WILMA November 2022

ISSUE TASTE THE

The Return of Rx

The Castle Street eatery’s next chapter

On the Half Shell Cracking open oyster season

Dining Out(fit)

Serving up style

Open Our Doors to Nourish More

The Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina at Wilmington is so thankful to the community members who helped us meet the goal and will allow us to open our doors and feed more in Spring 2023.

We’d also like to recognize the supporters who committed significant gifts to support our new building and our expanded work early on. We can’t wait to invite you all to the nCino Hunger Solutions Center next year!

For more information and construction updates visit foodbankcenc.org/ilmupdate.

Bruce Barclay Cameron Foundation Dan Cameron Family Foundation Food Lion Feeds nCino

New Hanover County State of North Carolina

Anonymous Donor Joseph and Leslie Antos Bank of America Cape Fear Memorial Foundation City of Wilmington Daniel A. Saklad

Liberty Healthcare

Martin Marietta NHRMC Foundation

Smithfield Foods Foundation

The Cannon Foundation Derek & Louise Winstanly

RX REDUX:

for

season’s

It’s time to serve up WILMA’s annual Taste issue – featuring the latest on food and drink from around the region.

Learn more on page 10 about a way to outsource healthy weekly meal prepping with the addition of a Healthy James location in Wilmington.

On page 12, the recently opened Kipos restaurant serves as the backdrop for this month’s style spread – evoking Mediterranean flavors and fashion.

Not new but a soon-to-be new-again staple is preparing to reopen its doors. Rx has been a popular destination restaurant on Castle Street for years. Its owners, who have added oyster farmers and spearfishermen to their qualifications, are getting Rx Chicken and Oysters ready to debut. Read more about the new focus on page 18.

And speaking of oysters. It’s officially wild oyster season in Southeastern North Carolina, which means restaurants, seafood markets, and events are featuring the briny bivalve in earnest for the next several months. Turn to page 22 to find out how to make the most of the cold-water months.

Bon appétit! W

MEGHAN CORBETT, a native North Carolinian, is a freelance writer and editor. She graduated with honors with a degree in mass media communication and a minor in journalism from North Carolina State University. Corbett talked with Healthy James owners Jacqueline and Travis Hunter about opening Healthy James in Wilmington for locally prepped meals on page 10

MIRIAH HAMRICK is a reporter covering restaurants and hospitality for the Greater Wilmington Business Journal. Hamrick grew up working in her family’s restaurants, and although she didn’t continue in their path, she can’t stop thinking, talking, and writing about food. Her career has included stints in news and magazine writing, including for Food Network Magazine Hamrick details options for taking advantage of oyster season on page 22.

TERAH HOOBLER is a Wilmington-based freelance photojournalist with over sixteen years’ experience in photography and art. She is a mom of three, an artist, and an avid coffee drinker. Her passion is to capture everyday moments in a way that reveals the extravagance of life. Hoobler photographed Healthy James co-owner Jacqueline Hunter (page 10) and Ohanafy CEO Natalie Waggett (page 47). terahhoobler.com

KATIE SCHMIDT is a Wilmington-based freelance writer who graduated from University of Central Florida with a degree in English literature and magazine journalism. At any given moment, her bag contains whatever book she’s reading, a deck of cards in case the opportunity arises, and the numerous hair ties she keeps on-hand for all side-braid-related emergencies. Schmidt details the closing and retooling of Rx restaurant, now ready with a new menu and name (page 18). katieschmidtwritesthings.com

DREWE SMITH and KATE SUPA own a creative studio – Drewe and Kate Branding Co. –that helps companies elevate their brand and digital presence through photography, brand styling, logo design, and website creation. The creative team styled and photographed this month’s cover and style spread at Kipos Hellenic Cuisine on page 12 dreweandkate.com

Publisher Rob Kaiser rkaiser@wilmingtonbiz.com

President Robert Preville rpreville@wilmingtonbiz.com

Editor

Vicky Janowski vjanowski@wilmingtonbiz.com

Vice President of Sales

Carolyn Carver ccarver@wilmingtonbiz.com

Senior Marketing Consultants

Maggi Apel mapel@wilmingtonbiz.com

Matthew Coleman mcoleman@wilmingtonbiz.com

Lucy Pittman lpittman@wilmingtonbiz.com

Craig Snow csnow@wilmingtonbiz.com

Marketing Consultant Alexis Alphin aalphin@wilmingtonbiz.com

Digital Marketing Manager Braden Smith bsmith@wilmingtonbiz.com

Office & Audience Development Manager

Sandy Johnson sjohnson@wilmingtonbiz.com

Events Director Elizabeth Stelzenmuller events@wilmingtonbiz.com

Events & Digital Coordinator

Jamie Kleinman jkleinman@wilmingtonbiz.com

Contributing Designer

Suzi Drake art@wilmingtonbiz.com

Designer Tara Weymouth tweymouth@wilmingtonbiz.com

Digital Editor

Johanna Cano jcano@wilmingtonbiz.com

Media Coordinator

Julia Jones jjones@wilmingtonbiz.com

Fashion Stylist

Drewe Smith

Contributors

Tim Bass, Meghan Corbett, Nina Bays Cournoyer, Miriah Hamrick, Beth A. Klahre, Samantha Kupiainen, Laura Moore, Katie Schmidt

Contributing Photographers

Megan Deitz, Madeline Gray, Aris Harding, Terah Hoobler, Allison Joyce, Kate Supa

Founder Joy Allen

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LEADERSHIP INITIATIVE

FOUNDING SPONSORS

CORPORATE SPONSORS

“Cape Fear Community College is proud to partner with WILMA to highlight the accomplishments of women in the Cape Fear region. Our programs offer women opportunities to explore their interests and pursue their dreams. From university transfer classes that help women begin their academic careers, to hands-on training in the trades, to professional development courses for working professionals, CFCC provides a variety of pathways to help women learn, grow, and succeed.”

Sonya Johnson Vice President of Marketing & Community Relations Cape Fear Community College

W2W UPDATES

WILMA’s Women to Watch Leadership Initiative has updates to share as we continue to work on the effort’s core mission of helping develop more women leaders in our area. Here’s what we’ve been up to with various W2W Leadership Initiative programs and what’s coming up next:

MENTORING: The latest group participating in our mentoring program began its yearlong term last month, kicking off with an orientation session at the Wilmington Convention Center (shown above). Previous mentors and mentees shared information about best practices, and the pairs, who will meet monthly for the next year, went over the mentee’s goals.

LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE: Members of this year’s WILMA’s Leadership Institute met in October at nCino. The leadership skills session focused on public speaking, with Toastmaster members Megan Kopka, Kopka Financial owner and founder; Danielle Baxter, nCino business value consultant; and Mary Kathryn Hardy, nCino associate product manager, sharing tips about speaking in front of audiences as well as in front of small groups. The Institute is made up of forty women who meet monthly for leadership skills training, interaction with area executives, and peer mentoring sessions. Applications for next year’s class open again in December.

WILMA NETWORK: The WILMA Network, made up of women from the companies that support the Women to Watch initiative, serves as a resource for the women involved and represents a variety of area businesses, large and small. Members participate in monthly small-group networking events.

GETTING SOCIAL: Check out the initiative’s social media pages, where you can find the latest info about leadership program announcements, applications, and updates on women who have been involved with W2W. Follow us at facebook.com/ WILMAsWomenToWatch and on Instagram @WILMAsWomentoWatch.

IN THE LOOP: Keep up to date with these and other Leadership Initiative programs as well as application announcements by going to WILMAmag.com or signing up for the WILMA Leadership email at WILMAmag.com/email-newsletter.

- Vicky Janowski and Maggi Apel, Co-directors of the Women to Watch Leadership Initiative W2W@WILMAmag.com

The Women to Watch logo: When you see this throughout WILMA’s pages, it means this is a woman on the rise to know, an experienced leader to learn from, or a local program worth checking out. W

RX'S REINVENTION:

the Castle Street restaurant

BREWING AN EXPERIENCE:

Coffee looks to specialize

TAKE 5: Natalie Waggett on Ohanafy's startup inspiration

DIRECTORY: women’s professional groups

Besides WILMA’s Women to Watch Leadership Initiative, there are a number of local groups to help women grow professionally. Here is just a sampling of some of them.

Cape Fear CREW

Year Founded: 2010

Description: “Cape Fear CREW is the leading organization for commercial real estate in the Cape Fear region in North Carolina … Members represent every aspect of the commercial real estate industry, including, but not limited to, law, leasing, brokerage, property management, finance, acquisitions, and engineering.”

Info: capefearcrew.org or info@capefearcrew.org

Cape Fear Women in Tech

Year Founded: 2014

Description: “Our vision is to make the Cape Fear Region the No. 1 employer of women in technology careers per capita in the country. We do this by championing opportunities for women in technology, empowering women to strive for these competitive positions, and inspiring women to lead in those roles.”

Info: cfwit.com or capefearwomenintech@ gmail.com

Coastal Women Attorneys (N.C. Association of Women Attorneys)

Year Founded: 2013

Description: “CWA was formed to serve women attorneys in Southeastern North Carolina in the Fourth, Fifth and 13th judicial districts, which includes New Hanover, Pender, Brunswick, Columbus, Bladen, Duplin, Onslow, Sampson, and Jones counties. CWA is committed to increasing the participation of women attorneys in the legal profession, protecting the rights of women under the law and promoting, and improving the administration of justice.”

Info: ncawa.org/cwa or cwa@ncawa.org

The Inspiration Lab

Year Founded: 2015

Description: “The Inspiration Lab was built for working women passionate about personal and professional development. We offer teachings and tools to improve your skills, productivity, creativity, emotional intelligence, and well-being. We also provide opportunities for networking and connection. We represent a variety of backgrounds and careers, but we’re all like-minded in being serious about success, maintaining a manageable work-life balance, and supporting one another’s growth.”

Info: theinspirationlab.co

The Junior League of Wilmington Year Founded: 1952

Description: “The Junior League of Wilmington is a women’s organization designed to empower women and to improve the community through the leadership of women as trained volunteers.”

Info: jlwnc.org or info@jlwnc.org

Women’s Impact Network of New Hanover County

Year Founded: 2011

Description: “WIN is a collective philanthropy nonprofit that makes yearly grants to nonprofits within the county. The focus of these grants rotates annually among four areas: education, health and wellness, the environment, and arts and culture.”

Info: winofnhc.org

YWCA Lower Cape Fear

Founded: 1914

Description: “The YWCA Lower Cape Fear is dedicated to eliminating racism, empowering women, and promoting peace, justice, freedom, and dignity for all.” Economic advancement programs focus on educational assistance, job training, and short-term and long-term planning skills.

Info: ywca-lowercapefear.org

CUCALORUS RETURNS TO THE SCREEN & STAGE

The twenty-eighth annual Cucalorus Film Festival takes place November 1620, featuring nearly 140 independent films screened at venues around downtown Wilmington. The festival also includes panel talks, art performances, and other events.

Attending this year is actress ISABELLA ROSSELLINI (above), performing her original show Darwin’s Smile on November 19 at Thalian Hall. The appearance by Rossellini, who starred in David Lynch’s 1986 Blue Velvet filmed in Wilmington, is a highlight for the festival, which includes a nod to the movie every year with its The Bus to Lumberton program.

“We have such deep respect for the visionary work of Ms. Rossellini. And of course, many are familiar with our fascination with David Lynch’s indie classic Blue Velvet,” says Cucalorus head DAN BRAWLEY. “Bringing these things together is really a dream come true for many of us.”

MED WEEK AWARDS GO TO BUSINESSES

Three minority-owned businesses were recognized by the Wilmington Chamber of Commerce for their suc cess over the previous 18 months, honors that were awarded as part of the Cape Fear region’s annual Minority Enterprise Development (MED) Week.

The winner of the Woman-Owned Business Category was JEANETTE OMDALEN, owner and CEO of Highland Roofing Co.

The company has grown at least 25% over the past five years, a news release says.

The winner of the African-Ameri can-Owned Business Category was BRENDA DIXON (above,) of Get That Deed. “Dixon recognized many hard working families struggle to keep hous ing within their budget, and affordable housing is becoming anything but af fordable for many families,” officials say.

The Latin American-Owned Business Category winners were CHRIS MON TERO and EVIE MORALES, of Perfect Touch Rental, an event and party rental company. They partnered in 2020 to start the company, which offers ad vanced tenting technology and custom event strategy services.

LS3P ANNOUNCES BOARD CHANGE

Architecture, interiors, and planning firm LS3P recently announced a key leadership change on its board of direc tors.

Chief Practice Officer KATHERINE PEELE was named board chair, suc ceeding THOMPSON E. PENNEY. Senior Vice President PAUL BONEY will contin ue to serve as vice chair.

Peele joined LS3P (then Boney Archi tects) in 1988 after she graduated from North Carolina State University with an architecture degree. In her thirty-four years with the firm, she has managed over $1 billion worth of construction, with projects ranging from educational to workplace to civic work.

She became Raleigh office leader in 2005, joined the board of directors in 2010 and was named vice president of practice in 2013.

Peele served as the 2000 president of AIA North Carolina and was elevated to AIA Fellowship in 2003 in recognition of her extensive expertise and commitment to educational facility design. In 2019, she received the AIA North Carolina Gold Medal. In 2009, she was awarded the William H. Dietrick Service Medal by the AIA North Carolina Chapter.

CONNERS NAMED NHC LIBRARY DIRECTOR

DANA CONNERS, who has nearly three decades of experience working in public libraries, was tapped as the New Hanover County Public Library system’s new director.

Conners takes on the role this month, following the retirement of PAIGE OWENS, who served in the position since mid-2019 and worked for the library system for twenty-two years.

A Charlotte native, Conners earned her undergraduate degree from Ap palachian State University and her master’s degree in library and informa tion studies from University of North Carolina at Greensboro.

Most recently, she served as assis tant director of public services with the Austin, Texas, public library system and previously worked with several North Carolina public library systems includ ing Charlotte-Mecklenburg and Iredell, Union, and Cabarrus counties.

She was named the 2012 North Car olina Public Library Director of the Year and is active in numerous professional organizations, including the America Library Association, and holds North Carolina Public Library Certification.

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“I have long admired the impact that New Hanover County Public Library has made on this community,” Conners says, “and I look forward to continuing the library’s great programs and services while also finding new and exciting ways to engage our commu nity.”

HELP FOR THE SUNDAY MEAL PREP

by MEGHAN CORBETT photo by TERAH HOOBLER

The importance of eating healthy cannot be overstated, but the ability for most people to do that with busy schedules and picky eaters can prohibit the lifestyle from being a reality. Everyone has heard of casseroles that hide vegetables or pastas made with whole wheat to try and trick our kids, but who has time for that?

JACQUELINE and TRAVIS HUNTER, owners of Wilmington’s Healthy James have an answer to the nightly dilemma – what’s for dinner?

“My husband and I have always been passionate about personal health and wellness,” Jacqueline Hunter says. “Every Sunday, we spent several hours in our home kitchen prepping meals for our workweek

breakfasts, lunches, and dinners. While this helped us maintain an excellent health pro file, we were tired of spending our Sundays shopping, prepping, cooking, packaging, and having to eat the same meals five days in a row.”

She says they knew it must also be a challenge for others, so they started re searching starting a meal prep business.

“We wanted a model that utilized top-quality ingredients, a variety of freshmade refrigerated meals and food that had a texture, taste, and overall quality like nothing else available. Healthy James met our criteria,” Jacqueline Hunter says.

The franchise was founded in Louisville, Kentucky, in 2017 to cater to health-con scious but busy consumers. The local loca tion is 5424 Oleander Drive, Suite 1.

“We have meals for most nutritional needs and preferences,” Jacqueline Hunter says. “Our Fit Meals consist of a choice of baked skinless boneless chicken breast, top sirloin steak, grass-fed ground beef, wildcaught salmon, or wild-caught red Argen tine shrimp.”

The protein is paired with a choice of brown rice, cauliflower rice, or sweet potato, and a meal includes a vegetable on the side.

“Our Signature Meals are more savory while maintaining a macro-based balance of nutrition; some are offered in a paleo or keto option,” Jacqueline Hunter says. “We also offer vegan and breakfast meals, gourmet cauliflower crust pizzas, sug ar-free protein cheesecake and bars, protein smoothies, and wellness teas.”

Customers place their orders by 11 a.m. Friday and pick up on Sunday morning or opt for local delivery on Sunday. Walk-in customers also stop by during the week.

But how does it all taste?

“Every week we hear customers rave about the quality, portion size, and vari ety of our meals,” Jacqueline Hunter says. “Our meals have flavor, and this is a direct correlation to the quality of ingredients and the attention to detail of our chef. Eating healthy doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice taste or variety in your meals.

“Food preference is unique to each individual; we are committed to under standing our customers’ dietary needs and preferences so we can assist in making their health and wellness journey most

enjoyable,” she adds. “We recognize that most people either have an incredibly busy schedule, don’t like to cook, or don’t know how to cook a healthy and nutri ent-rich meal.”

Some of their most popular dishes include fit steak with brown rice, cowboy quesadillas, bison meatloaf, beef and broccoli lo mein, and bang bang shrimp pizza.

“Our (online) ordering portal is easy to navigate and provides descriptions, pictures, and nutritional information for our meals,” Jacqueline Hunter says.

Aside from complete meals, Healthy James offers ordering in “by the pound” portions that include items such as ground turkey or beef, Brussels sprouts hash with bacon jam, cooked sweet po tatoes, boneless wings, teriyaki chicken, and cooked shrimp, just to name a few.

For those hosting a crowd or enter taining family over the holidays, those are options to personalize meals.

“We plan on expanding,” Jacqueline Hunter says, “with satellite locations to serve the north Wilmington/Hampstead area and Leland area.”

Decked Out

It’s been forty days since the official end of summer, and by now most of us are experiencing waves of wanderlust.

If a cruise to some exotic port isn’t in the books, you can still channel those seafaring vibes right here in Wilmington. With so many cuisines to sample, you and your discerning palate can take a quick jaunt to Greece, Thailand, or Cuba, all while barely leaving your zip code.

Dressing for the deck of a luxury yacht doesn’t

have to be much different than a night on the town locally. Layers are always key, so you can throw on a sweater or shrug when out in the open air and peel it off once you’re settled in a cozy taverna. Even your favorite pair of jeans can conjure up a night on the Aegean – pair with an airy white blouse for a simple yet elegant look and top it off with a small clutch and some classic costume jewelry.

Now raise that glass of ouzo and toast to your very own bay-cation. W

Aegean Breeze

Made with End of Days Luna Bloom Butterfly Pea Flower gin, Crème de violette, Yellow Chartreuse, lemon, cucumber, and sparkling wine

photos and styling by Drewe and Kate Branding Co. | intro by Nina Bays Cournoyer

Otello JUMPER, Uma SKIRT in China blue, Ansley Studs EARRINGS, Emerald Cut RING in white topaz, and Superstar SNEAKERS in white and tobacco with glitter star, all available at Oliver Clothing

Broderie Anglaise MIDI DRESS in blue, Cult Gaia Eos bauble acrylic box CLUTCH, pearl drop EARRINGS, Pivot Cuff BRACELET, and Loretta BOOT in bone suede, all available at Oliver Clothing

Ares Respite

Made with tequila, Campari, grapefruit, lemon, mezcal splash, and rosemary

MODEL: Wren

HAIR & MAKEUP:

Styles Beauty

WARDROBE:

Clothing

LOCATION: Kipos Hellenic Cuisine, 1900 Eastwood Road

2

Ingrid BODYSUIT, The Rambler JEANS by Mother, mixed gold RINGS and gold zodiac and gold chain NECKLACES, all available at Oliver Clothing

RX’s Reinvention

by KATIE SCHMIDT photos by MADELINE GRAY & c/o RX CHICKEN AND OYSTERS

Pan-seared whole lionfish

Maybe all good things really do come to an end, but in the case of Castle Street restaurant Rx Chicken and Oysters, good things begin again … and even better than before. After ten years of operating the previously named Rx Restaurant, co-owners SARAH and JAMES DOSS, closed the doors in February to prepare for a new chapter. Their social media post announcing the closure ended with, “We love you, Wilmington, and we’ll see you again very soon!”

That “very soon” is now within reaching distance as the pair aims to reopen the restaurant, on the corner of Castle Street and 5th Avenue, in the coming months. The original restaurant, which James Doss opened in 2012 and named in reference to the former Hall’s Drug Store once housed in the building, evolved over the intervening years into, as he says, “more fine dining than we really intended in the beginning.”

While the restaurant always had an emphasis on creative food offerings and local ingredients, the refresh allows the pair to recalibrate a bit and get back to their roots.

Sarah worked at the restaurant in its earliest days, eventually becoming a co-owner with James after they got married in 2018. As someone who was around in the beginning, Sarah

Doss saw the subtle evolution of the restaurant for herself.

“It definitely got further away from what it was when it opened and evolved to being a little bit more fine dining,” she says, “which is great, but it’s just not what we’re wanting to do now.”

The decision to close the restaurant these past few months was a bittersweet but necessary one. “We were in there every day, all day, working all kinds of positions and there was no way to evolve or work toward the future,” James Doss says.

One of the major pillars of that future is an elevated focus on local food sourcing. Rx has always partnered with local farmers and prioritized highlighting the food producers they work with, but the couple wanted to figure out a way

to become more hands-on with their seafood acquisition, especially regarding oysters. They started their an oyster farm during the summer.

“It’s a source of pride that we’ve been able to grow our own oysters and learn about them and just get so much more acquainted with this piece of what we do,” Sarah Doss says.

“It’s been great just getting out there,” James Doss adds. “We really wanted to be in the water some, so we’re making it a part of our work and setting that as an intent as we aim to play a bigger part in our own food production.”

The pair have also spent time this summer taking up scuba diving and spearfishing. Through this experience, they have been able to witness some of the damage the venomous lionfish is wreaking on the ocean and local

fisheries.

“We’re specifically targeting lionfish because they’re invasive,” Sarah Doss says. “They eat all the fish that we like to eat, but they also eat the fish that clean the algae off of the coral. So, without those fish, the coral essentially dies. It’s pretty alarming, and they have no predators. Really the only way that you can get them is spearing them individually.”

So, that’s what the Dosses aim to do. For the sake of the ocean, of course, but also because lionfish just so happen to be really delicious and a great addition to the new menu at Rx Chicken and Oysters.

As for other menu items, guests can expect to see more raw bar-style shellfish and oysters, fried chicken, Crystal Coaststyle shrimp burgers, and some returning favorites from the original menu (yes, the brunch special chili cheeseburger will make its triumphant return).

“The main thing is it’s going to be a little more of a static menu,” Sarah Doss says. “Before our menu was changing pretty much every day, and that gets to be really challenging. People will still see a lot of their favorites, but generally, the price point will be a little bit lower because we want to be accessible for more people.”

Both James and Sarah Doss are looking forward to the opportunity to reopen their doors and show off the work they’ve been doing since closure in February.

“It’s definitely been extremely intentional,” Sarah Doss says. “We’ve been talking about this kind of stuff for years and years and just sort of really pinpointing exactly how we want life to look and how we want Rx to look. It’s exciting to get to this point where we’re close to opening, close to having a lot of these changes made, and we’re learning new things.

“The oyster farm is a total learning experience,” she adds. “And it’s just been really fun and invigorating. And, you know, we’re ready.” W

We’re specifically targeting lionfish because they’re invasive,” Sarah Doss says. “They eat all the fish that we like to eat, but they also eat the fish that clean the algae off of the coral. So, without those fish, the coral essentially dies. It’s pretty alarming, and they have no predators. Really the only way that you can get them is spearing them individually.

– SARAH DOSS

“

“

Lionfish Ceviche

NC Fried Fish Sandwich

Changin’ Ways Fried Chicken

James Doss spearfishing lionfish

Aw,shucks

Wild oyster season

brings a wave of options

By Miriah Hamrick | Photos by Allison Joyce

October 15 marked the start of a shucking good time in Southeastern North Carolina: wild oyster season. The state’s public waters opened for cultivation of the beloved bivalve that day, and wild oysters began popping up on area restaurant menus and in seafood markets.

Wild or farmed, oysters absorb the flavors of the water where they grow, and coastal North Carolina’s mix of salty and fresh waters provides a particularly rich environment for them. DEAN NEFF, owner of Seabird and a semi finalist chef in the James Beard Awards, has heard the area called the Napa Valley of oysters. Indeed, Neff compares experiencing the differences in local oysters to wine.

“It’s kind of like experiencing wine,” Neff says. “It’s all about seasons, the farming practices. All of that changes everything about the taste of oyster, the meatiness of it. There’s a lot to it.”

Merroir is the term among oyster fans to describe how oysters take on the fla vor profile and qualities of the waters where they were grown, according to ERIN FLECKENSTEIN, coastal scientist with the North Carolina Coastal Federation. Fleckenstein points out that oysters are more than a tasty treat for coastal residents, though. They are a crucial feature in North Carolina’s coastal ecosystem by providing habitat for fish and filtering sediments and algae from the water.

While the state’s wild oyster population has declined, the rise of oyster farming has ensured that the mighty mollusk continues to serve these functions along the coast as well as shoring up the supply of local oysters for area restaurants.

“People really love them and have a deep affinity for them, so our oyster farming industry has helped to fill that demand,” Fleckenstein says.

For those eager to enjoy the bounty of the season, Wilmington restaurants offer a variety of options that include local farmed oysters as well as wild varieties once public waters open for harvest.

Wrightsville Beach Brewery offers oysters from two local farms year-round, includ ing green gill oysters. The oysters are harder to find around Wilmington, according to general manager KEITH SINCAVAGE, but present a special experience for guests.

“The flavor is particularly briny, and they’re pretty,” Sincavage says. “They’re really cool to look at.”

Another option is buying wild oysters from a local seafood market to enjoy at home.

Eagle Island Fruit & Seafood sells wild oysters six days a week during oyster season, and once they hit peak availability, owner SAMMY FLOWERS advises customers to

PARTAKE WITH PURPOSE

Here are some other ways to experience oyster season this year.

OYSTER FARM TOUR & TASTING

November 5, 2:30-5:30 p.m. Epic Excursions epicexcursionsnc.com

Tours depart via boat from Epic Excursions in Wrightsville Beach and travel to Middle Sound Mariculture, where owner James Hargrove leads a guided tour of the oyster farm and shares insight into oyster farming practices. The next two hours take place at Masonboro Island, where raw and steamed oysters along with complimentary wine are served. Guests can also bring their own beverages to enjoy on the beach. Tickets cost $150 per person. Owner Kristi Balding says additional tours will likely become available later in November.

Oyster Roast + Harvest Toast

November 12, 6-10 p.m.

White Feather Farm oysterroastharvesttoast.eventbrite.com

Family Promise of Lower Cape Fear will host an intimate evening of dinner and drinks among the chickens, alpaca, and herding dogs at White Feather Farm to raise money to benefit families experiencing homelessness or domestic violence. Dinner includes oysters from Hold Fast Oyster Co. and entrees by Sawmill Cafe and Catering with appetizers and dessert from Spoonfed Kitchen and Bakeshop. Mister Bartender will pour signature cocktails crafted with spirits from End of Days Distillery, which along with beer and wine, are included with purchase of tickets. Live music by Tideline String Band will provide entertainment, as will a silent auction. Tickets are $125 per person.

Shuck Cancer Oyster Roast

November 17, 5-8 p.m.

Bluewater Waterfront Grill

shuckcancerWB.givesmart.com

Rain or shine, the American Cancer Society is hosting its inaugural Shuck Cancer Oyster Roast beneath a tent in the Bluewater Waterfront Grill parking lot. Although this is the first time the event will take place in Wilmington, other chapters of the American Cancer Society have hosted similar events. Dinner includes steamed oysters in addition to small plated dishes from Bluewater, Carolina Ale House, Hops Supply Co., and Oceanic. The small plates will include two oyster-based dishes and two nonseafood dishes. Each ticket comes with two complimentary drinks. Entertainment will include live music and a silent auction. Tickets are $70 per person.

come early on Saturday mornings.

“On Saturdays, we start washing oysters at 8 a.m., so the earlier, the better. If you get here around noon or so, you’re usually standing in line,” Flowers says, adding that oysters usually sell out on Saturday after noons.

At seafood markets, oysters are sold by volume instead of amount, which can be tricky for those new to buying oysters. A peck or quarter-bushel is typically the smallest volume sold, with half-bushel and bushel options also available. Flowers rec ommends a peck for two people.

Seaview Crab Company offers the same volume options at its seven retail locations across the Wilmington area as well as a halfpeck, which general manager JONATHAN ORACION estimates as about two dozen oysters. Seaview offers three types of wild oysters: single select, standard, and clusters.

“We have single selects, which are the biggest and meatiest oysters. Then we have standards, which are a little bit smaller single oysters,” Oracion says. “Cluster oysters tend to be the saltiest, but they’re all clustered up, so you’ve got to do a bit more work but they’re pretty good, too.”W

This story originally appeared in WILMA sister publication Good Life Wilmington (goodlifewilmington.com).

Callie Rodosovich, sous chef at Wrightsville Beach Brewery, plates oysters

Much more than something Blue

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Brewing anExperience

Maven Coffee looks to specialize

by Laura Moore photo by Aris Harding

Maven Coffee is a specialty brewer that sources microlots from growers in Colombia, to offer a variety of specialty coffees as well as specialty equipment to their customers.

While living in Bogota, Diana Nino had worked for the “best specialty roaster in Colombia.” She managed their coffee shops, trained baristas in customer service, and helped set up franchises.

“I knew in that moment that Nico had an idea of a coffee business. The vision was in his brain,” she says. “And I had been learning about everything about how to do a coffee shop and do it on a big scale. I had learned a lot from there, but the idea to create something that is yours is more exciting.”

When the couple moved to Wilmington, Maven Coffee was born. They started the company with the intention of only selling the “best equipment and beans,” but the idea continued to evolve until they decided to “give people the opportunity to have the experience,” Nico Nino says.

They began doing pop-up shops, but the pandemic slowed down events, so they decided to open their own space at 3816 Oleander Drive.

Seeing a need, they opened in the front space of their coworking office space.

“It was the best idea,” Diana Nino says. “We opened when everyone was closing, but people stayed because they wanted to be educated on how to prepare a good cup of coffee.”

Now Maven Coffee is able to share the coffee, as well as teas and chocolate for flavoring, that the couple sources from small farms with whom they’ve established relationships.

“Our relationships – that’s the best thing about this. Traceability is key. It is high quality, but there are beautiful stories behind the coffee,” Nico Nino shares.

Their espresso bar, sophisticated but cozy, welcomes customers to learn about the coffees available to them and experience the unique flavors that Diana and Nico personally create.

“It is a showroom rather than a traditional mom-and-pop shop,” Nico Nino says. “You see these cooking shows where all you can do is salivate, so we wanted to have a coffee shop where you can have the experience and give them the space to enjoy it.”

To empower customers to enjoy and learn about coffee, Maven Coffee offers “Coffee Cuppings.”

“Like a wine tasting, there are a lot of varieties, a lot of aromas, a lot of flavors of coffee, and we educate people on how to identify the best coffee available,” Diana Nino says.

Coffee cuppings are available for groups of up to ten people. Barista training is also offered.

Specialty drinks include the Red Velvet Latte and Chocolate Cherry Truffle Latte. Seasonal drinks reflect flavors of the time of year, such as their Campfire Latte, the Tiramisu Latte, and The Manhattan for the colder months.

When the ideas come to Diana, she shares them with Nico, and he brings them to fruition.

“He calibrates the idea to perfection, so you don’t lose the flavor of the coffee,” she says.

Diana Nino, who has a degree in economics, handles the company’s finances and management, but her favorite part of the business is sharing the coffee experience with her customers.

“My most favorite thing is to be serving coffee with the customers,” she says. “The experience is so different. When they say, ‘It’s the best coffee I’ve ever had,’ I just love it.”

The couple has a 19-month-old named Yohanan, with another baby on the way. And as their family grows, so does Maven Coffee.

“Business is growing at a good pace; it is growing in a way that we can handle,” Diana Nino says. “Ninety percent of customers that come in, stay regulars.”

By the end of the year, she says, they plan to open another Maven Coffee location, and in time, they look forward to having “the espresso showroom replicated in different parts of the city.” The goal is to make sure customers are “always going to have the best coffee cup possible.”

A Maven Coffee Cart also is available for weddings and events and is often on hand at local marketplaces around town. Bags of their microlot coffees are available on their website and can be shipped throughout the United States with a step-by-step brewing guide.

“We like to say, ‘This is not a business to compete, but a passion to share,’” Diana Nino says. “We love people, and we love to serve people. We were born to do that.” W

DIANA NINO and her husband, NICO, want to challenge the way people drink coffee. Instead of gulping down a cup on the go, the Maven Coffee owners want to provide an experience to enjoy.

Astrid Medina is one of the female coffee producers Maven works with in Colombia for sourcing.

PLANTATION

MEET OUR RESIDENTS (L to R): NANCY TILLET, AGGIE HENRIKSEN & BECKY PHILLIPS

MAINTAINING DECADES OF FRIENDSHIP AT PLANTATION VILLAGE

The “Golden Girls” romanticized an ideal of women living out their retirement years together, but here at Plantation Village some of our residents are real-life examples of how friendships built over the years can solidify into something even more meaningful.

Nancy Tillett, Aggie Henriksen, and Becky Phillips have been friends for more than 20 years and today they gather at least weekly for wine, cocktails and/ or dinner.

They’re all avid golfers and regularly play at courses across Wilmington

Aggie and Nancy have been friends for more than 30 years and neighbors in three different neighborhoods over the decades including now at

Plantation Village.

Becky and Aggie met during the Azalea Garden Tour years ago when they bonded over their love of gardening and floral arranging.

They agree that it was important to move to PV while still enjoying their social engagements and activities in the greater Wilmington community.

They each continue to serve in multiple organizations outside of Plantation Village. Becky is active with the Cape Fear Garden Club while Nancy volunteers with The Assistance League Thrift Shop.

Without children of their own or family living nearby, the ladies have a pact to take care of each other.

It’s an informal commitment to care and support one

another, but they’ve also made it “official” by utilizing the PV “buddy system” to designate one another as emergency contacts to whom health information can be shared.

They each made a conscious choice to move into a CCRC (continuing care retirement community) to secure their future with a maintenance-free lifestyle – with the flexibility to garden as they wish! – knowing their healthcare needs will be managed along our continuum of care however they may need.

They enjoy the environment of our community which fosters social engagement.

The theme song to the show says “thank you for being a friend” but the bond between these ladies runs much deeper.

While no one’s future is certain, these ladies have taken

active steps to provide for themselves and one another. They’re secure in the support system they’ve created and exemplify what a happy and engaged retirement can look like.

Lisa Polanski is the Marketing Director at Plantation Village, a non-profit Life Plan Community that offers independent living on a 58-acre campus in Porter’s Neck , minutes from downtown Wilmington and area beaches. Plantation Village is managed by Life Care Services, the nation’s 2nd largest management company of Life Plan Communities.

IT’S SHOW TIME!

ANNIVERSARIES

WEDDING

INTRODUCING

THE WILMA SHOW

On Dec. 3, WILMA will take over the Wilmington Convention Center Shop the latest trends in uniquely curated exhibits for… Style + Beauty Health + Wellness Food + Drink Home + Garden Participate in… Workshops + Demonstrations ⬤ Prize Drawings + Giveaways & WILMA’s Future Leaders Fest

Meet WECT Anchor Frances Weller

Frances Weller is one of the most recognizable and respected people in our community. A proud Wilmington native, award-winning journalist and community advocate, Fran recently celebrated 40 years at WECT. She began her journalism career at WECT not long after graduating from UNC-Chapel Hill, joining the news team she grew up watching.

Fran will be at the WILMA Show to meet with attendees and future leaders.

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STYLE & BEAUTY

See the latest style and beauty trends from local companies like Half United, Edge of Urge, LaLa & Elm, Spun Compass and Buff City Soap.

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Morgan Matthews, Director of Marketing and Public Relations

Market St, Wilmington, NC

Discover ways to enhance your home from interior designers, builders, specialized contractors and other real estate specialists.

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Sample tasty offerings and snatch up gifts from a range of local restaurants, specialty food vendors and drink mixologists.

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WILMA SHOW

HERE’S A SAMPLE OF SOME OF THE LOCAL BUSINESSES YOU’LL SEE AT THE WILMA SHOW:

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Arise Counseling and Therapy

LIV CBD Medac Health Services Optimal Bio MyPeriodPal Pelvic Prescription, LLC Pender Pelvic Health Physical Therapy for Women Port City Power Yoga Sprout Yoga & Art for Kids Studio Pilates USA Vein Clinics

White & Johnson Pediatric Dentistry

Elderhaus PACE

Kultural Pole & Arts

United Medical And Aesthetics

The Upper Cervical Spine Center Whole Water Solutions

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Blockade Runner Beach Resort Capt’n Bill’s

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JohnnyLukes Kitchen Bar Nothing Bundt Cakes

Sea Love Sea Salt Co.

For the Love of Margaritas Taco Baby

H OME & GARDEN

Able Pools & Spas Adaria Home and Garden Decor

Go Green Fine Interiors

Oxi Fresh Carpet Cleaning MarKraft Cabinets

Harpo Properties

Carolina Cleaning Services Matthews Motors

Big Sky Design

Saltwash

Tailored Designs

Cape Fear Solar Systems

Cape Fear Habitat for Humanity

Inspire Brunswick Forest Cricket Wireless NC Lumber & Supply

S ERVICES

Bright Star Diversity

Connect Cape Fear

The Diamond Group

Freedom Boat Club-Carolina Beach HerHQ

Inflated Creation

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O’Brien Service, Co. Inc Russell Family Law & Litigation Yacht Source Spiffy

Reflect the Life You Want

RSVP Cape Fear United Community Bank Wilmington Christian Academy

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In November, Carolina Beach Mural Project launched a program it’s never done before, Boards Across CB. After starting as an idea in May, the group collected sixty boards, ranging from do nated surfboards to skateboards to boogie boards, all in varying shapes, sizes, and conditions. The project then found sixty artists to make the boards into art howev er they see fit. From there, the boards will be displayed all around Carolina Beach while also engaging with local businesses.

Each board will have a QR code that gives patrons additional information about the artist, the inspiration behind their board, and bidding information.

Carolina Beach Mural Project will incorporate scavenger hunts and various other entertainment as part of Boards Across CB to entice residents and tourists to visit the beach during the off-season. The boards will be on display in business es during the winter months and auc tioned off in February. Profits will be split 50/50 between the artist and Carolina Beach Mural Project, which takes earn ings and puts them directly toward even more mural installations across the town.

One of the board artists participating is REBECCA WYATT, who decided to use her board to depict a mermaid body surfing.

ON-BOARDING

CAROLINA BEACH’S NEXT PUBLIC ART PROJECT

by SAMANTHA KUPIAINEN

In March 2020, twelve Carolina Beach residents decided there “wasn’t enough art in our artsy town.” So, to fix that problem, MAUREEN LEWIS founded Carolina Beach Mural Project.

Currently, Lewis serves as the presi dent and founder of the project, which is a nonprofit organization that celebrates Carolina Beach’s history and culture through the installation of public art. Since its founding more than two years

ago, the organization has funded thirteen mural installations and counting around the beach town.

Lewis, a North Carolina transplant from California, was largely inspired to initiate the program due to her involve ment with the Hermosa Beach Mural Project years prior. Now a retiree, Lewis cites her involvement with that as the source of her tool kit that allowed her to start the project in Carolina Beach.

“I had a blueprint for how to go about recruiting artists and commission them to do murals in Carolina Beach, celebrating our culture and our history,” she says.

“I’ve always loved the ocean, diving, and snorkeling,” she says. “The child in me wants to be a mermaid, so when I swim, body surf, or snorkel, I wear my mermaid monofin. My design is a mermaid body surfing. We see her like we would see a dolphin or turtle playing in the surf.”

A large reason she answered Carolina Beach Mural Project’s call for artists is so she can get more involved in the Carolina Beach community.

“I’ve loved creating since I can remem ber,” Wyatt says. “Anything we create is art by definition. When I am experienc ing intense emotions, it is therapeutic to express them with visual art, poetry, or music.”

Boards Across CB runs from Novem ber to January. More information about the project can be found online at carolin abeachmurals.org. W

photo c/o Boards Across CB

TAKE 5

NATALIE WAGGETT is CEO of Ohanafy, a software company that is laser-focused on the craft beverage industry. “I believe all breweries are better together. Ohana means family. So, let’s create that family,” she says of her startup company. Waggett brings a wealth of financial knowledge from a banking career which culminated in a vice president position and technology experience gained at nCino where she first met her business partner, IAN PADRICK. “I believe in bringing enterprise quality software to entrepreneurs and making it affordable for Main Street,” Waggett says. “I am excited to see it happen.”

WHAT DOES YOUR SOFTWARE DO? “We have customized the cloud-based customer relationship management software Salesforce to deliver end-toend management tools specifically for the craft beverage industry from production to sales. Operators can look at data and garner insights on inventory, equipment maintenance, raw materials and suppliers, delivery and routes, and sales. Our software makes it easier for craft beverage manufacturers to run their business and to show their performance to potential investors. Ohanafy customers adopting our software will have a distinct competitive advantage.”

WHY THE CRAFT BEVERAGE INDUSTRY? “A brewery has the capability to become the heart and soul of a community, attracting people with common interests. Breweries are, first and foremost, a social outlet, a place to kick back inherently designed to bring you home again and again by offering social habitats to taste and join together as human beings. And craft beverage manufacturers have not demanded the innovation they need to be successful because most don’t know how to ask for it.” WHAT WAS YOUR AHA MOMENT? “I had visited my high school friend in my hometown of Tarboro. I was moved by the tenacity and grit she used to run her own brewing company and the community she had developed. I also saw some of her challenges firsthand. At 3 a.m. one morning, something clicked. I walked into Ian’s office and told him that I had our product. I knew Salesforce had all the juice we would need to make breweries more effective and more profitable, enabling them to reinvest in their communities.”

YOU DON’T FEAR ADVERSITY. WHY NOT? “I welcome adversity. It’s where I grow and become better. Adversity has forced me to look at myself and be grateful for my experiences. I am walking a path with constant validation that I’m on the right one.” WHAT IS YOUR DREAM FOR OHANAFY? “My one dream right now is to further the purposes of the people we are serving. Our long-term strategy is to attract people to Ohanafy who can add value in this industry as well as attract related industries to plug in. I dream of building an ecosystem, unifying the entire craft beverage supply chain. To me, that will be success.”W

NATALIE WAGGETT’s full profile will appear in an upcoming WILMA Roundup email. To sign up for daily WILMA emails, go to WILMAmag.com.

by BETH A. KLAHRE photo by TERAH HOOBLER

MMy education about the first Thanksgiving came from pictures I saw in elementary school.

The year was 1621; the place Plymouth, Massachusetts. Gleeful, bonneted women served oven-roasted turkey, while the men stood around looking like the Bee Gees in a Three Musketeers commercial. The Native American men sat solemn and shirtless, even though it was probably 40 degrees. Children scurried about, too close to the boiling kettles, while a dog – a pedigreed Welsh Springer Spaniel, groomed for the occasion – took its place at the center of the scene, as if posing for the Pilgrim Pups calendar. All told, the first Thanksgiving drew about twenty people and one dog.

Turns out, most of that wasn’t quite accurate. Or even close.

I shouldn’t be surprised. After all, when I was 6, a live turkey looked to me like the penciled outline of my fingers. And it wore a hat with a buckle.

Like everything else these days, there’s a dispute, this one about the date and location of the first Thanksgiving. Plymouth, Massachusetts? Maybe. But history also says it could’ve taken place in El Paso, Texas, in 1598. Or as far back as 1565 in St. Augustine, Florida. Some form of Thanksgiving happened in all three places.

As for the Plymouth shindig, more than a hundred people attended – fifty or so colonists (just four of them women), along with about ninety Native Americans from the Wampanoag tribe.

That golden-brown turkey? Maybe not. More likely, they ate venison, and the birds were goose, duck, and passenger pigeons. The menu included seafood, too: lobster, mussels,

FIRST FEAST

by TIM BASS illustration by MARK WEBER

clams, and eel. Yes, eel, that snake/weasel creature no one would be thankful to find squiggling next to the cranberry sauce.

And there might not have been cranberry sauce at all – for sure, not the excellent jelly kind in the shape of tin cans. The first Thanksgiving didn’t include potatoes, mashed or sweet, because they hadn’t yet shown up from the Caribbean. Bread? Probably not – flour was scarce. Mac and cheese was a hard no; Kraft wouldn’t come along for another 300 years. And while the guests might have had wild turkey, they didn’t have Wild Turkey or likely any other booze. They probably drank water.

All of this tells me that the best part about being a Pilgrim had to be the capotain, that high, narrow hat from the pictures. Wearing that thing would’ve made me look tall and outdoorsy, and when I overate and blew out my belt buckle, a replacement hung right above my brim.

Alas, even the buckle hat wasn’t a real thing. That came along a couple of hundred years later, added by the Victorians, who loved to accessorize. In truth, Pilgrims were probably too poor to own a buckle for their pants, let alone a spare for their hats.

While our modern Thanksgiving has us hanging out for an afternoon and plowing through 40,000 calories before driving off to find antacids, that first Thanksgiving lasted three days. Imagine being cooped up with Uncle Earl for 72 hours, listening to his ideas for overhauling the tax system, while having no football on TV, no TV at all, and nothing to look forward to but a glass of water and a casserole of leftover eel.

At the very least, let’s be thankful we don’t have to deal with that.

Tim Bass is coordinator of UNCW’s bachelor of fine arts program in creative writing.

THAT

The Wilson Center Introduces a Performing Art Series for the yo ung and the young at heart.

The Wonder Series, our NEW Performing Arts Series, offers a mix of dance, theatre and music for everyone to enjoy. And with a $10 ticket for students (K through College), you can make it a family night out. Visit our website or scan the QR code for a complete list of shows and explore all the Wilson Center has to offer everyone in the Cape Fear region.