Washington the Magazine

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First Dance

Learning social graces

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eclectic gift ideas

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2012 Washington, North Carolina

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IN THIS ISSUE

21

FEATURES & DEPARTMENTS 34

26

49

58

18 15

40 Shopping 15 Gift inspirations:

Merchants offer unique giving opportunities for all ages

ARTS 21 Organic creativity: Washington woodworker makes works of wonder

40

AT HOME

WELLNESS

34

58

A touch of whimsy: Main Street home is a grand form of Southern architecture

Potential unlimited: New year, new goals

6 8 14 47 56 64 66

FoOD 49

Soups on: Favorite recipes to warm the soul

A unique vision: Art studio breeds creatvity

NGTON GAZINE

THE MA

First dance: Tradition transcends technology at the Christmas Ball

WASHI

FOR THE KIDS 26

IN EVERY ISSUE

m ealth.co VidantH

ls work hospita n te n a C s one?

Yes.

The Scene Advertiser Index Word on Wine Calendar Down the River Why I Love Washington

ON T G N I H WAS T

2 UARY 201 Y/FEBR JANUAR

6 • WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2012

ON THE COVER

A Washington tradition; the annual middle school Ballroom Dance is a fun way for students to take a break from computers and cell phones. Zack Pagnani and Logan Crisp practice a twirl. (Photo by Meredith Loughlin)

Publisher’s Note

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First Darninngce Lea social graces

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HAPPY NEW YEAR

First views

M

y first view of Washington was by airplane, followed shortly by a windshield tour and a walk downtown.

I immediately fell for the place. Its beauty, charm and sense of community were overwhelming.

I imagine my reaction was typical to that of any newcomer, visitor or passerby.

That first impression has been reinforced daily as our family explores all that our new hometown has to offer.

Whether you’re new to the area, like me, or have spent your entire life here, I expect you share the same sense of awe and wonder watching the sunset over the Pamlico River.

Washington the Magazine is published in this same spirit.

In this follow-up to our premier edition we continue to explore and celebrate exciting elements of our community:

8 • WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2012

• Discover how tradition transcends technology for middle-schoolers participating in the time-honored Christmas Ball dance.

• Glimpse the unique vision of local artist Pat Holscher, through her works and beautiful home.

• Encounter a touch of whimsy through Frannye Fowle’s American craftsman home filled with elegant and eclectic décor.

• Learn the keys to fitness success through resistance training and accountability.

• Experience regular features including Wine and Words, Why I Love Washington and The Scene.

I hope you enjoyed a safe and happy holiday season and wish you and your family a prosperous new year.

Ashley Vansant

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Publisher Ashley Vansant Editor Christ Prokos

Contributors Mike Voss Jonathan Clayborne Vail Rumley Betty Mitchell Gray Kevin Scott Cutler Meredith Loughlin Keith Mason Bryan Oestrreich Adam Feldhousen Larry Boyd Jenny Baumgardt Ronnie Daw Margie Gardner Sylvester Rogers (Distribution) Marketing and Sales Cecilia Prokos Art Direction Ryan Webb Contact information Washington the Magazine P.O. Box 1788 Washington, NC 27889 Advertising inquiries 252-946-2144 Ext. 233 Subscriptions & change of address 252-946-2144 Washington the Magazine is published six times a year by Washington Newsmedia, LLC. Copyright 2012, Washington Newsmedia, LLC

THE SCENE

OUT AND ABOUT

Chamber of Commerce holiday gathering Local business owners convened Dec. 15 to celebrate the coming holidays at the Washington Chamber of Commerce. The weather complied with an unseasonably temperate night, and attendees spilled out of the Chamber’s office to listen to live music by flautist David Norwood and guitarist Chuck Phillips on the waterfront lawn.

Scott and Becky Sipprell, Gail Watson

Galen and Jeannie Neiderhauser with son Gabe

Remanda St. Clair and Alma Friedman

Beth Byrd and Robin McKeithan

David Norwood and Chuck Phillips

Larry Lang and Jerry Evans

Sandra Warren, Stan Friedman, and Sandra Tankard

10 • WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2012

Melissa Ingrao and Gail Watson

Connie Hackney and Mitch St. Clair

OUT AND ABOUT

Tar River Swing Band at Turnage Theater A wall-to-wall crowd packed the Turnage Theater Dec. 16 for the final performance before the theater closed.

The Tar River Swing Band entertained the capacity crowd with Christmas music and sounds of the 1930s and ‘40s.

Charles Smith

Alan Mobley

Sadie Fowle and Judy Chesnutt

Scott Campbell and Bill Sykes

Herman Gaskins and Debra Helms Gaskins

Deborah Page Wright

Bob Schultz

Mike Sloan and Sally Myers Pruden

Pamela Anderson

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2012 | WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE • 11

THE SCENE

OUT AND ABOUT

Dessert Party at Cypress Landing Ernie and Sandy Miller opened their Cypress Landing home in December for their annual Christmas Dessert Party. In celebration of Ernie’s heritage, guests enjoyed predominately Greek pastries.

Ernie and Sandy Miller

Samy and Bill Jackson with Sharon and Bud Larkin

Alexandra Bloch and Joe Blaylock

Dr. William and Shirley Padgett

Fran and Jeff Brundage with Rosemary and Phil Bromillet

Betty Mitchell Gray & Fran Brundage

12 • WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2012

Denise Sturm

OUT AND ABOUT

Washington Yacht and Country Club Social The Washington Yacht and Country Club hosted its annual Members Christmas Party on December 4. A packed house enjoyed free food and cocktails to celebrate the holiday season.

Peggy and Robert Jones

Anne Tunstall, Claudia Cox, Chris Whitley, Janice Simons, Sara Cutler

Jack and Joan Campbell

Ken and Janet Carpenter

Larry and Anne Kumins with Carole and Jerry Harris

Jane and Mike Jones

Jack Cherry, David McLawhorn, Judge Sam Grimes (Ret.)

Tom and Debbie Helfrich

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2012 | WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE • 13

THE SCENE

OUT AND ABOUT

2011 Washington Christmas Parade Bright, shining faces were the order of the day Dec. 3 during the traditional Christmas parade held in historic downtown Washington.

The Washington Kiwanis Club, in partnership with the City of Washington, hosted the parade for the eighth year, according to the club’s president, Bobby Roberson.

Entries by local schools, churches, businesses, clubs and civic organizations helped residents ring in the holiday season in a very, merry way.

Bobby Roberson and the U.S. Marine Corps Color Guard

Kasidy O’Neal, Janet Cox and Samantha Ward

Daquaesia Windley, Washington High School marching band

Taylor Bradley

14 • WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2012

Washington Mayor Archie Jennings

OUT AND ABOUT

Joyce Carawan

Mallory Nobles and Tyler Moore

Nash Pippin, Sawyer Vosburgh and Micah Whitley

Sue Francis

Wallace Swindell and Sean White JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2012 | WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE • 15

YOUR LETTERS

From our mailbox

I

am a retired interior designer, having practiced in three major Southern cities, with each having publications similar to your recent one.

When your sales staff dropped off a copy to be reviewed by the shop owners of the shop where I work as a part-time consultant, I gave it little thought. After they left, out of curiosity, I opened the magazine and started reading. I was completely in awe of the professional photography and editorial material. I really could not believe that the magazine was a product of Washington efforts. My only negative comment was the lack of completeness of the schedule of upcoming events in the community. I am sure that the reason for the missing dates was the lack of their availability at the time of publishing.

ADVERTISER

DON G. WINSTEAD Washington Correction In the November-December 2011 edition of Washington the Magazine, the “Creek Freak” article (the McCotter home) was photographed by Adam Feldhousen, not Meredith Loughlin as attributed.

We offer sincere apologies to both.

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

INDEX

Write to us

Today at work, I took notice that most of our visitors had a copy of your new publication clutched in their hands. I could not help but ask their opinion, and each gave a big smile and said, “It’s fantastic.”

Good luck, and I am waiting for issue No. 2.

Amy’s Hallmark, 54 Beaufort County Arts Council, 55 Beaufort County Community College, 63 Blythe House, 55 Bragaw Insurance, 46 Chamber of Commerce, 45 Coastal Carolina Regional Airport, 32 Down on Mainstreet, 46 ECU Performing Arts Series, 53 Fabricate Too, 25 Feyer Ford, 39 First Bank, 25 Flanders Corporation, 33 Gas Solutions Installations, 53 Gas Solutions Propane Club, 55 Gaskins & Gaskins, Attorneys, 2 Gregory Poole Equipment Company, 19 Hillside Funeral Service & Cremations, 54 Jerry Evans/Century 21, 25 Lifestyles Medical Fitness Center, 20 Little Shoppes of Washington, 55

16 • WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2012

Lone Leaf Gallery, 54 Mauri Evans/State Farm, 19 Nauti Life, 20 Norman’s Home Furnishings, 53 Pamlico House/Wine Shop, 55 Pamlico Pantry, 55 Paul Funeral Home, 20 Physician’s East Surgical Weight Loss Center, 5 Pitt-Greenville Airport, 24 Polly’s Perfections, 55 PotashCorp-Aurora, 48 Scott Campbell/Century 21, 55 South Market Antiques, 55 Stewart’s Jewelry Store, 7 Tayloe’s Hospital Pharmacy, 54 Telephone Connection, 3 Tideland EMC, 67 Vidant Health, back cover Washington The Magazine, 45 Wells Fargo Advisors, 46 Wine & Words...& Gourmet, 25

Gift inspiration

GIFT GUIDE

Written by BETTY MITCHELL GRAY

Belles and Beaus Boutique

If you’re looking for something unique for the children in your life, Belles and Beaus Boutique, 107 N. Market St. in downtown Washington, offers clothing, toys and gift items for children ranging from newborns to size 6X. The store, which opened in early December, has several lines of clothing – all made in the United States – that are not often available in eastern North Carolina. But the items that are attracting the most attention from shoppers are raincoats, umbrellas, backpacks and rain boots by Kidorable. They come in a variety of coordinating styles that would appeal to boys and girls. You can dress your child in coats and boots featuring ladybugs, frogs, pirates and fairies. The line of products is reportedly favored by movie stars and other celebrities who like to dress their children in Kidorable.

Fabricate Too

Are you looking for the perfect fashion accessory to start the new year? Then visit Fabricate Too for LouenHide Handbags. Based in Brisbane, Australia, and launched in 2006 by friends Lou Kendall and Heidi Bailey, LouenHide Handbags are available in a variety of colors and styles including shoulder bags, satchels and clutches. Fabricate Too is located at 919 Red Banks Road in Greenville and carries a variety of women’s clothing, including popular brands like Flax and Eileen Fisher; accessories unique to the area, such as Naot shoes handmade in Israel, and Spanish costume jewelry by Uno de 50.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2012 | WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE • 17

GIFT GUIDE

Lone Leaf Gallery

“Bountiful” cookbook

If your New Year’s resolution is to become a better cook, then why not visit Inner Banks Artisans’ Center, 158 W. Main St., in downtown Washington or The Landing Coffee Cafe, 190 Cypress Commons Way, across from the entrance to Cypress Landing near Chocowinity for a copy of “Bountiful,” the most recent cookbook by Beaufort County resident Carol Mann. The book, the third by Mann, includes over 400 recipes compiled from her family and friends. It covers everything from appetizers to desserts. It is illustrated

by Mann’s watercolors which are also for sale at Inner Banks Artisans’ Center.

18 • WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2012

Winter in eastern North Carolina means oyster season.

And if you are looking for a stylish way to open oysters this year, Lone Leaf Gallery at 101 W. Main St. in downtown Washington has the perfect oyster knife. Made from salvaged, high-carbon steel railroad spikes, the shuckers from Carolina Shuckers of Morehead City come in several styles. Some even feature bottle openers to help you open your favorite beverage to have along with your oysters. If you prefer to have wine with your oysters, you can buy a turned-wood wine stopper made by Washington’s own Steve Ainsworth at Lone Leaf Gallery.

Owners Meredith and Neil Loughlin also recommend letterpress cards and gift tags by Courtesy Press of Pollocksville if you’re buying an oyster knife as a gift.

GIFT GUIDE

Nauti LIfe

With boating season just around the corner, Nauti Life, at 112 W. Main St., also in downtown Washington, has two brands that will make boating easier – Yeti coolers and Costa sunglasses. With thicker walls and more than twice the insulation of other coolers, Yeti coolers are built to take the rugged abuse that comes with the way boaters and other outdoor enthusiasts play and keep cool things cool while out on the water. To help you see better while you’re boating, take a look at the Costa line of sunglasses at Nauti Life. The line of 51 sunglasses was developed in 1983 by a group of avid fishermen who spent their days exploring the globe and battling extreme elements.

Blythe House

If you need help decorating your home or are looking for that perfect home accent piece, then contact Page Wright of Blythe House. Wright offers decorating and home-staging services that will help you make your home a more attractive place to live or help you sell your home if it’s time to move. Wright is known for the many natural items she uses in her decorating plans – birds nests, floral arrangements, and the like. A veteran of the retail and decorating business, Wright has worked in retail since 1997 and plans to open her store in a new location at 108 E. Third St. in March. In the meantime, if you need help with a decorating or home-staging project or just want to ask “What do you have new today?” you can contact Wright by telephone at 252-286-5149.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2012 | WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE • 19

GIFT GUIDE

Norman’s Home Furnishings

If you need to relax after the hectic holiday season, then visit Norman’s Home Furnishings at 217 W. Third St. for the perfect chair. Essentials reclining chairs and ottomans offer the perfect way to stretch out and let the cares of the world evaporate while reading a good book or watching your favorite television program. Owner Norman Manning says the chairs, which come in several colors, are one of the most popular items in the store.

Stewart’s Jewelry

With Valentine’s Day fast approaching, you might be thinking of fine jewelry for your loved one. If so, visit Stewart’s Jewelry Store at 121 N. Market St. for unique, made-in-the-United States pieces in several price ranges. Stewart’s Jewelry Store features Kabana, renowned and undisputed master of high-end inlay pieces that combine natural organic gems and materials such as pink mother of pearl, spiny oyster and black Tahitian mother of pearl to produce rings, pendants, pins and bracelets that make the perfect gift for a special lady. If you’re looking for a less costly – but still beautiful – piece of jewelry, owner Betty Stewart recommends a piece by Southern Gates Jewelry. The pendants, earrings and bracelets are made of fine sterling silver in filigree that is reminiscent of ironwork in gates, grilles and balconies across the South.

20 • WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2012

South Market Antiques

South Market Antiques at 124 S. Market St. has rooms full of antiques and vintage items in a range of prices – from a costlier antique Waterford crystal decanter or a signed and limited edition Bob Timberlake print to less costly items like World War II-era prints and advertisements. The store also features a room dedicated to primitive antiques and private-label “Goodness grows in North Carolina” food items.

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Organic creativity

IN THE ARTS

Written by JONATHAN CLAYBORNE Photographs By MEREDITH LOUGHLIN

Steve Ainsworth at work in his shop, shaping the outside of a bowl with a wood lathe.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2012 | WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE • 23

IN THE ARTS

‘There’s no doubt it came from a tree’

Ainsworth’s sunsplashed studio provides a view into the technicality of his art.

24 • WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2012

H

ere is a bowl that resembles a fallen leaf, its jagged edges eroded by wind and rain.

There is a vessel that’s curved and fluted, like a calla lily reaching up to the sun from the floor of a tropical forest.

But these aren’t leaves or lilies.

These wood pieces were made — carved, turned, coaxed into their environmental reality — by Steve Ainsworth.

The Washington woodworker weaves words like “rustic” and “organic” into self-effacing descriptions of his craft.

“Nature really plays a much larger part in it than I do,” he says.

“What I like to do most are the real organic kinds of pieces that have natural edges and wormholes in them, so that you never forget this is about the wood. There’s no doubt it came from a tree.”

A retired orthopedic surgeon, Ainsworth has the gift of being able to work skillfully with his hands.

He sees parallels between orthopedics and woodworking — in the felicitous use of the hands, yes, but also in the delicacy and intricacy of solving problems, fixing things.

“I’ve always been fascinated by that repair aspect of things,” the slim, sharp-eyed artisan reveals on a low-key tour of his shop. “I’ve

IN THE ARTS

An assortment of the common tools used for woodworking. Ainsworth will make his own tools if unable to find a tool he needs or the quality he wants. The two specialty tools on the left were crafted to fit a specific woodworking need.

always been involved in woodworking from when I was a little kid. I have no idea how that happened. My dad wasn’t interested in woodworking. It’s just something that I gravitated to early on. But junior-high shop class is what really lit it up for me.”

As a high-school student, Ainsworth built his own lathe, turning pieces in his spare time in the family garage.

Ainsworth veered away from his hobby in the course of his college career, but he knew he’d return to woodworking.

That opportunity came in 2002, when his avocation became a full-time

job.

Now, Ainsworth spends untold hours in the shop a stone’s throw from his home, navigating the twists and turns of nature to fashion bowls, vases, sculptural display treasures and even furniture.

His products have been sold in artisans’ markets and displayed in galleries, but Ainsworth prefers coaxing commissioned work out of donated wood in the quiet of his shop to roaming the countryside in search of sales.

A number of his commissions come from people who seek the preservation of memories — those

selling off treasured land or losing to disease a storied tree steeped in family lore. These people bring Ainsworth trunks and branches to shape as mementos of their past.

Ainsworth’s preferred wood is cherry, but he uses oak for furniture and sometimes fashions things from pecan branches. He seldom stains anything, opting to apply successive coats of lacquer until an object gleams.

“I rarely buy a piece of wood because there’s just so much available without having to buy it,” he says.

“I’ve got all the tree surgeons looking out for me.”

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2012 | WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE • 25

IN THE ARTS

With an ample supply of materials, all he needs is time, vision and his hands.

“Just looking for that simple, beautiful shape, the subtle curve and how that can change things dramatically, to me is a great challenge and probably the greatest joy,” Ainsworth remarks.

Ainsworth lives with his wife, Dr. Deborah Ainsworth, and their two sons, Sam, 18, and Luke, 15.

Examples of Ainsworth’s craft may be seen at Lone Leaf Gallery, on Washington’s Main Street, or in his shop.

For more information, call the artist at 252-944-6732.

A turned, carved, and pierced piece of pecan (left). The piercing is done with a dental drill, the carving with various hand tools. The pewter and paduak wine goblet is one of Ainsworth’s signature pieces (right). The pewter is formed from a flat disc by a process called metal spinning.

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FOR THE KIDS

First dance

Kelly Toppin and Stephen Peed

28 • WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2012

Tradition transcends technology

FOR THE KIDS

Written by Bryan A Oesterreich Photographs By MEREDITH LOUGHLIN

O

n Dec. 16, 2011, at 7:30 p.m., 40 seventh-grade students assembled in the Washington Civic Center for a Christmas Ball dance performance – a performance that included the same dance steps as some of their parents and grandparents used generations before them. But they learned much more than how to dance.

Today, more and more young people are spending more and more time on social networks like Facebook and MySpace. But, are they getting quality social interaction? Janet Swain Cox is preserving a social tradition in Washington that has a proven track record for over 50 years – Ballroom Dancing for seventhgrade students, which might be one of the last vestiges of learning social graces face to face.

Marie Wallace, of Greenville, had a vision. She wanted to create a venue wherein young adults would learn how to interact with each other in social contexts – what better way than dancing with each other? She had no way of knowing how valuable her classes would be in the 21st century. Wallace was a dance instructor who taught classes in many eastern North Carolina communities.

In 1982, Cox, who operates “Le Moulin Rouge De Dance” studio in Washington, began assisting Wallace with the ballroom classes. In 1985, the torch was passed to Cox. Since then, she’s been teaching between 40 and 60 seventh graders each year not only how to dance – but how to interact with one another, socially.

“Our students are taught how to respect each other on the dance floor – which translates to other contexts,” she says. Her students in this class are instructed in how to Cha-Cha,

Waltz, and Shag. But they’re also schooled in the proper manner in which to ask for a dance, decline a dance, and how to “cut in” on a dance.

(A very popular move, based on my experience watching a rehearsal.)

Cox says that one of the reasons for the

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2012 | WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE • 29

FOR THE KIDS

success of the class is generational.

“I keep seeing children in class whose parents I taught years ago. Apparently, they haven’t forgotten how much fun they had when they were in seventh grade.”

One of the methods used in the 13-week program to help beginning dance students overcome their shyness is dancing partners. Cox says during the Mixer dance, students must change partners throughout the dance, so they have the opportunity to meet – and dance – with everyone.

Students are expected to dress appropriately – even for rehearsals.

Jeans, T-shirts, and sneakers are not allowed. Girls are asked to wear dresses or skirts. The dress code is enforced to give the students an education in dressing for the occasion.

At this age, young men and ladies have expectedly differing attitudes toward ballroom dancing. “The young ladies, invariably, are the most eager to dance,” Cox says. “The young men take a little more time to ‘get it.’”

Case in point: One parent recently volunteered to car pool four young boys to rehearsals. On their first trip to the American Legion Hall, the mother reported much grumbling from the rear seats in her SUV. On the second trip, a week later, one young man was dressed “very nicely,” she reported.

On the third trip, the same young fellow apparently had applied some “fragrance.” Let the maturation begin.

A visit to the last rehearsal before their performance supports this. All of the young adults were dressed nicely.

They chatted a little too vocally for this aging writer – but they appeared very comfortable with each other – 30 • WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2012

Social networking becomes actual networking as students rehearse their dance steps at American Legion Hall. Top photo: Rob Zerniak and Sarah Linch with Ben McKeithan and Meghan Horton (background) Bottom photo: Tony Lovenberg and Rosa-Kathleen Vaughn

FOR THE KIDS

Dancers are lined up for the grand march in the Christmas Ball Dance at the Washington Civic Center.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2012 | WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE • 31

FOR THE KIDS

Janet Cox at rehearsal with students doing a line dance.

considering they were about to spend the next hour ballroom dancing.

And did they ever dance! They swirled around during the Cha Cha. They moved fluidly during the Waltz.

And they shagged like the pros at Atlantic Beach.

During the rehearsal, they held each other as dancers do. They smiled face to face and engaged each other in discourse designed for early teens.

They twirled and stepped out – and never missed a beat. All of this took place live – without computers, cell 32 • WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2012

phones, or technology.

At the Christmas Ball in December, trophies for first, second and third place are awarded to couples in all three dance categories – 18 trophies in all. So there is reason to put their best feet forward.

Kelly Toppin is 12 years old and a seventh-grade student at P.S. Jones Middle School in Washington. She danced last fall and performed at the Christmas Ball held in the Civic Center. She said she knew most of the other dancers but still felt, “…a

little unsure I could do it.” At the end of the classes, she was glad she stuck with it. “I’d rather go dancing than stay home and spend time on Facebook or watching TV. I made some new friends from Bath, too.”

She also said she will encourage her children, once she starts a family, to take the dance class with Cox. Another seventh grader at P.S. Jones is Cody Godley. His brother completed the ballroom dancing program three years ago. “I remember how much fun he had taking the

FOR THE KIDS

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2012 | WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE • 33

FOR THE KIDS

lessons,” he said. “When it came time for me, I couldn’t wait!” He’s even been recommending the class to his friends, and like Kelly, he’s going to encourage his children to take the class. “That might be a few years from now,” he added.

Cody’s mother, Sandy, also praised the dance classes. “What a wonderful way to get the young people off their computers and enjoy each other’s company face to face,” she 34 • WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2012

said. “It’s good clean fun, and helps give them more confidence and pride.”

The seventh-grade ballroom dancing program must be doing something right. The program has stood the test of time for over 50 years. Sometimes, tradition does transcend technology – even in the 21st century.

For more information, visit: www.janetdance.com

A touch of whimsy, in the British red telephone box now converted to a wine bar, lightens the mood of a room. Lanterns were a popular Craftsman theme, seen here in a five-lantern brass chandelier.

HOME SWEET HOME

A touch of whimsy 36 • WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2012

HOME SWEET HOME

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2012 | WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE • 37

HOME SWEET HOME

“You don’t expect much and then you open the door and it just shocks and surprises you,” Frannye Fowle says of the first impressions of her American Craftsman style home.

38 • WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2012

‘Let the rest of the walls go untouched in all the rich variety of color and tone, of light and shade, of the naked brickwork. Let the floor go uncarpeted, and the wood unpainted, that we may have time to think, and money with which to educate our children to think also. Let us have rooms which once decorated are always decorated, rooms fit to be homes in the fullest poetry of the name.’

Gustav Stickley, “Craftsman Home,” 1909

T

outside,” says Fowle. “You don’t expect much, urn left at the corner of West Main Street and then you open the door and it just shocks and and Hackney Avenue and the eye is surprises you, in such a pleasing way.” immediately drawn to a gracious old dame A trend that swept the nation in the early of Southern architecture.

20th century, Craftsman style was the American Built in 1820 by Col. Joshua T. Tayloe, Elmwood translation of the Arts and Crafts movement started towers above the neighboring homes, its Italianate in the British Isles. Emphasizing functionality, splendor softened by a Colonial Revival wraparound simplicity and traditional porch and two-story craftsmanship, the portico. The home movement was in no is breathtaking, so small part a statement much so that one of economic and social can be forgiven for reform, combining antinot noticing the industrialist sentiment tiny bungalow next with a push to “get back door, set way back to the basics” in both on a narrow lot, design and manufacture deep in the shadows of the decorative arts — of Elmwood. a direct response to an Realtors would increasing number of say 721 W. Main St. machine-made products “lacks curb appeal.” that ignored the That is, until they’ve qualities of materials been invited inside. used.

There, it lacks for From the polished nothing. Like Alice An antique mantelpiece was repurposed for use as a headboard in the tumbling down master bedroom. The mantelpiece was rescued from Fowle’s great-grand- yellow-pine floors and father’s home before it was torn down. the spindled railing and the rabbit hole to colonnades separating Wonderland, stepping living and dining areas, to the exposed beams and through the front door of Frannye Fowle’s home girders in the ceiling overhead and original gasrequires one to suspend belief, to refrain from even attempting to figure out how the door to such a little turned-electric brass lanterns, Frannye Fowle’s home is a tribute to the Craftsman style. house could open onto soaring 13-foot ceilings, a Where the home deviates from true form is in sprawling living area, the immediate sense of space the color of the walls. When Fowle bought the home and plenty of it. That such an unprepossessing exterior could hide what is truly an architectural gem in 2007, the dining room was painted a sage green and the den, a reddish color. She left the green — an American Craftsman home — is a mystery. and deepened the red, both of the striking colors a “It’s unexpected. It’s pretty nondescript on the Written by VAIL STEWART RUMLEY | Photographs by MEREDITH LOUGHLIN

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2012 | WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE • 39

HOME SWEET HOME

Left: Mahogany veneer covers the 13-foot-tall colonnades separating living and dining rooms. The mahogany was brought to Washington from the West Indies by the sea captain who built the house. Right: Frannye Fowle

complement to the natural sheen of mahogany-veneer colonnades and doors. Most striking, however, are the touches of charm, not to mention humor, to be found everywhere.

Fowle’s store — Whimsy — which she owns with long-time friend, neighbor and business partner, Emily Mayne, is known for its latest styles, some sleek and sophisticated, more for being fun and funky.

She’s taken the same elements and added a kick and sparkle to her home: with a collection of scarlet vases in all shapes and sizes sitting atop an antique armoire; a series of paintings — bright, larger-thanlife flowers — by Washington native Ellen Rodman Hathaway; the richly colored frivolity of a MacKenzie– Childs ottoman.

40 • WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2012

But the highlight of it all is a red telephone box straight from the streets of London, converted into the dining room’s wine bar by Mayne’s husband, Wink.

“Basically you can’t take yourself too seriously,” Fowle explains of her décor choices. “Life is too short.

(The house) was too predictable. I’m not predictable,” she laughs. “It just kind of spices it up.”

Beneath the fun and funky style, however, exists a sense of timelessness.

The woodwork has never been painted. Mahogany, used liberally throughout the rooms, was brought back from the West Indies by the sea captain who built the house 94 years ago. The sand-finished plaster walls look the same, though their colors are more vibrant. But take

away Fowle’s elegant and eclectic decor and what remains is an echo of the past — an echo embodied by the words of Gustav Stickley, a name synonymous with the American Craftsman style: “Let us have in our houses, rooms where there shall be space to carry on the business of life freely and with pleasure, with furniture made for use; rooms where a drop of water spilled is not fatal … plain, simple, and ungarnished if necessary, but honest.”

The walls and ceilings, floors and fireplaces behind the doors of 721 W. Main St., you’ll find their structure and design to be exactly that — plain, simple, honest.

But what you’ll also find is a touch of whimsy. Because, according to Frannye Fowle, life is no fun without it.

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IN THE ARTS

A unique vision

Written by VAIL STEWART RUMLEY Photographs By MEREDITH LOUGHLIN

T

o say that Pat Holscher is a breath of fresh air would be an understatement. She’s more like a blast of clean, arctic air — crystalline, bracing, clear.

A strong voice, strong views, strength of personality radiates from her every word.

But it’s when she talks about her work and when those words are illustrated by her paintings, that the edges begin to soften and blur.

It’s as though Holscher views the world through a creative prism, filtering out harshness and rigidity, leaving behind only the shape of shadow and light, a fusion of color on paper. In 2009, her unique vision won her the National Watercolor Society’s medal of honor for her painting “Family Dynamics,” the highest honor a watercolorist can receive in the U.S. It keeps her “bread and butter” pet portraiture in constant demand. But it’s not as effortless as she makes it look, a

42 • WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2012

IN THE ARTS

“I pretty much let the paint do what it wants,” says Holscher of her unique watercolor style.

IN THE ARTS

Pat Holscher at the door of her studio, where she claims she “just about lives.”

fact to which Holscher’s husband, Fred, Hyde County attorney and partner in the law firm of Rodman, Holscher, Francisco and Peck, will attest. It takes hard work, selfdiscipline, a lot of alone time and, according to Pat Holscher, the unqualified support of her husband.

She recalls a conversation between the two shortly after her move from Raleigh, where she had taught high-school English, to Washington. “Fred said, ‘I’m going to give you the opportunity — you don’t have to work. You can get out there in that studio and paint all you want.’”

In the 18 years since, Holscher has honed her skill, though she still has some reservations about her chosen medium.

“If I hadn’t started with watercolors, I probably wouldn’t 44 • WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2012

now,” she says, drily. “They’re much harder than other mediums.”

She rattles off watercolors’ temperamental qualities, the different properties of pigments — transparent, granular, staining — the necessity of preplanning to get the preliminary stuff right so that before the first brushstroke, twothirds of the work is already done.

“With the preliminary, I’m very structured,” Holscher says, referring to one of those preliminary sketches propped on a nearby easel. “I’m less structured when it comes to the painting.

There’s a lack of control with watercolors. I pretty much let the paint do what it wants.”

The result is the vibrant balance of drips and bleeds covering the walls of her studio. There are paintings of dogs and cats,

seagulls, a young girl swimming, an elderly African-American woman in a flower-bedecked hat, each one full of life.

“I’m not big on still lifes.

Landscapes aren’t my thing,” she says as she gestures to the proof on the walls. “I don’t like formal portraits.”

Holscher is big on movement.

Watery snapshots capturing the essence of a personality are her thing. She loves animals. And she really loves her studio.

“This is where I just about live,” Holscher laughs. “I love it.”

Her studio is a warm, light-filled space attached to the main house via a covered carport, all built during the massive renovations the Holschers undertook in 2005.

Originally a standard 1950s brick ranch design, with the help

Simple, airy, and bright, Holscher’s studio is filled with sketches and paintings of her “bread and butter” work: pet portraiture.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2012 | WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE • 45

IN THE ARTS

Unpainted hardwood ceilings, exposed rafters and antique pine floors create a cottage-feel to the living/dining room addition.

46 • WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2012

of a draftsman and interior decorator, the house was restyled into what Holscher calls “a cross between old-world and cottage.”

She wanted the house to look like it had “been like this forever,” so Holscher oversaw the antiquing of the exterior brick — rounds of white and taupe paint sandblasted to create a naturally aged look. Gables, with shingled verticals, were added to soften the straight roofline and front entrance and match the studio and carport additions. Inside, a rear wall was demolished, making way for a large room encompassing living and dining areas.

Next came the outdoor kitchen, patios and decks.

As with Holscher’s paintings, the beauty of the house is in the many details, like the antique hardwood flooring rescued from a Chicago warehouse.

The kitchen and living room fireplaces were built with handmade bricks, with the kitchen mantelpiece made from an antique church pew by neighbor and local dentist Mark McCoy. Arches abound, in graciously curved woodwork framing windows and bookcases, the stove and wine rack. With a scattering of rugs over pine floors and comfortable, stuffed furniture, the “cottage/old-world feel” is fully realized.

And, of course, there is the art — some of it bought locally, a good deal purchased during the couple’s many travels. Each piece is a souvenir of a moment or place they’ve loved; none of them remotely resemble Holscher’s work.

Yet, here the rooms blend from one to another; the house, from indoor to outdoor; paintings and sculpture, rugs and fabrics, a vibrant blur of color, full of life. They are an exact reproduction of the artist’s style.

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A wall of personality. Holscher’s preliminary sketches of dogs and cats that have been lucky enough to sit for portraits, overlook the artist’s tools.

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WORD ON WINE

I

Satisfy your inner Peasant Written by James McKelvey and Yvonne Sedgwick

n the deep midwinter, our forebears had their own ways of dealing with what we moderns call “food insecurity.” If there had been a good harvest, there were root vegetables and dried legumes in the cellar, corn and other grains in the crib and apples in the bin (or cider in the barrel). The grapes were pressed and fermented into wine that could be consumed on the long, dark nights.

Often a fattened hog had been butchered, and to keep the meat until spring, the hams had been smoked. The rest of the pig was chopped with salt and spices, smoked or air-dried, then packed into casings.

We call that end-product “sausage” from the French saussiche, meaning “salted.” In Spain, they make Chorizo; in Italy, it’s Soppresatta; and Germans are proud of their Wursts.

By the time January rolled around, it was time for a big kettle of some kind of peasant food. Our word “peasant” comes from the Old French paisant, someone from the pais or country – “a person who lives in the country and works on the land.” That could describe both the people who grow our food and those who grow the grapes that make our wine. Over here in the New World, we call them “country folk,” people who live simply and well from their labor and the bounty of the land.

Peasant food is not only tasty and cheap, it’s also easy. If you were a peasant cooking over an open fire, you didn’t have time to fuss over the meal. It was sort of wood-fired crock pot stuff. You just toss all the ingredients – beans or potatoes or root vegetables – in the pot and let it cook all day. Because meat was often scarce, sausage or ham was used as a seasoning, rather than as the main dish. Then you pour in plenty of red wine for some acidity to balance the fat from

the meat. Toss in some fresh garlic, mushrooms ... maybe even a piece of apple or sweet potato or some dried fruit. The point is to use what you have.

Another word for peasant is “rustic.” It also refers to a person who lives in the country (Latin rus) and, when used as an adjective, means “made in a plain, simple or rough form or style.” Wines are sometimes referred to as “rustic,” referring to their traditional country origins. Though wine snobs would look down on rustic wines as not made in the classy, international style, we think rustic wines go just fine with peasant foods ... and cold nights around the fire.

One of our favorite wine styles are the French Vins de Pays (“wines of the country”). These are made in the traditional style, reflect their peasant roots, are surprisingly affordable ... and go great with simple, hearty dishes.

One of our favorite peasant dishes is Cassoulet from the Languedoc region of Southwestern France.

The main ingredient is dried beans that are fattened up with pork, duck, goose, sausage, ham ... whatever inexpensive meat is locally and seasonally available.

Then you add plenty of wine, onions, garlic and handfuls of fresh herbs. The “recipe” varies according to what you’ve got on hand. Let your nose and your tongue tell you what’s right. The only real secret is SLOW cooking. Give the flavors time to blend and balance. Then serve up in pottery bowls with some crusty bread and rustic wine.

Voila! You’ve satisfied your inner peasant.

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

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2012 | WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE • 49

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LET’S EAT

Soups on Black Bean and Pasta Soup

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2012 | WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE • 51

LET’S EAT

Favorite recipes to warm the soul Written by KEVIN SCOTT CUTLER Photographs By MEREDITH LOUGHLIN

A

cold wind blows off the Pamlico River and hungry Washingtonians know that just any meal won’t do.

That’s when thoughts turn to soup. A favorite of busy cooks since its very preparation allows one to toss ingredients into a pot and let the stove do most of the work.

Soup’s origins are most humble.

Oftentimes, when food was scarce, cooks by necessity gathered what odds and ends they could – a hodgepodge of vegetables, perhaps a bit of meat for seasoning if they were lucky – and made a pot of soup. It 52 • WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2012

was economical and nutritious.

Today, soup is popular as a first course or as a meal unto itself. Its fan base reaches all the way to the White House, in fact. Presidents past and present have had their favorites.

Barack Obama reportedly indulges in an Indonesian soup called bakso, brimming with meatballs, noodles, bean sprouts and mushrooms.

Massachusetts native John F. Kennedy favored a New England fish chowder, asking the family cook to prepare it in quantities, freeze it and deliver it to the White House.

And Dwight Eisenhower was not just a connoisseur of soup, he was right at home in the kitchen; his personal

favorite was a vegetable soup from his own secret recipe, which simmered for three days before he deemed it suitable to serve at the dinner table.

The Washington Daily News’ unique collection of cookbooks – published by area churches and nonprofit organizations – offers a fine selection of soups to suit any taste. Many of them have found their way into the newspaper’s Pamlico Pantry recipe column.

Here is just a sampling of some of those soup recipes. So pull out a big soup pot, throw another log on the fire and enjoy a wintry evening at home.

LET’S EAT

Chunky Potato Soup

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2012 | WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE • 53

LET’S EAT

Cheesy Hamburger Soup Elaine Bridgman, First Christian Church, Disciples of Christ 1 lb. lean ground beef; 1/2 c. chopped celery; 1/2 c. chopped carrots; 1/2 c. chopped onions; 1 medium potato, chopped; 2 c. water; 2 beef bouillon cubes; Tabasco; pepper; 16 oz. Cheez Whiz or Velveeta.

Sauté beef with celery, carrots and onions until tender.

Add potato, water, bouillon, pepper and a little Tabasco. Simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Add cheese.

Do not overheat after adding cheese. Season with salt after tasting.

Chunky Potato Soup Shirley Chandler, Beaufort County Grange #1233 3 medium red potatoes; 2 c. water; 1 small onion; 3 Tbsp. butter; 3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour; crushed red pepper flakes; ground black pepper; 3 c. milk; 1/2 tsp. sugar; 1 c. shredded Cheddar cheese; 1 c. cubed cooked ham.

Peel potatoes and cut into one-inch cubes. Bring water to a boil in large saucepan. Add potatoes and cook until tender. Drain, reserving liquid. Set aside potatoes. Measure one cup cooking liquid, adding water if necessary; set aside. Peel and finely chop onion. Melt butter in saucepan over medium heat.

Add onion to saucepan; cook, stirring frequently, until onion is translucent and tender, but not brown. Add flour to saucepan; season with pepper flakes and black pepper to taste. Cook three to four minutes.

Gradually add potatoes, reserved one cup cooking liquid, milk and sugar to onion mixture in saucepan; stir well. Add cheese and ham. Simmer over low heat for 30 minutes, stirring frequently. Store leftovers, covered, in refrigerator.

Tomato-Spinach Soup Marcia Lawrence, Saint Peter’s Episcopal Church 1/2 stick butter; 1 medium onion, diced; 2 (28-oz.) cans diced tomatoes; 1 tsp. granulated sugar; 1/4 tsp. oregano; 1/2 c. whipping cream; 1 (10 oz.) pkg. frozen, chopped spinach, thawed and drained; 1 tsp. dried basil; Parmesan cheese.

Melt butter. Add onion. Cook until onion is translucent, five to 10 minutes. Add tomatoes, sugar and oregano.

Simmer 10 minutes. Add whipping cream, thawed and drained spinach and dried basil. Mix. Simmer three to five minutes. Pass Parmesan cheese when serving.

54 • WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2012

Black Bean & Pasta Soup Karen Brothers, Beaufort County Arts Council 1 1/2 Tbsp. olive oil; 2 celery stalks, chopped; 1 small white or yellow onion, chopped; 2 cloves garlic, chopped; 6 cups vegetable broth (for a low-sodium version, use less broth and dilute with water to 6 cups); 1 c. dried pastina (elbow macaroni, farfallini or other tiny shapes); 1 bay leaf; 1 (14 oz.) can whole black beans, drained; 1 (14 oz.) can chopped tomatoes; salt and pepper to taste; grated Parmesan cheese, to serve (optional).

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Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven or other large saucepan. Gently fry celery, onion and garlic for two to three minutes. Add the vegetable broth and stir occasionally until warm. Add the pastina and bay leaf. Stir in the black beans and tomatoes.

Season with salt and pepper. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.

Serve with grated Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Broccoli Cheese Soup Chuck Boklage, Grace Lutheran Church 1 c. sliced onions; 1 c. sliced mushrooms; 3 Tbsp. butter; 3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour; 3 c. chicken broth; 1 c. broccoli florets, diced; 1 c. half and half; 1 c. grated sharp Cheddar cheese; salt and pepper to taste.

In soup pot, sauté onions and mushrooms in butter. Blend in flour and remove from heat.

Slowly add chicken broth, stirring constantly with a coil whisk until smooth. Return to heat and cook until thickened. Add broccoli and simmer for 20 minutes. Blend in half and half and cheese. Heat three to five minutes.

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CALENDAR

OUT AND ABOUT

Starting January 10 Drawing & Painting from Nature

February 10-12 Wildlife Arts Festival and Decoy Carving Championship

• NC Estuarium • Watercolor classes begin January 10. There is a $25 fee for the eight-week classes, which explore drawing and watercolor painting basics and emphasize a natural theme.

Call 252-9480000 for materials list and preregistration.

• Downtown Washington • 17th East Carolina Wildlife Arts Festival & NC Decoy Carving Championship. Over 130 exhibitors from throughout the United States will present artistic works including carvers, flat art such as oil and watercolor paintings, pottery, antique sporting memorabilia, taxidermy, photography, jewelry and more.

In addition, nearly 500 original carvings are submitted for 15 different competition divisions.

DockDogs will return as part of the annual festival. www. eastcarolinawildfowlguild.com, 252-946-2897.

January 12 Senior Dance • Washington Civic Center • Dance held at 7 p.m. Singles and Couples over 50 are welcome to come and dance the night away. Admission is $7.00. 50/50 drawing.

Door prizes. No Alcohol/No Smoking/No Children.

January 19 Historical Film • Historic Bath • Luther (2003). This epic movie follows the life of Martin Luther, author of the then-controversial 95 Theses and founding father of the Protestant church, who, with the courage of his convictions, faced the wrath of the church in the 16th century. For more information, call 252-9233971.

January 20-22 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.

“Crazy Lucy” is focused on her target as she leaps from the dock at Kugler Field in the 2011 DockDogs competition. The East Carolina Wildlife Arts Festival and Decoy Carving Competition returns to Washington Feb. 10-12.

January – April Dress-a-Doll Fundraiser • The Blind Center • Event held at 10 a.m. The Blind Center will give you a plain, stuffed muslin cloth doll. You furnish the materials (fabric, knit, paint, stamped, etc.) and dress the doll in the fashion of your choice.

All dolls must be completed and available for display by April 13. The completed dolls become the property of The Blind Center. The dolls will be available for sale in our Gift Shoppe and all proceeds benefit The Blind Center. Dolls will be judged for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place prizes at our Rock-AThon held on April 21 at The Blind Center, 221 N. Harvey Street, Washington, NC,

58 • WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2012

corner of Harvey and Third Streets. E-mail theblindcenter@ aol.com or call 252-9466208.

February 9-11 Waterfowl Decoy Display • NC Estuarium • Chuck May Decoy Memorabilia Display—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 for the weekend East Carolina Wildlife Arts Festival and NC Decoy Carving Championships.

Call 252.948.0000 for information.

February 11 Wildlife Arts Festival

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

Call 252.946.5470 for tickets or reservations.

February 11 Children’s Decoy Painting Workshop • NC Estuarium • This activity is free but preregistration is required. There are two classes: 9-10 a.m. and 10:30-11:30 a.m. Children must be between 4 and 12 years of age. This annual event is cosponsored by the East Carolina Wildfowl Guild in conjunction with the Wildlife Arts Festival.

Call 252-948-0000.

OUT AND ABOUT

March 13-15 Little Art Exhibit • Beaufort County Arts Council • Third Annual Little Art Exhibit. 8” x 10” canvases by the region’s best artists! $30 for one, $100 for four — which one will you get? Call the Arts Council at 252.946.2504 to participate or for more information.

February 11 Soup-A-Thon Lunch Fund Raiser • The Blind Center • Held from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.

The Blind Center will be hosting a soup lunch fund raiser in conjunction with Riverwalk Gallery & Arts Center. Soup will be served in your choice of a handmade pottery soup bowl made by artisans of Riverwalk Gallery. Be sure to join us for all you can eat hearty homemade soup, crackers, and a beverage. $20. Eat in or take out. No deliveries. The Blind Center Gift Shoppe will also be open selling unique handcrafted items. Join us for Food, Fun, and Fellowship. Proceeds will benefit both Riverwalk Gallery & Arts Center and The Blind Center, 221 N. Harvey Street, Washington, NC, corner of Harvey and Third Streets.

E-mail theblindcenter@aol.com or call 252-946-6208.

February 16 Historical Film • Historic Bath • Ruby Bridges (1998). This movie shows events that helped shape American history: the integration of an all-white school in the 1960s by first-grader Ruby Bridges.

Predictably, tensions arise as protesters fight Ruby’s attendance, but aided by her courageous parents, an enthusiastic teacher and a supportive child psychologist, Ruby learns to face racism head-on. For more information, call 252-923-3971.

March 15 Historical Film

There will be plenty to see at the third annual Little Art Exhibit at the Washington Civic Center March 13-15. Entries for the Beaufort County Arts Council fundraiser are limited to eight by 10 inch canvases.

February 17-20 Great Backyard Bird Count • NC Estuarium • Fifteenth annual Great Backyard Bird Count — Participate at the NC Estuarium, your own back yard, or contact Audubon directly at www.BirdCount. org. Plan to count birds for at least 15 minutes on one or more days of the count.

Call the Estuarium for more information at 252-948-0000.

March 4 Youth Orchestra • Washington Civic Center • Eastern Youth Orchestra, 3 p.m.

Presented by the Beaufort County Arts Council with support from the City of Washington. For information call 252.946.2504.

March 8 Senior Dance • Washington Civic Center • Dance held at 7 p.m. Singles and Couples over 50 are welcome to come and dance the night away. Admission is $7.00. 50/50 drawing.

Door prizes. No Alcohol/No Smoking/No Children.

March 10 Historic Lecture Series • Historic Bath • A Layman’s Guide to Beaufort County Architecture. Beth King, a preservation specialist with the North Carolina State Historic Preservation Office’s eastern branch, will present a PowerPoint presentation teaching how to date a building by examining styles, features and house plans.

She will focus primarily on buildings found in rural Beaufort County. For more information, call 252-923-3971.

• Historic Bath • Friendly Persuasion.

Jess and Eliza Birdwell are devoted Quaker parents in Indiana during the height of the Civil War. The Birdwells’ religion opposes violence, but as Confederate forces march closer -- looting and burning as they go -- the community prepares a defense. For more information, call 252-923-3971.

March 17 Shaggin’ for a Cause • Washington Civic Center • 6:30-11 p.m.

Annual fundraising event for the Shepard Cancer Foundation, which supports the Marion L. Shepard Cancer Center. For tickets and information call 252.975.4308.

March 17 Shop & Swap Expo • The Blind Center • Expo held from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. This is a crafters’ supply exchange – for supplies you thought you would use, but have not. Gift Shoppe will also be open selling unique handcrafted items. Food Court will be open. 221 N. Harvey Street, Washington, NC, corner of Harvey and Third Streets.

E-mail theblindcenter@aol.com or call 252-946-6208.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2012 | WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE • 59

FOR YOUR HEALTH

Potential Unlimited New year, new goals

60 • WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2012

FOR YOUR HEALTH

Full court basketball at Fitness Unlimited.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2012 | WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE • 61

FOR YOUR HEALTH

A state-of-the-art cardio facility features flat screen televisions for entertainment.

S

Written by KEITH MASON Photographs By MEREDITH LOUGHLIN

tarting a new year often means starting new goals, and getting in shape is at the top of many people’s lists every year. Advice and strategies abound, but do they really work? What is the best way to go about getting in shape?

According to Austin Thomas of Fitness Unlimited, one of the biggest mistakes people make is fixating on weight loss. They start by cutting calories, then start working out as hard as they can. He says this typically works for 60 to 90 days, but people quit after that because

62 • WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2012

“they’re miserable.”

The best way to go about it, he claims, is to focus on losing inches and increasing metabolic rate. Thomas says that one of the keys to getting in shape is resistance training.

“People think cardio is the answer to everything,” he says, “but resistance training is the answer to increasing metabolic rate.”

Having a higher metabolic rate allows you to burn more calories at your normal activity level, even when you aren’t exercising.

Thomas’s advice is gradually working up to two to three days of resistance training and three to five days

FOR YOUR HEALTH

of cardiovascular training per week. He recommends, “taking baby steps” until out of the initial soreness phase.

For some good entry-level resistance training exercises, Thomas recommends using stability balls, resistance bands and resistance tubes. These are very versatile, allowing a variety of exercises working a wide range of muscles.

Thomas is a fan of stability balls, in particular.

“There’s nothing you can’t do with it,” he says.

You can work almost any muscle with one. This equipment is all fairly inexpensive and can be purchased at places like Hibbett Sports or Wal-Mart.

As far as specific exercises go, if you’re working out from home, Thomas recommends watching instructional videos on YouTube. While they aren’t all perfect, he says there are some very good videos that provide a great starting point. He recommends watching more than one and getting a consensus. Also, if you can work up to it, “one of the hardest activities you can do is a ball pass,” Thomas says. It can be difficult at first, but it’s an excellent workout utilizing several muscle groups.

The next step, Thomas says, is graduating to machine weights or stack weights, and then on the free weights. Eventually, “you’re gonna need something you

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2012 | WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE • 63

FOR YOUR HEALTH

Owner and personal trainer Austin Thomas supervises a simple walk-up workout.

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can really add weight to.”

As far as diet and nutrition, “the ‘no carb’ thing is the biggest mistake in the industry ... You have to pair it with protein,” Thomas says. He also says that fat gram intake for women should be between 20-40 and for men, between 4060. Eating healthy is always an important part of getting in shape.

Finding a proper and nutritious diet is more about eating smarter than starving.

“The reality is that people who do this at home don’t stick with it,” Thomas said.

While that may sound like salesmanship, Thomas can back up this claim.

Fitness Unlimited conducted an experiment, giving away 200 memberships and selling 200 memberships and monitoring them.

They found a 63 percent difference in their success rates. Thomas says that 73 percent of those who paid were successful in their goals and dedication, while only 10 percent who received a free membership stuck with it and met their goals.

“There’s something with the mind that says, ‘I’m spending (money). I need to use it,’” Thomas says. The financial commitment helps foster accountability.

Thomas’s biggest piece of advice is to take baby steps and not be afraid to ask for advice. There is lots of help out there. Don’t be afraid to use it.

DOWN THE RIVER

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Small streets, big heart

Town harbors surprises

B

Written by MIKE VOSS PHOTOGRAPHY by LARRY BOYD

elhaven is likely best known for being a waterfront town in northeastern Beaufort County.

But there’s much more to the town than just boats, docks and its waterfront.

The town bills itself as the gateway to the Pamlico Sound and the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Belhaven, which is on the north shore of the Pungo River and adjacent to Pantego Creek, is a hub of the local commercialfishing industry, an important part of the region’s economy, so much so that the town’s seal incorporates a ship’s wheel in its design.

Belhaven is home to one of the longest-running Fourth of July celebrations, if not the longest, in North Carolina. This year, the town will stage its 70th-consecutive Independence Day celebration.

Belhaven is home to the Belhaven Memorial Museum, located on the second floor of the old Town Hall.

The museum traces its roots to Eva Way Blount’s collections of things normal and odd. The collections began

with a collection of buttons given to Blount by her mother-in-law. Over the years, she collected at least 30,000 buttons from around the world.

The collections include a flea bride and groom (viewed with magnifying glass), toys, dolls, farm equipment, a one-eyed fetal pig, preserved tumors and much, much more.

The town is pursuing or has recently completed improvement projects like installing a new breakwater, boatingrelated facilities at Wynne’s Gut and replacing the Water Street bridge.

Eva Narcissus Boyd, better known to many folks at Little Eva, who had a No. 1 hit in 1962 with “The LocoMotion,” was born in Belhaven, where she was buried after her death on April 10, 2003.

Belhaven is home to Vidant Pungo Hospital, formerly Pungo District Hospital.

The town also has several marinas and boating-related industries and businesses. Belhaven is home to the Pirates on the Pungo sailing regatta.

Belhaven is located near mile marker 135 on the Intracoastal Waterway.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2012 | WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE • 67

Y’ALL COME BACK

Why I love Washington

Only in Washington...

“

Written by ELIZABETH WILDER PHOTO by Mike ONIFFREY

Send me an invite!” I told Bubba (his real name) when he invited me to his daughter’s wedding. I was new in town and eager to make new friends. It was going well since I met Bubba exactly 10 minutes prior. I had to laugh when he said, “This is your invite.

We don’t send out invitations here.” Apparently, you’re supposed to know if you REALLY should attend. Sure enough, they issue an open invitation in the newspaper underneath the smiling picture of the engaged couple. I can only imagine how the tradition got started and the drama it has created through the years. It’s one of the things I love about living here. Where else, but Washington?

It’s the smell my neighbor calls sniffing the watermelon on a blistering summer day when you know the crabbing is going to be good and that you should put aside your afternoon plans to throw some bait on a nail to pull in tonight’s dinner. And where the first cold snap means someone you know will be steaming oysters, an eastern North Carolina delicacy I’ve come to appreciate dunked in butter and warm cocktail sauce. My mouth is watering just thinking about it.

It’s book club Thursdays when ladies dress up for lunch, as their own grandmothers did, and never discuss the books. How I love to be with these women to hear their stories instead. They tell me they’re so glad I joined them while reminding me I am lucky to be part of their tradition. They are right.

It’s the unbelievable sight when the Pamlico River blows out from a ’nor-easter revealing everything the river has stolen over the years, and the unforgettable force of hurricane flood waters that brings out the best of neighbors when we must clean up and rebuild.

It’s the friendly shopkeepers on Main Street who ask about your family, the men in camouflage

68 • WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2012

Elizabeth Wilder with daughter Mary Grace

swapping stories at Warren’s, and Anne’s poppy seed muffins. It’s the possibilities I see when I walk down Main Street and wonder if my children will be lucky enough to raise their own kids here.

It’s the precious friendships that I treasure, cultivated through the years, casseroles delivered on difficult days and celebrations for the simple things.

It’s neighborhood picnics, preschool programs and parades. A caring community steeped in tradition.

It’s REALLY knowing you should show up without the printed invite ...

Only in Washington, NC

CLE RECY ME

Free Pickup.

Free Recycling.

Cool Savings.

ENERGY

HOG

Get $50 for your old fridge.

We’ll credit your Tideland EMC account $50 for every working secondary refrigerator or freezer your allow us to recycle.

We’ll even pick it up, free of charge, without you having to lift a finger. By recycling that old appliance, you could save over $200 per year on your energy bill! Big results… little effort.

To schedule pickup call: 877.341.2310 or visit www.tidelandemc.com You must be a Tideland EMC residential electric member with a valid account number to participate. Appliances must be secondary units. Refrigerators and freezers turned in for recycling must be in working condition (cooling), 10-30 cubic feet, owned by you and picked up from the residential address listed on the billing account. The credit will be applied to your electric account within 4-6 weeks after collection. Limit of two appliances per household per year.

VidantHealth.com

Can ten hospitals work together as one?

Yes. University Health Systems of Eastern Carolina is now Vidant Health – a system of ten hospitals, specialty clinics and more than fifty physician practices, bringing advanced medicine to the 1.4 million people in this part of the state.

Are we there when you need us?

We have the answer.

To find out more about our system of care, visit VidantHealth.com.