to prom in it. As I recall,

when it broke down for the umpteenth time, he didn’t have the bread to pay for repairs, so he had to put it up for sale. The first takers were Hope and the band. My friend was (and still is) a music connoisseur, and was well aware of Fetchin Bones’ renown. Having them as the buyer was an added value to the price paid for the car. They painted it purple, and redid the interior in leopard print and turquoise vinyl. It was quite the touring vehicle. Every time we cranked up their hit “Stray” at a bonfire at the end of a cul-de-sac in a soon-to-be developed neighborhood on a Friday night, we told the story to anyone who would listen. Good times. SP

IN THIS ISSUE:

1 — A room with a view in Savannah (page 104)

2 — Fetchin Bones in the 1980s (page 50)

3 — A vignette from last year’s Furnished by Valentin Design Co. Learn about the 10 designers participating in this year’s friendly competition supporting Furnish For Good on page 46.

4 — Cape Lookout National Seashore (page 122)

World Class Living

BLVD.

28 | beer

The evolution of Charlotte’s craft-beer culture

34 | cuisine

Tale of the plate: Will Williams’ “Shrab” cakes

38 | interiors

House of Nomad’s Berkeley Minkhorst designs a safari-inspired nursery.

42 | antiques

A new generation embraces shopping for vintage finds and one-ofa-kinds.

46 | design

Furnished 2023: 10 Charlotte designers compete in a friendly design competition.

50 | music

After 40 years, Fetchin Bones takes its place in the N.C. Music Hall of Fame.

56 | art

A Blowing Rock exhibition provides a rare opportunity to view works by prominent California painters.

58 | fitness

Across Charlotte, runners are discovering fitness and friendship go hand in hand.

62 | icons

Ebenezer Grill, a local neighborhood gathering spot in Rock Hill, S.C.

66 | givers

Refugee Support Services helps global refugees transition into the community.

72 | around town

What’s new and coming soon in Charlotte

76 | happenings

October calendar of events

DEPARTMENTS

83 | gardening

Level up your landscaping with plants bursting with fall color.

87 | creators of N.C.

Illustrator Jess White depicts children exploring the natural world.

93 | bookshelf

Notable new releases

95 | simple life

A farewell to golf

153 | swirl

Parties, fundraisers and events around Charlotte

160 | gallery

Fourteen local designers turn retired vinyl billboards into jawdropping fashions.

ABOUT THE COVER:

WBTV anchor Molly Grantham photographed at Rhino Market by Olly Yung; styling by Whitley Adkins (page 98)

FEATURES

98 | Finding magic in the mess by Sharon Smith | photographs by Olly Yung styling by Whitley Adkins

At home, at work and in the community, Molly Grantham gets it done. Now she’s out with a new book, the last in a series, in which she reminds us: Practice doesn’t make perfect.

104 | Park place by Cathy Martin | photographs by Laura Sumrak Steps from Savannah’s iconic Forsyth Park, designer Melissa Lee creates a design-centric vacation home that blends historic elements, bold patterns and classic southern style.

FALL TRAVEL

115 | Star struck by Vanessa Infanzon

Nestled amid Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains, Roanoke combines city vibes with mountain adventures.

118 | East Tennessee slowdown by Michael J. Solender

Spend a long weekend at Windy Hill Farm and Preserve and experience cozy, contemporary accommodations and the wondrous bounty of the uplands table.

122 | Beach bound by Cathy Martin

Even in the off season, the Crystal Coast beckons with stargazing, unspoiled nature and fresh off-the-dock seafood.

128 | Weddings by SouthPark by Sarah Fligel

Four local couples share personal stories about how they came together — plus all the swoonworthy details from their big day.

FLOORING FOR LIVING.

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Cathy Martin Editor editor@southparkmagazine.com

Sharon Smith Assistant Editor sharon@southparkmagazine.com

Andie Rose Creative Director

Alyssa Kennedy Art Director alyssamagazines@gmail.com

Miranda Glyder Graphic Designer Whitley Adkins Style Editor

Contributing Editor David Mildenberg

Contributing Writers Michelle Boudin, Wiley Cash, Jim Dodson, Asha Ellison, Vanessa Infanzon, Liz Logan, David Menconi, Jennings Cool Roddey, Jay Sifford, Michael J. Solender

Contributing Photographers Mallory Cash, Daniel Coston, Justin Driscoll, Richard Israel, Laura Sumrak, Peter Taylor, Olly Yung

Contributing Illustrator Gerry O’Neill

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blvd.

people, places, things

FOR THE DOGS

This fall, Charlotte pups will have a new place to frolic and play when the Whitewater Center debuts a 70-acre off-leash dog park. The area will include the existing 3-mile Lake Loop trail, a beer garden, a lakefront beach and a retail outlet. Day passes for one dog will be $10; annual passholders ($250 for adults and children 8 and up) and day passholders can bring one dog at no additional cost. The dog park is expected to open Nov. 17. SP

The art of expansion

WITH REVAMPED TAPROOMS, OUT-OF-TOWN BREWERIES MOVING IN, AND BELOVED LOCAL BRANDS SPREADING ACROSS THE CITY, CHARLOTTE’S CRAFT-BEER CULTURE IS EVER-EVOLVING — YET REMAINS STRONG AS EVER.

by Liz Logan

Red neon lights shroud the taproom, the glow gleaming from above and reflecting off the slick concrete floor below. A life-size Ichabod Crane-esque figure sits atop a motorcycle suspended in midair. Through chain curtains theatrically pulled aside is a decidedly more feminine space, outfitted with draping ivy, towering snake plants and pastel chairs dotting dining tables offset by a botanical mural still true to the multifaceted brand. Resident Culture Brewing Co.’s satellite South End location is a seamless juxtaposition of styles, not unlike that of its beer portfolio.

The South End location opened in 2022, but Resident Culture has been a Charlotte brewery staple since the 2017 opening of its

flagship Plaza Midwood location. With all the breweries opening around the city, co-founders Amanda and Phillip McLamb have an obvious handle on what it takes to build a desirable brand in an expanding market, and that’s to create spaces and products that will keep people coming back. “Gone are the days where you could just open a brewery, throw up some picnic tables, have live music and be packed out all the time,” says Phillip McLamb, Resident Culture’s chief operating officer.

A SWIFT EVOLUTION

The beer scene has undergone a quick and substantial shift, with Charlotte seeing its fair share of brewery iterations over the

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years. A little more than a decade ago, the city was slowly cutting its teeth on craft beer. After a few rounds of brewery openings and closings, in the early 2010s only two breweries called the city home: Four Friends Brewing, which shuttered in 2014, and The Olde Mecklenburg Brewery. Charlotte’s longest-standing brewery opened its doors in 2009 and serves some of Charlotte’s most quintessential beers — OMB’s Copper, an amber ale, and Captain Jack, a German-style pilsner, are mainstays on Queen City menus.

Taprooms weren’t fanciful — the main craft and artistry showcased was the beer itself. Walls were often adorned with rotating statement pieces from local artists, accompanied by modest seating, creating an approachable communal space for those searching for something outside the typical bar and brewpub scene. A love for brews outside of easy-drinking domestics beckoned a crowd of budding connoisseurs eager to discuss hop varietals and yeast strains alongside their fellow “beer nerds,” a niche audience finally finding its footing.

Until the mid 2010s, the beer scene had been a (mostly) boys club of sorts, guys who discussed beer science at homebrew clubs sprinkled throughout the city at places like The Flying Saucer and The Pizza Peel. From such social gatherings, Todd and Suzie Ford were inspired to take their homebrew recipes, alongside fellow homebrewer Chad Henderson, and launch NoDa Brewing in 2011.

Today, more than 100 breweries call Charlotte and the surrounding area home. It’s no secret that the 2007 implementation of the LYNX Blue Line shaped much of Charlotte’s industrial overhaul. As with many businesses and industries, as stops were added, so were breweries. In South End, Suffolk Punch and Sycamore Brewing entered the fold. Lower South End would be colloquially rebranded to LoSo, in part due to its evolution as a craft-beer destination, NoDa would follow suit, with nanobreweries and larger operations now in its midst. Atherton Mill’s Trolley Barn Fermentory, a part of the Legion Brewing empire, and Wooden Robot’s NoDa location, The Chamber, offer rooftop views, each situated just steps from light rail stations.

Since their inception, many of Charlotte’s longtime breweries have expanded: OMB, NoDa, Suffolk Punch and Legion are just a handful boasting multiple locations around the city, with more planned. And along with the expansion of homegrown breweries, plenty of out-of-towners (and in the case of Gilde Brewery, out-of-country-ers) have opened satellite taprooms, from Asheville’s Burial Beer and Hi-Wire Brewing to Atlanta’s Weathered Souls and Monday Night Brewing.

BEAUTY IN THE BOOM

Naturally, there is the argument that the Queen City has become inundated with breweries, with the constant reports of openings (and the occasional closing) eliciting eye rolls and contentious comments on social media. And nationwide, the overall craft-beer market is declining slightly, according to statistics from the Brewers Association trade group.

So what’s different about Charlotte?

As far as McLamb is concerned, the post-Covid establishment of outof-towner breweries in Charlotte does wonders for the local industry and cements the city’s reputation as a desirable craft-beer destination. This designation has given Resident Culture confidence in expanding its market presence. In August, the brewery debuted its third location at uptown’s The Market at 7th Street, adding to the list of light rail-accessible craft breweries. Setting up in the former Tank’s Taps stall already upfitted for draft pours, McLamb says the space will allow new customers to be introduced to their robust tap list.

Beyond beer cheese and pretzels: Ahi tuna nachos and tacos, grass-fed beef burgers, and salads highlighting local farms and food purveyors are on the menu at Suffolk Punch SouthPark, middle photo. Some breweries, such as Trolley Barn Fermentory and Food Hall, bottom, are becoming all-day cafes, with coffee, breakfast and lunch on the menu. TOP TWO PHOTOS BY JUSTIN DRISCOLL; BOTTOM COURTESY LEGION BREWING

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One of the organic components in the cultivation of Charlotte’s brewery culture — in its infancy when compared with more established craft-beer hubs like Asheville and Denver, Colo. — is the camaraderie among breweries, and the idea that what’s good for the few can be good for the many.

“It also keeps us on our toes to continue to innovate and create experiences for our customers that can compete with all the other great breweries out there,” McLamb adds.

What gets lost in the discourse, however, is the beauty of the boom.

“From our point of view, quality comes in many shapes and sizes, be it quality of the liquids, quality of the brand, quality of the experience, quality of the people,” McLamb says. A higher caliber will ultimately keep the industry strong and bring about meaningful growth for not only brewing as a whole but the people behind the bar and in the brewhouse.

A ‘BOYS CLUB’ NO MORE

With the shifts and growth over the last decade, many breweries have expanded to all-day affairs. Coffee, breakfast and lunch are offered during the day. Food menus, once limited to pretzels and nachos, now feature gourmet or chef-driven cuisine. Bar menus have expanded to include wine and cocktails.

In NoDa, Salud Cerveceria owner Dairelyn Glunt leads the wine lineup, with a focus on natural wines. While Salud has long been known for its bottle selection — the beer shop downstairs was named Best Beer Bar in the country by USA Today three years running and this year was nominated for a James Beard Award — it began brewing in 2017, opening doors for other options. “Beer can get kind of bro-y, and the wives wouldn’t come in,” Glunt explains. “Bringing in wine brings in a whole new crowd of men and women, giving a high-quality variety.”

Likewise, the stereotypically male-dominated breweries are seeing an influx of award-winning women taking the reins. Rachael Hudson leads the charge at Pilot Brewing, which has brought home countless medals from the U.S. Open Beer Championship and the Great American Beer Festival, the Oscars of craft beer. Erin Jordan, a former UNC Chapel Hill soccer player who was head brewer at Asheville’s Archetype Brewing before moving to Charlotte in 2021, was recently named Resident Culture’s head brewer.

The overall aesthetic is seeing an overhaul as well. Sycamore’s new two-story location has taken a sharp turn from the original red-brick warehouse-and-beer-garden look to embrace a more boho-meets-nostalgia vibe, with wicker light fixtures and the Airstream food truck as a focal point of the upstairs patio. Natural wood accents give an airy feel both indoors and out. For those inclined to believe breweries have lost their beer-centric origins with the introduction of seltzers, wine and cocktails, and the focus on Instagrammable-interiors, what still exists for those running the boil kettles and bright tanks is the passion and artistry that started it all, arguably allowing for each of these expansions and newly opened breweries. In a city of creatives, a myriad of artists — from brewers to muralists to interior designers — has found a home in every facet of the beer industry and, thankfully, it doesn’t seem to be slowing down any time soon. SP

CHEERS: Charlotte Craft Beer Week takes place Friday, Oct. 20, through Sunday, Oct. 29, with more than three dozen breweries, cideries and taprooms participating. Events include neighborhood brewery crawls, collab releases, a home brew competition and more. Learn more at charlottecraftbeerweek.com.

Top: Breweries like Sycamore in South End have become more design-centric than the bare-bones industrial-chic spaces of old.

Bottom: More women are taking the reins at local breweries, including Erin Jordan, head brewer at Resident Culture.

TALE OF THE PLATE: “Shrab” Cakes with citrus habanero aioli

CHEF WILL WILLIAMS

by Asha Ellison | photographs by Peter Taylor

Chef William Williams, 34, is proud of his Caribbean heritage and the South Floral Park, N.Y., neighborhood that raised him. The private chef and caterer was born to Jamaican parents in a melting pot of cultures, expanding his palate and influencing his cooking techniques through the years. Yet, for Chef Will, it’s seafood — the most distinct cuisine from his childhood — that remains close to his heart.

“Seafood was and still is a family favorite,” Williams says while recalling the crustaceans and fresh fish that transformed his life. “I remember my mom cooking whole red snapper on the grill, stuffed with callaloo (a Jamaican leafy-green dish) or collards.”

Chef Will credits his mother as both his teacher and his greatest inspiration for navigating the kitchen, a journey that began when he was just 10 years old making scratch-made pizzas with fun toppings. By the time he reached his junior year of high school, the flourishing home cook knew he was destined for a culinary career. In 2011, Chef Will, who subscribes to renowned chef Marcus Samuelsson’s belief that “hard work is its own reward,” graduated from Johnson & Wales University.

In 2014, Chef Will — who also likes preparing Thai food and, when he’s not in the kitchen, enjoys hiking — opened Seasoned Provisions, a private, all-occasion catering company in Charlotte. As a private chef, he works to cultivate memorable group dining experiences that warm souls, whet appetites and, sim-

ply, win hearts. Leading live cooking demonstrations on TV and serving as a chef to professional athletes are pleasures Chef Will is grateful to have on his growing resume.

“I want guests to experience the flavor and love that goes into my food,” Williams says. It’s the kind of love — and deliciousness — that lingers long after the first bite. It’s the best flavors of his childhood: a little crab and a little shrimp, breaded together with panko, Old Bay and bits of magic, that make the “Shrab” cake recipe he shares today.

Be sure to save this one — you never know when you’ll need to win someone over.

“Shrab” Cakes with citrus habanero aioli

by

Will Williams

serves 8-10

Ingredients:

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

16 ounces lump crab meat

1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic

8 ounces roughly chopped shrimp

1/4 cup white vinegar

1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped

1/4 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)

Citrus habanero aioli:

1 cup mayonnaise, such as Hellmann’s or Dukes

1/2 teaspoon minced habanero pepper (optional)

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon white vinegar

1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning

1-2 tablespoons lemon juice, to taste

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450 F

For the citrus habanero aioli: Mix mayonnaise, habanero, Dijon mustard, vinegar, Old Bay seasoning, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce and parsley together in a large bowl. Place aioli in the fridge for later use.

For the “Shrab” cakes: Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix gently. Form one-ounce mini shrab cake balls by hand and place on a parchment paper-lined sheet pan.

Bake for 15– 20 minutes or until the cakes have a golden-brown color.

Plate and top with aioli, or serve it on the side. SP

To learn more about Chef Will Williams, visit seasonedprovisions.com and follow him on Instagram at @seasonedprovisions.

Sweet and serene

HOUSE OF NOMAD’S BERKELEY MINKHORST DESIGNS A SOOTHING, SAFARI-INSPIRED NURSERY FOR HER NEWBORN SON.

by Cathy Martin

photographs by Laura Sumrak

When it was time for House of Nomad co-founder Berkeley Minkhorst to design the nursery for her son, River, it was no surprise she chose an African safari theme. Minkhorst and her design partner, Kelley Lentini, are well-known for their modern, global-inspired spaces.

Like others during the pandemic, Minkhorst and her husband decided to renovate their home, a 1940s Myers Park bungalow. A work-from-home office space quickly transitioned into a nursery after the couple learned they were expecting.

For the walls, Minkhorst teamed with French wallpaper brand Isidore Leroy to create a serene black-and-white mural design based on Maasai Mara National Reserve in Kenya. The savannah wilderness known for its diverse wildlife population — cheetahs, elephants, hippos and more — is a favorite destination of Minkhorst’s.

The mural is a soothing backdrop for other global accents: The willow chandelier from Stray Dog Designs was crafted by artisans in Mexico, and the jade green rug — previously used in the dining room — is a find from the designer’s first trip to Morocco. Over the changing table, a hand-embroidered textile from Peru symbolizes protection.

THE DETAILS

Mural: Isidore Leroy

Crib: Crate & Barrel

Dresser: vintage

Draperies: Moss Studio

Chair and ottoman: Pottery Barn

Ceiling pendant: Stray Dog Designs

Sconce:

Some items, however, were sourced a little closer to home. Minkhorst discovered the vintage dresser and woven sconce by Mario Lopez Torres — a steal at $50 — while scrolling Facebook Marketplace.

While River isn’t yet old enough to join his mother on her global excursions, he’s growing up surrounded by handcrafted inspiration from all corners of the world. SP

Mario Lopez Torres, purchased on Facebook Marketplace

Rug: sourced from Morocco

Treasured tchotchkes

A NEW GENERATION EMBRACES SHOPPING FOR VINTAGE FINDS AND ONE-OF-A-KINDS.

by Jennings Cool Roddey

Sifting through rows of knickknacks reminds me of sitting down for coffee with an old friend. Time stands still, and you learn something about generations past. But instead of rummaging through memories, you might discover a sturdy dresser, timeless glassware or a fringed lamp with history.

To me, there’s something special about shopping for antiques and vintage goods — giving new life to items that have stood strong through the years. You might find something a grandparent or great-grandparent kept in their armoire that makes you laugh (or cringe). You could also find a children’s book, cooking utensil or old painting that fills you with nostalgia.

“There is a nostalgic kind of magic to items from the past,” says Katie Hardister, who owns The Brass Grasshopper in Matthews with her husband, Stephen. “I had a person shopping in our store moved to tears because she was overwhelmed with emotion seeing items she remembered her grandmother having.”

The Brass Grasshopper, formerly Antique Alley, has been around for more than 30 years and boasts it’s the longest-running antique mall in the Charlotte area. After purchasing the store in 2022, the couple rebranded and added more “vintage flair and curated displays.”

“You never know what you might find,” Hardister says. “You could happen upon a uniquely upholstered wingback chair, a beautiful vintage oil painting, a brass trophy cup with just the right amount of patina to hold a bouquet of flowers, a vintage denim jacket that is already perfectly broken in. Or you might finally score that rare vinyl record you’ve been wanting to add to your collection.”

Popular items include vintage books, leather tufted chairs and ottomans, records, and oil paintings. However, brass animals are Hardister’s all-time favorites. “They are adorable and add a whimsical element nestled with those vintage books on your shelf. Just add a little plant in a vintage ceramic planter, and you are good to go,” she says.

Hardister’s advice for shoppers is simple: Enjoy yourself in the exploration. “There are so many unique items — it’s easy to miss a gem if you rush the process,” she says. “Treat antiquing as a treasure hunt and have some fun with it. You never know what you might find.”

Knowing how to date an item is also important when antiquing, notes Susan Gathings, co-owner of Antebellum Marketplace in Indian Trail. “Antiques are 100 years old-plus,” she says. “Vintage is considered 50 years to 100.”

Antebellum Marketplace sells a variety of antiques, gifts and

home décor, from man-cave essentials to vintage kitchen tools to something you might discover in an old barn. “Many vendors mix antiques with other items, so go around twice to see it all,” Gathings says.

Her love for antiquing started early on; she would tag along with her parents when they ventured to antique auctions. “For me, when I touch an antique, I can feel its soul,” she says. “There’s a story in there somewhere.”

Gathings currently sees shoppers gravitating toward wood furnishings, pieces that accent modern decor, and everyday items used in a home or business. Though, as the saying goes, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. “What one person is looking for and falls in love with, another may think is junk,” she says.

At The Depot at Gibson Mill in Concord, record players, vintage cameras, and authentic farmhouse pieces are quick to sell, according to General Manager Janna Jordan. The Depot is known as the largest antique mall in the South, with 88,000 square feet of retail space. The vignettes and displays are what sets The Depot apart, Jordan says. “Our vendors bring it.”

There’s a common misconception that younger generations have little to no interest in digging through old items. While that may be true for some, it’s not for all. Jordan has noticed an increase in younger shoppers searching for unusual decor, like plastic beer signs. “It’s refreshing to see a younger generation energized to find antique and vintage items,” she says.

The trend for young-ish people adopting elements of their

Where to get your nostalgia fix

Antique, vintage and consignment stores in the Queen City are few and far between — you just have to know where to look. Here are a few places to shop for vintage finds in the Charlotte region.

• Antebellum Marketplace | 5817 W. Hwy. 74, Indian Trail

• The Brass Grasshopper | 1325 Matthews-Mint Hill Rd., Matthews

• Christie’s on Main | 318 Main St., Pineville

• Classic Attic | 4301-C Park Rd.

• The Depot at Gibson Mill | 325 McGill Ave. NW, Concord

• Garrett’s Antiques and Indian Shop | 14805 Lancaster Hwy.

• Main St. Antiques & Design Gallery | 500 S. Main St., Mooresville

• Piccolo Antique Mall | 134 N. Main St., Belmont

• Sleepy Poet Antique Mall | 6424 South Blvd.

grandparents’ style even has a name: grandmillennial, coined by writer Emma Bazilian. Think 20- and-30-somethings who enjoy varied textures, funky lampshades and heirloom furniture, mixed with more contemporary pieces.

I suppose I would fall into this category, being a 27-year-old with a house filled with vintage paintings, glassware and trinkets. My most recent finds include painted postcards from various spots in the Carolinas and an electric oil lamp — it fits like a glove on my bar cart next to a few vintage crystal decanters. SP

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Design for all

Families and individuals transitioning out of homelessness aren’t always able to afford basic needs to make their new homes comfortable and livable. That’s where Furnish For Good steps in. The nonprofit organization started in 2019 by Priscilla Chapman, Mary Beth Hollett and Lesley Faulkner, is rooted in the belief that the physical environment of a family’s home can greatly impact their daily life, ultimately improving housing stability. Teaming with local partner organizations, Furnish For Good provides new and gently used furniture, dishes and cookware, bathroom essentials and more, allowing their clients to choose which living room, kitchen table and chairs, or other furnishings they want for their new homes.

In the last year, Furnish For Good served 576 people, including 248 children. Since its inception, the nonprofit has served more than 1,300 people and repurposed more than 13,000 furnishings.

Furnished, the organization’s annual design competition, takes place Nov. 2-5. Interior designers are given two days to create a vignette; the public is invited to vote online for their favorites. Select furnishings, accessories and artwork also will be available for purchase in a silent auction. In anticipation of this year’s event, we invite you to get to know this year’s talented slate of Furnished designers. Responses have been lightly edited. — Cathy Martin

DONNA WERNER

International Kitchen and Bath, Davidson

Three words that describe your aesthetic: Light-filled, airy, classic Favorite design decade: The current decade. I think we have been embracing and mixing several decades and styles currently, and I enjoy that. Current design obsessions: Color on cabinets, pattern in tile, natural materials. Dream job: To design and remodel a historic Victorian or Craftsman-style home. As a kitchen and bath designer, I have worked mostly in remodeling and get such joy from seeing a transformed space. Add to that a love of architecture, and

I would love to work on a historic home and honor its history while giving it new life. My Furnished design is going to be … a little different than my usual aesthetic — think dark and moody.

ANGIE PERSSON

Swell Decor

Three words that describe your aesthetic: Curated, collected and cultured. Favorite design decade: We love the ’20s for the lavish design. There is so much inspiration with bold, dramatic color palettes, unique Art Deco lighting and geometric patterns. Current design obsessions: We are obsessed with dark, moody spaces with a touch of glam. We are leaning into the modern take on trims — the new trends are more playful and used in unexpected ways. It makes each piece feel one of a kind! Dream job: Every designer’s dream is a project with zero boundaries or budget, and ours would be located in the mountains — more specifically with amazing views, no cell service and an abundance of plaids/furs/ cowhides/antiques and antlers. My Furnished design is going to … take you back in time to a world with festive parties and celebrating life in a beautiful space. Prepare to crave a glass of Champagne!

SACITA BRITO

Sacita Interiors

Three words that describe your aesthetic: Multicultural, minimalist, and earthy. Favorite design decade: 2000s. Current design obsessions: Boho, minimalism and nature. Dream job: A beach house in Puerto Rico. My Furnished design is going to be … minimalist, colorful and cultural.

PRISCILLA BAEZ

MPB Design Co.

Three words that describe your aesthetic: Personalized, liveable, joyful. Favorite design decade: I’m torn between the late ’80s and the ’90s. Current design obsessions: Montessori-style design, tone-on-tone color, shape and pattern play. Dream job: A day care/ preschool or transitional housing that serves families with young children needing a safe space to learn, grow, play and find their joy. My Furnished design is going to be … a contemporary kid space with a FUNky twist!

CATE GUTTER

CWG Design

Three words that describe your aesthetic: Thoughtful, colorful

10 CHARLOTTE DESIGNERS TEAM UP FOR FURNISHED, AN ANNUAL DESIGN COMPETITION SUPPORTING FURNISH FOR GOOD.

DONNA WERNER ANGIE PERSSON SACITA BRITO PRISCILLA BAEZ CATE GUTTER

Franchina

and collected. Favorite design decade: The 1950s — I love color! Current design obsessions: Stained wood, wallpaper and vintage lighting/furniture finds. Dream job: I have been so fortunate to check off a few of my “Dream Project” boxes, but since starting my own firm, I have been hoping to do a project drawn by my father-inlaw (Rodney Ward at Ward Design Group in Durham). Specifically, a mountain home with a view for clients with a love of art, antiques and warm textiles. My Furnished design is going to be … an unexpected color combination, but very playful and fun!

KIM MOORE + NANCY TARGGART Cashion Hill Design

Three words that describe your aesthetic: Personal, layered, colorful. Favorite design decade: Really, we are inspired by every decade — CHD has a heavy dose of nostalgia in our designs. If we had to pick our favorite decade, how could it not be the ’70s? We are both circa-1967, so shelter and fashion magazines of the ’70s and our southern mothers were our first memories of what was pretty, fancy and cool. Current design obsession: ART, ART ART — all of it. Dream job: A Harbour Island bungalow … it’s the pink sand. My Furnished design is going to be … for the LADIES!

TIFFANY BROWN Brown Builders Design

Three words that describe your aesthetic: Clean, classic and contemporary. Favorite design decade: The 1920s carried several of my favorite style houses, such as the Spanish bungalow and Tudor Revival along with the western Craftsman and bungalow. Each brings a timeless component with character, classic details and added depth with the exterior elevations. Current design obsessions: Quiet luxury — a combination of elevated materials, intentional and impactful design elements with warmer hues. I often love to incorporate aged brass, marble or honed porcelain with warm wood tones. Biophilic design is an important aspect which feeds into a love for plants and nature. Dream job: To travel abroad to design a boutique hotel and/or custom vacation homes. Travel keeps me young, inspired and open-minded. My Furnished design is going to … bring in warm olive green tones, which is ideal for the design space I created to maintain focus and relieve stress.

ASHLEY ROSS

Muse Noire Interiors

Three words that describe your aesthetic: Tactile, global, wellness.

Favorite design decade: The 1970s for the birth of contemporary design. Current design obsessions: Landscape mural wallpaper and the return of accordion lamp shades. Dream job: Beyond the obvious boutique hotel project, I would have to say a second home in the South of France — Monaco, to be exact. My Furnished design is going to be … a master class in moody interiors.

ALEXIS WARREN

Alexis Warren Designs

Three words that describe your aesthetic: Collected, comfortable and colorful. Favorite design decade: The 1960s — so full of self-expression and pattern play! While I can’t say I would bring any lava lamps into my designs, I do love incorporating lucite and acrylic accent pieces. The ’60s taught us how to break away from traditional design and make homes our own. Current design obsession: Experimenting with color floor to ceiling — especially with rich, saturated hues that give a room a true jewel box feel. Dream job: A traditional home in Palm Beach — think all things lattice, color and texture. Large rooms with multiple conversation areas that make you want to put on a La Vie Style House caftan and throw a big cocktail party! My Furnished design is going to be … a game player’s jewel box.

KRISTINE FRANZ

Kristine Design

Three words that describe your aesthetic: Sophisticated, personal and timeless. Favorite design decade: I love the decade of design we’re in right now, because we can pull the best elements of the past. I like the quirky creativity of the ’60s. I like the funky colors and textures of the ’70s. Today, we can embrace the best of the past and make a new modern statement. Current design obsession: Saturated color — I enjoy layering a space with the same color to create texture, depth, and a juxtaposition of materials and finishes. Dream job: Designing a tiki bar on the island of Korcula in Croatia. It’s a vacation destination on my bucket list. I could dream, soak in the sun and drink wine for inspiration. My Furnished design is going to be … a serene and soothing space where one can relax and unwind. SP

For the third year, SouthPark Magazine is the media sponsor for Furnished, which takes place online Nov. 2-5 at ffgfurnished.com. Learn more about Furnish For Good at furnishforgood.org and follow on Instagram @furnishforgoodorg.

KIM MOORE + NANCY TARGGART

TIFFANY BROWN ASHLEY ROSS ALEXIS WARREN KRISTINE FRANZ

All in

FORTY YEARS AFTER HOPE NICHOLLS AND AARON PITKIN STARTED FETCHIN BONES, THE BAND TAKES ITS PLACE IN THE NORTH CAROLINA MUSIC HALL OF FAME.

by David Menconi

Hope Nicholls has been a much-loved presence in Charlotte’s music scene for so long that it seems like a perfect capper for her 1980s-vintage rock band Fetchin Bones to go into the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame in October. But even though Fetchin Bones broke up three decades ago, their iconic local status is a more recent development.

“Nobody in Charlotte liked us at first!” Nicholls says with a cackle, on a warm summer afternoon from behind the counter of her vintage-clothing boutique Boris & Natasha in Plaza Midwood. “But then we opened for an Athens band called Art in the Dark and they loved us, told us to come down and play with them. We did, and people in Georgia understood us right away. It wasn’t until our last record that we were a big deal in Charlotte.”

Except for a handful of one-off reunion shows over the years, Fetchin Bones has been gone since 1990. Nicholls and her husband/ bandmate Aaron Pitkin have kept making music in a series of bands,

Fetchin Bones live in Orlando, Fla., in 1989

BECKY MCGRATH TEAM CHRIS T. BLACK

CAY CRAIG

LUCY BUTLER

MELISSA COLLINS

LEIGH C. CORSO

LINDA HENLEY THE HUNEYCUTT TEAM CHIP JETTON

HEATHER MONTGOMERY

LINDSAY REDFERN LISA RUPP SARA ROCHE TEAM LISA WARREN HEATHER WOLKING

Sugarsmack and It’s Snakes among them. Still, Fetchin Bones remains the most memorable group any of its seven members were ever in. Fetchin Bones’ heyday came in an era when ringing jingle-jangle guitar hooks were in fashion, with R.E.M. leading the pack. While that was part of Fetchin Bones’ sound, their music was also steeped in blues, country and punk, topped

off by Nicholls’ overpowering sonic-boom yowl of a voice.

“They were the perfect concoction of punk rock meets the beautiful blue-collar palette of the southern Piedmont,” says North Carolina Music Hall of Fame board member (and Avett Brothers manager) Dolphus Ramseur. “Fetchin Bones’ go-for-broke-and-die-with-your-boots-on attitude helped pave the way for countless other bands from North Carolina and beyond. They made me proud to be from the South, and that can be a hard thing to do.”

The roots of Fetchin Bones go back 40 years, when Nicholls and Pitkin met at Warren Wilson College in Swannanoa. It didn’t take long for them to start a band.

“When we met, about the third thing out of my mouth was, ‘I wanna be in a band,’” Nicholls recalls. “Aaron said he did, too. ‘I’m learning guitar.’ ‘I’m trying to be a singer.’ And that was it, in under like five minutes. We always took it seriously and did it exactly the way we wanted. Everything was ‘Do It Yourself.’ We were a DIY band, 100 percent.”

Early on, Fetchin Bones started out as a duo plus rhythm machine — “very weird and avant-garde, country and new wave mashed together,” Nicholls says. Even as they added

Above: Errol Stewart

Right: Hope Nicholls

From left: Aaron Pitkin, Marc Mueller, Danna Pentes, Gary White and Hope Nicholls PHOTOGRAPH BY LIS WINKLER

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members and expanded to a quintet, the group’s music remained highly idiosyncratic, standing apart from the rest of its generation.

“They were a really good band,” says Don Dixon, the R.E.M. co-producer who produced Fetchin Bones’ first three albums. “To have the feel those albums did, you had to be able to play. They were fun, too, incredibly entertaining to watch. Hope was almost like Mick Jagger. Them going into the Hall of Fame is fabulous and well-deserved. They were much more influential than they get credit for.”

Nevertheless, news of their Hall of Fame nod came as a shock, given that Fetchin Bones was a cult act that only had one album reach the Billboard charts (peaking at a modest No. 175 with the 1989 album Monster). Guitarist Errol Stewart says he was “floored” when he got the call about the Hall of Fame.

“It was the last thing I ever expected,” Stewart says. “But I was elated, too, honored and flattered. Still kind of in awe.”

Fetchin Bones will be part of the Hall of Fame’s 2023 class alongside underground funk legend Betty Davis, gospel singer George Beverly Shea, “American Idol” country star Scotty McCreery, singer/songwriter Loudon Wainwright III and disco bandleader Bill “Fatback” Curtis. At the ceremony, Oct. 19 at the Mooresville Performing Arts Center, Fetchin Bones will reunite to play a four-song set with all seven members of the lineup participating.

It’s possible they’ll play another show or two in the future, especially if their long-out-of-print 1985 debut album Cabin Flounder (to which they recently acquired the rights) comes back into print. But members are scattered all over the country now, and Nicholls’ main focus is running her shop and playing drums in her current band, It’s Snakes. She calls it “my crossword puzzle” because of the challenge of singing while drumming.

“Everything I’ve ever done was for the fun of it, whether opening this store or being in a band,” she says. “Anything I do, I’m all in. The goal was never to be rich or famous, but to be artists. The best thing about being musicians is you can wear what you want, make music, write lyrics, make posters, travel, perform. If it makes money, good, ’cause you’ve gotta eat. But it’s art. My life in a nutshell.” SP

Hope Nicholls and Aaron Pitkin at Boris & Natasha, Hope’s Plaza Midwood boutique, in September.

From left: Hope Nicholls, Clay Richardson, Errol Stewart, Aaron Pitkin and Danna Pentes

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A beautiful gift

AN EXHIBITION IN BLOWING ROCK PROVIDES A RARE OPPORTUNITY TO VIEW WORKS BY SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA PAINTERS FROM THE EARLY 20TH CENTURY.

by Cathy Martin

There’s no better way to celebrate the start of fall than a trip to the North Carolina mountains. This season, travelers bound for North Carolina’s High Country have good reason to visit beyond the spectacular fall foliage. GIFTED: Collecting the Art of California at Gardena High School, 1919-1956, debuted at the Blowing Rock Art & History Museum (BRAHM) this summer and will remain on view through Dec. 30.

If the title sounds a little esoteric, don’t let that discourage you from taking a closer look. The exhibition features 48 paintings chronicling the southern California art movement during the first half of the 20th century. While the works themselves are impressive, the story behind the collection is just as compelling.

Located in a then-rural area 15 miles south of downtown Los Angeles, Gardena High School served children in grades 6-12 from the local farming community, including white, Japanese American and Hispanic families. Plein-air painting was in its heyday in southern California, and in 1919, principal John Whitely came up with the idea for seniors to select, purchase and donate a work of art to the school as a class gift. The tradition continued until 1956. Over time, artists, along with other groups and individuals, began donating additional works to the school’s collection. Many of these impressionist painters went on to achieve national or international acclaim.

“These are artists who became not only important in their time,

Clarence Hinkle, Quiet Pose, c. 1918, Oil on canvas, 36 x 30 inches. Gift of Class of Winter 1929.

Top: Richard Carver Haines, Fogbound, c. 1956, Oil on canvas, 24 x 20 inches. Gift of Class of Winter 1956.

Bottom: William Wendt, Along the Arroyo Seco, 1912, Oil on canvas, 40 x 50 inches. Gift of Class of Summer 1924.

but they are artists who are still very much collected today,” says Stephan Dragisic, executive director of BRAHM. The Los Angeles newspaper reported on the selection each year, so there was some publicity associated with being a part of the collection, Dragisic adds. As a result, some of the artists gifted paintings “far more valuable than the students could afford.” The collection comprises works by dozens of artists, including Maynard Dixon, known for his iconic depictions of the American West; landscape painter William Wendt; and modernist painter Agnes Pelton.

“It not only enriched the lives of the students, but it enriched the lives of the entire community,” Dragisic says. The school even designed an auditorium to house the paintings — the first public art gallery in southern California showcasing regional art. “So, it is hard to imagine that in 1956, when the high school moved into a new building, that they didn’t make a provision for putting these paintings on view.”

Instead, the paintings ended up in a janitor’s closet until about 1999, when a group of alumni began inquiring about the collection. It took another 20 years — until 2019, the 100th anniversary of the school’s first gift — to stabilize and conserve the works, determine who owned them (they’d been gifted to the student body), and prepare the paintings for public viewing again.

Over the years, 72 works were donated to the school, and the result is a lasting legacy of the community during a tumultuous 37-year period, beginning just after WWI and the 1918 flu pandemic and spanning WWII and the Great Depression — significant global events with an impact well beyond southern California.

Dragisic cites a “rather haunting” painting by Frank Tenney Johnson of a cowboy on a horse, looking out over the valley. “This painting was purchased for the school in 1937, and you know that there [had to be] conversations about how that way of life — cowboying in California — is going away.”

Another piece, “Cranes Under a Giant Fern” by Jessie Arms Botke, joined the collection in 1943, during the Japanese internment that incarcerated some 120,000 people of Japanese descent. In Japanese culture, cranes symbolize hope and good fortune. “The cranes are a real symbol that I think would have been incredibly poignant at the time, just thinking about the Japanese internment and what that meant having a third of your high-school cohort removed,” Dragisic says.

A traveling exhibition of the works debuted in May 2019 in California, only to be stalled by the pandemic. Thanks to the connections of a local Blowing Rock art collector, the exhibit made its way to BRAHM in June. It’s the first time the exhibition has been shown on the East Coast, and the first time outside of California.

“It’s an inspirational opportunity for us,” Dragisic says. “It’s a great opportunity for families to have discussions around art and art appreciation that they would not necessarily have.” SP

WANT TO VISIT? BRAHM is located at 159 Ginny Stevens Ln. in downtown Blowing Rock, about an hour and 45 minutes from Charlotte. Admission is free, and GIFTED will be on view through Dec. 30. blowingrockmuseum.org

Clyde Eugene Scott, Mirror of Summer, c. 1939, Oil on canvas, 30 x 40 inches. Gift of Class of Winter 1939.

Loren Roberta Barton, Day’s End, c. 1947, Oil on canvas, 36 x 40 inches. Gift of Class of Summer 1947.

H. Raymond Henry, The Storm King, c. 1937, Oil on canvas, 30 x 40 inches. Gift of Class of Winter 1937.

Born to run

ACROSS CHARLOTTE, RUNNERS ARE DISCOVERING FITNESS AND FRIENDSHIP GO HAND IN HAND.

by Michelle Boudin

Anne Fechtel has a babysitter booked for her three kids every Wednesday night for the foreseeable future. That’s because the run club she founded meets Wednesdays at Legion Brewing SouthPark, and it’s the one thing the busy mom always makes sure to do for herself.

“It’s definitely the best night of the week for me,” says Fechtel, 40. “When else do I get to hang out with friends where we all have common interests?”

A lifelong runner, Fechtel says the sport has recently taken on a new meaning. “It’s always been a mental outlet for me, but the last several years it’s been the most important way for me to make friends. It’s rare to meet good friends as an adult, and this group has come to mean a lot to me. When you’re a runner and you don’t run with people regularly, you’re in a bubble – having a run club changes that.”

She started getting the group together a few years ago and officially formed the SouthPark Run Club last fall. She’s convinced the new routine helped propel her to a personal record at the Charlotte Marathon in 2021, when she was the second woman to cross the finish line.

The group is made up of men and women ages 20 to 70. They typically run a 3- or 5-mile route, then often hang around to socialize.

“A lot of run clubs meet at breweries, but we actually sit down

together for dinner so you get to really know the people,” says Jason Seagle, 44. Seagle played college soccer and started focusing on running during the pandemic.

Many in the group compete in local races together. In June, when the oldest member, Art McDonald, vowed to run 70 miles for his 70th birthday, several members joined him along the way on the 17-hour journey. Others were there to greet McDonald at the finish line.

“They’re good people!” McDonald says. “I run to stay in shape, and it’s so much better when you’re hanging around other people who like to run.”

Matt Scalabrino, 51, says the run club became his lifeline during the pandemic. He didn’t start running seriously until after college. “I found the run club after my marriage broke apart. It was the middle of Covid, and I found myself alone a lot because my whole social network changed. I was looking for a social outlet with other people that have common interests. It’s the best thing ever for me.” A regular on the local race scene, Scalabrino says the other members motivate him. “I’ve made incredible friends. The people are supporting and encouraging.”

The running community in Charlotte is bigger than ever, with clubs popping up across the city. One of the fastest-growing groups is the Mad Miles Run Club. Cornell Jones and his wife used social

media to spread the word of their group, which meets Tuesdays at Camp North End. Attendance exploded, in part thanks to the dance party that follows each run.

“Our self-proclaimed ‘Big Steppas,’ Mad Milers who know the majority of the dances, gather around and dance the night away,” Jones says. “Around 15-20 group line dances are performed, and we sing some of our favorite songs.”

The crowd often balloons into the hundreds. “On Tuesdays, you’ll see babies in strollers, toddlers accomplishing their first full mile, teenagers and [college students] training, Gen Z, millennials, and Gen X all running and growing together. Beginners and walkers are welcome, as well as professional runners and athletes.”

NoDa Brewing is home to the very first brewery run club in the city. Brian Mister, an avid runner, worked at the brewery and came up with the idea back in May 2012. Years later, Mister co-founded the popular Around the Crown 10K, where Charlotteans race around the heart of the city, including a loop on Interstate 277.

It’s more proof, runners say, that Charlotte has become a true runners town, one where runners support each other and the community they call home.

“Running is more fun with friends,” says Stephanie Ward, who joined the SouthPark Run Club after moving to Charlotte from Los Angeles. “There’s a tremendous social aspect to running. Everywhere I’ve lived, runners are a fantastic group of people.” The club members were the first people Ward met in Charlotte besides

her neighbors. “It’s just a great community. It’s fun, and it keeps me moving. These people are not only friends, but [they are] helping me train for my 80s and 90s.” SP

Follow the Legion SouthPark Run Club on Instagram @legionsprunclub. For a list of other local run clubs, visit runcltrun.com

Anne Fechtel, far right, started a running group a few years ago that became the Legion SouthPark Run Club. The group meets at Legion Brewing on Wednesday evenings.

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LOCAL LANDMARKS THAT HAVE STOOD THE TEST OF TIME

Ebenezer Grill

by Whitley Adkins | photographs by Richard Israel

Built in the early 1930s, Ebenezer Grill, about a half-hour drive south of Charlotte in Rock Hill, S.C., is located in a small wooden house that was converted to a neighborhood store in the mid-1940s.

“The first business owners brought in a trailer and parked it out back, so they could live there while keeping an eye on the business,” says Loyd Ardrey, the grill’s current owner. Initially, Ardrey says, the store sold cold cuts, milk, bread, candy and ice, with two gasoline pumps out front. “There were six owners in total before me,” says Ardrey, who bought the business in 2003. “They sold a lot of hot dogs and sandwiches. Then, probably about 40 years ago, the owners made it more into a restaurant. It’s been like that ever since.”

The grill offers a traditional breakfast menu of omelets, pancakes, French toast and breakfast sandwiches. “And we’ve got great grits,” Ardrey adds. The lunch menu features hamburgers, hot dogs, barbecue and sandwiches, served with crinkle-cut French fries, onion rings and

homemade coleslaw, along with daily specials. Ebenezer Grill used to be open five days a week, Tuesday through Saturday. “But after Covid came along, we went to three days, and that’s still working for us,” Ardrey says. The cash-only restaurant (with an ATM in the back, just in case) is open Thursday, Friday and Saturday, 6:30 a.m.-2:00 p.m.

Perhaps the best thing about this longstanding, beloved neighborhood gathering spot? “We’ve got customers from all across the board. Some customers are extremely wealthy, some are extremely poor, and we’ve got everything in between,” Ardrey says. “All people come in here, and we’re all good friends. … We try to know everyone’s names. We work at that. It’s a friendly environment — inexpensive, too.”

When I spoke with Ardrey over the phone on a recent Thursday morning, he was playing cards with two customers. “We’ll play a hand or two for breakfast. It’s quality time with special friends.”

When asked about the future of the Ebenezer Grill, which is situated in one of the fastest-growing counties in the region, Ardrey assures me the restaurant will be around for new generations to enjoy. “We’ve got a great crew — a caring, dedicated crew, and that’s the reason we’re successful. My manager, Taj, will eventually end up with the business. I don’t know when that’s going to happen, because I like being here a lot, but the future of Ebenezer Grill is secure, and we love new visitors and friends.” SP

Ebenezer Grill is located at 1525 Ebenezer Ave. in Rock Hill, S.C.

Ebenezer Grill owner Loyd Ardrey

Is C a b e r n et Our Favorite Fall Color

If nature has taught us anything it’s that time is precious. Good thing Winston-Salem understood the assignment Come join us — and spend an a ernoon touring our wineries. Exploring our mountains. Or filling your soul and your senses with food so fresh it’d make James Beard blush. So grab your keys. Reserve your favorite hotel. And experience the magic of time well spent.

New beginnings

by Michael J. Solender

Aime Izilaba didn’t know much about Charlotte when he first arrived here in 2021. Izilaba, 39, landed in the Queen City as a refugee from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. He was riding a tail of violence and insecurity that displaced him and more than 5 million of his countrymen due to more than a decade of political unrest and conflict. He lost his father and other family and friends to the horrors and internal strife afflicting his central African nation.

Alone and afraid, the onetime medical student and researcher found his new life in America filled with challenges at every turn. He immersed himself in English classes and set about looking for work and a pathway to adjust to his newfound community.

“The kind of life I found here was filled with daily challenges and hardship,” Izilaba says. “Every day, I felt traumatized by challenges I found with transportation, housing and simply surviving. I found it all very difficult to navigate. I felt a bit sad.”

A few months into his transition, fate intervened and Izilaba was referred to Charlotte post-resettlement organization, Refugee Support Services (RSS).

Established in 2006, the nonprofit works with refugees, asylees, humanitarian parolees and their families to aid with transition into the community. Since its founding, the organization has served thousands representing more than 33 countries of origin. Last year alone, RSS served more than 800 children and adults with education programs including English and financial literacy, nutrition, and college preparation, along with access to fresh food, community resources and referrals.

A WELCOMING SPACE

“It’s so important to have a safe and welcoming place when people first arrive,” says Lindsay LaPlante, RSS executive director. “RSS is equipped with resources to help navigate this new, often confusing environment people find themselves in. Everyone is always welcome here; there’s always a place for them.”

LaPlante, 37, says the need for the services RSS provides is

growing exponentially and that Charlotte is a leading destination for placement given our community’s infrastructure.

“Refugees are one of the very tiniest portions of immigrants that arrive to the country in any given year,” LaPlante says. “Through Covid, North Carolina became one of the largest resettling states in the country. Internationally speaking, there’s an understanding of what it means to be a refugee. They are fleeing something, going from something dangerous to something safe.”

Achieving refugee status involves an arduous application process, LaPlante says, commencing with resettlement in a temporary host country outside the nation refugees are fleeing and then, only after approval, to their new home country.

“Anybody who is arriving as a refugee comes through a very extensive process that typically takes somewhere between two to five to 10 years, depending on where they’re coming from,” LaPlante says. “This includes background documentation and background checks with the State Department and other federal agencies.”

Once people are assigned to resettlement in the U.S., explains LaPlante, there are fewer than a dozen umbrella organizations at the national level where their cases are assigned. New arrivals are ultimately placed within communities based upon factors such as existing landed populations and support infrastructure.

“Two primary resettlement organizations operate in Charlotte, Carolina Refugee Resettlement Agency, and Charlotte Catholic Charities. Here, the focus is assisting refugees into their new home during their first 90 days.” LaPlante says. “They get established in their apartments, go through all their medical screenings and immunizations, Social Security registration, work permit paperwork, enrolling in school, starting bank accounts. All the things that you need to live your life here must be done within the first 90 days. It’s after that where we get involved.”

For Faisal (he requested his last name be withheld for security reasons), who arrived in Charlotte from Afghanistan in January, connecting with RSS is a true lifeline. Faisal, 26, was working as an interpreter for a U.S. Army subcontractor during the military occupa-

CHARLOTTE’S REFUGEE SUPPORT SERVICES HAS HELPED THOUSANDS OF VULNERABLE GLOBAL REFUGEES TRANSITION INTO THE COMMUNITY.

blvd. | givers

tion. He was in Kabul and experienced the chaotic 2021 government collapse after the U.S. troop withdrawal.

He came to the U.S. under a Special Immigrant Visa given his support of the U.S. government abroad. RSS serves those with this status, as well as those classified as humanitarian parolees. The special status is granted to a foreign national who is otherwise inadmissible to temporarily enter the United States due to an emergency, urgent humanitarian reason or significant public benefit.

“Upon arrival, I felt like I had no one to help me,” says Faisal, who has a degree in business management from Kabul University. “After I learned of RSS, I met new friends, people who welcomed me and knew how I felt. I’ve built up my confidence. In the U.S., you must do everything on your own. RSS has helped me feel less alone. They feel like my family here.”

RSS receives federal and state funding as well as private support, including in-kind donations. Its budget this fiscal year is $1.3 million, and the organization employs 15 staff members. LaPlante says nearly half of RSS’s in-kind donations are food. Freshlist, a Charlotte distributor to local restaurants, donates up to 180 fresh food boxes for program participants weekly. Other donors include the Carolinas Gleaning Network (Society of St. Andrew), and several community groups and neighborhood associations.

BUILDING COMMUNITY RELATIONSHIPS

LaPlante says a significant focus for RSS is helping new arrivals build relationships in the community. The RSS headquarters in east Charlotte offers a bright, welcoming environment for classes, arts

and crafts, and informal community gatherings.

“Community relationships are at the core of our mission,” LaPlante says. “For families with school-age children, for example, we have programs to help them learn about what education looks like in Charlotte, how to connect with teachers and administrators. We have CMPD come out to meet and interact with our program participants. Many new residents come from places where the police are corrupt, or to be feared. We want to show them that the police can be called upon for help.”

Creating a strong multicultural community and developing fellowship are natural byproducts of work that happens at RSS. Many of the most meaningful connections develop between program participants themselves, sharing their own tips and advice for each other.

“We all come from beautiful cultures,” says Yuliia (Julie) Mikhachova, 31, who recently arrived with her family from Ukraine. “But we are now in a new country, with a new language, new customs and culture to learn — it’s wonderful to have each other for support.” Mikhachova worked as a teacher and vice principal in Ukraine. She’s taken on a part-time role at RSS as the Ukrainian outreach coordinator and helps with English language instruction.

For Izilaba, his new family at RSS has meant the world. He now works part time at RSS in supporting recent arrivals. “RSS is like my family here in the U.S,” Izilaba says. “In Congo after losing my father I thought, I will never find a family that is mine again. Yet today, I can say I have another family. I hope to be back in school very soon. I know I will achieve my goals. I feel I have a future.” SP

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$1,495,000 – Beautiful 0.49 acre lot backs to 5 mile walking trail. 4BR/2.2BA, formals, sunroom, family room w/ oversized fireplace and wet bar.

Beth Livingston 704.778.6831

$799,000 – Beautifully updated 4BR/3.1BA home with open plan, primary suite down, formals, screened porch, and detached 2 car garage.

Liz McIntosh 704.488.6224

$670,000 – Well-maintained 4BR/3.1BA end unit townhome w/ high ceilings, primary suite down, chef’s kitchen, bonus rm w/wet bar, 2-car garage.

Greg McIntosh 704.502.5310

$595,000 – Beautiful 3BR/2.1BA townhome with open kitchen, family room, and dining room. Pocket office, luxury primary bath, flex space, 1-car garage.

TOG E T H ER ISEVER Y THING.

Appreciating family and friends starts by planning your stay in the Crystal Coast. Enjoy 11 unique communities, 85 miles of coastline, and endless fun for all ages. We’re shaped by water, and after you visit, you will be too. See seasonal specials on amazing hotels and vacation rentals at CrystalCoastNC.org.

Food + drink

3rd and Fernwood is slated to open this fall at The Metropolitan in the former Hickory Tavern space. It’s the newest concept from Chef Greg and Subrina Collier’s Bayhaven Restaurant Group. Cleo Hethington, a 2022 James Beard Emerging Chef finalist, will be executive chef. The menu was still in development at press time but will “delve into the foodways of the African diaspora and its connection to the American South,” Greg Collier says.  Coquette, a French bakery and restaurant from Mother Earth Group, opened at 400 S. Tryon St. in uptown.  The Matador will open this fall in South End. The Mexican food restaurant and bar with more than 150 tequilas, mezcals and agave spirits is owned by North Carolina native Zak Melang.

Siloam's new home

Following a six-year effort and a $1.2 million fundraising campaign, the historic Siloam School last month was moved from University City to its new home on the campus of the Charlotte Museum of History in east Charlotte. The Rosenwald-designed school was built in the 1920s as a place to educate Black children. The building will be restored as a permanent home for exhibits about the 20th century Black experience amid segregation. A grand opening celebration will be held in 2024.

PHOTOS BY PETER TAYLOR PHOTOGRAPHY CLAY_WILLIAMS_PHOTO

PHOTOGRAPH BY GRANT BALDWIN

3rd and Fernwood

Cleo Hethington

Greg Collier

The Matador

Follow the bubbles

SouthPark has new public art — and it’s OK to walk on. In fact, artist Laurie Smithwick would love kids and grown-ups alike to follow the path of the whimsical bubbles she painted on the sidewalk at the newly finished Anne O. Moffat Park at the corner of Sharon Road and Hazelton Drive. The SouthPark Association of Neighborhoods secured grant funding for the mural, which was also ArtPop Street Gallery’s 50th Inspiration Project around the city. The half-acre green space is an extension of Sharon Towers (soon to be The Sharon at SouthPark), designed to serve neighbors within the continuing-care community and surrounding area. On a nice fall day, don’t be surprised to find folks sitting by the fountain — and maybe throwing in a coin or two to make a wish.

Shop

A popup shop with more than 60 vendors is open at Carolina Place Mall: Southern Lion plans to debut its main store in January 2024, with a grand opening slated for February. Vendors include floral designs, home décor, self-care items, gifts, luxury fabrics and clothing.  Phillips Place announced a trio of new brands: A 4,608-square-foot Ralph Lauren store, rag & bone and La Vie Style House will open this fall. The stores will join Jennie Kayne, Veronica Beard and others recently introduced by Dallas-based Highland Park Village, the center’s co-owner that oversees leasing, marketing and property management at Phillips Place.  Outdoor furniture store Yardbird is open at Apex SouthPark.  Atlanta gourmet grocer Savi Provisions is open at The Line in South End.

October HAPPENINGS

Festival season is in full swing, and the lineup of big-name artists making stops in Charlotte continues, with concerts by Luke Bryan (Oct. 7 at PNC Music Pavilion), Aerosmith (Oct. 17 at Spectrum Center) and John Mayer (Oct. 23 at Spectrum Center).

Farm to Fork in the Garden

Oct. 1

Chefs, artisans and farmers share the region’s best flavors and seasonal ingredients at more than 25 tasting stations throughout the grounds of Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden. Proceeds support agriculture and food system training programs at the Center for Environmental Farming Systems and farmer grants at Piedmont Culinary Guild. Adult general admission is $125. piedmontculinaryguild.com

BayHaven Food & Wine Festival

Oct. 4-8

The festival celebrating Black foodways returns, with new venues in uptown and on the west side. The theme is “Wild & Free 23,” drawing inspiration from the ’60s and ’70s. The festival kicks off Wednesday with a family-style community feast — other events include a Pig Picking and Oyster Roast, Tasting Tent, and Boogie Down Brunch. Single-event tickets start at $100. bayhavenfoodandwine.com

Home.Grown CLT

Oct. 7

This arts extravaganza at the Charlotte Art

League celebrates visual and performing arts by bringing local creatives and artisans together under one roof. Doors open at 3 p.m. Early bird general admission starts at $25. 4237 Raleigh Street, homegrownfest.org

Pink Cupcake Walk

Oct. 7

Grab a mini cupcake from local bakeries as you walk laps around Truist Field in uptown. Your support through WBTV’s #TeamMolly helps local nonprofit Go Jen Go provide financial assistance to families fighting breast cancer. The field opens at 8:30 a.m.; register online tasteofcharlotte. com/pinkcupcakewalk

Build Your Own Boat competition

Oct. 14

This BYOB competition puts teams to the test on the Whitewater Center’s challenging rapids. Skip the construction and go watch the spectacle unfold. Registration cost is $40. whitewater.org

Colonel’s Club Boil & Brew

Oct. 21

Embrace the fall season during this

Lowcountry boil with plenty of craft beer, wine, games for the kids (and adults), plus live music from Kris Hitchcock. Ticket prices vary; adult general admission is $55. Anne Springs Close Greenway, ascgreenway.org/ events

Walk to End Alzheimer’s

Oct. 21

This annual walk lifts up and recharges those affected by Alzheimer’s and their families, friends and caregivers. All funds raised during the walk go toward care, research and support efforts. Registration starts at 9 a.m. The walk begins at 10 a.m. Truist Field. act.alz.org

Macabre Masquerade at Discovery Place Science

Oct. 21 | 7-11 p.m.

Put on your spookiest costume and head downtown for this adults-only experience with music and bubbling brews. Tickets are $34-$64. discoveryplace.org

Charlotte Hornets vs. Atlanta Hawks

Oct. 25 | 7 p.m.

The Hornets open the regular season

against their I-85 rival. It’s one of eight 35th Anniversary Nights, and the first 15,000 fans will receive free T-shirts. hornets.com

Pagliacci with Cavalleria Rusticana

Oct. 28, 29 and Nov. 2

Opera Carolina’s 74th season starts with two tragic stories of love and betrayal, featuring La Scala soprano Barbara Frittoli. Belk Theater; tickets start at $22.44. operacarolina.org

MUSEUMS + GALLERIES

The Art of Seating: 200 Years of American Design through Feb. 25

This exhibition tells stories of United States history through an ensemble of 52 chairs presented as works of art as much as functional objects. Designers include Charles and Ray Eames, the Stickley Brothers, Frank Lloyd Wright, and Frank Gehry. At Mint Museum Uptown, mintmuseum.org

Playing With Fire at Jerald Melberg Gallery through Oct. 21

This solo exhibition features works by Dennis Lee Mitchell, a Washington, D.C.-based artist who creates drawings on paper resembling flowers and spiral shells, made purely with smoke from a burning flame. jeraldmelberg.com

The Hive @ 35 Opens Oct. 10

Celebrate 35 years of the Hornets at Charlotte Museum of History, with a tour of classic memorabilia, interactive installations and plenty of nostalgia for the NBA team that put the Queen City on the map. The exhibit is included with regular museum admission, $10 for adults. 3500 Shamrock Dr. charlottemuseum.org

Scan the QR code on your mobile device to view our online events calendar — updated weekly — at southparkmagazine.com.

The autumn garden

LEVEL UP YOUR LANDSCAPING WITH PLANTS BURSTING WITH FALL COLOR.

by Jay Sifford

Much of our gardening efforts center on spring and summer. Azaleas and daffodils carry us through spring into summer, at which time annuals and hydrangeas pop and shine. Our ideas generally wane going into fall, so we rely on the invasive burning bush or plant what everyone else does: mums and pansies. There are many unique and festive ways that our gardens can celebrate fall. Let’s take a look at a few of these.

DON’T OVERLOOK ORNAMENTAL TREES

Why gas up the family car and head to the mountains to see fall foliage when you can bring a bit of that autumnal color to your own space? Large ornamental maples such as ‘October Glory’ can elicit fall memories of Blowing Rock with its spectacular red seasonal foliage. Smaller Japanese maples bring multiseason interest to our smaller urban gardens and put on a glorious show in fall. Generally speaking, varieties sporting green warm-season leaf tones morph into yellow and orange beacons in fall. Those with red foliage generally turn a more intense red or reddish-orange. I especially enjoy placing them in close proximity to bluish conifers, as the pairing is exquisite. Gingko and American beech trees turn a glorious yellow in fall. Beeches hold their leaves throughout the winter, turning tan while providing an auditory component on a windy winter day.

SHRUBS THAT CELEBRATE THE SEASON

Don’t cut those hydrangeas! Oak leaf and the sun-loving paniculata hydrangeas hold onto their white summer flowers as they generally morph into a soft pink that lasts well into autumn. Oak leaf hydrangea foliage turns a brilliant red with a purple overlay in fall. Planting several varieties of sasanqua camellias can provide a white, red and pink floral show from early autumn through mid-winter. Berries also bring seasonal color to the garden. Callicarpas, commonly known as beauty berries, shine in fall with clusters of stem-hugging, bright purple berries. These berries, in combination with the shrub’s waning yellow fall foliage, put on quite the show. If you can live peacefully with thorny shrubs, no berries are more spectacular in fall than pyracantha, also known as firethorn. Aronias, also called chokeberry, sport black berries against iridescent reddish-orange fall foliage. This is a great native substitution for the invasive burning bush Euonymous. Sumacs also hold beautiful red foliage in autumn.

FALL BLOOMING FLOWERS

Look past those pedestrian mums and celebrate fall in a more unique way. Asters, many of which are natives, are perennials that boast flowers visually similar to mums. An additional benefit of asters is that many feed bees and butterflies.

Pairing a Japanese maple such as this ‘Crimson Queen’ with a bluish conifer makes a spectacular autumnal display.

Sedums such as ‘Autumn Joy’ sport heads of pink in various shades and also provide food for native bees. A mass planting of native Solidago, commonly known as goldenrod, is a magnificent fall sight. (Contrary to popular belief, goldenrod is not a contributor to fall allergies.)

Eutrochium, commonly known as Joe-Pye, begins blooming in late summer with large heads of pink to white flowers. This plant is the host plant for the yellow swallowtail butterfly, so planting Eutrochium can seasonally transform your garden into a choreographed production starring butterflies and native bees.

Amsonia hubrictii, also called narrowleaf blue star, blooms in spring but saves its most dramatic display for autumn, when its foliage turns a beautiful bright yellow with texture that is reminiscent of the tail feathers of a strutting peacock.

Fall-blooming bulbs include colchicum, which resemble the spring-blooming crocus, and cyclamen hederifolium. For those who enjoy the florist’s cyclamen, this dainty relative with exquisitely patterned foliage will find a special place in the garden. The pink to white flowers resemble origami and are held proudly above the foliage. This plant finds its perfect home under shade trees in drier soil with good drainage.

Tricyrtis, commonly called the toad lily, provide an exotic accent to the fall part-sun-to-light shade garden. These flowers are generally patterned white with a purple overlay.

Challenge yourself to reimagine your garden to celebrate fall with uniqueness and style by including some of these plants into your mix. SP

Jay Sifford is a Charlotte-based landscape designer who specializes in contemporary, Asian and transitional gardens. His work has been featured in Southern Living, Country Gardens and Fine Gardening, as well as Houzz and several books.

‘Orangeola’ Japanese maple in fall

‘Purple Ghost’ Japanese maple and gingko in fall glory.

By planting varieties of both sasanqua and japonica camellias, you can have flowers from early fall to late spring.

Bobby Wildermuth, robertbobbyart.com

The adventurous child

ILLUSTRATOR JESSE WHITE DEPICTS CHILDREN EXPLORING THE NATURAL WORLD.

by Wiley Cash | photographs by Mallory Cash

When former teacher Jesse White discovered that her young students’ personalities and identities weren’t reflected in the teaching materials she was provided, she decided to take their education into her own hands, literally. She drew all of her classroom materials by hand in an effort to bring their lives more into her classroom. White, who is now a full-time illustrator, hoped her efforts conveyed how much she valued and believed in each child and how they saw themselves represented in the world.

This conviction to portray the world as children see themselves in it comes from her own childhood outside Siler City, where she grew up with her mother, Gwen Overturf, and her father, Eddie White, on 10 acres of land along the Rocky River.

“Childhood is a primary inspiration for me,” she says on a bright afternoon at her home in Durham. “I’m someone who loves nostalgia and likes thinking about ways that we can reconnect with our childhood or just the child inside of us. And so that’s what I do all day; I go back to little Jesse, who was spending a lot of time in the woods with my mom and by myself exploring the rocks near

our house, coming up with games, ideas and secret missions that I would go on. My primary inspiration is my childhood and the time that I spent outside in nature.”

Jesse was home-schooled until second grade and spent a lot of time accompanying her mother to various jobs, where she worked in landscaping and at a goat dairy. She was left free to explore.

“I would spend a ton of time with the dog and the goats and go wandering off into the woods.”

When her mother got a job teaching at a nearby private school, Jesse followed. And then she was off to public school for middle school and high school.

“I’ve had a pretty big range of educational experiences. Looking back on it, even though there were some difficult transitions, I wouldn’t trade it for sure. I value a lot of what I picked up and learned at each of those different types of schools,” she says.

But she felt different from other kids. After years of learning to milk goats, roaming the woods and developing elaborate games on her own, how could she not? As an artist, she was more intent on drawing the natural world than superheroes or Barbies.

“I was drawing stuff that my classmates had never really seen before,” she says. “So maybe that’s where that difference showed up.”

Jesse gained inspiration not only from the woods around her, but also from her parents, both of whom were arts-oriented. Her mother, Gwen, had a background in graphic design and experience in arts education. Although Eddie, her father, had a background in graphic design as well, he designed and built houses for much of her childhood. When she was in middle school he shifted away from construction and became a full-time artist, creating large-scale metal sculptures and installations, including one for the Hilton hotel in Kuala Lumpur.

It was in college at UNC Chapel Hill that Jesse first considered pursuing a career in arts education. “It was this wonderful answer to what had been missing for me,” she

says. “I enjoyed making art, but I was like, ‘Man, this is missing a social aspect somehow. What can I be doing to use this to engage people and help them reflect on their own identities and their own lives and their own learning?’ And so art education blew my mind in that way. I could not only make art, but I could facilitate learning through art.”

Fresh out of graduate school, the first time she stepped into her own classroom, Jesse admits to having “life-altering lessons” that she planned to present to her students. She quickly found that having a class of 25 to 32 kids was as much about function as it was creativity. But she absolutely loved it.

“It was one of the most exciting and rewarding things that I’ve ever done,” she says, and by her second year she had learned how to balance the practical demands of curriculum and classroom management with her creative ideas on how to engage students.

After four years in the classroom, she decided to go out on her own and pursue a full-time career as an illustrator. Once she focused on her own art, she recalled the power of creating the materials that represented who her students knew themselves to be and the ways in which she once saw herself as a young girl who thrived in the outdoors. The results were illustration after illustration of young girls exploring natural landscapes, much like Jesse had.

“I don’t know why it took me so long to realize this,” she says, smiling, “but I just don’t draw kids inside very much.”

A quick perusal of her website or Instagram page reveals this to be true. In one illustration, a little girl in a rain slicker peers over the bow of a storm-tossed ship, the tentacles of a sea monster snaking below her. In another, a girl sits comfortably atop a rock and pours a cup of tea, a blue snake encircling her neck.

Jesse’s work also reveals a lack of adult characters, something others — including the editors of her forthcoming book, Brave Like Fireweed, which she both wrote and illustrated — have brought to her attention.

“‘We can’t have these kids just wandering by themselves out in the middle of nowhere without any adult supervision,’” she says,

paraphrasing her editors. “I totally get that. But a huge focus and motivation for my artwork is to show kids as the capable and intelligent and independent beings that they are, and that doesn’t always require having an adult presence in order to be like that.”

People might also wonder where all the boys are, because Jesse’s main characters are primarily young girls. “I’ve always found it to be incredibly important to include girls in my work who are outside, playing, exploring, adventuring, just because that’s not something that they’re always allowed or encouraged to do,” she says. “It’s something that I was allowed and

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October books

NOTABLE NEW RELEASES

compiled by Sally Brewster

Happiness Falls by Angie Kim

“We didn’t call the police right away.” Those are the electric first words of this extraordinary novel about a biracial Korean American family in Virginia whose lives are upended when their beloved father and husband goes missing. Mia, the irreverent, hyperanalytical 20-year-old daughter, has an explanation for everything — which is why she isn’t initially concerned when her father and younger brother Eugene don’t return from a walk in a nearby park. They must have lost their phone. Or stopped for an errand somewhere. But by the time Mia’s brother runs through the front door bloody and alone, it becomes clear that the father in this tightknit family is missing and the only witness is Eugene, who has the rare genetic condition Angelman syndrome and cannot speak. What follows is both a ticking-clock investigation into the whereabouts of a father and an emotionally rich portrait of a family whose most personal secrets just may be at the heart of his disappearance. Full of shocking twists and fascinating questions of love, language and human connection, Happiness Falls is a mystery, a family drama and a novel of profound philosophical inquiry.

Wellness by Nathan Hill

When Jack and Elizabeth meet as college students in the ’90s, the two quickly join forces and hold on tight, each eager to claim a place in Chicago’s thriving underground art scene with an appreciative kindred spirit. Fast-forward 20 years to married life, and alongside the challenges of parenting, they encounter cults disguised as mindfulness support groups, polyamorous would-be suitors, Facebook wars and something called Love Potion Number Nine. For the first time, Jack and Elizabeth struggle to recognize each other, and the no-longer-youthful dreamers are forced to face their demons, from unfulfilled career ambitions to painful childhood memories of their own dysfunctional families. In the process, Jack and Elizabeth must undertake separate, personal excavations, or risk losing the best thing in their lives: each other.

Why We Love Baseball: A History in 50 Moments by Joe Posnaski

Posnanski writes of major moments that created legends, and of forgotten moments almost lost to time. It’s Willie Mays’ catch, Babe Ruth’s called shot,

and Kirk Gibson’s limping home run; the slickest steals; the biggest bombs; and the most triumphant no-hitters. But these are also moments raw with the humanity of the game, the unheralded heroes, the mesmerizing mistakes drenched in pine tar, and every story, from the immortal to the obscure, is told from a unique perspective. Whether of a real fan who witnessed it, or the pitcher who gave up the home run, the umpire, the coach, the opposing player — these are fresh takes on moments so powerful they almost feel like myth. Posnanski’s previous book, The Baseball 100, portrayed the heroes and pioneers of the sport, and now, with his trademark wit, encyclopedic knowledge and acute observations, he gets at the real heart of the game. From 19th-century pitchers’ duels to breaking the sport’s color line in the ’40s, all the way to the greatest trick play of the last decade and the slide home that became a meme, Posnanski’s illuminating take allows us to rediscover the sport we love — and thought we knew.

Astor: The Rise and Fall of an American Fortune by Anderson Cooper and Katherine Howe

The story of the Astors is a quintessentially American story — of ambition, invention, destruction and reinvention. From 1783, when German immigrant John Jacob Astor first arrived in the United States, until 2009, when Brooke Astor’s son, Anthony Marshall, was convicted of defrauding his elderly mother, the Astor name occupied a unique place in American society. The family fortune, first made by a beaver-trapping business that grew into an empire, was then amplified by holdings in Manhattan real estate. Over the ensuing generations, Astors ruled Gilded Age New York society and inserted themselves into political and cultural life, but also suffered the most famous loss on the Titanic, one of many shocking and unexpected twists in the family’s story. In this unconventional, page-turning historical biography, New York Times bestselling authors Anderson Cooper and Katherine Howe chronicle the lives of the Astors and explore what the Astor name has come to mean in America — offering a window onto the making of America itself. SP

Sally Brewster is the proprietor of Park Road Books. 4139 Park Rd., parkroadbooks.com.

Farewell to golf

BUT WITH APOLOGIES TO SAM SNEAD, NOT JUST YET

by Jim Dodson

It began with a few simple questions on a beautiful October evening last year as my best friend — and oldest golf rival — and I were walking up the ninth fairway of the club where we grew up playing and still belong. As usual of late, Patrick Robert McDaid and I were all square in our friendly nine-hole match.

As we approached our tee shots in the fairway, he suddenly said, “Can you believe we both turn 70 next year?”

I laughed. “If I forget, my aching left knee reminds me every morning.”

Pat also laughed. “Isn’t that the truth.”

I could tell, however, that something else was on his mind, the benefit of more than 58 years of close friendship. We began playing golf with — and against — each other the year we turned 12.

“Do you think we’ll take one of those trips again?” he asked.

We both knew what he meant.

Over the 40 years I worked as a columnist and contributing editor for several major golf publications, my oldest pal and I had roamed the Holy Land of Golf, as we call it — Scotland, England and Ireland — more than half-a-dozen times in each other’s company, often on the spur of the moment with few, if any, arrangements made in advance, armed only with our golf clubs.

Before I could reply, he chuckled and added, “Remember that time in Scotland when you locked the keys in our rental car, and we had to stay another night at that guest house near Southerness?”

“How could I forget it? You’ve never let me live it down.”

“The owners invited their crazy neighbors over just to hear your golf stories.”

“Actually, it was your crazy fly-fishing stories they wanted to hear. You were more fun than a drunken bagpiper.”

“Good whisky helped.”

We hit our approach shots onto the green. I lagged my 20-footer to the edge of the cup and tapped in. As he stood over his 10-footer for birdie, he reflected, “I loved those trips. All those great old courses and golf on the fly.”

As I watched, he rolled his birdie putt dead into the cup, sealing my fate with a 1-up victory. It was an annoying trend of late. His short game had gotten markedly better from years of regular practice, while mine had declined from benign neglect. I sometimes joked that moving to Pinehurst — the Home of American Golf, as it’s rightly known — was the worst thing I could have done to an aging golf game because I had no regular buddies to play with. I arrived there in 2005 a 2.5 index player and left a decade later a limping 10.5. All work and little play had left Jimmy one step closer to dufferdom.

“I’m thinking we should do it one last time before the boneyard summons,” Pat declared.

“You’re probably saying it because, for the first time in half-a-century, you’re regularly beating me.”

“That’s true,” he admitted as we walked off for me to buy the beer. “But it would be even sweeter to finally beat you in some of the classic courses you love best.”

Pat is a persuasive fellow, probably the reason he’s such a successful industrial go-to guy for one of the nation’s leading home-improvement chains. To begin with, he’s blessed to the marrow

with “the craic,” a delightful Irish slang word derived from Old English that denotes a natural ability to charm and engage almost anyone in friendly conversation. I’d witnessed my old friend work his Celtic magic too many times to deny its validity. Some years back while chasing the ball around Ireland, a mutual friend with a wicked sense of humor bestowed Pat the perfect nickname of “The Irish Antichrist,” owing to his supernatural ability to disarm and coerce a smile from almost everyone we met. More than once, I must concede, we drank for free for the evening.

Over his latest victory beer, I told Pat something Sam Snead said to me almost 30 years ago as we were playing The Greenbrier’s famous Old White course on a similar autumn afternoon. I was there to write about him for my golf column. Sam liked me, in part because I was good friends with his best friend, Bill Campbell, the legendary amateur, and a son of Greensboro, where Snead won the Greater Greensboro Open a record eight times, including six times at Starmount Forest, where Pat and I were soon sitting at the bar with our beers.

“How old are you now, son?” Slammin’ Sam asked me that faraway afternoon.

“Just turned 40, Mr. Snead.”

“What a great age. That’s the prime of life — makin’ good money, got a wife and kids, probably playin’ your best golf ever. I wrote a book about that called Golf Begins at Forty. You should read it.”

I promised to lay hands on a copy — when I got old.

“But here’s the thing,” he went ahead. “Someday you’ll blink your eyes and be 70 or 80 years old. It’ll happen that fast, you’ll hardly believe it. You’ll suddenly be saying farewell to golf. That’s when you better grab hold of as many golf memories as you possibly can. That’s the beauty of golf. If you keep after it, you can play till your last breath. No other game on Earth let’s a fella do that.”

I watched him tee up his ball. “Just so you know,” he added over his shoulder, “I got plans to play at least to 100.”

And with that, 81-year-old Samuel Jackson Snead striped a splendid drive to the heart of the 17th fairway.

“So, who won the match?” asked my friend.

“That’s not the point,” I said as we sat at the bar. “Sam was just sharing a little golf wisdom about enjoying the game as one ages.”

“Good for him. I guess this means we’re off to the Holy Land next year. By the way, I get at least four strokes a side.”

“No way. Three for 18,” I said firmly, pointing out the threestroke difference in our official handicap indexes. This was nothing new. Over five plus decades, we’d argued about everything from the prettiest Bond girl to the absurdity of orange golf balls.

A good friend, it’s said, knows all your best stories, but a best friend has lived them with you. Over 10 days near summer’s end, in the 58th year of our friendship, we played eight classic British golf courses during the heaviest rains in England’s recorded history. It was a slog, almost impossible at times as gale force winds blew our handicaps to pieces. Between us, we easily lost a dozen golf balls.

But we had the time of our lives.

Somehow, unforgettably, we ended up in a tie. SP

Jim Dodson is a New York Times bestselling author in Greensboro.

Finding magic in the mess

AT HOME, AT WORK AND IN THE COMMUNITY, MOLLY GRANTHAM GETS IT DONE. NOW SHE’S OUT WITH A NEW BOOK, THE LAST IN A SERIES, IN WHICH SHE REMINDS US: PRACTICE DOESN’T MAKE PERFECT.

written by Sharon Smith | styled by Whitley Adkins photographs by Olly Yung | set assistant: Emily Mydosh

On a sunny morning leading into fall, Molly Grantham wrangles her three kids (Parker, Hutch and Hobie) for a photo shoot at a couple of favorite spots in Wesley Heights. There’s Rhino Market, where she’s known to grab a quick sandwich, and Town Brewing, where her family is a familiar fixture.

It’s required real-life convenience, as Molly works less than two blocks away at WBTV and chose west Charlotte as home base 20 years ago. “If anyone asks me where home is, I say Charlotte — 100% Charlotte,” says Molly, who spent time growing up in both Pennsylvania and Pinehurst.

The Emmy Award-winning journalist first walked into WBTV studios on Nov. 10, 2003. “I’ll never forget that date. I was 26 and gonna save the world,” she says, laughing at the thought. Now she’s the longest-running female anchor in Charlotte, and it’s a meaningful achievement in an industry known for its revolving door. In my unofficial tally, she connects with viewers across 780 newscasts a year. That’s millions of viewers over 20 years — not factoring in her reach online and through countless community events and public speaking engagements.

Molly has been there for Charlotte, rain or shine, for a long time. Come hell or high water — she’s all in.

She has deeply covered CMPD’s gang unit, her reporting on CBD oils helped change state law, and she’s gone to the Super Bowl to cover the home team. Molly has outlasted mayors, city council members, and a string of CMS superintendents.

In a newsroom, that kind of institutional knowledge strengthens editorial coverage. When the city collectively debates a new bond issue or spike in crime, Molly can give context. “Most of the time, this is not a new problem, just a new spokesman for it,” she says. “So let’s talk about this and educate our newsroom so we can educate the city.”

Full disclosure: I met Molly nearly 20 years ago when I was up for a reporting job. WBTV’s news director, Dennis Milligan, gave me her number and said something along the lines of, “Why don’t you give Molly a call? You both went to Carolina. She’ll give

you the scoop on our newsroom.” We clicked during that first conversation. Over the years, we competed for stories, worked as a team, rooted for each other, and mirrored major life events — becoming moms, navigating grief and growing into our adult selves. Five years after I left the newsroom, we still connect.

She has that way about her. If Molly has a keyword in life, it must be connect. In all the ways, across all the platforms, with all the people.

She’s the go-to speaker when nonprofit and business leaders are looking for someone to get people pumped up or connected to their cause.

Notably, she’s built a supportive social-media community, where she shares personal stories and champions people who often don’t make headlines. Frequently, children and their families fighting cancer get support, resources and an emotional boost from her Molly’s Kids posts.

As someone who lost both parents to cancer (her mom to breast cancer and her father to colon cancer), Molly knows their journey, and the desire to lend support through her platform is strong. Three years ago, she spearheaded the effort to launch the Pink Cupcake Walk and Breast Cancer Survivor Lap at Truist Field each October. The dollars stay local through #TeamMolly to help families fighting breast cancer through the nonprofit, Go Jen Go. Her social-media feeds are flooded with stirring pictures and stories of the support and camaraderie — all while raising awareness and nonprofit dollars.

Some may mock the value of Facebook as a village-builder, but Molly can’t dismiss its importance. “It became a literary platform for me, a story archive. People responded — you got instant gratification or instant criticism. But you heard back from a community. And there’s a joy in that.”

Social media also provided a starting point for her books, a series based on 100 months of raw snapshots and anecdotes from Molly’s life as a mother and journalist. The third and final book hits stores later this month, a follow up to The Juggle is Real and Small Victories

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“I actually think it’s the best one because it’s the most relatable — no matter if you’re a parent or not, or a woman or not,” Molly says. The story picks up in April 2020, when Covid shut down the world. “People say it’s like after you have a newborn, you forget all the stuff that happened — like a kind of amnesia. We forgot what we endured, how we adapted and navigated our way through.”

There are entries about Mermaid Academy (remote school). Her Zoom baby shower. Hobie’s diagnosis at 10 days old as the youngest positive case of Covid-19 in Mecklenburg County. (“It was a scary time,” Molly recalls, being sick with pneumonia and the virus herself.)

Her books embrace that tough and beautiful messiness of life, with a knowing wink and nod to parents who struggle to get it all done on the daily. Molly doesn’t have a secret weapon. But she does keep long hours — and checklists. “I love scratching things off my list. Literally, it’s a list I keep at my desk.” She updates it nightly after the 11 p.m. news and organizes her stock of photos monthly. It’s a system that works for her.

She’s also intentional with her time.

“People ask, ‘How do you do it?’ I don’t have a perfect answer. I’ve learned that I don’t do it all. I let

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“I’ve learned that I don’t do it all. I let the balls drop if I have to.”

the balls drop if I have to,” she says. “I don’t cook, I don’t make dinners. I don’t take on that responsibility.” She does make the most of weekends and builds in time to unplug, whether it’s for a family dinner break at Town Brewing or an escape to her favorite place, Kure Beach, which always includes a stop at Britt’s Donut Shop.

She wouldn’t do all these things if she didn’t love it. “It’s a great career. It’s a very demanding career,” she says. “The three kids are hugely awesome, wonderfully great and big — but they provide so many colors on the calendar,” she jokes.

It comes down to this. “You make time for what you want.”

She credits her husband, Wes, with making it work. The two met as reporters in Kentucky, his home base. It’s fitting that this last book is dedicated to him — her rock.

As for wrapping up the series, Molly says the timing is right for two reasons: 100 months is a good stopping point, and her daughter Parker is in middle school. “She deserves to have her own life without my words.”

It’s one chapter ending, but make no mistake — Molly will still be writing and sharing about their life. She’s a natural reporter with many more stories to tell. SP

Shhh! The new book title is underwraps until later this month. It will be available Oct. 22 at mollygrantham.com, Park Road Books, select Barnes & Noble retailers, and the following week on Amazon. You can also connect with Molly via Facebook and Instagram @mollygrantham.

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Park place

STEPS FROM SAVANNAH’S ICONIC FORSYTH PARK, MELISSA LEE CREATES A DESIGN-CENTRIC VACATION HOME THAT BLENDS HISTORIC ELEMENTS, BOLD PATTERNS AND CLASSIC SOUTHERN STYLE.

by Cathy Martin | photographs by Laura Sumrak

In 2021, Charlotte interior designer Melissa Lee had her sights set on purchasing a lake home. But a year into the pandemic, lakefront property values were skyrocketing. So she shifted gears and started looking toward more urban areas.

“I’ve always said I wanted to have a historic downtown home,” says Lee, principal designer, founder and CEO of New South Home. She considered Charleston, but grew leery after learning about the city’s strict short-term rental laws. Then a three-story townhome on a tree-lined street just two blocks from Forsyth Park in Savannah, Ga., caught her eye.

Lee and her husband had visited Savannah before and appreciated the area’s mild winters. They envisioned the city as somewhere they could eventually “snowbird,” or retire.

The 3,000-square-foot home was already set up as a shortterm vacation rental, with a separate studio apartment on the ground floor — it just needed a facelift, according to the designer. “It was very early 2000s,” Lee says, with caramel-colored walls, dated light fixtures and filled with second-hand furnishings. But architectural details like heart-pine floors, tall ceilings and intricate moldings captured her attention.

“That was one of the reasons I loved the house,” Lee says. “It was actually built in 2002, but it has all these details that you see in older homes. Even people who come to the house cannot believe it’s not historic.” The home’s relative newness amid the Victorians surrounding it was also a selling point for Lee’s husband, who felt more comfortable investing in a property less likely to need extensive repairs anytime soon.

“It was like a half-remodel if you will,” Lee says. “We didn’t

The Regency Views mural by The Mural Source in the living/dining area is a nod to Williamsburg, Va., where Lee and her husband went to college. The sofa is by Fairfield Chair.

Opposite page: A dramatic beaded chandelier is a focal point in the dining area. Rugs by Jaipur Living define the distinct living and dining spaces in the room.

The gallery wall features a mix of family heirlooms, vintage art sourced from antique stores in Savannah and Charlotte, and pieces that came with the house when Lee purchased it in 2021.

touch the tile or cabinets, but we really updated all the other surfaces — new paint, new lighting, new countertops and wallpaper.”

Lee chose Thibaut wallpaper and fabrics throughout the home for the classic brand’s variety of unique, colorful patterns. She furnished the home with a mix of new pieces, antiques sourced across the Southeast, and items from her Charlotte home.

In the living room, a printed mural was inspired by the stately oaks draped with Spanish moss lining the neighborhood streets and the nearby 30-acre Forsyth Park. The Regency Views design from The Mural Source is from the Williamsburg Collection — Lee and her husband are both graduates of the College of William and Mary and have a fondness for the area.

Lee also converted a massive formal dining room — a seldom-used space in vacation rentals — to a third bedroom, adding antique double doors in one entry and

closing off another with drywall. A corner shower was added to the first-floor half bath, while the bathrooms throughout the home were updated with new faucets, lighting by Visual Comfort and Cambria quartz countertops from InStyle Charlotte.

The first-floor garden apartment, accessed via a separate front entrance behind a petticoat staircase, needed a little more TLC. Fluorescent lighting and a pieced-together kitchenette were ripped out and replaced, and a bold backsplash — a quartz from Cambria’s Skara Brae collection — was installed, with floating shelves providing storage for dishes and small appliances. A cinderblock wall behind the bed was refaced with a veneer reminiscent of old Savannah brick.

Since the home is a vacation rental, Lee used stain-resistant Performance fabrics throughout; vinyl, easy-to-clean wallpapers; and rugs that are pretty but inexpensive enough that they can be replaced every few years. Bedding, however, was a priority. “We make sure the bedding is really nice,” Lee says — down comforters with washable duvet covers and premium linens.

The rattan headboard from Universal Furniture gives the thirdfloor primary suite a coastal feel.

“[The house] was actually built in 2002, but it has all these details that you see in older homes. Even people who come to the house cannot believe it’s not historic.”

Lee converted a large formal dining room into a third bedroom.

“If people are going to Savannah, they’re not eating in a formal dining room — they’re going out.”

The units sometimes stay booked months in advance, making it challenging for Lee and her family to spend much time there. But they’re slowly putting down roots and often spend holidays at their new home away from home. “We’re really getting to know the town and meet people,” says Lee, who is also in the process of updating a cabin she owns in the North Carolina mountains. She still hasn’t given up on that lake house, and envisions more design-centric vacation rentals in the future. “Ideally, we are looking to have multiple Airbnb properties around the Southeast that give guests a New South Home experience with our signature style and special touches that are not seen in most vacation rentals.” SP

View

PHOTOGRAPH BY JENNIFER GRIFFIN

Read Mountain, Roanoke County

Star struck

NESTLED AMID VIRGINIA’S BLUE RIDGE MOUNTAINS, ROANOKE COMBINES CITY VIBES WITH MOUNTAIN ADVENTURES.

by Vanessa Infanzon

The bright 100-foot star atop Mill Mountain welcomes visitors to Roanoke, giving the city its nickname Star City of the South. The Roanoke Star, a beacon since 1949, was meant to be a temporary decoration for the holiday season. Due to its popularity, it’s stayed lit every night since.

Part of Roanoke’s allure is the vibrant downtown, with many restaurants, shops and museums within walking distance. Many buildings have been left untouched, with intricate architecture and brick design intact. Center in the Square, a feed and seed warehouse built in 1914, has been reinvisioned as a seven-story cultural hub with aquariums, museums and, soon, a new rooftop restaurant and bar called Six and Sky. Vendors at the historic Roanoke City Market offer fresh produce, cheeses and artisan-made goods.

Fire Station One

Fire Station One

Roanoke Star

DOWNTOWN MUSINGS

Two of Roanoke’s historic buildings have found new life as boutique hotels. The Liberty Trust, a 54-room hotel, opened in 2022 in the seven-story building that once housed Roanoke’s First National Bank. Various financial institutions operated in the downtown building for more than a century before it was reimagined as a hotel. The restored space honors its roots as “A Temple of Finance,” as one headline read when the building first opened in 1910, by preserving much of its design. Many of the original elements — the bank vault, marble columns and copper doors — remain intact.

An old-fashioned elevator delivers guests to their floor. Guest-room doors are copper or glass, framed in wood with a transom above. Rooms are contemporary, with clean lines and modern amenities. Large windows provide views of the city and mountains beyond.

In the evening, the lobby is transformed into The Vault, a bar and restaurant with an eclectic menu. A popular item on the menu is the Khachapuri, a fondue-like dish with origins in Georgia (the country), featuring cheese baked in a bread bowl and topped with an egg yolk. It’s mixed by the server tableside.

Four blocks away, Fire Station One, Roanoke’s newest boutique hotel, opened in February in a 115-year-old firehouse. Fire Station One offers a self-check-in experience — guests receive a code to the building and their rooms via email.

The seven rooms and common room are spacious, with high ceilings, exposed brick and original wood floors. A fireman’s pole, wooden lockers, rounded staircase and other details preserved in the renovation add to the hotel’s appeal.

Hotel guests enter Fire Station One through TXTUR, a custom furniture showroom on the building’s first floor. TXTUR flows into Stock Café, a Nordic-inspired restaurant with chairs and tables designed by the Roanoke furniture company.

American art from 1850 to the present is on display at Taubman Museum of Art , also within walking distance from the heart of the city. The permanent collection includes handbags by Judith Leiber and works by Rev. Howard Finster, Norman Rockwell, John Singer Sargent, and glass artist Toots Zynsky. General admission is free on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. A guided tour is available for a fee seven days a week at 1 p.m. Through March 2024, Gainsboro Road and Beyond, the works of the late David Ramey, a Roanoke artist, will be on view.

The Liberty Trust

Taubman Museum of Art

The Liberty Trust PHOTOGRAPHS BY JENNIFER GRIFFIN PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY JUMPING ROCKS INC

MOUNTAIN ADVENTURES

Before you head out to immerse yourself in nature, grab breakfast from Scratch Biscuit Co. or coffee and pastries from Roasters Next Door (RND Coffee). Shop for picnic provisions at Crystal Spring Grocery. Mac and Bob’s in Salem and the Village Grill in Roanoke are casual eateries for lunch and dinner. Make a dinner reservation (recommended) at The River and Rail — a reward for steps taken and mountains climbed.

Within 20 to 30 minutes from downtown Roanoke are numerous hiking and water activities. Carvins Cove Natural Reserve is a 12,700acre park for hiking, kayaking and picnics, with more than 30 trails ranging in difficulty and length. Happy Valley is a popular trail for wildlife viewing, and Tinker Creek follows the cove for the first mile. Bring cash or a check to pay for the park admission and any equipment rentals.

Read Mountain Preserve, a 243-acre forest with 5 miles of trails, is adjacent to a residential neighborhood in nearby Bonsack, Va. The 4-mile out-and-back Buzzards Rock Trail takes hikers to a well-deserved bench overlooking the valley, with the Blue Ridge Mountains in the distance.

Signs on Interstate 77 beckon visitors to Natural Bridge State Park and Dixie Caverns. A moderate hike of less than a mile brings you to the rock formation creating the 215-foot-tall Natural Bridge. Walking trails, including the Cedar Creek Trail that travels under the bridge to Lace Falls, a 50-foot cascade, are available throughout the park. For a first-time (or second, in my case) trip into the deeper recesses of the Earth, Dixie Caverns in nearby Salem will amuse guests with its below-Earth scenery and above-ground vintage market. Tours are every hour, and while you wait, the antiques and collectibles will keep you occupied. SP

Getting there: Roanoke is a three-hour drive from Charlotte, heading north on I-77 to I-81. For more information, visit visitroanokeva.com.

Brunch at River and Rail

Carvins Cove

Natural Bridge State Park

Natural Bridge State Park

PHOTOGRAPH BY JOHN PARK

PHOTOGRAPHS BY JENNIFER GRIFFIN

East Tennessee slowdown

SPEND A LONG WEEKEND AT WINDY HILL FARM AND PRESERVE TO EXPERIENCE COZY, CONTEMPORARY ACCOMMODATIONS AND THE WONDROUS BOUNTY OF THE UPLANDS TABLE.

by Michael J. Solender | photographs courtesy Windy Hill Farm and Preserve

When the Department of Plant Sciences at the University of Tennessee approached Steven Brewington in 2014 about reintroducing native warm-season grasses to his family’s farm in Loudon, Tenn., it was the beginning of an unanticipated journey.

Brewington, a Knoxville native and UT graduate, had taken over the stewardship of his grandfather’s cattle operation, 650 acres of prime agricultural land surrounded on three sides by the snaking Tennessee River. He was intrigued by the university’s science-based research project exploring more productive and sustainable farming methods and was eager to return native habitat to the property.

The decision sparked a near decade-long transformation of the land, from raising hundreds of Black Angus cattle to hosting dozens of guests enjoying the wide open spaces and nature conservancy at east Tennessee’s Windy Hill Farm and Preserve.

In July, Windy Hill celebrated its one-year anniversary as an outdoor retreat and getaway. It’s easy to see the appeal, especially for busy urbanites needing to recharge.

STAY AND PLAY

Guests will find expansive contemporary farmhouse accommodations, a chef-driven seasonal menu inspired by the farm’s vast gardens, and activities from quail hunting (in season), fishing, mountain biking, hiking, kayaking and paddleboarding along 2 miles of river frontage. Visitors can personalize their stay with experiences such as sporting clays shooting, beekeeping, culinary classes, wine tastings and wine hikes. There are sure to be many unscripted nature encounters — while the deer here are not tame, they are more than plentiful and spied in large numbers.

Despite the array of on-site activities, many guests visit the resort

to simply take in the quiet with lazy walks on the wellmarked trails or sipping a cold beverage in an Adirondack chair on the porch, watching nearby raptors soar along the ridgetops. Unplugging from the daily stressors of city life doesn’t take long, with views of both the Cumberland and Great Smoky Mountains providing a soothing balm.

“We gradually converted more land to wildlife habitat and saw the revenue opportunities to shift from agricultural to hospitality,” says Brewington, general manager and proprietor of Windy Hill. Brewington, who grew up working summers on the farm with his siblings and cousins, was taught respect for the land and introduced to responsible hunting as a youngster.

As he continued to expand the planting of native grasses on the farm, quail, turkey, deer and other wildlife returned. “We first hosted quail hunting in 2018,” Brewington says. “We wanted to deliver a quality experience. Overnight guests stayed at the farmhouse (the original five-bedroom homestead built by his grandfather) and we provided great food and a first-rate hunt unlike most other options.”

Since the upland quail-hunting season is only five months, from October to March, leisure offerings expanded. “We knew we wanted to offer year-round options for guests beyond hunting,” Brewington says. The farm exited the cattle business last year and embarked on a $10 million expansion, adding nine well-appointed cabins, eight lodge rooms and a restaurant.

Mountain biking, yard games and nightly bonfires are included with your stay, along with Friday evening outdoor concerts (think acoustic bluegrass and folk music) and a tricked-out golf cart for exploring. Other activities (fishing, beekeeping, kayaking) are available with an activities pass ($125 per person) or on an a-la-carte basis.

APPALACHIAN INDULGENCES

Breakfast, lunch and dinner are also included — each contemporary Appalachian indulgence is prepared by executive chef Ben Warwick and his team at Windy Hill’s Wilder restaurant. The name is an homage to Brewington’s grandfather, who grew up in a coal camp in Wilder, Va., and experienced the melding of various immigrant cultures bringing traditions and flavors of their homelands to their communal tables.

“It’s been a dream to create something special here and work alongside Steven, the family and the leadership team here,” says Warwick, whose wife, Marlee Harriss, is Windy Hill’s director of hospitality. “I love the idea behind Wilder, which is bringing different techniques and concepts to local ingredients and taking the guest along with flavors and foods that may be unfamiliar yet deliver on an unexpected and newly appreciated journey.”

Prepare to be wowed as Warwick’s creativity and nuanced approach coupled with clean ingredients make every meal at Wilder a special occasion. Lunch on a recent visit began with a chilled garden-fresh cucumber radish soup, thickened with buttermilk ricotta and finished with fresh mint. The cool gazpacho-esque bisque was flecked with togarashi, the ubiquitous Japanese spice blend making the starter the perfect foil for a hot August afternoon. The next course — a partially deboned quail with a cornmeal/cracker crust — was shallow-fried and served atop a tangy Alabama

white barbeque sauce. Accompanied by fried potatoes and a sweet-and-sour citrus slaw, the dish was satisfying and a nod to the preserve.

At dinner, a seared red snapper crusted with a housemade citrus ash — the chef burns oranges, lemons and limes on the grill, then dehydrates them to make his magical powder — was served atop a white-bean ragu stewed in a vegetable brodo with three plump mussels. Desserts are a journey, such as a simple-yet-elegant apple pavlova, a deep chocolatey layered pot du crème, or a lemon tart with salted caramel sauce.

Sunday brunch is not to be missed, with made-to-order specials like date-butter biscuits, grape toast (almond and roasted grape bruschetta), a chicken sandwich with citrus slaw and white barbecue sauce, and masa cakes with pork belly and peaches, delivering a delightful twist to the standard breakfast fare.

Guests who sign up for an hourlong cooking class with Chef Warwick will learn firsthand how supporting a low-

er-volume restaurant allows for a special and personalized guest experience. “We take the energy we’re used to putting into 200-300 covers per night into 40 or 50 guests an evening,” Warwick says. “It means a better experience for everyone.” Vegetarians and vegans need not worry — Warwick works wonders with the vast local bounty.

Guests at Windy Hill shouldn’t conflate personalized service and luxe accommodations with anything elite or stuffy. “We’re not a suit-and-tie or stuffy kind of place,” Brewington says. “We want our guests to come, unwind and, above all, feel comfortable and like family. There’s a lot of room here. We want people to come and spread out.” SP

Windy Hill Farm and Preserve is located on Breck Ellison Rd. in Loudon, Tenn., about an hour west of Knoxville and a 4.5-hour drive from Charlotte. Learn more at windyhilltn.com.

Beach bound

THE CRYSTAL COAST BECKONS IN THE OFF-SEASON WITH STARGAZING, NATURE WALKS AND FRESH OFF-THE-DOCK SEAFOOD.

by Cathy Martin | photographs courtesy The Crystal Coast

From June to August, tourists flock to the North Carolina coast to play in the surf and sand, nosh on fresh-from-thedock seafood, and escape the business of city life.

We North Carolina natives know a little secret — the shoulder seasons, fall and spring, at the coast are just as nice, with fewer crowds, a break from the insufferable heat and shorter waits for tables at local restaurants.

I grew up going to the Crystal Coast, though back then, we just called it “the beach.” The region just south of The Outer Banks and north of Wilmington spans 85 miles of coastline and is known for its laid-back, family-friendly atmosphere and boating lifestyle.

Decades since my last visit, I returned last spring to the

Crystal Coast. Driving along Bogue Banks, the 21-mile barrier island that’s home to the area’s beaches, passing through towns like Salter Path, Indian Beach and Pine Knoll Shores was like a trip down memory lane.Among my earliest memories: vacationing at Emerald Isle in a saltbox cottage with a houseful of cousins, eating fresh fish my father and uncle had caught earlier in the day. In high school, my friends and I would pile in the car for day trips or loosely chaperoned weekends at Atlantic Beach (it was the ’80s, what can I say).

Crossing the causeway bridge to Atlantic Beach, I couldn’t wait to see what had changed — and what had thankfully stayed the same.

Cape Lookout National Seashore

EXPLORE Row your boat

The Crystal Coast is a boater’s paradise, but chances are if you’re visiting for just a few days, you may not have access to a motorboat. You can still get out on the water by renting a kayak or paddleboard at Beaufort Paddle. The friendly staff at this family-owned business on the causeway between Beaufort and Morehead City will hook you up with the right gear and show you where to paddle, from the crystal-clear shallows around Bird Shoals (ideal for shelling) to the waters around Rachel Carson Reserve, a complex of undeveloped islands just south of Beaufort where wild Banker horses roam.

Stroll along the salt marsh

At the far eastern end of Bogue Banks lies Fort Macon State Park. While the fort itself, completed in 1834, is a draw for history buffs, there are 389 acres to explore here. The 3.2-mile Elliott Coues loop trail leads you over the rolling sand dunes with magnificent ocean views, through a maritime forest, and along the sand marsh on the sound side of the island. Red cedars, live oaks, yaupons and Carolina willows are just a few species found here. The trail is a good 1.5-hour hike, and a chance to spy wildlife like marsh rabbits, turtles and the various coastal birds that inhabit the area.

Stargaze at Cape Lookout National Seashore

Somehow on my previous visits to the Crystal Coast, I’d never been to Cape Lookout. The unspoiled barrier island with 56 miles of beaches is home to one of the state’s most iconic lighthouses. The island is accessed by a 20-minute ferry ride departing from a visitor’s center at Harkers Island, a quiet residential area where porches and mailboxes are adorned with handmade metal anchors, a symbol of the community’s maritime heritage. Arriving at Cape Lookout, where prickly pear cacti and vibrant red blanket flowers dot the landscape, you can set out on foot or rent a UTV to explore the island, including the keeper’s quarters and an abandoned Coast Guard station. In 2022, Cape Lookout was designated an International Dark Sky Park: Minimal light pollution makes the area

conducive to stargazing. Astronomy Nights organized by a local stargazers club, Starlight Cruises and a Star Party in spring are a few of the ways to experience the celestial sights.

Explore underwater worlds

Tucked in a maritime forest, the North Carolina Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores — one of four state-operated aquariums along the coast — is ideal for a rainy day and offers a chance to learn about aquatic life across the state, from river otters and longnose gar to sea turtles and sand tiger sharks.

Soak in the history

Much is written about the charming waterfront community of Beaufort (see our June 2022 issue), but a trip to the Crystal Coast isn’t complete without spending an afternoon or evening in this historic hamlet. Learn about North Carolina’s seafaring history at the quaint Maritime Museum, where you can view artifacts uncovered from the wreck of Blackbeard’s Queen Anne’s Revenge. The

Prime Bistro & Wine Bar Banker horses PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY PRIME BISTRO & WINE BAR

PHOTOGRAPH BY BRAD STYRON

travel | fall getaways

wreck was discovered in 1996 a mere mile from the eastern end of Bogue Banks. Stroll along the docks and have lunch by the water at Black Sheep (woodfired pizzas, sandwiches, salads) or Front Street Grill. At cocktail hour, share a crispy calamari with chili-lime glaze and sip a mojito or painkiller — the fruity rum cocktail seems to be the drink of choice around here — at the restaurant’s dockside Rhumbar. A short drive from the historic downtown, The Beaufort Hotel is one of the few boutique properties in the area, with modern accommodations and soothing water views.

EAT + DRINK

Get your fill of fresh seafood

Finding truly fresh fish, shrimp and oysters in the Piedmont can be a challenge, so while I’m near the beach, I tend to overcompensate. While you might not find Michelin-starred chefs in this quiet coastal community, you will find an abundance of fresh seafood and menus designed to showcase the local fare. Restaurants here run the gamut, from paper-bag meals at old-school drive-ins to upscale steak and seafood spots. Wherever you go, when in doubt, get the fresh catch — no matter what’s biting, it’s hard to beat that fresh off-the-boat flavor.

Amos Mosquito’s, a casual waterfront dining spot at Atlantic Beach, has become a local mainstay. Hallock Cooper Howard, a UNC Chapel Hill and Culinary Institute of America grad, opened the restaurant in 1999. Today, she and her husband, Sandy Howard, run the restaurant, where festive multicolor string lights highlight whimsical mosquito artwork by Charlotte artist Trip Park. Start with the sweet-and-spicy Buzz-Buzz shrimp and the cheesy lobster crab dip, then work your way into the entrees: sesame-seared tuna, shrimp and grits, lump crab cakes with roasted corn and scallions, to name a few. The vibe is lively and fun, the menu is approachable, and the portions are generous.

At Aqua in Beaufort, the portions are daintier but you’ll find some of the area’s most creative and artful cuisine. Request a table on the cozy screened patio surrounded by lush landscaping and twinkly lights, and enjoy tapas like ceviche and PEI mussels and shareable small plates that reflect what’s local and in-season.

For oysters, small plates, and more fresh-from-thedock seafood, head to Catch 109 in Morehead City. The dining room is vibrant but cozy with wood beams, crystal chandeliers, a U-shaped bar with live music, and an extensive bourbon selection.

For a splurge, reserve a table at Prime Bistro & Wine Bar. Don’t let the location fool you — you’ll find unexpected elegance and top-notch service in this blink-and-you’ll-miss-it spot with a high-end steakhouse feel off U.S. 70 in Morehead City. Here, you can

Cape Lookout National Seashore

PHOTOGRAPH BY ALEX GU

indulge in one of the area’s local delicacies, Marshallberg Farm’s Osetra caviar served with Pringles, crème fraiche, chives and dill. The family-owned sturgeon farm was started in 2010 to bring caviar production — much of which is done in China — back to the U.S. Wood-fired steaks, local seafood dishes, housemade pasta and rawbar selections round out the extensive menu.

Settle the shrimpburger debate

In various beach towns, I’ve ordered shrimpburgers only to be disappointed by bland pressed patties of shrimp meat topped with ordinary mayonnaise, lettuce and tomato. A good Carolina shrimpburger, for the uninitiated, consists of a few simple key components: a soft bun, hot fried shrimp, ketchup and slaw. El’s Drive-In in Morehead City, which opened in 1959, was a must-visit for shrimpburgers back in the day. Later, I discovered

The Big Oak Drive-In in Salter Path — its version also includes tartar sauce. Which is better? Depends on who you ask. Thankfully, both establishments are still going strong for new generations to enjoy.

Pack a cooler for the drive home

If you haven’t gotten your fill of fresh seafood, there are plenty of local markets where you can stop on your way out of town to bring home a taste of the coast. They include Blue Ocean Market in Morehead City, Willis Seafood Market in Salter Path, and Jerry Pittman’s Shrimp, a cash-only mom-and-pop operation in Salter Path. SP

The Crystal Coast is about a five-hour drive from Charlotte. Learn more about the area, including vacation rentals, seasonal events and a myriad of festivals, at crystalcoastnc.org.

Historic Beaufort

FOUR CHARLOTTE COUPLES GIVE US AN INSIDE LOOK AT THEIR GORGEOUS CELEBRATIONS, SHARING SPECIAL MOMENTS AND DREAMY DETAILS FROM THEIR BIG DAY.

by Sarah Fligel

allie & greg

6.3.2023

LOVE IN BLOOM

ALLIE KLIMOWSKI & GREG RODZEVIK

photographs by Amy Kolo Photography

After dating Greg for nearly 10 years, Allie envisioned a Western-adventure destination wedding, with possibly a few family members to help celebrate. “I didn’t want to plan anything,” she says, since the Charlotte couple, who both work in the pharmaceutical industry, juggle hectic schedules. “My life is already chaotic enough.”

Her mom Julie, however, had something else in mind. After having had a town-hall wedding years ago, she dreamed of giving her daughter a storybook wedding that would make her happy, and Allie changed course. “It was a really good party,” Allie says. “My mom thought of it all and did a better job than I ever could.”

With Allie’s blessing, Julie and planner Jackie Fogartie orchestrated an intimate, colorful celebration that featured an outdoor venue (a nod to Allie and Greg’s love of the outdoors), a packed dance floor — thanks to a silent disco to end the evening — and vibrant trails of florals in a rainbow of pastels. A showstopping floral installation above the dance floor included vintage-inspired lights tucked into a magical mixture of moss and blooms. “The flowers were insane,” Allie says, noting she gave free rein to floral designer Kristen Brown. “I still have people talking to me and texting me about those.”

Allie’s advice for wedding planning? Hire talented professionals (and maybe her mom!) who will execute beautiful details and handle the stress, so you don’t have to. “We were fortunate to have parents who wanted and could do this for us and great people to make it happen … You want to enjoy it.”

Photographer | Amy Kolo Photography

Venue | VanLandingham Estate

Planner | Jackie Fogartie Events

Floral Design | Vintage Soul Floral

Dress | Rita Vinieris

Beauty | Be Pretty Charlotte

Groom Attire | Bruce Julian

Rings | Diamonds Direct

Caterer | Best Impressions Caterers

Cake | The Wow Factor Cakes

Entertainment | Dean’s Duets, Split Second Sound

Rentals | PR Design Styled Collection, Party Reflections

Stationery | Viri Lovely Designs

Puppy Sitter | Furever Friends

McColl Center

721 N TRYON STREET UPTOWN CHARLOTTE

McColl Center is where art comes to life. Our artist residency and contemporary art and event space is set within a historic Gothic Revival building, offering versatile spaces with exposed brick walls, sleek cement floors, and captivating industrial ceilings. McColl Center is the ideal creative and charming backdrop for your special occasion.

We provide the canvas; you paint the memories. Book now and turn your event into a work of art!

CONTACT JAMES MINTON FOR INQUIRIES

jminton@mccollcenter.org

LEARN MORE AT mccollcenter.org/rent-mccoll-center

PHOTOGRAPHER: BLUEBERRY ROCKET STUDIOS

COUPLE: MORGANNE AND CALEB VAN VOORHIS

At ElizAbEth bruns, wE ’ vE bEEn

rEgistEring bridEs for ovEr 70 yEArs.

Let us help and guide you every step of the way.

Complimentary gift wrap and local delivery!

FINE JEWELRY | BRIDAL REGISTRY | FINE TABLEWARE & GIFTS

amanda & alec

10.15.2022

RUSTIC & RADIANT

AMANDA & ALEC GOLINI

photographs by Taylor Helms Photography

Amanda and Alec love Europe, choosing Portugal for a twoweek honeymoon where they could enjoy great food and a bottle or two of red wine. So when it came time to choose a venue for their wedding, the college sweethearts knew the Euroinspired Andrews Farm in Midland, with its lush green landscapes and romantic charm, served up the perfect backdrop.

“We wanted to be sure that the event was authentic and truly captured who we are as a couple,” Alec says. “With the architecture of the home as the focal point, our incredible wedding planners at Honey + Thyme took this inspiration and wove it into every aspect of our celebration.”

Planner Caitlin Dobbins took a West Coast-inspired wabi-sabi approach — focusing on simple, natural inspirations — sprinkling in touches of Southern hospitality for the New Jersey-born-and-raised couple. Both former student athletes at Lafayette College in Easton, Pa. — Amanda, a field hockey player and Alec, a soccer player — the couple moved to Charlotte in 2021 when USA Field Hockey chose the Queen City for its new training facility. Amanda is a Team USA athlete, serving as captain of the USA Field Hockey team since 2019; Alec works in collegiate athletics for a sports-tech company.

The couple exchanged handwritten vows, with a close friend serving as officiant. Alec wore a green suit (his favorite color), and they danced the night away on a black-and-white checkered dance floor (a detail Amanda had always dreamed of). Food was served buffet style, with Jeni’s ice cream and carrot cake for dessert. Late night, Chick-fil-A sandwiches on silver platters arrived on the dance floor, where Amanda’s teammates happily hoisted her in the air. “Be untraditional,” Alec advises. “Don’t hesitate to add personal touches that define your individual interests and your story together as a couple.”

Photographer | Taylor Helms Photography

Venue | The Andrews Farm, Midland

Planner | Honey + Thyme Events

Floral Design | Meraki Blommor

Dress | Lovers Society, Lovely Bride Charlotte

Wedding Accessories | Lovers Society (veil); wedding shoes from Amanda’s mother; bracelet from Amanda’s grandmother

Beauty | Wink Inspired Beauty

Groom Attire | Indochino

Groomsmen Attire | Generation Tux

Rings | Wove

Caterer | Family Catering Service, Huntersville

Dessert | Family Catering Service (cake); Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams

Bartender & Drinks | Black Moth Bars

DJ | Barkzbeats

Rentals | Curated Events Charlotte, Unspoken Designs

Stationery | The Knot

Brookelyn

Elizabeth

jamie & evan

2.11.2023

ENCHANTING ELEGANCE

JAMIE & EVAN HOLST

photographs by Alexandra Blackmon Photography

Jamie and Evan’s first trip together was to Beaufort, N.C., a few months after they started dating. The following year, the couple — charmed by the town and each other — returned and Evan proposed. On a bike ride afterward, a huge, perfect double rainbow stretched across the sky. “We thought it was God’s way of blessing our engagement right from the jump!” says Jamie, who grew up in Charlotte and works for Bank of America. Evan, who grew up in Greensboro and northern Virginia, is a real estate attorney.

The couple’s ceremony at St. Ann Catholic Church was their top priority. They chose not to do a first look, so seeing each other for the first time as Jamie started down the aisle — with the St. Ann choir singing alongside a string quartet — stands out as a favorite moment. “We were so ready for and in awe of the step we were taking in joining our lives together,” Jamie says.

For the reception, the couple wanted a classic, elegant and cozy vibe that would stand the test of time. “We wanted to look back on pictures of our day in 50 years and still absolutely love the way everything looked,” Jamie says. With skyline views of Charlotte in the background, Sarah Cook of SoHo Event Design created a chic, modern feel, tapping into Jamie’s love for green and desire for plenty of candlelight. Pairing lush white and green florals with deep green and black accents, she mixed in texture and layered elements in neutral colors.

Jamie’s love for reading was reflected in the seating display. Notecards printed with Jamie’s favorite quotes included not only the guests’ seat assignments, but handwritten notes from the couple tucked into beautiful green envelopes. “We loved hearing how much those notes meant to our families and closest friends,” Jamie says.

Photographer | Alexandra Blackmon Photography

Venues | St. Ann Catholic Church (ceremony); The Terrace at Cedar Hill (reception)

Planner | Sarah Cook, SoHo Event Design

Floral Design | Lily Greenthumb’s

Dress | Lovely Bride (dress); Jenny Yoo (topper)

Wedding Accessories | Olive & Piper

Beauty | Cali Stott Artistry

Groom & Groomsmen Attire | Indochino

Rings | Windsor Jewelers

Caterer | Best Impressions Caterers

DJ | Split Second Sound

Rentals | Party Reflections; Curated Events Charlotte (chairs)

Linens | Nuage Designs

Stationery | Viri Lovely Designs

melissa & tarang

5.6.2023

TRUE LOVE & TRADITIONS

MELISSA CHEN & TARANG VAKHARIA

photographs by Click Away Photography

Melissa and Tarang wanted their wedding to be a night of celebration, one that balanced their two traditions and gave their guests a fun evening. For them, the bar and the playlist were priorities, along with plenty of time allotted for the dance floor.

That’s where they could show off their fun-loving side, along with a few new steps. The couple — who met in South End and both grew up in New York — took six classes at Midtown Ballroom to master their choreographed, traditional first dance to John Legend’s “U Move, I Move.” After dinner, they showed off some more moves with a Bollywood-style dance, choreographed by Melissa’s sister-in-law.

“The couple truly wanted to show their friends and family a good time,” says planner Melanie Wall of Events by Summer Joy. “They were excited to be married but also wanted to get to the fun parts to celebrate with their loved ones.”

The celebration kicked off with a private Indian ceremony at Melissa and Tarang’s home the day before the wedding. A Mehndi night at Midnight Mulligan welcomed guests to town, with a henna artist and Indian snacks. On the day of the wedding, the couple held a Chinese tea ceremony with family, and a Baraat, a joyous procession of song and dance that ushers the groom to the wedding. The fusion of cultures called for several outfits: Melissa wore four.

“It was not stressful,” says Melissa, who had dog Scooter by her side as she came down the aisle (he squeezed between the couple for the ceremony). “Only do what you and your partner believe in.”

Photographer | Click Away Photography

Venue | The Ruth

Planner | Events by Summer Joy

Floral Design | Nectar

Dress | Made With Love Bridal, Lovely Bride Charlotte

Wedding Accessories | Chanel (shoes); veil made by Melissa’s mom and aunt

Beauty | Blushing Hair and Makeup

Bridesmaids Dresses | Show Me Your Mumu

Groomsmen Attire | Jos. A. Bank

Caterer | Roots Catering

Dessert | Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams

DJ | Split Second Sound

Stationery | Created by the bride

Henna | Henna4Happiness by Minaz

Photo Booth | Carolinas PhotoBooths

northcornerhaven.com | 704.778.8460

Photo by: Julia Wade

swirl

A monthly guide to Charlotte’s parties and galas

Great Gatsby Gala

benefiting the National Multiple Sclerosis Society

August 5

The 35th anniversary was a sparkling night of mirth and 1920s fashion at The Westin in uptown. The evening also honored the work of Mike Daisley, who helped found the gala. photographs by Brandon Scott

Felicia & Chris Hoover

Jennifer Wise, Ingrid & Luis Sanchez, Carol Hunley

Jack & Brooke Hall, Barbara Lancaster

Jay & Emily McCloy

Cindy Durham and Teresa Trost

Jesse & Kristi Becker, Don Shupe

Honoree Mike Daisley, friends and family

Becky Renson and Teresa Thompson

WHAT’S IN YOUR ATTIC?

OCTOBER 21st

SPACE IS LIMITED! SECURE YOUR SPOT BY SCANNING THE QR CODE

A viewer supported service of wtvi.org

swirl

A monthly guide to Charlotte’s parties and galas

24 Hours of Booty

benefiting the 24 Foundation

July 28

This year’s bike race raised more than $1.6 million in the battle against cancer. Onlookers lined shaded streets to cheer on teams and show their support as cyclists made their way through the Booty Loop in Myers Park.

photographs by Daniel Coston

Rashaad Bracley and Kevin Ballantine

Abby O’Connor, Helen Kernodle and Sheri Joseph

Ray Singleton and Wilson

Spencer Lueders and Scott Swimmer

Michele Lambert and Julie Praser

Jenni Walker and Dr. Chasse Bailey-Dorton

Chris and Audrey Hood

John and Pam Sadoff

swirl

A monthly guide to Charlotte’s parties and galas

World Affairs Council Dinner

World Affairs Council of Charlotte

June 15

The WACC honored Johnny Harris for his impact on Charlotte during its annual dinner. The event also honored Dr. David Callaway with the Harold P. Josephson award.

photographs by Daniel Coston

BNC Power List Tour

Mint Museum Randolph

June 27

Our sister publication Business North Carolina continued its Power Trip tour across the state with a summertime stop in Charlotte. The annual Power List spotlights the state’s most influential private-sector leaders across various industries, from finance to the arts.

Christi and Carl Armato

L.J. Stambuk, Steve Luquire and Danny Morrison

Daryl and Radmila Hollnagel

Michael and Ann Tarwater, Hugh McColl

Drs. David and Jenny Callaway

Stacy and Brett Gray

Johnny and Deborah Harris

swirl

A monthly guide to Charlotte’s parties and galas

45th Anniversary Celebration

Urban League of Central Carolinas

August 4

This year’s celebration honored difference-makers in the community: Mecklenburg County manager Dena Diorio, Bank of America’s Steve Boland, Mad Miles Run Club, and officers from CMPD.

photographs by Daniel Coston

FabFest

Parr Center and Knight Theater

July 21-22

Tosco Music celebrated all things Beatles with the return of FabFest. The two-day festival featured performers, authors, Beatles tribute band BritBeat, and Gregg Bissonette.

photographs by Daniel Coston

Kieth Cockrell and Steve Boland

Natalie Frazier Allen and Hugh Allen

Robyn Hamilton and Ty Baldwin

Dena Diorio and Leigh Altman

Bridget-Anne Hampden and Dr. Clarence Ellis

Tania Kelly and Larry Sprinkle

Peg Povinelli and Carrie Texeira

BritBeat

BritBeat with John Tosco Patty Babb and Bill Saunders

Keith Shamel and Gregg Bissonette Charles Rosenay, Jay Bergen, Jude Kessler, Terry Crain

Cornell and Vanity Jones

Tiffany Jones. Sonja & Richard Nichols

swirl

A monthly guide to Charlotte’s parties and galas

Moore Place Steak 48 dinner

benefiting Roof Above August 2

The award-winning restaurant served up steaks and good fellowship during one of two special dinners as part of a partnership with Roof Above. Executive Chef Heather King, Chef Rickey Perry and members of the Steak 48 team gave neighbors a memorable dining experience with steak, sides and dessert.

photographs by Poprock Photography

238 South Laurel Condominiums

Spectacular new construction in Charlotte’s Eastover neighborhood near uptown. Spacious side-by-side condominiums offer the perfect blend of shared living spaces and private retreats. Architecture by Peadon Finein, construction by Halley Douglas, and selections by Crystal Nagel Design. Offered at $2,250,000 per unit.

Each side includes: 4 bedrooms | 4.1 baths

Multiple outdoor spaces: private main level courtyard, second floor covered porch, rooftop deck overlooking the treetops

Private 2 car garage with ample rear driveway parking

Anticipated completion Fall 2023

Executive Chef Heather King

FASHION STATEMENT

IT’S THE ULTIMATE UPCYCLING: FOURTEEN LOCAL DESIGNERS TAKE RETIRED VINYL BILLBOARDS DEPICTING ORIGINAL ARTWORK AND TURN THEM INTO JAW-DROPPING FASHIONS.

by Sharon Smith

As models took to the runway at The ArtPop Upcycled Fashion Show last month in South End, the parade of vibrant, head-turning outfits drew constant waves of applause from the pumped-up crowd. Among the designs: a heavily pleated, floral-inspired ball gown; a bright blue and yellow frock with matching purse and hat; and a dark two-piece ensemble with an edgy mermaid skirt and ruffled asymmetrical top.

The before-and-after effect is dramatic. Each artist works with billboard vinyl printed with artwork from ArtPop Street Gallery’s Cities Program, which showcases the work of local artists on billboards and digital displays all over Charlotte. Edelweiss Vogel turned her own billboard into an onpoint pink and white ensemble — an A-line dress with butterfly sleeves and salakot, or hat — highlighting her Filipino heritage.

Repurposing the billboards in this unconventional way aligns with the nonprofit’s upcycling initiative — and makes for a thrilling night. “The energy was palpable. People were blown away,” says ArtPop founder Wendy Hickey.

“It’s not easy material to work with, so the details these designers put into these pieces is incredible. They could be at The Met.”

Tickets sell out each year, which helps ArtPop further its core missions — to make art engaging and accessible while supporting those who make it. A perfect fit. SP