Washington the Magazine

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Love Letters

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Three couples share their journeys together

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2014 Washington, North Carolina

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IN THIS ISSUE

FEATURES & DEPARTMENTS 30

18

22 60

14

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50 FOR THE GOOD 18

Give me shelter: Humane Society works to save forgotten animals

LET'S Eat

Shopping 14 Lovely Gifts:

Treat the ones you love with these red-hot gifts

AT Home

IN THE GARDEN

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Eat real food: A blogger's journey

Sweet smell of roses: Everything's coming up roses

LOVE NOTES

FOR YOUR HEALTH

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Growing together: Couples share their love stories

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IN EVERY ISSUE

RIVER LIFE 60

Oysters: Shuck'em and suck'em

Be resolute: Wellness is much more than dropping pounds

ON THE COVER Marcus and Lilly Jones, who became friends when they were kids, count their marriage day as one of the greatest days of their lives. See Love Notes on page 30.

Publisher’s Note The Scene Advertiser Index Cast a Line Word on Wine Calendar Why I Love Washington

ON T G N I ASH

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Date night: Romantic dinners are served best at home

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Live A Little

NOTE FROM ASHLEY

A lovely place

W

ashington is a lovely place, a loving place. We love our community. We love our historic homes and charming downtown. We love our river views, boating and fishing. We love our schools, our sports, our arts and culture. We sure love our food. And most importantly, we love each other, our friends, neighbors and sweethearts.

This issue of Washington the Magazine is dedicated to all the things we love about Washington.

Follow three Washington couples with different story lines but one common theme.

Love is in the letters for Bill and Marian Booth, Scott and Beckie Sipprell, and Marcus and Lilly Jones. Follow their journeys on page 30.

For those who love to shop, look no further than page 14 for a bundle of ideas for that special someone (or yourself). What’s in Store features gift ideas just in time for Valentine’s Day. Who doesn’t love a canine companion? Family

pets are often showered with affection, but what about the animals that need it most? Local volunteers and county staff lend their love to dogs and cats waiting for a home. Read about them on page 18.

If you love to eat, get back to basics in the kitchen of Jane Olsen, where the local food blogger is reclaiming the dinner table with real food recipes and a difference you can taste on page 23. Planning a date night? Enjoy a romantic dinner for two with several suggestions from Let’s Eat on page 50. Or gather up a group of friends and experience the best of the River Life with a good, old-fashioned oyster roast, a Washington staple, on page 60.

There is much to love about our community — the place and the people. I hope both fill your heart as we begin this new year on the Pamlico.

Ashley Vansant Publisher

would love to hear what you think about Washington the Magazine. Email us at news@ Write We thewashingtondailynews.com or write to P.O. Box 1788, Washington, NC 27889. Letters chosen for publication to us may be edited for length and clarity. All submissions become the property of Washington the Magazine.

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WASHINGTON T

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Publisher Ashley Vansant

Editorial Mona Moore Vail Stewart Rumley Mike Voss Contributors Kevin Scott Cutler Meredith Loughlin Will Preslar Advertising Director Kathryn Powell Marketing & Sales Brandi Bragg Ed Drew Debbie Waida Distribution Sylvester Rogers Art Direction Ryan Webb Contact information Washington the Magazine P.O. Box 1788 Washington, NC 27889 Advertising inquiries 252-946-2144 Ext. 221 Subscriptions & change of address 252-946-2144 Washington the Magazine is published six times a year by Washington Newsmedia, LLC. Copyright 2014, Washington Newsmedia, LLC

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THE SCENE

OUT AND ABOUT

Estuarium Volunteer Appreciation Dinner During a banquet at the Estuarium of North Carolina, the staff of the estuarium thanked their volunteers for another successful year.

Joanne Broderick and Toni Reiner

Ed Galston, Sarah Chamberlain, and Mike and Marie Brown

Linda Niederbuel and Lib Haubenreisor

Blount Rumley, Laura and Donald Hobart

Carol and Steve Hornaday

Neal and Helen Atkinson

Fred and Jennifer Watkins

Judy Jennette and Jon and Marilyn Larson

Gray Riddick and Janet Robinson

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2014 | WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE • 9

THE SCENE

OUT AND ABOUT

Tea and Topics Book Club More than 150 avid readers attended the Tea and Topics Book Club’s fourth-annual Toys for Tots Christmas celebration. Each had a donation for the local toy drive. The luncheon featured a performance by Pactolus Elementary School’s steel-drum band and a presentation from the O’Henry Book Club, which celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2013.

Jill High, Beth Oden and Haley Wetmore

LaDonna Younger, Nancy Robertson, Jessie Brooks, Betty Schmitt, Ella Mae Smith, Jean Mink, Joyce Aydlett, Ann Bertram and Dee Beckmon

Margaret Mallard and Elizabeth Moore

Nancy Kelley, Betty Anne Dicken and Louise Barker

Jean Lee and Pat Calfee

Jennifer Sable, Marty Bell, Shirley Stone, Monica Ferrari, Judi Hickson, Karen Tripp, Dianna Aideuis and Lucy Wooten

Deborah Roebuck, Liz Barnham and Katherine Adams

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Sue Loy, Nancy Hamblin, Nancy Collis, Alice Stallings and Judy Hayes

Connie Hackney and Virginia Finnerty

THE SCENE

OUT AND ABOUT

Chocowinity Christmas Parade Chocowinity's Christmas parade and craft expo drew folks from throughout Beaufort County eager to kick off the holiday season. Whether they were parade participants, spectators or expo shoppers and exhibitors, everyone appeared to have a good time.

Cathy and David Fields

Louise Furman, Mayor Jimmy Mobley and Rachel Wolfe

Jameson and Shelia Edwards

Angie and Ariel Lewis

Carolyn and Danny Sleeper

Darlene Blount, Kay Reddick and Carolyn Godard

Bella and Holden Boykin

Chris Hill and Donell Moore

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2014 | WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE • 11

THE SCENE

OUT AND ABOUT

Downtown Washington Art Walk Downtown Washington merchants wrapped up their final Art Walk of the year on Nov. 14. Many shop owners stayed open late for the event in which galleries host new work and receptions — an invitation to shop local.

Hazel Arnold and Laura Darre

Robin Clark and Lisa Gargaro

Shawn Watters and Tony Webster

Stuart Aronson and M.J. Carbo

ADVERTISER INDEX Allstate Insurance, 47

Gail Kenefick, 57

Russell’s, 13

Andrea Heekins, 58

Gerri McKinley, 58

Scott Campbell, 29

Beaufort County Community College, 67

GoldenWay Home Care, 58

State Farm, 5

Bell Trucking Co., 3

Gordon Golf, Ski & Snowboards, 59

Stewart’s Jewelry Store, 7

Brenda Evans, Century 21, 48

Gregory Poole, 29

Tayloe’s Hospital Pharmacy, 5

City of Washington, 5

Happy Girls, 59

Vidant Health, back cover

Coastal Insurance, Paige Harris, 8

Hitch’n Post, 59

Washington Harbor District Alliance, 13, 57

David C. Francisco, 47

Lone Leaf Gallery, 48

Wells Fargo Advisors, 45

Eastern Dermatology & Pathology, 57

Merrill Lynch Wealth Management, 59

Wilson, Jones & Co., PA, 13

Edward Jones, 3

New Trends In Travel, 8

Electronic Solutions, 59

On The Waterfront, 48

Executive Personnel, 3

Pair Electronics, 45

Eye Care Center, 47

Phillips-Wright Furniture, 13

Feyer Ford, 2

Precision Eye Care, 8

12 • WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2014

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WHAT’S IN STORE

Lovely gifts Written by MONA MOORE PHOTOS by WILL PRESLAR

Duly noted Express yourself the old-fashioned way, with pen and ink. The simplest, shortest note means that much more when you take the time to use this lovely stationery.

Available at Domestic Bliss in Little Shoppes, Washington. $4

I love ewe It’s soft and sweet, just like you, right? Say, I love you with this adorable ewe. Available at Cottage Junkies, Washington. $12

14 • WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2014

A guided tour There’s a story behind this oil painting by Nancy Scoble. It was a reunion of two dear friends who hadn’t seen each other since high school. One has poor eyesight, the other walks with a cane. Both have each other to lean on. Find the original oil at Inner Banks Artisans’ Center, Washington. $575

Spirited art An unexpected glass of bubbly comes to life on this repurposed tin. If you enjoy the juxtaposition, get one at South Market Antiques, Washington. $39

Solid Framework This casually modern frame will let you keep photos of loved ones out where you can enjoy them. Available at Cottage Junkies, Washington. $30

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2014 | WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE • 15

Libation salutations Keep a few of these gift bags on hand for hostess gifts. It will elevate any bottle of wine or liquor you take along for the party. Available at Nauti Life, Washington. $7.95 and 12.95

Drop on by These teardrop earrings are just a hint of the beautiful costume jewelry you will find downtown. Available at Cottage Junkies, Washington. $12

Who’s the boss?

His and hers tumblers will give you and your sweetheart a chuckle. They are thermal-insulated, microwave and dishwasher safe and guaranteed for life. Find them at Nauti Life, Washington. $11.95. Add a lid for an additional $3.95

16 • WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2014

On the move For those busy days that take you from work to a special date, an Escapada blouse will keep right up with you. Its vibrant print and relaxed style, paired here with a silver John Wind necklace, is appropriate attire for anything on your agenda. Available at Russell’s Gentlemen’s Clothing, Washington. Necklace, $102. Blouses by Escapada, $52-78

Wish you were here These little slices of history would be appreciated by anyone who calls Washington home. Each vintage postcard features a Washington landmark. Find them at South Market Antiques, Washington. $10

Where are the words?

Say what is in your heart – or your funny bone – with these wood block signs that will personalize any space.

“Heart, family, home” is available at South Market Antiques, Washington, $12; Find “Moon and back” at Cottage Junkies, Washington, $24; and pick up “Best trade I ever made” at Nauti Life, Washington. $10.95

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2014 | WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE • 17

FOR THE GOOD

Animal Control Chief Todd Taylor holds Rocket and Manny, brothers abandoned and found on the side of the road. These two were rescued days after this photo; a third sibling was adopted.

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Kathy Rivera spends a little quality time with Slick, who was reclaimed by his owner later that day.

GIVE ME SHELTER Humane Society works to save forgotten animals

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Written by VAIL STEWART RUMLEY | Photographs by WILL PRESLAR

he photo goes up online — a kitten, black with white socks and white bib, a blob of white on its little nose. Minutes later, a response. Then two, five, ten.

Some comment on the poor creature’s circumstances, others with leads to potential adopters. Finally, there’s the one response that counts.

From there, it happens quickly.

ENC Shelter Cats Facebook page moderator Theresa Woolard informs Washington Cat Rescue’s founder Leslie Steele who, in turn, tells Animal Control Officer Josh Jobe.

Jobe handles the particulars and makes the adoption happen. Humane

Society of Beaufort County picks up part of the tab for the required spay/ neuter.

In a matter of hours, that kitty is well on its way to a new home.

In the past year, this collaboration has become a well-oiled machine.

Animal-control officers manage a constant flow of cats and dogs into the shelter and their basic needs; Humane Society volunteers see to their comfort and promote their adoptions, using whatever means they can.

But what’s clear is that animal control staff and volunteers are all working together to save as many lives as they can.

THE VOLUNTEERS “There’s no such thing as a ‘nokill shelter,’” says Margaret Petersen.

It’s a startling statement coming from the long-time Humane Society volunteer, a winner of the Governor’s Volunteer Service Award for her Humane Society work last year. But her words are truth.

“Even the ones who say they are get loaded to capacity,” she says.

“And then what happens?”

It’s a pragmatic approach, which sums up the local Humane Society’s take on what’s important: they are not fighting a philosophical kill vs. no kill battle. Beaufort County’s

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2014 | WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE • 19

Left: Many of the dogs at the animal shelter form immediate attachments to staff and volunteers, one of the reasons they work so hard to find the animals good homes, quickly. Right: Leslie Steele, founder of Washington Cat Rescue, juggles kittens at a photo shoot for ENC Shelter Cats’ Facebook page.

shelter, the Betsy Bailey Nelson Animal Control Facility, does not have the luxury of being “nokill”: the sheer number of animals coming into the facility eliminates that option.

Here, the Humane Society volunteers are boots-on-theground, putting their money where it counts by working with animal control, helping fund the countysupported spay/neuter program, and cut down on the number of animals coming into the shelter.

“In my opinion, what’s going to help the animals the most is promoting responsible pet ownership,” says Marty Poffenberger, president of the local Humane Society chapter.

Poffenberger calls the shelter “lucky,” explaining that between a state of the art shelter, the staff and dedicated volunteers, the group effort toward education and 20 • WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2014

adoption is working.

“The people who make a difference are the people who are in it for the long haul,” Poffenberger says. “To me, that’s why I’m always on the side of the animal control guys. They’re the ones who have to see it every day.

These guys are doing the best they can.”

For Kathy Rivera, doing the best she can means coordinating rescues from the local shelter up and down the east coast. Maryland, Maine, New York — Rivera, in a few short months, has tapped into rescue sources and does transports herself. If a purebred comes into the shelter, she contacts breedspecific rescue programs.

“I have a relationship with these dogs from the time they come in until they go to the rescue,” Rivera says. “We love it when we’re successful. When we’re not, it just

breaks our hearts.”

Two recent successes came in the form of Jay and Joe, two senior hound dogs who had little chance for adoption at the shelter.

Rivera arranged their rescue by the Southern Animal Rescue Alliance in November. Now, Jay and Joe are living out their days in a doggie dream: on a farm in South Carolina.

Closer to home, Dottie Walker uses her photography skills to entice potential pet owners through ENC Shelter Cats and the Daily News’ Pets of the Week. On a weekly basis, she captures adoptees’ personalities through images. It’s her way of contributing.

“I didn’t want to come here.

I really didn’t,” she says about the shelter. “But once I got here, I realized that this was where I needed to be. … You feel like

Dottie Walker volunteers her time photographing the animals for the Daily News’ Pets of the Week and social media.

you’re working together for a common goal.”

THE STAFF Todd Taylor made a lateral move from the county water department to animal control in 2007. As someone who grew up in a farm environment, the job seemed like a perfect fit, and with the number of animal cruelty calls that were coming in, he realized this was where he could make a change.

“It started opening my eyes to what was out there,” Taylor says.

“You could make a difference.

The joy you get from that — it’s

a feeling of accomplishment, that you’re actually in a place where you can make a difference.”

When Taylor took over as chief officer with animal control, he had a laundry list of ways he was determined to make a difference: finding a way to get the county back on the side of animal control, updating outdated ordinances that now allow animal control officers to write citations, improving security and garnering county support for the spay/neuter program.

But first and foremost was getting adoption rates up.

“In order to get those adoption rates up, you’ve got to make a

place that’s like a home,” Taylor says. “I try to do everything I can do to make (the shelter) a comfortable place. … I keep my office door open.”

Keeping his office door open has earned him the respect of Humane Society volunteers. Dedicating Jobe’s services to work with volunteers in facilitating adoptions and rescues has done the same.

Adoption/rescue rates have skyrocketed as a result.

“The steps forward we’ve taken over the last year and a half — it’s paying off,” Taylor says. “You feel like you’re doing something right.

It’s a hell of a relief.”

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2014 | WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE • 21

HOME JOURNAL

Jane Olsen cuts the dough for homemade "Cheezits."

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Eat real food JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2014 | WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE • 23

Homemade Italian bread makes a tasty snack when dunked in marinara sauce.

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Above: Jane Olsen, in a sunny corner of her kitchen, explains why she started blogging about eating real food. Right: Olsen at work making an afterschool snack for her boys Emmett and Ollie.

A blogger's journey Story and Photos by VAIL STEWART RUMLEY

It started with Jamie Oliver. The name may not be familiar, but to many, he’s a food hero, the man who debunked the myth that menu items like chicken nuggets are not, sadly, actual food, but a concoction of cast offs and chemicals that when fried becomes a tasty treat to millions.

It continued with mac-n-cheese, the oh-sofamiliar blue box that has become a staple in any pantry belonging to a growing family. But read the label, and you’ll find the dye that makes this meal so uniquely orange is actually petroleum based.

Read the label on any random item in the grocery store and more often than not, shoppers will be confronted with a list of additives, dyes and preservatives, a brew of chemicals that JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2014 | WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE • 25

Italian bread, fresh from the Olsen oven.

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Rolling out the dough and cutting it is the hardest part of this simple recipe for homemade "Cheezits."

are something, but what that something is, is decidedly not food.

Now one Washington woman, fed up with incomprehensible labels, is fighting back one meal at a time, and sharing the process over the blogosphere. Jane Olsen has taken her family — husband Andy, Ollie, 9, and Emmett, 7 — on a food journey into the past, to a culinary era when vegetables were vegetables, meat was meat and snacks were made with real ingredients.

“I’ve always cooked and I’ve always loved to cook, but I was just as guilty as anybody else with the convenient food,” Olsen says. “It was so much easier to just give them the box of mac-ncheese or frozen chicken nuggets rather than fight about it. When it’s 6 o’clock and everybody just got home and they’re screaming because they’re hungry, you do whatever it takes just to fill

tummies.”

But realizing she was feeding her children things not really intended for consumption — hamburger patties washed with ammonia, wood pulp used as an anti-caking agent in prepackaged grated cheeses — but accompany food nonetheless, changed her mind about the convenience factor.

“Yeah, this is easier, but at what cost?” she asked herself.

THE NEW NORM Think back and for many of us, guaranteed, there is a stockpile of fond memories that invariably took place in a kitchen: making cookies, stirring cake batter, standing at the elbows of mothers and grandmothers as they stirred something on the stove.

Cooking, however, is slowly becoming a lost art. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics,

in 2012, almost 60 percent of American households with children had two working parents.

For working families, convenience has become the new norm when it comes to food. For many, it seems like the only option.

“I have friends who grew up in houses where there was no cooking; there were no groceries,” Olsen says. “A lot of people don’t know how to do it anymore. If it doesn’t come from a box, they don’t know how to do it.”

Olsen, however, not only loves to cook, but loves to cook for as many people as she possibly can.

“That’s my happy place. That’s my center,” she says. “That’s one of the best feelings for me: everybody eating my food.”

And because she’s good at it, the requests have come pouring in: can you teach me to make this? Can you teach me to make that?

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2014 | WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE • 27

A work of culinary art and much better, and better for you, than store bought.

Yes, as a matter of fact, she can.

But why teach one, when you can teach everyone?

JANEYBELLBAKES.BLOGSPOT.COM The top of the page says it all: Eat Real Food. Scroll down the page, and slowly but surely, the blog is filling up with entries about how to make real food.

The posts feature all-natural recipes written in a style that is uniquely Olsen. The chicken and pastr y recipe bears the warning “Hey, you just touched raw chicken … wash your hands!;” the pastr y crust for family-sized chicken pot pie, these words of encouragement: “As you can see, it doesn't have to be pretty or perfect. Pinch together any pieces that may have torn in the transfer process. If you had a really hard time with it, no worries! This will be just as delicious with a patchwork crust on top!”

The recipes are easy to follow and accompanied by images that demystify phrases like “until it sticks to the back of a spoon” for those who feel a little lost in a kitchen.

Case in point, bread. If you’ve never made it before, it can be a daunting task.

“I’ll take step-by-step pictures of bread dough, so people can see what it looks like — the consistency after you kneaded it or what the first rise looks like,” Olsen explains. “Most recipes take a privileged point of view that you know what you’re doing. ‘Let it double in size?’ You have no idea what that means if you’ve never done it before.”

Olsen breaks it down and explains the process: stovetop, homemade mac-n-cheese that takes only as

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much time as the store-bought box stuff; “Cheezits” that melt in your mouth and only require a few key ingredients in a food processor — the most time consuming part is cutting the dough with a pizza cutter; “popcorn” chicken that puts the fast-food version to shame.

Olsen hopes the blog will eventually generate enough traffic so she can pull in a few sponsors and stay home and continue to share her good food journey. Her recipes have certainly found success with Olsen family if the pictures of Emmett and Ollie munching on the results are any indication: they give Mom a big thumbs up.

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LOVE NOTES Marian and Bill Booth at home over the Christmas holidays.

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Growing together Couples share their love stories Written by MONA MOORE | Photographs by WILL PRESLAR

B

ill Booth said his wife, Marian, was like no one else he’d ever met before.

“She was quiet, a little timid,” he said. “She was just different. I felt that I could trust her.”

He was hooked from the beginning.

The odds of a happy marriage aren’t what they used to be. In any given week, the number of divorces in Beaufort County outnumbers the marriages. Still, there are plenty of success stories here.

Bill and Marian met on the campus of St. Augustine’s University in Raleigh. Bill had

returned to school and Marian worked there. Bill owned a restaurant in Raleigh that Marian and her friends made it a point to visit.

“He was very knowledgeable in business. I saw him as an individual who was focused, wanted to grow.

He wanted to have the opportunity to share that with someone. I felt I would be safe and protected,” recalled Marian.

Bill knew he wanted a big family.

Until he met Marian, he wasn’t sure it would happen. As sure as he was that he could be a good father, he could not imagine being a committed partner.

Bill and Marian shared that

desire for a large family. He wanted six children, and that is exactly how many they have raised. Bill had two children when he met Marian and their union brought four more.

“And that was what really made me want to really focus on family,” Bill said. “I wanted to be there, especially for them. I wanted to nurture them and watch them grow.”

Having children shaped their lives together. The Booths formed friendships and became active in the community through the extracurricular activities of the children. It was important to both of them to serve as examples to their children, to work hard and

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A collection of photos of the Booth family over the years.

continue to help others.

The marriage served as an example to the children, too.

Marian said she wanted her children to have pleasant memories of what it was to be a family and build relationships.

Bill’s advice to anyone looking for love and marriage is to make sure that is really what you want.

“It’s being willing to take a chance with each other,” he said.

“It has to be more than mental; it has to be spiritual.”

Marian said happy couples learn to work as a team, to sacrifice and to cooperate with one another. The

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sacrifices don’t become barriers.

Each individual can grow in a relationship.

“You grow into one another,” she said. “Success comes in learning one another, being able to listen to each other and share what’s right and what’s wrong.”

Scott and BeckIE Scott and Beckie Sipprell may be the epitome of opposites attracting. They met in high school when Scott was a self-proclaimed wallflower and Beckie a hippy. She tried out for the school plays. He

worked backstage.

“He was as geeky a guy as you could get, button-down sweaters and turtlenecks. I don’t think they could figure us out,” Beckie said.

One simple fact is as true today as it was back then: “We like each other,” Scott said.

“We have fun together.”

That fun has included globetrotting, two kids, four grandchildren, a farm and a successful business.

Scott first noticed Beckie when they were high school sophomores.

It took a little longer for Beckie.

They officially met when Scott was

Scott and Beckie Sipprell on a date, then on their wedding day. The couple defines the phrase "opposites attract."

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Scott and Beckie Sipprell tell their story from the swing outside The Moss House, the bed and breakfast the couple own in Washington.

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JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2014 | WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE • 35

dating a friend of Beckie’s and she a friend of his.

Scott took Beckie to the prom.

Beckie asked that he bring her a single flower rather than a corsage.

By 19, they were married and living Hawaii.

“I talked him into the marriage part,” Beckie said.

The statement took Scott aback, but he continued smiling and responded with his favorite response for anything his wife says: “Whatever you say, dear. I live to make you happy,” he said.

At 19, Scott had joined the Navy. He was going away, and that brought the relationship to a crossroad.

Marrying as teenagers was a challenge.

“We had to learn to grow up together. It was sink or swim,” Beckie said.

They have been plunging into deep waters ever since. There was the time they moved out of state with a job prospect (not an offer) for Scott. They ended up buying a farm.

A similar move brought them to Washington. They bought the Moss House and became innkeepers.

And they have done everything together since.

“That’s important,” Beckie said. “Even when our kids were little, we always made sure we had time together.”

They enjoy working on projects together and owning a bed and breakfast has given them a bevy of them.

They love to travel and have two trips slated for this winter, one to South Carolina and one to Costa 36 • WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2014

Rica.

And when Beckie takes the stage, whether it is to sing opera, act or don a choir robe, Scott is there, waiting in the wings.

Marcus and Lilly Lilly Jones counts the day she married Marcus as one of the best days of her life. The rain gave her good luck. She staved off any fainting spells. And she was surrounded by longtime friends, the longest one standing right beside her.

“We were beside each other for every big event,” Lilly said.

Decades of photos illustrate her point. In a group shot at high school graduation, they are side by side. When Lilly was part of the Washington High School homecoming court, Marcus drove her in the parade.

Even when they were dating other people, Lilly and Marcus went to proms together. Marcus was the last person Lilly said goodbye to when she headed off to Meredith College and the first person she phoned when she arrived there.

“He’s literally been my best guy friend since we were kids,” Lilly said.

Marcus and Lilly grew up together in Smallwood. They have memories of looking for tadpoles in the ditch behind his house and climbing a magnolia tree in the front yard of hers.

“If you got through to the top, you could see the airport,” Lilly recalled.

They rode bikes together and their families vacationed together.

When Lilly’s family moved to a home on the river, it wasn’t long before they were crossing the Pamlico to visit each other.

Now, the Joneses are back on the river together. They built their dream home there and bought a boat. Lilly hopes they grow old together watching sunsets there.

They have a daughter, Livi, who looks like Marcus and acts like Lilly; and a son, Davis, who looks like his mom and acts like his dad.

“We’re going to have challenges with our children, I’m sure,” Marcus said. “But it’s going to be fun.”

Marcus and Lilly never thought they would raise their family in Washington. Now, they couldn’t imagine being anywhere else. The biggest thrill has been seeing one old friend after another move back to Washington, too.

“I think it’s hard to explain what pulls you back here or what’s great about growing up here unless you’ve experienced it,” Marcus said.

Marcus and Lilly look forward to the future, raising children in a town they know like the backs of their hands. Lilly says she even knows what cornfields her kids will escape to (and drink in) once they are teenagers.

For them, Washington is a town full of memories, one full of people who celebrate their triumphs and feel their losses.

“It’s such a tight-knit community,” Lilly said.

College was the turning point for these friends. Lilly remembers taking a trip to New York with her mother and telling her she was falling in love with Marcus.

Lilly and Marcus Jones take a look at a photo album containing pictures of the two of them, dating back to childhood.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2014 | WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE • 37

Through the years: images portray first friendship, then love, between the Joneses. As friends, they always had each other for formal dance dates.

38 • WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2014

Birthdays, dances, Homecoming parades, the Joneses always had each other.

College was also a turning point for Lilly’s health. She jokes that she was glad Marcus was already in love with her by the time she was diagnosed with her heart condition at age 19. Marcus says it has all been worth it.

Lilly’s blood pressure would drop if she stood for longer than 12 minutes, causing her to faint.

She had to exchange marriage vows seated and raised her children with the help of a nanny.

A new prescription has given Lilly her life back. She can drive again and no longer crawls around the house to avoid a fainting spell.

Marcus and Lilly’s courtship was very old-fashioned. They dated for four months before Marcus finally kissed her.

Both were nervous about that first kiss. It was either going to be great or it was going to be like kissing a sibling.

“Thank God it wasn’t like my brother,” laughed Lilly.

Dating a longtime friend came easy because they knew everything about each other. There were no surprises. Marriage has been just as easy. They tied the knot 10 years ago.

“We know each other so well,” Marcus said. “If I do something, I know what her reaction is going to be.”

Lilly said they finish each other’s sentences.

“He’s just an extension of my soul,” she said.

“I didn’t say it, but I was thinking

it,” Marcus teased.

“He’s my third arm,” laughed Lilly.

“Ok,” Marcus said, trumped.

Lilly’s sense of humor is one of Marcus’s favorite things about his wife.

“Her sense of humor, her view on life,” he listed.

Lilly’s advice to any newlywed is to always be honest and enjoy the small moments. Despite the “parentheses” they leave around her mouth, she strongly recommends laughing together.

Lilly has always said she wants to be the first to go.

“It sounds kind of morbid,” she admits. “But, he’s my heart. I want to be the first because I can’t live life without him.”

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2014 | WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE • 39

IN THE GARDEN

A yellow rose from the Broad Creek garden of Judith Meyer

40 • WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2014

Everything’s coming up roses

P

Written by MONA MORE

rickly thorns, perfect soils, ugly diseases.

No one will ever call roses a simple addition to a Beaufort County garden.

But, there is no need to be intimidated.

A few local experts have offered some tips on growing a budding beauty.

The extension has publications that cover growing roses in this area.

“The first thing I would suggest somebody do is pick one up,” said Jacob Searcy, a Cooperative Extension agent specializing in horticulture.

The top question Searcy gets from people about roses is when and how to prune them.

“Roses should be pruned about late February to early March for our area,” he said. “The key is to look for the buds to swell. In late February, when the buds start to swell, that’s the time to prune them.”

If roses are pruned too early, the plants can be damaged; if pruning is done long after the buds swell, the plants can lose vigor and sap.

Cut rose bushes back about half of their height, about a quarter-inch above an outside bud.

He recommended pruning out all diseased, damaged or crossing canes. Thorns can damage any canes that cross each other.

“Cutting back dead, diseased and damaged canes can be done any time,” Searcy said. “Be sure to clean any tool used on a diseased plant with alcohol before using it on another.”

Most varieties of roses do well in this area, according to Searcy.

“They’re pretty tough and resilient,” he said.

“But, they do take some care.”

He recommended planting roses in a medium soil that is not too sandy or full of clay.

“Try not to crowd them together,” he added.

He also suggested choosing a spot that would give them six to eight hours of sun each day.

Master Gardener Chris Young recommended

growing single-bloom knockout roses.

“The double don’t produce,” she said.

She swears by the Bear System.

“In the blue bottle, Lowe’s has it,” Young said.

“You start out by putting it on every six weeks. It feeds them as well as protects them from disease.”

Ross Boyer, owner of Pamlico Turf Management and Landscaping, agreed that knockout roses were the easiest to grow in eastern North Carolina.

“This is not the area for your regular hybrid petals and floribundas,” he said. “The best for here are the knockout roses, which aren’t true roses.”

Boyer said knockouts are not as vibrant as a true rose. The colors are not as vibrant, and the fragrance pales by comparison.

“They’ve been a very popular breed in the landscaping industry because they require little or no care,” he said.

To grow a true showpiece, Boyer said a lot of time and attention is involved.

“You have to worry about the black spots, use a lot of chemicals and need a heavier soil than what occurs naturally out here,” he explained.

Boyer has found a few areas in Washington that have soil with what he calls “good organics.”

“Macswood and Smallwood have clay-heavy soil.

So, they would be naturally good organics,” he said.

A healthy plant is an important first step to beautiful roses. Boyer recommended avoiding the rose bushes found sitting in bags on the shelves of large stores.

“It all depends on how long they have been in the bag, waiting to be planted,” he said. “Sometimes it's better to buy reputable plants at growers like Jackson and Perkins or a company called Witherspoon out of Durham.”

When seeking advice for the best plants for the area, Boyer said to always go to the source: a reputable grower.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2014 | WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE • 41

FOR YOUR HEALTH

There’s more to wellness than numbers on a scale, according to Vidant Wellness Center staff.

With resolutions, it pays to be resolute

42 42 •• WASHINGTON WASHINGTONTHE THEMAGAZINE MAGAZINE||JANUARY/FEBRUARY JANUARY/FEBRUARY2014 2014

Mikes Hayes, who once weighed 500 pounds, has a goal to reach 250 pounds by the end of 2014.

Wellness is much more than dropping pounds Written by MIKE VOSS

W

hen it comes to wellness resolutions made at the beginning of a new year, actions speak louder than words.

It’s no secret that many Washington-area residents make resolutions to lose weight. It takes more than just talking about losing weight to lose weight, according to Judy Van Dorp, the director and

an exercise specialist, and personal trainer Mike Hayes with the Vidant Wellness Center in Washington.

“I think anyone who makes a resolutions needs to have a plan to go along with it because a simple statement ‘I’m going to lose weight this year’ is not enough. You’ve got to back it up. You’ve got to have a plan,” Van Dorp said. “And that plan needs to be specific, and your goals need to be specific.”

Van Dorp suggests those people who make resolutions to lose weight develop plans that address nutrition and exercise, the two key parts of any weight-loss program.

“It takes both of them. Neither one of them works by itself,” she said.

Proper diet and exercise should go together, well, like a sunrise followed by a sunset, Van Dorp said.

“I think people are most JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2014 | WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE • 43

The equipment at Vidant Wellness Center used to help maintain wellness gets much use.

successful in losing weight when they are given or figure out a calorie goal for themselves as far as how many calories they need to use up as far as exercise and how many calories they are going to take in with food. Then, you come out with an energy balance,” Van Dorp said.

Establishing and religiously following an exercise program and a nutrition program are musts when it comes to being successful in meeting goals, Van Dorp said. Another key is not letting other activities disrupt those programs, she noted.

Hayes, who once weighed 500 pounds and continues to work on losing weight, said it makes more sense for a person to make a wellness resolution than just a weight-loss resolution. He recommends that people focus on overall well-being instead of just weight because there’s more to being healthy than just losing weight.

“Weight loss is probably the biggest new year’s resolution that people undertake. I think the main thing before you set out looking for a gym is you’ve got to have a plan in place of what you’re looking

44 • WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2014

for,” Hayes said. “If you make the connection between quality of your life — today, tomorrow, five or 10 years down the line — act accordingly today.

You can’t say 10 years down the line, ‘I should have worked out 10 years previous to get in better shape.’

The action has to have some sort of connection between future endeavors.”

How much weight a person wants to lose is immaterial to him, Hayes said.

“When we talk about wellness in this place, when I talk with people who come in off the streets, I ask them, I beg them, I make them promise me not to step on a scale for a while. The progress that you’re going to make in a balanced workout routine and regimen is not going to immediately drop off a lot of weight in the beginning. It’s just not,” Hayes said.

“The strength training puts on muscle, and muscle weighs more than fat. It kind of balances that weight loss. People get discouraged because they want to see progress, and progress for a lot of folks is measured by the scale and the number staring back at you after two weeks of working out really hard.”

People looking for a “good number” tied to immediate weight loss can get discouraged, he said.

It’s this time when these people must realize that wellness is much more than just a lower number on the scale, Hayes noted.

“Are you able to participate in your life fully?

To me, that’s wellness. If your weight prevents you from doing things you love to do, there’s an issue that needs to be addressed. The great thing about Jan. 1 resolutions is they give you a jumping-off point, where you can change your behavior from that date. The hard part comes in when it becomes a challenge, when it becomes an inconvenience,” Hayes said.

Sometimes after a hard day at work, “the last thing you want to do is step into a gym and bust your tail with sweat and lift some weights for an hour if it’s an inconvenience. So, the commitment end is a big deal,” Hayes said.

Wellness is all about attitude, one that requires some sacrifices, Hayes said.

“If it’s a priority, then the sacrifices are worth it,” he said.

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CAST A LINE

Speckled trout fishing suits the lazy (laid back fisherman)

A

Written by CAPT. RICHARD ANDREWS

t first glance, one might think that wintertime speckled trout (spotted sea trout or specs) fishing is too challenging and requires long hours in the wind and cold in less than ideal weather conditions. In reality, winter spec fishing on the Pamlico River suits just about anybody who doesn't want to exert too much effort in their fishing day.

Specs are perhaps the most sought after species by local anglers along the Pamlico. They can be caught in great numbers throughout the winter months. Much of their behavior, and the subsequent success of anglers chasing them, can be attributed Four anglers from Cary — Dick, Javier, Joe and Gil — display their to timing the weather conditions. limit of speckled trout caught in the Pamlico River.

Specs inhabit estuarine waters north of here absorbs the sun's midday rays and causes a localized in the mid-Atlantic states, but for all intents and warming affect that increased the feeding activity of purposes, our area is at the northern end of their the trout. range. Although hard freezes and rapid drops At this point, you might be asking yourself why in water temps can kill them (and this event is you are reading all of this scientific mumbo jumbo? a natural part of their lives), speckled trout in The point is that if you want to fish for speckled more Northern areas of their range have unique trout in the winter in our area, watch the weather adaptations that allow them to survive the winter. closely and pick the most beautiful day of the week They are more tolerant of cold water and lower to fish ... one during which you might only wear a salinity, and certain physical characteristics of our short-sleeve shirt during the middle of the day. We river provide just the habitat they need to survive have plenty of beautiful winter days like that here. the winter.

Sleep in until about 10 a.m., pack a lunch, and When water temperatures become cold, a spec's metabolism slows dramatically, and it simply doesn't head out to enjoy the recreational opportunities and local seafood that our river provides. Even the feed as much as it would during warmer months. laziest, least-motivated fisherman in town can catch Severe cold fronts, cold nighttime air temps and speckled trout in the late winter. drops in water temp by just a few degrees can shut them down for a day or two. Conversely, warming trends of a day or two can really fire them off and Capt. Richard Andrews is a resident of Washington make them feed like hungry piranhas. Often, they and the owner of a local year-round guide service offering choose to feed during the middle of the day when fishing excursions the sun is high and has warmed the water's surface on the Pamlico and and shallow mud flats adjacent to deep channels nearby rivers. He can or pools in the backs of creeks or in the extreme be reached at 252upper reaches of the Pamlico River near downtown 945-9715 or richard@ Washington. The dark-colored mud or muck tarpamguide.com

46 • WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2014

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Steaks, Shrimp & Grits, Nightly g y Chef’s Specials p & Billy’s y Famous Char-Grilled Oysters Live Entertainment Every Sat Night Wed Night Karaoke with DJ Captain Morgan

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WORD ON WINE

Love by the Glass...and Plate

A

Written by James McKelvey and Yvonne Sedgwick

few years ago, some friends gave us a copy of “Love By the Glass: Tasting Notes from a Marriage” by Wall Street Journal wine commenting duo, Dorothy J. Gaiter and John Brecher. Each chapter of the couple’s joint memoir is headed with the name of a wine they were discovering at the same time they were learning new things about each other, about parenting and about their professional abilities. We loved following Dottie and John from their first bottle of André Cold Duck, through the bottle of Taittinger Brut “La Francaise” they bought to wet the lips of their newborn daughter and on to finding new wine regions, great vintages and interesting food pairings. Their adventurous story of wine discovery parallels the couple’s development as professional wine writers, but it also highlights the ups and downs of new love becoming deeper and more mature.

We were not “wine professionals” when we read that book, but we soon learned that there are strong connections between experiencing and learning about the world of food and wine and deepening our understanding and appreciation and love of each other. When we opened The Back Bay Café in Belhaven, we still had a lot to learn both about how to work together and how food and wine work together. We remember Mondays at home, copies of Food & Wine and Gourmet magazines spread out on the living room floor, coming up with adventurous new tastes and wines for the following weekend’s menu.

We wouldn’t recommend the somewhat perilous

route of opening a restaurant to strengthen your relationship.

But we do encourage cooking together as a way to clearly delineate roles and sharing. Your partner’s strengths can help you overcome your deficiencies as you produce a delightful meal together ... with the help of a few glasses of wine. You might call it “Love by the Plate.”

Of course, food and wine are also a good entree into new love. Preparing an exceptional meal or obtaining a unique bottle of wine for that “special someone” can get the ball rolling and the fires ignited. It’s not only a man’s heart that can be approached through his stomach; a woman’s heart needs nourishment as well. Any man who can wear an apron and handle a corkscrew can open the door to new beginnings.

There is also a wine analogy that fits the development and deepening over the years of a mature relationship. As a fine wine ages, it develops complexity, depth and integration. The various flavors are no longer fighting for dominance. Instead, they meld and merge, each adding to the other until the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Fine wines are to be enjoyed in leisure, with quiet attention, just like fine old relationships.

So in this season of Cupid’s slings and arrows, why not draw a cork and pull out the saucepans ... and enjoy a sip and a sup with someone you love.

James “The Wine Guy” McKelvey and “Chef Yvonne” Sedgwick are proprietors of Wine & Words ... & Gourmet in downtown Washington.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2014 | WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE • 49

LET’S EAT

Harvest Salad

Date night 50 • WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2014

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2014 | WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE • 51

Flank Steak

Romantic dinners are served best at home Written by KEVIN SCOTT CUTLER Food PREPARATION AnD PhotographS By VAIL STEWART RUMLEY

L

ove is in the air ... and so are the marvelous aromas of a special Valentine's Day feast made at home.

Washington's restaurants offer perfect settings for romantic dinners, but if you are looking for a little "private time" then why not prepare a tasty, tantalizing meal in your own kitchen?

These recipes, culled from the Washington Daily News' Pamlico Pantry collection of local fundraising cookbooks, just may inspire you to forgo a night out on the town in favor of a chance to keep the home fires burning, so to speak.

And, as an added bonus, since Beaufort County's finest cooks seem to prefer preparing meals for a crowd instead of an intimate gathering of two, there will be plenty of leftovers to enjoy the next day ... and perhaps the day after that.

52 • WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2014

Harvest Salad Athy Tayloe Watson Saint Peter's Episcopal Church 2 pears; 1/3 cup sliced dried apricots or other dried fruit; 1 small purple onion, thinly sliced; 2 cups fresh spinach leaves; 2 cups lettuce; 1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts or pecans, toasted; 1 (4 ounce) package crumbled blue cheese, Gorgonzola or feta cheese; balsamic vinaigrette.

Toss together pears, apricots and onion. Arrange spinach and lettuce on individual plates. Top with pear mixture and sprinkle with walnuts and cheese. Drizzle with balsamic vinaigrette.

Yield: six servings.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2014 | WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE • 53

Fried Oysters Mildred Rumley Beaufort County Arts Council 1 pint oysters, drained; 2 eggs, beaten with a little salt, pepper and one tablespoon vinegar; 1/2 roll of saltines, rolled medium fine.

Dip oysters in egg mixture and then in crumbs.

Fry on hot griddle or skillet. Remove when brown and drain on brown paper.

Flank Steak Ruth Agee St. Thomas Episcopal Church 1/4 cup oil; 2 tablespoons soy sauce; 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder; 1 flank steak, about 1 1/2 pounds; 1 tablespoon lemon juice; 2 tablespoons dry onion soup; 1 teaspoon celery salt.

Mix marinade. Pierce steak with fork thoroughly on both sides. Marinate two hours out of the refrigerator, or six hours in the refrigerator. Turn frequently. Grill or broil seven minutes per side for medium rare. Slice with the grain of the meat with a fillet knife. Time of grilling may vary according to your taste.

54 • WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2014

Braised Peppers and Potatoes Italiano Connie Howard Beaufort County Arts Council 6 large peppers, red and green; 3 medium onions; 4 medium potatoes, skins on; 1/2 pound fresh mushrooms; 1/4 cup olive oil; 2 garlic cloves, crushed; 1/4 cup water; 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar; 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon; 3/4 teaspoon salt; 1 teaspoon fresh basil, chopped (or 1/2 teaspoon dried basil); parsley for garnish.

Cut peppers into 1/2 inch strips; Cut onions into quarters. Cut potatoes in 1/2 inch slices. If mushrooms are large, cut into halves. In 12-inch skillet, heat oil over medium heat, then cook all vegetables and garlic until lightly browned.

Stir gently and often during cooking. Then stir in water, vinegar, bouillon, salt and basil.

Heat until boiling. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer about 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Test with fork for tenderness. Place on platter and garnish with parsley sprigs. Yield: six servings.

Touch of Honey Biscuits Heather Alligood Beaufort County Grange #1233 1 cup all-purpose flour; 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder; 1/4 teaspoon salt; 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar; 1/4 cup cold butter; 1/3 cup milk; 1 teaspoon honey.

In a bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt and cream of tartar; cut in butter until crumbly.

Stir in milk and honey, just until moistened. Turn onto a floured surface; knead gently eight to 10 times. Roll out to 3/4-inch thickness; cut with a floured 2 1/2-inch biscuit cutter. Place one inch apart on a greased baking sheet. Bake at 450 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. Yield: four biscuits.

New York Cheesecake Debra Lilley Washington Pediatrics 6 eggs; 2 pounds soft cream cheese; 1 1/2 cups flour; 1 pint heavy whipping cream; 1 teaspoon vanilla; 1 graham cracker crust.

Add eggs one at a time to cheese. Add sugar and flour; fold in whipping cream and vanilla.

Bake at 300 degrees for 60 minutes.

Fried Oysters

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2014 | WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE • 55

CALENDAR

OUT AND ABOUT

Jan. 15 Colonial Candlewicking Workshop • Historic Bath Visitor Center • Women’s Work Winter Workshop 1 will begin at 10 a.m. Join staff to learn the early craft of candlewicking. You don’t have to be able to sew or do fancy needlework to find success with this craft. The cost of the class is $5 a person, with a maximum number of 10 participants. Each person will complete a simple design on a flour-sack dish towel.

Meet at Historic Bath Visitor Center.

Jan. 24-26 Book Sale • Washington Civic Center • The annual Friends of Brown Library book sale is held at the Washington Civic Center. The entire building is filled with books.

From rare to children’s, coffee table to best sellers … you can find it at this annual sale. Call 252-946-4300 for information.

Feb. 1 Lecture Series • Historic Bath Visitor Center • Lecture series: John Day in Liberia: Southern Baptist missionary and a founder of the republic, 10 a.m. Learn about the older brother of Thomas Day, who emigrated to Liberia in 1830 as a participant in the American Colonization Movement. Based on research of his letters, speaker Janie Leigh Carter will relay information about Day’s theology, his views of race and slavery, the Liberian people, their culture and more. Free.

Feb. 12 Valentine Workshop

Many of the best wildfowl carvers in the world bring their talent and work to the annual East Carolina Wildlife Arts Festival and North Carolina Decoy Carving Championships each winter in Washington. The three-day event showcases some of the best wildlife artists and their creations. The event is organized by the East Carolina Wildfowl Guild.

Feb. 7-9 Wildlife Arts Festival • Downtown Washington • The 19th-annual East Carolina Wildlife Arts Festival and N.C. Decoy Carving Championships combines the area’s waterfowl heritage with the arts for a spectacular event. Artists from throughout the nation bring the talents for wildlife lovers and outdoor enthusiasts to enjoy.

The N.C. Decoy Carving Championships showcase the amazing artistry related to decoy carving. For more information, visit www.eastcarolinawildfowlguild. com or call 1-800-546-0162, ext.

3.

Feb. 8-9 Decoy Memorabilia Display • N.C. Estuarium • There is a special display of renowned waterfowl carver Chuck May’s decoy memorabilia that was donated to the Estuarium.

This exhibit will be on display during the East Carolina Wildlife Arts Festival and N.C. Decoy Carving Championships. Call 252-948-0000 for information.

56 • WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2014

Feb. 8 Wildlife Festival Dinner and Auction • Washington Yacht & Country Club • East Carolina Wildlife Arts Festival dinner and auction, 6 p.m. This auction features works of art and award-winning decoy carvings featured at the festival. The auction is free and open to the public. Reservations and tickets required for the dinner.

Call 252-948-9415, ext. 2 or 3, for tickets or reservations.

Feb. 8 Children’s Decoy Painting Workshop • N.C. Estuarium • This activity is free, but preregistration is required.

Children must be between 4 and 12 years of age. This annual event is co-sponsored by the East Carolina Wildfowl Guild in conjunction with the East Carolina Wildlife Arts Festival. Call 252948-0000 for more information.

Historic Bath Visitor Center • Women’s Work Winter Workshop 2: Quill You Be My Valentine? at 10 a.m. This workshop is timely if you would like to apply the technique of twirling paper into designs into a romantic, old-timey valentine.

All materials needed to quill and make valentines will be provided. The cost of class is $5 a person, with a maximum number of 15 participants. Meet at Historic Bath Visitor Center.

Feb. 13 Artwalk • Downtown Washington • 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. This free-to-thepublic showcase of local visual art takes place on Main, Water and Gladden streets on the second Thursday of February, May, August and November. The quarterly happening features art in galleries open to browsers, collectors or the plain curious, with refreshments and live entertainment thrown in for good measure. Call 252-9463969 for more information.

Feb. 13 Seniors Dance • Washington Civic Center • 7 p.m. Singles and couples over 50 are welcome to come and dance the night away. Admission is $7, 50/50 drawing. Door prizes. No alcohol/no smoking/ no children.

Feb. 15 Valentine’s dance • Belhaven • 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. Call 252943-3770 for more information.

J o i n u s t o o b s e rv e G e o r G e Wa s h i n G t o n ’ s b i rt h day

George would never guess what his namesake has become...

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Help us celebrate all that is Washington, NC.

Come for delicious samples of local restaurants’ best cuisine, beer & wine tastings, & more!

Gail Kenefick

Broker/GRI

The best of local restaurants, NC brews, fine wines & other life amenities.

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CALENDAR

OUT AND ABOUT

Feb. 20 Movie: “42” • Historic Bath • Night at the Movies presents “42 The True Story of an American Legend” (128 minutes, PG-13) The life story of Jackie Robinson and his history-making signing with the Brooklyn Dodgers under the guidance of team executive Branch Rickey. 7 p.m. at Historic Bath Visitor Center. Free.

Feb. 22 Plowin’ Panthers 5K • Downtown Washington • 9 a.m. Fundraiser for Northside High School FFA. Call 252-9436341 for more information.

Feb. 27 Taste the Good Life in Little Washington • Washington Civic Center • Come out to help celebrate all that is Washington. Come for delicious samples of local restaurants’ best cuisine, beer and wine tastings, preview fashion trends and more. This event is held at the Washington Civic Center

from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. For ticket information, call 252-946-9168 or visit www.wbcchamber.com.

March 8 Pamlico Writers Conference & Competition • Washington Civic Center • 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. A day filled with workshops, a keynote speaker and a panel discussion on The Craft of Writing, a.k.a. The Labor After the Inspiration. A boxed lunch will be provided and the day will end with a writing-competition awards ceremony followed by a time for socializing, book signings and light hors d'oeuvres. Registration fee is $49. Call 252-946-2504 for more information.

March 14 Rotary Reverse Raffle • Washington Civic Center • Annual Washington Noon Rotary Reverse Raffle, 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. For information, call Steven Wood, 252-946-7151.

58 • WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2014

The annual Friends of the Brown Library book sale provides bookbuying bargains to area residents and visitors. Money raised by the event benefits Washington’s Brown Library. Books and periodicals of all types are sold. Proceeds from past book sales have purchased items such as computers for the library.

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JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2014 | WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE • 59

RIVER LIFE

Oysters: shuck’em and suck’em

Empty oyster shells provide evidence that oyster roasts have their aficionados.

60 • WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2014

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2014 | WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE • 61

Many folks prefer to see a plump, juicy oyster once an oyster shell is opened to reveal the prize inside.

The saltier the oyster tastes, the better.

62 • WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2014

Aw shucks! Are oyster roasts fading away?

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Written by MIKE VOSS | PhotographY by MEREDITH LOUGHLIN

alling it an oyster roast may be somewhat of a misnomer. Perhaps the words “oyster steam” might be more accurate.

No matter what they’re called, oyster roasts have been signature events in Beaufort County for hundreds of years; similar to the pig pickin’ that some oyster-roast veterans believe is replacing the oyster roast.

Two Beaufort County residents — attorney Keith Hackney and seafood purveyor Mac Jones — know of what they speak when it comes to oyster roasts. Hackney, wearing his traditional top hat, has been the oyster roast master at each of the Pamlico-Tar River Foundation oyster roasts, an annual fundraiser for the grassroots environmental agency. Jones did the honors when it came to cooking the oysters for the Beaufort County chapter of the N.C. State University Alumni Foundation’s oyster roast in Washington on Jan. 18, 2013.

Jones said oyster roasts were more common 25 or more years ago.

“There were guys like Ray Moore — you know Ray (his son), his daddy — who carried an oyster knife in his truck all the time. Those guys — Ray Moore, old man Wayland Sermons and old Ox Langley and old Mr. George Parker.

Those guys cooked them all the time.

Right on the back of their trucks just about,” Jones said.

When oysters were plentiful, so were oyster roasts, Hackney and Jones recalled.

“It used to be a big social thing. Bill Mack Alligood has got some pictures down at his garage of the oyster roasts they used to have at the old Dr Pepper

For years and years, oysters roasts have been a way for people to socialize.

plant. A lot of local politicians and people from Raleigh came to them,” Jones said. “Old Mr. Bill Roberson was a state legislator. Of course, he had all those people there. He was the Dr Pepper man, him and his brother-inlaw."

Jones recalled the Beaufort County school system used to have an annual oyster roast, with the employees in the maintenance department cooking the oysters.

“You know, they cook them all different ways. They steam them. Most people steam them, pretty much,” Jones said. “You can do it all kinds of ways.

People make these elaborate oystersteaming apparatus. … Most of the time you use steam to steam them. You’ve got water in the bottom and then there’s

a rack on top, be it a blue-speckled canning pot. Some people make homemade pots to cook them in. …

What really does it is heat of any kind.”

Jones said many people take an old piece of tin, build a fire under it, lay oysters on the tin and cover them with a wet, burlap sack — and old croaker sack — to cook oysters. “The heat just makes them steam themselves because they’ve got juice inside of them,” Jones said, Aside from being social functions, oysters roasts have been used as fundraisers by local organizations. An oyster roast was held for many years to benefit the Wilkinson Center in Belhaven. Of course, there’s the annual PTRF oyster roast.

“I’ve been doing it since they (PTRF) first started,” Hackney said, his chef 's JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2014 | WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE • 63

Empty oyster shells may be recycled to provide habitat for new oysters.

64 • WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2014

Oyster roast 101

Left: Keith Hackney, wearing his traditional top hat, has been the “roast master” at each of the PamlicoTar River Foundation’s oyster roasts.

Above: A seasoned oyster knife and just the right touch should result in the easy opening of an oyster shell, revealing its tasty morsel.

top hat sitting just feet away.

“Oysters have always been a big part of our area until they had a decline some years ago. They’re just beginning to come back,” Hackney said. “Things like Pamlico Beach — the fire department used to have a huge oyster roast as a fundraiser down there. The local boats would go out and catch oysters and things. It’s been a part of life in our area because the oysters have been available. It was kind of the common man’s food, and it was easy to fix.”

During their heyday, Hackney said, oyster roasts were prolific because of the abundance of oysters.

“I’ve heard about people, like my grandfather, folks who would go down at lunchtime to the boats and eat oysters for lunch, open them or have them opened there,” he said. “It was an easily available, common thing.”

“Over the years, as PTRF has

continued its oyster roasts, I’ve heard less and less about other large oyster roasts. It sounds like this is one of the oldest community-oriented oyster roasts,” Hackney said.

In his capacity as roast master at PTRF oyster roasts, Hackney uses six oyster cookers (steam), with each turning out a batch of oysters every 20 minutes. That’s 18 batches of oysters per hour, with oysters being cooked for about three hours. Hackney samples oysters from most of the batches to ensure they’re properly cooked.

When is an oyster ready to eat?

“Just when they start popping open — the shells start popping open. I told somebody — somebody said, ‘How do you know?’ I said, ‘They smile at you.’ I mean, when they just pop, that’s when it’s starting to get done. When you get some in that state, when they’re not quite open and they have juice in them, that’s when they’re really perfect.”

Need help hosting your own backyard oyster roast for some family and friends?

OysterRoasts.com has just the information you need.

First, you will need a way to cook your oysters. There are two traditional ways of cooking oysters. One way is to cook the oysters on a ¼-inch sheet of metal over an open fire. Place the metal over the fire and allow the metal to heat up. Once the metal is hot put down a layer of oysters and cover them with the burlap bag they came in from the market. You will know the metal sheet is hot when you spray it with water and it immediately turns to steam. Make sure to keep the burlap bags wet. The wet burlap bags keep heat and steam surrounding the oysters and does not allow for the burlap to catch on fire. The oysters will pop open or start to “smile” and they are ready to eat. The best way to remove the oysters from the sheet of metal is with a flat head shovel. This is considered to be the traditional way of roasting oysters.

A second way to cook oysters is to steam them in a lidded pot with a drop basket.

A 10-gallon pot should do. Put about 4 inches of water in the bottom of the pot and bring the water to a boil. Drop in your basket of oysters, put the lid on the pot and steam the oysters until they pop open. Cook the oysters a few more minutes longer after the shells have opened. The longer you steam the oysters the less moisture will be in them. Always make sure to keep some water in the bottom of the pot; cooking in a dry pot will damage your pot.

Now that you have cooked your oysters the way you like them, dump them hot on the table and dig in.

To get the oysters open you will need a good oyster knife and a hand towel or gloves to hold the hot oysters. On the table you will want a variety of condiments, including saltine crackers, hot sauce and cocktail sauce to dip your oysters in.

Melted butter with garlic, Buffalo sauce or barbecue sauce are also becoming popular condiments for the oyster table, too.

Oysters are also delicious hot right out of the shell. There is no wrong or right way to eat an oyster.

Now that you know how it is done, head down to your local seafood market and pick up a few bushels and let the fun begin. Hot oysters, cold beverages and good friends make for a great time.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2014 | WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE • 65

Y’ALL COME BACK

Why I love Washington

‘There’s no place like home’

W

Written by KIMBERLY GRIMES

e all know the movie “The Wizard of Oz” where Judy Garland played Dorothy, and she was whisked off to some mysterious land known as Oz. Eventually, Dorothy returned home by clicking together her little red shoes three times and stating, “There’s no place like home” and she was back in Kansas. Though this movie turned out to be one of the best movies of all time, I can relate to certain parts of this movie.

When I moved away, I was looking to start a life full of ambitions, dreams and hopefulness. My dream was to make a better life for me, my mom and sister. I was very thankful for the opportunities I was presented with when I was away from Washington. However, the city life eventually let me know that I was a country girl with good, old-fashion morals and values instilled by my mom and my close-knit family. But, through the illness of my mom, I headed home to care for her. That decision has been the best decision I have ever made. It became clear to me why I loved “Little Washington”: family, church, friends and the closeness of the communities.

Since I have been back, I’ve noticed some remarkable changes in our community. These changes are for the good of all creeds, demographics and ethnicities. I am happy to be a part of these changes and strive to make Washington more than a landmark that it is known for today. In working for the Washington Police-Fire Services, I have been given the opportunity to be a part of the positive changes taking place. This has allowed me to have a voice in working with our communities; it has brought a semi-closure of distrust in neighborhoods.

It has helped to target kids in need of extra help while focusing on their goals, instead of incarceration. Also, providing community activities such as NFL Weekend and National Night Out shows the community that we want to be a partner in making the community safe.

The Washington Police-Fire Services is the only agency that offers this program on the eastern coast of North 66 • WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2014

Kimberly Grimes

Carolina. Project Second Chance gives these kids the opportunity to change their life for the better. The program motto is a quote by David Rossi: “Scars remind us of where we have been but, it doesn’t have to dictate where we are going.”

I am excited to be a part of the change in “Little Washington” and strive to push our city towards excellence. It takes all of us working together and sharing in the rewards from the work we have invested in. There is no place like home, and I am glad to be a part of the new movement and positive atmosphere in Washington. I challenge you all to make Washington the best city in the eastern Carolinas.

Enrich Your New Year With Continuing Education Classes At BCCC !

Our Continuing Education Division offers a wide range of programs and courses directed toward adult learners, including Basic Skills, Business and Industry Services, Community Services, Career Readiness Certification, Emergency Medical Science, CPR and First Aid Training, Fire Services, Nurse Aide Training, Truck Driver Training, Oversize/Overweight Escort Vehicle Training, Occupational Extension/Human Resources Development, Vehicle Safety Inspection and more.

So, check out these offerings for Spring 2014. And, because other classes are added from time to time, give us a call for the latest information!

Knitting for Beginners Tuesdays, Jan. 7–Feb. 11, 6 pm – 9 p.m.

hrd-employaBility laB Jan. 7–May 13 Tues. 2 pm – 4 pm; Thurs. 2 pm – 5 pm Jan. 7–May 13 Tues. 6:30 pm – 9 pm; Thurs. 6:30 pm – 9 pm

math sense

real estate update and elective

ged assessment testing

Tues. & Thurs., Jan. 28 & 30 6 pm – 10 pm

Tuesdays at 5 pm & Wednesdays at 9 am

heartsaver cpr/aed first aid cert.

Tues. & Thurs., Jan. 28 & 30 5 pm – 9 pm Tues. & Thurs., Feb. 25 & 27 5 pm – 9 pm

vehicle safety inspection class

Mon., Wed., Thurs., Jan. 8–Feb. 27 1 pm – 3 pm Saturdays - Jan. 11, Feb. 8, March 8, April 12, May 10 9 am – 3:30 pm

career readiness for nurse aides Mon. & Wed., Jan. 13–Feb. 10 6 pm –9 pm

Monday, January 6 3 pm – 5 pm

oversize/overweight vehicle escort Tuesday, Feb. 4 ReneWAl ClASS 8 am – noon InITIAl ClASS 1 pm – 9 pm

dealing with difficult people (employees, customers & co-workers) Tuesday, January 21 6 pm – 9 pm

auto dealer license renewal

Mondays, Jan. 13–Feb. 17 6 pm – 8:30 pm

angling for grants in lean times ii

Wednesday, Feb. 19 9 am – 4 pm

intro to computers-Beginners

Saturday, January 25 9 am – noon

nurse aide i

Tuesdays, Jan. 14–March 4 6 pm–9 pm

Mon. & Wed., Feb. 19–July 30, 6 pm – 9:30 pm Tues. & Thurs., Feb. 20–June 19, 8:30 am – 3:30 pm Prerequisite class required.

conversational spanish Tuesdays, Jan. 14–March 18 6:30 pm – 9 pm

italian home-style cooKing

sewing for fun!

Tuesdays, Jan. 14–Feb. 4 11 am – 2 pm

Thurs., Feb. 20–March 27 9 am – noon & 6 pm – 9 pm

small engine repair

auto dealer initial course

Tues. & Thurs., Jan. 14–Feb. 20 6 pm – 9 p.m.

commercial trucK driver training Tues. & Thurs., Jan. 14–May 18 6 pm – 9:30 pm Saturdays & Sundays 8 am – 6 pm

healthcare provider cpr certification Tuesday, Jan. 14 5 pm – 10 pm

notary puBlic Tues. – Wed., Jan. 21–22 6 pm – 9 pm

financing your small Business Monday, January 27 6 pm – 8 pm

moBile marKeting Tuesday, February 11 2 pm – 5 pm

advertising for small Business Monday, February 24 3 pm – 5 pm

Thurs., Feb. 20 8 am – 5 pm, Fri., Feb. 21 8 am – noon

recordKeeping for small Business

forKlift training

Monday, March 10 6 pm – 9 pm

Saturday, February 22 9 am – 4 pm

using Business plan for small Business

caKe decorating ii

Monday, March 17 3 pm – 5 pm

Mondays, Feb. 24–March 31 6 pm – 9:30 pm

mKtg for craftsperson or artist i

tune-ups & techniques for lawn care

Thursday, March 20 2 pm – 5 pm

Tuesdays, March 4–25 6 pm – 9 pm

mKtg for craftsperson or artist ii

nurse aide ii

american sign language

Saturday, January 11 9 am – noon Monday, January 13 3 pm – 5 pm

Thursday, Feb. 6 6 pm – 10 pm Saturday, Feb. 22 8 am – 5 pm

caKe decorating i

angling for grants in lean times i how to write a Business plan

cpr/first aid instructor class

suBstitute teacher training Mon. – Thurs., Jan. 13–16 8 am – 2:30 pm

Friday, March 21 9 am – noon

Mon. & Wed., Mar. 10–July 30, 5 pm – 10 pm

Mondays, Jan. 27–March 17 6 pm – 9 pm

sewing for fun!

microsoft excel 2010

Thurs., April 17–May 22 9 am – noon & 6 pm – 9 pm

Mondays, Jan. 27–March 17 6 pm – 9 pm

Need more information about any of these Continuing Education classes?

Have an idea for a class not shown?

Call us at 252-940-6375.

Find us on Facebook

how to start a Business

Mon. & Tues., Feb. 3-4 5 pm – 9 pm Mon. & Tues., March 3-4 5 pm – 9 pm

arrive alive safe driving class

Free seminars From The small Business CenTer

Follow us on Twitter

Beaufort County Community College www.beaufortccc.edu

An Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Institution

Is there a place in town to grow your family?

Yes. You can get great obstetric care right here in Washington.

Together, Drs. Allan Boruszak, Jennifer Calfee and Thomas Andrews have more than 70 years of experience – delivering hundreds of babies and performing countless surgeries every year.

As part of Vidant Women’s Care-Washington, these specialists offer you a level of expertise and compassion that will help make your childbirth experience memorable. Best of all, they deliver babies in the birthing suite at Vidant Beaufort Hospital, featuring one-to-one nursing care and leading-edge technology. It’s all tailored to meet your needs.

Drs. Boruszak, Calfee and Andrews are accepting new patients. Call 252-975-1188 to make an appointment.

“As a Beaufort County native, I am thrilled to have the opportunity to offer advanced medical care in a small town setting.”

Dr. Jennifer Calfee, Vidant Women’s Care