Upstate Lake Living Spring 2013

U • P • S • T • A • T • E

LAKE LIVING Life at its finest on Jocassee, Keowee and Hartwell Think Spring!

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Spring 2013 • 1

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Upstate Lake Living magazine

Volume 7, Issue 1

7 Sky’s the limit for grits lovers 12 At DAR it’s all about the education 17 High times in the Lowcountry 25 Upstate casual and tasty too 32 Charity weaves community together 38 Duke accents lake access 46 New stage & music keep the rock rolling

42 Your Waterfront A new column preview 44 Fishing Trophy regulations are paying off 45 Safe Boating Thinking about young people 55 Theatre New season set to bloom 57 Calendar Festivals to flower shows; spring is here

Spring 2013 PUBLISHER: Jerry Edwards jerry@edwgroupinc.com Ph: 864-882-3272 EDITOR: Brett McLaughlin bmclaughlin@upstatetoday.com MARKETING DIRECTOR: Hal Welch hal@upstatetoday.com ART DIRECTOR/GRAPHICS: Melissa Bradley UPSTATE LAKE LIVING™ is published quarterly

by Eagle Media 210 W. N. 1st Street Seneca, SC 29678, USA Ph: 864-882-2375 Fax: 864-882-2381 Subscription: $15 includes 4 issues Single issue: $3.95 U.S. Postal Permit #18 UPSTATE LAKE LIVING™ is a trademark of Edwards Group.

Contents copyrighted.

SUBSCRIPTION SERVICE:

Dear Readers, A good spring morning to one and all … well, almost.

Before you know it, the Oconee Bells will be beckoning us to Devils Fork State Park and the Columbine will be dazzling us with their striking red flowers with bright yellow tips. There’s no place quite like The Foothills in the spring.

And, if the beauty of our natural setting is not enough, countless people who enrich the fabric of our community with their kindness and dedication bless us as well. Inside this edition we feature the charitable efforts of The Reserve at Lake Keowee Foundation and the educational and characterbuilding efforts of the staff and volunteers at Tamassee DAR School. The kind hearts and loving deeds of these people have been bringing new life to others over countless springs.

This edition also offers up plenty of things to do and places to go, from elaborate stage productions, to art and concert events, to a great place for dinner and a golf getaway that will rank among your “best ever.”

As our cover suggests, feature writer Bill Bauer takes a whimsical — yet informative — look at South Carolina’s love affair with grits. You won’t want to miss it. And, I had a good time talking with some young, enthusiastic and hugely creative folks who have engineered something of a revival at the Flat Rock Playhouse in nearby North Carolina.

Before you know it, spring will pass into summer and our attention will be on the lakes. Until then, enjoy Upstate Lake Living.

Brett McLaughlin, Editor P.S. I’m always looking for lake homes to feature. If you would like to share your home with our readers, or know of a neighbor whose home has charmed you, drop me an email with a name or phone number. I’ll keep it a secret if you like. I can be reached at brett_mcla@hotmail.com or bmclaughlin@upstatetoday.com.

4 • UPSTATE LAKE LIVING

UPSTATE LAKE LIVING will, upon receipt of a new or renewal subscription, strive to provide first-copy delivery of Upstate Lake Living to the Postal Service for the next issue (March, June, September and December). Renewals must be received at least two weeks prior to expiration to assure continued service.

To ensure quick service, enclose a copy of your mailing label when writing or renewing your subscription.

Address subscription inquiries to UPSTATE LAKE LIVING magazine, P.O. Box 547, Seneca, SC 29679; phone 864-882-2375; fax 864-882-2381.

Two weeks advance notice is required for address changes; please send old and new address.

contributors to this edition Bill Bauer • Phillip Gentry Jack Kates III • Dave Kroeger Brett McLaughlin • Stephen Peitrowicz Cover photo by Carolyn Smith, Seneca Photography

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Grits:

Southern food for the soul Story and Photos by Bill Bauer

M

r. Tipton testified that he saw the accused “yutes” (youths) enter the Sack-O-Suds convenience store and leave in five minutes, after allegedly committing robbery and murder. On cross examination, attorney for the “yutes,” Vincent Gambini, questioned the accuracy of Mr. Tipton’s eyewitness account, suggesting to Mr. Tipton that his concept of time could be just a little off and that someone else just might have entered the store after his clients’ departure and actually committed the crime.

It went something like this …

Gambini: Why not? How long was they in the store for?

Mr. Tipton: 5 minutes.

Gambini: 5 minutes? How do you know? Did you look at your watch?

Mr. Tipton: No. Gambini: Oh, oh, oh, you testified earlier that you saw the boys go into the store, and you had just begun to cook your breakfast and you were just getting ready to eat when you heard the shot.

Mr. Tipton: That’s right.

Gambini: So obviously it takes you 5 minutes to cook your breakfast.

Mr. Tipton: That’s right.

Gambini: That’s right. So you knew that. You remember what you had?

Mr. Tipton: Eggs and grits.

Gambini: Eggs and grits. I like grits too. How do you cook your grits? Do you like them regular, creamy or al dente?

Mr. Tipton: Just regular, I guess.

Gambini: Regular. Instant grits?

Spring 2013 • 7

Mr. Tipton: No self-respectin’ Southerner uses instant grits. I take pride in my grits.

Gambini: So Mr. Tipton, how could it take you 5 minutes to cook your grits when it takes the entire grit-eating world 20 minutes?

And so the dialogue goes in one of the scenes from the movie My Cousin Vinny, in which New York City born and bred, Vincent Gambini, played by Joe Pesci, finds himself well below the Mason-Dixon Line, totally out of his element and struggling to adapt to the food and pace of the South.

Chances are that Gambini, like myself, had most likely never heard of, seen, or much less tasted a grit before heading south. I am sure there are grit eaters in other parts of the world, but the South has more than cornered the market on grits consumption. Three-quarters of the grits sold in the United States are sold in a belt of coastal states stretching from Louisiana to the Carolinas, often called the “Grits Belt.”

Proud to be a part of “the belt,” South Carolina declared grits its official state food in 1976.

Having moved to the Upstate nearly 10 years ago, I can’t actually recall the first time I savored a bowl of grits, but I do know that the tasty morsels now occupy a corner of my plate whenever I routinely breakfast at any Waffle House or the Gazebo in Fair Play. My journey to the table of the grit-lovers has not always been smooth.

Several years ago, I saw Shrimp and Grits on the menu at a fairly respectable restaurant in Charleston and did a double take. My first thought was, how could any chef ruin fresh shrimp by drowning them in a bowl of grits? I tried it, loved it and have since, on numerous occasions, prepared this delectable dish that was once merely a breakfast meal for coastal fishermen and their families.

But, like Mr. Tipton, as a “self-respectin’ Southerner,” I only use stone ground grits. There’ll be no instant grits for me!

While the local supermarket shelves are stocked with multiple brands of both quick (not instant) and slow cooking grits, those shelf brands cannot compare to what 8 • UPSTATE LAKE LIVING

Native Americans referred to as “rockahomine,” and to what the colonists later called “hominy,” straight from a local gristmill that still uses water power to grind yellow and white corn.

I found out about one such local mill while in a recovery room after a minor surgical procedure. Still groggy and with my wife at my side, the doctor was going over the results when he handed her a brown bag and a piece of paper. In my stupor I envisioned a rather large dose of medicine and the directions for taking it. But, as I came around, my wife informed me that we had a bag of grits and an invitation to the annual Christmas Open House at the

Carolina during the 18th and 19th centuries, a time when the mill played an important part in the everyday lives of a self-sustaining, independent populace. According to The Society for the Preservation of Old Mills, 11 mills are still in operation, with several located in the Upstate. Hagood, Golden Creek and Issaqueena are all located in Pickens County and, like Timms, are still grinding out sacks of grits. And it’s a good thing, because they are a staple for many who want the real deal.

On a typical Saturday morning, Wortham and his volunteer crew at Timms Mill, grind between 500-600 pounds of corn into about 50 percent grits and 35

doctor’s mill — Timms Mill to be exact — owned and operated by local gastroenterologist David Wortham and his wife Lisa.

In 2001, the Worthams bought a rundown gristmill while looking for a place in the country. They decided to restore the mill rather than tear it down, a project completed in 2004.

Timms Mill dates back to the late 1700s, when Isaac Simms powered the wheel along the Six and Twenty Creek in Pendleton. After a few relocations, the mill found its final resting place in 1898. However, the 14-foot water wheel ground to a halt in 1960 after a hurricane flooded the creek, and the stones lay dormant until the Worthams’ purchase and renovation.

Timms Mill is one of 14 gristmills built along the creeks and rivers of South

From every Waffle House at every exit on I-85 and I-95, to High Cotton in Greenville and Charleston’s Slightly North of Broad, the official food of South Carolina — grits — is part of the standard fare.

percent corn meal. Their product makes its way into households via farm stands and country stores, and into some of the finest restaurants from Anderson to Charleston.

They may be served as a starter, creamed in a bowl, or pan-seared on a plate, but primarily they are used in shrimp and grits.

“Our grits are in Sullivan’s, High Cotton in Greenville and Charleston (Wild American Shrimp & Grits with house made chicken, andouille sausage, braised leeks and roasted tomatoes), and Charles-

The “Grits Group” meets every Friday morning at the Gazebo Restaurant in Fair Play.

Any questions you may have about what makes a good grit can likely be answered by a member of this august group.

ton’s Slightly North of Broad, (Maverick Shrimp & Grits with sautéed shrimp, sausage, country ham, fresh tomatoes, green onions and garlic,),” claims Wortham’s son Andrew who assists in the mill.

Lawrence Sunderland and Bill Burns, milling partners at Timms, are certified and serious millers. Sunderland, at 82, is

still grinding away and fondly remembers his first encounter with grits.

“When I was four years old I had my tonsils out. I was supposed to eat ice cream, but told my mother I wanted grits, and they went down smooth. From then on it was grits.”

The two millers have been hanging

around mills all their lives and while they freely offer their labor and expertise at the mill, they get rewarded with gratis grits. “If we do a good job, we get yellow grits, which are more tasty than white,” says Burns with a big smile.

Eating grits is serious business, too.

“I ate grits and fatback every morning for breakfast,” claims retired Baptist minister Bill Hightower, a native South Carolinian who knows a thing or two about grits. “When I was a little boy, I used to take my fork and build a road through my grits, kind of like a construction worker. My Mama used to take the leftovers and fry them up like little pancakes. We ate grits every day one way or the other.”

Grits, or “Georgia Ice Cream,” as they are often called, are simply corn — white

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At right: Retired Baptist minister Bill Hightower, a native South Carolinian, knows a thing or two about grits. He’s been eating them since he can remember, recalling that as a child he used his fork to make roads through his grits.

Below: Timms Mill along the Six and Twenty Creek in Pendleton dates to the 1700s. As part of its latest incarnation, the mill grinds between 250 and 300 pounds of corn into grits on a typical Saturday. The product makes its way into households via farm stands and country stores, and into some of the finest restaurants from Anderson to Charleston.

Photo courtesy of Timms Mill

or yellow — ground a little coarser than corn meal and suitable for breakfast, lunch or dinner. They can be found virtually everywhere, but how you cook and eat them is what counts.

Valerie Madden has been waitressing at the Waffle House at exit 27 on I-85 for 19 years and has served up her share of grits.

“We go through about 30 gallons a week, and that’s for breakfast!” she says, noting that most customers like their grits with butter and add a little salt and pepper.

At Grits and Groceries, a family owned restaurant near Belton, Chefs Heidi and Joe Trull offer up a Lowcountry variety of grits smothered in gravy. Heidi developed the dish at her former restaurant in New Orleans. They use stone ground speckled grits, a combination of white and yellow, from Woods Mill in Pelzer.

Searching for the best shrimp and grits is an enviable task, one that Hightower takes pride in.

“Bill ought to get a trophy for eating shrimp and grits. He’s ordered them in nearly every restaurant in Charleston,” claims Jane Hightower.

As for this Yankee, I’m getting there, yes, suh! After a decade in the South, I’m still a rookie but I know good grits when I taste ’em and have sampled my share in restaurants for breakfast and dinner.

Yellow or white, creamy or thick, grits are indeed a staple of the South and symbol of Southern pride. After all, the Charleston News and Courier proclaimed in 1952: “An inexpensive, simple and thoroughly digestible food, [grits] should be made popular throughout the world. Given enough of it, the inhabitants of planet Earth would have nothing to fight about. A man full of [grits] is a man of peace.” ❖ 10 • UPSTATE LAKE LIVING

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The Sunlight of God shines on DAR mission remains focused on education Story by Brett McLaughlin | Photos courtesy of Tamassee DAR School

At top: Fittingly, the chapel is at the center of the Tamassee DAR campus. A landmark for both the school and also the greater Tamassee-Salem community, the chapel and school buildings form the nucleus of the school’s programming. The historic chapel is also available to rent and is the setting for several weddings each year.

12 • UPSTATE LAKE LIVING

F

or nearly 100 years they have come, seeking classroom instruction but receiving so much more.

In 1919, they were the daughters of parents who lived within 30 miles of the tiny school established by the Daughters of the American Revolution.

They came from South Carolina, North Carolina and Georgia. They spent part of each day in the classroom and several hours working on a farm carved from 110 acres of forestland. Some walked to school each day, but many slept in humble dormitories, occasionally going home on weekends or being visited by their parents and brothers. They learned essential life skills and made friends that would last throughout their lifetimes.

Today, they are the sons and daughters of parents who live across the Southeast. They arrive on a much larger campus where the working farm is now used only for program activities. They spend more hours in school each day, some staying on campus and others attending the various Tamassee-Salem schools. But, they still sleep in humble dormitories and they still forge life-changing bonds of friendship.

Much has changed over the years.

Tamassee no longer accepts chickens or pigs as payment for services rendered.

Making ends meet requires monthly donors, planned giving programs, church and community group contributions, a

Breakfast

with a view.

The Grace Ward Calhoun Hall at Tamassee DAR School is pictured during the early years of the school. The building continues to serve as a residence hall for DAR students today, located behind the main administration building on campus.

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Spring 2013 • 13

Tour Opportunities Tamassee DAR encourages parents and children, donors, churches, community friends and other interested individuals to come to its campus. Visitors will have an opportunity to tour the grounds, meet staff members, visit inside one of the homes of the children and learn about programs and services through the office guides.

If you would like to schedule a tour of campus, email tamasseekids@juno.com. Scheduling hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

At left: Tamassee DAR has always been about education and that remains the principal focus of the residential children’s home as it nears its 100th year of operation.

Below: Children are pictured smelling the flowers outside of the day care facility on campus. The center is the only licensed day care in the area, accepting students from the community who are from 3 months old through fifth grade, for both full day and after-school care.

plethora of volunteers and a healthy thrift shop revenue.

The annual budget is now $2 million; the campus is 880 acres, accessible to the public and home to a fully-licensed day care center, a chapel that is rented for several weddings every year and halls that provide facilities for countless community gatherings.

Yes, much has changed.

However, in this place the Cherokee named Tamassee (“Place of the Sunlight of God”), the truly important things are unchanged.

The school’s mission may have been refined to reflect more accurately the background of today’s students, but it is essentially unchanged — to support children and families through education and outreach services and to provide “another home” for children in its care.

To that end, core values have remained as firm as the stone from which many of the school’s historic buildings are built. Namely, a secure belief in God and a trusting acceptance of God’s will, as well as stewardship, integrity, life-long learning, striving for excellence, fostering hope and providing charity.

“Today we target the children of families that are in crisis or are homeless,” explained Chief Executive Officer Amy

14 • UPSTATE LAKE LIVING

Twitty, “but the school is still all about education. It is at the center of everything we do.”

Nearly 90 percent of the 40 to 50 students living at Tamassee at any given time are from the Upstate area. Very few are placed at the school by the courts. Most are at the school because guidance counselors, doctors or other parents have said Tamassee provides a nurturing alternative to the stressful circumstances that often exist in the home.

“This is not a group home,” Twitty said. “It is a boarding school for students who need education outside of the home.

“Change has to occur in an educa-

tional setting,” she continued, “and that is what we provide. We are not warehousing children. We provide a peaceful setting in which our children are exposed to everyday situations and where they can receive an education and build relationships.

“We are their home … another home.”

Some students stay on campus a few weeks or months. The average stay is one year. Some children have stayed at Tamassee for 10 to 12 years. Many have contact with their parents on a regular basis, sometimes on campus and sometimes on weekends in their own homes.

Parents are essential to Tamassee’s goal of restoring families.

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“and they can shop at the thrift store. It really does provide a good deal of our income.”

The store is always seeking gently used clothing, and has an ongoing need for Funding and appliances and furnivolunteer ture. opportunities Volunteer efforts Funding for the also help offset costs, school has always and Twitty said there been a challenge. are a host of volunteer The annual cost Students are pictured waiting for a school bus outside one of opportunities. She for a child to live at the residential facilities on the DAR campus. Many children listed boat outings, visits Tamassee DAR School attend school full-time at Tamassee-Salem Middle and High is $25,000, and no child School. Others spend part of the day at nearby Tamassee-Salem by therapy dogs, and parties and activities providis turned away due to an Elementary and receive the bulk of their classes on campus. ed by local churches and inability to pay.

Staffing requirements have grown to fund an endowment for the school much of community groups as examples of current include five teaching positions, four care which comes from planned giving. Month- volunteer activities. Additional help is alcoordinators and a host of support staff. At ly donors and the DAR Thrift Store, lo- ways needed to pick up furniture donations the same time the national DAR organi- cated on SC Highway 11 across from the for the thrift store and to provide maintezation has had to reduce its monetary as- school’s main entrance, provide much of nance and grounds work on campus. ❖ sistance and the state has continued to play the money for ongoing operating expenses.

“If people want to really help us, they only a modest role in funding.

For more information on volunteer opTwitty said Friends of the DAR helps can donate to the thrift store,” Twitty said, portunities, email tamasseekids@juno.com.

“I have never met a parent who didn’t want great things for their child,” Twitty said. “Sometimes that just requires separation.”

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high times in the LowCountry Golf, golden sand and graciousness south of The Strand Story by Bill Bauer | Photos courtesy of Litchfield Beach & Golf Resort and Blackmoor Golf Club

O

nce a year, the Gazelles gather for a reunion of sorts along the South Carolina seashore.

A gracefully aging group of ’60s high school chums, the Gazelles play golf and pinochle, swim, relax and indulge in food and drink. They play catch-up on their close-knit family lives and relive their youthful days.

This once fleet-footed band of athletes — who played anything necessitating the use of a ball, including golf — converges on the Litchfield Beach and Golf Resort just south of Myrtle Beach. It is a destination golf venue that has fulfilled their every need for over a decade.

Far removed from the fast-paced northern portion of the Grand Strand, Litchfield is in the heart of the quieter, laidback “Hammock Coast,” which boasts 11 of the best public golf courses in the Lowcountry, all along an 11-mile stretch of highway. The resort is conveniently nestled halfway between Blackmoor Golf Club in Murrell’s Inlet and Pawley’s Plan-

Webster’s Lowcountry Grill and Tavern is where many golfers begin their day with a complimentary, made-to-order breakfast and buffet.

However, the eatery also boasts a complete menu of sandwiches and burgers, appetizers and salads, and dinner entrees that mix traditional favorites with Southern fare.

Spring 2013 • 17

tation Golf and Country Club on Pawley’s Island. Thousands of golfing beachgoers make it their destination of choice each year, including the Gazelles.

“Litchfield offers an excellent mix of location, facilities, service and value for golfers of every level of ability,” said Andy Fogarty, former president and managing director of the Greenbrier Resort in West Virginia.

Fogarty, travels from Virginia to join other Gazelles from Boston, California, North Carolina, New York and Georgia.

He looks forward to the annual sojourn, not only because of the quality golf, but also because of the many amenities that come with a stay at the resort.

Golfers come to the Grand Strand to play golf, but Litchfield provides plenty to fill the voids before and after a 4- to 5-hour round.

It starts with accommodations, and depending on the number in your party and your choice of location, LBGR offers tastefully decorated suites, condominiums, villas and cottages.

Papa Lou Mamo, a retired IBMer and avid golfer, said, “The cottages can accommodate our group of 8 to 10 and give us easy access to the beach while avoiding the more congested areas of Myrtle Beach.”

The Bridgewater building at the Litchfield Beach and Golf Resort provides rooms overlooking both the pool and the ocean. It is just one of the many types of accommodations available in the Litchfield complex.

18 • UPSTATE LAKE LIVING

The Fairway Cottages, where the Gazelles reside, have four double bedrooms with TVs and private baths, a full kitchen and dining area and a generous central living room with a big flat screen TV. In addition, all cottages come equipped with a washer/dryer, patio and golf course view.

Electing to stay at Litchfield’s main building, or in one of the many condominiums, puts the resort’s amenities at your doorstep. Well-appointed units are adjacent to indoor and outdoor pools, complete with hot tubs, a salon and day spa and a gift boutique. All are only a nine iron away from miles of sandy beach and the gently rolling waves of the Atlantic.

Litchfield Beach and Golf Resort, just south of Myrtle Beach, is a destination golf venue that has fulfilled every need for the Gazelles for over a decade.

Not to be overlooked is Webster’s Lowcountry Grill and Tavern. It is where many golfers begin their day with a complimentary, made-to-order breakfast and buffet, use their “Webster’s Bucks” (provided at check-in) for the 19th hole, or savor an evening meal in a bright and airy dining room overlooking the lake and fountain. Webster’s boasts a complete menu of sandwiches and burgers, appetizers and salads, and dinner entrees, mixing traditional favorites with Southern fare.

Oconee Physician Practices Welcomes a New Provider—

Kim Ostrowski, DO, Otolaryngologist Joining Daniel Boxwell, DO and Diane Koglin, AuD at Mountain Lakes ENT and Allergy Center Dr. Kim Ostrowski is an otolaryngologist (ear, nose and throat specialist). She provides specialty care for patients involving the ears, nose and throat as well as disorders of the head and neck. This includes nasal and sinus issues, allergy problems, voice disorders, snoring and head and neck cancer. She also enjoys treating pediatric patients.

After receiving a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan and a Master of Science degree in basic medical science from Wayne State University, Dr. Ostrowski earned her doctor of osteopathic medicine degree from Michigan State University. She completed a surgical track internship linked to otolaryngology at Michigan State University’s McLaren Oakland Medical Center, where she also completed a residency in otolaryngology and facial plastic surgery.

Dr. Ostrowski is accepting new patients. To schedule an appointment or for more information, please call (864) 482-3122.

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Spring 2013 • 19

Above: Litchfield is in the heart of the quieter, laid-back “Hammock Coast,” which boasts 11 of the best public golf courses in the Lowcountry. This is the clubhouse at the resort’s own outstanding course.

Below: Wachesaw East is one of the 11 golf courses that make up what has been dubbed the Waccamaw Golf Trail, some of the best public golf courses in the Lowcountry and all along an 11-mile stretch of highway.

20 • UPSTATE LAKE LIVING

Golfing guests of Litchfield will find that its proximity to a multitude of restaurants, shops and live entertainment makes it a perfect location. There is no limit to the types of cuisine available up and down US Highway 17 … from fast food to elegant dining.

But the beauty of choosing Litchfield for your spring getaway is its smooth operation and close location to those 11 premier golf courses.

From check-in to departure the LBGR staff is trained to facilitate an easy transition from your long ride to luxury to your first tee time.

Bob McAllister, who handles reservations for the Gazelles has always been impressed.

“Whether you arrive right before the first round of golf or after, the check-in procedure is quick and without problems. Every year, the staff internal communication is flawless and any special requests are met whenever possible.”

The same care is taken as you arrive at each golf course on your itinerary. Smiling bag handlers are quick to load your golf carts and point you to the first tee, where a pleasant and knowledgeable starter acquaints you with the nuances of the course, and, when queried, will even provide a few hints on how not to let the course get the best of you.

The 11 golf courses that make up what has been dubbed the Waccamaw Golf Trail, bear the names of such prominent course designers as Fazio, Jackson, Maples and Strantz, and the signatures of PGA professionals Gary Player and Jack Nicklaus. While each course has an identity and layout all its own, it is safe to say that all provide a challenge for every caliber of golfer and a memorable, scenic journey through the salt marshes, around the rivers and inside the plantations that personify the landscape of South Carolina’s Low Country.

Since the mid-60s, accolades and awards have flourished for these courses. Three are included in “America’s 100 Greatest Public Courses,” seven are ranked 4.5 stars in Golf Digest’s “Best Places to Play Golf in America,” and one course, Willbrook Plantation Golf Club,

is ranked in the “Top 25 in America” by Golf for Women. In addition, The TPC Myrtle Beach has been awarded five stars on Golf Digest’s “Places To Play” list, making it one of only three 5-star courses in the Southeastern United States.

As is often the case, there are so many courses and so little time.

The Gazelles play four each year, but have yet to play them all. The River Club and Willbrook Plantation have been mainstays — there is something to be said for tradition and getting the most out of a golf course before moving on.

Mike Daddio, who grew up caddying and golfing at the five courses located in Long Island’s Bethpage State Park, including the infamous Black Course, speaks highly of Litchfield.

“Like Bethpage, the courses offer variety and challenge for any golfer,” he said.

“I’ve played at least a half-dozen of them.

They feel like much of the South does to me, gracious and friendly … thoughtful that a guest is arriving and that good manners apply. Litchfield offers a good

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The Caledonia Golf and Fish Club — one of two gorgeous Mike Strantz designs — is on the menu for future trips of the Gazelles, a gracefully aging group of high school chums who gather to golf along South Carolina’s coast each year.

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day of golf with old friends on a course that after several years of playing, has become an old friend too.”

Pawley’s Plantation and the Blackmoor Golf Club have been added, and True Blue and The Caledonia Golf and Fish Club — two gorgeous Mike Strantz designs — are on the menu for future trips.

The Litchfield Golf and Beach Resort’s location and expertise allow you to repeatedly enjoy a variety of fine golf courses in a relaxed and gracious setting. Your reservation contact will be happy to arrange your lodging needs, course selection and tee times, providing a package to fit your calendar as well as your budget.

The Hammock Coast is a mere four to five hours away, but Art Comeau, a Gazelle from faraway San Francisco, sums it up, “Litchfield provides the perfect opportunity for groups like the Gazelles to get together for a week of golf and new memories.” ❖ For information on pricing, packaging and seasonal specials contact reservations at 888-625-6089 or 855-766-4633; or view Litchfield’s website http://www.litchfieldbeach. com.

Waccamaw Golf Trail Designers & Accolades

• Blackmoor – Gary Player Signature Course and only Gary Player course in Myrtle Beach • Caledonia Golf & Fish Club – Mike Strantz’s design listed among “100 Greatest Public Courses in America” by Golf Digest • Heritage Club – Dan Maples’ design is on numerous “Top 100” lists • Litchfield Country Club – Willard Byrd’s design is 4.5 stars on the “Places to Play “ list of Golf Digest • Pawley’s Plantation – Jack Nicklaus Signature Course is Number 49 on the SC Golf Ratings Panel’s 2012 best course list • River Club – Tom Jackson’s design is 4.5 stars on the “Places to Play “ list of Golf Digest • TPC Myrtle Beach – Tom Fazio’s design is 5 stars on the “Places to Play “ list of Golf Digest • The Tradition Club – Ron Garl’s design is 4.5 stars on the “Places to Play “ list of Golf Digest • True Blue – Mike Strantz’s design is the Number 1 Public Course in Myrtle Beach • Wachesaw Plantation East – Clyde Johnston’s design is 4 stars on the “Places to Play” list of Golf Digest • Willbrook Plantation – Dan Maples’ design is Number 25 on Golf For Women magazine’s “Top 50 List”

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The Green Room: Where ‘Upstate casual’ meets really fine food Story by Brett McLaughlin | Photos by Jack Kates III

A

Patrick Long brought order and, more importantly, great food to The Green Room kitchen upon his arrival three years ago.

little pesto here, a tasty tapenade there and some lemon-basil butter sauce to kick up those fresh New England scallops and you know you’re in Patrick Long’s kitchen.

Long has been turning out great dishes at Greenville’s The Green Room restaurant for the past two years, blending the best of what he learned along Charleston eatery row with what his mama taught him in her Greenville bakery. Of course, it didn’t hurt to learn how to bring it all together at Charlotte’s famed Johnson & Wales University.

At The Green Room, Long has found a chef’s dream come true — a large kitchen in which to create unique, delectable dishes for the patrons of a 65-seat restaurant.

Clearly it is a match made in epicurean heaven, and the results are telling.

Since converting a former sandwich shop into The Green Room three years ago, owner Jason Fletcher has gone on to open the equally successful Ford’s Oyster House and Cajun Kitchen a few blocks up North Main Street and, this year will bring the introduction of SIP, Greenville’s first rooftop venue.

Billed on its website as a place where “the casualness of the Lowcountry meets the sophistication of the Upstate,” The Green Room operates much like a European brasserie, serving up bountiful breakfast plates, unique luncheon sandwiches and top-shelf dinner entrees. It all comes packaged in a turn-of-the-century building where one feels as at home enjoying a draft and some Parmesan truffle fries at the bar as celebrating a quiet anniversary meal in a booth near the back.

The European feel is no accident. When Fletcher and his wife returned to the states from Munich, Germany, and chose to take a hard left from his Spring 2013 • 25

A place where “the casualness of the Lowcountry meets the sophistication of the Upstate.” job as an IT expert, they wanted to create an eatery where having a good time was as essential as having a good meal.

To that end, The Green Room has three televisions above the bar, but the sound is seldom turned up. Historic brick walls are lined with the offerings of local artists, and, while the food is as good as any to be found in this food-rich city, it is served on tabletops, not tablecloths.

While Fletcher brought no preconceived notions to The Green Room’s atmosphere and knew that a good wine list was essential to success, he also knew that the bottom line would be the quality of the food. Enter Long who, according to Fletcher, took the drama out of his kitchen and filled the void with creative culinary flair.

A breakfast (a.k.a. brunch) destination From 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. each weekday (from 8 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday) the restaurant serves breakfast or lunch, offering tasty entrees and sides from two distinct menus.

“Breakfast has been very popular,” Fletcher explained, nodding casually toward a midafternoon patron at the bar, who is enjoying the two eggs, apple smoked bacon and house Sun-dried tomato and herb toast points are topped with fresh mozzarella, diced tomatoes, and olives tapenade to create this tasty caprese bruschetta appetizer.

26 • UPSTATE LAKE LIVING

potatoes that make up the $8 Green Room Breakfast.

Of course, that customer could just as well have been enjoying a somewhat more exotic tarragon, tomato and feta cheese omelet ($8.50), the blue corn crab benedict ($12), or the totally uninhibited stuffed French toast with its raspberry cream cheese filling and Frosted Flakes coating ($10).

If late breakfast is not your fare, fear not. Long brings his down-home creativity with a dash of flair to the lunch menu as well.

The burger and sandwich menu covers all of the traditional bases — chicken and fish sandwiches, a shrimp po’ boy, a ham and turkey club and a French dip — and goes a bit beyond. For instance, the chicken salad sandwich has a little curry in it and is served on fresh-baked golden raisin bread with a complement of mango chutney; the orchard sandwich mixes apples, walnuts and Gorgonzola cheese on toasted

ciabatta bread, drizzled with fig-balsamic vinaigrette.

We chose to take the middle ground and order the Tuscan chicken melt featuring a roasted chicken breast brought to epicurean life with artichoke hearts, tomatoes, mozzarella and a pesto sauce made fresh — as all Green Room sauces and dressings are — in Long’s kitchen.

Served on toasted ciabatta, it was truly very tasty.

All Green Room burgers and sandwiches come with your choice of chips, shoestring fries or sweet potato fries. But, you really need to spring for the extra $2 and get a heaping mound of Parmesan truffle fries. They are indescribably good and will likely prompt you to make your next reservation before leaving your table.

The lunch menu also contains several salads, all made with fresh produce. And, many lunch patrons have become regulars just to experience the results of the kitchen’s

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One can’t go wrong when ordering from The Green Room’s “surf” menu. Among the tasty entrees are these jumbo sea scallops, pan-seared to a golden brown and served atop an herb polenta with grilled asparagus.

daily challenge to create a unique soup de jour, a friendly culinary confrontation that has resulted in everything from tasty bisques to Philly cheese steak served with a spoon.

Meatloaf and more The growth of downtown Greenville since The Green Room’s opening has contributed to the eatery’s success among hotel patrons and local business professionals. However, the combination of casual atmosphere and quality entrees has also created an established dinner clientele.

The menu has a number of appetizers, ranging from the more traditional spinach and artichoke dip and calamari, to the more unique, such as barbecue biscuit sliders and short rib mini tacos. We chose to sample the caprese bruschetta, a

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mixture of diced tomatoes and olives tapenade, topped with fresh mozzarella and served atop sun-dried tomato and herb toast. The portion was ample and set the stage for good things to come.

“Meatloaf is our number one entrée,” Fletcher said,“ but that’s followed by our filet and ribeye. That tells me we’re not just a diner.”

The TGR meatloaf ($18) is a closely guarded secret. Long has given up only the obvious in published interviews, such as the sweet chipotle glaze mentioned on the menu. However, the seasonings and even the quantities of salt and pepper that make “Grandma’s” meatloaf special are locked away.

“The chipolte gives it a nice little kick,” Long says as a means to change the conversation.

The dinner menu is diverse, ranging from the aforementioned steaks to twin grilled pork chops, to North Main chicken ($18), duck ($24) and a creamy risotto entrée with a mixture of wild mushrooms and Parmesan cheese ($16).

We chose to savor the jumbo panseared sea scallops ($25) from the “surf” side of the menu. They were, quite simply, the best scallops I have ever tasted. Three scallops that lived up to their “jumbo” billing were served atop a polenta that featured thyme, parsley and basil in just the right quantities, mixed with Parmesan cheese. The dish was garnished with grilled asparagus and finished with a savory lemonbasil butter sauce.

Other seafood entrees include classic shrimp and grits served with spicy andouille sausage, diced tomato, scallions and seasoned shrimp; as well as Scottish salmon, Chesapeake crab cakes, a traditional seafood pasta and Ahi tuna and pecan-crusted trout.

When you dine, don’t be surprised to see Long working the floor and asking for your opinions and suggestions. It’s all part of meeting The Green Room’s goal of providing the best possible dining experience in an atmosphere where having a good time is essential. ❖

Above: Among the unique luncheon sandwiches at The Green Room is this Tuscan chicken melt, a roasted chicken breast topped with artichoke hearts, tomatoes, fresh mozzarella and pesto sauce.

Not to be missed, even for an upcharge, are the Parmesan truffle fries.

The limited seating of The Green Room gave rise to its name. Hence, reservations are highly recommended. The restaurant is located at 116 N. Main and can be viewed at http://www.thegreenroomupstate.com.

Reservations can be made online or by calling 864-335-8222. Catering is also available and can be arranged by sending an email to: catering@thegreenroomupstate.com.

Below: Great food in an “Upstate casual” atmosphere brings people back again and again to The Green Room on Greenville’s North Main Street. The tongue-in-cheek explanation behind the eatery’s name stems from the restaurant’s limited seating and typical wait.

Reservations, however, are taken and respected.

Spring 2013 • 29

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Charity weaves

The Reserve community together Story by Brett McLaughlin

Photos courtesy of The Reserve Foundation

M

any of them are retirees, some still work part-time and a few of them full-time. Regardless of any professional demands on their time, all are

busy people.

Their routines intersect with the lives of their children and grandchildren, sometimes at events or performances but, as often as not, in a boat on the lake, or around a fire ring in the backyard.

Fortunately for hundreds of other people they will never meet face-to-face, many of them reach out with time and talent, touching lives and making a difference well beyond the place they call home.

They are the people of The Reserve at Lake Keowee, some 570 families for whom life is as much about how you live it as where you live it.

Kathryn Gravely is executive director of The

Participants pose at last year’s Foundation Golf Classic.

32 • UPSTATE LAKE LIVING

Reserve Community Foundation. It is her job to guide efforts that seek to enrich the lives of The Reserve residents in such a way that doing and serving are common threads in the community fabric. While that is no small task, it is one for which there is a formula.

“From the beginning we have had four pillars — environment, education, culture and outreach,” she said.

“Everything we do is related to those four things.”

Building on that foundation to develop a family-oriented community that comes together in ways great and small has been a goal since The Reserve’s development began in the 1990s. It was then that ownership pledged to contribute one-quarter of one percent of the purchase price of every lot to the Foundation, which in turn pledges to contribute at least 10 percent of that money to charities each year.

Today, the seed money from sales not only provides bountiful programming, but also is a catalyst for phil-

anthropic endeavors — most notably a golf tournament and associated events — that generate thousands of dollars for local charities each year.

“It is money in and money out,” Gravely said of the golf event.

This past year, Helping Hands, Prevent Child Abuse Pickens, the Pickens’ Meals on Wheels program and the Feed A Hungry Child program of Pickens County each received $8,875. Qualifying charities are screened and eventually chosen by a vote of The Reserve membership.

The golf event, to which members added a successful oyster roast and auction last year, is just one example of how fun events are woven into good deeds.

Another example is the community’s annual Artist In Residence program, which brings an established artist into the community for at least one week. While providing local residents an opportunity to experience various art forms — art, music, photography, woodworking — and interact

The Reserve Foundation serves the community and the general public in four main areas: ä Environmental Stewardship: to help preserve the natural resources in our area ä Education: enrichment programs

for Reserve members and the surrounding community

ä The Arts: cultural, visual and performing arts events and exhibits ä Outreach: assisting charitable organizations and facilitating volunteer opportunities

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Mac Arnold’s lakeside blues concert drew a crowd in 2012.

with professional artists, the program also reaches out to the community. Visiting artists have worked with students at nearby Daniel High School and discussed with Clemson Elementary students how recycled materials can be made into art.

This year, two artists will visit The Reserve. Woodworker Matt Hanewald will be in residence from June 8 to June 15, and writer/historian Katherine Scott Howard will visit August 3 to August 10.

Gravely refers to herself as a “conduit” for members to participate in a wide variety of volunteer activities including Meals on Wheels (currently with 40 participants), humane society initiatives, mentoring school children, Adopt-AHighway pickups and the annual “sweep” of Lake Keowee.

“So many of these people were volunteers before they moved here,” she said, “and they just want to do the same thing here. This community has a heart.”

This pastel workshop was part of the 2012 Artist In Residence program.

34 • UPSTATE LAKE LIVING

This past year, Helping Hands, Prevent Child Abuse Pickens, the Pickens’ Meals on Wheels program and the Feed A Hungry Child program of Pickens County each received $8,875.

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Pictured is an earlier Founders’ Hall concert.

Of course, Gravely’s time is also devoted to planning public events that simply enrich the lives of those who participate, be they Reserve residents or neighbors. In addition to day trips and short retreats, she has scheduled five concerts this year. Four events will be held in the acoustically-superb setting of Founders’ Hall in the heart of The Reserve’s Village Center. In June, the nearby terraced Great Lawn will host the annual Jazz by the Lake event. ❖ Foundation events are open to the public. If you are interested in attending, contact Gravely for reservations at 864481-4010.

Remaining concerts scheduled at The Reserve this year include: March 23 The Nassons, Princeton University’s oldest a cappella group with more than 70 years of music-making traditio.; 7 p.m. in Founders’ Hall

April 16 Tigeroar, a group of Clemson University men, which has been deemed one of the best a cappella groups of its kind in the country; 7 p.m. in Founders’ Hall June 22 Jazz by the Lake with Second Hand Jazz, A blues, jazz and nu-jazz indie group based in Greenville; 6:30-8:30 p.m.

36 • UPSTATE LAKE LIVING

December 20 Holiday Concert with Sean David Anderson, an operatic baritone who calls Seneca home, but whose travels have taken him to performances from Broadway to the Western Opera Theater; 7 p.m. in Founders’ Hall

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Duke polishes its Upstate centerpieces Access improvements running ahead of schedule Story by Brett McLaughlin | Photos courtesy of Duke Energy

38 • UPSTATE LAKE LIVING

A

s the spring/summer boating seasons approach, recreational users of the lakes that make up the KeoweeToxaway Project will find additional tangible proof that Duke’s Recreational Use Needs Study is becoming a reality.

In fact, construction of docks, piers, picnic areas, restrooms and other amenities at access sites around lakes Keowee and Jocassee is said to be running well ahead of a schedule that calls for up to $6 million in improvements by the end of the current project license in the summer of 2016.

Work to actualize the findings of a 2009 Recreational Use Needs Study began after the recreational boating season ended in 2010.

Above: New picnic and bank fishing areas, with handicap accessible paths are among the improvements being made to several of the public access sites on lakes Keowee and Jocassee.

Opposite page: Users are already enjoying the significant improvements at the Stamp Creek Access in Oconee County. Those improvements include several new picnic and bank fishing sites, some of which are accessible to the handicapped, as well as a new courtesy dock, restrooms and improved parking and lighting.

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Although construction has been undertaken in such a way as to allow people to enjoy the access areas throughout the spring and summer, considerable progress has been made ahead of the 2013 boating season.

2012 saw much of the scheduled work completed at the Cane Creek Access, including a half-dozen picnic/bank fishing sites on spur trails leading from the vehicle parking area and peninsula trail, and a new trail from the vehicle parking area to the peninsula. Additional lighting and restrooms have been added to both the trailer parking area and near the turnaround ramp, where a courtesy dock has also been installed.

These improvements were being made at the same time Duke contractors were making extensive changes to both the north and south areas of the Fall Creek Access. Foremost among those improvements were handicap access trails, additional parking and trailer parking, as well as a natural beach area on the north end, with accompanying restrooms and lighting. Three additional courtesy docks at both the north and south areas were added, and picnic sites were built

More improvements ...

Additional locations and improvements that are part of Duke’s current license obligation include: Keowee Toxaway Natural Area

• parking and shoreline stabilization for canoe/kayak access • additional parking at visitor’s center

Keowee Town Access

• two new picnic areas • natural beach area • restrooms and lighting near trailer parking • courtesy dock

Devils Fork State Park – North Area • ramp extension and repairs • new restroom

Devils Fork State Park – South Area • refurbish divers and canoe ramps • extend right ramp • new restroom

Mill Creek County Park

• two new courtesy docks

Devils Fork State Park — Main Access • extend and repair ramps

Crows Creek Access

Workmen are shown constructing new restrooms and access facilities at the Keowee State Park access point. This work, now completed, is part of nearly $6 million in access improvements currently undertaken

by Duke Energy.

between the beach area and the expanded vehicle parking area.

Lighting, parking, restroom and dock improvements at Stamp Creek Access are also being completed, along with another 10 picnic/bank fishing spots along spur trails at the site.

This work, as well as the installation of a fishing pier on the north shoreline and a natural beach area on the south shoreline, had not been scheduled for completion before December 2014.

Likewise, Duke’s efforts to improve handicap access to improved amenities — picnic areas, a courtesy dock and new restrooms — at South Cove Park are well ahead of schedule.

“Eight out of 11 project sites are complete, and we expect the remaining to be completed under the current license timeline (summer of 2016) or earlier,” explained Duke spokesper-

40 • UPSTATE LAKE LIVING

• restrooms and lighting • expanded trailer parking with lighting • picnic area with shelter • vehicle parking • bank fishing trail (These amenities to be provided by The Reserve per its FERCapproved mitigation plan and letter of understanding with Duke.)

Warpath Access

• campground • swim beach • trails • restrooms • picnic areas • cabins • marina and dry boat storage • lodge • conference center (These amenities to be provided by Warpath Development per its lease agreement with Duke.)

son Lisa Hoffman, who added that Duke is evaluating the results of an even more current recreation study, the results of which will be part of the firm’s re-licensing application.

“We continuously maintain the access areas for which we are responsible and hold ourselves to a high standard,” Hoffman said, suggesting that Duke has every intention to continue meeting the

recreational aspects of its licensing obligations.

“Folks can rest assured that Duke Energy is fully committed to maintenance and development at these sites. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission license is designed to protect the interests of those who live and play by these lakes; Duke Energy takes those longterm responsibilities very seriously and plans accordingly,” Hoffman said when asked about speculation that Duke may want to divest itself of access responsibility. ❖ This access ramp, as well as a pair of courtesy docks, was among the improvements made to the Mill Creek County Park access site in Pickens County.

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Coming in June ...

‘Your Waterfront’ W

hether you have lived on the Upstate lakes for a lifetime or moved in this past winter, chances are good you have questions regarding your boat dock, erosion control methods or new permitting guidelines.

We want to help you find the answers you need.

• As a lakefront property owner you have a vested interest in how possible changes in Lake Keowee water levels will affect your waterfront. Where do you turn for answers?

• Did you ever wonder what types of plants growing on your shoreline might cause a dock permit denial, or how the lot lines from your property are projected into the lake?

How can environmental zones impact your lakefront?

You need to know.

• Duke has a new rule for one-third cove distance. What does that mean, exactly?

• Do you have shallow water around your dock? How does one go about applying for a dredge permit and what will you have to provide to obtain one?

• Duke doesn’t accept just any erosion control plan. What methods have been deemed acceptable?

• Docks are a big investment for any lakefront homeowner.

What are the best ways to protect that investment from the elements?

These are just some of the questions Your Waterfront will address in future editions of Upstate Lake Living.

Dave Kroeger, president and owner of Kroeger Marine Construction, has been involved with issues associated with shoreline improvements for the past 28 years. His business world is ever evolving, requiring that he stay on top of rules and regulations that sometimes prove surprising to us all. Dave and his wife, Sara, have built a business around the Upstate lakes and have lived and raised a family on Lake Keowee for the past 23 years.

When it comes to waterfront issues, he’s among the best experts to be found.

Beginning in the June 1 edition of Upstate Lake Living, Dave will tackle the waterfront questions and issues that come up over and over again on our Upstate lakes. He’s witty, wise and vested in your waterfront experience.

We hope you will be sure to read his new column. You will only find it here ... in Upstate Lake Living.

— Brett McLaughlin, Editor

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fishing

Trophy regulations paying off at Jocassee

By Phillip Gentry

B

ack in the early 1970s, The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources dreamed of a trophy trout fishery in a mountain lake setting to pair with the impoundment of Lake Jocassee. After a glitch or two — namely establishing a forage base to feed the trout and the realization that the lake would have to rely on regular stockings for recruitment — the dream became a reality, and by the mid-90s regular catches of brown and rainbow trout exceeding 10 pounds were fairly common.

Although the lake remains as pristine as ever, lake usage and knowledge of the fishery by local anglers has grown by leaps and bounds. Many thought the heyday of the local fishery was over when anglers, who used to only fish for trout in the spring when they were easy to target, learned how to pursue these fish into the 100-foot depths yearround, leaving them nowhere to hide.

In response to what was seen as a decline in the overall size catches in the lake, new regulations specific to Lake Jocassee were enacted to decrease the impact of increased fishing pressure. In July of last year, the daily creel limit of five trout was reduced to three and only one of these three may exceed 20 inches in length. The 15-inch minimum size limit that had been in place for several years remains and applies to the new creel limit, but it will be suspended from June 1 through Sept. 30 when no minimum size limit will be in place.

The idea behind the changes was to support a trophy fishery for tournaments

44 • UPSTATE LAKE LIVING

Regulation changes last summer are boosting the sizes of Lake Jocassee trout allowed while still providing plenty of fishing action and table fare.

Guide Steve Pietrykowski of Seneca claims it’s the best of both worlds.

Photo by Phillip Gentry

and trophy anglers who are only looking to catch one big trout per angler while maintaining the ability to enjoy a few fish for harvest. Suspending the size limit during the hotter months will help reduce hooking mortality since even released trout of any size rarely survive in warmer water.

“I see these changes as being the best of both worlds,” said fishing guide Steve Pietrykowski of Seneca who operates Fishski Business charters. “Typically I take groups of friends or families out, three to four anglers. Each of those guys can catch a 20 plus-inch fish, and they can keep two more that are over 15 inches.

That’s a great day of fishing.”

Pietrykowski also likes the caveat

that the size limit is lifted during the warmer months. The state stocks close to 40,000 trout in Lake Jocassee on an annual basis, breaking the stocking efforts into spring and fall portions. Removing the size restriction allows anglers to harvest fish without having to cull through smaller fish, which typically don’t survive release in the summer, just to get to larger fish they can keep.

“These trout fight so hard and we catch them so deep during the summer; it’s great that we can now keep them,” said Pietrykowski. “Otherwise we’re wasting fish that could one day grow to be trophies.”

Clemson-based fisheries biologist Dan Rankin agrees with the guide’s sentiments. Rankin has overseen the Jocassee fishery through the last 20 years and has witnessed the varying ups and downs of the lake’s trout fishery.

“I think we’ve struck a great compromise between what the anglers wanted and what was best for the resource,” said Rankin. “This is a beautiful, rugged lake, that’s not without its challenges. But I think we’ve helped guarantee her future for the next generation.”

Fishing guide Steve Pietrykowski can be reached at 864-353-3438 or on the Web at www.fishski.info.

boating

Thinking about the young folks

By Stephen Pietrowicz

Past Commander Golden Corner Lakes Squadron, a unit of the United States Power Squadrons©

T

his upcoming boating season will see a lot of us playing host to a very unique class of passenger — those that fall into the category of under 12 years of age. Their age puts them in a special classification under the law and in our hearts. Whether we are their grandparent, parent or the captain, when a younger crew member steps aboard our awareness should be heightened. Unfortunately when crunch time comes and you’re faced with all of the planning details a successful day on the water requires, our attentiveness is not always the best when it comes to the younger members of the crew. These supercharged guests always require special care every minute they are onboard or near the water.

Let’s get started with the well spelled out requirements under South Carolina law. They are few and, unfortunately, woefully inadequate. Children under the age of 12 onboard a vessel of less than 16 feet must wear a Class I, II, III or VI life jacket that is properly sized, fitted and fastened. Properly sized means the preserver is designed specifically for the child’s weight class and size; universal adult vests are not a substitute. The federal law re-

The crew checks out its cruise plan before taking to the water.

quires that all children 12 and under wear an approved life jacket on all vessels when not in an enclosed cabin. It’s a much better thought-out requirement, but unfortunately doesn’t apply because South Carolina had a law in place before the federal law was enacted, and those existing laws were exempted. When it comes to the older kids, it’s a judgment call based on maturity. If I’m skipper, all children (determined by age and maturity) are going to be wearing a life preserver.

Think about how you can keep them engaged and in control. The first step is to have one responsible adult in charge.

Make sure that you know your passengers, especially the younger ones. If they have earned the status of trusted crew member, treat them as such and enlist them

Tip of the Issue This spring the water levels in our lakes should be rising, making all our water sports more enjoyable. With the higher water comes waterborne debris that has spent the winter months firmly planted on the shore. Keep a watchful eye, because chances are there will be a lot of junk in the water with most of its mass below the water and therefore very difficult to see.

in managing their peers. One of the best ways to make the cruise enjoyable is to give each junior crew member a job such as: finding landmarks, tracking your progress on a chart, helping to serve the refreshments and acting as the lookout. Positive reinforcement can work marvels, but boundaries should be established right away.

A big problem encountered with children aboard is trying to keep their hands and feet inside the boat at all times. Even a slow moving vessel will cause considerable damage when in proximity of another boat or dock. In my younger years, a 13-year-old cousin, who was an experienced boater, spent the better part of two years in and out of surgery and casts for simply putting her foot out to stop the boat from hitting another vessel.

In her case, the second error that contributed was she was riding on the bow of the boat. This just highlights the fact that the only place for either an adult or child when the boat is moving is on the floor (sole) or a place that is designed for sitting — not the gunwale, rear deck or bow.

Towed water sports and personal water craft (PWC) are the subject for another column, but I would like to remind everyone that when on a PWC or being towed on the water appropriate life vests are required by law no matter what age you are.

I’m looking forward to a great 2013 boating season, and I trust you’re doing the same. Think about brushing up on your boating knowledge with a locally taught boating safety class. Be safe and have fun while you’re taking advantage of the boating opportunities our Upstate has to offer.

Spring 2013 • 45

‘The Rock’ goes downtown

New venue, music series spark Flat Rock revival Story by Brett McLaughlin | Photos courtesy of Flat Rock Playhouse

46 • UPSTATE LAKE LIVING

I

f your life centers around a rock and you want to grow organically, you had better be creative, willing to take risks and quick on your feet.

Luckily, the Flat Rock Playhouse, North Carolina’s State Theatre, has had people over the past three years who possess all of those attributes and then some. Consequently, in the middle of an economic downturn and coming off the devastating sudden death of the theatre’s artistic director, Flat Rock has taken its programming to an entirely new level.

The new theatrical season, which opens March 6 at Flat Rock’s Playhouse Downtown, marks the second full season for the downtown Hendersonville venue, a 250-seat auditorium that is home to both live theater and Flat Rock’s wildly popular Music on the Rock series. Meanwhile the Mainstage theater will open April 3 with Neil Simon’s classic comedy “The Odd Couple.”

Below: The music of Abba, as performed by Beth Kuhn, was one of the sold out Music on the Rock shows last season.

This year, the Playhouse Downtown will host nine concerts through November 9.

Opposite page: This 250-seat downtown venue provides an intimate setting for both a unique selection of plays and musicals, as well as Flat Rock Playhouse’s Music on the Rock series. This will be the second full season for the venue in downtown Hendersonville.

Spring 2013 • 47

With the advent of the downtown stage, Flat Rock has diversified its offerings and its audience — meeting one of the goals Producing Artistic Director Vincent Marini was given

by Flat Rock’s board of directors when he was hired in 2009.

“Our board realized that our infrastructure and our audience were aging,” the New Jersey native said. “They had good ideas about how to grow, and the mandate to me was to move forward.”

It was not the best of times in which to grow. With 93 percent of the organization’s revenues — a vastly disproportionate share by industry standards — coming from ticket sales and with patrons’ discretionary income spiraling downward in the recession, bold moves were risky at best.

However creativity, nimbleness and youthful bravado make risk-taking less daunting.

History & Dedication to The Arts In 1937, a group of struggling performers, led by Robroy Farquhar, organized themselves as The Vagabond Players. In 1940, The Vagabonds found themselves in the Blue Ridge region of Western North Carolina, where the local and tourist community welcomed them with open arms.

After World War II, The Vagabond Players reorganized, came back to the region and opened a playhouse in nearby Lake Summit. In 1952, the performers and a newly formed board of directors purchased eight acres in the village of Flat Rock. It is on this site that a rented big top gave birth to Flat Rock Playhouse.

In 1961, the North Carolina General Assembly designated Flat Rock Playhouse as The State Theatre of North Carolina.

From its inception, the Vagabond School of the Drama has been dedicated to growing the arts through education and experience. Today Flat Rock’s Youth Theatre has Actors were also called five full-time teachers, who provide one of the upon to help raise the big top that provided the first finest arts education experiences to be found home for the Vagabond nationwide. Classes range from music, dance Players. In 1952, eight and theatre to computer-generated claymation. acres was purchased at the present site of what has Youth Theatre students also learn through become North Carolina’s State Theatre and a cultural opportunities to work with professional artists and technicians who are leaders in their fields. education mecca.

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Over seven weeks in the spring of 2011, the former auto dealership, which had been partitioned into multiple small offices, was converted into a 250-seat theater.

And so Flat Rock pushed ahead, debuting relatively inexpensive new performances and snapping up opportunities to experiment in new venues.

Acting on a suggestion that Hendersonville’s historic courthouse would make a great second stage, Marini chose to keep things simple and produce a courtroom drama. “12 Angry Men” was a sellout every night of its 2010 run. “A Few Good Men” produced similar results later the same season.

“The old courthouse was the beginning,” explained Flat Rock Marketing Director Tom Thompson. “The city of Hendersonville noticed the difference it makes having a few hundred more people downtown every night.”

Meanwhile, Thompson was putting together an experiment of his own in

50 • UPSTATE LAKE LIVING

the rehearsal hall adjacent to Flat Rock’s Mainstage. Twice in 2010 he packed 130 chairs into the rehearsal space and produced strictly musical performances using the music and performers available from Mainstage productions.

Modestly he suggests, “It was sort of a workshop and then we went beyond that.”

Both “Music on the Rock” shows sold out … and to a totally new audience. The building of a more diverse demographic had begun.

In early 2011, representatives for PGA tour professional and respected golf course designer Tom Fazio approached Marini and the Playhouse board, suggesting that a family-owned building at 125 S. Main St. might make a good venue for a permanent downtown playhouse. With

the glimmering success of the courthouse productions and Music on the Rock, and with Development Director Lynn Penny having begun to grow the donor side of Flat Rock’s revenue stream, the board agreed to invest in what proved to be a $400,000 undertaking.

It was this hugely successful production of 12 Angry Men at the historic Hendersonville Courthouse in 2010 that gave rise to a permanent theater venue in downtown Hendersonville.

Pictured, from left, are Kevin McKee, Willie Repoley, Kermit Brown, Nathan Thomas, Charlie Flynn McIver, Scott Treadway, Peter Jaye, David Novak, David Earl Hart, Ralph Redpath, Andrew Hampton Livingston and Michael MacCauley.

Realizing that 5,300 people had come downtown for two productions in 2010 and imagining the economic impact of a full season of productions, the city of Hendersonville joined the project. Fazio contributed as well, and contractor, Carolina Specialties offered countless moneysaving suggestions. Over seven weeks in the spring of 2011, the former auto dealership, which had been partitioned into multiple small offices, was converted into a 250-seat theater.

Ever aggressive, Flat Rock rolled out eight theatrical and musical productions at the venue that same season.

Marini explains that having two different stage venues gives him greater latitude in selecting productions.

“The Mainstage offers a classic American theater series,” he said, “with four plays and four musicals. The plays tend to be those of established, longtime playwrights, and the musicals are all very 52 • UPSTATE LAKE LIVING

well known.

“Downtown, though, the relationship between the audience and the performers is much more intimate. My goal in selecting productions for Playhouse Downtown is to bring the audience into the shows,” he said, explaining how this season’s production of “CATS” will literally put the audience in the midst of the junkyard where the musical unfolds.

The Playhouse Downtown will also be home to an aggressive 9-concert Music on the Rock series and two productions

by Flat Rock’s YouTheatre.

Marini is quick to note that the musical performances are not “tribute shows.”

Performers do not look, act or dress like the singers whose music they perform.

“We are reinterpreting the music, adding a modern flair,” Marini said. “We have these Broadway singers, many of whom want to be closet pop stars, and they just perform the music so well.”

Ryan Guerra performed songs that made up the Celtic Christmas concert last season.

The Playhouse Downtown venue created by Flat Rock Playhouse in 2011 affords concert and theatergoers an intimate setting in which to enjoy a diversified program of Flat Rock offerings.

Thompson noted that many people in the Playhouse Downtown audience get out of their seats and dance to the music.

The development of two markedly different theater venues and a novel approach to presenting music to an audience that spans four decades are the cornerstones of Flat Rock’s revival. However, the heart and soul of that new success is an energetic young staff, whose daring creativity and ability to adjust on the fly bode a bright future for an enterprise that has its roots in North Carolina’s historic Vagabond School for the Drama. (See related story on page 48.) ❖

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FLATROCK PLAYHOUSE 2013 Season Mainstage Season The Odd Couple, April 3 – 21 Songs My Mother Taught Me, May 8 – 26 Evita, June 5 – 30 Les Misérables, July 10 – August 18 Deathtrap, August 22 – September 15 Hank Williams: Lost Highway, October 2 – November 3 The Three Musketeers, November 7 – 24 A Christmas Story, December 4 – 22

Playhouse Downtown Season Cotton Patch Gospel, April 24 – May 19 The Big Bang, June 27 – July 14 The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged), August 1 – 18 CATS, September 4 – October 6 O Holy Night, December 12 – 22

YouTheatre Season The Little Prince, March 8 – 17, Playhouse Downtown Disney’s Mulan Jr., November 15 – 24, Playhouse Downtown

Music on the Rock

Featuring the music of: Dolly Parton, February 6 – 9, 13 – 16 Neil Diamond, March 20 – 23, 27 – 30 Creedence Clearwater Revival, April 9 – 13 Sting and The Police, May 23 – 25, May 30 – June 1 Peter, Paul & Mary, June 12 – 15, 19 – 22 Michael Jackson and The Jackson 5, July 17 – 20, 23 – 26 The Eagles, August 21 – 25 Donna Summer & the Sounds of the ‘70s, October 16 – 20, 23 – 27 Wayward Sons: Kansas, Skynyrd & the Allman Brothers, November 5 – 9 Tickets may be purchased online at http://www.flatrockplayhouse.org/ticket-info/ or by calling 828-693-0731 or toll-free at 866-732-8008.

Box office hours are: Monday – Tuesday, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.; Wednesday – Saturday, 10 a.m. – 8 p.m.; and Sunday, noon – 5 p.m.

Mainstage shows are typically $40 for a musical performance and $35 for a play. Playhouse Downtown shows are typically $35 for all shows.

Music on the Rock concerts are $24. Some prices may vary.

54 • UPSTATE LAKE LIVING

Flat Rock Playhouse P.O. Box 310 Flat Rock, NC 828-693-0731 Toll Free: 866-732-8008 www.flatrockplayhouse.org March 8 – 17 (Playhouse Downtown) The Little Prince This touching and imaginative show, put on by YouTheatre, will delight children and parents alike.

April 3 – 21 (Mainstage) The Odd Couple Compulsive neat freak Felix Unger is thrown out of his house by his divorcebound wife. He wanders aimlessly through the streets of New York before gravitating to the apartment of his best friend, incorrigibly sloppy sportswriter Oscar Madison. Oscar, himself in the process of a divorce, invites Felix to move in with him. Within a few days, this mismatched pair find themselves on the verge of mutual murder.

April 24 – May 19 (Playhouse Downtown) Cotton Patch Gospel Called the “Greatest Story Ever Retold,” this bluegrass musical is a modern retelling of the Gospel in the setting of rural Georgia with songs that are the final, and perhaps best, work of Harry Chapin (best known for the number-one hit, “Cat’s in the Cradle”). Herod is recreated as Governor of Georgia, Caiaphas as Dr. Caiaphas, a member of a board of politicians, and Pilate as a local governor who sentences Jesus and sends him to Lee Correc-

tional Institute. Witness a unique retelling of the story of Jesus, brought to life through bluegrass music and imaginative storytelling.

May 8 – 26 (Mainstage) Songs My Mother Taught Me with Lorna Luft Don’t miss an electrifying celebration of the legend, the music and the memories of Lorna Luft’s mother, Judy Garland.

Centre Stage 501 River St. inside the Smith-Barney building

Greenville, SC 864-233-6733 Toll Free: 877-377-1339 March 28 – April 21 A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum Broadway’s greatest farce is light, fast-paced, witty, irreverent and one of the funniest musicals ever written — the perfect escape from life’s troubles. A Funny Thing Happened On the Way to the Forum takes comedy back to its roots. The result is a non-stop laughfest in which a crafty slave (Pseudolus) struggles to win the hand of a beautiful but slow-witted courtesan (Philia) for his young master (Hero), in exchange for freedom. One of the neighboring houses is owned by Marcus Lycus, who is a buyer and seller of beautiful women; the

other belongs to the ancient Erronius, who is abroad searching for his long-lost children (stolen in infancy by pirates).

May 16 – June 8 Fox on the Fairway A tribute from Ken Ludwig (Lend Me a Tenor, Moon Over Buffalo) to the great English farces of the 1930s and 1940s, The Fox On the Fairway takes audiences on a hilarious romp that pulls the rug out from underneath the stuffy denizens of a private country club. Filled with mistaken identities, slamming doors and over-the-top romantic shenanigans, it’s a furiously paced comedy that recalls the Marx Brothers’ classics.

Clemson Little Theatre 214 S. Mechanic St. Pendleton, SC Reservations 864-646-8100 March 1 – 3 & 8 – 10 Alice in Wonderland As the curtain rises, Alice slides into view at the end of her long fall down the rabbit hole. It is a more delightful place for the audience than for Alice, who is trying desperately to get back home.

She seeks help from the Mad Hatter, the Rabbit and from the very nice Cheshire Cat.

April 19 – 21 & 26 – 28 The Diary of Anne Frank Anne Frank emerges from history a living, lyrical, intensely gifted young girl, who confronts her rapidly changing life and the increasing horror of her time with astonishing honesty, wit and determination. This is an impassioned drama Spring 2013 • 55

about the lives of eight people hiding from the Nazis in a concealed storage attic.

Oconee Community Theatre 8001 Utica St. Seneca, SC Reservations: 864-882-7700 10 a.m. – noon and 2 – 4 p.m.

Performance Times Evenings: 8 p.m., Sunday Matinees: 2:30 p.m.

April 12 – 14 & 19 – 21 To Kill A Mockingbird It’s 1935 and Atticus, a lawyer, explains that he’s defending a young Negro wrongfully accused of a grave crime.

Since this is causing such an upset, Scout wants to know why he’s doing it.

“Because if I didn’t,” her father replies, “I couldn’t hold my head up.” When she asks why take on such a hopeless fight, he tells her, “Simply because we were licked a hundred years before we started is no reason not to try.” Atticus fights his legal battle with a result that is part defeat, part triumph.

Brooks Center for the Performing Arts on the campus of Clemson University

Box Office: Mon.-Fri., 1-5 p.m.

864-656-7787 Performance Times Evenings: 8 p.m., Sunday Matinees: 3 p.m.

March 3 Medea In this timeless classic, presented by the Clemson Players, the ill-fated Medea seeks revenge against Jason after he abandons her for King Creon’s daughter. Scorned, exiled and alone in a 56 • UPSTATE LAKE LIVING

foreign land, Medea vows to destroy all that Jason holds dear.

Evenings 8 p.m. and Sunday 2:30 p.m.

March 1-3 Axe of Murder

April 16 & 21 One-Act Play Festival Presented by Clemson Players.

Each night promises a new adventure as the Department of Performing Arts presents a one-act play festival by Clemson University’s most advanced theatre majors.

Greenville Little Theatre 444 College St., Greenville, SC 864-233-6238 or greenvillelittletheatre.org All shows 8 p.m., except Sundays at 3 p.m.

Thru March 9 Sherlock Holmes & the Case of the Jersey Lily Holmes and Watson are out to stop the evil Professor Moriarty in this delightful escapade that includes lies, lilies, mistaken identities and mayhem.

April 5 – 7, 11 – 14 & 18 – 20 Elvis Has Left the Building It’s 1970 and Elvis Presley is missing.

His manager, Colonel Tom Parker, needs his star for an extremely important live performance. This riotously funny play will have you wanting more and keep you guessing until the end!

Walhalla Players Walhalla Civic Auditorium 864-638-5277 or 877-368-5318

As a community theatre troupe gathers to choose their next performance, writer Colin Chambers warns them against his play, Axe of Murder, claiming that it’s cursed. It soon becomes apparent the play is mirroring every movement the actors make! Please note revised curtain times of 7 p.m. for evening shows and 3 p.m. for the matinee.

May 31, June 1 – 2 & 7 – 9 Red Velvet Cake War In this riotously funny Southern-fried comedy, the three Verdeen cousins — Gaynelle, Peaches and Jimmie Wyvette — could not have picked a worse time to throw their family reunion. Things spin hilariously out of control when a neighbor’s pet devours everything edible, a one-eyed suitor shows up to declare his love and a jaw-dropping high-stakes wager is made on who bakes the best red velvet cake.

Calendar of Events march The Clemson University Symphonic Band

March 5, Presenting an evening built around the theme of “collective spirit,” culminating in David Maslanka’s short symphony, Give Us This Day; Brooks Center, 8 p.m.

Clemson Area StoryTellers Guild

March 5, 5th Celebration of Story (through word, music and visual arts); features Clemson area storytellers and also performance by Sweet Potato Pie Kids, young Appalachian musicians; 6:30 p.m., Clemson Arts Center, 212 Butler St., Clemson.

Creole Choir of Cuba March 7, Prepare to be blown away by the passionate melodies, wild harmonies and richly textured arrangements sung by the 10 vocalists of the Creole Choir of Cuba; Brooks Center, 8 p.m.

South’s Finest Show Band, The Fantastic Shakers March 9, Come dance the night away at Walhalla Civic Auditorium at 8 p.m.

Since the inception of the band, they have performed over 6,000 engagements from New York to Florida and all throughout the Southeast. South Carolina’s Grand Strand has become the band’s summer home.

Imani Winds March 11, More than North America’s premiere wind quintet, Imani Winds has established itself as one of the most successful chamber music ensembles in the United States; Brooks Center, 8 p.m.

Oconee Bell Nature Walk March 14, at Devils Fork State Park; 10 a.m. – noon.

The 3rd Annual City of Seneca Half Marathon & 5K Run March 16, Shaver Recreation Center.

The Seldom Scene March 23, One of Bluegrass music’s most enduring bands returns to the Walhalla Civic Auditorium stage at 8 p.m.

The Oconee Living Expo March 23, Featuring businesses geared toward outdoor experiences including water sports and activities, camping, hiking, gardening, etc., as well as area businesses who offer other goods and services; Seneca High School.

Spring Tea Party at the Historic Ballenger House March 27, 212 E. S. Third St., behind the Seneca Library, on the corner of Depot Street. No charge, but please RSVP to Arlene Manley at 864-888-2825 for this 3:30 p.m. event.

april Clemson Literary Festival April 3-6, On campus of Clemson University.

Tempest Trio

Danú’s virtuosi players

April 4, Combining technical mastery, expressive depth and performance experience, the Tempest Trio is one of the most exciting trios on the international scene; Brooks Center, 8 p.m.

March 14, Get a jump-start on your St. Patrick’s Day celebration with Danú’s virtuosi players featured on flute, tin whistle, fiddle, button accordion, bouzouki and Irish and English vocals; Brooks Center, 8 p.m.

April 4, Series begins on Ram Cat Alley in Seneca, 6:30 – 9 p.m.; continues every Thursday throughout summer.

Jazz on the Alley

Camping with a Ranger at Table Rock State Park April 5-7. Registration Deadline: April 1.

Annual Historic Pendleton Spring Jubilee April 6-7, Arts and crafts, food and other retail vendors, free entertainment and activities around the square in downtown Pendleton.

The Clemson University Jazz Ensemble and Symphony Orchestra April 9 & 11, Performing respectively at 8 p.m. at the Brooks Center.

Rave On — The Buddy Holly Experience April 13, Re-inventing the ordinary tribute show with an electrifying, highenergy, rock ’n’ roll extravaganza featuring America’s premiere Buddy Holly interpreter, Billy McGuigan; Walhalla Civic Auditorium, 8 p.m.

The Clemson University Concert and Symphonic Bands

April 16 & 18, As well as the CU Singers will perform respectively at the Brooks Center at 8 p.m.

Four days of Blues and R&B music in Clemson April 18-21, Opening night VIP reception features Jimi Lee from Austin, Texas performing at the Red Minnow Dinner Club in Central; main event will take place at Patrick Square with bands, food, drink and entertainment, from 11 a.m. – 7 p.m. on Saturday; gospel blues on Sunday afternoon at Clemson United Methodist Church. For tickets and information, visit clemsonbluesfest@mindspring.com.

Blue Highway April 19, At the 17-year mark, Blue Highway is indisputably one of the most esteemed and influential groups in

Spring 2013 • 57

Calendar of Events contemporary bluegrass; Walhalla Civic Auditorium, 8 p.m.

Collins Children’s Home Mud Run in Seneca April 20, To register go to www. collinshomemudrun.org. Teams will be scheduled to start in the order registrations are received.

14th annual “POPS” concert April 21, A variety of Clemson University ensembles performs at the 14th annual “POPS” concert; the proceeds benefit the music department’s scholarship fund.

Bring a picnic to Patrick Square at 5 p.m. and enjoy great music. Seating is not provided for lawn tickets.

The Women’s and Men’s Glees of Clemson University

arts, crafts and great food. Events run 9 a.m. – 7 p.m. each day with arts, crafts, food and live entertainment up and down Main Street.

Blue Ridge Fest May 10-11, 734 W. Main St., Pickens.

This year’s event will begin with a Beach Night Cruise-in with hundreds of restored classic automobiles. Music featured between 7 – 10 p.m. will be provided by Charlie Thomas’ Drifters, Johnny Mason and the Clovers, Maurice Williams and the Zodiacs and the Party Prophets Band. The Saturday charity motorcycle ride helps raise thousands of dollars for local charities. Sponsored by Blue Ridge Electric Co-op. www.blueridge.coop/ blueridgefest/.

Tribute to the Legends

April 23, Will each perform repertoire from a variety of style periods; Brooks Center, 8 p.m.

May 11, Rick Wade brings his highenergy show featuring tributes to Conway Twitty and of course, Elvis; Walhalla Civic Auditorium, 8 p.m.

Mayberry Comes to Westminster

Success for Russell Moore and IIIrd Tyme Out

April 25-27, Tribute artists, music venues, Mayberry parades, a Miss and Mrs. Mayberry Contest, a trivia contest, food vendors, Mayberry merchandise, a car and tractor show, arts & crafts and more; www.jneg.org/.

Central Railroad Festival April 27, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.; family events and activities, train rides, vendors.

may Edwin McCain May 3, He has gone global with massive pop hits “I’ll Be” and “I Could Not Ask for More.” Walhalla Civic Auditorium, 8 p.m.

Mayfest in Walhalla May 10-11, Celebrating the finer points of

58 • UPSTATE LAKE LIVING

May 18, Nearly an overnight occurrence following its formation in 1991. One of the most beloved and best-selling acts in bluegrass music; Walhalla Civic Auditorium, 8 p.m.

Seneca Fest May 25-28, Downtown Seneca’s NortonThompson Park and Gignilliat Center host art displays, crafters, a classic car cruisein, 5K run walk and train and helicopter rides. Attractions include: the famous Charlie Daniels Band headlines at 8 p.m. concert on Saturday for which there is a $5 admission; all other events are free; rhjohnson@seneca.sc.us.

ongoing Oconee Station State Historic Site 500 Oconee Station Road, Walhalla; tours every Saturday and Sunday, 1 – 5 p.m.

Historic Ballenger House tours and rentals The Seneca Woman’s Club preserves and manages the Historic Ballenger House.

Tours by reservation (864) 654-4043.

Oconee Heritage Center 123 Brown Square Drive, Walhalla, S.C. Old-Time Music Gathering — second Saturday of each month from 3 – 5 p.m.

Bring refreshments to share. Every fourth Thursday is book club at 6:30 p.m.

The Silver Dollar Music Hall Offering Bluegrass music every Friday night at 7 p.m. on Highway 76 in Long Creek, S.C. next to The Long Creek General Store.

The Hagood Mill Historic Site and Folklife Center 138 Hagood Mill Road, Pickens, S.C. The Pickens County Museum of Art & History continues its “Music in the Mountains” the third Saturday of every month for a day of milling, music and memories including tours, concerts, demonstrations, living history presentations and seasonal themed activities. picmus@co.pickens. sc.us The Mill also has monthly “First Saturday” house concerts in the Visitor Building, noon – 2 p.m. and is open Wednesday through Saturday, 10 a.m.

– 4 p.m. to tour the grounds and pick up those “mill” products.

Visit our 20,000-square-foot showroom located at 6210 Calhoun Memorial Hwy (Hwy 123) Easley, South Carolina

(864) 850-3563

Bob Hill Realty picked as “BEST” in Upstate, SC by an Independent Lab(radoodle)

Call Bob Hill Realty at 864-882-0855 to make them your “BEST CHOICE”. www.BobHillRealty.com 60 • UPSTATE LAKE LIVING