Azalea Magazine Spring 2014

Spring 2014 AZALEAMAG.COM 1

CHARLES WILLIAMS PAINTED HIS WAY HOME, THE CARETAKER'S COTTAGE, LOCAL READSA VERY LITTLE BOOK STORE, THE COLORFUL WHITES, NEXTON'S INSPIRATION, SPRING-INSPIRED

FRUIT CAKE, BOW TIE BASICS, UNANSWERED PRAYERS, Q&A W/ PHOTOGRAPHER VIRGIL BUNAO

AZALEAMAG.COM Spring 20142

[email protected] GamacheAttorney at Law

100 S Main St. Suite CSummerville, SC 29483

(p) 843.821.8280 (f) 888.429.8289


AZALEA Magazine / Spring 2014

TAKING THESCENIC ROUTE

After spreading his wings, artist Charles Williams longed

to return to his roots. So he painted his way home.

by Will Rizzo

78

SOUTHERNESSENTIALS

Time and tradition have shapedthe Lowcountry lifestyle, requiring

a few basic necessities for thosewho call it home.by Susan Frampton

67

Features

Natural TalentCharles Williams in his studio space at Redux

Contemporary Art Center in Charleston


Contents / AZALEA Magazine / Spring 2014

07 Editor’s Letter08 Letters12 Contributors

15-21 FIELD GUIDEA brief look into ourlocal culture

SOUTHERN LIFE23 Southern Spotlight - Food26 Southern Spotlight - Community30 Southern Spotlight - Community33 Southern Spotlight - Arts

23

ON THE COVER: Shrimp & Grits, the Lowcountry's culinary crowning achievement / Photograph by Dottie Rizzo

39

8453 2664 Tie One OnBow ties are extremelytrendy as of late, but restassured, here in the Souththey will always be in style

84 Road TripAiken will win yourheart and soul with herequestrian connectionsand beautiful parkways

90 THE LOCAL

94 Patchwork ofthe South

by Michelle Moon

COLUMNS39 Natural Woman by Susan Frampton43 Southern Rambler by Chris Campeau

47 LIFE & FAITHWhy Won't GodAnswer My Prayers?

SOUTHERN STYLE 53 TheCaretaker'sCottageBursting withcharacter, this Summerville homeis a labor of love19

IT’S EVERYTHINGLowcountryTwo-thousand-acre master-planned community

Restored 1800’s farmhouse

Parks and playgrounds

Nature trails

Fishing ponds, outdoor amphitheatre and on-site YMCA

Come experience the natural beauty, culture and history of the

Carolina Lowcountry at The Ponds.

Homes from the $300s

Located just 5 miles from Summerville’s town square.

Tour designer model homes from our featured builders.

DiscoverThePonds.com843.832.6100

MUNGO HOMES DR HORTON SABAL HOMES SAUSSY BURBANK ACTIVE ADULT LIVING AT THE PONDS: CARILLON

© 2014. Prices, home sites, home designs and other information subject to errors, changes, omissions, deletions, availability, prior sales and withdrawal at any time without notice.

SALES BY:

KHP14_004_ThePonds_8.375x10.875.indd 1 1/15/14 11:33 AM

Where Community Comes Together

843.761.8600 CarnesCharleston.com

A New Community in the Heart of Charleston’s GrowthJust minutes from the downtowns of both Summerville and Goose Creek, a new community is emerging. Carnes Crossroads will offer the lifestyle of a small town, with charming neighborhoods, beautiful parks, lakes and close proximity to stores, shops, restaurants, of� ces, schools and church. Homes are being built by David Weekley, Eastwood Homes, Sabal Homes and Ashton Woods Homes. Pricing starts in the mid-$200s. Our Carnes Crossroads Real Estate Information Center is a wonderful resource to learn about life here. Located across from the Village Green and the historic Green Barn, our of� ce is open 7 days a week, with or without an appointment. Or visit CarnesCharleston.com to learn more.

Carnes Crossroads Real Estate, LLC., Chuck Buck, BIC

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Built by David Weekley, this traditional-style 3BR/2.5BA home offers a 2,280 sq. ft. floor plan. The gourmet kitchen has a large center island and stainless steel appliances and is open to the dining and family rooms. A first floor master suite features a spacious walk-in closet. Two additional bedrooms and a playroom are on the second floor.

710 Quintan Street $314,693

513 Wodin Place, Summerville, SC 29483

Carnes Crossroads...New Home Shopping Made Easy!


Editor’s Letter

Our Sweet 15In life there are four basic essentials for survival: air, water, food, and shelter (heat). A human being can last roughly three minutes without air, three days without water, three weeks without food, and in extreme winter conditions, three hours without shelter. Without these basic needs, we would perish. (We strongly recommend that you take our word on this and do not try testing them for accuracy.)

There are necessities for life, and then there are necessities for living well.

I recently went on an early morning hunt. It was the last day of deer season, so we got to the camp early, to be ready when the sun rose. The temperature was a balmy 28˚ when I settled into the tree stand. I had everything I needed–or so I thought. Head-to-toe camouflage, a loaded rifle, a warm hat, and a sturdy pair of boots. I was ready for a good day in the woods.

I was fine for the first thirty minutes; then my toes started to burn from the cold. I held out for as long as I could, then pulled off my boots and shoved the hand warmers a friend had given me into my thin cotton socks. You don’t truly appreciate good socks until you don’t have them. I did not have good socks, and my blistered toes were red, throbbing proof that hand warmers do not belong in boots.

Though I'm sure I was a long way from frost bite, I learned the value of cold weather gear that winter morning. It only took a few minutes in the warm truck to thaw out, but had I been fully prepared, I would have enjoyed the last day of the season, rather than counting down the minutes to warming my feet on the dashboard.

In our cover story, Southern Essentials (pg. 67), we outline fifteen necessities for Lowcountry living. Sure, you could live without any of these, but we think they go a long way toward living life to the fullest. Just as I learned in the tree stand that frigid morning, there’s a difference between simply surviving and living well.

Will Rizzo Editor In Chief

" There arenecessitiesfor life and then there are necessities for living well."


I FULLY INTEND ONSTEALING THIS MAGAZINE So here I am sitting at MUSC Rutledge Tower looking over the waiting area magazines. I find the usual titles covering the worlds of sports, boats, cars and interior design, all older than a few months. Then I see this local title I had not seen before–Azalea. Ahhhh, now I have something that just might keep me entertained. I am hooked. Open it up and I see what I can only describe as fantastic. It's a magazine, lovingly put together by someone who gets us Southerners and not a publisher/editor from a far off place like NYC or Chicago.

The stories and the articles have me hooked and the photo essay is one of the best slice of life pictorials I have seen in a very long time. Too often we forget the back roads and the core of our lives.

Letters

I have spent a great deal of time in Charleston but now live in South GA. I fully intend on steal-ing this magazine and taking it home with me.

Keep up the good work and when I am in town I will pillage the waiting areas of local hospitals in search of Azalea. - Tony from GA

VERY NICE WORKLoved this Winter issue, y'all.Very nice work!- Blair Campbell

LIFE IS GOODLove the Azalea Magazine Awards recognizing The Local Best. From the locally-inspired cocktail with sweet tea to the dish of the year, life is good in Summerville.-Summerville Visitor Center

ALL ABOARD

TOURS Good Eats on the Sweet Tea Trail • Historic City Tour with Timrod LibraryHistoric City Tour with Tea at the Museum • Linwood Gardens and Historic City Tour

EXPERIENCE ALL FOUR

Take a trip down the Sweet Tea Trail in Historic Summerville, The Birthplace of Sweet Tea. Summerville Trolley Tours offer several tours that will take you on the back roads of our quaint southern

town where tea isn’t the only thing that is sweet. There is our thoughtfully preserved

downtown, historic homes, beautiful gardens, and unique history that makes

Summerville one of a kind.

Visit www.summervilledream.orgfor tour information

"It's a magazine, lovingly put together by someone who gets us Southerners and not a publisher/editor from a far off place like NYC or Chicago."


Will RizzoCo-Publisher andEditor in Chief

[email protected]

Dottie RizzoCo-Publisher andManaging Editor

[email protected]

Katie DePoppeEditor at Large

[email protected]

Margie SuttonStyle Editor

Will BrowningFaith Editor

Jana RileyCopy Editor, Staff Writer

ContributorsJason Wagener

Susan FramptonChris Campeau

Rick DunbarMichelle Moon

Azalea Magazine 114B E. Richardson Avenue

Summerville, SC [email protected]

Subscribe*Available for $16.99 a year

(4 Issues). Visit azaleamag.comfor details.

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Now selling at Daniel’s Orchard!

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JANA RILEY / Writer Jana is a writer and editor living in Summerville with her husband, Dan. Jana enjoys adventures with her three favorite kids, Noah, Jude, Forest, and their dog Alfie.

Featured Contributors

RICK DUNBAR / Writer-Blogger

JASON WAGENER / IllustratorSUSAN FRAMPTON / WriterSusan Frampton has called Sum-merville home for long enough to keep the essentials on hand for almost anything the Lowcountry throws her way. Her husband Lewis is frequently named as the person most likely to survive stranded on a desert island. Everyone is invited to their house for the next natural disaster.

Jason started his illustrious art career when he won a coloring contest in 3rd grade, subsequently titling him "proud owner of a Mickey Mouse dry erase board." He moved to the Lowcountry in 1990, and save an education at The Savannah College of Art and Design, has remained a faithful transplant ever since.

Rick Dunbar, also known as Vacation Rick, moved to the Lowcountry from Northeastern Ohio in 2005 following retirement. In 2008, he began blogging at vacationrick.blogspot.com about the fascinating history and coastal beauty of Charleston and the Lowcountry. He is the proud father of five children and a grandfather of two. Besides writing and traveling, Rick's passions include oil painting, woodworking, and making new friends.

For the first time, large properties are now available in the East Edisto Rural District. Located between the Ashley and Edisto Rivers in South Carolina’s Lowcountry, this historic

land has been under the careful stewardship of MWV for decades. The natural character of the landscape and rich diversity of wildlife make it a true sportsman’s paradise. And, best of all,

it’s only a half hour from downtown Charleston. We welcome your inquiry.

Properties range from 50 to 1,000+ acres.

MWVLandSales.com | 843-509-1034

Let the hunt begin.

R U R A L D I S T R I C T

Summerville Medical Center provides dedicated pediatric care for children —

newborn to age 17. Our beautiful new Pediatric Emergency Department is

now open! It was created just for young patients.

• Board Certified pediatric emergency physician

• 24/7 Pediatric Nurses specifically trained to care for pediatric emergencies

• All private rooms and area for families to stay with the child

Residents of Dorchester and Berkeley Counties, North Charleston and

surrounding communities are now just minutes from emergency pediatric

services. As a national leader in quality care, Summerville Medical Center is

proud to make this healthy commitment to kids.

EmErgEncy

and inpatiEnt

pEdiatric

sErvicEs closE

to homE. it’s

somEthing

EvEry family

dEsErvEs.

24-7 Pediatric Ca realWays closE By.

295 Midland Parkway | Summerville, SC 29485 | (843) 832-5000 | www.tridenthealthsystem.com/peds

- Southern Fried Chicken -

The largest serving of fried chicken ever served

Popeyes Chicken is named after the

character Popeye Doyle in the movie, “The

French Connection.”

More than half the entrees ordered in American fast food

chains, hotels, motels and restaurants are

fried chicken.

The secret recipe for KFC chicken is kept in a

safe in Louisville, KY.

2,493 lbs11 herbs & spices

Scottish immigrants are widely believed to have brought fried chicken to the U.S., but it was African immigrants, brought to work on plantations in Southern states, that improved the

recipe with varied spices and seasonings.

The number of chickens on earth; 12 billion more

than the number of humans

19 Billion

The number of people in the U.S. listed on

whitepages.com with the last name "Chicken"

It is against the law to eat chicken with a fork in Gainesville,

GA, the "Chicken Capital of the World."

26


Q What is your favorite thing aboutliving in the Lowcountry?

A Lots to mention. We can be here all day. The Lowcountry has always been "home" to me. I've left a few times but I have al-ways found myself coming back to home. For me it is about the history, the south-ern culture, the people, the charm and the relationships we have built–that is my fa-vorite!

Q What is your dream job?

A What I am doing now–a photographer of people and of all things beautiful.

Q Is there a motto that you live by?

A Do something great, keep becoming great, develop big idealistic goals and be-liefs, move out of your comfort zone, take risks, change, act with a humble heart and an open mind. As far as possible, without surrender, be on good terms with all per-sons. Speak your truth quietly and clearly;

and listen to others, even to the dull and ig-norant; they too have their story. Avoid loud and aggressive persons; they are vexatious to the spirit. If you compare yourself with oth-ers, you may become vain or bitter, for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself. With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.

Q Who or what are you a fan of?

A Art, and the tangible, meaning...anything that creative people make with their hands and vision –pictures, sculpture and other handmade things.

Q Coffee or tea?

A Definitely coffee.

Q What is one thing you've bought in the last five years that you couldn’t live without?

A My vintage Rolleiflex film camera. It takes very beautiful, out of this world, black and white pictures. You should let me take a picture of you.

MEET & GREETWhat makes locals tick, one

neighbor at a time

Q What is one thing you've bought in the last five years that you could go the rest of your life without?

A This super ugly shirt that I thought looked awesome on me, for a while. Then I realized I was wrong.

Q What is your favorite music?

A Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, Billie Hol-iday, Mumford and Sons, Amos Lee, Jay Z, Rihanna, and The Avett Brothers.

Q What is your dream vacation?

A Riding in a Land Rover (and taking pic-tures) through South Africa's vast land of wild animals. That my friend, would be fan-tastic.

Q What is your fondest memory ofliving in Summerville?

A Friday night football games, then head-ing to Ye Ole Fashioned for some ice cream or a burger.

Q & A

VIRGIL BUNAOPhotographer


LOCAL READSWhether you’re curled by the fire or languishing on the porch,

these local stories and storytellers are sure to make the transition from winter to spring a little more bearable.

Literary

Palmetto Profiles: The South Carolina EncyclopediaGuide to the South Carolina Hall of FameBy W. Eric Emerson (Editor)Available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble

Since 1973, nearly ninety citizens have been inducted into the South Carolina Hall of Fame for their contributions to state culture and their legacies beyond. Published on the fortieth anniversary of the opening of the South Carolina Hall of Fame and drawn from biographical entries in The South Carolina Encyclopedia, this guidebook presents concise profiles of the inductees from 1973 to 2013, including U.S. president Andrew Jackson, authors Elizabeth Coker and Pat Conroy, jazz legend Dizzy Gillespie, artists Jasper Johns and Elizabeth O’Neill Verner, Generals Francis Marion and Thomas Sumter, civil rights leaders Mary McLeod Bethune and Reverend Bejamin E. Mays, and Nobel Prize winning physicist Charles H. Townes. Also an ac-complished author, editor W. Eric Emerson serves a member of the Hall’s Board of Trustees and is the director of the South Carolina Department of Archives and History in Columbia.

Field Guide


Field Guide

Bikers and PearlsBy Vicki WilkersonAvailable at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and iTunes

From Summerville native, Vicki Wilk-erson, comes Bikers and Pearls, the first in a series of romantic comedies set in fictional Summerbrook, South Carolina. When rebel biker Bullworth Clayton gets tangled up with pastel-and-pearls-clad April Church, sparks fly. But who said tempting a sweet Southern belle would be easy? Locals and romance lov-ers alike will enjoy this easy read inspired by the Lowcountry.

If Tigers Were Angels: With God,All Things Are Possible By Tom TatumAvailable at Amazon & iftigerswereangels.com

Ben Taylor’s desire to succeed has consumed his life. Only after his children are grown, he is filled with regret for how he’s spent the majority of his years on earth. Fortu-nately, Ben’s 12-year-old neighbor, Andy, has a thing or two to teach him about life’s purpose and real communion with God. For anyone who needs an uplifting story, this debut novel by Summerville resident, Tom Tatum, is sure to stick with you long after it’s found its way back on the shelf.

The Other MotherBy Teresa BruceAvailable at JogglingBoardPress.com, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble

Touted by Pat Conroy as “one of the next great American authors,” Teresa Bruce de-buted her break-out “rememoir” (told in equal measures of first and third person), The Other Mother, in November 2013. In a journey that takes the reader from the Great Depression, vaudeville stage, and amidst the mad men of Madison Avenue to modern-day Beaufort, South Carolina, Bruce lyrical-ly and skillfully weaves the story of a friend-ship that changed her life.

you deserve a

physician

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Keeping little promises is important. And it's no different when it comes to healthcare. We at Palmetto Primary Care Physicians are HOMEGROWN physicians.

We promise to keep appointments. To answer all your questions. To talk less and listen more. But most importantly, we promise you peace of mind. Peace of mind is knowing that our HOMEGROWN physicians have been serving the Lowcountry for over 10 years.

With over 25 convenient locations and a state-of-the-art urgent care center, Palmetto Primary Care Physicians promises to be YOUR FAMILY DOCTOR IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

Dr. HogueMoncks Corner

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Urgent Care. open 7am-11pm everyday!

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On-site labs, x-rays and CT

(843) 572-7727

URGENT CARE CENTER2550 Elms Center Road

North Charleston, SC 29406(behind Atlanta Bread Co. on Hwy 78)

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Field GuideApothecary

It has been said that an apple a day keeps the

doctor away. The truth is, apple cider vinegar (ACV)

is the true medicinal wonder. There are many

amazing health benefits of ACV, as well as household

uses and beautyapplications.

In order to reap the true benefits of use (since it contains valuable

minerals and enzymes), it is important to use the

organic, raw and unfiltered version of ACV, available at most health food stores.

Apple CiderVinegar

We areAthletes

For sixty years, Pinewood has been instilling the drive to lead and

succeed in students in preschool through twelfth grade. Challenging

athletics blend with rigorous academics to create an environment

where students are tested to their fullest potential.

Pinewood students are achieveing success on the field and in the

classroom. With an impressive list of regional, state and national

championships under their belts, our students are rising to the next level with the drive to succeed and lead.

We Are Athletes. We are Pinewood.

www.pinewoodprep.comFull and Half-Day Pre-Kindergarten -12th grade

Financial assistance available

Arrange a tour [email protected]

843-376-0142 ext. 2001

Katelyn DambaughClass of 2013Seven-time SCISA Player of the YearThree-time All-Region selectionSeven-time All-Lowcountry selectionCGA Vicki DiSantis Junior Champion


One Doctor One FocusYour Family

Your Summerville Orthodontist

(843) 871-4411

d /ReaginOrthodonticsDrOrthodontics.com

Dr. K. Britt Reagin

12 USES FORAPPLE CIDER VINEGAR

Two tablespoons of ACV taken before bed can help lower glucose levels in the morning by 4-6%, a great benefit for people with diabetes.

ACV taken daily could lower cholesterol and high blood pressure.

When taken daily with water, research shows that ACV can help with weight loss and increase your energy.

Mix 1/2 cup of ACV with one cup of water for an all natural household cleaner with no unnatural chemicals.

After shampooing, rinse hair with 1/2 tablespoon of ACV and cold water to boost body and shine.

Dilute 1 part ACV to 2 parts water and use as a facial toner after washing to help balance the pH of your skin.

Add a cup of ACV to your bath and soak to help eliminate discomfort from sunburn.

Mix ACV with equal amounts of water and apply to the face as a natural aftershave.

A teaspoon of ACV taken with a bottle of water is said to help relieve heartburn.

A spray made with 1 part ACV to 1 part water can be used to repel fleas from dogs.

Add 2/3 cup of ACV to a pan with warm water and soak your feet in it for 20 minutes to combat foot odor.

ACV kills bacteria that causes acne, and absorbs excessive oil from skin. Use 1 part ACV with 3-4 parts water. Apply to the skin using a cotton swab and leave for ten minutes, then rinse. Use twice daily.These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). These products are not meant to diagnose, treat, or cure any disease or medical condition. Please consult your doctor before starting any exercise or nutritional supplement program or before using this or any product during pregnancy or if youhave a serious medical condition.

Middleton Place


Taste the flavors of spring break in everybite of this sunny, tropical dessert.

by Susan Frampton

Total Fruit Cake

LIFE


ith the green and red cherries of heavy holiday fruitcakes behind us, we’re all ready for something to take us out of the winter doldrums. Nothing banishes the blues like something fruity, tropical, and very rich. If there

isn’t a tycoon nearby, or a trip to the islands on your itinerary, our Millionaire’s Fruit Cake could be the next best thing.

With its name hinting of extravagant taste, this is not your grandmother’s fruitcake. Brimming with orange and pineapple, a tiny umbrella might be all that separates this cake’s flavor from something you’d find in a glass by your chaise lounge. Slathered with a creamy filling, the tan colored toasted coconut of its nut-filled layers suggests a week of sunning by the pool.

Preparation is easy, and chilling the finished cake brings a cool deliciousness that says indulgence in every bite. No need for reservations–this is your ticket to feeling like a million bucks!

W


MILLIONAIRE CAKE

Ingredients

1 package yellow cake mix1 (8 oz.) can mandarin oranges, drained, with 6 pieces reserved for garnish 1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, softened 1 ½ cup confectioner's sugar 1 (4-serving size) package instant vanilla pudding and pie filling 1 (20 oz.) can crushed pineapple, drained 1 (8 oz.) container frozen whipped topping, thawed ½ cup pecans, chopped, with 6 pecan halves reserved for garnish1 small bag coconut flakes2 tablespoons of butter

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350º F. Coat 2 (8-inch) round cake pans with cooking spray. Prepare cake batter according to package directions, stirring in oranges, ½ bag coconut flakes and chopped pecans into prepared batter. Evenly divide batter between cake pans.

Bake 32 to 35 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from pans and set aside to cool completely.

Melt butter in a small frying pan. Stir in coconut and toast until golden. Set aside to cool.

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar, and pudding mix. Stir in crushed pineapple and whipped topping.

Place one cake layer on platter and spread with cream cheese mixture. Repeat with remaining layer. Decorate with reserved pecan halves, orange pieces and toasted coconut.

Refrigerate until ready to serve.


University and later pursued a master’s in aero-nautical science with the intention of taking her education all the way to outer space. After

assisting in the design of a noise reduction valve for an F-22 fighter aircraft, Sober became pregnant with her first child, Cate, and took a break from the workforce to spend time with her daughter. A few years later, her son Riley was born, and the already avid reader quickly found herself immersed in children’s books.

“I’ve always really loved children’s books, but once I had my kids, I fell in love with them even more,” explains Sober. “I kept finding myself in situations where my children needed something explained or reinforced, and I could pick up a book and read it to them, saying, ‘look, Llama Llama is going through the same thing.’”

“Books really work with parenting,” says Sober with zeal. “My kids often listen to books way more than they listen to me!”

As her children grew, so did her passion for the books they read together, and Sober switched her career focus from aeronautics

Natalie Sober has always held two major life goals–to open up a children’s bookstore, and to become an astronaut. In June 2012, she accomplished one of those, and fortunately for the town of Summerville, she hasn’t left Earth’s atmosphere yet.

A Florida transplant by way of her husband’s military job, Sober earned a mechanical engineering degree at Florida State

A Space For Books When it comes to creating a haven for youngreaders, Natalie Sober reaches for the stars.

by Jana Riley

S O U T H E R N S P O T L I G H TA V e r y L i t t l e B o o k S t o r e : C o m m u n i t y

Booking AgentThe storefront / Owner Natalie Sober


to abc’s.

“After so many years of cuddling, I just couldn’t go back to a job that would take me so far away from my kids,” she explains. “I wanted something I could do with them.”

Sober soon found herself driving around town, scouting locations for her dream children’s bookstore. During her husband’s third deployment, she stumbled upon what she thought was the perfect location in downtown Summerville, and spent the next six months learning about how to start a business, researching the area, meeting with mentors from small business associa-tions and drawing up a business plan.

“When my husband came home, I said, ‘Surprise! I’ve figured it all out, and I’m ready to open up my bookstore!’ That’s when he told me that we had to move to Hungary in a year for his job.”

Sober wistfully packed away her plans, tucking them in a folder for a hopeful future, and made the move to Hungary with her

family. After a year, her husband joined the reserves, and they decided to move back to the Charleston area in early 2012. Sober’s dream began to resurrect itself, and within just three

months, she and her husband had opened A Very Little Bookstore on Main Street in Downtown Summerville.

Nearly two years later, Sober is in her element as she manages her quaint shop. With intriguing window displays, doors covered in classic book quotes and weathered bookshelves lining the space, A Very Little Bookstore is the picture of small town retail charm. Her customers span all ages, from newborns receiving their first book to octogenarians recalling the forgotten literary tales of their youth.

Having read all of the children’s books in the shop, Sober is an expert when it comes

to recommendations. When asked for a suggestion, her eyes light up with happy determination, and she begins to inquire about favorite books, authors, themes and series. Together with the customer, she narrows down the possibilities for their next favorite book until she comes to the perfect volume, plucking it off

Books reallywork with

parenting... my kids often listen to

books way more than they listen

to me


the shelf and presenting it with a flourish. More often than not, her young customers return after reading her suggestions, and Sober is keen on collecting reviews and feedback from each reader.

“It’s one of my favorite parts of the job,” she reveals. “These kids come in and they are little people with so much to offer and tell us, if we just listen. I just love to hear about how they felt when reading a book, what they didn’t like and what they’d like to see more of in the future.”

A few of Sober’s repeat customers are also members of the store book club, a weekly gathering of a handful of young literature lovers between the ages of 7 and 13. Led by a local high school student, the meeting allows readers an opportunity to delve deeper into stories and meet others who share their literary interests.

“They vote on a book each month to read and discuss, and then they really make

A Space for Books continued

Once Upon A TimeKids and momsalike gather weeklyfor storytime / Attentive listening gets ahand stamp / A momand son enjoy a book together

this place their own private space, and I love that,” smiles Sober. “It’s really fun to watch because the kids get off topic, just like in adult book clubs, and they end up sharing life experiences with one another.”

For younger readers, Sober sets aside special time on Tuesday and Friday mornings for story time, where she en-thusiastically reads some of her favorite titles to a rapt audience. A favorite of local mom groups, the weekly event is a treasured opportunity to interact with other parents and foster friendships among the young attendees.

While she is busy with the bookstore, Sober’s plans to explore deep space are on hold. In the meantime, she approaches her role as town bookshop owner with honor and enthusiasm, guiding the children of the Lowcountry toward fascinating new lands, engaging their creativity and fostering a love of reading. AM

Look What's NextHonoring and incorporating our past, Mead Westvaco's Nexton community moves Summerville

forward, connecting us to each other and to the world. by Susan Frampton

If the concept of the Nexton community was a fairytale, Sum-merville would surely be cast in the role of Cinderella, with Mead Westvaco’s Community Development and Land Management Division (CDLM) waving the magic wand. Those who might have once underestimated the quiet, laid back town are sitting up and taking notice. Through the creation of Nexton, a modern, master planned community just across Interstate 26, Mead Westvaco has sent a touch of magic into the air, sparking a renaissance for the Town of Summerville.

A vital part of Summerville’s landscape for over 80 years, Mead Westvaco has put together a team of the best local and national designers for the Nexton project. Balancing the historic distinctiveness of the town with the up-to-the-minute connectivity and efficiency of a modern community, the Mead Westvaco team traveled to communities across the southeast, drawing aspects from other successful areas and merging them with those that make Summerville unique.

Those aspects have come together in Nexton’s architecture and land planning, forming a rich, lush and vibrant landscape of

S O U T H E R N S P O T L I G H T N e x t o n : C o m m u n i t y

native and natural materials in the new community. “You will see trees that are larger and more established than many new places,” says Kenneth T. Seeger, president of CDLM, “and find lakes and interconnected waterways that turn challenges like Lowcountry storm water run-off into beautiful amenities.”

With an active family lifestyle in mind, Nexton has been designed to accommodate over 50 miles of trails, a regional sports complex and numerous opportunities for permanent and rotating public art. The first park is slated to offer a large green area with a pavilion that might play host to musical performances or exercise classes and public gathering spaces for family picnics, small concerts or festivals.

Much like Summerville’s downtown area, the community will nurture a sense of neighborhood, with work, school, shopping and medical care within walking or biking distance. And, as one of the region’s top job centers, the residents and visitors to the Nexton community will drive a new customer base to Summerville’s businesses, shops and restaurants. “Just like the old adage that a rising tide lifts all boats,” says Seeger, “it is

Ground BreakingMead Westvaco's Kenneth T. Seegersurveys the construction progress


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But the Cinderella story doesn’t end there. CDLM has partnered with Home Telecom, to make Nexton the most technologically advanced community in the region, and the first Gigabit community in the state. Providing Internet service up to 100 times faster than average, GigaFi will be powered by Home Telecom, offering unprec-edented productivity for Nexton residents and businesses. “As a Fortune 500 company, we were able to talk with many of the nation’s leading Internet providers,” Seeger noted. “And, frankly, none of them showed us a level of innovation and customer service to match South Carolina’s own home-grown company, Home Telecom, head-quartered in Moncks Corner.”

“Internet providers frequent-ly boast about their fiber optic networks,” said William S. Helmly, Home Telecom President and COO, “but what they don’t tell you is that while those fiber networks may be in your neighborhood, their connections to your business or home are much slower.” In layman’s terms GigaFi’s technolo-gy translates into the kind of swift transfers of information between users that open a new world of possibilities to the area.

Change is inevitable, and though it might seem daunting, the well-thought plan that Mead Westvaco brings to life in the Nexton community ensures that Sum-merville will not only grow in a positive direction, but will also thrive. By honoring and incor-porating our past, Nexton moves Summerville forward, connecting us to each other and to the world; holding out the glass slipper for a new generation to slip on and dance into the future. AM


The ColorfulWhites

For Everett and Joanna White, a love of art is a family affair.

by Jana Riley

When Everett White told his wife, Joanna, that he was going to quit his job to become a full-time artist, she was floored. Just months earlier, he had convinced her to quit her own lucrative career to raise their children, and the family was just getting by as it was. Nevertheless, Joanna had confidence in her husband, and encouraged him to follow his dream–whatever that may be. Everett did, and spent the next two months tinkering in the garage of their Sullivan’s Island bungalow.

The confidence that Joanna White held in her husband’s artistic talents was not without merit; art seemed to run through Everett ’s veins. Growing up, the Illinois native spent family gatherings mesmerized by his great uncle, Don ZanFagna, an accomplished artist whose work reflected abstract expression-

ism, postmodernism and conceptual art and architecture.

“Most of my family had a business background,” Everett remembers. “I had

never met anyone like Uncle Don and Aunt Joyce–they were so creatively talented and so unlike everyone else in my family. I’d just think, ‘who are these people?’ And then Uncle Don would see me drawing, and he’d come over and teach me things like human anatomy and how the skin goes over it, which really helped me understand portraiture. I still remember and utilize many of his impromptu lessons to this day.”

Everett dabbled in art throughout high school, but never took it too seriously. After graduation, he traveled around Europe and the Middle East for a while before coming back to the United States and settling down. One night, as he unpacked

S O U T H E R N S P O T L I G H TT h e W h i t e F a m i l y : A r t s

All In The FamilyThe Whites in frontof their home / Everett'sstudio space


The Colorful Whites continued

boxes in a new apartment, he came across a set of art supplies that had been gifted to him by his Uncle Don many years before. Everett had never used the set of charcoal, brushes, ink and paints, but had held onto them for sentimental reasons and moved them from place to place. That night, he says, “something just clicked,” and he was inspired. Using the moving boxes as canvases, Everett began to create some of his first true works of art, drawing and painting on every empty space. Within months, he had signed up for art school in New York, intent on learning everything he could about art and honing his talents. After a year and a half, though, Everett dropped out.

“I was talking to my Uncle Don about art school, and he said, ‘You don’t need this. You have everything you need to create good art.’ And I realized during that time, that with art, like a lot of things, you always think that there will be someone who sits down and teaches you how to do it. But it often doesn’t work like that. You just have to throw yourself into it. And so I did.”

Everett became immersed in experimental art, painting and

sculpting while exploring different themes. “I start with an idea, and I see where it takes me,” Everett explains. “I play it out to the end, working through every corner of my mind, working it every way I can, and then I start over with something else.”

Everett ’s journey in the artistic world took him back to his home state of Illinois, to a little town called Savanna. It led him to create a successful gallery for local artists there at the age of 28, where he met his future wife, Joanna, when she came in to purchase one of his paintings. Later, he felt called to create

the Savanna Center for the Arts, an educational center offering a variety of arts classes to local students and adults. After a biker bar began to change the landscape of their small town, Everett ’s artistic journey brought the family to South Carolina, where he was inspired by the beach and its inhabitants, painting and sculpting when he had the chance. And, eventually, his journey landed him in a garage on Sullivan’s Island, having just quit his job in advertising sales to become an artist full-time. It was here that he spent two months holed up inside, day in

Art InfusedClockwise: Looking through some of Uncle Don's work / Family portraits / Everett and Rett inspecting the artifacts /Archeological finds from a family dig


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Using the moving boxes as canvases, Everett began to create some of his first

true works of art, drawing and painting

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and day out, while Joanna cared for the couple’s children. And then, as suddenly as it had begun, Everett emerged.

Joanna remembers the moment vividly. “He had carved this beautiful tiny mermaid, made of materials that he found around the island. I remember looking at it and saying, quite truthfully, ‘that is the coolest thing I have ever seen.’”

Joanna never had any doubt that Everett would come up with something wonderful after those months spent in the garage.

“When he starts,” she remarks, “you just can’t get him to stop. If he is working through an idea or theme, he can stand on his feet for 24 hours, just drawing and painting and sketching and creating. He just keeps going. And that is how he creates great art.”

Everett took the mermaid sculpture idea and ran with it, creating more unique pieces out of palm leaves, seed pods, branches, and shells.


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No longer in beach territory, the artist has

taken to going on unofficial archeological

digs

The Colorful Whites continued

Soon, he was ready to debut his work, and the couple took a few pieces to City Market in downtown Charleston. The sculptures were a hit, and for the next couple of years, they made their living there, selling Everett ’s works of art to locals and tourists alike, and his notoriety grew. Everett continued painting and sculpting, and in 2008, he and Joanna opened a gallery on Sullivan’s Island aptly called White Gallery. Showcasing and selling the works of Everett and his great uncle, Don ZanFagna, the gallery also offered works by some artists represented by Joanna, whose own love of art led to a career as an art broker. The gallery was a success, and through it, Everett ’s work became well-known in the local art community.

In 2012, when ZanFagna’s health began to wane and Joanna became pregnant again, the couple decided to move to Summerville, where they found a house downtown with a separate cottage for his aunt and uncle. Though ZanFagna passed

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away last year, Joanna continues to represent him by arranging exhibits and viewings of his extensive collection of works. Everett, ever inspired by his artistic uncle, continues to recall the lessons of his youth while spending much of his time in his backyard art studio, painting and sculpting. No longer in beach territory, the artist has taken to going on unofficial arche-ological digs, pulling pottery, fossils and artifacts from the earth in a process that he says “truly defines awesome.” He plans to use the found objects in future sculptures and mixed media pieces.

The couple’s children, Abby, 17; Clare, 10; Rett, 8; and Mills, 18 months, are each artistic in their own right, and Everett and Joanna are intent on helping each of their kids explore their interests and turn a profit when conceivable. Abby runs the White family’s art booth down at City Market, selling works by Everett and other local artists, and Clare and Rett are known to set up a table at Summerville’s Third Thursday and sell their own creations. Standing at his workbench dotted with scribbles from Mills, the couple’s youngest, Everett reflects on his passion for art. “It started with Uncle Don. And now it surrounds me. Art keeps me connected to the awe and beauty of life. It is a way to advance your individual struggle. Art allows you to express yourself in a way that can be almost immediately understood by anyone. It keeps you young. It keeps you looking. And it just keeps you connected.”

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NATURAL WOMAN

ot long ago, I was awakened by a strange, scratchy noise in the bed-room. Heart pounding, I launched myself straight up, flipping on the lights and waving my arms as if fight-ing off a swarm of killer bees. My husband sat up, squinting against the bright light to

find me hopping from the bed to the sofa and back, flinging shoes, books and the dog’s stuffed monkey toward the far corner of the room. His first reaction was to question when I lost my mind, but to his credit, he quickly grasped the situation and resolved the problem with the well-placed swat of a size ten hiking boot.

“You know that roaches can’t hurt you,” he said, rubbing his eyes

with one hand, and holding the offending beast in a wad of tissue in the other. “How did you even know there was a roach?”

“I heard it! I heard it rubbing its hairy legs together.”

Shaking his head, he explained yet again that my life was never in danger, and that crickets, not roaches, make sounds with their legs. On his way to the bathroom to flush away my tormentor, he could not resist pretending to throw the tissue in my direction.

“That move never gets old for you, does it?” I yelled, leaping back to the sofa, shuddering and flailing. I heard him chuckle as he sent the bug to a watery grave.

I LLUSTRAT IONS BY JASON WAGENER

What Really Bugs Me by Susan Frampton

N


My phobia is well known to most all my friends, and during one particu-larly rainy season it was not uncom-mon for our daughter and her friends to arrive home to me standing on the coffee table, wielding a can of Raid like a six-shooter. After the first few times, they would nod knowingly at each other and whisper, “roach” as they made their way past me.

My husband has come to recognize that there is a very specific intake of breath and an uncanny (and often violent looking) dance I do while screeching, “Get it! Get it! Get it!” that indicates a bug is in the house. He has perfected the skill of diving from his chair and slinging a book or newspa-per with the accuracy of a trained kill-er. It is perfectly choreographed, and almost always followed by a great deal of eye rolling and the inevitable threat of the squashed bug being lobbed in my direction.

The scourges of the southern climate, the creepy crawlers skitter across Low-country sidewalks, hurl themselves through the air at unsuspecting pedes-trians and lie in wait to make cameo appearances in my nightmares. Their confidence in themselves only makes matters worse. Once, I watched with horror as a cheeky invader walked the entire breadth of the ceiling at a swanky cocktail party, and then sa-shayed down the wall to disappear behind a portrait of the host’s great-grandfather. As it passed overhead, I was mesmerized and quite certain that I would strip naked in the middle of the room if it fell on me.

There are those who attempt to gen-trify the nasty things by referring to

them as “Palmetto Bugs,” but let’s face it: though it gives me the wil-lies to even say the word aloud, they are cockroaches, plain and simple. I can live with lizards and you can taunt me with toads. At reasonable distances, snakes don’t really bother me, and I can honestly say that until this moment I have never uttered the phrase, “Eek, a mouse!” However, the sinister, hairy-legged critters render me inarticulate, irrational and capable of jumping astoundingly high. I know they can’t hurt me, but experience has proven they can make me hurt myself.

I know good and well that I am not alone in my fear —just merely unem-barrassed to admit it. Since I’m much more likely to be named Queen of Norway than I am to conquer it, I’ve stopped worrying that having the ex-terminator on speed dial makes me weird. I’ll always jump at scratchy sounds in the night and climb furni-ture at the sight of a darting shadow near the baseboards. I’ve yet to come out of my clothes in public because of it, but it’s probably only a matter of time.

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NATURAL WOMAN

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Sculpture In The South P.O. Box 1030 • Summerville, SC 29484

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ur Sunday mornings at home are magical. We’re a family of five with school-aged children, so none of us really sleep in, but the beginning of the first day of the week is a sacred time for us. There are no alarms. No garbage trucks rumbling down the street. No neighbors blowing their driveways or bouncing that infernal basketball.

No waking up in a panic thinking we’re late.

Time seems to pause for a couple of hours on Sundays. I hear the lone cardinal chirping in the morning, the mockingbird singing its morning ballad and my children whispering down the stairs.

Over the past few years, we’ve made a decision to pause, to slow down

I LLUSTRAT IONS BY JASON WAGENER

and to enjoy life a little bit more. It didn’t happen overnight, but has been an evolving process. Instead of replacing football practice with soccer practice and basketball season with barbecue season, we have replaced that time with something far better –time together.

This new, intentional pace started with a microwave. One day, eight years ago, as I was distracted in the other room, I heard a snap, a crackle and then a pop. The microwave was no more, and we never replaced it. (I don’t think my third grade baby girl has ever even used one.)

I’m not gonna lie; life without a microwave was tough at first. We had to adjust to not heating leftovers and no instant popcorn, tea or hot chocolate. Preparation of meals took a little longer and we had to learn how to keep dinner warm on the stove top or in the oven rather than just

SOUTHERN RAMBLEREnjoy The Pause

by Chris Campeau

OSculpture In The South

P.O. Box 1030 • Summerville, SC [email protected] • 843.851.7800

Join us for one of South Carolina’s premiere outdoor arts events!

www.sculptureinthesouth.com

• MINGLE & CHAT WITH WORLD-CLASS SCULPTORS

• FULL TO GIFT-SIZE SCULPTURES

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• DORCHESTER SCHOOL DISTRICT II STUDENT ART EXHIBIT

• SCULPTURE COLLECTION TOURS in AZALEA PARK

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AZALEA PARK • SUMMERVILLE

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SHOW & SALE

Saturday: 10am-6pm • Sunday 10am-5pm

MAKE PLANS NOW to attend this very popular sculpture show and sale! You will enjoy chatting with over 30 world-class sculptors in a casual atmosphere and seeing their latest works. Don’t miss the live sculpture demonstrations and sculpture collection tours in the park, and the fun activities for the kids, too! Visit our web site for more information.

May 17-18, 2014The weekendAFTERMother’s Day!

SHOW & SALE ADMISSION:

$5 per day

or buy a$7 weekend pass

Children and students FREE with paid adult admission.

Tented Event – Held Rain or Shine!


heating up a plate of leftovers. But, we got the hang of it. What started as an experi-ment to see how long we could go without instant gratification was the linchpin of our life change.

We began to cook together as a family. With every squash that was sliced, every onion peeled and pepper diced, our old ideas about what was important and our self-imposed expectations began to melt away. Why were artificial deadlines and suppositions dictating our lives?

By intentionally slowing down, it goes without saying that our family has grown more closely together. We don’t have to have things or activities to fill our days and nights. Learning to embrace and savor the pauses (and even create them) has started a wonderful journey of discovery and re-flection that has developed a stronger family with a foundation deeply rooted in faith, food, family and a love of music.

The pace of Sunday is symbolic of our new way of life. We usually start with AM

some classic rock tunes – a little Eagles, Springsteen or The Guess Who. (I must have played the Beatles’ “Good Day Sunshine” for my kids every Sunday for six months straight.) Sunday afternoons, after a homemade meal, are reserved for jazz. Our rooms are filled with songs by Frank Sinatra, Louis Armstrong, Billie Holiday and Ray Charles. My kids can sing along to Ray Charles much easier than they can Justin Beiber, Miley Cyrus, or any other flavor of the month. We also sprinkle some Latin, swing, Mozart and Beethovan in there–all the makings of my own musical foundation thanks to my mother.

Our slower pace on Sunday mornings has most recently taught me that listening to Hank Williams, Jr. before church may not be the most appropriate musical selection. Last week, I remarked to my wife, Lorelei, as I ran to change the album, that I didn’t want my boy to walk into Sunday School singing, “All my rowdy friends are coming over tonight,” or to belt out George Tho-rogood’s “one bourbon, one scotch, and one beer.”

On the contrary, Ray Charles’ version of “Ring of Fire” is breathtaking, and Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong’s version of “Summertime” is life-changing. It’s simply one of the best musical perfor-mances in American musical history. What self-respecting Southerner wouldn’t be proud to have his kids sing that on the way to Sunday School?

Without our Sunday pauses, my week isn’t complete. It is the both the beginning and the end–a set of moments every six days to reflect on all that is truly important. Sunday sets the pace for everything that is to come, even the pace of the childhoods my kids will remember. It’s the most important thing I’ve figured out so far–and to think, it all started with a faulty microwave.

SOUTHERN

RAMBLER

Our slower pace on Sunday mornings has most recently

taught me that listening to

Hank Williams, Jr. before church may not be the

most appropriatemusical selection.

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LIFE &FAITH

Why Won’t God Answer My Prayers?by Will Browning

I LLUSTRAT ION BY JASON WAGENER

ven as a pastor, I don’t always understand why God does not answer my prayers. Jesus said, “And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.” (Matthew 21:22 ESV) Often, I have prayed, trusting God with the results, but I have not seen the answer come.

In a USA Today article, Cathy Lynn Grossman reported that 83% of Americans believe God answers prayers, which means

there are a lot of us who are wondering: “When are my prayers going to be answered?” I have discovered there are no fewer than four ways in which God answers prayers that may be hard for us to understand.

“Yes, but you have to wait.”During some formative times in my life, I remember praying des-perately for companionship. I desired to find a wife, to start a family, and to settle into my future. I continually petitioned God for a spouse. The old adage “hindsight is 20/20” proves so true. In

E


time, God brought the perfect coun-terpart into my life, but I had to wait on His timeline.

“Yes, but it’s not what you expect.”For a Type A person like me, managing expectations is essential. I methodically organize my life with spreadsheets, calendars and budgets. As a card-carrying control freak, I have a hard time when things do not go as expected. When others meet my expectations, I tend to trust them more.

God should not be treated in this manner. Since He is omniscient (all-knowing), when He does not meet my expectations I should resolve to trust Him regardless. If I had all the information that He has at His disposal, His choices would make more sense.

“No, because I have something better.”Ever tried to plan a surprise birthday party for someone? I’ve taken on this task a few times and without fail, a quandary is created. The party planner, aware of the secret party details, must create diversions that ultimately benefit the recipient. Unbeknownst to the recipient, a more advantageous future awaits, but all he/she knows is, “I’m not getting what I’m asking for.” Much is the same with God. God, who has a better plan, gives us a frus-trating “no,” only to deliver an even more pleasing gift in the future.

“No, I love you too much.”If I left my kids to plan our eating schedule, we would have candy for breakfast, Oreos for lunch and ice

LIFE &FAITH


cream for dinner. Life experience has not taught them the implications of too much sugar on one’s stomach. Parental supervision has protected them from the onslaught of stomach pains from too much sugar. Love drives our desire to protect them from the consequences of such a diet. Love also drives God to say no to our prayer requests–considering that many of our requests, if answered, would create greater pain than we can perceive.

This article may have grabbed your attention because you are praying regularly about something in par-ticular, and you have not received the answer you hoped to receive. Know this: God is good, and He does love you like a father. Do not stop praying. And trust that your good and loving heavenly Father will respond with the appropriate answer.

Cathy Lynn Grossman, “Poll: 83% Say God Answers Prayers, 57% Favor National Prayer Day,” USA Today, 5/4/2010, http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/religion/2010-05-05-prayer05_ST_N.htm.

AM

If I left my kids to plan our eating

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Short CentralT H E S H O P S A T


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Celebrate a special time both past and present with this fine collection of sterling silver jewelry inspired by historic wrought iron gates throughout the South.

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STYLES O U T H E R N

Bursting with character, this downtownSummerville home is a labor of love.

by Jana Riley photos by Dottie Rizzo

The Caretaker's Cottage

Warm InvitationAn inviting hearth, redesigned during the art-deco era, displays vintage chalk dogs, carnival prizes from the early 1900s


STYLE

Just one house over from Azalea Park on Summerville’s South Main Street sits a yellow cottage, tucked quaintly back within the pines. Originally worker’s quarters for a much larger estate, the home has changed hands and visages over more than 144 years until it landed in the care of Bob and Tina Devereaux in 2006. Tina, a local history buff, began researching the home’s roots shortly after moving in, and became smitten with its modest beginnings.

“This is not a fancy home by any means,” she explains. “It never was. It started out small and rough–simply a place for the caretakers of the main house to rest their heads at night. So, nothing here is ‘perfect.’ The floors are crooked. Boards are roughly cut. Some doorframes seem to lean. There are unexplained missing pieces of molding and other oddities all over the house. But we love it that way, and have no intention of trying to ‘correct’ it. Instead, as the current

caretakers of the home, we really feel like it is our duty to try to return the house to its former self as best as we can.”

After settling into their new home, the Devereauxs began peeling back the layers that built up over a century and a half, on a mission to restore as many of the original elements as possible. One after another, the discoveries came, beginning with the living room wall.

“I was looking at the walls in the living room and realized they weren’t consistent with the rest of the house,” explains Tina. “It was strange to me that all of the other rooms had beadboard, while the living room didn’t. So I took a large screwdriver and a hammer to an inconspicuous spot and began hammering away.”

Tina discovered that the walls were covered with actual sheet rock –not gypsum board.

Product PlacementThis Page: Vintage knitting needles perch atop a ladder repur-posed as a bookshelf / Vintage children’s chairs sit beneath a sideboard repurposed as a coffee table.

Opposite page:An antique chalkboard displays well-worn outdoor game sets, while the coffee table showcases vintage metal toys.

“I wanted to use a hue that the home had seen before,” she explains. “I chose the pink because it’s a happy color, and this is a happy house."


STYLE

By the time her husband came home from work, half of the wall was piled on the floor and the original beadboard wall was exposed.

“I just had a hunch,” she says.

The Devereauxs have also uncovered a second front door and converted a boarded stairway window into a set of recessed shelves. They found original hardwood floors underneath carpet upstairs, replaced modern kitchen cabinets with antique cupboards for storage, exchanged a new stove for a vintage one, and returned a claw foot tub and double drainboard sink to the home. Most recently, Tina painted the living room a unique shade of pink–an exact match to flakes of paint she found beneath the baseboards.

“I wanted to use a hue that the home had seen before,” she explains. “I chose the pink because it’s a happy color, and this is

Kitchain AidsOpposite Page:

A vintage stove, double drainboard sink and barn wood cabinetry create a comfortable kitchen atmosphere.

This Page:An assortment of

coffee mugs rest on an antique wooden drying rack, framed

by vintage aprons and whisk brooms / An

extensive collection of colorful vintage pyrex sits charmingly inside

a stepback cupboard /Mismatched chairs,

vintage iron chandelier and a well-loved farm

table offer a warmand inviting dining

experience.

STYLE

a happy house.”

The Devereaux’s love of all things historical extends into the decor of the home, where antique and vintage items abound, many clustered into neat collections. In the kitchen, an array of old aprons hang near a cupboard full of vintage Pyrex dishes, and below, an old tool tray is stocked neatly with antique kitchen implements. Tina is quick to point out that in her home, nothing is “just for show.”

“The things in this house,” shares Tina, “We use them all, sometimes daily. Everything from the vintage Pyrex, aprons, and kitchen tools, to the old fans, children’s toys and chairs–everything is well-used and well-loved.”

Sourcing the elements of her collections from local antique and thrift stores, Tina says that

Vintage OasisThis Page:A custom brassbed is the center-piece of the master bedroom. Above, an old ladder displays special family mementos, and an antique typewriter stand showcases rhinestone brooches and vanity items /Typewriters hang above a window-turned-bookcase.

Opposite Page:An antiqueclawfoot tub sits beneath a recently uncovered window, offering a variety of soaps on an old drive-in restaurant tray.


STYLE

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each of her collections relate back to happy moments from her childhood. Memories of photographing scenes with her father spawned a love of old cameras, and visits to the newspaper where he worked inspired the acquisition of a few typewriters. The Pyrex bowls recall times spent in the kitchen with her mother.

Though the items in Tina’s collections are cherished, it is clear that she holds her family above every beloved thing she owns.

“Family is the most important thing you have,” Tina says. “It’s irreplaceable. We wanted a warm and comfortable place to have our four daughters, their partners, and our six grandchildren to visit–a place to spend time together as a family. And even though our daughters didn’t all grow up in this house, when they are here, they always say, ‘it feels good to be home.’ And that’s what it’s all about.”

Great OutdoorsVintage children’s chairs display potted pansies on the front porch / A collection of vintage brass hose nozzles and Hull and McCoy planters decorate an outdoor potting bench / Homeowners Bob and Tina Devereaux stand proudly in their home.

To the residents of Summerville:

Spring in Summerville is something special! With Mother Nature’s handiwork and assistance from local gardeners and horticulturists, Summerville has become truly“The Flower Town in the Pines.”

Visitors have flocked here for decades to see the azaleas, dogwoods and wisteria displays that can take your breath away as you walk or drive among towering pines and moss-laden live oaks. But don’t just take my word for it. Enjoy Summerville in Spring! Events during the Spring of 2014; Annual Flowertown Festival - April 4 through April 6, 2014Farmer’s Market - Saturdays, April 12 through December 20, 2014Fiesta Italiana 2 - April 26, 2014Sculpture in the Park - May 15 through 19, 2014 Bill Collins

Mayor, Town of Summerville


STYLE

TimelessClassic

The bow tie has made its way into today’s mainstream. Adorning the necks of rappers, rock stars, athletes and even ladies, the modern bow tie is not just for tuxedos or the devoted preppy anymore.

This iconic fashion accessory dates back to the 1700s, when the Croatian army developed the first bow tie, the cravat, to keep their shirts from coming undone during battle. Soon, the French upper-class, the fashion bellwethers of the time, adapted the neckwear to what we now know as the modern bow tie.

Whether it's a tux, suit, sport coat or jeans and tennis shoes, the bow tie can be worn with just about anything. It’s never been easier to pull off this style–but you have to tie one first…

Bow ties are extremely trendy as of late,but rest assured, here in the South they

will always be in style.

Tie One On T H E B I G T H R E E

BATWING

BUTTERFLY

DIAMOND

LOOP & PULL

1. Cross end “A� over end “B.�

2. Bring end “A� up and under the loop.

3. Now double end “B� over itself to form the front base loop of the bow tie.

4. Loop end “A� over the center of the loop you just formed.

5. Holding everything in place, double end “A� back on itself and poke it through the loop behind.

6. Adjust the bow tie bytugging at the ends of it and straightening the center knot.

1 2

3 4

5 6

a relaxing escape

a family adventure

a perfect getaway

Aiken Visitors Centerand Train Museum

406 Park Avenue, Aiken

www.VisitAikenSC.com1-888-AikenSC

Featured artwork by Betsy Wilson-Mahoney • www.facebook.com/TheStudioWhereArtHappens


Southern EssentialsTime and tradition have shaped the Lowcountry lifestyle,

requiring a few basic necessities for thosewho call it home.

written by Susan Frampton photos by Dottie Rizzo

Equally at home atop the stove or in the oven, cast iron implements come in all manner of shapes and sizes, but the cast iron skillet, blackened with age and

seasoned by time, has long been the work-horse of the Lowcountry kitchen. Bathed in a skillet of hot oil, chicken emerges crispy and brown, and cornbread

glows golden from the oven when baked in its burnished depths, which can reach 400º in four minutes.

Cast iron must be seasoned when it is new; baked at a high temperature with a vegetable oil coating to form a patina that prevents rusting and ensures that food doesn’t stick to the surface. Seasoning builds up over time and improves

with repeated use. A helpful guest in the kitchen risks life and limb by attempting to wash a well-seasoned skillet with soap. Properly maintained,a cast iron skillet can last 100 years. Properly prepared, the biscuits cooked

in one won’t make it past breakfast.

Cast Iron Skillet


Surrounded by the salty ocean, black-water rivers and sparkling lakes, the requisite ingredients for fishing are always kept at the ready. Sunglasses are perched on noses year-round, and rods, reels and bream busters often ride shotgun with saltwater tackle in the back seat. Fly rods and flies nestle next to spare tires, and cane poles with bright bobbers hang in garages ready to plop dancing crickets into dark, swirling water.

The specifics might vary depending on the season or proclivity of the angler, but Lowcountry fishermen can throw together equipment for a day on the water faster than you can say, “Stripers are running in the lake,” or “The bream are bedding in the Edisto.” Add the inevitable lucky hat, a la Grumpy Old Men, and a couple packs of Nabs for a quick breakfast or lunch between casts, and there will be fish on the table tonight.

Fishing Gear

S O U T H E R N E S S E N T I A L S 1 5 T H I N G S E V E RY O N E I N T H E L OW C O U N T RY S H O U L D H A V E

Local Art

Brimming with art galleries and events, the Lowcountry has a well-earned reputation for being home to a prolific stable of artists, whose mediums run the gamut from watercolor to wrought iron. Inspiration for artists is not hard to come by, and the area’s iconic architecture and natural beauty captured by their work allows us to celebrate them in our homes and businesses.

The choices are counted in the thousands, but among them are perennial favorites: the pastel palette of Charleston’s Rainbow Row; Carew Rice silhouettes profiling life in stark black and white; boldly colorful images by Jonathan Green, depicting the mystique of Gullah culture; the hand-wrought grace of ironwork created by Philip Simmons and annual SEWE posters that help us remember a weekend of all things wildlife. Displaying local artists is a tangible way that we pay homage to life in the Lowcountry.

"Tropical Sunset" by Alexandra Kassing


Officially the season runs September through May, but the rule of thumb is if the month has an “r,” oysters are in. Oyster roasts find Lowcountry folks bellying up to tables topped with saltines, bowls of horseradish-laced cocktail sauce, and piles of juicy, steaming oysters. There is an art to prying out the tasty prize inside the singles or clusters of shells, and the secret is an implement built just for the task.

Selection of the perfect knife comes down to personal preference, and there are endless variations. Primitive or elegant, the handle may be humble plastic, plain or exotic wood, bone or even forged iron. The point on the business end of the knife, which is used to pry open the briny goodness of raw or roasted oysters, can be short and rounded, stiletto sharp or somewhere in between.Whatever form it takes, the oyster knife is a vital link in the Lowcountry’s food chain.

Oyster Knife


Indica azalea, our beloved azalea, appeared in Chinese medical texts as early as 772 A.D. Though associated with Chinese lore, the azalea came to South Carolina from Japan. It flourished, and now paints a dazzling backdrop of colors throughout the Lowcountry. “The Pride of Summerville,” a salmon- colored variety, lives among twelve acres in Flowertown’s Azalea Park, and local gardeners have traveled as far as Washington’s National Arboretum to preserve rare species found here.

Another important part of our landscape, the camellia japonica arrived in South Carolina from China. American Camellia Catalog, published in 1950, and used by judges at camellia shows, captures the abundant varieties through hand-painted lithographs, and tells us, “regardless how complete might be the prose description, color portraits are required for perfect identification.” No statement has ever been truer, and the descendants we enjoy are living proof of the impressive range of names, colors and varieties.

Heirloom Plant

Book by Pat ConroyWith unflinching honesty, Pat Conroy’s books take us on the roller-coaster of his life. In his pages we ride the swells to a one-room schoolhouse on Daufuskie Island, cross the Cooper River to hear music on the

beach and feel the August heat pound the Citadel’s parade ground. His characters are raw and often flawed, but running beneath the push and pull of their lives, is the reassuring ebb and flow of the Lowcountry tide.

Conroy’s books capture things we know to be true. We’ve heard with our own ears the roar of jets over the grave of the Great Santini. We’ve squinted into the same sun Tom Wingo watched rise over the marsh,

tasted the she crab soup served to Leo King and know first-hand the stifling humidity of a Charleston night. We trust the words Pat Conroy writes, knowing that he paints the Lowcountry with a brush held by one

who has walked among us.

Weather RadioLowcountry residents know that if you don’t like the weather here, wait a few minutes and it will change. After experiencing a hurricane or two, or one of the summer storms popping up out of nowhere, we know that the weather radio quickly earns its keep. Sure, there’s an app for that, but our phones are so busy notifying us that we have mail, or that John hates clowns and Mary changed her profile picture, that we tune out a lot of the really important things like weather alerts.

The weather radio lives to offer the comforting voice of the National Weather Service, with information about tides, wind speed and direction, sun rise and sun set. And, you can bet that if there are severe thunderstorms, hurricanes or most anything short of swarms of locusts in your area, it will make a sound conveying an urgency that will never, ever be confused with anything else.


Whether our family heirlooms find their way to us from the hands of a cherished relative, or are sent through time to await discovery in a dusty antique store, it is rare to find a Lowcountry household without some artifact on display. Large or small, they may be ordinary or exquisite: an intricate gold locket, grandfather’s favorite shotgun or great-grandmother’s tattered Bible; a flag carried in battle, or a chair that rocked generations to sleep. Things that have stood the test of time strike chords in us that sing of hard times and days of glory. The reality of what the pieces represent obliges us to hold them dear; the callused hands that once clasped them, or the delicate neck they adorned, the endurance they symbolize and the principles that made them worth fighting and dying for. No matter how they come to us, we find ourselves holding them with pride for our children, with the hope that they might someday better understand who we are and where we came from.

Family Heirloom Favorite BBQ Joint


There are eating establishments, and there are joints; and when it comes to the best place to find Lowcountry barbeque, the latter most often applies. Strong views on barbeque joints can divide families. Arguments for sweet, ketchup-based sauce versus mustard or vinegar have the potential to turn ugly. Brisket or Boston butt? Don’t bring it up. Everyone has their favorite, and the map is dotted with places that hit the spot.

Often the establishments are tiny and off the beaten path, their whereabouts closely guarded by those unwilling to divulge the treasure tucked away under a homemade sign or behind weathered walls. The demographics run the spectrum, with lawyers and mechanics, traffic cops and CEOs shoulder to shoulder, unable to resist the pull of pork. But since good barbeque is created by slow smoking over wood, many are open only Thursday through Saturday. The results are worth waiting for.


They conduct marriages of tomatoes and okra for vegetable soup, and coax chicken from the bone for winter purlieu. Lowcountry stockpots often start the New Year by serving up collard greens, simmering with the symbolic assurance of financial fortune. They bring the season’s green peanuts to tender perfection in boiling brine, and swiftly steam the summer goodness of crabs fresh from the trap.

Made most often of stainless steel, the stockpot might be sized to hold a couple of quarts, or several gallons, and it can be a long distance runner of the stovetop. A slow cooker long before the electric crockpot rose to fame, it is capable of bursts of speed, but best known for its slow, steady pace. Though it might take the back burner, it inevitably brings us to follow our noses to the promise of good home cooking bubbling under its lid.

Stock Pot


Knowledge of the Shag

The rhythm can be felt from the Folly Pier to Carolina Beach. If you live in the Lowcountry for long, beach music gets into your veins, making your feet automatically move to the tempo of "The (Carolina) Shag," official dance of the Carolinas. Triple step, triple step, rock step. Triple step, triple step, rock step. Many a mile has been danced to the pace, and it never fails to sweep us away to days of hot sun on our shoulders and sand in our shoes.

Though a good Shag partner is a match as individual as a life partner, The Shag is a forgiving swing-type dance as easily learned under the stars on a sun-bleached pier as on Hibernian Hall’s polished dance floor. Once you have it, you’re as ready for the debutante ball as you are a Saturday night soirée at the Bus Shed.

PersonlizedStationery

Experiencing a resurgence of popularity of late, the monogram has never gone out of vogue here. Note cards or other stationery wearing our names or three initials are often gifted at birth, and for graduates, business people and new brides, they are an essential accessory to be used with great regularity. A note penned on personalized paper often tells far more about who we are than the words written on the page. A note unsent speaks volumes. We are a polite people, and the importance of a written expression of our thanks, condolences or best wishes has been drilled into us by mothers and grandmothers since we were old enough to hold a pen. In the day and age of emails and text messages, tweets and voicemails, the art of the hand-written note lives on to remind us that manners still matter in the Lowcountry of South Carolina.

Sweet Grass BasketTo own a sweetgrass basket is to hold time suspended in your hand. Woven using skills passed down

through generations of those brought here as slaves, the sweetgrass basket is the quintessential symbol of the Lowcountry’s Gullah culture. Intricate designs of all sizes are a common sight north of Mt. Pleasant

and in City Market in downtown Charleston. The basket ladies in their stalls have long welcomed visitors to the Lowcountry and bid them safe travels as they depart.

As known for its beauty as for the resilience it represents, the sweetgrass basket is a treasured possession that is as worthy to hold jewelry on our dressers as it is to hold court at the center of our dining room

tables. Each coiled strand is a nod to the first fingers to weave the pattern on a distant shore, and a celebration of the Lowcountry’s unique history.


Shrimp & Grits Recipe


A Home Team

Rooting for a home team is as necessary as mosquito spray in the Lowcountry. Crowds pile into “the Joe” for the Riverdogs at home, cheering wildly as Charlie the mascot gyrates atop the dugout. Fans need not be alumni to make the choice of orange paw prints in Death Valley or the garnet and black of Williams-Brice Stadium, and neither would be caught dead in the colors of the other (a detail worth noting during football season).

Our blood pumps when the Stingrays hit the ice, the Green Wave scores at John McKissick Stadium or C of C kills it on the court. The Charleston Battery’s footwork has us bouncing soccer balls off our heads, and Bulldog baseball is a rite of spring. CSU, Ashley Ridge, Little League coach-pitch, Pee Wee football, volleyball or lacrosse; pick a season, pick a sport, pick a team. It’s what we do.

Found on the menus of most any restaurant from Myrtle Beach to Savannah, shrimp and grits has appeared on Lowcountry tables for generations. For the uninitiated, grits–the staple found in all southern pantries–originates from corn, ground to a fine, medium or coarse texture. Boiled with a little salt and butter, it delivers the warmth of home directly to the souls of Southerners. And when topped with tender, pink, fresh-from-the-creek shrimp, it becomes a Lowcountry delicacy recognized around the world.

Variations of our recipes are limited only by our imaginations. The shrimp may be boiled, sautéed or grilled. Some stir up onions and peppers for adornment, while others prefer that a healthy slug of barbeque sauce crowns their crustaceans. Simple or fancy, and served any time of day, shrimp and grits is the go-to dish that carries the flavor of the Lowcountry in every bite.

AFTER SPREADING HIS WINGS, ARTIST CHARLES WILLIAMS LONGED TO RETURN TO HIS ROOTS.

SO HE PAINTED HIS WAY HOME. by Will Rizzo

TAKINGTHE

{S C}ENICROU TE

TAKINGTHE

{S C}ENICROU TE


hen I met Charles Williams, he was tucked into a small studio space at Redux Contemporary Art Center, working on a commissioned landscape piece. He invited me in, and asked if he could continue

painting as we talked. I eagerly agreed; this offered me the opportunity to watch him transform a blank wooden canvas into a brilliant Lowcountry panorama.

Born and raised in Georgetown, SC, Williams' talent was harnessed from a young age. His parents were aggressively instrumental in his success.

"My mother noticed I was pretty good at coloring within the lines of my Ninja Turtle® coloring book,” Williams says, smiling. “She always had me drawing with a pen and pad."

In elementary school, his mother made arrangements with the school's art teacher to keep Charles after school, working on different art techniques, from colored pencil to water color.

Williams' mother wasn't the only one supportive of his talent. On his first day of high school, his father visited the art teacher, Heath Hampton, and asked him what he could do for his son. Hampton took Williams under his wing, arranging private lessons with a local painter. There, he learned advanced art techniques, as well as the business side of the art world. When most kids were out partying or heading to Myrtle Beach for the weekend, Williams was at home painting, and with Hampton's help, he received a scholarship to Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD).

"I switched majors back and forth," Williams says. “They offered so much; I wanted to do it all."

{W}"Settled in Time" 22x24 "Lowcountry Nightscape" 8x10


Williams graduated in 2006, with a major in advertising and a minor in fine arts. He got a job in Tampa, FL, with the Publix Corporation, working on the design team for their Greenwise® product line. Although he found success with Publix, Williams missed home.

"I was eight hours from home, so I started painting it," Williams says.

He painted scenes of the Lowcountry, reliving memories of his life on the Black River. Williams submitted his work to a Tampa Gallery, and was accepted into a group show. Little did he know that a late night mistake would come to shape the signature of his work.

While working on a small painting for the group show, he spilled a cup of water on the canvas, causing the paint bleed to the bottom.

He put it aside and forgot about it. When the gallery director stopped by his studio to check on his progress, she saw the painting loved the drip look and asked to have it.

Williams sold out his first two gallery shows, and things snowballed from there. Selling numerous paintings, including private and corporate commissions, Williams quit his job at Publix to begin painting full-time.

In 2009, he was accepted into the Hudson River Fellowship in New York where 32 artists out of 5,000 applicants were invited to walk the trails of master landscape artists and to study the anatomy of nature.

"It was like a painting boot camp," he says.

After completing the Hudson River Fellowship, Williams knew

"Breakage" 16x20 "Mirrored Souls" 36x60

"October Sky" 24x30"After Hours" 10x24


what he really wanted, so he moved back to Charleston. On a visit to the Robert Lange Gallery, he told the owner that he would one day be featured there. She smiled, gave him a hug and told him to submit his work. After five “no’s,” the Robert Lange Gallery gave him a shot at a group show, where he sold every one of his paintings. He was given more shows, which also sold out. Williams was finally invited to join the gallery.

On top of managing the stresses that come with being a full-time artist, Charles Williams also gives back to the community that has given so much to him.

"I am always thinking of the kids in the classrooms who have talent, but don't know how or may not have the resources to cultivate that talent," Williams says. "I want to give them the opportunities and experiences that my teachers offered me."

In an effort to help foster creative students in multiple art forms,

Williams formed the C.E. Williams Collaborative, offering what he has learned to middle and high school students interested in pursuing a career in the arts. He passes along the foundations and technical attributes of art, teaches students how to articulate their work and how to build relationships with collectors.

"They are receiving all the important aspects of being a complete artist,” Williams says.

The Collaborative recently held its first student art exhibition at Robert Lange Studios, giving the nine students of the Georgetown and Charleston County collaborative the opportunity to show their work.

"They have some killer work," he says, smiling.

Today, Williams is working on a new series of paintings. He has a museum exhibition scheduled for Spring 2015 at the Franklin

"Afternoon" 22x22


G. Burroughs-Simeon B. Chapin Art Museum in Myrtle Beach, where he will show works that reflect an issue dear to his heart.

"I have had multiple near-drowning incidents in my past," he says. "I have taken swimming lessons, but I've never been a confident swimmer."

Williams has been researching the history of swimming and how slavery and other cultural influences might have affected the African-American community's relationship with swimming. Through his research, he found that for every Caucasian drowning, there are three African-American drownings.

"We hear all about deaths that result from drugs and violence," Williams says, "but drownings are like a silent killer in this community."

For Williams' upcoming museum exhibition, he is working on a

(social awareness) series of paintings, pairing objects such as shoes and jewelry, items he feels the African-American community sees as status symbols, with water environments like pools and shorelines. He hopes this series will shine a light on the importance of focusing on water safety rather than the false security of material things.

Charles Williams truly embodies the spirit of art. Not only is he a master of the techniques that make his work so captivating, but he also possesses humility and compassion, which shows vibrantly in his work away from the canvas. He has both literally and figuratively taken the scenic route to where he is today–a place where he can create his own landscape.

For more information on Charles Williams' work visit www.robertlangestudios.com/charles-williams www. cewpaintings.4ormat.com www. reduxstudios.org/artists/charles-e-williams/

"Absence" 30x30

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A Grand EntranceThe front steps of thehistoric Willcox Hotel

RoadtripDestination Aiken, SC

Where The Horse Reigns SupremeAiken will win your heart and soul with her equestrian

connections and beautiful parkways.


Roadtrip Destination Aiken, SC

Looking out over the broad, oblong track, the pounding of hooves echo in my mind. Just beyond the interior fence, stands a stately oak tree; its bark greyed with age, evergreen leaves glistening in the mid-morning sun. I cross the sandy course, navigate the fence and take my place below the tree’s rustling branches. I am trespassing on hallowed ground–standing in the green grass where three granite gravestones lay tucked away. One, in particular, catches my attention. Engraved with the name “Blue Peter,” the dates read 1946-1950.

This equestrian setting is part of the famous horse district of Aiken, South Carolina, where thoroughbreds are pampered and schooled for greatness. Blue Peter is one of those great ones. The sire of War Admiral, he is one of thirty-nine illustrious champions immortalized in the Aiken Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame.

Peppered with old cottages and stables bearing names like Legacy, Dogwood and Darcy (the latter owned by Sheikh Mohammed of Dubai), the district is characterized by sandy dirt roads, just like the track. Tourists and locals alike must bridle their vehicles here – horses command the right of way.

Our guide, a practical Southern lady with plenty of horse sense, humors

us with stories of an exercise rider nicknamed "Pockets" and a miniature donkey called Dinky. With her guidance, we tour the Legacy Stables. We quietly stroll past the young thoroughbreds eating in their stalls and watch the groomers wash and brush others who are anxiously awaiting a run. As we turn to leave, I catch a parting glimpse of two hoofed speedsters proudly sprinting around the stable with their riders sitting tall in their saddles.

This charming town to our north isn’t just for the hippophile, though. While everything seems to tie into the thoroughbred history, there is much for the average weekender or staycationer to do and see. Located on the western end of the 136-mile Southern Railway System, some 110 miles from the Lowcountry, Aiken's legends, history and down-home beauty are as plentiful as its painted horse statues.

Broad avenues with park-like settings lead to the heart of the city where locally owned restaurants and shops line both sides of picturesque Laurens Street. You can browse a home and design shop, savor the sweet smell of candy, sample a micro-brew or lose yourself in the paintings of local artists at the spacious art gallery. Or follow in my footsteps to Betsy’s, a corner soda fountain and grill, where old-fashioned home-style cuisine and decadent ice cream treats are on the menu every day.

Town CenterClockwise from top left: Corner of Park and Laurens / Pimiento cheese grits with sausage at Betsy's On The Corner / Serving up good-ies at Cyndi's Sweet Shoppe Opposite: GM, Tina McCarthy of The Willcox



Sweeping brick walls are built along the winding roads, beyond which stand the regal estates of once-famous people like Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire. And among them, one of the most famous–Hopelands Gardens, bequeathed to the city by the American heiress, Mrs. C. Oliver Iselin, as a public garden in 1969. The 14-acre estate also houses the aforementioned Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame and Museum–fitting for the former winter home of Iselin, the first woman to compete as a crew member in the America’s Cup yacht race and owner of many thoroughbred racehorses.

Only the foundation of the main house stands today–now an elevated, brick courtyard with reflective ponds and fountains that lay tucked under 100-year-old oaks and deodar cedars, thought to have been planted by Iselin herself. A web of peaceful walking paths, benches carved from the broken branch of a prominent cedar and a children's playhouse to be envied have been added over the years.

Just a few turns in the road from Hopelands, literally on Easy Street, stands the Joye Cottage. Hardly a cottage in definition, the 60-room colossus, thought to be the largest private residence in the state of South Carolina, built by New York’s millionaire robber baron William C. Whitney (who also brought polo fields to Aiken), and designed in part by the architects of the Fifth Avenue New York Public Library, Carrere & Hastings, is a sight to behold. Now owned by Gregory White Smith and Steven Naifeh, the Pulitzer Prize-winning authors of Jackson Pollack’s 1991 biography who also immortalized the estate in their book On a Street Called Easy,

In a Cottage Named Joye, the home will one day be bequeathed to the Juilliard School in New York.

“Five or six musicians can play as loud as they want, anywhere in the house, and not be heard by one another. And the ballroom would be great for performances that everybody in Aiken could come to,” Smith told the New York Times in 1996.

Indian lore tells of a chief who was instructed in a dream to carry his ailing daughter to the land of the whispering pines, where she would find her cure. Today, the whispering pines are known as Hitchcock Woods, one of the largest urban forests in the country. Fox hunts take place on its nearly 2,100 acres and visitors are welcomed to participate.

Fresh from the hunt, a few gentlemen hounds and lady foxes decked out in their tall boots and full riding attire pass through the Willcox Inn, a “grand white-pillared glory.” Reminiscent of Summerville’s famed Pine Forest Inn in interior and history, the well-appointed rooms once hosted famous heads of state, Franklin D. Roosevelt and Winston Churchill, in addition to Summerville’s own, Elizabeth Arden. But the pictures of jockeys that line the halls are a continuous reminder the Willcox sits in the heart of thoroughbred country.

Perhaps an understatement, Aiken is idyllic – the quintessential recipe for a Southern Stepford–built on history and the things of legend with a healthy dose of comfort and hospitality sprinkled in. It’s a place to reminisce, to play and where the horse will always reign supreme.

Aiken AboundsOpposite page clockwise: Taking inventory / The gallery at Aiken Centerfor the Arts / Shopping at Nandina / Laurens Street / This page: Mixing upa cocktail at The Willcox / Cooling down after a training session

AM


LOCALSOCIALS , CAUSES

& COMMUNITYSTAY CONNECTED

CHASE AFTER A CURE GOLDEN GALA

The sixth annual gala raised $143,000 to help fund childhood cancer research at the Medical University of South Carolina Children’s Hospital. More than $30,000 was raised during the “Fund the Need” portion of the evening. That money will

be used to purchase a new piece of equipment for the hospital, a Bio-Rad

ChemiDoc Imaging System.

www.chaseafteracure.com

You’re Not Just a Patient.You’re Family.We are moms, dads, sons, daughters, brothers and sisters. We understand the

complexities of navigating through today’s healthcare system. As a member

of our family, we promise to walk you through life’s medical decisions—however

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We treat our patients with kindness and respect. And most importantly, they find

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life’s unexpected surprises. To learn more or to schedule an appointment, visit us

online at PalmettoPrimaryCare.com.

843.572.7727 | PalmettoPrimaryCare.comSchedule an Appointment Today.




large or small.










large or small.







Summerville Locations:

Gum Street Office412 North Gum StreetSummerville, SC 29483(843) 873-1720

Laurel Office507 North Laurel StreetSummerville, SC 29483(843) 875-0600

North Charleston:

Appian Office5325 Appian WayNorth Charleston, SC 29420(843) 552-0400

Ladson:

Iron Horse Office3495 Iron Horse RoadLadson, SC 29456(843) 793-5970

Hanahan:

Hanahan Office1254 Yeamans Hall RoadHanahan, SC 29410(843) 554-8312

Trident Office9313 Medical Plaza Drive, Ste 202North Charleston, SC 29406(843) 572-1200

Oakbrook Office87 Springview Lane, Ste BSummerville, SC 29485(843) 875-0400

Pine Office404 North Pine StreetSummerville, SC 29483(843) 873-0202

Summerville Office213 West 4th North StreetSummerville, SC 29483(843) 873-0681




large or small.







North Cedar Office809 N. Cedar StreetSummerville, SC 29483(843) 871-9440

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2nd ANNUALJSL CHILI COOK-OFF

The Junior Service League of Summerville hosted their 2nd Annual Chili, Cornbread and Pie Cook-Off and Vendor Fair to help support the community assistance fund.

The afternoon also featured music, a raffle for a new gas grill, a bounce house,

face painting for the kiddos, and otherfun activities.

www.summervillejsl.com

843.832.2999

The Historic District'sNeighborhood Pub

O'Lacy's Pub

139 Central Ave, S'ville

•MARCH 15

St. Patrick's Day Street Partywith a live band

5pm-9pm

•April 5

Flowertown Festival Street Partywith a live band

5pm-9pm

•Every Saturday

Karaoke at 9:30pm


CHAMBER BUSINESS AFTER HOURS

The Greater Summerville/Dorchester County Chamber of Commerce held

its Business After Hours in the historic Hutchinson Square, Arcade with plenty of food, drinks and networking to go around.

www.GreaterSummerville.org.




When Hurricane Irene visits the edge of Charleston, I find myself wedged into the crowd on Folly Beach. Palm fronds blow down the streets, leaves are turning cartwheels on the sidewalks and a grocery bag flies up and out of sight. The sea is lusty and vigorous, churning up froth and tossing it high onto the banks.

Even though the waves reach heights of eight feet, the surfers are undaunted. They throw themselves into the storm, becoming tiny dots against the mountainous waves. Those of us on shore jostle for a better view, churning up our own froth as beer sloshes over the rims of our red solo cups.

We’re all here for the show–to experience the strength of Mother Nature, and to admire the gumption of the daredevil surfers. The sea swallows them up, and we hold our breath until every single one reaches the surface again. We keep tally, assuring ourselves that each head pops back up, that all surfers are accounted for. Our tiptoes are watchtowers because we are all lifeguards now.

Even though we are afraid for them, it’s exhilarating when one is able to finally catch a hefty curl. We raise our beer in the air and, laughing, we turn to one another exclaiming, “I knew he could do it!” High-fives all around. Because a triumph for them is a triumph for us all.

Patchwork of the South

Winds Of ChangeRiding out the storms of life. by Michelle Moon

Separation Agreements/Divorce • Child Custody/Support/ModificationStepparent Adoption • Advance Health Care Directives/Wills/Probate

Certified Family Court Mediator • Name Change

207 West Richardson Avenue / Summerville, SC / 843-501-0602 / [email protected]

Melanie A. MaesAttorney and Counselor at Law

Winds Of ChangeRiding out the storms of life. by Michelle Moon


As I watch this scene unfold, I can’t help but compare it to the storms of life. Once in a while we find ourselves in the midst of our own hurricane. Winds of adversity sneak up on us, knocking us from our place of comfort and ease. The waves pummel us from every direction and we are at the mercy of circumstances beyond our control. Everything that seemed familiar, that seemed safe, is snatched away and there is no guarantee of a safe landing. The hurricane bears down without mercy, and you are tossed about by waves of grief, sorrow, fear. Sometimes even shame and humiliation.

Maybe your storm is a death, an illness. A divorce. The failure of a dream. Whatever the nature of your storm, these things are rarely clean- cut. They are jagged, gaping wounds that damage layers and layers of the heart. Your survival is grueling and exhausting. But also beautiful. Beautiful because you are a survivor. You still breathe. You still rejoice. The scars you bear are exquisite and no one in all the world will carry a set quite like yours.

And just like the spectators gathered to watch the surfers, so too do you have people cheering you through the storms. They shout with joy for those of you who overcome, and they pray all the harder for the ones who seem to be drowning. You may not see their faces; you may not hear their voices; but they are out there–holding their breath, standing on tiptoes and counting heads.

Winds ofadversity sneak up on us, knocking us from our place of comfort and ease.

Patchwork of the South Cont.

AM


Patchwork of the South Cont.

Lowcountry OrthopaedicsS p o r t s M e d i c i n e

North Charleston2880 Tricom St.843-797-5050

Downtown Summerville130 E. 3rd North St.

843-879-9699By offering the newest techniques and most advanced technology, we have the knowledge to offer our patients an accurate diagnosis for the best possible treatment.

LET OUR SPORTS MEDICINE PHYSICIANS GET YOU BACK IN THE GAME

David Jaskwhich, MD / James Spearman, MD / Adam Schaaf, MD / James McCoy, Jr., MD

X-ray, Occupational Therapy,MRI, Physical Therapy andOutpatient Surgery Center

Summerville / Oakbrook93 B Springview Ln.

843-285-6060

&

Occupational Therapy 2881 B Tricom Street 843-797-5050


sty led by margie sutton Photo by niamh el len MOD Beaute Stud io - 118 E R ichardson Ave , Summerv i l le , SC 843 .875 .7525Ste l l aNova Summerv i l le i s t rans i t ion ing i nto MOD Beaute Stud io . New name , s ame wonderfu l s taff .

Sty led by Marg ie Sutton Makeup by Jenna TuckerPhoto by Megan Mcgee

Azalea Magazine Spring 2014

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Transcript of Azalea Magazine Spring 2014