Upstate Lake Living - July 2011

U • P • S • T • A • T • E

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

On the banks of the Chattooga Tasty … at a tantalizing price Serendipity at the lake July/august 2011

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Upstate Lake Living magazine

Volume 5, Issue 8 july/august 2011

3 On the banks of the Chattooga

8 Reaching new heights

PUBLISHER: Jerry Edwards jerry@edwgroupinc.com Ph: 864-882-3272 EDITOR: Brett McLaughlin brett@dailyjm.com MARKETING DIRECTOR: Diana Augustine diana@dailyjm.com ART DIRECTOR/GRAPHICS: Melissa Bradley

15 The J. Peters secret is out

24 An angle on lakeside living

UPSTATE LAKE LIVING™ is published bimonthly

by Eagle Media 210 W. N. 1st Street Seneca, SC 29678, USA Ph: 864-882-2375 Fax: 864-882-2381 Subscription: $15 includes 6 issues Single issue: $3.95 U.S. Postal Permit #18 UPSTATE LAKE LIVING™ is a trademark of Edwards Group.

28 Verdae is vintage green

36 The spirit of Tamassee comes alive

20 Waterfalls: Virginia Hawkins 34 Safe boating: Fire on the water 35 Fishing: Deep crank’n, deep troll’n 38 Theatre: Summer stock worth seeing 39 Calendar: Ways to beat the summer

Contents copyrighted.

SUBSCRIPTION SERVICE: 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 (January, March, May, July, September and November).

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 • Monty McGuffin • Jack Kates III • Brett McLaughlin Stephen Peitrowicz • Debbie Williams

• UPSTATE LAKE LIVING

Cover photo by Jack Kates III

On the banks of the

Chattooga history and nature find harmony Story by Deb Williams

Lake Tugaloo kayak tours led by Wildwater give a different perspective on the wild and scenic Chattooga River. Half-day lake tours leave you enough time to fit in a zipline canopy tour or a mini-trip on section 3 of the Chattooga. Photo courtesy of WildwaterAdventureCenters.com july/august 2011 •

The allure of the pristine beauty of Oconee County’s mountain and lake regions is perhaps equaled only by the appeal of the rich and diverse history that reflects the varied origins of the area’s original settlers.

doors in a newly-constructed, two-story building called the Main Building.

With an impressive enrollment of 21 students and two teachers, the school’s curriculum reflected that of the public schools with additional courses in missions and Bible. Today that same building serves as a dormitory for more than 40 Wildwater rafting guides.

In 1917, a second structure, the Sullivan Building, was added to the campus

to house female students. Located just behind the Main Building, the Sullivan Building is now used for visitor registration for Wildwater, as well as for company offices and additional guide rooms.

Jack Wise, Wildwater’s vice president and CEO, said that although many area students attended the academy on a weekly basis, students from other areas boarded at the school.

“It was a treat for the students to trav-

Nowhere is that more evident than in the small mountain foothills community of Long Creek, home to a Southern culture filled with good, friendly people and the wild, untamed Chattooga River.

It is here that nature and history come together in an easy blend at the site of the Wildwater Rafting Company and the former Long Creek Academy where history walks silently alongside those who come to take part in the river ritual of whitewater rafting as well as ziplining and kayaking.

When visiting the Academy Road property that is now home to this thriving outdoor adventure company, it’s easy for the mind to step back in time to the turn of the century when the area was truly isolated from most things associated with progress, including electricity and education.

In the early 1900s, the area now known as the “Golden Corner” was more aptly tagged the “dark corner” because of its isolation and lack of educational opportunities. Few schooling choices existed.

To address educational shortcomings, the Beaverdam Baptist Association opened a school for mountain children in the fall of 1914. Only three miles from the banks of the Chattooga River, the Long Creek Academy opened its At top: The Main Building today is painted white and shows off the quilt “Crossed Canoes,” quilted by Mackie Miehl, part of the Upstate Heritage Quilt Trail. The building currently houses more than 40 Wildwater rafting guides in peak season. Photo by Debbie Williams Above: The Main Building of the Academy was completed in 1914 and was used initially as both schoolhouse and girls’ dormitory. Originally the building was painted a dark color with white trim and contained four classrooms, bedrooms, a dining room and a kitchen/pantry. Photo courtesy of Oconee Heritage Center

• UPSTATE LAKE LIVING

Reverend Raines’ important role as an educator in the isolated hills of Long Creek is recognized by a plaque placed in 1984 by the Long Creek Alumni Association at the corner of the Long Creek Academy campus.

Photo by Debbie Williams

el to Walhalla to get on a train that then carried them to Anderson to see a movie. That is indeed a long way to travel to see a movie,” he laughed.

Wise said that Raines Mill on nearby Fall Creek once utilized two waterwheels to power a gristmill and produce electricity for Long Creek Academy. Although located on private property and not open to the public, Raines Mill still stands today.

Jack Wise, vice president and CEO of Wildwater, pauses in front of the Sullivan Building, one of two Long Creek Academy buildings listed in the National Historic Register. Wildwater’s Long Creek location is used as home office for all four Wildwater adventure centers. Photo by Debbie Williams

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When the South Carolina Baptist Convention voted to sell the property in 1931, Reverend Luther Raines organized Long Creek Academy as a private school.

The Academy became an accredited state high school under Raines’ direction, and the state assisted in paying teacher salaries

until 1952. During this period the school added a brick building to use as a boys’ dormitory across Academy Road from the Main Building. This building now houses the Long Creek Christian Retreat and Conference Center.

Before its closure in 1956, Long Creek

Academy educated hundreds of students.

In 1987, both the Main Building and the Sullivan Building were listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

Wise said the property was divided and sold by the Raines estate, and in 1976, Jim and Jeanette Greiner bought the remaining 19 acres with the original two school buildings to use as headquarters for their growing rafting enterprise.

“Wildwater Rafting actually got its start in 1971 when Jim and Jeanette fell in love with the beauty of the area while traveling through on a vacation trip,” Wise said. “Whitewater rafting was a great way to share the beauty of the river with others.”

At first the Greiners only conducted weekend rafting trips, but after the release of the film “Deliverance” in 1972, whitewater paddling exploded in popularity, and with the help of their four children, the Greiners were poised to expand their business.

Today, the company has grown beyond the family boundaries on the Chattooga River to include the Ocoee, Nantahala and the Pigeon Adventure Centers. The Greiners are considered by many to be pioneers in the Southeastern whitewater industry.

Wise knows the company’s history well. He started as a raft guide with Wildwater in 1981 and later married the Greiners’ daughter, Becky, who is today the company’s webmaster. Wise’s business background has facilitated the growth of Wildwater into the third-largest adventure company in the U.S., although Wise notes that the Greiners have been the guiding force in the family business.

At top: The Sullivan Building, constructed in 1917 as a girls’ dormitory, had 15 rooms. The building was originally called the Sullivan Home for Girls and was named in honor of Paul P. Sullivan of Westminster.

Modern alterations include the addition of a service counter in the main room and the conversion of one of the first-floor dormitory rooms into a restroom. Photo courtesy of Oconee Heritage Center Above: The Sullivan building now houses registration for Wildwater, a retail store, offices and dormitory rooms. In addition to whitewater rafting, the rafting company offers zipline/canopy tours, canoe and kayak clinics, high ropes course, climbing walls, teambuilding and a variety of lodging facilities. Photo by Debbie Williams

• UPSTATE LAKE LIVING

The Chattooga is the first river designated wild and scenic river in the east. For over 20 miles you’ll see no development within a quarter-mile of the river.

This makes for a true wilderness experience in the Southeast. Two sections are commercially rafted.

Choose from four different trips; from half-day to full-day to overnight trips. Experienced guides take adventurers from ages 8 and older. Wildwater was the original outfitter on this river, starting in 1971, and is still family owned and operated.

Photo courtesy of WildwaterAdventureCenters.com

So, whether you have a thirst for history or an appetite for adventure and the great outdoors, a trip up Highway 76 through Westminster to the community of Long Creek might just satisfy all of your yearnings. It’s not an understatement to say that Long Creek is an historical opportunity waiting for an adventure of the most serious kind. ❖

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Wildwater’s New Group Yurt Village is comprised of five yurts of varying sizes from 16- to 30-feet in diameter. Situated on the knoll overlooking Academy Lake and the final four zipline sections of the Chattooga Ridge Canopy Tours. The yurts are situated in the center of the Adventure Center activity.

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Reaching

Emerald Outback another Beech Mountain adventure

• UPSTATE LAKE LIVING

New Heights Story by Bill Bauer

Home to one of the Southeast’s premier ski resorts, boasting the highest ski mountain east of the Mississippi, Beech Mountain has attracted hikers, leaf peepers, skiers and road bikers for decades. Its cool summer temperatures provide an oasis for visitors seeking to escape the brutal heat that July and August is famous for in the flatlands.

This summer, Beech has added yet another attraction to entice adventure seekers and outdoor enthusiasts in search of recreational pursuits.

The Beech Mountain Adventure Trail Park’s first phase — The Emerald Outback — has officially opened to the public.

“Beech Mountain has always been about the outdoors. That’s what people think about when vacationing here — the great beauty and wonderful outdoor things,” said Calder Smoot, chairman of the Beech Mountain Tourism Development Authority. The Emerald Outback, an eightmile network of gorgeous, flowing, single and double track trails — all situated above 5,000 feet — will only enhance Beech’s reputation as a destination for serious outdoor enthusiasts.

“People want outdoor experiences on Beech Mountain,” Scagnelli said, whose vision is becoming a reality and yet another reason to make Beech Mountain a summer destination.

Conceived in 2009 by Dan Scagnelli, fitness and wellness coordinator for the Parks and Recreation Department, the Adventure Trail’s impressive trail-building effort has been a literal hands-on operation. Using mostly volunteer labor and no heavy machinery, a few abandoned hiking trails were reclaimed and blended into a cohesive network showcasing the unique topography atop Beech Mountain.

Scagnelli, an avid trail biker himself, designed the trail system with The “Oz to Banner Elk” bike excursion features transportation to the top and is almost a total downhill ride along a ridge with views of Tennessee, Virginia and North Carolina.

Photo by Kristian Jackson july/august 2011 •

the help of mountain bikers, hikers and runners, to not only meet the demands of serious competitors, but simultaneously provide beginners and families a venue for a fantastic outdoor experience.

“We actually routed a trail over a former ski slope.

It’s fairly flat with moderate elevation change. Then we have the typical rocky, rooty East Coast mountain biking single track,” Scagnelli said. “There are untouched waterfalls and creeks rushing by, plus phenomenal mountain views and overlooks throughout.”

At left: The Emerald Outback is only phase one of the Adventure Trail Park endeavor. In three phases it will eventually encompass 25 miles of trails traversing the mountainside. Photo by Craig Distl Below: Dan Scagnelli, fitness and wellness coordinator for the Parks and Recreation Department and an avid trail biker himself, designed the trail system with the help of mountain bikers, hikers and runners.

Photo by Kristian Jackson

10 • UPSTATE LAKE LIVING

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Six of the eight miles that recently opened are single-track trails that vary in degree of difficulty. Using the same color symbols that skiing uses, they are appropriately marked green, blue and black with the latter being the most difficult.

“The terrain is rolling and changes well.

There’s not a whole lot of climbing and you’re always surrounded by something beautiful,” Scagnelli said.

The Emerald Outback is only phase one of the Adventure Trail Park endeavor.

In three phases it will encompass 25 miles of trails with a nice combination of single and double track, and gravel and dirt roads traversing the mountainside.

“You’re talking about some of the highest mountain biking trails on the East Coast, and awesome hiking, especially in summer on a ridge above 5,000 feet with nice breezes,” claims Fred Pfohl, chairman of the Parks and Recreation committee. “By the time we’re done we could have

a trail marathon. There’s a lot of excitement and we’re just trying to build on it.”

“What Beech Mountain has done is mind boggling,” said Doug Owen of Cycle 4 Life bike shop in nearby Banner Elk, which is among the first in the area to provide mountain bike rentals and guided bike trips at the new trail park. “We’re

looking to provide families with another day’s worth of activity. We’ll provide individualized fitting and instruction and make sure they see the beautiful views.”

Owen currently has designed the “Oz to Banner Elk” bike excursion. The guided trip involves biking from the top of the mountain near the old Land of Oz theme

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park, all the way to the Banner Elk Winery — with a stop for lunch at Fred’s Mercantile and Deli, and of course, a wine tasting at the winery.

With transportation to the top, it’s almost a total downhill ride along a ridge with views of Tennessee, Virginia and North Carolina.

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great and ample food, reasonably priced and served with a smile Bring an appetite when you order the J Peters Burger, a 12-ounce patty served up with Monterrey Jack cheese, bacon, a signature barbecue sauce, fried onion strings and other condiments. Served with fries, this is no meal for the faint of heart and all for $7.95.

july/august 2011 • 15

J. Peters Bar & Grill is the latest incarnation of a great eatery to inhabit 113 Ram Cat Alley in Seneca.

Story by Brett McLaughlin | Photos by Jack Kates

Jonathon Peter Angell doesn’t have many secrets because he shares most of them with his clientele … a propensity that brings smiles to the faces of everyone who enjoys good food, well served.

But he does have one secret that he holds tight to the vest; a secret that, if divulged, would have every restaurateur enjoying the same phenomenal success he has enjoyed the past 16 months.

Angell is the man behind J. Peters Bar & Grill, the latest incarnation of a great eatery to inhabit 113 Ram Cat Alley in Seneca. If the early reviews are any indication, this version will be around for as long as Angell chooses to work his magic.

The secret centers around the restaurant’s motto — “Big Food. Good Friends.

Great Times. — but one could easily add, “Low Prices.”

It is the combination of good food, served in large portions, at low prices that even has J. Peters’ manager Cory O’Bryant scratching his head.

“That’s John’s secret,” O’Bryant said during Upstate Lake Living’s visit. “I’m not sure how he does it, but he makes it happen.”

And, it has been happening with almost unprecedented regularity since March 2010 when Angell opened his first eatery in An-

derson. The J. Peters metro eatery in Greenville soon followed and, before he knew it, a second Anderson location debuted.

Early this year, Seneca Mayor Dan Alexander went to work on Angell, selling him on the fact that a fourth restaurant in Seneca’s historic district would not only be successful, but could be a driving force in the revitalization of downtown.

J. Peters on Ram Cat opened April 7.

“We think we have been driving traffic downtown and we’re pleased about that,” O’Bryant said. “It’s really been better than our expectations.”

The restaurant is clearly drawing more people during the lunch hour and is a proven hit among people attending the citysponsored Jazz On The Alley events each Thursday evening. O’Bryant said Sundays have been slow but he hopes more businesses will open on Sunday to attract weekend visitors and tourists.

Many locals are familiar with the rich mahogany and historic brick décor of the bar/restaurant. Many also notice the similarity of some of J. Peter’s entrees to another establishment, but that comes as no surprise to those who know that Angell was the man behind those recipes to begin with.

“John is the mastermind behind

the concept,” O’Bryant said. “It’s his casual dining menu, featuring high quality and large portions with unmatched service.”

The menu is extensive. Appetizers

Casual dining in an upscale and historic setting is just part of the formula for success at J Peters.

Customers are also raving about the both the quantity and quality of the eatery’s food and astonishingly low prices.

range from chicken wings and tenders to She-crab soup made with lump crab and dry sherry. Our personal favorite is the crab and shrimp stuffed mushrooms served in a lobster cream sauce that, alone, is worth the ridiculously reasonable price of $8.95.

The restaurant offers an array of salad choices, several of which are large enough to serve as entrees. We indulged in the “Black and Blue,” a mixed green delight that features blackened Ahi Tuna, tomatoes and blue cheese crumbles, all topped by the tastiest fried onion strings you can find. For a mere 75 cents you can turn your tuna into blackened filet mignon.

Aged Midwestern beef is custom trimmed and cooked to order on the steaks and prime rib portion of the menu, and J.

J. Peters chicken is one of the most popular entrees on the menu. It features a large chicken breast, grilled in honey-mustard barbecue sauce and then layered with Hormel ham, fresh cooked bacon and two melted cheeses.

16 • UPSTATE LAKE LIVING

Peters’ baby back ribs are legendary, cooked for hours and then grilled with a signature sauce.

If you are having lunch or eating light, we would suggest a selection from the array of sandwiches and burgers, but fair warning is that there is nothing “light” about the J. Peters burger. The 12-ounce patty stacked high with bacon, onion straws, seasoned with signature barbecue sauce and served with thick-cut French fries is served up for just $7.95.

The entrees range in price from the $11.95 chicken tender platter to a $15.95 hickory fired salmon marinated in hickory bourbon glaze and then over-roasted. Our tastes turned to the J. Peters chicken, a 14-ounce breast, grilled with honey-mustard barbecue sauce and layered with Hormel ham, fresh bacon and melted cheddar and jack cheeses. The combination was extraordinary and we squeezed out

The secret centers around

the restaurant’s motto — “Big Food. Good Friends. Great Times.”

— but one could easily add,

“Low Prices.”

just enough room to share some tasty cheese mashed potatoes and crisp steamed vegetables, chosen from the available side dishes.

J. Peters has a full bar and an extensive selection of wines many of which are served by the glass for between $3.95 and $6.95. Mixed drinks are also reasonably priced and feature 2ounce pours. There is no happy hour, but few

Blackened chicken alfredo combines a succulent chicken breast with fresh broccoli, tomatoes and shredded parmesan to create a tasty entree that is a hit with many J Peters customers.

july/august 2011 • 17

The bar at J. Peters is a great place to catch up on both the sports scene and local news. A casual atmosphere in an historic setting, combines with great drink prices to produce plenty of traffic at the Ram Cat Alley location.

patrons are unhappy when most draft beers are served for $1.50.

“Our menu doesn’t change and we don’t have specials,” O’Bryant explained.

But then, the quality of the fare and the affordability of virtually any meal make J. Peters “special” enough. ❖ The restaurant is open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Sunday. Although no small party (under eight people) reservations are taken, parties of eight or more may make reservations and a private room that seats up to 50 can be reserved for groups. J. Peters also offers a to-go menu.

Locals who enjoy fine dining may be familiar with the historic decor of J. Peters on Ram Cat Alley in Seneca.

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waterfall

Virginia Hawkins

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irginia Hawkins Falls is a perfect example of a waterfall not having to be big to be awesome.

It’s located in the Laurel Fork Heritage Preserve in the Jocassee Gorges area of Pickens County off of Hwy 178. The waterfall was known as Double Falls until late 2004 when the Foothills Trail Conference named the falls for Virginia Hawkins, long time executive secretary of the Conference.

Reaching the falls involves a hike of about a mile and a half with no steep slopes and is not considered a difficult trek.

It’s probably best to see this waterfall after some decent rainfall.

Visiting Virginia Hawkins Take Hwy. 11 North from West Union. Turn left on Hwy. 178 at the four-way stop. Go about 8 miles and turn left on Horsepasture Road. The parking area is about 3.2 miles up Horsepasture Road at Laurel Gap. Continue on Horsepasture Road to Laurel Gap until the road forks. The left fork is the parking area and dead ends after a short distance. Pull in here and park. Horsepasture Road is the right fork and continues up to where a green-gated road turns to the right. The trail to the waterfall begins up here.

Horsepasture Road is green gated beyond this point. Green gates are open to the public at certain times of the year. Just before you reach Laurel Fork Creek there will be primitive camping on the right in the trees.

Head into the campsite and take the bridge on the right across Laurel Fork Creek. Walk up the Foothills Trail for a very short distance to the waterfall on the right.

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LABOR DAY

Gignilliat Community Center Sept. 5 • Gates Open at 3 PM Tickets $15 in advance, $20 Day of Show Available at TIXonline.com

ntry Texaco Cou Showdown m July 16 • 7 p nter Gignilliat Ce

July 29 – August 5 Shaver Complex Come see the fireworks show July 29!

EvEry Thursday 6:30 - 9 p.m.

Bring your lawn chairs and enjoy a night of music under the stars!

visit www.seneca.sc.us for upcoming events!

WhIlE you’rE hErE, vIsIT our parTnErs...

Holiday Inn Express Clemson

ThE lunnEy housE musEum Live Music • GaLLery OpeninGs Fun FOr The FaMiLy

July 15, 2011 sept. 16, 2011 • nov. 18, 2011

5:30 - 8:30 p.m.

Shop

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www.ramcatalleysc.com www.senecamerchants.org

888-4455

888-1933

Visit The New South Architecture-Style of Living

A 1909 American Queen Anne style bungalow, carriage house and “two-seater outhouse” Architect Charles Christian Hook Former residence of Dr. W. J. & Lilian Mason Lunney.

The arts & crafts interior features art glass windows — original chandeliers — long leaf pine woodwork and quarter sawn oak mantel — English fireplace tiles — flat panel wainscot with burlap inserts — a 1866 Chickering & Sons “cocked hat” parlor grand piano — permanent exhibit “Life Journey of the Lunneys” — Architecture and Exhibit “speaking on one historic voice”.

211 W. South 1st Street, Seneca, SC 29678 Call (864) 882-4811 • Email: lunneyhousemuseum@nctv.com

NEW - VACATION BREAK July 1 – August 31, 2011

BRAC is suspending operations in the gallery and studio until September 1st. All scheduled off-site events will continue as planned. During this time the new Board of Directors and Committees will be reorganizing and attending to normal business requirements. The office staff will provide board and committee support; spring house cleaning; oversee building repairs & maintenance and restructure for the reopening September 1.

July 23, 2011: Heritage, Arts & Music Festival “HAM” At Duke’s World of Energy.

BRAC & Duke Energy are partnering for the fifth year to present “HAM”, the 2011 Heritage, Arts & Music Festival providing entertainment and cultural offerings. As part of “HAM”, BRAC is featuring an arts and crafts show on Saturday, July 23 from 10 am to 4 pm. In conjunction with the art show on Saturday, BRAC will be holding a hotdog sale/fundraiser. A children’s Make It & Take It will be offered from 11 till 2 p.m. free of charge.

Coming: September 16- November 3, 2011: ”New Looks” Paper and Plastic Exhibition

This show features a unique trio of artists with a renewed look at their creative paper and plastic artworks. “Plastiquarium”; by David A. Edgar; along with collaborating artists Jessica Stone and Susan Moore will dazzle the eyes of all with their skillful paper masks, books and more. The opening reception will be held on Friday, September 16, 5:30-8:30 p.m. in conjunction with the Seneca Downtown Go ‘Round.

111 East S. Second Street • Seneca, SC • 864.882.2722 Open Tuesday - Friday 1 - 5 pm • office@blueridgeartscenter.com Visit our Web site for additional information on any event, art information and links to many Upstate art organizations.

www. blueridgeartscenter.com

HISTORIC BALLENGER HOUSE Come and experience the ambiance of the Historic Ballenger House, where the art of living graciously is still remembered.

Venue for Weddings, Shower & Special Events

212 East South 3rd Street Seneca, SC 29678 864.882.7162 864.654.4043

Visit Our Website For Unique Tourism Events. www.HistoricBallengerHouse.com

City of Seneca SponSored by HAT

Lakeside Innovation

years later, creative design is still the perfect home

Two stone walls run parallel across the property. The one pictured here serves as an interior wall for the main living area.

A second, free standing wall is located outside another wing of the home.

24 • UPSTATE LAKE LIVING

Story by Brett McLaughlin | Photos by Jack Kates III

Cliff and Lois Boeckman weren’t angling for anything too extraordinary when they decided to build a lake house 21 years ago.

They simply wanted a nice size dining room for entertaining friends, at least three bedrooms so the grandkids could visit and a little apartment for Lois’ mother to call her own.

Lynn Craig saw that they got that … and a whole lot more.

And, he threw in a few angles just for the fun of it.

Like so many meaningful moments in life, Craig, a Clemson University professor and a member of the Pendleton Design Group, became associated with the Boeckmans by pure happenstance. He picked up the phone when Cliff Boeckman least expected it.

“I called late on a Friday in the summer,” Boeckman said, smiling at the memory of that first exchange. “I was impressed immediately when he was in his office and answered his own phone,” It was serendipitous to say the least.

It was 1990. The Boeckmans had purchased two other lots before being told by their realtor that the lot they really needed to have — a lot a number of people had their eyes on — was coming available in a newly opened portion of Keowee Key. They flew down from Ohio and made the purchase. But, since Boeckman didn’t plan to retire for a couple of years, they needed an architect.

“I called Clemson University’s engineering department and asked if they had any professors who did that kind of work,” Boeckman recalled. “The girl who answered the phone said there were four or five, but she couldn’t give me their names or phone numbers.

“I told her, ‘Listen, I’m just a little, old country doctor (actually, a pediatric surgeon), and I don’t know anybody down there. Can’t you give me a phone number?’” Boeckman recalled, using the quivering voice and pleading tone he used back then as a mischievous grin appeared on his face.

He got the number, called the architect and the rest, as they say, is history.

“We hit if off great,” Craig said. “They said they wanted a house with an open plan. I learned about their gardening interest and we talked about Lois’ mother. It was the first time I did a house with an extended family member and, after we talked, I knew I wanted her to have a dignified place to live, not just a bedroom off the end of the house.”

“We had never built a house before, so we weren’t sure what we wanted,” Lois said. “I guess we wanted a little cottage at the lake.”

It took two years of design and construction but they got a house — not a cottage.

Stepping into the great room one comes face-to-face with many of Craig’s

primary design components, massive Oak timbers supporting a sprawling open design, with several hints of the intriguing angles and features sprinkled throughout the home.

The room features a wood-burning fireplace whose stone façade flows into a wraparound wet bar in a corner away from the lake. Two exterior walls are nearly all glass, with a pair of doors opening onto the deck. To the left of the great room, horizontal beams identical to those that reach 29-feet high in the great room, support one of two bedrooms on the second

floor. The bedroom is actually suspended on the beams over a massive dining space.

The same Amish company that crafted the Oak beams made the dining table, which can easily seat the Boeckmans’ extended family of 17.

“We were actually able to visit where the beams were being cut and assembled,” Boeckman said.

Beyond the dining area is a spacious kitchen and breakfast nook with a view of the lake. The appliances are stainless, including a double oven.

The kitchen is served by one of sev-

Lynn Craig’s design incorporated a variety of ways to capture sunlight, including these narrow windows that line the hall leading to a separate apartment at one end of the home. july/august 2011 • 25

eral skylights Craig designed to capture sunlight at various times of the day. Similarly, he has used small windows of various shapes and sizes to allow sunlight into even the most interior rooms, such as the master bath, which is lit, in part, by a very narrow window on the interior wall of the lakeside master suite and by opaque glass blocks on another exterior wall.

The reason this particular Keowee Key lot was in high demand is apparent across the lake side of the home, but from no point more beautifully apparent than the

onto a courtyard garden that separates the family portion of the home from a separate wing that, before her death, was the living quarters for Lois’ mother.

Set into the floor directly inside the front door is what the architect refers to as “the magic spot.” Its navigational points measure the distance from the center of the home to the sun, the moon and the center of the galaxy. It is the designer’s lighthearted reminder that we are part of a larger universe. Also, from this point, Craig swung a compass that created

master bedroom. Here, a door opens into one of the home’s several flower gardens, this one aptly named the “Good Morning Garden.” Beyond the garden and down just four steps is the lake. From the master suite, the lot is so level that the dock appears to be an extension of the garden.

the outer edge of the home’s wraparound deck.

“Gram’s Place,” as the current guest quarters are still called, is reached by going down a hall that, in the morning, is lit with panels of light coming in through glass panes that look out on the courtyard.

Midway down the hall, on the right, is the entry to a potting shed that is Cliff’s home away from home. It is from here that he creates and cares for not only the flower

Gram’s Place

Visitors enter the Boeckman home into a hallway-type foyer that looks out

Above: The Boeckman home is actually comprised of two wings. The family living quarters are at the right, while “Gram’s Place,” a private apartment that now serves as guest quarters, is at the left. The two are connected by an entry hallway that also leads to the master suite at the far right in this lakeside picture.

At right: Cliff Boeckman is pictured at the lake shore where several raised boxes produce a variety of vegetables.

26 • UPSTATE LAKE LIVING

gardens but for a series of lakeside, raised beds that produce a variety of vegetables.

Gram’s Place itself consists of a functional kitchen, living room that opens onto the deck and a large bedroom with full bath. Beyond the exterior wall is a freestanding stone wall that runs the length of the house. It is identical and parallel to the wall that creates the courtyard side of the family portion of the house.

Upper level

The second level contains two bed-

When Lynn Craig designed the Boeckman home, he catered to the wishes of the homeowners to have a dining area. However, he didn’t want to have a dining room, so he created a dining space. The wooden beams around the space support one of two bedrooms upstairs.

rooms and a plethora of interesting angles and playful architectural innovations, including a small window with hinged doors that looks out over the great room and another hinged door that provides a birds-eye view of the kitchen.

The rooms are triangular in design and getting to the full bath that serves the upper levels requires a few turns. Swinging French doors seal off a portion of the bath and, above the bath is another triangular window.

Another second floor window overlooks a screened porch, which also opens onto the deck. The deck itself is three feet off the ground and has no rail, as the fall of the lot is so slight that a rail would have obscured views from inside the home.

Nineteen years after moving in, the Boeckmans have changed little of Craig’s design and are as happy with their “cottage” as the day they moved in. As for Craig, he incorporated some of the Boeckman features into his Clemson home and still sees the couple periodically.

“We really became friends,” Lois said. ❖

This is the entryway of the Boeckman home. To the right is one of two stone walls that run parallel through the home. The courtyard garden is one of several on the property and, on the floor near the bench in this photo, is a navigational sign denoting the distance from this point to the sun, moon and outer edge of the galaxy. july/august 2011 • 27

Verdaeis vintage green Course remakes itself for modern era

Story by Bill Bauer

Photos courtesy of The Preserve at Verdae Only one major water hazard, a full carry pond on the signature, par 3, second hole, presents a challenging shot from any of the five tee boxes.

28 • UPSTATE LAKE LIVING

Verde, verte, verti ‌ they all mean green, the ubiquitous and vibrant color that permeates a golf course. It is also the trendy word associated with efforts to preserve good old Mother Earth.

So when Verdae Greens Golf Course chose to celebrate its 20th anniversary by creating a new name, it was decided to mirror not only two decades of golf in Greenville, but also complement its long-standing commitment to utilizing environmentally-friendly practices to maintain its verdant appearance.

“We tossed around a bunch of names and agreed that Green Greens was out of the question!” quipped David Nelson, general manager of the Embassy Suites Golf Resort and Convention Center. “We wanted to hang on to Verdae for its historical value, but at the same time choose a name that reflected what we saw in our golf course’s future.”

The Preserve at Verdae emerged as a unanimous choice, and all indications are that it is more than appropriate.

The drive up the beautifully landscaped road from the towering Embassy

Suites Resort takes you from the hustle and bustle of Greenville to a secluded and serene golf course sanctuary designed by renowned architect Willard Byrd. Creator of the Country Club of

Carolina in Pinehurst and The Atlanta Country Club in Georgia, Byrd carved out a scenic and challenging layout from a lush Carolina forest with hills and mountain-like brooks, sandwiched between I-85 and Verdae Road.

The absence of homes and the presence of wildlife create a setting that symbolizes Verdae’s new name. An abundance of birds, turkeys and deer have made the golf course their habitat — and Nelson, PGA Professional Paul Albert and Superintendent Adam Charles have pledged to literally preserve what Byrd created 20 years ago.

This is the view from the tee box on the par 3, second hole, the signature hole at The Preserve at Verdae in Greenville. july/august 2011 • 29

“Affordability, quality and a championship feel in the woods,” says Nelson when asked what Verdae offers.

“We want our golfers to feel comfortable here, and are making changes to embrace our mission.”

Bird houses, rock walls replacing the old creosote-filled railroad ties, and new signage are but a few of the changes golfers will see as they travel along VerAbove: Although the Embassy Suites Resort and Convention Center towers in the background, the very nature of The Preserve at Verdae takes you from the hustle and bustle of Greenville to a secluded and serene golf course sanctuary.

At left: Bird houses, rock walls replacing the old creosote-filled railroad ties, and new signage are but a few of the changes golfers will see as they travel along Verdae’s winding cart paths.

30 • UPSTATE LAKE LIVING

dae’s winding cart paths. But, that is only the beginning.

“We are giving the clubhouse a new roofline and adding a deck. Pictures and memorabilia portraying some of the rich history and tradition from years of PGA tournaments will be hung up inside,” Charles said, commenting on the new look of the clubhouse and pro shop.

Behind the scenes are other changes.

“We are using a new sprinkling system that has saved millions of gallons of water, and environmentally sensitive chemicals to fertilize the Bermuda fairways and drought-resistant Min-Verde greens,” Charles explains.

It has been said that water and sand, appropriately placed, dictate shot selection — and Byrd’s design at Verdae is no exception. While only one major water hazard — a full carry pond on the signature par 3, second hole — presents a challenging shot from any of the five tee boxes, be aware of the pesky creek that meanders throughout the course. Running alongside many fairways just outside the second cut of rough and crossing precariously in front of several greens, the creek creates careful club choices on more than one occasion.

Number seven, a short, par 4 aptly named Crossing Creeks, requires a delicate tee shot. Too long a drive will run out of fairway, but coming up short will require a 100-yard approach over the trees to a narrow hourglass green fronted by the creek and a pothole bunker. Fowl Play, the dramatic par 5, finishing hole is similar, with one difference — big hitters can take a chance at driving the creek beyond the dogleg with hopes of reaching the green in two.

“From the white tees you need to carry about 250 yards, get past the trees and then face a long uphill shot to the green,” says Charles when discussing the merits of such a choice. “And then there is the 50-yard, 3-tiered green surrounded by bunkers!”

For the majority of golfers, laying up and getting close on the second shot, could leave the best approach and a chance to score.

In honor of its designer, the 17th was named Byrd’s Eye View. Standing on the elevated tee, the vista is spectacular and illustrates Byrd’s vision, artistry and expertise in utilizing the natural landscape to build a golf course. It easily rivals number two for the signature hole label. Two huge bunkers rest on both sides of the dogleg awaiting an errant or short descending tee shot. Not to be left out, two more rest on either side of the sloping, kidney-shaped green.

At The Preserve at Verdae, you can do it all. The full-service pro shop features fashionable apparel in addition to the latest in golf clubs and accessories.

A first-class practice facility with a large putting green and separate bunker and chipping areas, as well as a multi-level driving range, are available for personal practice and lessons.

Special ladies’ clinics are held on Tuesdays, catering to all levels of golfers and featuring four to nine hole practice rounds.

The Preserve at Verdae offers stay-and-play packages in addition to public and membership play. ❖

The Preserve at Verdae is on Verdae Road, near the I85 interchange for Laurens Road (Highway 276). For information on the Embassy Suites Resort Hotel Golf and Conference Center, call (803) 676 9090. For the Golf Shop and tee times call (864) 676-1500.

Or, visit The Preserve’s website at www.verdaegreens. com. Regular, Senior (over 60), and Preferred Local Player rates are available.

By Essex

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www.mygarage.us july/august 2011 • 31

Oconee Medical Center:

South Carolina’s Safest Hospital for Overall Medical Care

as recognized by CareChex® Quality Rating Service of The Delta Group We strive to deliver safe and high quality care so that you can feel better and live more fully. Now, outside experts agree that we are a leader for patient safety and quality.

Oconee Medical Center Ranked #1 in South Carolina for: Medical Excellence For Pneumonia Care For Pulmonary Care

Patient Safety For Overall Medical Care For Pneumonia Care For Pulmonary Care 298 Memorial Drive • Seneca, SC 29672 • (864) 482-3100 • www.oconeemed.org

Like us on Facebook! www.facebook.com/OconeeMedicalCenter CareChex, a hospital quality rating service of The Delta Group, provides clinical, financial and patient satisfaction findings to consumers, providers and purchasers of U.S. medical care. Unlike other publicly available hospital quality ratings, CareChex provides a comprehensive evaluation of all components of medical quality including process of care, outcome of care, and patient satisfaction.

Safest Hospital in South Carolina for Overall Medical Care Seneca, S.C. – Oconee Medical Center is the top hospital for patient safety in South Carolina for overall medical care, according to the 2011 quality award rankings from CareChex, a division of The Delta Group and the nation’s largest privately-held healthcare information service company. The medical center also ranks in the top 10 percent of hospitals nationwide for patient safety in overall medical care.

Oconee Medical Center’s diligent efforts to improve patient safety and health care quality have led to CareChex awards in nine clinical categories. Among other 2011 CareChex awards, Oconee Medical Center was ranked number one in South Carolina for: • Medical Excellence • For Pneumonia Care • For Pulmonary Care • Patient Safety • For Overall Medical Care • For Pneumonia Care • For Pulmonary Care (For more ratings information, visit www.carechex.com) “We are honored and proud to receive recognition for the quality care we provide,” said Jeanne Ward,

president and CEO of Oconee Medical Center. “With this award comes the responsibility to not only maintain the highest quality of care, but also to improve on that quality every day. I would like to congratulate our physicians, nurses, staff and volunteers on earning this recognition and thank them for their commitment to providing high quality and safe patient care.”

In recent years, Oconee Medical Center physicians, nurses and staff have been deeply involved in a wide range of quality and safety-related initiatives. “Quality improvement is a strategic commitment of our organization,” said Hope Turner, MSN, RN, BC administrative director of accreditation and quality at Oconee Medical Center. “From the Board of Directors to the front-line staff, everyone is focused on providing quality care and working continuously to improve.”

“CareChex allows the public to make informed decisions regarding the quality of medical care provided by hospitals,” said Dr. Thane Forthman, managing principal at The Delta Company. “We are pleased to acknowledge that Oconee Medical Center has achieved an exceptionally high level of performance, especially in the area of patient safety. Oconee Medical Center is a benchmark that other hospitals should seek to emulate.”

Oconee Medical Center receives high rankings from

boating

Fire on the water

By Stephen Pietrowicz

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

A

n unplanned fire aboard your boat is a life-threatening and terrifying event. In my younger years, there were several occasions when I was witness to an onboard fire — luckily only as an observer. On several occasions, I saw how once proud yachts that graced the Great Lakes were burnt to the water line and reduced to floating hulks within a few moments.

The best way to handle an onboard fire is not to have one. That sounds simple, but it can require effort and some good housekeeping. The key to being fire-free is to regularly inspect the areas that don’t normally see the light of day.

1. Make sure the bilge is free of clutter, grease, oil and gasoline.

2. Regularly check the fuel system for leaks even though fumes are not present. If a fuel leak is suspected and can’t be found, take a small piece of paper towel and tie it to each of the joints in the system.

The paper towel will turn dark at the slightest hint of fuel.

3. Keep the odd sources of fuel such as propane, charcoal, greasy rags and extra gas to a minimum.

4. Inspect wiring and make sure that all repairs and additions meet marine standards.

5. Observe good fueling practices. This subject could be an article in itself.

6. Use a reliable repair service, which uses only marine grade parts and

do the same if you are the chief mechanic.

7. If you have an inboard engine, make sure you run the bilge blower at least four minutes every time you start the engine.

When faced with an onboard fire, a good rule of thumb is to not be a hero: If it’s a boat, don’t try and control a fire for more than two minutes; on Personal Water Craft, or PWC, abandon ship immediately. If flames appear onboard and you have power, immediately bring the vessel into the wind so that blaze is forced away from you and your crew. Get everyone into a life jacket and, if possible, make the appropriate distress call. At this point, you or crew members should use the fire extinguisher. That brings up a problem that is all too common aboard water craft that ply the waters of Lake Hartwell and Lake Keowee: Some skippers don’t have a clue where the fire extinguisher is stored! It’s prudent practice to know where the fire extinguisher is kept and share that information with your passengers and crew before departure. The number of local skippers that have faltered when asked by a courtesy vessel inspector (DNR, Coast Guard Auxiliary or Power Squadron) would amaze the casual observer. Taking a few minutes to assure that your fire extinguisher(s) is securely mounted in a readily accessible place can permanently cure this common problem. Your Tip of the Issue effectiveness and that of your fire extinguisher can There are some great free maps of lakes Hartwell, be increased by rememKeowee, Jocassee and Russell at many of the bering and using a simple memory aid — P.A.S.S. launch ramps on those lakes. They are free, (See above illustration.). waterproof and can save the day unless you’re Every watercraft, with very familiar with these waters. Some very helpful an inboard engine, a permanently installed fuel safety information is provided including phone tank, closed compartments numbers. The U.S. Power Squadron’s local where a portable tank and squadron, Golden Corner Lakes, stocks them. other combustibles can be 34 • UPSTATE LAKE LIVING

stored, has enclosed living spaces, or a double hull not sealed with flotation material is required to carry at least one Marine Grade U.S. Coast Guard Approved fire extinguisher. When choosing or inspecting fire extinguishers, make sure you have Type B of the appropriate size and the number required by the state and federal regulations for your vessel. Fortunately, the most commonly used extinguisher requires very little maintenance: Checking the capacity gauge to make sure it’s in the green, checking the nozzle to see it is clear and giving it several periodic firm smacks to the base of the extinguisher to loosen the fire retardant is all that’s necessary.

Most of the vessels that ply the waters of Lake Keowee and Lake Hartwell are less than 26-feet and therefore require one Type B-size 1 extinguisher unless the craft has a fixed fire suppression system installed. A retrofitted fixed system can be a nice upgrade to your vessel if it does not already have one. When it comes to fire on the water, anything that can be done to stop it from happening and, if it does occur, getting it under control very quickly have to be the top priorities. Hopefully you’ll never be faced with this kind of catastrophe, but it won’t just happen. Take the time and do an inspection or better yet have one of the volunteer organizations mentioned above.

Enjoy this wonderful boating season and please be safe!!

fishing

R

egardless of how hot the weather gets, you can always catch fish during the day. In this article I’ll briefly share with you proven hot weather tactics that will put fish in the boat. Each has its place for catching a particular species on our main Upstate lakes.

Deep crank’n, deep troll’n

By Monty McGuffin

go 20 to 30 feet deep. Sure they can wear you out; after all you feel like you’re pulling in a cement block on each cast. Here’s the deal: You want to get the bait down on the bottom where you can make contact with the cover, like the top of a brushpile, a stump or rockpile. These big lures become very effective when you are hitting something down deep. A long, heavy action rod and strong line can put some hawg bass in your well. Give it a try.

Deep Cranks

Topwaters

Deep crank’n

In the middle of summer when lake water nears its maximum temperature, bass will migrate to a more desirable depth and will generally tend to hang out on and around some type of offshore structure. Great locations to concentrate your efforts on are the ends of long, deep points; the top of humps; ledges and submerged brushpiles.

My plan of attack for catch’n bass in these locations is using “Big Deep Diving Crankbaits and Topwater Baits.” Once I have located my target area I first like to fish a big topwater lure across the top of the area. Bass will come up from 30 feet deep to bust a bait on the surface. Make multiple casts from different angles and remember to keep your distance. A typical scenario would be having your boat sitting in 50 to 100 feet of water and casting to 10 to 30 feet of water.

If you draw no strikes on your surface lures, bring out those big deep diving crankbaits. I’m talking about the ones that

plugs like jointed Rapalas. When trolling that deep I prefer bright colors like chartreuse, gold, orange, white and firetiger.

Bigger profile baits are a norm for me — spoons 4- to 6-inches long, and the jointed Rapalas in J-11 and J-13.

Here are two important pieces of equipment needed, downriggers and a graph. The downriggers will allow you to present your lures at a very precise depth while trolling deep. The graph will allow you to monitor your cannon ball on the downrigger, monitor your depth, mark fish and, most important, allow you to see any obstacles like standing timber. Trolling just above a deep stand of timber is a proven tactic for catching deep trout on Jocassee.

Keep a watch on your speed; you should be traveling ½ to 1 ½ mph. Make it a habit to continually watch your rod tips for any sign of a bite and watch that graph. When you least expect it, a tree will jump right in your path.

If you can stand the heat, need a good workout, hit the lake and give “deep crank’n and deep troll’n” a try.

Top and Below Water Spoons/Trout

Troll’n deep

If you are into catching some hot weather trout, Lake Jocassee is the place to fish. Surprisingly, it is at the hottest time of the year that the majority of quality trout are taken from Jocassee. As the surface of the lake gets warmer, the trout move deeper. By July, anglers will be trolling down as deep as 100 feet plus in water as deep as 300 feet.

The lures used are pretty much standard throughout the year: Sutton and Badcreek Spoons and minnow imitating

Rapalas/Trout

july/august 2011 • 35

the comes alive!

Story by Debbie Williams

There’s a new sense of purpose and direction in the air this summer on the campus of the Tamassee DAR School, nestled just off Scenic Highway 11 on the banks of the Little River.

It’s a feeling of shared excitement as the school prepares to host its first Tamassee Institute from July 11-15 in the stately stone structure known officially as the Sarah Corbin Roberts School Building. For

weeks workers and craftsmen have been laboring diligently to make necessary updates so that Tamassee can give a gift of heritage to the very community that helped give life to the school in 1919.

Tamassee’s outreach and community development officer, Jennifer Lassausaie, explains that the Tamassee Institute is a weeklong celebration of tradition, art and nature taught in a classroom setting by experienced instructors, talented artisans and skilled craftsmen.

“For so many years, the Tamassee DAR School was the hub of its community. Little by little, that has changed. We want to give back to our community, to the people who gave to us for so many years. We want to offer something meaningful in a Community outreach officer Jennifer Lassausaie (left) and DAR member Martha Dyer of Walhalla discuss the listing of the Institute’s classes as work continues in the background on the Roberts Building.

Photo by Debbie Williams

36 • UPSTATE LAKE LIVING

beautiful setting so that they don’t have to travel to another county or state to learn,” Lassausaie said.

The Institute will offer a variety of learning experiences Monday through Friday. A graduation celebration and expo will take place on Friday. Attendees have a choice of morning or afternoon sessions with optional evening events that will feature entertainment, storytelling and perhaps even a bluegrass band.

Students can choose from photography, sustainable farming, woodworking and furniture techniques, jewelry making, both sterling precious metal clay and wire-wrapping, as well as beekeeping, interior design, genealogy, creative writing, quilting, knitting, floral design and stained glass creation.

Lassausaie says the immersive classroom experience is far superior to any doit-yourself book or “how to” program on television.

“The camaraderie of other enthusiastic students who share a passion for tradition,

art and nature will only add to the total learning experience,” she said. “And, at the same time, we are learning from local artisans and preserving those parts of our culture and heritage that are being lost.”

For out-of-town students, lodging is on-your-own, although the school will offer lunches at a reasonable cost. Graduation night in the auditorium will showcase

work produced by class participants.

Costs for classes vary, so Lassausaie says it’s best to register early to get a 25 percent discount.

“The goal is not to make money, but we are trying to cover the costs of our instructors and materials. If we end up making money, that will, of course, go directly to the care of Tamassee’s children.” ❖

The Roberts Building and the adjoining auditorium will be the site of the first Tamassee Institute, July 11-15. This early morning photo taken on the campus of the school was taken by photographer Bruce Hyer of Atlanta, who will be teaching the Institute’s photography course.

Photo courtesy of Bruce Hyer

For a brochure outlining course descriptions and class costs in detail, contact Lassausaie at (864) 944-1390 or email her at jenniferl@tdarschool.org.

Since 1919 the Tamassee DAR School has served children and families in crisis through residential, education and outreach services.

For more information on the school’s mission, visit the website at tdarschool.org Classes in stained glass creation will be offered as well as photography, jewelry making, quilting, floral design, genealogy and creative writing.

Photo by Debbie Williams july/august 2011 • 37

Flatrock Playhouse P.O. Box 310 Flat Rock, N.C. (828) 693-0731 Toll Free: (866) 732-8008 Hairspray July 20 through Aug. 14 Huge heart — Hilarious hair — Heavyweight heroines. Take a trip to the ’60s and fall in love with Tracy Turnblad, a rotund teen, obsessed with dancing and determined to stand up for her beliefs. Piled bouffant-high with laughter and romance.

clad citizens of Texas’ thirdsmallest town.

Along with Tuna’s perennial favorites, some new Tuna denizens burst into the 4th of July Tuna High School Class Reunion, setting the stage for a show full of fireworks and fun from the land where the Lion’s Club is too liberal and Patsy Cline never dies. It’s been several years since we left Bertha and Arles dancing at the end of A Tuna Christmas ... Did the romance blossom? Has Didi received any “cosmic” communications from R.R.’s UFO? Did Stanley make his fortune in the taxidermy business? These and other burning questions will be answered in the sidesplitting spoof of life in rural America.

laughter. Spinning from her bizarre recording sessions, unbelievable recitals and an ultimate triumph at New York’s Carnegie Hall — this is a true, heart-warming story about a group of eccentric friends who lived their dreams. The triumphant West End production starred Maureen Lipman and was nominated for the Laurence Olivier Award.

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

Greenville, S.C. (864) 233-6733 Toll Free: (877) 377-1339

Mousetrap Aug. 18 through Sept. 11 This famous Agatha Christie story features a snowstorm and eight stranded people with a murderer among them.

No one is above suspicion. Millions have been delighted by the longestrunning show of the modern era. Prepare to be fooled by Agatha Christie, the “Queen of Crime” herself. Just don’t reveal her famously kept secret ending.

Clemson Little Theatre 214 S. Mechanic St. Pendleton, S.C. Reservations (864) 646-8100 Red, White and Tuna July 29-31 and Aug. 5-7 The much-anticipated third installment in the Tuna trilogy takes us through another satirical ride into the hearts and minds of the polyester38 • UPSTATE LAKE LIVING

The Kings of Country and Their Queens Aug. 4-27

Electric City Playhouse 514 N. Murray St. Anderson, S.C. (864) 224-4248 Glorious!

Aug. 18-28 The joyful Florence Foster Jenkins had a passion for singing, but a voice of disastrous proportions, which left audiences crying with

Continuing the blockbuster tradition of Country Queens: Nashville’s Leading Ladies and Rock ‘n’ Roll Heaven, Centre Stage creates a brand-new concert event, this time focusing on the kings of the country-western genre. Expect to hear first-rate musicians and vocals.

Calendar of Events July

8:30 and 9:30 p.m. Sponsored by the city of Seneca. Call Rick Lacey (864) 885-2709 for information.

July 15, 5:30-8:30 p.m.

Downtown Go ’Round Downtown Seneca, Ram Cat Alley. Live music, complimentary refreshments, gallery openings, fun for the whole family.

July 23, noon to 5 p.m.

Duke World of Energy Heritage, Arts & Music Festival Kickoff

July 3, 5 p.m.-until Clemsonfest The only opportunity to see a major fireworks display over beautiful Lake Hartwell in Clemson also includes family fun in the early evening with games, food and crafts.

Later enjoy doing South Carolina’s official dance, the Shag, to hot beach groups as the fireworks ring in the 4th.

For information, call (864) 654-1200 or visit www.clemsonchamber.org.

July 4, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

52nd Mountain Rest Community Club Annual Hillbilly Day Activities include bluegrass music, clogging, fiddle and banjo competition, greased pig chase and greased pole climb for the kids, as well as other oldtime games. Lots of vendors. BBQ plates, sandwiches, chicken and hot dogs.

Admission and parking free; bring lawn chairs. Mountain Rest, S.C., near junction of highways 28 and 107, at 120 Verner Mill Road. (864) 638-1967 or (864) 638-0207 for more information.

JULY 4, 3 P.M. Freedom Celebration at Gignilliat Field Food, fun, fireworks & great live music in Seneca, S.C.! Fun starts at 3 p.m. Music begins around 5 p.m. Headliner act plays around 7 p.m. Fireworks will start between

Fifth annual HAM Festival features local artisans selling their works during a sidewalk sale, while musicians strum tunes familiar to this region. Children will enjoy participating in a Make It/Take It art station; 781 Rochester Hwy. Seneca, S.C. Artisan displays will remain on site through Aug. 11.

August Aug. 5, 9 p.m.

Duke World of Energy presents Outdoor Movie #2 781 Rochester Hwy. Seneca, S.C. Bring a lawn chair or blanket and spread out on The World of Energy’s Lake Keowee peninsula. See a blockbuster family movie on a giant, 43’ outdoor movie screen with beautiful Lake Keowee scenery serving as the backdrop. The movie begins at sundown (approximately 9 p.m.), but pack a picnic and reserve a spot beginning at 7 p.m. No alcohol or pets, please.

Aug. 13 – Sept. 5 Oconee Nuclear Employee Art Show The World of Energy will host an art show featuring Oconee Nuclear Station employees and family members. The work includes photography, ceramics, watercolors and much more. Duke Energy, 781 Rochester Hwy. Seneca, S.C. (800) 777-1004

Aug. 20, 4-7 p.m.

28th Annual Chicken BBQ for Collins Home & Family Ministries Northside Elementary School in Seneca.

Tickets $10; call (864) 882-0893. A limited number of tickets sold at door. Plates include: BBQ chicken, baked beans, potato chips, roll, pickles, slaw, iced tea or lemonade and cookies. Take-outs available.

Ongoing Jazz On The Alley Thursdays on Historic Downtown Seneca’s Ram Cat Alley hosts The BH Trio Jazz Band on the stage across from The Spot on July 7 and Aug. 11 & 18, from 6:30 to 9 p.m. The Second Hand Jazz Band will perform on July 28, Aug. 4 and Sept. 22 and Soul Fetch will perform Aug. 25 and Sept. 4.

Historic Ballenger House tours Seneca Woman’s Club, 212 E.S. Third St. (864) 654-4043. Also available to rent for weddings and showers, etc.

Oconee Heritage Center 123 Brown Square Dr., Walhalla, features Old-Time Music Gathering on the Second Saturday of each month. Everyone is invited to come hear the sounds of clawhammer banjo and old-time fiddle and guitar. Patrons are welcome to bring refreshments to share. “Movie Night at the Museum” is every third Saturday of the month. A classic old movie will be shown with free admission, prefaced by a short presentation of the historical events. The schedule is on the museum’s website.

Free popcorn is provided. Classroom seating is provided, but all are welcome to bring comfortable chairs. Call (864) 6382224. info@oconeeheritagecenter.org Hours of Operation: Tuesday through Friday: noon to 6 p.m.; Saturday: 10 a.m.

- 3 p.m. or by appointment. july/august 2011 • 39

The Silver Dollar Music Hall Bluegrass music every Friday at 7 p.m. on Highway 76 in Long Creek next to The Long Creek General Store. The Music Hall is a free, family-friendly facility sponsored

by The South Carolina Mountain Music Preservation Society Inc., a non-profit organization. Call (864) 647-0188.

The Hagood Mill Historic Site and Folklife Center

138 Hagood Mill Rd., Pickens; (864) 898-2936. The Pickens County Museum of Art & History continues its ”Music in the Mountains” programs at the historic Hagood Mill on the third Saturday of every month for a day of milling, music and memories including tours, concerts, demonstrations, living history presentations and seasonal thematic activities. picmus@ co.pickens.sc.us

Oconee County Friends of the Library

The Art Talk Forum

Used book sale the second Thursday of every month at the Walhalla Library from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Hardback and paperback books (adult’s and children’s), magazines, books on tape, books on CD, records, CDs, games, puzzles and DVDs. Newer books between $1-$6. Many are 25 cents.

All the money benefits the Oconee County Library System.

Classic Car Cruize-Ins Seneca Family Restaurant hosts monthly events thru Oct. 15 on the 3rd Saturday each month, 4 to 9 p.m. Lots of classic, antique and muscle cars and trucks to see. So bring yours or just come look and dream. Located on U.S. Hwy. 123 ByPass in Seneca; (864) 886-9599

A place where artists and people who enjoy art can meet and exchange ideas as well as learn. Topics will change monthly.

The forum is free and meets on the last Saturday of every month from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m., at The Artists Loft, 121-B Townville St., Seneca. For more information call (864) 882-2711

Seneca’s Bell Gallery “Once Upon A Time” in Seneca City Hall, 221 E.N. 1st St., city’s history from founding in 1873 to present Mon.-Fri., 8 a.m.-5 p.m., closed holidays. 30 historic photographs from Louise Matheson Bell’s 2005 book, “Seneca, Visions of Yesterday.” Stained glass windows by Robert Crenshaw, city memorabilia and metal sculptures. On SC National Heritage Corridor Arts Trail. (864) 885-2700 or (864) 882-8213

MARKETPLACE Beautiful Lawn & Patio Furniture

For a limited time, Cross Creek Plantation is offering Associate Club Memberships

JUNIOR • SINGLE • FAMILY • CORPORATE NOW AVAILABLE

Located within the city of Seneca, minutes from Lake Keowee and Clemson. Associate Membership includes golf, tennis, pool, dining and club activities. This is the perfect opportunity to discover the experience of playing a Dye Championship golf course.

For information and application, call Mark Ernst, Club Pro, at (864) 882-8337 to set up a tee time or email Cynthia Skelton at Cynthia@CrossCreekPlantation.com.

www.CrossCreekPlantation.com Golf & Country Club

40 • UPSTATE LAKE LIVING

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Backyard Inspirations 15406 South Hwy 11, Fairplay (near Bountyland Exxon) • 864-903-1637

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33 calm sea: This wft home boasts curb-appeal galore and an awesome main & lower level floorplan! circular driveway, 3 car garage, steps/ path to dock, bright & open layout, granite, tile, hardwoods plus main level master, laundry rm, powder rm, and office. roomy lower lvl offers 2 guest suites plus family room.

Deck, screened porch, and patio for enjoying the sun. Lots of special and unique features! $649,900

res o h ee s w o ke

104 Island Pointe: Unbelievable mountain and lakeviews thru walls of glass from both levels of incredible open floor plan in this custom designed and built waterfront home. new granite counters!

Three car garage, circular drive, upscale landscaping, great curb appeal! easy access to covered dock w/lift. fantastic opportunity for the discerning buyer that won’t settle for less than the ultimate view location! $1,295,000

114 Pineridge Pointe: Beautifully maintained, qualitybuilt, 3 car garage brick home on supurb waterfront, professionally landscaped acre. Bright, open floorplan w/ high ceilings and many windows for lots of natural light and lake views. main and lower level master suites plus lower lvl kitchenette & family room for guests. covered upper deck room + sunroom, 125’ of rip-rapped water frontage w/ covered dock & lift. fabulous offering! $895,000

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Call SCarlett and tom today and put one of Keowee’S moSt Knowledgeable, dediCated, and SuCCeSSful teamS to worK

Lot 1 shores Dr.: stunning lake and mtn views from this private point location that’s convenient to seneca’s shopping and medical facilities and offers easy access to hwys 130/183/11. Gentle slope provides easy access to apx. 280’ of wraparound water frontage, deep water, and dock already in place. must walk this one to appreciate its dramatic views! now $387,500

for you.

let uS CuStomize a

ComprehenSive marKeting plan that’S perfeCtly tailored to your property and needS.

12 Dinghy ct: This waterfront building site is located on a premier cul-de-sac on keowee key’s prestigious north side and boasts an awesome location just off the big openwater. Gently sloping topography, great views, and natural beach area makes this lot special.

Scarlett Fravel, Realtor/Owner

866.609.3776 Toll Free E-mail: scarlettandtom@charter.net

Accredited Buyer Rep, Accredited Luxury Home Specialist

Tom Freeman, Realtor/Owner

july/august 2011 • 41

easons S

The Food. The View.

The Experience.

Seasons by the Lake restaurant will awaken your senses with scenic surroundings and new twists on Southern cuisine. Our famous view of Hartwell Lake intermingles with a menu of regional favorites and new flavors graced with our unmistakable Southern accent.

Located lakeside at Clemson University in the Conference Center and Inn.

The Food. The View. The Experience.

230 Madren Center Drive Clemson, SC 29634-5673 864-656-7444

Call for reservations: 864-656-7444.

cuconferencecenter.com