Celebrate Hilton Head and Celebrate Bluffton & Beyond - April 2019 Issue

SPECIAL REAL ESTATE SECTION INCLUDING:

REALTORS OF THE LOWCOUNTRY CREATING CURB APPEAL FROM LOT TO HOME 5 DRINKS WITH PHIL SCHEMBRA APRIL 2019

Plus

MUSICIANS IN BATHROOMS

FEATURING CRANFORD HOLLOW

BEHIND THE GATES

OF 17 BELFAIR POINT

GET IN THE HOLE!

STAYCATION: OLD TOWN BOUND

THE ISLAND GEARS UP FOR THE 51ST RBC HERITAGE OF GOLF

CONTENTS 04.19 “

P26

There are also a few no-nos that aren’t technically prohibited, but we strongly advise against, including wearing golf shoes (do you wear cleats to watch a baseball game?), smoking cigars around crowds (gross), and being a jerk to marshals.” - PAGE 41

EDITOR’S NOTE Musings on this issue

P28

A WORD FROM OUR MAYORS Lisa Sulka of Bluffton and John McCann of Hilton Head update you on town happenings.

P31

THIS & THAT

P37

5 DRINKS WITH Phil Schembra

P41

HERITAGE FOR DUMMIES As the island gears up for the fifty-first annual RBC Heritage tournament, Justin Jarrett breaks it down for newcomers

P44

P48 BEHIND THE GATES Welcome to 17 Belfair Point, one of the finest historic estates in South Carolina. Model Brielle outfitted by Coastal Bliss.

OLD TOWN BOUND

Staycation:

CB2 CELEBRATE BLUFFTON & BEYOND

CH2 CELEBRATE HILTON HEAD

APRIL 2019

SPECIAL REAL ESTATE SECTION INCLUDING:

REALTORS OF THE LOWCOUNTRY CREATING CURB APPEAL FROM LOT TO HOME 5 DRINKS WITH PHIL SCHEMBRA APRIL 2019

MUSICIANS IN BATHROOMS

FEATURING CRANFORD HOLLOW

BEHIND THE GATES

THE ISLAND GEARS UP FOR THE 51ST RBC HERITAGE OF GOLF

OF 17 BELFAIR PONT

+

APRIL 2019

APRIL 2019

Plus

GET IN THE HOLE!

STAYCATION: OLD TOWN BOUND

BEHIND

THE GATES

MUSICIANS IN BATHROOMS FEATURING CRANFORD HOLLOW BEAUTY AND THE BIRTHDAY

OF 17 BELFAIR POINT

SPECIAL REAL ESTATE SECTION INCLUDING REALTORS OF THE LOWCOUNTRY CREATING CURB APPEAL 5 DRINKS WITH PHIL SCHEMBRA

ON OUR COVERS Photography by M.Kat Clothing for Jonathan by Knickers Menswear Clothing for Taylor by Haskins & Co. Hair & makeup by Salon Karma Special thanks to Hilton Head National and Rick Manning

24

APRIL 2019

C2 MAGAZINE

THE GREENS (AND REDS AND WHITES) OF HARBOUR TOWN How The Greenery gets Sea Pines camera-ready for the RBC Heritage

P59

FROM LOT TO HOME When someone decides to make the Lowcountry home, exactly where to plant roots is the next question

P63

REALTORS OF THE LOWCOUNTRY Looking to make your stay in the South more permanent? Get an assist with your house-hunting from these local pros.

P73

HILTON HEAD ISLAND MULTI-LISTING SERVICE Investing in our community

P76

HILTON HEAD HOME GROUP OF RE/MAX ISLAND REALTY Relationship-driven Realtors welcome you home

P81

MARIA WALLS, CPA, BEAUFORT COUNTY TREASURER Forward-thinking leader, responsible steward

P85

INSURANCE PROFESSIONALS Now that you’ve invested in the Lowcountry, make sure you take steps to protect that investment

P92

WEDDING FEATURE: Rhett and Kaila Jeffcoat

P112

JULIE PARSLEY, HAIRDRESSER The art of the good hair day

P120

RANDY JEFFCOAT BUILDERS, INC. The experience you expect, the quality you deserve, a family you can trust

P126

STAYCATION Featuring the clothing of Knickers Menswear and Haskins & Co.

P134

DUNES CATERING & EVENTS Your one-stop catering source

P140

MUSICIANS IN BATHROOMS Featuring Cranford Hollow

GENIUSES AT WORK

play

Architect of Ideas Maggie Marie Washo Technology Mastermind Carolyn Hunter Kostylo

Lets Get Started!

Financial Warden Marion Elizabeth Bowser Strategic Partnership Overlord Ashton Kelley Harmon Influencer-In-Residence Kim Conrad Crouch Culture Maven “Just Kandace” Wightman

EDITOR’S NOTE APRIL 2018

In-house Jeweler on Retainer Kaila Jeffcoat

The Gatekeeper Greta Von Bowser The Real Yard Cats Grey and Dae May The Cut & Paste Crew Jeff Cline Catherine Colby Fran Sherman Robin Ross Monica “Mika” St. John Writing Specialists Linda S. Hopkins Laura Jacobi Barry Kaufman Justin Jarrett John McCann Jay Rodriguez Michele Roldán-Shaw Olivia Stone Lisa Sulka Lighting Experts M. Kat Photography Photography by Carrie Friesen Photography by John Brackett

Find Us HERE PO Box 22949 Hilton Head Island, SC 29925 843.816.7022 kandace@celebratehiltonhead.com

26

APRIL 2019

C2 MAGAZINE

B

Intimacy Mentor Lucille Rosita Gonzalez Washo

A

s we enter the yearly season of longer days and nicer weather, I celebrate all of the extra things that can be knocked off the “have-to-do” and “want-to-do” lists.

Attending the RBC Heritage is definitely on my want-to-do list, and since we are the media, technically it’s on the have-todo list as well. Two of the most interesting articles in this issue are about Hilton Head Island’s yearly golf tournament. For island newbies, we present a quick rundown on everything you need to know before heading down to Harbour Town in Justin Jarrett’s “Heritage for Dummies” on page 41. Immediately following is an article on how The Greenery gets Sea Pines cameraready for the RBC Heritage—including some fun facts about all of those red geraniums. I bet you’ll be shocked by the actual number that get planted in the days leading up to the event.

It wouldn’t be April without a little spring fashion in the magazine, and this edition might have more than we’ve ever published in one issue, with 20 pages devoted to showing off spring styles for men and women. Both photoshoots were hosted in Bluffton this month—one at the newly opened Old Town Bluffton Inn, and the other at a private estate that’s currently for sale in Rose Hill. Which

brings me to a large special section highlighting Lowcountry Realtors on page 63. If you are just visiting and are looking to make your stay in our area a little more permanent, spend some time with these area experts and get the skinny on just what it’s like to be able to get to the beach in under 15 minutes. In keeping with the big real estate theme, Barry Kaufman sat down with longtime Realtor Phil Schembra to talk about a bit of the island’s past, as well as where we are headed into the future. See the story on page 37.

The gentlemen of Cranford Hollow make an appearance in our monthly Musicians in Bathrooms feature, and we photographed them in a bathroom synonymous with the RBC Heritage.

See page 140 if you can’t guess where.

Be sure to check out Linda Hopkins’ amusing article, “Beauty and the Birthday,” on page 99. As we age, it’s good to remember that age is just a number and beauty radiates from within.

Have a wonderful April, everyone!

See you on the course.

MAGGIE WASHO Publisher / Editor-in-Chief

Hilton Head Island Mayor

M A Y O R

A Note from John McCann

ANNUAL TOURNAMENT BEST COURSE EXPERIENCE FOR STUDENT INTERNS

T

housands of visitors and golfers will arrive on Hilton Head Island this month for the fifty-first annual RBC Heritage Presented by Boeing golf tournament. They’ll be greeted with tournament fanfare, manicured greens and, we hope, good weather.

What they and our residents will see on the surface is the outcome of lots of preparation that has been taking place behind the scenes.

Tournament director Steve Wilmot and his team spend hours getting everything ready. They have a special group of students helping them with almost every detail: the interns.

I’m not referring to medical interns, who cut their professional teeth following doctors around in hospitals and other medical settings.

I’m speaking of interns who have been here on Hilton Head Island since January learning the ropes of planning and managing golf tournaments.

They are privileged to be here for this PGA TOUR event—the only one in South Carolina.

The seven students from across the United States and Canada are being exposed to every facet of the tournament as part of their college majors—from sports management, event marketing and sports administration to strategic communications, hospitality management and recreation management. And they represent excellent schools including

< Bluffton Mayor

Photography by M.Kat

A Note from Lisa Sulka

COME SEE OUR NEWLY RENOVATED TOWN HALL

T

own Hall, the cornerstone of our local government operations, is renovated and stands proudly to serve our community for decades to come. Located at 20 Bridge Street in Bluffton’s historic district, Town Hall has more than 4,500 square feet of added space and is now fully operational. If you haven’t already, please take 10 minutes and come in for a quick tour.

28

APRIL 2019

C2 MAGAZINE

Photography by M.Kat

M AY O R In terms of function and aesthetics, I don’t think you can find a betterlooking municipal building. On behalf of Town Council, I am very proud these renovations were made and fully paid off without any additional costs to Bluffton’s taxpayers. The renovations were funded through the town’s General Funds fund balance.

I am also proud of Marc Orlando, our town manager, and Brian Osborne, project manager, for their leadership throughout this process. Orlando had the foresight to plan for ample work space, a growing staff, and multiple meeting rooms to serve our community. Osborne’s daily dedication to details has provided Bluffton with an extremely functional building with beautiful Lowcountry design elements.

I also want to thank all the residents, business owners and staff members for their flexibility as town operations were spread out between different locations during the year-long renovations. These renovations will allow our engineering staff to join their colleagues at Town Hall and move out of the Bluffton Police Substation on May River Road. Having the majority of town staff members in one location will facilitate more collaboration and a more streamlined work system.

The highlights of Town Hall’s renovation project include the addition of more than 4,500 square feet to the original building. This addition, with about 145 seats, will be the formal meeting space for Town Council, Municipal Court and other public meetings and gatherings. This portion of the building also has a dedicated public entrance. Besides a beautiful facelift to the exterior building, interior additions include a new, efficient heating and cooling system; improved working environment for Town Council and staff with efficient, consolidated working stations with abundant natural light; and common meeting areas. An upgraded information technology (IT) infrastructure has also been installed, which will support Gigabit Internet access and future technological advances.

Improvements were also made to the building’s parking areas.

Beyond the cost savings, it was important to renovate this building versus build a new one, because the business of the town needs to remain in the heart of Bluffton. In addition, Town Hall has lived many lives, and town leaders wanted the legacy of this building to continue. Throughout the years, the building was a former school, a daycare, a theatre, a gathering place and, of course, Town Hall.

The renovations have refreshed and renewed this building, and it stands ready for more decades of service to Bluffton. 

THE INTERNS HIT THE GROUND RUNNING AND GET ASSIGNED TO DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE TOURNAMENT: OPERATIONS, TICKETING, OUTREACH, SALES AND MARKETING, PRO-AM EVENTS AND TOURNAMENT SERVICE. George Brown College in Canada, University of Cincinnati, University of Minnesota, Penn State University, University of Central Florida and Illinois State University.

When it comes to learning, nothing beats real hands-on experience. I applaud Steve and his team for providing that to these students and giving them a taste of what it is like on the frontlines of a tournament with national and international acclaim. The internship is a coveted experience with up to 40 or more students applying for it every year. Students learn of it from their college advisors and word of mouth. Steve and his team peruse applications, seeking the best and brightest to bring here for a semester. Although the internship is unpaid, the students are housed at no cost. What a great place to learn and what a great team to learn from.

The interns hit the ground running and get assigned to different parts of the tournament: operations, ticketing, outreach, sales and marketing, pro-am events and tournament service. They help with special events before and during the tournament and assist with set-up for the actual tournament.

Each morning of the tournament, they distribute pairing sheets to locations across the golf course. When crowds disperse at the end of each day, they help clean up sky boxes and get them ready for the next day’s visitors. And when the tournament is over, they pitch in with breakdown duties.

The students remain in our town at least through the end of April before heading back to their college campuses to prepare for their graduations. Six of the interns will be graduating in either May or August, and one already has graduated. Our hats are off to them.

Running a tournament is no easy task. Steve Wilmot has been doing this for 33 years, so he can attest to the fact that every hand on deck is needed. The interns are learning from a tournament director who knows the importance of weaving together a world-class event embraced by golfers, fans, volunteers and our community. The tournament is central to our state and to the island. Annually, it pumps $96 million into the state’s economy and is broadcast in 23 languages to 226 other countries. It is a time when the world has its eyes on Hilton Head Island.

The students are not only learning about the business side of the tournament but also about the benevolence of the Heritage Classic Foundation. It has established its unique tradition by contributing hundreds of thousands of dollars annually toward four-year college scholarships to high school seniors and to dozens of charities and organizations, benefitting citizens across the region. Since 1987, $41 million has been donated to charities in South Carolina and Georgia and $4.3 million to 332 high-school seniors. Additionally, the PGA TOUR named Second Helpings, a charitable organization in our community, as its 2018 Charity of the Year for its efforts in combating hunger in South Carolina.

Hilton Head Island is so blessed to host such a beloved sporting event that not only enriches our community but paves the way for student interns to pursue their dream careers.  C2 MAGAZINE

APPRIL 2019

29

This & That

C2 Magazine • April 2019 Edition A Series of Fortunate Events, interesting news and a hodge-podge of other items.

You know…this and that! If you would like to submit something for this special section, please email m.washo@celebratehiltonhead.com. If we have room and it’s appropriate for public consumption, we’ll be happy to oblige.

COOKING SHOW HOST VERA STEWART TO SPEAK AT WAHHI LUNCHEON

T

he Women’s Association of Hilton Head Island (WAHHI) is pleased to announce the spring luncheon to be held at the Sonesta Resort in Shipyard Plantation on Friday, April 26. The keynote speaker for this event will be host of the VeryVera Show, Vera Stewart. In addition to meeting Stewart, attendees will have the opportunity to participate in a silent auction with fabulous items from local merchants—all related to entertaining in style! Auction opens at 10 a.m. and lunch begins at noon. Proceeds from the auction will benefit the WAHHI Charitable Fund. In addition to the auction, WAHHI Charitable Fund grant recipients and Youth Community Service Award winners will be recognized.

The luncheon is open to WAHHI members and the general public. To register for the luncheon, please visit www.wahhi.org or contact Anne Lambdin at reservations@ wahhi.org. Tickets are $30 ($32 online) for members and $38 ($40 online) for guests. 

Annamaria Gould is the proud new proprietor of Pure Barre Bluffton. Gould took ownership in early January after being a long-time client, employee and instructor.

StoneWorks is pleased to announce the hiring of Max A. “Andy” Johnson as the company’s new CEO. Beginning his career at Mar-Mac Inc, he served in various roles from staff accountant to president and went on to found BottomLine Development Group. He brings over two decades of leadership experience and business management to the team.

Wiseman Law Firm, LLC is pleased to welcome Brooke Messenger to the practice.

Originally from Boca Raton, Fla., Messenger is a paralegal with over 12 years of experience in real estate.

Village Park Homes is pleased to welcome Al Gerber to their sales team. Gerber will be working in Alston Park at New Riverside, selling single-family homes priced in the mid $200,000s.

THE ART MARKET AT HISTORIC HONEY HORN

T

he Art Market at Historic Honey Horn, a juried fineart and-craft festival is scheduled for Saturday, April 27 and Sunday, April 28.

Ninety accomplished artists from the region and from across the country will be on site for the seventeenth annual event. Stroll through artists’ booths under historic live oaks to find that perfect piece of original art to take home. Fine art and craft in all shapes, sizes, styles, price ranges, and media will be available for purchase during this weekend.

In addition to selling their original works, artists will also be competing for $5,000 in prizes. This year’s Art Market will have works in the following media on site: Oil, Acrylic, Watercolor, Mixed Media 2-D & 3-D, Sculpture, Photography, Pastel, Ceramics, Wood, Fiber Arts, Glass, Metal, and Jewelry. Also featured at this year’s event is the annual Herb Society of Hilton Head sale. Herb plants, French Market Soup Mix, Curry, Jellies, Dill Horseradish mix and many new products will be featured. The sale will be on Saturday only from 10 a.m. until sold out!

Rain or shine, the outdoor show is open to the public on Saturday from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and on Sunday from 11 a.m.-4 p.m.

There is a $3 per person admission charge. Demonstrations will be held throughout the weekend. Food and beverages will be available from Mellie Mel’s, a favorite local caterer. For more information, visit www.coastaldiscovery.org or contact Robin Swift at (843) 689-6767 ext. 224. 

C2 MAGAZINE

APPRIL 2019

31

This & That

C2 Magazine • April 2019 Edition A Series of Fortunate Events, interesting news and a hodge-podge of other items.

You know…this and that! If you would like to submit something for this special section, please email m.washo@celebratehiltonhead.com. If we have room and it’s appropriate for public consumption, we’ll be happy to oblige.

CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION

H

eld annually in April, Child Abuse Prevention (CAP) Month is the nationally designated month to acknowledge the importance of communities working together to prevent child abuse and neglect. April brings the opportunity to focus on strategies to protect children, strengthen families, and raise awareness to stop child abuse and neglect.

As a partner of Children’s Trust of South Carolina, home to Prevent Child Abuse South Carolina, Hopeful Horizons is working with groups and businesses across the Lowcountry to plant pinwheel gardens. Pinwheels are the nationwide symbol representing the carefree spirit of great childhoods—when children grow up happy, healthy, nurtured and safe. Be on the lookout for pinwheel gardens in your community!

For more information, visit www.scchildren.org. Learn more about Hopeful Horizons and the work they do year round at www.hopefulhorizons.org.  The Many Benefits of Sharks The Coastal Discovery Museum will host Dr. Kim Ritchie on April 24 at 3 p.m. for this exciting new presentation. People tend to think of sharks as dangerous, indiscriminate predators. Ritchie aims to make you think differently about sharks and their benefits to humans, our ecosystems and our planet.

She will also discuss some of our local sharks and their antibiotic-producing microbial partners.

Cost is $7 per person, and reservations are required. Call (843) 689-6767 ext. 223 or make your reservation online at www.coastaldiscovery.org. The Museum is located at 70 Honey Horn Drive on Hilton Head Island.

ART AND ENVIRONMENT AFTER HOURS

The Coastal Discovery Museum has announced a new series of hands-on, after-hours classes for spring, Thursdays from 5-7 p.m. You will learn about local art, culture, and environment and take home something you helped create.

Classes are appropriate for ages 10 and older (unless otherwise noted on the schedule). Programs will be held in the Discovery Lab at the Coastal Discovery Museum at Honey Horn, located at 70 Honey Horn Drive on Hilton Head Island. $15 per person—additional materials fee may apply, depending on the program. For more information, visit www.coastaldiscoverymuseum.org.

Reservations are required. Call (843) 689-6767 ext. 223.

C2 MAGAZINE

APPRIL 2019

33

This & That

C2 Magazine • April 2019 Edition

2019 ANNUAL OLD TOWN BLUFFTON PAINT OUT

S

aturday, April 27, from 10 a.m.-4 p.m., artists are invited to break out their paintbrushes and sun hats for this fun plein-air painting event taking place in Bluffton. The entry fee is $20 in advance and $25 walk up. Registration forms are available at any of the Old Town art galleries. Register in person at Four Corners Framing with cash or check, or online with credit card at www.sobagallery.com. Artists will check in at the event tent on the corner of Calhoun and Lawrence Streets between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. and then venture off to paint at one of the picturesque settings in beautiful Old Town Bluffton. Artists and visitors are invited to gather at the event tent at 4 p.m. for judging, viewing and awards—cash prizes for first-, second-, and third-place winners.

For more information, please visit the Bluffton Arts District on Facebook or www.sobagallery.com, or call (843) 757-8185. 

NEW ANIMAL CAMPUS

T

his spring, seven years of planning became a reality for the new Beaufort County Animal Campus.

On March 30, local stakeholders joined together for the official ribbon-cutting ceremony at the new Animal Campus in Okatie.

The 10-acre complex is the largest public/private undertaking in the history of Beaufort County.

The 20,000-square-foot facility includes Beaufort County Animal Services and Hilton Head Humane Association’s spay/ neuter clinic and their second adoption center. This combines all these services under one roo, instead of three separate locations throughout the county. The Animal Campus is centrally located in Beaufort County—just five minutes from the intersection of Highway’s 278 and 170.

The HHHA is a no-kill shelter and is committed to eliminating euthanasia of healthy and treatable animals. All shelter animals are spayed or neutered before adoption, and no-cost spay/ neuters are performed at the shelter for eligible residents. To lower the number of animals relinquished, counseling and aid are available to help people keep their animals.

34

APRIL 2019

C2 MAGAZINE

5 DRINKS WITH:

5

Phil I Schembra FOR 43 YEARS, THIS GIANT OF THE REAL ESTATE WORLD HAS BEEN ON THE FRONT LINES OF THE MARKET. I SAT DOWN IN HIS GORGEOUS PALMETTO DUNES HOME TO PICK HIS BRAIN ABOUT THE MARKET, HILTON HEAD ISLAND’S EARLY DAYS AND WHAT’S NEXT FOR OUR AWARDWINNING ISLAND.

WE’RE BOTH DRINKING: 2015 MEIOMI FROM HIS IN-HOME BAR

Artic le by Barry Kaufman Photography by M.Kat

t’s hard to wrap your head around Phil Schembra’s real estate career. On an island where seemingly everyone is a Realtor, he’s sold more real estate than any of them. And across his 43 years, he’s put up $1 billion in sales. That’s with a B. That’s more than the GDP of a lot of countries. It’s staggering to think about, especially when you realize he did it all exclusively within Palmetto Dunes, Shelter Cove, and Leamington.

With this issue’s focus on real estate, it seemed like a great time to sit down with a guy who is arguably one of the most successful Realtors on the island and who has seen this market grow since the beginning.

Barry Kaufman: How’s the market looking?

Phil Schembra: Potentially I think we’re going to have a really good year. And I say that for several reasons. With all the awards and notoriety the island is finally getting— Travel and Leisure, Conde Nast, which have both for the last three years picked the island No. 1—the word is getting out to the world.

People are aware of Hilton Head Island, and now they want to come see it.

I think that’s reason number one. Number two is, I think, the airport expansion, allowing for direct flights to the Hilton Head Island Airport, makes it a lot easier for people to say, “Let’s go to Hilton Head Island,” since you can fly right onto the island, then jump in a car and be at your destination within minutes. Likewise, look at all the new direct flights into Savannah.

It’s never been easier to get here.

And the island presents unique opportunities for buyers when you look at it from an affordability index. Someone buying here can take advantage of rentals to help defer costs, if that’s what they want to do, and there are still significant write-offs you get with real estate. Plus, you get personal usage, which is vacation savings, and you can get good financing right now. We’re still at historically low rates.

Plus, we’re still at recession-era prices compared to some of our competition up and down the coast, although some areas have moved past that. When you look at supply and demand, Hilton Head Island itself is almost fully developed. We’re shrinking our inventory, and we’re not replacing it at a pace at which we’re going to need to replace it for years to come.

BK: You mentioned prices—you’ve been very vocal in the real estate community that prices need to be raised.

PS: I think we’re long overdue. A lot of pricing is a belief and an understanding of your product. The whole island has to get out of the mindset that “these are our prices.”

They’re not. The advantage I may have over other Realtors is longevity. Having been here for 43 years, I can see a long view of where we should be, and we should be at a point where prices look like they did before the recession.

Look around at some of our competition; they’re already there.

It’s back up to that level in some places in Florida for example, and what are you getting for your money? Where does our product fit in comparison to our competition? I say that we’re superior to virtually everybody we compete with. Think about the vision and creative genius of Charles Fraser; he did a

Think about the vision and creative genius of Charles Fraser; he did a phenomenal job with land planning and the design of this island.

C2 MAGAZINE

APPRIL 2019

37

5 DRINKS WITH: phil schembra

phenomenal job with land planning and the design of this island. We’ve won major awards for being the finest landplanning community in the country. Think about that. Think about all the natural amenities we offer, the way we have four seasons, the awards we’ve won. Nobody else on the East Coast can touch that.

And yet here we are, pricing ourselves in the bargain basement compared to them.

It needs to change.

BK: You’ve seen the island face its share of challenges. What’s the next big one?

PS: I think we need to address the land-management ordinance from a legal standpoint and figure out how to be more lenient. We need to redevelop areas

38

APRIL 2019

C2 MAGAZINE

that are old and decayed and put in new facilities. All you have to do is look at how the redevelopment of Shelter Cove Towne Centre has completely revitalized that entire area. The Shelter Cove area is the new epicenter of the island. I don’t think I’d like to be retail on this island and compete with what they have in Shelter Cove. It’s a real success story, and it has provided a template that I think many areas on the island should follow.

I think the redevelopment on this island has been spectacular. We’ve evolved. We’ve grown up. You know that old saying ‘out with the old and in with the new;’ as long as the new is tastefully done and you’re not adding people, then you have to go for it. If that mall had sat there dead, we’d be dead.

BK: You’ve been a part of this island for so long, what are some big moments for you?

PS: You know what Renaissance was? Renaissance was an event that Phil Lader, who eventually became ambassador to Great Britain, and Charles Fraser organized between Christmas and New Year’s Eve. It was like a think tank.

Governors would come, and statesmen, and ordinary people and they’d just sit around and chat. It was amazing.

One year I’ll never forget. We had these friends, John West and Lois West.

John was ambassador to Saudi Arabia

and former governor of South Carolina.

Lois came to our house and said, “John wants to talk to you.” And I said, “Why?” She said, “Well you know, Bill Clinton just became president-elect.” Although I have different political views—John was a staunch Democrat—we respected each other. She said, “John wants you to find Bill Clinton a house for Renaissance.” I convinced a friend of mine to provide his home.

I think the redevelopment on this island has been spectacular. We’ve evolved.

We’ve grown up. You know that old saying ‘out with the old and in with the new;’ as long as the new is tastefully done...

I thought that would be a one-time event. I wasn’t excited about the candidate, but who’s going to turn down the president? Eight years later, I was still doing it! Every year they had Renaissance, I was charged with getting him a home, then meeting with Secret Service and his staff three to four weeks before to give them the lay of the land since I knew the community. I have to say, it was pretty darn interesting to coordinate and handle accommodations for the president, setting up a command post for Secret Service and watching it all happen.

All I have to say is this: It helped take Hilton Head Island to another level. I wanted my son Christopher to be around as many successful people as I could [expose him to] in a variety of settings—sports, education, politics and entrepreneurs—so as he grew up, he wouldn’t be intimidated by successful people. It worked; he became the consummate people person.

BK: You’ve done quite a bit outside the world of real estate, too, haven’t you?

PS: Over the course of the years, Carol and I have been very fortunate. We’ve had some fantastic mentors and people who took us under their wing. I’m a firm believer that if you surround yourself with talented and successful people, you can learn a lot from them. The more I learned, the more I felt that I could write about success. So Carol and I started a motivational-publishing company called Hilton Head Island Performance Group. We’ve had it for about 35 years. We write educational and motivational material with lessons about attitude, image, motivation, goals, communication … in a weekly planner. What we’ve been able to do over the years is make learning nonthreatening, affordable, functional and easy to use; a client base of individuals, corporations and people in the world of sports have used our program.

A good friend of mine, Richard Berthelsen who was general counsel for the NFL Players Association for many years, introduced our planners to [NFLPA Executive Director] Gene Upshaw. For 18 years we were the bible for the NFL’s players and agents. We printed their information on collective bargaining, their schedule and information on a daily, weekly and monthly calendar so they knew what was going on in a player’s life. We’ve created planners for world-championship teams, Hall of Fame athletes and coaches … very gratifying, I might add.

We presently produce a planner for the New York Yankees’ management and coaching staff that incorporates their game schedule and important dates to help them stay on track. If you utilize the planners effectively, every day is a goal to help you achieve. We have a lot of fun with that. I’ve been honored throughout my career to put on speeches for the NFL players, NBA coaches, leagues and associations. I curtailed that years ago when Christopher was growing up. I didn’t want to miss out on him. We continue our line of planners but at present I am not on the speaking circuit.

BK: What advice would you give to anyone starting out in real estate?

PS: Make sure you have a passion for what you’re doing. If you have a passion for what you’re doing, it’s not work; it’s fun. Then when you wake up in the morning, you’re excited about going to work. People ask, “When are you going to retire?” Why should I retire? I’m having the time of my life, I love what I do, and I have been successful helping families achieve their real estate goals and objectives and making their dreams become a reality.

I think it’s all about fun and enjoyment.  C2 MAGAZINE

APPRIL 2019

39

ARTICLE BY JUSTIN JARRETT ILLUSTRATION

BY EMILY J. NOVITSKI

d of tI ’s kiign deal. ab

HERITAGE for dummies

hould What ayonud sstuff wear golf. about

I

f you can recite every champion from the RBC Heritage Presented by Boeing’s first 50 years, know all the tournament records by heart, and can rattle off all of Jim Furyk’s top-10 finishes at Harbour Town, feel free to turn the page.

But if the thought of trying to play the part of PGA Tour fan for a week fills you with more anxiety than Satoshi Kodaira staring down a 25-footer for his first PGA Tour win (or if you have no idea who Satoshi Kodaira is), please keep reading.

It’s better to be a know-nothing than a knowit-all. You’ve seen the type—decked out in flashy golf attire, including completely unnecessary golf spikes, and offering “expert” analysis to anyone

within earshot. But it’s best to aim for the sweet spot in the middle.

So, our aim is to arm you with just enough golf knowledge to get by, at least until the booze kicks in and everyone in your group forgets they’re at a golf tournament at all.

WHAT’S HE HITTING? The aforementioned Mr. Know-It-All might feel compelled to speculate as to whether Dustin Johnson is hitting a 5-iron or a 6-iron for his second shot at No. 15, and even though it doesn’t make one iota of difference to your enjoyment of the tournament, you should have a general grasp of the club types.

[don’t worry, we got you]

HERITAGE

S

On the tee boxes (with the exception of par3s), most players will hit driver or hybrid—the clubs designed to hit the ball the farthest, but also the most difficult to hit accurately. Drivers have an oversized club head designed to smash the ball more than 300 yards, while hybrids have largely replaced the “woods” of old and can be used for longer shots from just about any lie.

You’re already nodding off, aren’t you? Don’t worry, there’s a beer tent at the next tee box.

Hang in there.

Players use their irons for approach shots to the green, with lower-numbered irons (like a 3-iron) for longer shots and higher-numbered irons (like a 9-iron) for shorter distances. Wedges are high-trajectory clubs designed for hitting short, high shots near the greens and to escape from bunkers, and the putter is used on the green (and also in putt-putt, which might be more familiar to you).

WHAT’S HE WEARING? See pages 48 and 126 It can be difficult at times to determine whether the RBC Heritage is a golf tournament or a fashion show, and in many ways, it’s a bit of both.

Unlike team sports, there is no uniform in golf, so many players like to use their fashion ensemble as an opportunity to make a statement—and a paycheck. You’ll see flashy pants and shirts in every color of the rainbow, usually with a sponsor’s logo prominently emblazoned, and plenty of eyecatching accessories like shoes and hats.

But it’s not just the players who get decked out for the Heritage. Lowcountry ladies love to bust out their favorite sundresses or show off the latest styles (you’ll see Lilly Pulitzer for dayyyyyyzzzz), and the dudes who aren’t in full golf attire look like they walked straight out of an ad for Chubbies or Vineyard Vines.

WHAT ARE YOU DOING? Even though the RBC Heritage is the biggest party of the year on Hilton Head Island, there are a few house rules you’ll want to recognize. As has become customary at most sporting events, the only bags allowed are those smaller than six inches by six inches or clear bags smaller than 12 by six by 12 inches.(Find an example on page 53) The PGA Tour has softened its stance on smartphones in recent years, but be sure to keep it on silent, only take calls in designated areas away from play. Mobile devices may be used to capture video, audio and photos in all areas throughout the tournament.

There are also a few no-nos that aren’t technically prohibited, but we strongly advise against, including wearing golf shoes (do you wear cleats to watch a baseball game?), smoking cigars around crowds (gross), and being a jerk to marshals.

That last one bears repeating: Be kind and respectful to the marshals. They’re all volunteers, and without them we wouldn’t have the pleasure of enjoying one of the best events on the PGA Tour schedule.

GOLF GLOSSARY If you want to fit in at the RBC Heritage Presented by Boeing, you’ll need to have a basic grasp of the links lingo. Never fear! We have you covered:

Basics PAR: The score an accomplished player is expected to make on a hole, either a three, four or five. A player’s total score is often referenced in relation to par. The par at Harbor Town Golf Links is 71, so a score of 69 would be 2-under.

Ace: Hole in one. Also, one of the nicknames of choice that golf bros will use to refer to someone they don’t know on the course.

Albatross: Also known as a double eagle, this refers to the extremely rare act of making a score of 3-under-par on a hole.

Birdie: A score of 1-under-par on a hole, usually accompanied by a roar from the crowd.

Bogey: A score of 1-over-par on a hole. A total bummer.

Eagle: A score of 2-under-par on a hole. If you see one in person, you have witnessed greatness.

Double bogey: A score of two over par on a hole. There is nothing funny about that.

Advanced Lingo

Oh, you think you’re ready for this?

Approach: A golfer’s shot into the green, typically the second shot on a par4 or the second or third shot on a par-5.

Backswing: The motion that involves taking the club away from the ball and a time when you should be very, very quiet to avoid inciting a golfer’s wrath.

Bunker: A depressed area on the course, usually filled with sand. Bunkers can be found in the fairway or greenside and can spoil an otherwise promising hole.

Caddie: A person hired to carry clubs and provide other assistance. They wear white bibs with their golfer’s name on the back and don’t want to talk to you.

Chunk: A poor shot caused by hitting the turf well behind the ball. Also, how you might feel after a week of indulging in Heritage concessions.

Divot: The turf displaced when the club strikes the ball on a descending path, or when you foolishly wear wedges to a golf tournament.

Draw/Fade: A draw is a shot that flies slightly from right to left for righthanded players. A fade is a shot that flies slightly from left to right.

Fried egg: The slang term for a buried lie in the sand. Mmmmm, fried eggs.

Get in the hole!: A phrase you should never, ever yell after a player hits a shot. See also: “Ba-ba-booey,” “Mashed potatoes,” or “You da man!”

Hazard: An area, so-marked, in which special rules apply. A player may not touch the ground with his club before playing a ball in a hazard, and a one-shot penalty applies to play his next shot from outside the hazard (see: Take a Drop).

Hook: A shot that curves sharply from right to left for right-handed players.

Lie: The position of the ball when it has come to rest. Also, what most amateur golfers do when asked about their round.

Line: The intended path of the ball, usually referred to in the context of putting.

Mulligan: The custom of hitting a second ball, without penalty, on a hole— usually the first tee. These are not allowed in professional golf, and that joke has already been made 743 times today, so leave it alone.

OB: Abbreviation for out-of-bounds. A ball that is hit out-of-bounds carries a one-stroke penalty, and the next shot must be played from the same position.

Take a drop: A player must take a drop after hitting a ball into a hazard or when he has an unplayable lie. Most drops include a one-stroke penalty, but a player may be given a free drop for relief from a man-made obstruction or in other special cases. Not to be confused with taking a dump (something you don’t want to have to do while at the Heritage, though the portable toilet trailers are a major upgrade from your typical porta-johns).

Whiff: A complete miss, which you won’t do if you study your golf vocabulary before Heritage week. 

Greens The

(and Reds and Whites)

of

HARBOUR TOWN How the Greenery gets Sea Pines camera-ready for the RBC Heritage

BY BARRY KAUFMAN | PHOTOGRAPHY BY M.KAT | DESIGN BY FRAN SHERMAN

Town Golf Links and think that The Greenery is simply tasked with maintaining them. In fact, those geraniums are planted fresh every year for the tournament, a task that requires extensive advance planning.

“We do the designs for the color around Harbour Town eight to nine months in advance,” Seasonal Color Manager Christina Harden said. “The designs, the orders, the scheduling, all of that happens then. It takes a long time for our growers to procure plants and then begin growing them three to four months in advance.”

Those famous Heritage geraniums are grown in South Carolina, especially for the tournament, in coordination with The Greenery. Planted around the first week in January, they are grown under painstakingly precise conditions to ensure that they’ll be at their peak of beauty once Heritage rolls around.

“We’re constantly watching the weather—not just the week or two before, but months before,” Hilton Head Regional Manager Jim van Dijk said. “Christina and her team do a lot of communicating with our plant vendors, and if we see the weather is going to do one thing or another that may force the plants to mature faster, we communicate on changing the greenhouse conditions. We require a specific window on how they’re grown and when they will be at full color impact.”

As tireless as they are in ensuring a perfect bloom every

It takes a long time for our growers to procure plants and then begin growing them three to four months in advance.

§

H

eritage week, in general, is the busiest time of the year on Hilton Head Island. For Lee Edwards, that’s been true since he was a kid selling lemonade along the eighteenth fairway. “I made $100 over the course of three to four days, which is a fortune for an eight-year-old,” he said.

His juice-slinging days might be behind him, but as president and CEO of The Greenery, he’s still finding a way to clean up at the Heritage. It’s just that these days, the cleaning up is slightly more literal. “During the tournament, we have people out there from 5 a.m. to 2 a.m. landscaping, cleaning, emptying garbage cans, keeping the Harbour Town area clean, swapping out flowers … it’s something we’re excited about,” he said.

“We’re proud of it.”

For years, the RBC Heritage has brought the eyes of the world and the cameras of CBS television to Sea Pines, showcasing our lush natural beauty. And for years, The Greenery has made it their mission to make that lush natural beauty the star of the show. Every crisply-edged flower bed, every delicate geranium that lights up TV screens is the result of nearly a year’s worth of effort on the part of The Greenery.

“It starts off basically at the end of the Heritage,” Field Operations Manager Allan Klingel said. “We try to go through everything we did last year and make it better for the following year.”

You may notice the geraniums lining the fairways of Harbour

Preparations for the color in Sea Pines begin months in advance.

46

APRIL 2019

C2 MAGAZINE

§

year, The Greenery even makes sure that those blooms look as good in person as they do on television screens around the world.

“When we first started, the flower itself was an extremely deep red, almost a maroon,” said van Dijk. “As they introduced more of the green filtering, it started showing up funky on TV screens.”

That funkiness was the result of advances in TV color filtering technology designed to tone down the vibrancy of fairways and greens on HD screens. “It was a beautiful plant in front of your eyes. But once they put the filter on it, it was sort of a shock.”

The team at The Greenery was quick to adapt, and a new variety of geranium was found that looks nearly identical to the naked eye, but shows up on your 4K screen as a vibrant red.

It’s an amazing balancing act of attention to detail and sheer volume. The Greenery installs somewhere in the neighborhood of 3,000 geraniums, and more than 5,000 plants total, specifically for the tournament. And all of it needs to be done in the narrowest of timeframes before play starts.

“We want the plants at their healthiest, so getting them in early doesn’t help. We’d rather get them straight from the grower and put them into the ground than have to baby them for a couple of extra weeks,” Klingel said. Everything from Sea Pines’ native deer

Back row (left to right) : Christina Harden, Jim van Dijk, Leticia Jimenez , Lee Edwards Front row (left to right) : Marquis Sanders, Walter Witter, Allan Klingel

We’d rather get them straight from the grower and put them into the ground than have to baby them for a couple of extra weeks. to passersby who want to pick a few bouquets for their table top can ravage the flowers if they’re out too early, plus there’s the fact that The Greenery has specific instructions for watering the plants once they’re in place.

“The PGA TOUR puts very strict restraints on how much water is on the golf course during the tournament, so we have to hand-water the flowers when they’re installed,” Klingel explained.

In addition to the geraniums and all those flower beds, The Greenery is tasked with beautifying everything from Harbour Town to the skyboxes and ensuring that beauty remains throughout the week. It requires meticulous planning and vigorous attention to detail, not to mention a small army of Greenery staff who do a sweep of the whole course—replanting, watering and tidying up—every morning before play starts and every afternoon once play ends.

But to see those beautiful flowers in that signature shade of red along the course makes it all worth it. “We try to do everything we can to deliver the best fan experience we can,” van Dijk said.

C2 MAGAZINE

APPRIL 2019

47

B

E

H

I

N

D

T

H

E

WELCOME TO 17 BELFAIR POINT, ONE OF THE FINEST HISTORIC ESTATES IN SOUTH CAROLINA.

Photography by M.Kat Styling by Kaila Jeffcoat Hair & Makeup by Courtney Marine of Bride’s Side Beauty Featuring the clothing of Birdie James, Coastal Bliss, dluxe, Gigi’s Boutique, Haskins & Co., fab'rik, Fresh Produce, Palmettoes, Pink Pineapple, So Sandra and Too Belles Special thanks to John Donaldson for hosting us at his estate, and to Thomas Kersey and Mike Goddard for the Southern hospitality.

Clothing available at So Sandra.

Sunglasses available at Eyeland Optique

Situated on a cul-del-sac on the Equestrian side of Rose Hill Plantation sits the gates to 17 Belfair Point, currently listed for sale.

B

E

H

I

N

D

T

H

E

Staxs Silk Dress $188, Pearl Earrings $110 Available at Birdie James

The hand-painted circular ceiling depicts the Lowcountry as it was in the 1700s, including the original manor.

fab´rik silk blouse $47, Necklace $28 Sam Edelman pants $98, Silver Cuff $24 Available at fab´rik

The formal dining room sits off the grand main entrance and boasts a beautiful fireplace to enjoy while dining with friends.

Adelyn Rae Floral Maxi $178 Available at Haskins & Co.

The onyx-floored circular foyer is accented by a solid walnut grand staircase that leads the eye up to the second-floor landing

B

E

H

I

N

D

T

H

E

Billy T Jumpsuit $139.95, Wash lab denim jacket $139.95, Necklace $39.95, Sydney handbag $90 Available at Pink Pineapple

Together romper $78, Clear crossbody $42, Kooringal hat $42 Available at Coastal Bliss

B

E

H

I

tyler bรถe dress $178, Four Three Collective necklace $80 Available at Too Belles Boutique

N

D

T

H

E

Gal meets Glam dress $198, Bracelets $25, Earrings $21 Coconuts sandals $30, Handbag $84 Available at Gigi's Boutique

Pricing changes and human error occurs â&#x20AC;&#x201C; please see boutique listed for final pricing on all items.

BB by Dakota dress $108, Clear Crossbody $42, little fish BOATEAK earrings $48 Available at Coastal Bliss

Frame black dress $375, Bonnie Strauss lace overlay $375, Pearl and Leather Necklace $750 Available at dluxe

Sunset Separates top $58, Sunset Separates bottoms $56, Sunset Separates skirt $72, V era Bradley bag $70 Available at Fresh Produce

B

E

H

I N

D

T

H

Alberto Makali pants $165, Marie Oliver Embroidered Top $225, Andre Assous sandals $135, Selena King earrings $295, Glasses

by LA Eyeworks $410 Clothing Available at Palmettoes.

Glasses available at Eyeland Optique

THIS GRAND ESTATE, ONCE OWNED BY SIR JOHN COLLETON, IS A 17-ACRE PRIVATE EQUESTRIAN PENINSULA SHELTERED BY DOZENS OF MAJESTIC OAK TREES AND BORDERED BY THE ORIGINAL TABBY SEA WALL. THE CENTERPIECE OF THE ESTATE IS A 14-ROOM GEORGIAN-STYLE HOME DISPLAYING A TWOSTORY VERANDA SHELTERED BEHIND SOLID LIMESTONE COLUMNS, PRESERVED FROM THE ORIGINAL MANOR. THIS HOME IS CURRENTLY LISTED FOR SALE AT 6.5 MILLION. INTERESTED PARTIES MAY CONTACT THOMAS KERSEY AT 843.258.5597 OR BY EMAIL AT THOMASMARIONKERSEY@GMAIL.COM.

E

Lot to Home

From

ARTICLE BY LAURA JACOBI

I

t’s no secret the Lowcountry offers a dreamy lifestyle full of front-porch swinging, morning walks on the beach or afternoons on the river. When someone decides to make the Lowcountry home, exactly where to plant roots is the next question.

CHOOSING THE COMMUNITY TO FIT YOUR LIFESTYLE To help potential homebuyers navigate the Lowcountry’s real estate landscape, it’s best to work with a licensed Realtor who is trained and well-versed in the ins and outs of Bluffton and Hilton Head Island’s award-winning communities. This area is host to a variety of neighborhoods with resort-style amenities and breathtaking locations.

According to Steven Harmon, Realtor with Charter One Realty, it all starts with a conversation between the Realtor and the buyers to find out what their interests are. “Do they want to be on the beach, on a golf course, close to nightlife or more secluded? We can easily narrow down the perfect location once we understand exactly what the client’s needs are. Listening to and understanding our clients is the most important part of our job as Realtors,” Harmon said.

BUILDING A LIFE When searching for a dream home, it can sometimes be hard for homebuyers to find exactly what they envision in an existing home. If a buyer is flexible with their time and budget, a custom-built home could make their Lowcountry-living dreams a reality. This is another instance where working with a Realtor is invaluable, Harmon said. The real estate agent can give clients access to neighborhoods’ POA covenants and Architectural Review Board requirements to ensure the style of home they want matches the look and feel of the community in which they’re searching.

During this process of searching for a lot or home site, Harmon suggests meeting with a few different builders and architects to find the ones they feel most comfortable with in terms of style and process. It’s the same as any other relationship ... finding the professionals that best match the client’s needs and wants.

“It takes a village (to find or build the ideal home).

But, in the end, the main goal for each professional is to have a happy client,” he said.

Lisa Cornelius, president of Simply Southern Homebuilders, agrees that it’s a “team effort.”

Once the buyer and Realtor find the ideal community, it’s a good time to bring the builder into the conversation. “It’s important to engage the builder as soon as possible,” she said.

Cornelius says it’s a smart move for buyers to have their builder examine the lot they’re eyeing and review the tree and typography survey before they Lisa Cornelius, president of Steven Harmon, purchase the land. That way, Simply Southern Homebuilders Realtor with Charter One Realty the builder can tell them if the land is a good fit for the home they have in mind, because licensed builders are trained to see things the average eye can’t. “We understand construction and construction costs,” she said. It would be a shame for someone to buy a piece of land only to later learn they can’t build their dream home on it due to one issue or another.

DESIGNING YOUR DREAM HOME Once clients know where they want to live, the “fun” part can begin—designing the custom home of their dreams. According to Cornelius, it can take three to four months (or more) from the moment the client chooses the lot to the time they have building permits in hand. “There are thousands of decisions that go into building a home,” she said. “And clients typically make 75 to 80 percent of selections before construction ever starts.”

The client’s team of builder and architect works with the community’s Architectural Review Board (ARB) to know the specific requirements in regard to style and building materials. The architect works with the client to design construction plans that best fit their needs and lifestyle, and then the builder determines how to bring those plans to fruition.

The builder can help the client determine the best site placement as well as what materials and choices can make their dollars go further. The “smallest details can have a huge variance on the cost” from colors to custom built-ins and finishes such as hardware, Cornelius added. “Your house should be custom to you, no matter what it is you want.”

She is happy to hold her clients’ hands through the many design steps, because it is such a vital part of the process. Once construction starts, it’s not nearly as easy to change plans, order new materials or move things around. There are also typically three meetings with the community’s ARB the builder must attend, including a conceptual, preliminary and final approval meeting.

TURNING A HOUSE INTO A HOME The plans are finalized, finishing touches chosen and all necessary parties approve.

So now it’s time to see the plans on paper come to life. “A custom builder is someone who can carry out your vision,” Cornelius said.

It can typically take nine to 15 months for construction, which includes 15 inspections along the way, according to Cornelius. During that time, a lot is happening including preparing the construction site (leveling out the land or adding soil), pouring the foundation, framing the walls, installing the plumbing pipes, electrical wiring and HVAC ductwork.

During this process, communication between clients and builder is key, especially if the client is living outside the Lowcountry during construction. “If you’ve saved your money to buy this dream home, I’m going to be your advocate,” Cornelius said.

Cornelius advises her clients to make a construction site visit before the insulation and drywall go up. This is the time when clients can truly visualize the space, how they would use it and determine if any electrical outlets need to be moved or added. Once drywall is up, the home starts to take shape, literally and figuratively. The builder starts tackling the exterior features, trim, flooring, cabinets, countertops, tile work, bathroom and kitchen fixtures, hardscaping such as driveway and walkway and landscaping.

“Clients must realize there has to be some flexibility in timelines. Simple things such as a spell of rainy weather can throw a timeline off by several days,” Cornelius said.

“The construction process has to be done in the correct order to run smoothly.”

At the end of the construction process, Cornelius takes her clients through the home for a final tour to see how everyone’s hard work and vision has paid off. Even though the home is complete, that doesn’t mean the builder’s job is done. Most builders, like Simply Southern Homebuilders, provide a warranty on certain aspects of the home.

Even after the homeowners move in, “I never want my clients to think they can’t call on us,” Cornelius said. “This relationship lasts a lifetime.”

60

APRIL 2019

C2 MAGAZINE

Meet Your

Keller Williams Realty

P

ortia Whisenhunt moved to Hilton Head Island in the summer of 2000 and attended Hilton Head Island Middle and High School. Her real estate interest was piqued at a young age when her mother began to flip homes on Hilton Head Island. As she grew, she began to be more active in all aspects of the business. In 2011, Whisenhunt made her debut into real estate as an investor with subsequent success in the postrecession market.

After being a stay-at-home mom for four years, Whisenhunt decided it was time to hang up the apron and get back to work.

In 2015, she was first licensed as a salesperson in Texas, where she became the exclusive agent for Marshal Reddick’s team in Dallas Fort Worth, which included hosting seminars and working primarily with investors.

After moving back home to the Lowcountry, Whisenhunt became licensed in South Carolina in August of 2018. She leaped at the chance to align with

Charter One Realty

A

s a leading local real estate professional, Tim Sutherland has proven to be a comfortable fit for people throughout this area looking to make the most of their real estate opportunities.

From raw land to vacation homes to permanent residences throughout the Lowcountry area, he will find the perfect fit for your ultimate lifestyle.

For Sutherland, life in the Lowcountry is a comfortable fit. “I love this lifestyle and the opportunity to share it with others through my real estate career—by helping people find the right fit for their needs,” he said.

When it comes to experience, Sutherland has seen our area real estate market from every angle.

For more than 21 years at Charter One Realty, he has listed and sold properties of every size throughout the Lowcountry, playing a fundamental role in the development of some of our area’s most treasured communities.

Sutherland will strive to make you feel comfortable throughout every step of the real estate purchase or sales process. He puts a lot of care, energy and enthusiasm into client service from the first moment you meet with him. He has the knowledge and experience to ensure you get the best possible results—a perfect fit.

Tim Sutherland: Helping you find your dream...

Charter One Realty 11 Park Lane, Central Park Hilton Head Island, SC 29928 (843) 785-4460 – Office (843) 422-1528 – Cell timsutherland@charteronerealty.com

the largest real estate company in the world, which is No. 1 in training across all industries. Once introduced to Keller Williams, United Home Group, the world’s largest real estate expansion team, offered her a position. With a team of transaction coordinators, call centers and professional marketing associates, she now has the ability to help buyers and sellers in a way that no other agent in Beaufort County can. She is passionate about her clients and helping them find the RIGHT solution.

Whisenhunt enjoys long runs, spending time with her five boys and continuing her yoga practice.

223 Scott St. Beaufort, SC 29902 (843) 683-3032 Portia@unitedhomegroup.com lowcountrysccoastalhomes.com

Jeff Hunt & Associates

F

Meet Your

or Jeff Hunt, the business of selling real estate is more than just buying and selling homes. Each property represents an investment, a financial decision that can have a lasting impact on your bottom line for years to come. So it’s important that you make the right decision.

Getting to that right decision takes perspective, which is what Hunt brings to the table. He’s spent decades in real estate investment: buying, selling, leasing and managing commercial and residential property, while running his own sports marketing firm in Charlotte.

“As long as I can remember I’ve always thought about real estate,” he said. “This goes back to high school for me.”

He bought his first home 35 years ago after attending Elon College, and it was off to the races. While building CES Marketing Solutions, one of the top 100 screen printing and embroidery companies in the country, he was immersing himself in real estate, owning upwards of a dozen properties at a time.

For years, it was a passion he pursued while building his business empire. A move to Hilton Head Island allowed him to pursue it full time.

“I’d been visiting the Lowcountry fairly regularly, and someone told me, ‘You like selling real estate so much, you should do it here,’” he said. He started right as the real estate market started to decline in 2005.

It might have seemed like poor timing to anyone else.

“I love solving problems, and I’m very strategic,” he said. “I don’t look at the next step; I tend to look at the next five. Because that first step might be to step backwards.”

It’s a sense of perspective that he brings to bear in helping his clients find the best real estate investment possible. Even if they’re not necessarily looking at it as an investment.

“I view it as a business decision, even if it’s for pleasure,” he said. “The way I see it, you’re investing in your family. If you buy a half-million-dollar home for the family to enjoy, that’s a half million you’re allocating to fun.”

In this, we see a crucial difference between Jeff Hunt and most realtors, crafted from his years of experience running a multi-milliondollar business while delving deep into the real estate world. It’s a sense of perspective, a different way of looking at real estate.

“Bringing that perspective to the table gives my clients confidence,” he said. “They know when they’ve made a decision that they’ve made a good one. Because they’ve been educated.”

Hunt’s solid foundation in business lets clients rest easy, knowing they’re making the best financial decision. And his thorough knowledge of the local real estate market means they’re going to find their ideal property, whether investing in their portfolio or their family.

(843) 422-5933 – Cell (843) 842-0807 – Office jeff@jeffhuntandassociates.com

H The Alliance Group Realty

eather Nix lives by a quote she heard years ago but still thinks about every day “Do what you love and you’ll never work a day in your life”. So when you love people and you have true appreciation for homes it only makes sense to practice real estate.

Heather, who has been a resident of the LowCountry since 1997, really started to take an interest in real estate when she met her husband, Kenny, who at the time that they met was a flooring specialist.

“Kenny introduced me to the world of craftsmanship and design. It was the early 2000’s and new construction was everywhere.

Fast forward 20 years and the two have found a way to combine their passions and work together.

“We own Nix Flooring and Design,” Heather said. “Our company does everything from sanding and refinishing hardwood floors to complete kitchen and bathroom renovations. Many of the houses that were built even 10, 15 & 20 years ago are in desperate need of modernizing. When I’m showing properties and my clients express dislikes for the worn carpet, dated master bathrooms and corian countertops it’s easy for me to alleviate their concerns and instead turn the negativity into excitement over the possibilities of customizing the home to their taste.”

This is of course where true art of real estate comes into play: negotiations.

Heather also prides herself on communication with her clients. “My husband and kids know that people entrust me with their greatest assets, their real estate.

I don’t care if we’re snorkeling off the island of Fiji, I’m answering my phone. Period.”

890 William Hilton Parkway, Suite 33 Hilton Head Island, SC 29928 Cell: (843) 384-4769 www.thealliancegrouprealty.com /agents/153327-Heather-Nix

The Alliance Group Realty

B

orn and raised in Northern Illinois Jen Lowry happily moved away from the long winters to Atlanta and then eventually to warm, sunny and beautiful Beaufort County. She had always dreamed of living in the South, and when the time came, she was thrilled to make the move. She currently resides in Bluffton with her two sons. Together they stay active with friends, their church, going to the beach, exploring Hilton Head Island/Savannah and enjoying the seemingly endless local events the area has to offer. They have built a wonderful life here, and that experience has brought a great deal of expertise and guidance for Lowry’s clients moving to the area. Her naturally assertive personality has her leaving no rock unturned on her quest for information for her clients.

She is resilient through adversity and almost always finds away to get her clients what they want and need.

Lowry started her real estate career in the area working for a local home builder. She also worked on real estate marketing, which gives her a competitive edge when it comes to selling your home. She has worked with many first-time home buyers and investors, also specializing in retirement communities, closing nearly 11 million in real estate sales last year. She is patient, thorough

and delivers only the best to her clients whether they’re looking to buy or sell a $100,000 property or a multi-million-dollar property. It is important to her that everyone is treated with the same top-notch care and attention henceher moto: “Client Focused. Results Driven.”

“I want my clients to be so happy with me by the end of our transaction together that they tell everyone they know about their experience and how great it was.

That is my No. 1 goal and in the forefront of my mind throughout the process. If I follow that, everyone wins,” she said.

Lowry is proud to partner with The Alliance Group Realty as she expects to deliver nothing less than five-star service to her clients.

Whether you need a free home evaluation, some further information on the area, or are looking to buy and/or sell, Jen Lowry is always happy to hear from you.

45 Calhoun Street Bluffton, SC 29910 (843) 540-4615 jenlowrysells@gmail.com www.jenlowrysells.com

Keller Williams Realty

W

Meet Your

elcome to all Heritage players and visitors from the Blaine Team. We have been working in real estate on Hilton Head Island since 2004 and find renewed energy with every wonderful client we are able to serve.

During that time, we have used our joy and knowledge of the Lowcountry to create a business we are proud of.

The Lowcountry has changed exponentially since our family first started coming here back in the 1970s from Columbia, S.C., but the underlying beauty and grace of Hilton Head Island remains unchanged. We are always excited to welcome our clients to the natural serenity we enjoy and introduce them to the abundant activities and infrastructure that most visitors haven’t yet seen.

Our motto for 15 years has been “local knowledgeglobal connections” through our association with Keller Williams, the largest real estate company in North America and one of the major international realty firms in the world.

As our community looks to the future, we look forward to continuing our family business in real estate. As we say to our clients, we’ve been here; are still here; are staying here; and we most assuredly wish you were here.

8 Lafayette Place, Suite 203 Hilton Head Island, SC 29926 (843) 304-4256 www.marianneblaine.com

Charter One Realty

O

riginally from Cleveland, Ohio, Tisha Chafer relocated to the Lowcountry in 1996 when her husband Andrew took a position as an assistant golf course superintendent at Old Carolina Golf Club.

“We literally knew nothing about Hilton Head Island and had never even visited before,” Chafer said, “but we were young with nothing to lose, and have never once regretted the decision.”

Chafer graduated with a degree in communications from Ohio University and worked in the media sales business in Cleveland before moving to Hilton Head Island. “There was really nothing in that industry without commuting to Savannah, so I started working for a vacation home company in property management then made the move into full time residential sales in 2004,” she said. She has worked in all facets of the real estate industry, from property management to sales to new-home construction. “I like to say I have really done it all in this business, which gives me a unique advantage and knowledge of the Lowcountry real estate market.”

Keller Welch recently joined Chafer’s team as a buyer’s agent. She graduated from Ole Miss where Chafer’s daughter Riley attends school. Welch and her husband Edward have two young children and live in Bluffton.

Welch’s background in sales comes from her years as a wine sales rep. Customer service is at the forefront of her approach to assisting buyer clients, helping find exactly which community and lifestyle is a fit for them in the Lowcountry.

Charter One Realty I 1 Promenade Street Bluffton, SC 29910 (843) 815-0055 – Office

Tisha Chafer Keller Welch (843) 415-3408 (843) 384-1645 tisha@charteronerealty.com keller@charteronerealty.com

Carolina Realty Group- The Prud ’homme Team

A

Massachusetts native, Chris moved to the area after multiple visits and falling in love with the charm, laid back lifestyle and friendly atmosphere.

Let’s not forget trying to escape those cold and snowy New England winters!

Chris has spent the majority of his working life in the service industry - from assisting with the management of restaurants in Colorado, to most recently running a electrical supply store. He brings with him a drive, passion and commitment in everything he does. Furthermore, he has the desire to go the extra mile to ensure your experience is as relaxed, and enjoyable, as possible.

When not assisting clients with selecting their perfect property, you can find Chris outdoors, doing anything and everything involving sports. He is an avid basketball, football and baseball player, but also enjoys spending time on the golf course, hiking with his dog Gus, or planning his next travel adventure Christopher Jablonski (843) 384-9481 chris@theprudhommeteam.com

B

orn in Beaufort County, Adam knows where his roots are. At a young age, his family relocated to Buffalo, N.Y., where he encountered endless lake-effect snow and chilly winters. During his later teenage years, Adam arrived in Bluffton, where he was engulfed by the warm culture, weather and way of life.

With a passion for customer service, Adam entered the local fitness and hospitality industry, where he became more in tune with the community and really fell in love with the area. Adam has an infectious smile and a cando attitude, it’s his mission to ensure that every person he assists is well taken care of.

When Adam isn’t in the office, you can find him in the gym, on the golf course, or relaxing on one of Hilton Head Island’s local beaches or enjoying the sun with his two dogs Theodore, a white lab, and Roosevelt, a Great Dane.

Adam Taylor (803) 509-4861 adam@theprudhommeteam.com www.carolinarealtygroup.com

ADAM TAYLOR CHRISTOPHER JABLONSKI

Charter One Realty

I

t all began back in 1987, when real estate professional Spain Kelley asked Kevin King to join him at Kelley Scott Real Estate. After four years as a mortgage broker, King and Kelley had become the best of friends, and it seemed a natural fit for the guys to join forces. King often refers to Kelley as his mentor and credits Kelley with showing him the ropes, which has led him to a very successful real estate career of over 32 years. Kelley was one of the first Realtors® on Hilton Head Island back in the 1970s, and his residential real estate career evolved into commercial real estate decades ago.

Fast forward to 2019, Kevin King Associates, King’s sales team at Charter One Realty, is now ushering in “the next generation” and literally keeping it all in the family.

King’s new son-in-law, Kevin Basirico, has joined Kevin King Associates’ five-person sales team, which also includes Kelley’s son-in-law, Steve Harmon. “I’d like to say Spain and I are truly ‘paying it forward’ in welcoming this new breed of sales agents to the Lowcountry,” King said. In addition, King’s real estate team includes Charlotte Stringer, who has international real estate experience, and Tripp Hawkins, King’s nephew, a graduate of USC-B and a former property manager.

The Basirico/Harmon Team is part of a real estate “family” with a combined 75 years of real estate experience on Hilton Head Island and in Bluffton. “It’s rewarding for Spain and me to have these young men follow in our footsteps, and we look forward to seeing their successful real estate careers take off.” King said.

With offices at the Colleton River gate, Kevin King Associates is proud to be affiliated with Charter One Realty, a company that has done over $142 million in business in January and February alone—a number that represents over $100 million more than the closest competitor. And King’s team contributed over $10 million to that sales number.

In keeping with their mantra, “International reach with Lowcountry dominance,” Kevin King Associates brings savvy business experience, local knowledge and a keen passion for Lowcountry living—a winning formula to help their clients find the right home, villa or homesite.

Kevin King Associates 2 Colleton River Drive Bluffton, SC 29910 KevinKingAssociates.com

Meet Your

STEVE HARMON

SPAIN KELLEY

(843) 816-1035 SteveHarmon@CharterOneRealty.com

KEVIN KING (843) 384-9466 KevinKing@CharterOneRealty.com

KEVIN BASIRICO (843) 422-4921 KevinBasirico@CharterOneRealty.com

Schembra Real Estate Group

O

wner and broker-in-charge of Schembra Real Estate Group, Philip Schembra has spent more than 43 years at the forefront of Hilton Head Island real estate, both as a property owner and Realtor®, living on the ocean in Palmetto Dunes and specializing in Palmetto Dunes, Shelter Cove and Leamington. Schembra has amassed $1 billion in personal sales.

A true industry leader in luxury real estate, Schembra continues to set records, and REAL Trends America’s Best Real Estate Professionals ranked him No. 5 for Individual Sales Volume in the State of South Carolina and No. 1 on Hilton Head Island in 2017. In the past, working with one assistant, he was honored as a recipient of the “Top 100 Sales Team” award in the country, ranked by sales volume by the National Association of Realtors (NAR) with over 1,400,000 million members at that time. Perhaps most impressive is that he has achieved all of this while focusing entirely on his own community. He has organized a series of successful “Why Hilton Head Island?” symposiums for the real estate agents on the intrinsic value of Hilton Head Island and the ongoing need to raise prices throughout the region.

Giving back is important to Schembra, as he has been involved in many organizations. A few notables include past board member, HHI Board of Realtors; past chairman, Beach Nourishment Committee; board member, HHI Chamber Commerce; founder, Golf World | Palmetto Dunes Intercollegiate Golf Tournament; marketing director, Benjamin Racusin Hilton Head Island’s first mayor (Carol’s cousin) … just to name a few. In addition, he organized the committee to re-write the SC Beachfront Management Act. In New York City, he helped organize and was a past award recipient at the Thurman Munson Award Dinner to benefit the Association for the Help of Retarded Children (AHRC) and served as advisory board member for the International Amateur Athletic Association, which administered the Jesse Owens Global Peace and Athlete of the Year Awards.

A Glen Ridge, NJ native and graduate of LIU Post on Long Island, Schembra started his business career in NYC before moving to Hilton Head Island. He and his wife and partner, Carol, and son Christopher (NYC) enjoy the quality of life that our special island offers.

In this hectic technological world, at the end of the day, real estate is a people business, one built on personal relationships and referrals and also helping clients’ “dreams become a reality.”

Meet Your

Schembra Real Estate Group The Plaza at Shelter Cove (next to Whole Foods) 50 P Shelter Cove Lane Hilton Head Island, SC 29928 (843) 785-2452 phil@schembrarealestate.com www.schembrarealestate.com

EXIT Hilton Head Realty

R

on and Laura Williams have bought EXIT Hilton Head Realty from Andre and Joann Cilliers. Natives of Wisconsin, Ron and Laura bring a wealth of experience with them along with the excitement of beginning a new chapter in their lives. Ron has been in real estate for 27 years, while Laura has 20-plus yearsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; experience in hospice counseling.

Ron has owned two independent real estate brokerages in Madison and Janesville, Wisconsin for seven years. These companies have recently converted to EXIT Realty, giving Ron ownership of three EXIT Realty offices.

In Wisconsin, Ronâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s real estate companies have a design and construction division as well as a property management division. He will be bringing this expansion of services to EXIT Hilton Head Realty in addition to helping the current 14 agents grow their business. Ron is known as a broker who helps his agents develop their full potential, which he does through mentoring and coaching.

Ron and Laura fell in love with Hilton Head Island over five years ago and have vacationed here every year since. They had been discussing relocating to the island when a mutual friend introduced them to the Cilliers. Soon thereafter, a deal was struck; on February 15,

2019, Ron and Laura became the new owners. While the Williams are transitioning to full-time residency over the next few months, Andre remains the broker-in-charge and Joann remains as manager.

Ron and Laura have four children: Caleb (20) just finished fire academy and is looking for a position in the Lowcountry area; Lauron (18) will be attending Campbell University in Buies Creek N.C.; twins Mae and Zoe (16) will be juniors this fall at Hilton Head Island High School.

Ron and Laura look forward to growing EXIT Hilton Head Realty and to becoming fully integrated into the Hilton Head Island and Bluffton Communities through church, school, and business.

Any agent wishing to learn more about EXIT Hilton Head Realty and its unique Five Pillars of Real Estate can contact Ron at (608) 359-7762 or Ron@ EXITRealtyHHI.com.

1000 William Hilton Parkway, J-15 Hilton Head Island SC 29928 (843) 342-3948 (843) 342- 3940 (Fax) www.EXITRealtyHHI.com

Hilton Head Island Multi-Listing Service



Investing in Your Community

Y

by Jay Rodriguez

ou only get out of a community of Volunteers in Medicine. VIM has strong as much as you put into it. It’s roots in the area. In the early 1990s, a principle the Multiple Listing one out of three people who lived on Service of Hilton Head Island Hilton Head Island had no access to (HHIMLS) has put into action. HHIMLS health care. At the same time, retired appreciates and respects the role it has medical personnel including physicians, earned in its communities, and its mission nurses, dentists, expressed an interest is to show those communities that it is in finding a way to continue practicing vested in the overall success of the region. their profession on a voluntary, part-time From housing basis to help those and medicine to without access to caring for animals medical care. The and educating MLS recognizes the area’s leaders, this organization’s HHIMLS has taken a continued passion hands-on approach to serve the to ensure that vital community and has organizations are made a monetary assisted with the donation to the resources they chapter. Volunteers need to serve their in Medicine communities. For continues to example, the funds provide health care HHIMLS donated to all, regardless to Hilton Head of ability to pay.

Regional Habitat Through the clinic’s for Humanity will efforts, it has be contributed to helped the local  The Multiple Listing Service of Hilton the REALTOR® hospital save $5 Head Island was the VIP Sponsor of house. Habitat for million annually in the Brand Your Own Business Humanity helps emergency room Conference earlier this year. build, renovate and visits and other Pictured are Phillip Kent, member preserve homes. costly services. success specialist, and Ginnette Lee, They partner with Many of the training/development manager, who local organizations to families the MLS greeted visitors to the HHIMLS booth. accelerate and broaden serves include pets access to affordable as beloved family housing as a foundation for breaking the members. MLS knows the importance cycle of poverty. The REALTOR® house pets play in the dynamic of these is built by members of the Hilton Head families, and so they donated money Association of REALTORS® and HHIMLS to the Palmetto Animal League—a local and serves as an example of business nonprofit and no-kill animal shelter leaders and organizations coming that houses nearly 200 animals in need together to build a stronger community of permanent homes. It also houses a for everyone.

Community Clinic in its 7,700-squareThe HHIMLS also recognizes the foot facility that offers wellness exams, longtime dedication and commitment vaccines, spay/neuter and other vital made by the Hilton Head Island chapter services at affordable prices.

Among the largest efforts HHIMLS made in recent months has been investing as the sole VIP sponsor of the Brand Your Own Business conference on Hilton Head Island. The conference is designed to empower regional small business owners and real estate professionals to market to customers in different ways.

Nearly 200 business professionals, mostly in the real estate industry, attended the January event. The conference featured presentations about marketing strategies, digital branding, trends in home buying and much more. Authors, philosophers and marketers enriched the minds of attendees with the hopes of bringing value to their businesses.

The MLS believes this event was a tremendous success, thanks to the community leaders who took part in the conference. It was a great opportunity to show support to its current members as well as network with insurance companies, property managers, and mortgage lenders. All participants play a role in making sure the housing market and the entire business community in our region is thriving in the near future.

HHIMLS wants to remain at the forefront of educating and empowering leaders in their community, and that’s why they felt the need to be a VIP sponsor of this event. Not only were these programs enlightening and educational, but the conference provided a terrific opportunity for like-minded leaders to network in the Hilton Head area and beyond.

These are just a few examples of living up to the expectations of their community. MLS always tries to be cognizant of helping invest in both their long-standing businesses as well as the ones interested in improving their future financial landscape.

After all, how can they sell themselves as home to the best communities in the Southeast if they don’t put in the time and effort to make them so? 

CurbAppeal Branches Designs

PHOTOGRAPHY BY CELIA G. CARROLL LISTING AVAILABLE THROUGH PRUD’HOMME TEAM PROPERTIES

W

elcome to 24 North Port Royal Drive, this stunning 6,071 square foot, 4 bedroom, 4 bathroom, oceanfront home is listed for sale by The Prud’homme Team with Carolina Realty Group.

Is your home ready to make a first impression? Whether welcoming guests to your residence or staging your home to put it on the market, a thoughtfully designed porch will help your property stand out. First impressions speak volumes, especially when it comes to selling your property.

One of the most fundamental aspects of selling a home is the home’s curb appeal. From the first image they see in a photo to their initial property visit, first impressions matter, according to HHI Prud’homme Team of Carolina Realty Group. In fact, the National Association of Realtors reports that 63 percent of homebuyers will drop by after viewing a home they like online. The home’s exterior—including the front entry, yard, driveway and sidewalk—should serve as a snapshot of what’s to come when potential buyers enter your home.

How can you make your home stand out? Here are a few easy tips from the design team at Branches to ‘wow’ your neighbors or potential homebuyers with a distinctive, inviting look that says, “Welcome home!”

To schedule an exclusive private showing please call 843.341.5660.

ADD CHARACTER. Make a statement with interesting pieces and unique accents on your front porch. Classic Southern-style rocking chairs, oversized lanterns or coastal fare like oars or driftwood add a cozy, individual touch that will make your home more memorable than the house next door.

GO FAUX. Not your full-time residence? No worries! High-end faux Boston ferns, grasses, and vibrant seasonal blooms will fool the neighbors, offer low-maintenance options, and are great for people with busy schedules or who can’t provide daily maintenance. Faux red geraniums are a go-to for an instant pop of color with low stress and care. They can take the rain and pollen and come back for more!

CONSIDER PROPORTION. Size matters. Use proportional planters and furniture on your porch.

Oversized items can make the space appear cramped or undersized, while too many little pieces can make your porch feel cluttered and busy. Minimal and intentional pieces and placement are key.

THINK COLOR! Crisp pops of color attract and please the eye of wouldbe buyers. Go bold with seasonal blooms in bright reds, blues and yellows. Plant a bed of blooms along the sidewalk to draw buyers right to the door. No sun? No problem!

Add colors that coordinate with your bedding by using faux options.

Place a brightly colored bench or Adirondack chair on the front porch. Get a little daring and paint the front door red or blue. Beautiful colors enhance curb appeal and help your house sell faster.

KEEP IT CLEAN. Cleanliness is next to godliness. Take the time to make sure your home’s exterior is clean and well-kept. A pressure washing of the home and driveway can make it sparkle. Make sure all landscaping is trimmed and hardscaping is leaf-free.

For more designer inspired tips for your home, both inside and out, see the design team at Branches, located in the Village at Wexford, 1000 William Hilton Parkway, Suite E-6 on Hilton Head Island or visit online at www.branchesdesigns.com.

Thanks to Prud’homme Team of Carolina Realty Group for sharing this beautiful featured listing, available in Port Royal Plantation.

Special thanks to SHOP! for styling these ladies for the shoot.

The Hilton Head Home Group Team (from left to right); Stephanie Cauller, Janice Ross and Karen Simmons

C2 MAGAZINE

APPRIL 2019

76

HILTON HEAD

HOME GROUP of RE/MAX Island Realty RELATIONSHIP-DRIVEN REALTORS WELCOME YOU HOME ARTICLE BY LINDA S. HOPKINS

S

electing the right Realtor is a bit like finding a match on a dating app. If you’re smart, you don’t just randomly go after the first fish that nibbles on your line. You do your homework—look for common ground, see if you communicate well, determine if you trust this person and if the relationship meets your needs. With over 1,200 active real estate agents currently serving the Lowcountry, why settle?

Whatever your real estate goals, Hilton Head Home Group of RE/MAX Island Realty, the team of Janice Ross, Stephanie Cauller, and Karen Simmons, invites you to experience the difference in their relationship-driven approach. “The biggest purchase you will probably make in your life is your home. You want to have honest guidance, not someone just looking to make a buck off of you,” Ross said.

Simmons, who is known for asking relevant questions that facilitate the search and help take some of the stress out of decision-making said, “When you start asking good questions, you become a consultant, an advocate, an advisor.”

And this is exactly what sets Hilton Head Home Group apart: their willingness to spend the time getting to know you so they can serve you better.

“We’re chasing a relationship, not a commission,” Cauller said.

.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY M.KAT

Ross, a Pittsburgh native and former school teacher, moved to the Lowcountry from Los Angeles, California. A full-time Hilton Head Island resident since 2015, she brings 30 years of real estate experience to the team as well as The Ultimate Life Tool® (ULT)—a multidimensional human asset instrument that recognizes and regards individuality. As a Level IV certified life coach, Ross uses her deep level of human understanding to provide insightful guidance and lead clients to the homes and neighborhoods where they will best thrive.

Cauller, also a former teacher, relocated to Hilton Head Island from Malvern, Pennsylvania. She brings years of real estate marketing and digital strategy to the team as well as national television experience with QVC. She has also earned ULT coach certification (Level II), which helps her match clients to their ideal properties. “When we’re working with clients, we have an in-depth understanding— beyond the scope of a typical agent—into their style, what motivates them, their perception, and how they experience their environment as it relates to their level of enthusiasm,” she explained.

Having opened a marketing company in 2003, Cauller provides Hilton Head Home Group with their own “in-house” marketing company, which benefits their selling clients by decreasing the time on market.

Originally from Connecticut, Simmons, the newest member of the Hilton Head Home Group team, moved to Hilton Head Island from Sonoma, California, where she owned an insurance agency specializing in long-term care. She also has experience in new home construction and is familiar with both national and local developers and builders.

Coming from a management background, she’s comfortable with complicated details of contracts and also dealing with an aging population. “People are often looking for an advocate.

They want to know they’re making the right decision. I have a

“The biggest purchase you will probably make in your life is your home. You want to have honest guidance, not someone just looking to make a buck off of you.” —Janice Ross

MEET THE MATCHMAKERS For Hilton Head Home Group, real estate is about matchmaking, and they have some unique qualifications and training to help you find “the one.” Meanwhile, you get the advantage of three Realtors for the price of one—a team of professionals who work together to support you throughout the process of buying or selling. Their success is attributable to the camaraderie among the team members, their common belief in providing exceptional customer service, commitment to clear communication, and fusion of skill sets they each bring to the table.

C2 MAGAZINE

APPRIL 2019

77

JANICE ROSS

STEPHANIE CAULLER

“When you start asking good questions, you become a consultant, an advocate, an advisor.”—Karen Simmons

78

APRIL 2019

C2 MAGAZINE

KAREN SIMMONS

really good understanding of the community and know what to look for and how to negotiate,” she said. She recently earned the RENE (Real Estate Negotiation Expert) certification.

“I always say we’re a funny joke,” Cauller said. “The Jewish woman, the Italian woman and the Irish woman walked into a bar…” There’s no punch line, but it is their diversity of cultural, generational, career and life experiences that makes them a strong team.

“There’s really good mojo between us, and I think the clients can tell that,” Simmons said.

In addition to their professional credentials, compatibility, and sense of humor, a key to the team’s effectiveness is knowing when and how to communicate with clients. “Our goal, as a group, is to provide the exact level of service you need without being intrusive and with the utmost respect for your privacy,” Cauller said. “We’re cognizant of our clients’ privacy—especially clients who are just getting started in their real estate search.” You

can sign up on their website and share your contact information with confidence that you will be served, not pestered.

The relationship-based business model is paying off as the Realtors continue combining their natural gifts and talents to extend their market reach—and they are not thinking small. With the support of RE/MAX (No. 1 in global real estate sales), Hilton Head Home Group has an expansive network and all the tools they need to reach potential customers in the U.S. and abroad. “My favorite thing about RE/MAX is the back end technology support they offer,” Simmons said. “The more high-tech we get, the more connected we are. There are a lot of people from around the world who look at Hilton Head Island—whether for a primary residence, second home, or retirement home.”

Furthering their media presence, thanks to Cauller’s television and marketing savvy along with the team’s persistence and drive, Hilton Head Home Group will be appearing on an HGTV episode of Island Life, airing in May (check your local listings).

All three team members at Hilton Head Home Group are here to stay and take pride in serving our community. Collectively, they have held volunteer positions with The Arts Center of Coastal Carolina, Hilton Head Island School for Creative Arts, Volunteers in Medicine, TEDxHiltonHead, Girls on the Run of the Low Country, Island Academy of Hilton Head, The Island Recreation Center, Memory Matters, and others.

The payoff from their community involvement and personal way of conducting business is threefold: It creates friendships, creates loyalties, creates referrals. When buying or selling a house, you want a Realtor who negotiates the best deal for you while honoring your uniqueness and treating you with respect.

Get to know Hilton Head Home Group and discover your perfect partner.

Hilton Head Home Group of RE/MAX Island Realty has offices on Hilton Head Island, in Bluffton and in Sun City. For more information, visit www.hiltonheadhomegroup.com or call (843) 415-7738.

C2 MAGAZINE

APPRIL 2019

79

Maria Walls CPA, BEAUFORT COUNTY TREASURER

Forward-thinking leader, responsible steward ARTICLE BY LINDA S. HOPKINS I PHOTOGRAPHY BY M.KAT

A

s popularity contests go, the local tax collector is not likely to be on your “best friends” list—unless you happen to know Maria Walls, Beaufort County Treasurer. You may have voted for her in 2014 or 2018 when she ran for office. Or perhaps you just pay your bill and have no idea who is in charge. Either way, tax collectors get a bad rap. “It’s a biblically hated position,” Walls said. “I can’t think of a more unpopular topic than tax collection.”

What you may not understand is that the treasurer does not calculate the amount of tax you owe. “The treasurer’s office is responsible for collecting the taxes, starting from mailing the bill all the way forward.

We have nothing to do with the numbers on the bill, unless you’re late, and then there are late fees,” Walls explained.

Unusual for an elected official, Walls was hired by former County Treasurer, Doug Henderson, with the intent that she would take his place.

A Certified Public Accountant, with a professional background that includes auditing and tax preparation, Walls was not considering government employment. “I had this stereotype in my mind of what government employees were like, and I didn’t want to be part of a bureaucracy that got nothing done,” Walls said. “After meeting Doug [Henderson] though, I felt he was someone I could get behind, but he definitely threw me for a loop when he said he’d only hire me if I wanted to be Treasurer.”

Henderson told Walls he intended to serve two terms and hoped that Walls would succeed him, but three years into his term he decided not to run for re-election. “I was six months pregnant and had not planned to run for office,” Walls said. “But I figured becoming the boss would be better than getting a new boss.” And four years later, she is continuing to be the agent of change she was hired to be.

Walls prides herself on thinking ahead, and because of her ability to step outside the box, Beaufort County has one of the most progressive tax collection systems in the state. For example, we were the first county to provide account-level collections data and to offer electronic billing. (Walls worked with Senator Chip Campsen to get the legislation passed to make it legal and secure.)

“I was so appreciative of his willingness to push to get that passed. It gave every county in South Carolina the ability to deliver more efficient service,” she said.

“Now you have a choice.

You can opt in and pay your taxes within five minutes.

Need a decal from DMV? You show them your phone.” However, if you become delinquent, you will still get a letter in the mail, she pointed out.

“I’ve had people ask, ‘Why didn’t you just call me when I was late?’ We’re serving hundreds of thousands of accounts.” (Only a small percentage are delinquent, but it translates to about 20,000 accounts.) “I wish it were so few that I could just call. It’s difficult to balance that, because I want our taxpayers to receive personal service when they need it. If you call or email us, or you walk in, you’re going to get that.”

Another positive outcome of her tenure and tenacity is the management of cash flow by partnering with three+one advisors, a move that increased earnings 699 percent in the first fiscal year and is on target for even greater returns this year. “What I attribute that increase to is managing our cash flow to the day. It stays invested and works for us until we need it. What we were earning per year, we are now earning per month. It supplements tax revenue. The largest share of those funds will be for the school district. It doesn’t mean they will be flush with cash, but maybe it means the millage rate doesn’t increase as much as expected or maybe they will be able to fund a project that otherwise wouldn’t have been possible. My job is not to decide how it’s spent but to make sure it’s available.”

In addition to her forward-thinking collection policies and responsible stewardship of your tax money, Walls is dedicated to her staff. “I don’t do this alone,” she said. As a wife and working mother of four, she is in tune with her employees, most of whom are working moms like her. “I want them to feel supported, trusted, invested in, valued … and part of that is training,” she said. Every team meets at least once a week for training on a specific aspect of their job, e.g. customer service, business writing, safety procedures, or conflict resolution. (“Not everyone who comes in is happy.”) Once a month, the whole department meets to talk about topics that affect everyone. Then twice a year, fall and spring, the office is closed for a day of staff development.

“If you interact with our office and I have employees who

I had this stereotype in my mind of what government employees were like, and I didn’t want to be part of a bureaucracy that got nothing done.

82

APRIL 2019

C2 MAGAZINE

feel valued and buyin to our mission and core values, they are going to give you accurate information and the best possible service,” Walls explained. In the same vein, she has implemented telecommuting options for certain positions. This has allowed her to keep valuable employees by giving them the flexibility to work more efficiently while taking care of their personal lives and their loved ones.

Implementing online services, maximizing our cash flow, and offering progressive staff development are just a few of the many ways Walls is leading Beaufort County with eyes straight ahead. “I really get excited being the first one to do things,” she said. “Doug [Henderson] taught me not to be scared of change. He used to equate it to a train.

It’s awesome. It’s sleek.

We’re all excited to be on it.

But the train is only going forward, and you’re either on the train or you’re off. I’m on the train 110 percent for as long as I’m here.”

While she holds a public position, Walls says her job is personal. “I live here, too. I’m raising my family here; my husband has a family business here. I have to accept that everyone will not agree with me or like what we’re doing— because we’re collecting taxes. But we’re going to do the right thing.”

Learn more about the Beaufort County Treasurer and discover the many resources available to you at https://www. beaufortcountytreasurer.com.

C2 MAGAZINE

APPRIL 2019

83

Are You Covered?

MCGRIFF INSURANCE SERVICES (From left to right) Dave D’Amico, Kristin Walker, Marc Ricciardi, Theresa Wine, Steve Stauffer, R. Stuart Bedenbaugh, and Tracy Molloy.

W

e at McGriff Insurance Services believe that outstanding insurance is just the start of a great relationship.

We view our clients as partners with a goal of achieving a longterm relationship that allows us to support their success through changing times and evolving needs.

We listen to you; we pay attention to your priorities; and we focus on the things you value most. We’re firmly rooted in the Hilton Head Island/ Bluffton community, and our team is proud to join their friends and neighbors in building stronger, more vital communities.

“Community is one of our core strengths,” agency executive Steven Stauffer said. “Our team members live, work and play in the greater Hilton Head/Bluffton communities.

They understand and relate to the risks that our clients face each and every day. Yet McGriff Insurance Services brings tremendous resources and knowledge that clients value.”

One of the agency’s strongest assets is their dedicated team of risk management professionals and client account executives.

“Our folks combine decades of coastal insurance knowledge with our carriers’ resources to create comprehensive insurance portfolios.

This really allows us to deliver customized, insurance-based financial solutions that minimize our clients’ risks and maximize their security,” Stauffer said.

Theresa Wine and David D’Amico represent McGriff’s local commercial lines department.

They offer a full array of insurance products and services to all clients ranging from small, familyowned businesses to multinational corporations.

Stuart Bedenbaugh leads McGriff’s employee benefits department. He provides a range of benefit services and innovative solutions to help clients administer a complete, customized employee benefits package.

Kristin Walker, Tracy Molloy and Marc Ricciardi make up McGriff’s local personal insurance department. As family risk managers, they consult with clients to understand their needs and create insurance programs that offer ample coverage and protection.

The agency’s core business focus is right here in the Lowcountry, where the agency has been serving clients since 1958 under the original name of Carswell of Carolina. “Our teams of agents are dedicated to guiding clients through the complexities of coastal insurance, providing them with the highest levels of customer care,” Stauffer said. “It’s great to watch our team grow with McGriff, while still staying fully engaged in the local community.”

7 Arley Way, Suite 300 Bluffton, SC 29910 (843) 815-0522 sstauffer@mcgriffinsurance.com

PREMIER INSURANCE ADVISORS

T

here’s one word missing from Premier Insurance Advisors sign—but please know that it is very much by design. You won’t hear the firm referred to anywhere as an insurance “agency,” for one simple reason. Insurance agents work for insurance companies. Premier Insurance Advisors does things a little differently.

“We’re advisors first. As an agent, you’re representing the company,” said Brian Knapp, one of three founders of this unique new idea in insurance. “We believe we’re the counterpoint.”

Part of being that counterpoint lies in being able to offer something most large corporate insurance agencies can’t: truly personalized coverages and services. As a brokerage firm, they enjoy access to hundreds of different products, giving Premier Insurance Advisors the ability to completely tailor coverage to the needs and risks of clients across the Lowcountry, whether personal or business. Informing that personalization is a collective 70-plus years of experience between the firm’s three founders, Paul Schmidt, Kevin Regan and Brian Knapp.

After leaving the Army and going back to college, Schmidt worked in insurance in Kentucky, including several years running his own successful agency.

With his emphasis on personal lines, Schmidt sees the unique nature of his new firm as a way to educate clients on their options.

“We want to educate the client, so when they walk out of here, they know exactly what they have, what they’re protecting and why they’re protecting it,” he said. “We’re not an agency that is going to look at your existing policy and copy that. We’re going to look at it, dissect it, find any holes in it, and educate you.”

Originally from Long Island, Regan also ran a large agency, but spent enough time in corporate insurance to realize there were limitations on what he was allowed to do for his clients.

“One of the driving factors that took us out of the corporate world is that the corporate world does not focus on the client,” he said. “They do not want to have that hands-on experience with the client, which we feel is important.”

Instead Regan thrives on the way Premier Insurance Advisors puts an emphasis on direct consultation, where it’s not unheard of for one of the three founders to lay down complete coverage options and explain each right at a client’s kitchen table.

“It’s the experience like our parents had with their insurance agent where they sat down and talked about things,

not just put a piece of paper in front of you,” he said.

Rounding out the trio is Knapp, who is the young gun of the group with nearly a decade of experience in insurance.

He specializes in commercial lines, something that he feels also sets Premier apart from other insurance options.

“You can’t be everything to everyone, and you can’t be a Jack of all trades and be the best at what you do,” he said. “An educated consumer is our best client. What we follow in our practice is to be the best at what you focus on.”

Likewise, since combining their experience, insight and passion for helping clients, the three founders of Premier Insurance Advisors have allowed themselves to be the best at what they focus on: delivering a customer-focused experience and personalized insurance with a human touch.

Premier Insurance Advisors is located at 800 Main Street, Suite 110, Hilton Head Island. For more information, visit www. premierinshhi.com or call (843) 6895300.

MARTY SAULS FA R M B U R E A U I N S U R A N C E

W

hen you become a Farm Bureau Insurance customer, you aren’t just another anonymous policy number; you become a member of the Farm Bureau Insurance family. One of the great benefits of that membership is affordable, reliable insurance from a company with a proven reputation for providing the highest level of customer service including fast, fair claims handling.

With more than 39 years of combined experience among them, Beaufort County agency manager Marty Sauls and his team have the expertise to help you find the right type of insurance coverage best-suited for you and your family. With a wide range of insurance and financial services available, including but not limited to auto, home, life and health insurance, they can assist individuals and families at any stage of life, whether you are just getting started or planning for retirement.

Born and raised in the Lowcountry, Sauls and his team have a deep understanding of the unique needs and challenges that come with living in a

coastal county and have a variety of options to help clients find the coverage they need.

“My team has the knowledge and experience to advise each client on the best insurance plan to properly insure your auto and home, as well as the best life and health insurance plans to meet your family’s needs,” Sauls said.

“Our goal is to exceed your customer service expectations and provide you with the best solution to protect your family from unexpected events.”

If you’re not already a member of the Farm Bureau Insurance family, talk to your friends and neighbors.

Many of them may already be Farm Bureau Insurance customers and can tell you how Farm Bureau Insurance keeps insurance uncomplicated in a complicated world. Speak with a local agent who can review your insurance and financial needs and guide you through every step of the way.

281 Parris Island Gateway Beaufort, SC 29906 (843) 522-0031 ext. 235 MartySauls@scfbins.com www.scfbins.com/agents/martysauls

KINGHORN INSURANCE AGENCY

K

inghorn Insurance Agency has been a trusted member of the Lowcountry community since 1898. Locally owned and operated, we are dedicated to addressing the area’s property, automotive, marine, personal and commercial needs. As independent agency, we offer professional, personalized help for businesses and homeowners.

Our longevity is the result of being focused on our customers, experience, communication, and trust. We are claims tested and easily accessible. The partners include James “Jimmy” Rowe, William “Bill” Fuge, Evan Jeffords and Missy Layman.

We live here, so we know the market, and we care. We are your neighbor: We understand specific types of insurance coverage you need because we need them, too.

Commercial Kinghorn Insurance Agency can help you determine how much business insurance is right for your company.

Personal When considering home insurance, local homeowners can trust us. We live here, so we know the market, and we care. We are your neighbor: We understand specific types of home, auto, flood, liability and the marine insurance coverage you need.

Life, Healthcare, and Benefits One of the most important insurance decisions you can make for your family or business is health insurance.

Kinghorn Insurance has one of the area’s most knowledgeable and experienced agents, who understands how to navigate the maze of healthcare options.

We build relationships! Through our invaluable relationship with relevant carriers and brokers, Kinghorn Insurance can offer premier policies.

You are always welcome to call or come by to speak with a Kinghorn Insurance agent to learn more about coverage options, to ask questions, to receive and discuss our recommendations, or to get a quote. We would like to have the opportunity to know you. Our quotes are competitive, and you will get our best price the first time.

Bluffton Office: (843) 837-3911 Hilton Head Island Office: (843) 686-3911 www.kinghornagency.com

SEACOAST INSURANCE (FROM LEFT TO RIGHT) BAILEY ATKINSON, KATE BOARDMAN AND ERICA CARVER

S

eacoast Insurance has been insuring the families and businesses of Hilton Head Island, Bluffton and the South Carolina Lowcountry since 1981. We are locally owned and proud to call this area home and to participate in making it a special place to live.

We proudly support many local organizations including Hospice Care of the Lowcountry, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Programs of Exceptional People, the Island Recreation Association and the Zonta Club of Hilton Head Island. We are also members of the Chamber of Commerce, Hilton Head Realtors Association, and Mortgage Lenders Association.

We represent a number of highly rated insurance companies for all your personal and commercial insurance needs including

homeowners, auto, condo/renters, umbrella and business Bailey joined our agency a year ago after living on Hilton Head for almost a decade. Originally from Kansas City, Bailey loves the community feel and the passion for small businesses in the area. You can find her at the beach or out enjoying the sun in her free time.

Kate Boardman, a Hilton Head Island native and stepdaughter to Ray Craver, made the move over to the family business four years ago and hasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t looked back! Being able to live and work in the Lowcountry is what motivates Kate, and being able to help her clients navigate through the insurance world inspires her daily.

Erica Carver came to our office four years ago from Kentucky and has over 20 years of experience in the Insurance world. Erica and her

family moved to the Lowcountry for the sunshine and sand.

Give us a call or stop by our office in the Main Street area for a free quote!

88 Main St A, Hilton Head Island, SC 29926 (843) 681-4340 www.seacoastinsurance.com Bailey Atkinson batkinson@seacoastinsurance.com Kate Boardman kboardman@seacoastinsurance.com Erica Carver ecarver@seacoastinsurance.com

BELMONT INSURANCE

B

elmont Insurance Services is a locally owned and operated independent insurance agency, dedicated to improving the insurance programs and services of our clients. We focus on developing comprehensive and cost-effective insurance programs for families, individuals and businesses located in our community and throughout the country. We have the industry experience, knowledge and skill needed to assess your risks and recommend insurance solutions to minimize your exposures. Our agents are licensed in most states and can address your insurance needs regardless of where your exposures may be located.

Many of our clients come to us initially as seasonal or part-time residents. We start our relationship with them by providing insurance for their seasonal home and perhaps the car they keep in South Carolina. Eventually, these clients get to know and appreciate the quality of the service we offer and ask us to provide that same level of service and attention to their out-of-state exposures. We represent several national and regional underwriters who appoint us to represent them across the country, so we can provide our clients with the convenience of dealing with a single source for all their insurance needs.

Please call or stop by for a no-cost, noobligation review of your current insurance program.

We will highlight the shortcomings of percentagebased wind and hail deductible if you have one.

More important, we can typically offer insurance policies without percentage-based wind and hail deductibles at very competitive prices. Let us put our experience and skills to work for you.

First Citizens Building 1 Westbury Park Way, #101 Bluffton, SC 29910 (843) 757-3838 www.belmontins.com

U

Rhett & Kaila LOWCOU NT RY

love-story

R O M A N T I C , Y E T T R E N DY; M O D E R N , Y E T R E F I N E D. T H I S I S W H AT K A I L A J E F F C O AT H A D I N M I N D W H E N S H E A N D R H E T T PLANNED THEIR DECEMBER 2018 WEDDING I N T H E H E A R T O F D O W N TO W N B L U F F TO N .

W R ITTEN BY O LIVIA STO NE | P H OTOGR A PHY BY CA R R IE FR IESEN | DESIGN BY MIKA ST. JOHN

⇠

Kaila chose decor that would blend the rustic vibes of her Pacific Northwest roots with the southern elegance of Rhett’s.

⇣

The flower girl and the ring bearer are all smiles!

⇢

Bohemian flares and feathers were tied throughout the ceremony and the reception, while flower petals decorated the aisle in a whimsical design.

⇠⇡⇢⇣

e

O

e

⇠

Lanterns strung through spanishmoss-draped oaks, give a modern bohemian vibe to the couple’s day.

⇢

The groom’s first look at his beautiful bride incites tears of joy, as she makes her way towards him down the aisle.

Mr. and Mrs. Jeffcoat

h

riginally from Washington State, Kaila left the Pacific Northwest upon graduating from college to explore the South, which led her on a path to cross with Rhett’s. She met him on her last week of work in the summer of 2015, while making plans to move north to Charleston or explore the next happening place.

While Rhett’s Southern charm usually did the trick with the ladies, Kaila was not sold on him initially. Yet his persistence and constant presence in her workplace to ask her out finally won her over—at least to accept a date. Skeptical, yet intrigued, Kaila agreed to meet Rhett at what used to be the Piano Bar on Hilton Head Island, where they hit it off and have been inseparable since.

“She was my best friend from day one, that missing piece I had been waiting for,” Rhett said.

Hilton Head Island always held a special place in Kaila’s heart. Her grandmother owned one of the original spec homes in Sea Pines Resort and welcomed her family each year for vacations. “I always joked with my parents that I was going to move here. They didn’t actually believe me until I booked a one-way flight and announced I was moving in seven days, at which time panic set in and we began packing boxes.” While Kaila thought her move was a temporary stop on her journey, plans change, and she now calls the Lowcountry home.

The Jeffcoats’ December wedding was planned to embody the rustic elements of Kaila’s Pacific Northwest roots along with Rhett’s Southern upbringing. (Kaila tied bohemian flares and feathers throughout the ceremony and reception, while pulling together the elegance of the South, including a wardrobe change to match the theme for the reception.)

To select her wedding dress, Kaila flew to Spokane where she purchased her gown from a small shop, Honest in Ivory. “I had been on the hunt for what seemed like an eternity and was down to the wire. We were now a few months away from tying the knot and I had no idea what I was going to wear. I made one last effort to fly home for a third time and tried this new shop that had opened one month prior,” Kaila said. Initially drawn by the welcoming atmosphere, she soon found unique elements in every gown she tried and ended up with tulle and lace, a sweetheart top and an eight-foot train with little dusts of glitter along the edges for an almost angelic presence.

“I am not a lace and sparkles kind of girl,” Kaila said, “but it was like my sister and other loved ones who have passed were holding onto my train. I remember looking at my mom and watching her fight back tears to not sway my decision, and I just knew it was the one.”

Kaila then took the gown to Nina Cherie Couture, who designs and makes gowns. With a two-month deadline, she hoped to have the dress altered to make it her own. Nina took the dress from a size 12 off the rack to a size 0, added sleeves that looked as if they were part of the original design, and made adjustments to the bodice with no fittings. She mailed the dress one month before the wedding. “Talk about talented,” Kaila said.

The ceremony was scheduled to take place at the historic Garvin House Lawn in downtown Bluffton with a reception to follow on the May River. However, Mother Nature had a different plan in mind, and with rain in the forecast, four days before the wedding, Kaila made an executive call to move the location to Venue 1223.

“Initially I was bummed,” she said. “The weather looked like it was going to be a downpour, and I had always dreamed of an outdoor wedding under a live oak.

Then, to top it off, we had to notify 200 guests of the change. But as it happens so often in this area, the rain lifted just in time so we could still be outside. The sun was

⇠

Kaila is escorted down a petal-covered aisle, towards “I do.”

96

APRIL 2019

C2 MAGAZINE

⇢

beaming, and the venue offered a more intimate setting. It worked out better than we could have imagined.”

If they had to go back and do it over, Kaila said they would pick Venue 1223 from the start. She raved about the undivided attention Leah, Ryan and Maren provided their families as they joined from two to one.

“To say we were stunned would be an understatement. We feel so lucky to have worked with the vendors we did who made our day so flawless,” Rhett said.

Kaila and Rhett said they couldn’t imagine their wedding day without each vendor who went above and beyond to make it memorable. Carrie, with Carrie Friesen Photography was there from start to finish to capture every moment and the emotion of the day.

Downtown Catering Company earned rave reviews from guests as they served a warm, plated meal for 200 in a timely fashion (they also had appetizers from the cocktail hour waiting for the bride and groom upon arrival). The Legacy Band out of Savannah provided entertainment for the evening with a mix of Frank Sinatra, the Beatles and trending hits to reach all ages. Gardenias Floral provided the stunning florals that swept the signs, and covered the tent, including Kaila’s must-have: a large floral arrangement hanging over the center of the dance floor.

Event Works and Ooh Events out of Savannah/Charleston transformed the setting on the May River into a beautiful evening. “My only request from the event rentals was one long continuous head table to seat all 64 family members. Family is important, and each of them has played pivotal roles in shaping Rhett and me as individuals and as a couple.

We wanted them to feel included in our day and feel our gratitude,” Kaila said.

These are just a few, of the remarkable and unforgettable vendors that made a usually stressful planning process easy and enjoyable. “We can’t say thank you enough to everyone who played a part in making our day happen,” Kaila said. “I remember people telling me ‘your wedding will be a blur,’ so we tried to be intentional about soaking it all in. It was such a humbling day to watch from a distance before making our entrance—seeing so many friends and family members who put their lives on hold to come celebrate us.”

Now married almost four months, after what seemed like an eternity of planning and preparation, the couple can just breathe and cherish their memories as they build a life together.

Love and laughter shared at the reception.

⇢

The newlyweds are sent off with cheers and sparklers in fairytale-like fashion.

97

APRIL 2019

C2 MAGAZINE

BeautyBirthday A N D

T H E

THOUGHTS ON DEATH, TAXES AND AGING

A

fter celebrating the dawn of my next wild ride around the sun, I sit at my vanity table, switch on the lighted 10X magnifying mirror, and contemplate an ever-growing collection of skincare products. Surely the newest balm will be the one to give me back my crinkle-free eyes, firm chin line, and smooth neck. I’m fighting the good fight, but the tug of the moon is undeniable. Like death and taxes, aging is a given, not a choice.

In spite of the inevitability of our changing appearance, in today’s youth-obsessed, Instagram-glorified culture, women of all ages are under pressure to look as young as possible.

There is no end to the parade of new serums, oils, lotions and creams promising “dewy” skin and/or the disappearance of fine lines. With hair colors to banish the dreaded gray; miracle supplements to smooth crepey skin; massage

ARTICLE BY LINDA S. HOPKINS

According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, the national average cost of a microdermabrasion procedure was $137 in 2017.

Topical retinoid creams are one of today’s most popular treatment for wrinkles. Look for OTC creams containing retinol.

rollers to eradicate cellulite; injections to freeze, fill, and plump whatever needs freezing, filling or plumping; not to mention laser treatments and surgical options to lift and tighten just about anything you can dream of lifting or tightening, it’s as if we have a duty to battle every natural phenomenon of aging— or at least to hide the evidence. Based on the billions (yes billions with a B) of dollars spent on cosmetics, beauty treatments and cosmetic procedures every year, clearly the war rages on.

In her wickedly witty book, I Feel Bad About my Neck and Other Thoughts on Being a Woman, author Nora Ephron devotes an entire chapter to what happens to our necks as we age (hint: it’s not pretty)! “One of my biggest regrets … is that I didn’t spend my youth staring lovingly at my neck,” she wrote.

“It never crossed my mind to be grateful for it.” She goes on to extol the value of turtlenecks and scarves and to chronical her own collection of promising beauty products, each for a specific

100

APRIL 2019

C2 MAGAZINE

The cost of Botox will vary depending on location and doctor, but it averages about $400. The effects of injections may last three to six months.

two square inches of skin on said facial area or body part. She pokes fun at the desperate and often absurdly time-consuming self-maintenance routines to which many of us are enslaved, nudging at the gentle truth of the matter. Ageless beauty? Ha! Might as well laugh now, because the Universe has plenty more surprises up her sleeve.

While I would love to say I have risen above it and accepted the gifts bestowed annually by the birthday fairy, I am still drinking the Kool-Aid, as they say, searching for some secret combination of youthifying ingredients to convince Mother Nature to put the brakes on Father Time. For many women, myself included, caring for our appearance remains an important part of our self-image. We do what we must to feel good about ourselves, even if it means investing in the jar of hope, hiring the award-winning hair colorist, or visiting a skincare spa or makeup guru to learn a few new tricks.

As I see it, we have two choices. We can give up—admitting defeat while resigning to look like dried up old prunes and become couch vegetables—or we can keep fighting the ravages of age until our loved ones are forced to pretty us up for one last viewing where everyone will walk by, stare at the wax museum version of what’s left of us and say, “She looks so natural.”

My family has been warned: My remains are not to be viewed without eyeliner, blush and lipstick. I’ve left a product list and step-by-step instructions for the undertaker in my will and have tipped my hairdresser generously in hopes that she will do one final root touch up with highlights for a dearly departed customer—nothing too natural, please.

Sometimes I laugh to keep from crying, but I am seriously working on my attitude towards beauty and aging. This year, I have decided to cut myself some slack. Oh, I’m not going to stop dying my hair or quit using fancy creams, but I am going to cease comparing myself to movie stars, cover girls and supermodels.

I’m no longer buying into those, “Look at me, I’m 60-something” infomercials featuring celebrities who apparently have been preserved in formaldehyde or splashing about in some elusive

”

FOR MANY WOMEN, MYSELF

INCLUDED, CARING FOR OUR APPEARANCE REMAINS AN IMPORTANT PART OF OUR SELFIMAGE. WE DO WHAT WE MUST TO FEEL GOOD ABOUT OURSELVES, EVEN IF IT MEANS INVESTING IN THE JAR OF HOPE.

”

fountain of youth for the past 30 years. (Take heart, my fellow boomers. It’s fake news at its fakest.)

As much as I would like to think that I can slow down or camouflage the outward signs of aging, I’m on a daily quest to negotiate what it means to love this old(er) self and how to best sustain my overall health and spirit. As for semantics, I don’t believe in “anti-aging.” I’m not exactly against aging since the way to stop the process is to die. As for “ageless beauty”—also a misnomer—in my estimation, the only truly ageless beauty is the kind that emanates from our character.

I rather like what Elizabeth Taylor had to say on the topic in an interview with Rolling Stone: “Eventually the inner you shapes the outer you, especially when you reach a certain age … the inner you actually chisels your features. It has to do with a connection with nature, God, your inner being—whatever you want to call it.”

Still, and I think Liz would agree (rest her soul), modern skincare products can be remarkably effective, and professional cosmetic services can work wonders to refresh and revitalize tired faces, worn bodies and fragile egos. I will continue carefully considering what’s available on the beauty front, recognizing that these are merely tools to enhance what exists while my inner beauty threatens a major eruption most any moment now.

With that in mind, as evening approaches, I reach for my eye makeup remover, lip scrub, special cleansing cream, and toner—rinsing and ever so gently patting off the day’s public face. I glance again in the lighted 10X mirror and explore my arsenal of magic nighttime potions. Perhaps tomorrow I will wake up a more youthful-looking version of myself. Or maybe it’s simply time to retire the magnifying mirror and rely on my dimming eyesight to convince me I’m still okay.

Tax return? Oh yeah. Where the heck are my glasses? 

C2 MAGAZINE

APPRIL 2019

101

Beauty global H

umans value beauty. Researchers have found that being attractive makes you more likely to earn higher grades and wages, get approved for a loan, or be acquitted in a trial. Having a non-standard or “ugly” appearance makes you more likely to get convicted or to engage in criminal activity in the first place. Even babies have been shown to innately prefer good-lookers.

But what looks good? That has varied across continents and centuries from the dazzling (diamond tiaras and cloaks of spun gold) to the ordinary (curves and blue jeans) to the grotesque (flattened heads and

Article by Michele Roldán-Shaw

ARTICLE BY MICHELE ROLDÁN-SHAW DESIGN BY MIKA ST. JOHN

lip plugs as big as dinner plates.) Certain things make sense scientifically. Studies show that physical traits suggesting fertility—such as a high hip-to-waist ratio in women—are preferred, if not universally, then predominantly. Experiments that overlay many faces to form a computer-generated composite have indicated that averaged-out features are perceived as closer to the ideal, evidently because they don’t betray any sign of genetic aberration or defect. It has also been suggested that symmetry equals beauty. But considering the diversity of trends that have come and gone, exercising a powerful sway during their lifespans only to be laughed at later, simple logic shows that beauty is mainly a subjective and even arbitrary social construct. Yet we get so wrapped up in it!

The facial tattoos that make one a pariah in this culture could be a sign of high rank in another. The long, hairy beard denoting wisdom for some might be an abomination to a smooth-skinned race. Most white people in America want to get tan, but most tan people in the rest of the world want to get white. It’s sad that Eurocentrism is pervasive, creating a negative psychological impact on everybody else. It’s a shame when people don’t feel confident and content with who they are because they get bombarded by outside suggestions to the contrary. Black is beautiful! Big is beautiful! Beauty is what you make of it. Beauty is when you’re happy and you make others happy, too. So, let’s open our eyes and hearts to a few looks from around the world, and understand that no matter how different others may appear, we all just want to look nice.

Ancient Mayan Grill Bling If you thought gold and gem-encrusted teeth were the exclusive domain of rap stars, think again; the Mayans were already doing it a couple of thousand years ago. Skulls have been found with little colored stones flashing across the teeth like a Lite Brite. Using primitive tools, ancient dentists drilled holes into wealthy folks’ teeth and inlaid them with turquoise, opal, quartz, pyrite, cinnabar and especially jade. Jade made you the beloved

104

APRIL 2019

C2 MAGAZINE

of the gods; it was the holiest bling your grin could contain. In an informative and sensitively written article, a modern-day member of the Massachusetts Dental Society tells how he couldn’t understand why so many Central American patients were coming in with gold stars and rims on their teeth, getting them replaced with the more discreet white porcelain “American crowns” he recommended, then going home to their countries and showing back up a few years later laced with gold again—until he traveled to Guatemala. There, 65 percent of the largely indigenous population has gold in their grill (though perhaps not the highly prized jade anymore), a cultural norm they couldn’t let go of after emigrating. The author of the article reasonably concludes that as they bring their own ideas of beauty to his first-world dental office, he must be aware of their customs and history if he is to serve them.

Japan’s Snow-White Look The Japanese are known for peculiar and distinctive tastes and the extremes to which they often take them. There has always been a certain pageantry and fetishism to the Japanese beauty ideal, from the Geishas of olden times to the elaborately bizarro street fashionistas of twenty-first-century Tokyo. But whether they’re wearing kimonos or manga comic outfits, the national love for paper-white complexions has stayed its course through history. Add jet black hair and ruby lips, and the look is reduced to the elemental—Japanese minimalism to the max. White face powders were the rage even from ancient times; eyebrows were being starkly penciled, raven locks grown long, lips painted, and cheeks daubed red. But during the middle ages, this tri-color palette was taken over the top by women lacquering their teeth black! Evidently it was a sign of marital maturity. The custom didn’t survive to modern days, but skin as powdery as Mt. Fuji’s cone remains the Japanese cosmetic standard.

Big is Beautiful in the Pacific Islands Is the waif look beautiful? (Consult a Western fashion mag.) Is obesity beautiful? (Look at a Polynesian chief.) Is there anything

really to beauty at all? (Perceptions have no substance.) In traditional Pacific Islander societies, being spectacularly fat was a sign of health, wealth, prestige, and therefore beauty.

Starving to death was not a good look! Having a big body made you leadership material. It seems perfectly sensible for a place and time when people depended on the vagaries of fruit and fish harvests; but in today’s world of imported Spam and white sugar (not to mention television), things get complicated.

Health problems are accompanying the weight, and body image issues are surfacing among women exposed to the drastically smaller profile of the Western World. Will the big-body love of islanders survive, or will globalization force them to slim down or pay the price? Let’s hope they find a happy medium of good health and continued appreciation for their plus-size heritage.

African Tribal Beauty So often, it’s not the look itself but what it represents that makes people perceive it as attractive. Especially when choosing a mate, you want to know they have what it takes to ensure the survival of your bloodline, which means being strong, healthy and in every way equipped to thrive. So, let’s take a step back and view one of the more shocking forms of beautification in this light. Scarification is a common practice among certain African tribes wherein people get symbolic designs cut or burnt into their skin. First, it shows you’re tough and can handle it, which will be important in primitive life. Second, you are fully willing to “belong” within the social group announced by your markings. And third, you have surrendered yourself to whatever religious, cultural, sexual or other rites of passage are prescribed by your people. Congratulations, you are now beautiful! Punk rock and neo-tribal counterculture movements have adopted the African practice of ear stretching by using increasingly large disks or cylindrical plugs in the pierced lobes, or perhaps even stones, feathers and bones. The multicolored layers of beaded necklaces favored by the Maasai have found their way into haute couture. And although historical evidence doesn’t exactly point to dreadlocks originating in Africa (specifically Egypt) because they are recorded among many ancient peoples including Etruscan warriors and Hindu mystics, the smooth red dreads that Namibian women create using a paste of butterfat, red ochre and aromatic resin must surely be unique on earth ... until they show up at a hair show in Atlanta.

There has always been a certain pageantry and fetishism to the Japanese beauty ideal, from the Geishas of olden times to the elaborately bizarro street fashionistas of twenty-firstcentury Tokyo.

global Beauty

permanent

HHI

The freedom to wake up with makeup

BY LAURA JACOBI

B

W

hen Marcy Beach gets ready in the morning, she no longer has a timely and complicated makeup routine. It’s just a little mascara and she’s out the door. The best part is she still looks like she has on a “full face” because of her now permanent makeup including eyebrows, eyeliner and lipstick. Beach’s new level of freedom is all thanks to Sarah Rhoads with Permanent Cosmetics HHI, located within Sungate Medical Spa in Okatie.

Rhoads’ career in the cosmetics industry started more than 16 years ago when she graduated from high school with her cosmetology license. She moved into the world of permanent cosmetics six years ago, first completing an 18-month apprenticeship. Four years ago, she purchased Dermacolor, now known as Permanent Cosmetics HHI. Permanent cosmetics, also known as micropigmentation, is the technique of placing color pigments within the skin to accentuate and improve definition or correct surgical evidence such as scars.

Rhoads specializes in enhancing clients’ beauty by using permanent cosmetics to create eyeliner, define eyebrows and color and enhance lips. “Most people who come to me are tired of the daily struggle to create eyebrows, or of their eyeliner melting off as soon as they walk out the door,” Rhoads said. “Even lips are an important part of my work, as Mother Nature likes to steal fat from our lips (instead of our hips) as we age.”

Her average client is “65 years young” and searching to free herself from years of painting on her face with makeup every single morning. Rhoads says she treats 72 patients a month on average, booking three to five weeks in advance. “I offer them the freedom to wake up with a refreshed look that requires no effort,” she said.

An Okatie resident, Beach co-owned the local franchise of Merle Norman Cosmetics for 11 years, so makeup was a huge part of her everyday life. While she owned a makeup business, she needed to represent her brand by wearing a full face of makeup on a regular basis. But when she sold the business and retired,

Karen Carroll, a client of Sarah Rhoads and Permanent Cosmetics HHI.

she decided to splurge on herself, which meant getting her eyebrows permanently done by Rhoads. “Your eyebrows frame your face,” Beach said. “It’s a little bit of an addiction.”

Once she saw how great her eyebrows turned out, she went back to get permanent eyeliner and lipstick, even using a Merle Norman color. “Being in the beauty business, this has been the best makeup trick I’ve done for myself,” Beach said. “It’s a lifechanging, ego-boosting experience.”

It’s more than just a time-saver. It can actually change how you feel about yourself, she added. Beach had scars on her lips from fever blisters. No matter how she applied her lip products, she still hated the way her lips looked. Rhoads not only added permanent color to her lips but was able to correct the scars.

Scar camouflaging is another one of Rhoads’ specialties, working with patients who hate the look of scars left from injury or reconstructive surgery. “I have had some wonderful transformations that were truly life-changing for my clients,” Rhoads said.

As for Beach, she’s not finished yet and is looking forward to what Rhoads can do for her next.

Permanent Cosmetics HHI is located at 10 William Pope Dr., Suite 4 in Okatie. For more information, visit www.permanentcosmeticshhi. com or call (843) 422-4141 for an appointment.

C2 MAGAZINE

APPRIL 2019

107

C2 MAGAZINE

APPRIL 2019

108



ARTICLE BY LINDA HOPKINS DESIGN BY MIKA ST. JOHN

Your CBD Store

®

HILTON HEAD  Get Healthy, Not High: Natural Hemp Products a Hot New Commodity

N

ot long ago, most people would not have recognized the acronym “CBD,” nor would they have had the slightest clue what it was.

Today, CBD is one of the hottest buzz words and possibly one of the most misunderstood new products to hit the health scene in the past decade. Often confused with its cousin THC, while both are derived from the cannabis plant, CBD is intended to be used as an herbal health supplement. Before you ask, yes, it’s legal and is available locally, without a prescription, at Your CBD Store, the first and only dedicated CBD source on Hilton Head Island.

It is not psychoactive in the same way as THC, local franchise owner Jessica Rollins explained. “I still get calls from people who think it’s marijuana. It comes from the hemp plant, not the marijuana plant. The THC is completely extracted, and the chemical composition is different than the cannabinoid responsible for the high that many people associate with marijuana.”

After managing Your CBD Store franchises in Augusta, Georgia and Lexington, South Carolina, Rollins was inspired to bring the service here to the Lowcountry, where the demographic is on point. (Most of her customers are 55 and older, she said, and you must be 18 years old to purchase.) In business since late November 2018, Your CBD Store Hilton Head offers products to help with a variety of ailments that may be preventing you from living your best life. While you will want to consult your doctor before discontinuing any prescribed medical treatment, CBD is a natural alternative to pharmaceutical medications for a number of chronic conditions. Some of the known benefits include reducing inflammation, relieving pain, and easing anxiety, depression, and insomnia.

CBD can be delivered into the body in several ways.

“The most effective way is to ingest them,” Rollins said.

“And the very best way is to get it in your body and on your body, especially for pain.”

Products come in various forms and dosages to meet each customer’s needs and preferences. You can choose from water-soluble products, edibles, sublingual tinctures, soft gels, vaping e-liquids, and topical applications. “We even have tinctures and CBD treats for pets, because they suffer from some of the same discomforts we do,” Rollins said.

People are often curious about the taste, and Rollins offers samples. Fast-acting water-soluble products come in natural (with no added flavorings—often described as an earthy taste) or with all-natural organic flavorings including piña colada, grape, and strawberry-lime. The oils come in mint, orange and lemon flavors, she said.

From edibles and vaping e-liquids to topical applications, Your CBD Store offers a wide variety of products from which customers can choose what’s best for meeting their personal needs.

 Additional edible products include gummies and hard candies—all natural/ vegan—which taste remarkably similar to comparable treats but with the extra benefit of CBD. When choosing CBD products, quality is of utmost importance, Rollins said. Hers are broad spectrum CBD, which means other beneficial cannabinoids are present for more synergistic effects. Hint: You are not likely to get immediate results, she explained. Most customers find that consistent use over a period of two weeks to a month yields best and most effective results. It may also take time to determine the ideal dosage for you, based on your weight, metabolism and the condition you are seeking to improve.

The good news is you can’t overdose.

Your CBD Store has a clean, relaxing, spa-like vibe, and a friendly, well-educated staff. Rollins invites you to come in and explore the world of CBD. She’s there to answer your questions and guide you to the products that will best serve your individual needs. 

Franchise owner Jessica Rollins fields questions, offers samples and guides customers toward the products that are right for them.

Your CBD Store is located at 1012 William Hilton Parkway (next to Panera Bread) on Hilton Head Island. For more information, visit https:// cbdrx4u.com/find-us/ south-carolina/hiltonhead, follow on Facebook, or call (843) 802-4422.

C2 MAGAZINE

APPRIL 2019

109

ARTICLE BY LINDA S. HOPKINS

&

Nail Talk Polished Spa BEAUTIFUL, HEALTHY NAILS START HERE

W

ith a nail salon on almost every corner, it can be difficult to sort the good from the best. Any salon may be able to get the job done, but Nail Talk & Polished Spa, conveniently located mid-island in South Island Square, is raising the bar.

On a recent visit, I had the privilege of talking to new owners, husband and wife team Eric and Quin Chu, about their goal to take local nail services to a new level. They are doing so in three ways: by promoting healthy nails with high quality products and a pristinely clean environment; providing new techniques and strategic consulting for the best nail care service; and focusing on massage skills and providing unrushed services for a more relaxing experience.

Eric Chu, a former mathematics instructor from Vietnam, started his nail career in Dallas, Texas, where he trained. With five years of local experience under his belt, he now owns his salon where he is making it his business to correct problems he has seen within the industry.

His primary focus is the health of the nail.

“We will use high quality products to apply on your nails, and we always consult the customer about what is good for their nails.

Every customer has a different nail bed, and my work is to know which service is good for them—even what color will look pretty with their skin tone and which one will not. Here, we don’t try to upsell,” he said. “We will be honest.”

Honesty sometimes means treating a problem instead of covering it up. When the condition of the nail is compromised, Chu recommends applying pure vitamin E and DIY olive oil to the nail and soaking in vinegar 15 minutes a day. “It’s very healthy for your nails; if someone doesn’t have time to buy it, I’ll give them a small bottle,” he said.

Customers are gravitating to gel and dipping powder manicures for long-wearing results, and the Chus and their team are experts in the use of the most up-to-date products. These are perfectly safe and healthy options that will not damage nails, Chu said.

Damage occurs when nail technicians rush customers in and out, filing too much, he explained. “You have to have very good skills to feel when to stop. At some salons, they get

EOffering Unique Spa Services

E

The Nail Talk & Polished Spa Team

in a hurry so they can do more customers. Here, we don’t do that. We take good care of customers.”

Cleanliness is also a top priority at Nail Talk & Polished Spa. Pedicure bowls are sanitized, a new, disposable liner put in place for every service, and a one-use pedicure kit opened for each customer, ensuring your health and safety. Whether you are seeking a natural look or something dramatic, all services are exquisitely performed to your specifications, and customer reviews are overwhelmingly positive.

“We pride ourselves on putting our customers first. If they walk in, we tell them the truth about waiting time. If they don’t have time to wait, I will ask them to make an appointment or show them the nearest salon,” Chu said. “They will come back.”

Eric and Quin love the beaches and people on Hilton Head Island. “Most of my local customers are not only my customers but also my friends now,” Chu said.

“Quin sometimes makes Vietnamese food for them; she loves to share her food with everyone. I feel very happy to have a business on Hilton Head and be a part of this community.”

Nail Talk & Polished Spa offers a variety of nail enhancements and luxury addons in a sophisticated, modern, clean environment and at a reasonable price. Eric and Quin invite you to experience the difference at a salon where you can relax, knowing that your nails are in good hands.  Nail Talk & Polished Spa is located at 841 William Hilton Parkway in South Island Square on Hilton Head Island. Walk-ins welcome, but appointments are recommended. For a list of services and more information, visit www. nailtalkandpolishedspa.com or call (843) 681-2818.

C2 MAGAZINE

APPRIL 2019

111

c

Julie Parsley makes final adjustments on a client’s new look.

Julie Parsley, Hairdresser

The Art of the Good Hair Day

BY LINDA S. HOPKINS | PHOTOGRAPHY BY M.KAT | DESIGN BY FRAN SHERMAN

G

ood hair days don’t happen by accident. They happen when you have the right color, cut and style for your face, your hair, and your lifestyle. It’s as simple as that, but yet not so simple.

There’s no denying the power of hair and its ability to transform the way you look and feel. Why, then, are so many women walking around with tired color, brassy highlights, or hair that’s misbehaving? Maybe because they haven’t met Julie Parsley.

“You don’t miss what you haven’t had,” Parsley said, describing her brand of hairdressing as an art. “I feel like I have something different to offer.”

What sets her apart, Parsley said, is her willingness to take the time to perfect her styles and exceed clients’ expectations. She draws inspiration from music, from 112

APRIL 2019

C2 MAGAZINE

What sets her apart, Parsley said, is her willingness to take the time to perfect her styles and exceed clients’ expectations. work has been featured in Modern Salon and other national salon magazines. “It’s a career to me. I’m not a production-line hairdresser,” she said.

nature, and from the world around her— street looks to editorial looks. And she attributes much of her success (and her clients’ happiness) to her innate artistry along with her fiery passion for her chosen profession. “It’s not a job for me. It’s art,” she said.

New to the Lowcountry, Parsley comes with 34 years of experience, including 15 years as a platform artist and educator with John Paul Mitchell Systems and 30 years of salon/spa ownership. Over the years, Parsley has stayed abreast of what’s new, traveling, training, and teaching within the U.S. and abroad (freelancing in London, England and Berlin, Germany), continually merging her strong foundational skills and years of experience with the most current styles and styling techniques. Along the way, her

YOUR HAIR, HER CANVAS Think of yourself as a living, breathing work of art, because that is what Parsley sees when you walk in her door. “I am an artist. Each client comes in with a canvas, and the texture is the fabric,” she said, doe eyes dancing as she describes the thrill she gets when customers walk away from her chair with a sassy new look and fresh air of confidence. “Hair should be an expression of your individuality—where the inner you meets the outer you. Your color and style should ‘talk’ and make you feel good about yourself.”

Service begins with a thorough consultation, laying the foundation for the professional relationship and inspiring a level of trust. Parsley starts with a facial analysis to determine what potential styles and color(s) will enhance your best features. She asks pertinent questions: ‘What is your lifestyle? How much work do you want to put into it?’

“I think hair should be easy. Once you have the right cut, the right shape and the right color, it shouldn’t take a great deal of time to style your hair,” she said. She also asks about your specific hair challenges and concerns. This is where Parsley shines: She hears you and makes recommendations accordingly. She communicates clearly and honestly and makes sure you are comfortable with the plan before she begins.

Parsley specializes in transformation.

“I do elevations and angles when the hair is wet. But when it’s dry, that’s when the magic begins,” she said. “I think what sets me apart the most is my dry shaping (or hair carving as they called it 20 years ago).

It’s like whittling a piece of wood to make a shape or a sculpture. That’s all done after it’s been styled, and that’s when the beauty and finessing of the haircut takes place. You can’t teach somebody to do that. You have to have an eye for it. You have to watch through the mirror. I don’t even know how much I have to do. I just keep doing it until it falls into place.”

TESTIMONIALS “I am thrilled with the new look Julie created for me. Her attention to detail resulted in a truly flattering color and cut. And she even sculpted my eyebrows when I was at the wash station.”—Jennifer Pfuhl, President, Blue Sky Processing “Julie brightened up my drab color and gave my long, heavy hair a nice shape. She understands fashion and beauty. She knows color, cut and product. She’s spot on!”— Mary Lou Kayser, Former NYC Model “Julie is an artist. With her skill and technique, she can transform an ordinary hairstyle and color into a personal masterpiece.

She sees and brings out the superstar in every client, because she’s that good.”—Allison Reed Davis, Strategic Planning Manager “Julie Parsley is truly an artist with an eye for detail, a gift for styling, and a heart for serving. Talk to her. Then relax and trust her. She’ll make your hair look amazing!”—Linda Hopkins Writer/Editor “Julie completed my hairstyle with much more detail than I have ever had, which let me know she had something different to offer. I feel truly blessed to have found her.”— Dr. Courtney Davis, Pediatric Dentist C2 MAGAZINE

APPRIL 2019

113

Hair should be an expression of your individuality—where the inner you meets the outer you. Your color and style should ‘talk’ and make you feel good about yourself.

To tie is all together is the color, she explained. “Color is by far the most important. I can give you the greatest hairstyle on earth, but if you don’t have the right color, it doesn’t show it off.”

Currently performing her magic at Deo Volente Salon on Bluffton Rd., Parsley believes fabulous hair is achievable for everyone, no matter your age or stage of life. She has the skills, tools and products to work with the texture of your hair (or change it) and to make it your own personal work of art. “Age is insignificant when it comes to having flirty, sexy hair,” she said.

“I want you to feel like a movie star. You are my guest, and I’m here to serve you.”

Parsley comes to Bluffton from her hometown of Bridgeport, West Virginia; she’s excited to bring her expertise to our area while building a new life for herself in the sunny South.

Whether you’re looking for a total transformation or a tiny tweak, bring your “canvas” to Julie Parsley and experience a whole new level of hairdressing. Because good hair days don’t happen by accident.

Julie Parsley is a private operator at Deo Volente Salon, located at 68 Bluffton Rd., Suite 3, Bluffton, SC. Schedule your appointment by calling (304) 677-4968.

C2 MAGAZINE

APPRIL 2019

115

By Barry Kaufman

OLIVE AND FIG EXOTIC FLAVORS WITH HOMETOWN CHARM

M E D I T E R R A N E A N

K I T C H E N

–- as authentic as you can get without a passport

Greek, Lebanese, Mediterranean and more!

Chef Munjid prepares authentic exotic dishes for the Lowcountry’s cravings.

T

he original tale of Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp, as written in 1001 Arabian Nights, bears little resemblance to its Disney adaptation.

For example, in the original text, Aladdin wisely asks the genie for the greatest treasure in the Arab world: a meal. Using his second wish, Aladdin asks for food and is granted “twelve silver plates containing rich meats, two silver cups and two bottles of wine.”

Thankfully, you don’t need a powerful genie to conjure up a legendary feast of Middle Eastern and Mediterranean flavors. You simply need to visit Olive & Fig, where Chef Munjid Yousif has granted the Lowcountry’s wish for exotic flavors prepared with authenticity.

“It’s a concept you can’t find close by, and we do very authentic cuisine: Greek, Lebanese, Mediterranean … it’s all authentic. What you eat here is what you eat in Lebanon,” Yousif said.

Having grown up in Lebanon, learning the timetested techniques of his country’s cuisine at his mother’s apron strings, Yousif has brought a lifetime of experience to bear at Olive & Fig. In fact, you won’t find a single recipe in the place. Everything stems directly from Yousif’s Lebanese upbringing and his years spent cooking around the world. A student of London’s Royal Academy of Culinary Arts, Yousif has cooked his way around Hilton Head Island for years, at places like Long Cove Club and Palmetto Hall, while flexing his hospitality muscles in opening kitchens like Bayshore Retirement Village. It’s this foundation of authenticity, fueled by his years in the kitchen, that have formed an unwavering commitment to replicating the famed flavors, textures and aromas of the region’s food.

“We will drive to Charlotte or Jacksonville to the Arabic markets to get what we need,” said Tammy Yousif, the front-of-the-house half of the husband and wife duo. “We’ve had people who traveled to the region tell us it’s like being there again.”

That ironclad commitment to authentic ingredients and techniques informs a menu of Middle Eastern and Mediterranean dishes that entice from the moment you step in and bask in the aromas of exotic spice.

It’s akin to a 10-day culinary tour with Greek staples like gyros, saganaki and stuffed grape leaves joining Middle Eastern favorites like doner kebob, shawarma and falafel (in one writer’s opinion, the best you’ll find) in a cross-regional feast for the senses.

“Everything is fresh and prepared daily, right down to the sauces. We don’t use a microwave—we don’t even use steam tables,” Tammy said. “People can tell the difference when they eat the food, and I think that’s why people continually come back.”

They certainly do come back, as evidenced by the massive following Olive & Fig has amassed just in its first year. First spreading by word of mouth, and then across the electronic forum of social media, the restaurant won over patrons with its food and its friendliness.

“The word is out,” Tammy said. She cites tourists who have made Olive & Fig the first stop on their return visit to the area (“they hadn’t even been to their condo yet.”) as well as the multitude of times folks have stopped in for dinner and then returned the next day for lunch, drawn by the craving for those authentic flavors. “The locals we attract, it’s important to know their name; it’s important to know where they like to sit… We get a lot of women stopping in for after-work drinks because they know it’s a safe place; it has a very neighborhood feel.”

The extent of their unbridled popularity came when the couple, who are in the restaurant all day every day they’re open, took some time off to move. “We had to close for 10 days. It was like a bombshell.”

They had so many visits from hungry patrons, in fact, that the police had to get involved. Don’t worry, all the authorities did was erect a larger sign out front that the restaurant was closed. “Which is exactly what our sign said,” added Tammy with a laugh.

It didn’t really hit them how popular their restaurant had become until they reopened. “We reopened on a Friday, and I remember thinking maybe we should have waited until Monday,” Tammy said. “People were pulling in before we opened, and we weren’t out of here until midnight.”

She says it with a laugh, of course. As surprised as they are by their sudden popularity, the Yousifs are incredibly grateful for the support this community has shown them.

It’s what keeps them going, adding to the experience all the time. It’s why they’ve started once-a-month belly dancing nights featuring the famed Gigi out of Savannah.

“It’s all about the experience,” Tammy said.

The friendliness, the neighborhood atmosphere and the regular entertainment are all a part of it. But the lion’s share of the experience is the food—those sublimely delicious creations of Chef Yousif that hint at the wonders of the world while ensuring a return visit to continue your culinary tour. Prepared with rigid adherence to freshness and authenticity, every bite is like a new experience.

And as Aladdin would surely attest, every dish is like a wish come true.  Olive & Fig Mediterranean Kitchen is located at 1533 Fording Island Rd. #326, in Moss Creek Shopping Center.

For more information, visit https://olive-fig-mediterraneankitchen.business.site or call (843) 605-4093.

These and more available now at Olive and Fig!

R A N DY J E F F C O AT B U I L D E R S

INC

Celebrating 40 Years

“THERE IS NO SUBSTITUTE FOR QUALITY,” RANDY SAID. FROM THE INITIAL DESIGN TO FINAL CLOSING WITH THE CLIENT, EVERY STEP BUILDS TO THE NEXT AND IS VITAL TO THE PROGRESS AND TIMELINE.

THE EXPERIENCE YOU EXPECT, THE QUALITY YOU DESERVE, A FAMILY YOU CAN TRUST <<< Trey, Brenda, Randy and Rhett Jeffcoat.

T

he Lowcountry has been a peaceful retreat for locals, tourists and transplants for years, and Randy Jeffcoat has had a frontrow seat to the evolution of Hilton Head Island and Bluffton over the last 40 years. One of the Lowcountryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s premiere custom home builders, Randy Jeffcoat Builders, Inc. is truly a familyowned-and-operated company, drawing their expertise from many years in the industry.

As one of the longest-standing builders in the Lowcountry, and a third-generation builder, Randy Jeffcoat learned firsthand from his father, who was a builder, and followed in his footsteps. Starting out as a framer, he began custom work by request, relying on his knowledge and skill to complete complicated floor plans with difficult framing features. His drive to achieve flawless designs and to strive

FROM

elegant lowcountry

“I TAKE ON EACH HOUSE AS IF I WERE BUILDING MY OWN. MY NAME IS BEHIND IT, AND I WANT CLIENTS TO FEEL SUPPORTED THROUGH THE PROCESS.”

towards perfection has kept his company on top as each project is monitored closely for detail.

“There is no substitute for quality,” Randy said. From the initial design to final closing with the client, every step builds to the next and is vital to the progress and timeline. Each project’s success depends heavily on the details and managing every move to avoid mistakes. “I take on each house as if I were building my own. My name is behind it, and I want clients to feel supported through the process.”

In this family-operated company, Randy’s wife Brenda maintains the office, assuring that the accounting is up to date and subcontractors are completing their jobs as stated.

Occasionally, you will find her assisting their selections coordinator Nina Bartolotto with clients’ hard selections, a role she used to handle among other juggled tasks.

Randy’s two sons Trey and Rhett Jeffcoat also play pivotal roles in driving Randy Jeffcoat Builders. Trey, VP of production, oversees the project managers and the final walk-through with clients, while Rhett, VP of sales and estimating, meets with 122

APRIL 2019

C2 MAGAZINE

clients, handles the design build with clients and architects, assigns each subcontractor to the job, and works on pricing as well as handling marketing efforts and social media. “From getting a client in the door to walking through the steps of building their dream home, it takes each one of us to make that happen. No one job is more important than the other, and it truly takes a great team,” Rhett said.

One focus for the company is ensuring Randy is on each project. He initially meets with the client and Rhett and then works closely with Trey and the project managers to oversee construction.

If you are coming to Randy Jeffcoat Builders to build your custom

TO

CO N T E M P O R A RY

R A N DY J E F F C O AT B U I L D E R S

INC

Celebrating 40 Years

RECIPIENT OF THE BUILDER OF THE YEAR AWARD, ALONG WITH MORE THAN 70 LIGHTHOUSE AWARDS FOR OUTSTANDING HOMES THROUGHOUT THE LOWCOUNTRY, RANDY CONTINUES STRIVING TO BE BETTER. C2 MAGAZINE

APPRIL 2019

123

124

APRIL 2019

C2 MAGAZINE

ONE WAY THE JEFFCOATS PUT THEIR CLIENTS’ MINDS AT EASE IS SENDING UPDATES OF THE PROJECT EACH FRIDAY THROUGH A SPECIAL CLIENT LOG-IN TAB ON THEIR WEBSITE. home, you get Randy Jeffcoat, which is one aspect that makes them a popular choice.

Reminiscing over the years, Randy and Brenda laughed as they thought back to where their company began. “I’ll never forget, my first desk was two file cabinets with an old door I put on top. It wasn’t pretty, but it got the job done,” Randy said. Over the years they have continued to grow and have left a lasting impression on the Lowcountry as they have completed projects in every plantation. From a simple, yet elegant Lowcountry design to multimillion-dollar contemporary design, there isn’t a style or floor plan they can’t tackle. “I never thought I’d see this company grow to the heights it has,” Randy said, “but it’s really special to see so many years of hard work pay off.”

Recipient of Premier Builder of the Year award in 2017, along with more than 70 Lighthouse Awards for outstanding homes throughout the Lowcountry, Randy continues striving to be better. In his eyes, there is always room to grow, and each project completed only advances their knowledge in the industry. He understands building a home is a big decision and one most clients don’t take lightly. To make things even more challenging, many clients are building their dream home from afar, working toward retirement and leaving their project in the Jeffcoat team’s hands.

R A N DY J E F F C O AT B U I L D E R S

INC

Celebrating 40 Years

One way the Jeffcoats put their clients’ minds at ease is sending updates of the project each Friday through a special client log-in tab on their website. “This tool has been instrumental in giving our clients the peace of mind they need by creating a checks and balance system for them to monitor the weekly progression,” Rhett said. As the initial point of contact, Rhett, like Randy is with clients every step of the way. This allows clients who live out of town to feel a part of their build.

As Randy Jeffcoat Builders just celebrated 40 years of serving the Lowcountry, they continue to have one goal in mind: custom homes comfortably. Near or afar, Randy and his team will provide the hands-on custom experience you expect and exceed your expectations.

New to the Lowcountry and looking to build your dream home? Call Randy and his team to learn how they can assist you in your construction endeavors.

Randy Jeffcoat Builders, Inc. is located at 40 Persimmon St., Suite 103, in Bluffton. See current projects and model home plans at www.RandyJeffcoatBuilders.com or on their Instagram account @ randyjeffcoatbuilders. For more information, call (843) 837-5133.

C2 MAGAZINE

APPRIL 2019

125

Staycation:

Old Town D N U BO

Featuring the clothing of Knickers Menswear and Haskins & Co.

A

re you an Islander looking to escape the Easter crowds on the

south end of Hilton Head? Then hop in the car and head over the bridge to Old Town Bluffton for a tranquil Staycation.

Calhoun Street

Park down by the stunning Church of the Cross, and meander your way up Calhoun Street, stopping at shops and art galleries along the way. Snap a photo in front of the majestic Seven Oaks and take a tour of the historic Heyward House, just one street over.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY M.KAT CLOTHING MODELED BY JONATHAN & TAYLOR FROM HALO MODEL AND TALENT AGENCY DESIGN BY JEFF CLINE HAIR & MAKEUP BY SALON KARMA SPECIAL THANKS TO THE OLD TOWN BLUFFTON INN AND RICK AND NANCY MANNING FOR THE BEAUTIFUL RIDE.

O N T AY L O R : Embroidered Dress: Haskins & Co $76 Navy Sandals: Primp $29 Earrings: Saylor Betty $24 Bracelet: Gold Snap Braided $20

O N J O N AT H A N : Shirt: Forrest Lennard $195 Denim: Peter Millar $149 Black Loafers: Trask $195 Swordfish Belt: $165

Pricing changes and human error occurs â&#x20AC;&#x201C; please see boutiques listed for final pricing on all items.

Sunday Strollin’

An ice cream stop at Crabby’s Corner, tucked behind Mameem and Maudie’s on Lawton Street, is just what a warm spring day calls for. Enjoy each other’s company as you sit on a bench swing in the adjacent park, and while away the hours getting to know each other again.

O N J O N AT H A N : Purple Striped Shirt: johnnie-O $85 Purple Sweatshirt: johnnie-O $98 Pants: Oliver Ridley $135, O N T AY L O R : Grey Jumpsuit: Haskins & Co $64 Necklace: Four Three Collective $54 Earrings: Kendra Scott $60 Bracelet: Kendra Scott $65 Clutch: Satchel $86 Sunglasses: DIFF Eyewear $85

O N J O H N AT H A N : Grey Pants: Peter Millar $149 Green and Blue Shirt: Oliver Ridley $95 Blue Pullover: Oliver Ridley $115 O N T AY L O R : Blue T-Shirt Dress: Z Supply $56 Clutch: Satchel $86 Layered Pearl Necklaces: Four Three Collective.

Small pearl, $45; Large pearl $68

The View from 302

Pick your room directly from the innâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s website (blufftoninnsc.com), which shows you the unique decor and room layout, along with a description of your window or balcony view.

Room 302 overlooks the Promenade, where a night out at various hot spots is calling.

Checking In

The Old Town Bluffton Inn is officially open for business, and you can be one of the first to enjoy its Southern charm. From the inn’s 14 rooms to its lofty balconies and inspired design, you’ll find every boutique amenity you deserve and hospitality that will constantly find new ways to delight you. The inn’s inspired elegance evokes a bygone era, when travelers would arrive at stately Southern mansions in horse-drawn carriages and toast the evening by gaslight.

O N T AY L O R : Yellow Sweater: Kerisma $68 Denim: Dear John $88 Handbag: Satchel $215 Navy Sandal: Primp $29 Necklace: Navy and Gold: Four Three Collective $74 Bracelet: Gold Snap Braided $20

O N J O N AT H A N : Denim: Peter Millar $149 Shirt: Tommy Bahama $145 Shoes: Swims $180 Overnight Bag: Peter Millar $495

Bluffton Beginnings

A good day begins with coffee and breakfast at the Corner Perk, just two doors down from the Old Town Bluffton Inn. This bustling hangout plays host to businessmen making deals, new moms headed to yoga appointments and USCB students cramming for finals. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s everything the quintessential coffee shop should be â&#x20AC;&#x201D; you could literally hang out here for hours. And he might need to, while she gets ready.

O N J O H N AT H A N : Grey Pants: Peter Millar $149 Blue Print Button Down: Madeleine Finn $195 Grey Sweater: Peter Millar $165 Navy Vest: Peter Millar $495 Loafer: Swims $180

Small Town Salon, Big City Results

Pamper yourself and let the ladies at Salon Karma do your hair & makeup for a night out with your main squeeze. Sip on champagne and catch up on the gossip rags while they work their magic.

O N T AY L O R : Yellow Shorts: Dear John $69 Blue Tank: Mud Pie $44 Earrings: L Kennedy Designs $24 Blue Sandal: $29 Bracelets: 5 for $35 or $8 each

EAT SOME RIBS

Immerse yourself in the flavor of the south at Ted Huffmanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Bluffton BBQ, where you can sit inside and soak up the amusing signs throughout, or dine alfresco on the garden patio. We recommend the ribsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; with a side of Mac & Cheese and Sweet Potato Casserole.

O N T AY L O R : Green and White Dress: Blues & Grey $54 Red Hoop Earrings: Saylor Betty $24 O N J O N AT H A N : Plaid Shirt: Peter Millar $149 Blue Sweater: Peter Millar $155 Red Pant: Peter Millar $149

FISHIN’ AIN’T CATCHIN’

The May River is at the center of Bluffton life so you should definitely get out on it. Charter a fishing excursion with a local, or rent a few kayaks and explore on your own. Alternatively, just keep it simple with a few poles down on the dock.

FORE A GOOD TIME…

While the pros are lighting up the course in Harbour Town, you can get your own 18 holes in at Bluffton’s Hilton Head National. Nothing is as relaxing as cruising around in a golf cart, enjoying the scenery and watching the wildlife soak up the sun.

O N J O N AT H A N : Grey Shorts: Southern Tide $85 Blue Fish Button Down: Southern Tide $99.50 Belt: J.T. Spencer $85 Loafer: Swims $160

O N T AY L O R : White Pants: Spanx $98 Floral Top: Mud Pie $39 Red Earrings: L. Kennedy Designs $32

O N T AY L O R : Red Dress: Z Supply $46 Blue Sandals: Primp $29 Earrings: Kendra Scott $120 Necklace: Kendra Scott $130 Vacay Bag: Mud Pie $24

O N J O N AT H A N : Red Pullover: Peter Millar $115 Rain Jacket: Peter Millar $195 Rain Pants: Peter Millar $95

ARTICLE BY LINDA S. HOPKINS P H OTO G R A P H Y BY M . K AT D E S I G N BY C AT H E R I N E C O L BY

DUNES CATERING AND

EVENTS: YOUR ONE-STOP C AT E R I N G S O U R C E

H

osting a party, celebration or event? Feeling a bit stressed and overwrought? Put your worries behind you, because Dunes Catering & Events is standing by to take the burden out of entertaining.

Whether youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re planning an elegant wedding reception, intimate dinner party, a backyard barbecue, luncheon, golf outing, or weeklong business conference, their experienced staff will work with you from beginning to end to ensure that your guests leave with one word on the tips of their tongues: WOW!

R

A filet with fresh asparagus, carrots, mashed potato and demi-glacĂŠ

V

Executive Sous Chef Fabian Grey serves hors d'oeuvres at a function held at Alexander's Restaurant in Shelter Cove.

R

Palmetto Crab Cakes with Whole Grain Mustard Aioli

R

Asiago Stuffed New Potato SoufflĂŠs

DUNES CATERING & EVENTS It’s no secret that people eat first with their eyes, and Carroll is known for the finishing touches that give his food its visual appeal.

Dunes Catering & Events is prepared to be your partner every step of the way, from selecting a venue to establishing the menu and executing your entire plan—down to the tables, chairs, linens, decorations and, of course, service with a capital S. Large or small, simple or complex, fancy or not, they know how to set the scene exactly as you envision it, expertly guiding you, while supplying the professional services you need to pull off the event of your dreams.

FABULOUS FOOD No matter the size or scope of your gathering, food is a focal point, and this is one area where Dunes Catering & Events shines.

Resort Executive Chef Sean Carroll, who oversees all five of the resort’s restaurants, is excited to introduce his re-vamped version of the catering menus with a view towards fresh and modern. “I wanted to enhance what we were doing. My goal

C2 MAGAZINE

APPRIL 2019

137

Q

Tomato, Basil and Mozzarella Brochettes

Q

Executive Chef Sean Carroll

DUNES CATERING & EVENTS was to streamline it, modernize it—not try to reinvent the wheel but to make delicious food people want and also food that is influenced by this region,” he said.

The menu is not so vast that you get lost, but there are plenty of options to meet your every need and desire: breakfasts, lunches, brunches, plated dinners, buffets, action stations, beverage packages, and more. “The menus read really well. And if there is something a guest wants that is not on the menu, most often, we can execute it,” Brian Couey, Palmetto Dunes Resort’s Director of Food and Beverage said.

Insisting on the highest-quality ingredients, Carroll notes a shift towards local ingredients in his menu-making, as well. “What we’re doing is focusing on the beautiful seafood and produce here and the traditions of this area,” he said.

While tapping into the local bounty, tweaking the menus, and enhancing recipes, Carroll has also added popular dishes such as hummus and Greek/Mediterranean selections, along with upscale vegan and gluten-free options. “Whatever was going to have real estate on the menu, I wanted it to have a ‘wow’ factor and to be somewhat modernized,” Carroll said. “I also wanted to treat all the 138

APRIL 2019

C2 MAGAZINE

different price options with respect. You’ve gotta put some love into the food, and as people make these selections and I get to put out the new items, I’m excited.”

And then there is presentation. It’s no secret that people eat first with their eyes, and Carroll is known for the finishing touches that give his food its visual appeal. “His approach to some of the hors d’oeuvres and the preparations of the buffets and plated items is not what you see every day at a typical hotel resort banquet department. It’s more like what you expect to see at a nice restaurant,” Couey said. “He puts a creative spin on the classics and has an artful way of presenting the food that is sure to please our guests.”

GREAT EXPECTATIONS While food is the star of a catered event, many other elements go into a great guest experience. “The food is at the forefront, but it’s not just the food—it’s the service,” Couey said. “Clients have high expectations, and we are prepared to exceed them.”

“We’ve built a team that has high expectations as well,” Courtney Daley, Catering and Event Sales Manager, said. “It’s important to us that we all share the same vision. We want to

Q

The menu is not so vast that you get lost, but there are plenty of options to meet your every need and desire.

be proud of what we do. Sean is very proud of what he puts out there, and I’m proud of what I can show our guests.”

Ronald Mitchell, Banquet Manager, is integral to the team and is fantastic at running the show, Daley said. He is also capable of turning an event around on a dime when weather is a factor. Always with a plan B for outdoor events (which includes tenting if necessary), staff members are available to make any last-minute changes without missing a beat.

LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION Palmetto Dunes Oceanfront Resort offers five on-site venues including the everpopular Dunes House, on the beach, with sweeping views of the ocean and both indoor and outdoor accommodations, perfect for everything from formal weddings and fine dining to Lowcountry suppers; Alexander’s Restaurant & Wine Bar, a lovely lagoon-front setting, ideal for lunches and brunches or private dining events; Centre Court Pavilion, a bright, airy all-in-one event center, newly renovated, featuring a covered open-air pavilion and versatile room sectioning options, appropriate for casual wedding lunches, banquets, business meetings and social affairs of all sizes; Arthur Hills Golf Course, a delightful setting and beautiful backdrop for weddings, meetings or corporate dinners; and Palmetto Dunes Tennis Center, a fun spot for a sporty courtside after-hours reception or cocktail hour.

Dunes Catering & Events can also deliver to your location within the resort, other area venues that accept outside catering (Honey Horn, Hilton Head Distillery), or anywhere on Hilton Head Island. They can provide a private chef, wait staff, or whatever services you need to make your party a success while you relax and enjoy it along with your guests.

“The word’s getting out that we are making our guests happy. These occasions are meant to be special, and our goal is to make them memorable for the guests—the food craveable, and the service spot on,” Carroll said. “I’m open and super flexible to what the guests want. Whether we go to someone’s house to do a private-chef event or put on a Lowcountry supper or a high-end plated dinner, we construct it the way they want it.

We have the experience to cater to what they want and make it really awesome.”  For a no-hassle celebration you’ll be proud of, visit Dunes Catering & Events at www.dunescateringandevents.com, call (866) 650-4130, or email catering@palmettodunes. com for more information.

C2 MAGAZINE

APPRIL 2019

139

I S C MUin bathroomsIANS MUSICIANS: JOHN CRANFORD, JON BRUNER, PHILLIP SIRMANS, YANNIE REYNECKE, ERIC REID

BAND: CRANFORD HOLLOW

P H O T O G R A P H Y B Y M . K AT

Special thanks to Jeff and Royal Restrooms for hosting our shoot.

Phil A.K.A Kanye West Place you go to get away from it all.

JC: Daufuskie JB: My secret lair overlooking Coligny Beach PS: Lake house in Georgia YR: Porter and Pig, every day!

ER: Tower Beach with my dogs and my Sweet Lady

Most underrated song that, in your opinion, should be a classic.

JC: “All Around the World” (“The Myth of Fingerprints”), Paul Simon JB: “Check my Brain,” Alice in Chains PS: “Debra,” Beck YR: “Snake Farm,” Ray Wylie Hubbard ER: “Surprise Valley,” by Widespread Panic Biggest compliment you’ve ever gotten from a fan?

JC: “Your music helped through some hard times.”

JB: “Your music made our night” is always special to me.

PS: “Is that all you in them jeans?”

YR: That she saw colors when I was playing. She had synesthesia, which means you hear and see colors, and said she didn’t always hear and see colors when people played, but she saw them from me. It was a really cool compliment.

ER: “Let’s do it again, boys!”—Charlie Daniels What is your favorite song to perform?

JC: “Broken Cigarette,” by us JB: “All Crash Down,” Cranford Hollow PS: “Spanish Moon” YR: “Spanish Moon” ER: “Spanish Moon,” by Little Feat

It’s all Phil in them jeans!

What do you sing in the shower?

JC: Songs about my cats JB: “Folsom Prison Blues” PS: “Unpretty,” by TLC YR: “Snake Farm” ER: These days, it’s usually something by Big K.R.I.T. Favorite cereal?

JC: Frosted Flakes JB: Cap ’N’ Crunch PS: Raisin Bran YR: Don’t like cereal.

ER: Honey Bunches of Oats At what venue do you most like to perform?

JC: Belly Up, Aspen, Colorado JB: It’s not the venue; it’s the audience for me.

PS: Belly Up, Aspen YR: Coligny Theater ER: The Moon in Telluride, Colorado Most requested song at shows?

JC: “Radio” JB: I don’t know ... I’m the drummer.

PS: “Radio” YR: A lot of people like to yell “Copper Head Road” at Eric.

ER: “The Devil Went Down to Georgia” First concert you attended?

JC: Maybe Beach Boys, Arby’s Wisconsin State Fair?

JB: R.E.O. Speedwagon PS: Jimmy Buffett YR: BB King ER: I think it was Mr. and Mrs. Yearwood (Garth Brooks and Tricia) Favorite artist?

JC: MC Taylor of Hiss Golden Messenger JB: Old 97’s PS: Umphrey’s YR: Ry Cooder ER: Widespread Panic and UGK

142

APRIL 2019

C2 MAGAZINE

Do you tweet, gram or book? What’s your handle?

JC: @swampfirerecords JB: Gram. bumofbeach1... Also, FB. PS: #generalpc YR: Gram, yannie_reynecke ER: Instagram ereid843 Finish this verse as if it were the hook of a song: ll Spring Break Girls, Y’a “Sally went down to the bayou...”

JC: “Bobby went down to the store; Susie went to the mailbox; What’s everyone lookin’ for?”

JB: “She was looking for her soul to heal. Sally walked up on an Emu. La la la doo doo doo...” (I’m a drummer.)

PS: “And asked, ‘Can you play track #3 of the new Britany Spears album?’ All us pretty girls wanna dance without you; All us pretty girls wanna dance without you; Wooohoooo, spring break girls.”

YR: “It just sounds nasty; It pretty much is; It’s a reptile house.”

ER: “Unfortunately she was wearing my shoes.

Who would star as you in the epic retelling of your life on film?

JC: Younger Jack Nicholson JB: Darth Vader. I just want to see him jam out.

PS: James Van Der Beek YR: Eric Reid ER: Anyone but Tom Cruise or Sean Penn First instrument you learned to play.

JC: Piano JB: Mom says I tapped on everything since I was a toddler.

PS: Bass YR: Cello ER: Violin Song you were thrilled to finally master.

JC: A song off our fifth album, “Songfield” JB: “Tom Sawyer,” by Rush PS: “Llama Llama Red Pajama”—Ludacris version YR: “Snake Farm” ER: “Without a Word,” by Phillip Sirmans What do you wish you knew more about?

JC: Spanish language JB: Particle physics PS: Science YR: Botany ER: Science and philosophy

GONE SQUATCHIN’

What famous musician would you love to sing a duet with?

JC: Barbra Streisand JB: Nora Jones PS: Vitas YR: Ray Wylie Hubbard ER: Phillip Sirmans What animal do you most identify with?

JC: My cat Retro JB: Chihuahuas PS: Squatch YR: Bigfoot ER: Human

a

If you got super-famous and you had to change your name, what would your new name be?

JC: Probably just drop the John and go with “Cranford” JB: Jonnie Tendonitis (So what you’re sayin is...)

PS: Toledo Zoo YR: Don Hammer ER: Erik Reed

S

What’s your sign?

John Cranford: Scorpio John Bruner: Pisces Phillip Sirmans: 7XL Yannie Reynecke: Gemini Eric Reid: Scorpio

APRIL

2019 SUNDAY

MONDAY

ALL MONTH LONG GREGG RUSSELL SPRING CONCERTS April 1-5; 7:30-9pm April 8-12; 7:30-9pm April 15-17; 7:30-9pm Under the Liberty Oak in Harbour Town Complimentary seapines.com/events

7

TUESDAY

2

HUGEL WINE DINNER Charlie’s L’etoile Verte at 6:30pm $125 Per Person (Including Tax & Gratuity) (843) 785-9277

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

2-21 3

4

11

MONDAY NIGHT EXHIBITION Sea Pines Racquet Club 5:30 pm (843) 363-4495

Don’t miss the 51st annual RBC Heritage Presented by Boeing, South Carolina’s only PGA TOUR event, hosted at The Sea Pines Resort’s famed Harbour Town Golf Links. This historic event takes place during the week following the Masters and continues the longstanding tradition of being one of golf’s most notable tournaments. rbcheritage.com

21

22

23

28

MARY ANN PUTZIER MEMORIAL ART SHOW Soba Gallery 6 Church Street Old Town Bluffton 10AM – 2PM

Shelter Cove Harbour & Marina, 6-9pm April 4 — Deas Guyz April 11 — Target the Band April 18 — Stee & the Ear Candy April 25 — The Headliners www.palmettodunes.com/shelter-cove/ events-hilton-head/music-and-taste

146

APRIL 2019

C2 MAGAZINE

24

18- 20

31

12

16 19

Harbour Town Yacht Basin from 5-10pm Thurs: SonderBlue Fri: Josh Brannon Band Sat: Maggie Rose and Them Vibes

25

HILTON HEAD LAND TRUST’S ANNUAL MEETING, DINNER AND SILENT AUCTION Palmetto Hall Golf Club at 4:30pm $55/person and $60 at the door

28

13

SURFACING: SPRING SHOP HOP MEET ARTIST AND THE BUNNY SOL LUCKMAN HOP TRAIL Karis Art Gallery Village at Wexford The Village sidewalk sales, at Wexford crafts for the kids, 5:30-8pm games, contests karisartgallery.com and entertainment. or (843) 785-5100

PARTY AT THE PIER

carolinadreamers.info

ALL MONTH LONG

MUSIC & TASTE ON THE HARBOUR

17

KICKOFF TO HERITAGE WITH LIVE MUSIC BY THE CHIGGERS Street Meet 7-10pm streetmeet.com

CAROLINA DREAMERS CAR CLUB CRUISE-IN Shelter Cove Lane from 5-8pm No costs, no reservations

HAPPY EARTH DAY!

6 Sea Pines Forest Preserve 4:30-7:30pm Tickets required; $40/person (843) 671-1343

3RD ANNUAL SLICE OF HHI: Seahawk Cultural Center April 11 and April 12 7:00 PM (843)-689-4852

RBC HERITAGE PRESENTED BY BOEING April 15-21; 8am-6pm

5

PARTY IN THE PINES

9

MONDAYS

FRIDAY SATURDAY

26 WAHHI SPRING LUNCHEON Sonesta Resort in Shipyard Plantation 12pm $30 for members $38 for guests www.wahhi.org

29

EASTER EGGSTRAVAGANZA Shelter Cove Community Park 10am-1pm Bounce Houses, Concessions and Other Entertainment

27-28 THE ART MARKET AT HISTORIC HONEY HORN Sat: 10am-5pm Sun: 11am-4pm Demonstrations will be held throughout the weekend.

Rain or shine $3/person (843) 689-6767 ext. 224