Sasee Magazine - April 2024

ABOUT THE COVER ARTIST

Sally K

Sally K is a renowned Lebanese-American artist currently residing and working in Doha, Qatar. She received her BA in Fine Arts from the Lebanese American University in 2004.

Sally K’s portraits capture the essence of empowered femininity, celebrating the strength and grace inherent in every woman. Her signature style features ethereal flower crowns that cascade across her canvas and obscure her subject’s eyes. Unweighted by materialistic elements, their poise exudes a natural force depicting the powerful woman within. A universal symbol of fierce feminine empowerment; unapologetic, unique, radiant and self-assured.

To see more of her fabulous work, please visit:

Website: www.sallyk.com • IG: www.instagram.com/sallykpaintings

OUR WRITERS

Erika Hoffman

lives in Chatham County, North Carolina. She’s an alumna of Duke University. She’s a mom to four and a grandma to eight. She’s a wife to one whom she met in college one lucky day a while back! Her writing niche is the personal essay.

Mary-Lane Kamberg

is a basketball mom, basketball grandmother, and professional writer in Olathe, Kansas. She has swum with dolphins, ridden an elephant and been kissed by a camel.

Pam Molnar

enjoys writing about the joys and struggles of everyday living. She is a former Chicagoan living in Nashville who is working on the next chapter of life.

Susan Sundwall is a freelancer and mystery writer from rustic upstate New York.

Sasee encourages writers and artists to submit work for review to be included in upcoming issues. You will find guidelines and requirements for submission of your work on our website. Please email our Editor, haley@sasee.com for the complete editorial calendar and descriptions for upcoming months.

Hi Sasee Readers!

I’m so excited to share our first issue of the revitalized Sasee Magazine with all of you. Before you dive in, I wanted to formally introduce myself as the new owner of Sasee. My name is Haley.

I grew up in Myrtle Beach, attended St. James High School, and went on to major in financial management at Clemson University. After graduating college in 2020, I worked as an analyst for a private equity firm in Charleston, SC before moving home to Pawleys Island to work in the accounting department of my family’s business, The Brandon Agency.

My true passion, however, has always been rooted in helping others. About a year ago, I decided to take my Level 1 CrossFit Training Seminar, and it changed my life. Now, I coach part time at Hammock Coast CrossFit in Pawleys Island, where I get to impact other peoples’ lives every single day. Being able to help other people accomplish something that they never thought they’d be able to do inspires me to push myself out of my own comfort zone. And so that’s what I did.

When I heard the news that Susan and Delores were looking for someone to take over Sasee, I felt this overwhelming urge that it was meant to be me. This was my chance to get out of my comfort zone and make an even bigger impact on the community that I’ve called home for my entire life. How fitting that the theme for our first issue is Springing into a New Me.

I knew how important Sasee was to this community, and I didn’t want to see her fade into just a memory. I wanted to take what was already a beloved magazine and turn it into something even bigger and more impactful than before.

My hope is that Sasee continues to make you smile and that it inspires you to be the best version of yourself, no matter where you are in your life. I really think you are going to enjoy all of the new ideas we are bringing to the table and all of the ways we plan to positively impact this community.

The past few months have been some of the most challenging of my life, but they have also been the most rewarding. I’m so grateful to everyone who has reached out with an abundance of support and love for our team; it hasn’t gone unnoticed. I can’t wait to see what the future holds, and I hope you will all stick with us to find out!

Without further ado, welcome to the next chapter of Sasee.

A. Nora Fleming Vase with "Jumpin' Puddles" Mini

B. Jellycat Amuseable Sun Bag

C. Murrells Inlet Candle (Customer FAVE!)

D. Sweet Seed Bird Cottages

E. enewton Classic Gold Stack

F. Jellycat Amuseable Monstera

G. Brackish Miltonia Studs

H. Salty Goat "Inlet" Sweatshirt *Exclusive*

I. Spongelle Wildflower Body Buffer

J. Wicker Weave Resin Vases

K. Blue & White Crochet Tote Bag

L. "You're a Wildflower" Tea Towel

Finding Myself Better Than Where I Left Off

by Pam Molnar

I started a five-year journal on New Year’s Day 2020 because my 50th birthday was the following week. It was the year that my oldest child would graduate from college and my youngest child would graduate high school. I wanted to document my journey as I was entering the next chapter and closing the door to a life that revolved primarily around my children. I had so many possibilities and adventures ahead of me and I planned to take advantage of it.

With a senior in high school that year, my husband and I were already getting a taste of empty nest life. Our son was busy with friends, work and sports. Our daughters were away at school. We were excited about our new freedom which included more travel, more dinners out, and more time visiting with friends who had moved far away. It was going to be a great year.

Enter the pandemic. Suddenly, my almost empty nest was very crowded. My two college kids came home. My husband stopped traveling for work. Spring break vacations were canceled. Our calendar, which was once full of high school events and social obligations, was now wiped clean. My new adventures consisted of searching for toilet paper and finding a spot in the house where I could work without overhearing multiple Zoom call conversations.

As I watched the two week “Slow the Spread” drag on for months, I questioned if things would ever return to normal. Every day brought more change, dragging us deeper into the unknown. My five-year plan that I had written only a few months before ended up in a drawer. Like the rest of the world, I had to continue to pivot, making lemonade out of the lemons that were falling all around us.

Soon, my anxiety turned to anger as I was running out of positive vibes to keep our spirits up. My family, like many others, missed out on milestones that we have been dreaming of for years. I felt like a caged animal and mourned not only my pre-pandemic life but those of my adult children whose new independence had been taken away. I felt like the light at the end of the tunnel had burned out.

Everyone reaches a breaking point. After a year of filling my journal with the repeated doom and gloom we got from every media outlet, I hit mine. I realized the road we wanted

to take was blocked, with no plan of reopening anytime soon. We needed to take a detour through paths we never thought we would travel.

After much consideration, we packed up 50 years of memories, leaving friends and family behind, and moved across the country to a place where we only knew our daughter. At the time, I didn’t know if I was running away from crushed dreams or running towards new ones. It was both scary and exciting to take another road, but at least we were no longer standing still.

This was the start of a new adventure – one I hoped was worthy of documenting in my journal. As our children settled into their own dream-driven lives, my husband and I worked on rebuilding our lives in a new hometown. This was our chance to improve on an already great life. It was him and I again, our nest mostly empty as our kids moved through college and beyond.

We soon realized that a new life is so much more than a new address and furniture. Although it has its challenges, physically moving is the easy part. Rebuilding a new life means finding local friends, new groups and adjusting to how things are done differently than we were used to. The whole process was filled with exploring new areas, meeting new people, trying new foods and stepping way outside of my comfort zone. It was a humbling and exhilarating time.

This January, I started my last year of that same five-year journal. When I look back on those entries, I am happy to see they include hundreds of adventures, both big and small. It is also filled with setbacks, tear-stained pages and the pain of all we lost. Through the good and the bad, I am proud of my growth and perseverance.

I realize the path I took to this point is not the one I thought it would be. However, I am in a better place than I imagined. I came out ahead – stronger, happier and with more accomplishments than I expected when I opened that journal five years ago. I discovered that the blueprint of life, no matter how well written, serves only as a guide. It is up to you to make it happen, regardless of the obstacles that get in your way.

How Life Evolves

by Erika Hoffman

Connection! Part of the reason I write is to connect with others—unknown humans whom I might not encounter in my daily life; yet they might be soulmates with mindsets more akin to my thinking than those homo-sapiens I do meet up with on my everyday sojourns. Besides performing mundane gathering chores and hunting errands like buying very reasonably-priced chickens at Costco weekly, I don’t stray too much from “chez moi” — unlike my modus operandi during my younger years. As a kid, I rode my bike with a gang of other unsupervised youngsters or played savage dodge ball in the suburban New Jersey streets until the streetlights came on or our parents formed a search party. While a teen, I strolled my neighborhood and even a manure-spotted cow pasture that led to the banks of a babbling brook with my BFF Kathy. As she chain-smoked Virginia Slims, I babbled on and on. When I was a young co-ed, I thought my raison d’etre for heading to college was to socialize. Late night card games, like Hearts, took precedence over learning. Married in my mid-twenties, I, along with my spouse, liked to go to the cinema, out-todinner, or party with other young couples every weekend after a long tedious work week. In my thirties, I strolled my babies in carriages around our rural North Carolina town, paying the utility bills in-person, withdrawing money from the bank while gabbing with the tellers, stopping later at a pharmacy soda counter for a refreshment and to jawbone with other customers, young and old, seated on round stools that turned. My offspring grew. I took them to sports activities, church, school outings, birthday parties, lessons. I mingled with the other moms on the bleachers or those praying in the pews. I joined the PTA, bridge club, garden club, an art-for-the-hospital organization, the historical society, et cetera. I sought to connect with the community.

Now, many folks my age exercise to procure their dollop of serotonin. Women of a certain age play pickle ball—

fiercely. Me, I receive my endorphins by connecting through my writing. By penning personal anecdotes and “astute’ observations, I share my wisdom and judgment gleaned through encounters with others, life’s hard knocks, its disappointments, and survival strategies learned along the way. I try to provide value to my readers. Sometimes, I make them laugh. Humor raises the level of serotonin for them and me. My purpose is to make my reader curious, convey a bit of joy, and form a bond. With a little luck my stories resonate. We connect. Not long ago, I read a good metaphor about how fishing is like life: You do your prep; you do your thinking; you put your bait out; and you wait. You’ve done the groundwork: A lot of success in fishing and in life boils down to luck. You have an idea. You know how to structure it. You compose your thoughts, put them out there in a sea of prose hoping to lure a reader, and you wait. With a little luck you get a tug, a nibble. You hook up with a fish. You connect. Bingo! Life is about the connections you make—how you relate to others. Writing is a “savoir vivre.” In other words, it’s a way to give purpose to your life because it’s a way to unite with others in this journey we share called “living.” Another not-to-be underestimated advantage of writing is that, unlike pickleball, it rarely results in knee replacements!

And still one more reason I write is to connect with future generations. I don’t know if I’ll ever get a modicum of notoriety, but maybe someday when my great-great grandchildren on Mars try to untangle from whence they came, they will find copies of Sasee and say about me, “Well, that old ancestor seemed a friendly type, but I sure wish I understood her allusion to a “pickled ball.”

Everything to Know About the 2024 Met Gala:

Theme, Hosts, and

More

What is the Met Gala?

The Met Gala is a charity event and fundraiser for The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute. It has traditionally been timed to mark the opening of its annual fashion exhibition. Year after year, the event raises eight-figure sums.

This year’s co-hosts include Jennifer Lopez, Zendaya, Chris Hemsworth, Bad Bunny and Vogue’s editor-in-chief Anna Wintour.

When will the Met Gala 2024 take place?

The 2024 Met Gala will take place on Monday, May 6, in New York City at The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

What is the Met Gala 2024 theme?

The 2024 Met Gala will celebrate the Costume Institute’s new exhibition, “Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion,” and the official dress code is “The Garden of Time,” inspired by J.G. Ballard’s short story of the same title, written in 1962. We should expect to see a lot of florals, both vibrant and melancholic, on the red carpet.

Who is invited to the Met Gala?

Until the evening before the event, the guest list is top secret, but some of the biggest names in the business regularly attend. The event usually hosts around 600 attendees, welcoming stars, young creatives, and industry leaders. As for what happens inside the event, that’s a secret. Guests abide by a no-phone policy, making this event one of the most prestigious and elusive of the year.

Benefits of Zone 2 Cardio

Zone 2 is a slow and steady method of cardio in which you keep your heart rate between 60-70% of your max heart rate. Think a pace you could maintain while holding a conversation with someone.

The benefits of Zone 2 cardio are abundant and include:

• Improved heart health

• Improved mood

• Improved insulin resistance + blood sugar levels

• Lower blood pressure + cholesterol levels

• Improved performance when lifting + exercising

• Reduced risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease

• Helps you keep up with your kids and grandkids

Biking, rowing, or briskly walking on an incline treadmill are usually the best options for Zone 2.

Try doing 20-30 min 2-3x/week in addition to some strength training. Your body will thank you for it!

The View from the Bench

I love basketball. And I’ve spent years watching the game. First as a Kansas Jayhawks fan, then as a basketball mom, then a basketball grandmother, and finally cheering as my daughter Johanna coached a high school team. So, when my grandson Ronin wanted to play fifth grade, summer league basketball, I signed him up as a free agent with our local league. That meant any coach could pick him up for a team. No one did.

The league coordinator emailed parents of all the leftover kids. “We have seven free agents,” she said. “Enough for a team. If we can find a coach.”

I waited for replies from the other boys’ parents. No one volunteered. I’d do it if I knew how, I thought. I had experience as a swimming coach. Maybe I could use those skills.

Ronin really wanted to play, and I thought, how hard can it be?

I emailed the league coordinator. “I’ve never coached basketball, but I’ll sit on the bench. And I’ll try to find someone to help.”

I hoped that someone would be Johanna. She’d played varsity ball and had years of coaching experience. She shook her head. “My summer is way too busy.”

I asked my husband. A flat no.

I racked my brain trying to think of someone. If I ended up being the only coach, I would have to count on the players to run and shoot on their own and hope for the best. At least they’d be on a court handling the ball. Nothing was at stake, except possibly my embarrassment. I was willing to risk it for Ronin.

Then I thought of Johanna’s former high school coach, Steve. He’d retired several years before. But asking him was like asking Albert Einstein to judge an elementary school science fair. Steve had been National High School Girls Basketball Coach of the Year and was inducted into the Kansas Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame.

I was reluctant, but Ronin needed a coach. I texted Steve. “Will you please coach my grandson’s summer team? Just six games. No practices.”

After a while, he replied. “I’ll be your assistant.”

by Mary-Lane Kamberg

That made me head-coach-in-name-only. I was thrilled. I texted Johanna the news.

“I’m mortified that you did that!” she said.

I drove by Ronin’s house, where he was shooting baskets in the driveway. “I’m your new head basketball coach!” I said. His eyes widened. “I know more about basketball than you!”

“I know.” I told him about Steve. “You’ll love him!”

I soon learned that head coaches must make sacrifices. I added the team schedule to my calendar. The first game fell on the same day my sister and I had tickets to a Kansas City Royals game. I texted her. “I can’t go. I’m Ronin’s head basketball coach and we have a game that day.”

“Ha, ha. Good one,” she texted back.

Our family plays lots of practical jokes, and I had to send her the link to my team’s page on the league website before she believed me.

As I dressed for the first game, I couldn’t remember what coaches typically wore. I chose a blue shirt that matched our team color. I hoped that wasn’t weird. All the way to the gym, my stomach fluttered. I arrived early and paced while I waited for Steven and the team. Steve walked in wearing a blue shirt. Got it! I thought.

Steve ran warmup. I shook hands with the opposing coach and turned in my player list. I looked at the bench. Where should I sit? Head coaches usually sit in the first chair, with the assistant in the second. Despite my official title, Steve belonged in the first one. I sat in the second. He stood the entire game.

Steve spelled out my job. “Watch the clock and send in subs at five-minute intervals. We have three “Big” and four “perimeter (Little)” players. Keep two Bigs and three Littles on the court at all times. Bigs rotate for Bigs. Littles for Littles.”

I nodded.

During timeouts, Steve sketched out plays on an erasable clipboard. I stood in the circle with the boys and nodded as if I understood. I cheered for our boys during the game and chatted with the ones sitting out.

“Good defense on that last play.”

“Nice three-pointer.”

“You do a good job of guarding with your feet.”

I did my best to watch Ronin as he ran down the court for long passes and shot the ball. But I also watched the clock religiously. Everything went according to plan.

Until.

Our best Big committed too many fouls, so Steve temporarily pulled him out to save him for later in the game. Steve looked at me. “I’ll tell you when he can come back in.”

I had to improvise. I kept forgetting who were Bigs and who were Littles. Sometimes I had too many Bigs on the floor. At others, too many Littles. My breathing turned quick and shallow as I tried to hold it all together. Between watching the game clock and deciding who to sub in, I missed the rest of the game. We were ahead at the buzzer. I caught my breath.

After the game, I slapped hands with the other team’s players like a pro. I’d always liked the sportsmanship of teams congratulating each other, but I had no idea how sweaty little boys’ hands could be. It was kind of icky. But I did it.

As the weeks progressed, we won some games and lost some. And I gained enormous appreciation not only for Steve, but also for every coach of every sport my children and their children ever played. At the end of the season, I was proud of myself for standing up and trying something new. I enjoyed my stint as Ronin’s coach, but I realized I don’t know much about coaching basketball. I still love the game. But from now on, I’ll be cheering from the stands.

Beach Waves Yoga:

A Journey of Resilience, Friendship and Transformation

“This is a pretty special place. Once you come in, you’re not going to want to leave.”

Beach Waves Yoga, located in the heart of Litchfield, is more than just a yoga studio; it’s a testament to the power of resilience, friendship, and transformation.

Founded by Tina and Jenn, this haven for fitness and wellness emerged from personal struggle and blossomed into a thriving, community-driven space.

The story begins with Tina’s journey of recovery from a devastating hip injury. Three years ago, a fractured hip left her questioning if she would ever run again. But fate intervened when she crossed paths with Jenn, a neighbor and ex-professional fighter turned fitness instructor. Little did Tina know; Jenn had been watching Tina run every single day for more than a year whilst running on her own treadmill inside. “I watched how hard she worked, and I respected that a lot,” says Jenn.

than physical fitness. Both Tina and Jenn found solace and strength in each other’s stories of overcoming adversity. Jenn’s escape from domestic violence and Tina’s commitment to rebuilding her life after injury forged a bond that transcended mere business partners; they became each other’s pillars of support and lifelong friends.

Perhaps my favorite story they shared happened on a day that they were building out the studio. As they were working, they realized they hadn’t gone on that run together. The whirlwind of creating the studio nearly caused them to miss out on what had been the whole point of all of it. So, they stopped what they were doing, and went on their first run together around the parking lot. When they came back, they stopped and stared at the studio they created together and burst into tears. They’d done it.

Jenn suggested that they should start running together, and Tina burst into tears, telling her about her hip injury and how she’d never be able to run again. Jenn suggested that Tina work with her to get herself back into running shape. Tina began taking Pilates with Jenn two to three times a week, worked really hard, and came out the other side stronger and fitter than she was before. It was at that time that she looked at Jenn and said, “Why don’t you have your own place?”

With a shared vision of creating a space for healing and empowerment, Tina and Jenn embarked on the journey of opening Beach Waves Yoga. They poured their hearts and souls into building their dream studio, from painting the walls to laying the floors, all to create a space that promotes holistic well-being for everyone in the community.

However, the roots of Beach Waves Yoga run deeper

But the journey didn’t end there. Beach Waves Yoga continued to evolve with the addition of Liz, a retired Army veteran seeking a new path of self-discovery and community herself after 26 years of service. After leaving the Army, Liz started attending yoga classes and found that it was a great outlet for her to slow her mind and find stillness in her new self. “When you’re in such an institution for 26 years, you bury pieces of you that aren’t in line with that military mentality and it takes a toll,” she says. She was introduced to Tina and Jenn through a mutual friend, and there was immediate synergy between the three of them. “Liz was the missing piece of the puzzle,” says Tina. On one of her first nights, Liz walked out with Tina and looked at her and said, “I feel like this is where I belong.”

The studio’s success is rooted in the sense of community and belonging that keeps people coming back. Whether it’s

Pilates, empowering hot yoga sessions, or rejuvenating Yin classes, every experience at Beach Waves Yoga is guided by support and inclusivity. “We just have a little bit of everything for everybody,” says Tina. Every class can be modified to match where you’re at fitness-wise. “Everybody is giving it 100%, even with modifications,” says Liz. “Seeing people pushing their limits to get stronger is very empowering to watch.”

As Tina, Jenn, and Liz reflect on their journey, they offer some words of advice to aspiring entrepreneurs: embrace adversity, trust your instincts, and be willing to pivot when necessary. “We’ve done a lot of pivoting in two years, and I think we’ve made the right pivots to get to where we are right now,” says Tina.

It’s clear to me that Beach Waves Yoga isn’t just a business - it’s a beacon of hope and inspiration for all who walk through its doors. I encourage you this month to try one of their classes. Get out of your comfort zone. Walk away from your desk. Walk away from whatever it is that you’re doing and make time for you.

“Whether you’re a man or a woman, a grandma or a grandpa, a high school or college student, make time for yourself. There are so many other forces in life, and if we don’t stay healthy, then it’s all for nothing.” -Tina

A Little Music Box

by Susan Sundwall

I had barely opened my eyes when I heard the sharp rap on our big front door. I was glad my husband was already downstairs making the coffee, but I couldn’t imagine who had come to see us so early. I heard him patter quickly to the door and open it.

“You getting a piano?” a gruff voice said.

My heart almost stopped. A piano? We were having a piano delivered? Then it hit me – this was my Christmas present! I sat up in bed and listened, clutching the blankets to my chest. Next I heard the dull thud of footfalls and groans as two men wrestled with the heavy instrument. I couldn’t wait for them to leave. I grabbed my robe and dashed down the stairs as soon as the front door closed. And there it sat, an old upright piano with dark wood, well used but glorious. I looked at my husband and grinned.

“Merry Christmas,” he said.

I threw my arms around him. “You got me a piano!”

So, let me back up a bit. I turned forty in August of that same year. And like many birthdays with zeroes in them, I grew introspective. What had I really done in my life? I was the oldest of nine children and there was never any money for extras like other kids seemed to have. We didn’t do sports or participate in any other extra curricular activities at school. When I was a Girl Scout I never had the uniform. The troop leaders seemed to know our family couldn’t afford it but they let me be a part of the troop anyway. I never had piano or swimming lessons or got to be a cheerleader. Poor me.

But that year I turned forty something in me snapped. I realized I’d been whining about my lack of advantages for most of my life. Mom and Dad loved us and did the best they could but wasn’t it time to stop blaming them for what I couldn’t do or didn’t have? Of the many lessons I’d wished I’d had, piano was right at the top. So I asked my husband for a piano keyboard for my fortieth birthday. Then I set out to find the best how to play the piano book I could find and studied that little book like mad. Soon I could play Beautiful, Beautiful Brown Eyes with relative ease and was very pleased with myself.

This diligence did not go unnoticed by my husband. Though I loved my little keyboard there was one problem. The keys were not standard size and playing to maximum efficiency

was a problem. I don’t remember complaining about it, but he must have caught on because the Christmas Eve piano delivery was his solution. Now I could really become a piano player.

Except – I’d gone about as far as I could on my own. Still determined, I remembered that a fellow church choir member, Barbara, taught piano in her home for extra income. I got my brave up and asked about her rates. I had a part time job and decided I could easily afford a half hour with her once a week to improve my skills.

Even though I was a nervous wreck the first couple of times I played for her, eventually I became quite comfortable and always practiced at home before my lesson. The first assignment was to learn Love Makes the World Go Round. It was a simple arrangement, but I studied my fingering and rhythm as though I’d be playing Mozart for the President. I was a bundle of nerves as I sat playing for her.

“You sound just like a little music box!” she enthused. My heart soared! My hard work and regular practice had paid off. I was more than excited to stay with my lessons. And I did; for three years.

Barbara eventually was able to rent a small studio in town and I took more lessons there. I even devised my own short Christmas program to perform just for her. I had White Christmas down cold. I’d done so well it prompted her to say the R word – recital.

Gasp! A recital. Little kids did recitals not big grown up ladies who had come late to the game. But Barbara assured me I’d do fine and even introduced me to another adult student, Merle, with whom I’d be playing a duet.

We did well in front of our small audience of about twenty people in Barbara’s compact studio. Participants ranged from eight years old on up and I was probably the oldest. But you know what? That was okay. I’d overcome my habit of blaming others and adopted the attitude that age really doesn’t make a difference if you really want to do something.

I did not go on to become a great pianist. Far from it. But I worked past the disadvantages of my childhood and with gumption, stepped into a new arena. There were others to come, like writing mysteries, dabbling in watercolor, making sauerkraut and leading a protest at the library a few years ago. My new motto is now, “Try stuff, you might like it!”

Exquisite

Chef Aleene Miller

GET CARRIED AWAY CATERING

Chef Charif Arabe

Chef Chelsea Cribb

BETWEEN THE ANTLERS

Chef Sean Bernard NAMBU

Chef Thomas Vance & Chef Anne White

THE INDEPENDENT, THE GEORGE HOTEL

Live Music by Sweet Tea at the Beach

Live Painting by Cathy Turner Sponsored in part by:

Corky & Mary Raab FASTSIGNS

The Ice House

Paragon Construction

Pawleys Island Wine & Spirits

Smith Sapp

Waccamaw Medical Spa

The Yahnis Company

New Business Spotlight

Coastal Clear: Ritual Without Regret

Rebecca Furlong, founder of Coastal Clear, was born and raised in Murrells Inlet, SC. Despite her dedication to a healthy lifestyle, the nightly ritual of unwinding with a glass of wine or a cold beer was slowly erasing all of the good she was doing during the day.

“I craved that sense of relaxation and comfort, but I knew there had to be a better way.”

The final straw came when she received some suboptimal blood panel results. Her doctor recommended that she cut back or eliminate alcohol consumption to get her numbers back to normal. She opted to cut it out completely, but immediately felt deprived. Figuring she couldn’t be the only one feeling this way, she embarked on a journey to start Coastal Clear.

In recent years, there has been a noticeable trend of people cutting out alcohol from their lives, whether temporarily or permanently. This shift in behavior is driven by a variety of factors, including changing attitudes toward health, wellness, and socialization. However, there aren’t many nonalcoholic beverage options for those wishing, or needing, to reduce their alcohol consumption. That’s where Coastal Clear comes in.

The goal of Coastal Clear is simple: to provide an alternative choice where everyone, regardless of their reasons for cutting back or abstaining from alcohol, can discover new drinks that not only taste delicious, but also nourish their well-being. Coastal Clear offers a diverse array of options that cater to every taste and preference, including nonalcoholic wines, beers, and cocktails.

“I want people to feel excited and inspired when they visit our website,” says Rebecca. “I’m hoping to reach any and everyonewhoislookingforsomethingdifferentintheirlife.”

Sasee Gets Personal with Sabrina Query: Owner of Whimsy Roost

Nestled next to the Strand Theater on Front Street in Georgetown sits Whimsy Roost, an eclectic home goods and gifts store owned by Sabrina Query. In college, Sabrina worked in retail and always dreamed of opening her own store one day. After getting married, she and her family moved frequently with her husband’s job. “I love to shop and so with each move, I would find all the locallyowned shops and support them,” she says. She started keeping a journal with ideas about what her dream store would look like, and what types of things she would carry. Fast forward 30 years, in 2017, she opened her dream store, Whimsy Roost.

“I’m pretty whimsy…I love eclectic things, old and new, fun and funny, unpredictable, and just all things whimsy,” she says. After making lots of moves around the world, she and her husband were ready to settle and gather in one place. Georgetown had been her family’s home base for many years and God opened the door for them to come back and “roost.” Taking a leap of faith, they opened Whimsy Roost.

If you’ve met Sabrina, you know how her personality lights up a room. It’s no surprise that her favorite part about owning the business is connecting with people. “Loving God and loving people is what I was born to do,” she says. The friendships and stories of others inspires her on a daily basis. When shopping for items for the store, she looks for things that will inspire people, motivate them, and make them laugh. “Working together with a great team to help people find that perfect gift that brings joy to someone, listening to people share their stories, giving back to the community…all fans the flame to keep going.”

The most challenging part of ownership, she says, is the

“business” of it all. The accounting, the bills, managing inventory, and scheduling tasks can be daunting. She credits her team of friends and family that support Whimsy Roost and help her fill in all the gaps. I asked her what motivates her to keep showing up day after day. Her response: it’s a calling. “God gave me this dream and this platform to connect with people and make a difference in our community. Every year, I dedicate the store with open hands to the Lord, and as long as He keeps calling me to it, I’ll keep showing up!”

As for the future of Whimsy Roost, she has big dreams. A shoppable warehouse is set to open in the next few months and there is another building that is in plans to become a second storefront. A retail store is hard work, but she is “growing and learning new things every day, overcoming challenges, and finding joy in the journey.”

If someone out there wants to take a leap of faith and pursue their dream of owning their own business, what advice would you give to them?

Doitafraid!Takingtheleapoffaithcanbescary.Makesure you have a good support system. You need family, friends, a team that will pray for you, support you, encourage you, helpyou.“Surroundyourselfwithgreatpeopleandyouwill be great” is a quote that I have in the store and it’s so true! Each day is a gift! Pray, pray, and pray… trust God!

Just for Fun: If one celebrity could walk into Whimsy Roost tomorrow, and share the store with the world, who would you want it to be?

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce come in and create their wedding registry at Whimsy Roost! Can you imagine?!

Free Weight Analysis and Consultation (with one of our Certified Diet Counselors)

Maintenance Program (maintain goal weight)

Nutritional Supplements (delicious treats)

Naltrexone (curbs appetite)

Weight Control Capsules (non-addictive)

Tri-Immune Booster (all natural)

PHENTERMINE Diet (appetite suppressant, energy)

Biotin Injections (skin, hair, nails)

Semaglutide (FDA Approved for weight loss & Obesity)

Herbal Plus (appetite suppressant, energy)

Vitamin Cocktail & B12/Lipotropic Injections (energy, burns fat, depression, anxiety)

3 for $45 to go

LIPO-Laser (face sculpting included)

Sermorelin (high collagen density!)

April 2024 Events

For more information and more events, visit

5 - 7

2024 Myrtle Beach Food Truck Festival

Myrtle Beach Mall

8

2024 Total Eclipse

The total solar eclipse will cross North America, passing over Mexico, the United States, and Canada.

9

Low Country Herb Society Meeting

9:15 am - 10:15 am

Waccamaw Library in Pawleys Island.

The guest speaker will be Mr. Tom Francis, owner of Bees-by-the-Sea

11

Purses with Purpose Charity Event

5:30 pm - 7:30 pm

Marina Inn at Grande Dunes

20 - 21

Art in the Park

10:00 am - 4:00 pm

Valor Park at Market Common

27

2024 Bridge2Bridge Run

This year’s race includes a 12K, 5K, and return of the 13.1 mile race.

27 - 28

2024 Brookgreen Gardens Art Festival

Brookgreen Gardens

28

Low Country Sunday Supper

4:00 pm - 8:00 pm

Litchfield Plantation