Beaufort Lifestyle April May 2017

B EAUFORT, P ORT R OYAL A ND T HE S EA I SLANDS

MAY 2017

Farming: IN THIS ISSUE

• Artist Profile • Beaufort History • In The News • Home And Garden

All In The Family

BEAUFORT

BLUFFTON

SAVANNAH

HILTON HEAD

LOOK. THEN LEAP. Out of 46 hospitals in the state, Beaufort Memorial was one of just 18 to receive an “A” rating on the Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grades’ 2017 Spring report card. Our top score is testament to our ability to protect patients from human error and prevent hospitalacquired infections. In sum, we look hard at patient safety so that, when it comes to your care, you never have to take a leap of faith.

b e au f o r tm e m o r i a l . o r g

CONTRIBUTORS writers

photographers Cindy Reid

Susan Deloach

Cindy Reid has been published in About Town, skirt!, Salon.com and The Coastal Mariner. A graduate of Mills College in Oakland, CA, she spent most of her career working with authors in the retail book business before becoming one herself. She has a daughter who lives in the state of Washington. A native of New York’s Hudson Valley, she now makes her home on St. Helena Island.

Susan Deloach was born Susan Bessinger in Beaufort, where she still resides with her husband, Larry, and sons Hudson and Tucker. Susan has a gift for capturing the personality and unique essence of her subject whether on location or in the studio. Her portraits are as diverse as the personalities of the people she photographs some are edgy, some joyful, but all have one thing in common: the sensitive, skilled and thoughtful approach of the artist behind the camera.

Mary Ellen Thompson

John Wollwerth

Mary Ellen Thompson has never met a train, boat or plane that she didn’t like ~ they represent travel and adventures, two of her most favorite things. Having started life on Philadelphia’s Main Line, she’s lived in houses and on boats on the Chesapeake Bay, New York, Florida, England, France, and now Beaufort. She finds the most secret locavore restaurants, the best dive bars, and the most charming little hotels. When Mary Ellen’s at home, she loves being with her friends, entertaining, listening to the marsh, and her silly cats. Best of all, she loves her son in Denver, her daughter in New York, and her great friend and editor, Meredith, in PA.

John Wollwerth is a photographer raised in New York, now living in Beaufort. He specializes in wedding and commercial photography, with additional background in portrait and stock photography. His work has appeared in such publications as The Washington Post, the Minneapolis Tribune, Coastal Living and South Carolina Homes and Gardens. John is involved with the Photography Club of Beaufort and the Professional Photographer of South Carolina. He lives with his wife and three children.

Carol Lauvray

Paul Nurnberg

Carol Lauvray relocated from Ohio to Beaufort in 2011 to enjoy the pristine coastal beauty of the Lowcountry and this friendly, welcoming community. In Beaufort, Carol’s found more than a home--she’s found the ideal place to pursue her passions for history and writing. She became a docent for the Beaufort History Museum in 2013 and now serves as the President of the Museum’s Board of Directors. Carol has more than 20 years of experience in writing marketing communications and holds a Masters Degree in Organizational Communication from Ohio University. Her daughter Cristin and son-in-law Kevin live near Columbus, Ohio.

Paul Nurnberg, whose studio is in Beaufort, SC, specializes in architectural and lifestyle advertising photography. He photographs a variety of subjects including people, products, food, nature and travel for ad agencies, large corporations and magazines. Local clients include Beaufort Memorial Hospital, The Vegetable Kingdom and Swanky J Boutique. Other clients include JCB, (UK/Savannah), Johnson Matthey, Parker’s Markets and Stertil­Koni. Paul also teaches photography and camera classes and one on one lessons to individuals. He just finished a twoyear term as president of the SC chapter of the American Society of Media Photographers

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www.beaufortlifestyle.com 04 May 2017 | www.BeaufortLifestyle.com

ARTICLE SUBMISSIONS

Beaufort Lifestyle welcomes story ideas from our readers. If you have a story idea or photo essay you would like to share, please submit ideas and material by emailing Julie Hales at julie@idpmagazines.com.

Stories or ideas for stories must be submitted by email. Only feature stories and photo essays about people, places or things in Beaufort, Port Royal or the Sea Islands will be considered.

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www.BeaufortLifestyle.com | May 2017

07

CONTENTS

APRIL 2017

14 Lovely Stuart and Wayne Heath’s Lowcountry Garden

20 ExJoyMarine, Craig Writer, Dragon Boat Coach

10

Farming All In The Family

24 Brushstrokes Artist Profile: Jennifer Jones of the Lowcountry

DEPARTMENTS SPECIALS

09 Publisher’s Thoughts 37 Home and Garden 32 In The News 34 Dining Feature

29 Preservation, Beaufort History: Advocacy and

Education, Historic Beaufort Foundation

08 May 2017 | www.BeaufortLifestyle.com

PUBLISHER’S THOUGHTS Our Home and Garden Issue

S

pring is here and summer is right around the corner! The days are longer, the nights are warmer, and the streets of Beaufort are bustling with people.

Spring is also a time of change, and many of you may be considering making changes to your home and/or garden. Home and garden decorating and real estate are hot topics. Every second of the day, there is a television show on for these very topics. Flip or Flop, House Hunters, Love it or List it, Property Brothers, and Yard Crashers are just a few shows that you can watch.

Lucky for you, this is our Home and Garden issue. Inside you’ll find local businesses that are ready to help you with all of your home

and gardening needs. From real estate to landscaping, you are sure to find the right fit for you.

We have also thrown in some good local agriculture...farming and cattle. We have it all here in our region.

As always, we have featured some of Beaufort’s amazing people. There is never a shortage of material with communities as wonderful as Beaufort and the Sea Islands. So go ahead and turn the page and familiarize yourself with a few more people living the Beaufort Lifestyle.

Be on the lookout for our upcoming June issue. This monthly thing is exciting...always something new to write about.

Julie Hales, PUBLISHER

B EAUFORT, P ORT R OYAL A ND T HE S EA I SLANDS

ABOUT THE COVER

MAY 2017

Meet the Henry’s from Henry Farms.

Farming is a huge business in our region...and these people tell us how to keep that going. Hard work and dedication to the farm keeps this family busy...and the community reaps the rewards.

Farming: IN THIS ISSUE

All In The Family

• Artist Profile • Beaufort History • In The News • Home And Garden

STAFF

Julie Hales Owner/Publisher julie@idpmagazines.com

Lane Leopard Graphic Design lane@idpmagazines.com

Lea Allen Administrative Assistant Circulation lea@idpmagazines.com

Wanda Simmons Account Executive wanda@idpmagazines.com

Beaufort Lifestyle is proudly produced by Independence Day Publishing One Beaufort Town Center • 2015 Boundary Street, Suite 330 • Beaufort, SC 29902 • (843) 379-8696 CIRCULATION: Beaufort Lifestyle is publlished monthly, printing 10,000 copies and distributed to over 200 locations.

Reproduction in whole or in part in any manner without the written permission of the publisher is strictly prohibited.

www.BeaufortLifestyle.com | May 2017

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FARMING: All In The Family A story by mary ellen thompson photography by john wollwerth

s you drive down Sea Island Parkway, between Frogmore and Dulamo on Saint Helena Island, towards the beach, stop on your left at Pasture Shed Farm market and treat yourself to a down home experience. There is something both evocative and sensual about aromas arising from the fresh herbs and produce as you peruse the offerings on the farm stand tables. Strawberries, peaches, onions, basil and lavender are the primary identifiable scents on one given day. In a quick second you remember your grandmothers peach pie, freshly baked and sitting on the window sill to cool, or strawberries mounded on shortcake and slathered with whipped cream. Smells go right to our memory bank, and food, fresh home cooked food especially, equals love.

The Henry family came to Saint Helena Island from New York in 1947 in search of a warmer and easier climate for farming crops and dairy cattle. Now, Charles E. and Nettie K. Henry own the 288 acre Henry Farms which encompasses not only the roadside market with its gardens of fruits, vegetables, herbs and flowers, but also crop farming consisting of corn, soybeans, wheat, and hay, as well as sod. Around 2009, Beaufort County and the USDA took an interest and placed a conservation easement on the property.

Because the USDA doesn’t recognize sod as being a consumable product, the sod and hay are grown on two other parts of the farm and the varieties are St. Augustine, Centipede, Bermuda and Zoysia.

Both the farm and the market are run with the help of the family, son Craig and his wife Christi, Christi’s sister Peggy Flood, and their brother, Peter Flood. Craig is the manager for the entire farm; Christi is the designer and artist for the market, Peter is in charge of procurements and Peggy is the market manager.

Christie, Peggy and Peter came to Beaufort, when Christi was in third grade, via their father’s career on Parris Island.

Certified as South Carolina Grown and South Carolina Roadside Market, Pasture Shed Farm’s market stand started in 2012 across the street from their present location on Sea Island Parkway, with three wagons selling their overproduction of collards and sunflowers. Craig had the idea to move the cow pasture back and now they have a much larger marketplace easily identifiable by the decorated hay bales, farm wagon, and windmill. Christi calls it a “garden stand” because there is so much diversity in what they have to offer, not only in product but also attractions. Some of the elaborately and eye-catching painted hay bales lead to a maze in which children can wander while their parents shop, the cows can be fed, flowers can be cut. Christi points out that the parking lot is big enough for a camper to turn around.

In addition to purchasing the seasonally grown fruits, vegetables, flowers, and herbs, everyone can take a tour of the gardens, and Christi or Peggy, or whoever is there that day, will give you instruction on how the products are planted and how to cook them. Have you ever heard of kohlrabi? It is a small round, green, funny looking vegetable about the size of a baseball, which, Christi explains, “Tastes like a cross between cabbage and broccoli stems. It’s great in salads, it just has to be peeled and sliced to give salad a crunch sort of like jicama, and it is good steamed or roasted.” She goes on to point out their bigger carrots which are orange, or white or purple are “Good for eating raw or in salads, the smaller bright orange carrots are great for roasting or nibbling”.

When asked by photographer, John Wollwerth, why vegetables won’t grow in his garden, Christi first asks where he lives. “Pigeon Point” is the answer. “Oh well, it’s the soil over there,” and she explains why and suggests he make a raised bed, what kinds of soil to use, tells him that about sixteen inches of soil should be enough, and points out that he would be better off using seeds than buying plants which may have blight or a disease. Christi asks how many times and what he uses to fertilize, in response to his answer, she tells him once a season isn’t enough for fertilizer, “Think of yourself as a plant. You like to eat, you like to drink, and you eat three or four times a day. You need to fertilize three or four times a season, and you need to use the right amount of water.”

Unlike many other roadside stands that populate the area, Pasture Shed Farm offers some products that they do not grow on the farm so they can be open seven days a week all year long.

Peter scours the area and finds those items that are indeed local or regional, but perhaps not to this particular area and soil. The beauty of this is that you can find an assortment of things that are not in season right here at the moment.

For instance, now you can find heirloom peaches at the market. They are funny looking little peaches that have spots and look, well, old. In fact, they are from old trees, hence the name “heirloom” peach. Christi tells a story about them. “The schools were trying to get children to eat fruit but they found that the children only ate a bite or two out of the fruit and left the rest.

Then they came across these peaches that a farmer in Florida was growing on old trees that, by the laws of nature he should have cut down, but couldn’t bring himself to do so. They were bearing these little peaches that are about two-bites size and taste amazing. So they gave these to the students who loved them and the farmer got a contract with the schools.” They came here by way of Hurricane Matthew when Henry Farms was used as a repository for the storm debris and the peach farmer was the www.BeaufortLifestyle.com | May 2017

11

burning contractor from Florida; he told them about the peaches and started bringing them up here when he came. Everything has a story, and if a particular item wasn’t grown on Pasture Shed Farm, someone can and will tell you exactly from where it did come if you have an interest in knowing.

As you walk around and look at all growing things, you will see tiny basil plants, just barely little leaves nestled in the dirt and popping out of the soil; in another bed will be small basil plants, still spindly and searching for the sun; and on and on their growth cycle continues until they are tall and hardy and just waiting to become pesto or sandwiched in between a tomato and a piece of white bread. Ditto the lavender which is so fragrant that you will simply have to have a bunch to slide into a sachet. All manner of herbs abound to compliment the various fruits and vegetables, and if you walk past the back room you are likely to find Peggy cutting the tops and bottoms off of a basket of radishes, or carrots or washing bags of the best lettuce you can imagine. There is something magical about seeing plants in the growing process and knowing they came right out of the field and into your hands.

Since the produce is fresh, and hasn’t been stored in a facility somewhere with chemical protection, Christi explains that the products have to “Get out and gone. Their shelf life is not that long and they will turn bad quickly.” Of course, they have a built in secondary market for some of the produce with the cows, “Who enjoy their fair share of the vegetables - they like turnips and rutabaga but will not eat asparagus.”

There are thirteen head of mixed cattle on the farm and they have a donkey to protect them from bad dogs and coyotes. When asked if predators get into the growing area which is protected by a high fence, Christi responds “Not really, but if deer do get in, they love melons and will eat them, one bite per melon as they go down the row. However,” she says,“if the cows ever got past that fence, they would destroy everything in sight.”

The time and care that it takes to grow all these crops is immense; “It is very labor intensive and can best be described as a labor of love.” Christi explains that her husband, Craig, “Is addicted to the farming, he plants, tills, re-plants, and is constantly working in the fields and with the crops.” Christi’s largest labors of love are the painted hay bales which are designed to replicate a caterpillar, a ladybug, a bear, a rabbit, and minions this season. Any new design takes an entire weekend to complete, but you tell by the smile in her eyes that she really doesn’t mind the time.

12 May 2017 | www.BeaufortLifestyle.com

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www.BeaufortLifestyle.com | May 2017

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Stuart and Wayne Heath’s

Lovely Lowcountry

GARDEN story by carol lauvray photography by susan deloach

S

tuart and Wayne Heath are the quintessential Southern couple, personifying gracious hospitality. Their gorgeous Lowcountry home and garden, located in Beaufort’s historic district, look as if they are straight from the pages of Southern Living—and in fact, they have been featured in that magazine!

Wayne hails from Charleston, where he grew up on the peninsula just down from the Citadel with an innate love of gardens and gardening. “Seeing gardens filled with azaleas and camellias and smelling the fragrance of tea olives takes me back to Charleston,” he reminisces. Stuart says, “Every Southern girl needs ‘yard flowers’ to cut and enjoy inside as well as outside— magnolias, hydrangeas, camellias and roses—and herbs like rosemary and mint. Jasmine is green all year and Confederate Jasmine is fragrant in the spring when it flowers,” she adds.

The Clemson Years Stuart moved to Clemson during the fifth grade with her parents. She met Wayne in 1966 at Lake Hartwell, they married in 1975, and both spent their careers teaching in Clemson-area schools before retiring. Wayne says the half-acre of gardens at their first Clemson home included a lot of azaleas and Lady Banksia roses. After 17 years there, they moved to a three-acre wooded property surrounded on three sides by Lake Hartwell.

“We could not see our closest neighbor for the trees,” Stuart emphasized. “We had sun gardens, shade gardens, and rose and herb gardens,” she added. Because Wayne had grown up on the South Carolina coast and he wanted to include as many native species on their Lake Hartwell property as possible, he participated in the Native Plant Society in Clemson to learn more about plants native to that area. He also enrolled in the Master Gardener Program, which covered turf grasses, ground covers,

propagation and soil analysis. Then he participated in the Upstate Master Naturalist Program, which focused on the native plants of the Piedmont foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, as well as invasive species. Stuart also enjoyed gardening and was a member of the Clemson Garden Club.

While living in Clemson, Stuart and Wayne frequently visited Beaufort to see Stuart’s college roommate and long-time friend, Patsy Hand, and her husband Owen, who live on St. Helena Island. When Stuart and Wayne decided it was time to downsize, moving to Beaufort was a natural choice for the couple and in 2012, they built a home in Beaufort’s historic district, embarking on a new gardening adventure in the Lowcountry.

At Home in Beaufort Stuart explains, “We started with a bare lot, 40 feet by 100 feet.

There were no trees—only dirt! In Midtown Square, houses are very close to each other and we knew that we wanted tall fences for privacy—both for us and for our neighbors. We built six-foot privacy fences as a backdrop for plants, shrubs, and a few trees that provide shade, as well as color. The Savannah holly will never outgrow the space, so it’s the perfect tree for shade and it has red berries all year to attract birds. The Yaupon hollies, which remain green all year and have red berries, provide height on both sides of the yard and grow in an interesting ‘weepy’ shape. The pergola will eventually be a full green space with jasmine creating another ‘tree’ for shade. The top of the pergola has a clear greenhouse roof to keep the rain out and we use the area as a drink station or to serve when we entertain. For lighting, we’ve mounted fairy lights under the roof and we also have strings of clear bulbs crisscrossing overhead in the patio area for entertaining at night.”

“Our objective in defining the garden space was to control our view from every room of the house—so we would see greenery

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instead of the houses on each side of us, and so our neighbors would have a green view instead of looking at the side of our house. One way we achieved this was by moving the garage to the side of the lot to trick the eye into seeing more green space when we are inside in our sunroom, which looks out onto the patio. Doing that also allowed space to plant a Little Gem Magnolia tree and Mondo grass, as well as the addition of a defined walkway and gate between our house and the neighbors’ house. The additional space also gives our dog Duncan a place to run. We drew the shape of the patio, which is made of tabby edged with old Savannah bricks (the same type of bricks used on the front and

16 May 2017 | www.BeaufortLifestyle.com

back steps and the living room fireplace), freehand with a stick once the house and garage were finished,” she explained.

Stuart says that the enclosed patio area is sheltered from the weather and so provides a safe place for their cat Sparrow and dog Duncan to be outdoors and away from traffic. “It has taken almost five years to develop some shade in back of our home. Wayne regularly trims the pyracantha to strengthen it and to train it to hug the garage wall. We see its greenery and red berries from our kitchen, sunroom and bedroom all year. The bank of windows in the master bedroom overlooks the backyard and opens up our small bedroom to bring in the patio area,” she

added.

“Under our bedroom windows and next to the patio are holly ferns—a great choice because they are low maintenance, have just enough shade there to thrive, and remind us of the banks of holly at our last home in the Upstate,” Stuart stated.

“There is a wide brick stoop under the French doors that leads from the sunroom out to the patio. These wide steps provide extra seating when we entertain and space for container plants that we can change seasonally. We also encourage creeping fig, which stays green all year, to cover some of the space on the steps.”

“The side yard with the grilling station is out of view and does not take up our limited patio space, but the area is accessible from the patio. It’s the perfect place for several hydrangea bushes that bloom all summer and fall, and for ferns and climbing pyracantha. The narrow ‘alley’ on the other side of our home, outside the kitchen and sunroom windows, has become a shady tunnel of jasmine.

A decorative topper on the fence there allows the jasmine to cascade over as it grows, providing privacy, shade for plants, and another run area for our dog. Wayne enjoys collecting different varieties of ferns for this spot,” explained Stuart.

“The French doors leading into the garage from the patio make the area appear larger and less like a garage,” she says. “Just inside the garage, there is a small area with a counter, upper and lower cabinets, a sink and a refrigerator. Our ‘mini-kitchen’ is stocked with everything needed to entertain and has hardwood flooring. Until recently, we invited friends to join us for our annual New Year’s Day lunch served buffet-style in our garage.

We would clear the garage, roll out an old Oriental rug to cover the concrete floor, and set up a dining room to accommodate 30 seated guests. The first year that we lived in Beaufort, 30 friends attended the lunch, but by the time we held the final event two years ago, the guest list had reached 80! So after 40 years, we decided it was time to end the tradition. We had great fun over the years at our New Year’s lunch and proved to ourselves that we could entertain in style in our limited space!”

Since moving to Beaufort, Stuart (who is now a member of the Sea Island Garden Club) and Wayne have created a beautiful backyard sanctuary to enjoy, whether they are inside their home or outside on the patio. And in true Southern style, they continue their role as gracious hosts to friends and neighbors in their lovely home and their magical garden.

(843) 379-8696 www.beaufortlifestyle.com One Beaufort Town Center 2015 Boundary Street • Suite 330 Beaufort, SC, 29902 www.BeaufortLifestyle.com | May 2017

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www.BeaufortLifestyle.com | May 2017

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Joy Craig EX MARINE TO WRITER AND DRAGON BOAT COACH 20 May 2017 | www.BeaufortLifestyle.com

story by mary ellen thompson photography by john wollwerth

J

oy Craig. Former Marine, writer, dragon boat coach, gardener, foodie, Leadership Beaufort team, cat rescuer, advocate, activist, advisor. Her list of accomplishments and attributes is growing by the minute. Currently, Joy’s writing is her strongest focus. In addition to working on her memoir, Men Behaving Badly, early in April she attended the “On Point: Women Warriors Writing Workshop” in Tampa, FL led by women veterans to encourage other women veterans to contribute their stories to a larger voice.

In mid- April, Joy submitted an op-ed piece to the New York Times, and at the end of the month she travelled to New York because she was chosen as a fellow for “The War Horse” writing seminar at Columbia University. The topic of her writing is an honest, unflinching look at her personal, laudatory, experience in the armed service.

When Joy joined the Marine Corps at age nineteen, it seemed like the safest and sanest thing she could do. Until she was eight, she grew up with her mother and two sisters in Southern California. “My mother,” she says, “was more interested in partying with the Hell’s Angels than she was in raising her girls.” Since her sisters were older, they had each other and more resources. Joy remembers being dragged to parties and when she asked to go home, her mother would tell her to find somewhere to sleep. “An abusive husband,” Joy thinks, “became more important. When I was eight, my mother drove me hundreds of miles and dropped me off at my father’s one bedroom house.”

Joy had no recollection of the man, and he didn’t know she was coming. From the first night forward, “He abused me until my friend’s mother figured it out and I was put in foster care when I was sixteen,” eight years later. During the next two years, Joy was in and out of five foster homes. When she graduated from high school, she was dropped from the program.

“I had an apartment with a friend, got a minimum wage job and quickly fell behind in the rent. Having no place else to go, I went back to my dad, who was the reason I was in foster care to begin with, but he failed a drug test and went to rehab. I was homeless. I slept on couches and back seats. Then a friend took me to meet an Air Force recruiter, but he was condescending.

As I was leaving the building, I literally smacked into the Marine Corps recruiter and signed a six year contract. I had no idea of what I was getting into; I was only thinking of being safe.

“Some tried to talk me out of it, but

they didn’t know my situation. Because of that, boot camp wasn’t as hard for me as it should have been. When I look back, I believe my childhood was good training for the Marine Corps.”

Joy’s career in the Marines was both illustrious and difficult. She served in Aviation Ordnance. She explains, “For every one person in the infantry, there are nine others in support of the infantry.

My specialty supplied and maintained the weapons - any explosives, bombs, missiles, rockets, rounds, for the F/A-18’s. Any munitions used we saw from cradle to grave, from the moment it came out of the box until the pilot expended it.”

Progressing through the ranks and becoming an officer, Joy believes, “Some of the best work I did was as a drill instructor and after that when I could mentor. My greatest accomplishments were the success stories of people I mentored who went on to do great things. I keep in touch with many of them.”

In Joy’s bedroom there is a wall with some of her memorabilia from her 23 years

in the Marines. She regards her service with much pride but her success came at great personal cost, which is the subject of her memoir and her other writings. “Some men in the Marines have had an unspoken, organizational culture of vitriol against women for decades.

I rocked the boat one too many times, but now they are going to have a hard time shutting me up. If you’re a female in the military, and you are harassed and assaulted, it’s a ‘you’ problem, it’s often a “you” problem. By the nature of the organization, Marines are focused on war fighting; it’s all about the mission.

Some are holding onto the ‘good old boys club’ and part of that is trying to keep women from succeeding. These brave women signed a contract to defend the Constitution with their lives, earned the title ‘United States Marine,’ but are unworthy of respect from male counterparts to their immediate left and right. Once you graduate from boot camp, the males think you are there as their sex toy.” In her memoir, Joy discusses the

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details of her treatment by fellow Marines.

She reveals, “Just before my retirement I had to go to a meeting with an NCIS agent concerning a sexual assault. I told my story but didn’t press charges.” That wasn’t the only occasion on which she had been assaulted.

The Marines United scandal has Joy’s fingers flying across the keyboard writing letters, making statements and giving interviews. In an op-ed piece submitted to the New York Times, Joy explains “Marines United, a private Facebook page for current and former Marines, was linked to thousands of nude photos of female Marines, many submitted without their knowledge. For many women who’ve served, this wasn’t news at all. In truth, the real surprise is that the public wasn’t alerted sooner. Marine Corps leadership had knowledge about the site since 2013 and failed to correct it.” Joy is making it her mission to educate and effect change for these very sorts of behaviors.

Although Joy’s career in the Marine Corps was not without personal difficulties, it did bring her to Beaufort.

Having been stationed at Parris Island, Joy fell under the spell the Lowcountry inevitably casts and after she retired, and lived for a short period of time in Bluffton, she decided to make her home here. “I first came to Beaufort as a Marine recruit on Parris Island in 1991. I was so eager to leave that I barely looked around. Ten

22 May 2017 | www.BeaufortLifestyle.com

years later I volunteered to become a drill instructor and despite working an average of 100 hours a week, I fell in love with the lowcountry. When I was in the Corps’ 17 years I became an officer and was able to pick my final duty station before retirement. I chose Beaufort so that I could have a ‘do-over’ and really get to see the place and put down roots. I’ve traveled the world and been able to see some unbelievably gorgeous places, but the lowcountry landscape still takes my breath away.”

While Joy is working hard to paddle against the tide to create change, she also paddles for another cause: Dragon Boat Beaufort. For five years Joy has coached the dragon boat team and served on the board of directors. Her sister lives with cancer, and her mother passed away from cancer, so it is a cause she solidly supports.

“In the five years I’ve been on the team, we’ve raised and donated thousands of dollars to people in Beaufort County.

Anything I can do to help, I will try.” Joy first got involved in dragon boat paddling when she was stationed in Japan. “One of my ‘success stories’ worked for me in Okinawa, and she was on the Navy dragon boat team, she invited me to join them and for the first year I paddled, then I began coaching; it was a very successful team.”

In another way for her to connect with the community, Joy is involved with Leadership Beaufort, having completed the

requisite classes this April. She also loves and rescues cats to the point of one rescue where she was bitten so badly that she required 32 rabies shots and surgery on her finger. On another front she confesses, “I was an agriculture geek in high school - I love to garden and would like to see community gardens in this area”. Joy describes herself as a “foodie” and to that end she explains, “Yes ma’am, (I’m a) big epicurean! I’ve actually shepherded my daughters into the fine dining trade so I can live vicariously. I’m a home chef and do grow a little of my own produce (herbs, tomatoes, cucumbers...). I’m a vegetarian (for ethical/environmental reasons) and seek clean, healthy foods that the increasing scale numbers conflict with.”

Creative, not only in her writing, Joy has several small intricately fashioned trees which, she explains, she “sculpted” out of twisted wire; something her dad, who was an electrician, taught her to do with leftover materials. They are amazingly beautiful and complex. Her creativity is passed on to her two daughters, Nevada who is a photographer, and Mariah who is a gifted young chef.

Joy’s voice will be heard over the din, collectively adding to the sound of freedom as she hears it. “I want to be an advocate and an activist for veterans and women’s issues. I piss a lot of people off but I’m willing to put my neck out there to effect the necessary changes.”

Memorial Day on Da’ Island

Gallery artists works will portray Gullah People Celebrating “Decoration Day,” now referred to as “Memorial Day.”

May 26-28,2017 Susan McGuire, Artist Susan McGuire is an emerging artist, who is originally from the Caribbean Island of Jamaica.

In July 15, 2015, after twenty years in Education, Susan left the regular work world and began a consulting practice. She also picked up a paintbrush for the first time and quickly realized that this was the missing piece in her life.

Susan is inspired by the calm, beauty, and vibrant colors in nature and seeks to capture it on canvas in order to preserve that beauty and to share it with others.

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www.BeaufortLifestyle.com | May 2017

23

ARTIST PROFILE JENNIFER JL JONES

s e k o r t s h

s u r B

OF THE LOWCOUNTRY story by cindy reid photography by paul nurnberg

I

nternationally known artist Jennifer J L Jones creates gorgeous abstract paintings that intertwine nature and emotion in a wholly unique vision. She says, “I have always been nature inspired. I create contemporary work representative of emotion. Everyone is drawn to the work for different reasons.

Often people feel what I have painted, even in this abstract form. It is a silent language but universal and based in nature. For some people this enables them to connect to abstract art for the first time.”

After living in Atlanta for many years Jennifer knew she wanted to leave the city, but was having difficulty finding just the right place. “I wanted to be by the water, not too far south but also not too far north,” says Jennifer, “I craved finding a place that really felt like home. My parents live on a sailboat and when I described what I was looking for, they said it made them think of a sweet little place they would pass through while sailing. “ She was visiting Hilton Head Island and decided to drive to Beaufort and check it out. She says, “Port Royal was exactly what I had been looking for and everything fell quickly into place. It was all very serendipitous.”

Jennifer is finding the palette of the lowcountry to be an inspiration for her most recent work. She says, “Being here has brought new shapes and light to my eye, which is a reflection of my new surroundings.” A new painting titled Meithrin is evocative of “the reeds and the tides coming in and out at the Sands beach,” Jennifer says, “and the name is Welsh, which is part of my roots and heritage, for ‘nurture’ because this new sense of place and home gives me nurturing and comfort every day.” ( Meithrin is a 72” x 72” mixed media painting on wood, available at Alan Avery Art Company, Atlanta GA)

EVOLUTION Jennifer says her paintings “used to be more ethereal color fields, now they have more gestured brushstrokes, patterns and range of motion.” Because of all of her enriching experiences that include domestic and international travels, her art “grows and the progression involves many shifts and changes in my work. My work is becoming more and more bold, yet also still offering a dimension that viewers find soothing at the same time.” She eschews canvas, and paints instead on paper and large handmade cradled panels of Baltic birch wood. She says, “I enjoy the surface of wood more, and I can see the pattern of the

grain . Sometimes a painting will spring from the natural grain, a pattern or shape I find interesting.”

Regarding her paintings’ deep colors and glazed surface Jennifer says, “I had very traditional training and was encouraged to find my unique style, so I have done a lot of experimentation over the years. I use layers upon layers and different glazing techniques. When that’s all finished I put on a final varnish, sometimes to bring out the color and also as a protectant.” The final result is a profound experience of light, color and an emotionality not always seen in abstract art. The appealing richness of the color combined with the engaging composition make the viewer want to linger, to truly experience the painting.

SERENATA In addition to having her art in prestigious galleries here and abroad, Jennifer has published Serenata, a lush coffee table book that showcases her series of mixed media paintings created over one year, all inspired while living in Italy for a month. Essays and contributions from a selection of collectors, gallerists,

contemporaries, writers, and art critics enhance the gorgeous art. As Jennifer writes in her introduction, “ The Serenata series is a synthesis that represents the profound path of self-discovery and growth I experience every day and view as a continuing revelation and manifestation of my muse. My intent is that the positive energy conveyed through these paintings will be felt and promulgated by all those who see and experience them.”

ALWAYS AN ARTIST Originally from rural Virginia and then Florida’s “Space Coast,” Jennifer’s constant and unwavering goal was to be an artist. In Florida, she started advanced art classes and she says, “ I was very determined by ninth grade, and I wanted to make sure I went to the best art college.”

Her hard work and innate talent created that opportunity and she received her Bachelor of Fine Arts from the prestigious School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Illinois.

Further hard work and talent led her to be represented by select high end galleries and for her paintings to be in demand by private collectors and corporate clients. www.BeaufortLifestyle.com | May 2017

25

“Being here has brought new shapes and light to my eye, which is a reflection of my new surroundings.”

Her paintings can be found in numerous world wide collections and at the Oprah Winfrey/Harpo Studio, the Atlanta Botanical Gardens, Scana Energy, the Burj Dubai, and the United States Embassy in Lisbon, Portugal. She has also completed large scaled commissioned works such as the lobby of the McLean Hilton in Washington, DC and the Northside Hospital Lobby in Atlanta, GA and most recently the Mayo Clinic and the Baptist Hospital Lobby in Jacksonville, Florida. Jennifer is currently working on two commissioned paintings for the office lobby of the President of the Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta GA. Due to her success, Jennifer is working on another book because as she says, “I have been a working artist for eighteen years and because of that artists ask me for help and advice, so this book is all the different things that have happened to me. All the lessons I have learned in my journey, from life, art and love that helped open

the doors for me. They may have been hard but I have enjoyed learning from each lesson. This is a way I can contribute and help encourage, support and give back.”

PORT ROYAL LIFE Like many who chose the lowcountry (or feel chosen by it) as their home, Jennifer is enchanted not only by the visual beauty, but by the friendliness found here.

She says, “ It is so peaceful here- I am not looking over my shoulder all the time! I’ve met and made wonderful friends here. I feel like everyone looks out for each other.

I feel connected, grounded, and very much at home. It feels like anything is possible.” Her home and studio are only a few blocks apart and she loves being able to “walk to work” everyday. Jennifer says, “This place, this beautiful place, nourishes me on all levels, in a huge way.”

For further information visit her website www.JenniferJLJones.com

26 May 2017 | www.BeaufortLifestyle.com

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BEAUFORT HISTORY

PRESERVATION, ADVOCACY

AND EDUCATION Historic Beaufort Foundation story by cindy reid

photography by susan deloach

The mission of Historic Beaufort Foundation is to support the preservation, protection and presentation of sites and artifacts of historic, architectural and cultural interest throughout Beaufort County, South Carolina.

N

ational Historic Landmark District

The Beaufort historic district encompasses five neighborhoods, 304 contiguous acres, and almost 500 historic structures spanning three centuries of architecture. It was designated a “National Historic Landmark District” by National Park Service in 1968, which signifies a higher level of historic importance. Other areas that are also Landmark Districts include College of Charleston and the Penn Center but the Beaufort district is the largest in South Carolina. The five neighborhoods included in the designation are: the Point, the Old Commons, the Northwest Quadrant, the Bluff and Downtown.

Historic Beaufort Foundation has been at the front line of the efforts that have made Beaufort such an outstanding preservation success story. Maxine Lutz is the Executive Director, a position she has held since 2013, although she was executive assistant for the prior 18 years. Maxine clearly is passionate about Historic Beaufort Foundation (HBF) and the important work it has been doing for over fifty years. She says, “It started in the 1940s under a different name, and Historic Beaufort Foundation really organized in 1965. Initial forays into preservation were focused on saving the big houses. In the 40s, the Verdier House was slated to be demolished and replaced by a gas station. A group of early preservationists saved it. By the 1960s, other historic buildings were threatened, including the Anchorage, also for the same purpose- another gas station. HBF formed and saved it too. Next, the Cuthbert House was slated to be a parking lot and it became another house saved by HBF. You can see that early on it was a big struggle against the marketplace. Over the years, HBF has been involved with scores of such projects and we continue that work today.”

Saving the Past Maxine says, “At HBF we have three equally important missions: Preservation, Advocacy and Education.”

“Preservation of course includes the restoration and stabilization of historic buildings. But it also includes the preservation of landscapes. About 20 years ago, we realized the small cottages were being left to rot away. We called it ‘demolition by neglect.’ And so that is where our focus is now, mostly in the Northwest Quadrant. For example, we stabilized a grocery store, which was then bought and turned into two apartments. The Frogmore Lodge building was stabilized last year and we have sold it to its current owners, who will be restoring it as a single family residence. This element of preservation is a large part of what we do.”

“We advocate for historic buildings. We have a representative on the City’s Historic District Review Board. We work together to come up with the best solutions for owners of historic structures who want to make changes, allowing for modern uses but honoring the historic architecture. We look to have changes that are ‘sympathetic’ to the historic nature of the building. We work with the city looking at new construction projects, as well as analyzing issues like the new short-term rental ordinance and the proposed new zoning code. Our question is always, ‘How is this going to affect the integrity of the historic district?’ because that

30 May 2017 | www.BeaufortLifestyle.com

is always our goal. Even something such as new ordinances about solar panels and wind turbines are important, if they can be seen from the historic district.”

“Education is such an important part of what we do here.

We have operated the Verdier House since the 1970’s as an educational venue presenting an example of how antebellum planters lived. However over time, traditional house museums have become less compelling to the public nationwide. So we decided to focus additionally on using the Verdier House as an educational tool, hosting lectures and exhibits, making the house attractive to a wider audience, not just to those of us who love old houses. Verdier House Director Jacque Wedler and her docent team manage hourly house tours seven days a week, but in the last two-to-three years we have developed specific grade-level educational programs for students. Sue Stanny, Executive Assistant and Educational Coordinator, is in charge of the educational component. Sue can gear our programs for visiting school groups to specific topics and grade levels. Last summer we started a “Fun with History Day Camp” in the house for children 8-to-11, which was very popular and we are repeating it again this year. Seeing the children engage is wonderful – it is really fun to see their eyes wide open!”

Maxine continued, “I have to add that a large part of our educational programming for adults is conducted by Events Coordinator Isabella Reeves. Not only has Isabella brought in exquisite exhibits with associated lectures and field trips, she has conducted the Fall Festival of Houses and Gardens, the Spring

Architects’ Tour and countless Connoisseur Trips, all with an educational focus and a goal to promote historic preservation.

Going Forward As to attitudes about historic preservation, Maxine says, “When preservation became a movement in the 1960s, it was a battle to change some minds. There were those who saw it as standing in the way of progress and modern life. We were often seen as ‘the party of no,’ but in reality we are ‘the party of yes, but’ … but let us help you find solutions that protect your home’s historic architecture and still allow for modern living.’ That approach has worked very well and we hope attitudes have changed. We invite homeowners, architects and contractors to talk with us. The City of Beaufort too has become more receptive to preservation because it has been shown that it is a large part of what draws visitors and new residents here. And like HBF, the historic district review board is working to find solutions to preservation issues.”

Does she feel like a history detective? She says, “ Oh yes, and that really is the fun part. We call ourselves ‘History Nerds!’ We have file cabinets full of photographs but we are always searching for more, particularly of buildings. And everything we do in preservation is always a race against time.”

When asked about her personal involvement in Beaufort and its history Maxine says, “When I came here I realized this is the place they have been talking about, from the Civil War. While I grew up in the South, my hometown didn’t exist until 1915. This is where the re-write of Southern life occurred. The culture, the population, the economy all changed overnight when the Union Army came and the planters fled. It was a wholesale removal of everything ‘that was,’ which is historically amazing, and the town became a completely different town after the war. There is no end

of fascinating stories about Beaufort history.”

One such story directly relates to HBF. Francis Griswold, the author of the Beaufort classic “A Sea Island Lady” (published in 1939) moved to California after living and writing in Beaufort and made wise investments in the Santa Barbara real estate market.

He left the HBF a generous bequest in his will that continues to provide funding for the organization today. A case of the past helping save the present.

HBF Membership HBF is a private, independent not-for-profit 501(c)(3) membership organization, open to anyone with an interest in historic preservation. Membership helps fund the HBF activities and projects and provides an array of benefits to the member.

The HBF also has two big fundraisers, the Lafayette Soiree (held in April) and the Fall Festival of Houses and Gardens (October 27, 28, 29 2017). The HBF also has items for sale , including the Historic Beaufort Foundation Guide to Historic Homes and Places, the official guide to the historic houses, churches and other points of interest of Beaufort, South Carolina.

John Mark Verdier House Museum Permanent exhibits include: Diorama of 1863 Bay Street Exhibit, Robert Smalls exhibit, Civil War photos by Samuel Cooley and the Beaufort Volunteer Artillery exhibit. Hours of Operation : Monday-Saturday. Docent-guided tours every hour on the half hour from 10:30 AM until 3:30 PM. Closed Sundays and Holidays. Phone: 843-379-6335. 801 Bay Street, Beaufort.

For further information visit their website http://www. historicbeaufort.org

www.BeaufortLifestyle.com | May 2017

31

IN THE NEWS United Way of the Lowcountry Is Accepting Applications for Community Impact Funding in the areas of Education and Health.

United Way of the Lowcountry is currently accepting applications from all 501(c)(3) health and human service organizations serving Beaufort and Jasper Counties who have a role to play in helping to address the priority area of Education and Health. This is an open application process that funds programs in two-year cycles.

This is all part of UWLC Community Impact Process, which works towards addressing the root causes of key issues in our community to including Basic Needs, Education, Health and Income/Family Stability, while continuing to meet the immediate needs of our neighbors.

Agencies and organizations interested in applying to United Way of the Lowcountry, Inc. (UWLC) for funding in the areas of Education and Health must first meet eligibility criteria. The Pre-qualification phase begins May 1, 2017 and remains open until June 15, 2017. Those interested in applying must attend one of the five

mandatory training dates below: May 2nd from 3:00 - 5:00 pm May 4th from 9:00 - 11:00 am May 10th from 1:00 - 3:00 pm May 15th from 3:00 - 5:00 pm May 25th from 9:00 - 11:00 am This training is mandatory and will be held at the United Way of the Lowcountry Office in Beaufort, located at 1277 Ribaut Road. Agencies applying for funding will be provided access to the online software once training has been attended. Those interested in applying for funding should visit United Way of the Lowcountry’s website at www.uwlowcountry.org for more information including an overview of the Community Impact Process, the timeline and the Pre-qualification requirements. Agencies should be prepared to discuss any questions they might have at the mandatory training.

Join A Winning Team!

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Advertising sales experience is a plus, but not a necessity.

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If you have the desire to work in sales with a proven leader in the industry, please send your resume to Julie Hales at julie@idpmagazines.com 32 May 2017 | www.BeaufortLifestyle.com

GULLAH FESTIVAL - MAY 26-28, 2017

”Come Home To A Celebration of Reconstruction…The Untold Story”

3 DAYS OF ARTS, CRAFTS, MUSIC, FOOD & FUN FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY! Our 2017 Gullah Festival celebrates Beaufort County, South Carolina’s rich Gullah-Geechee heritage and the role Beaufort played in shaping the historic period of American history known as the Reconstruction Era. This year’s theme is, “Come Home to a Celebration of Reconstruction...The Untold Story.”

The Gullah Festival was established

to honor and recreate the atmosphere of a celebration called, Decoration Day, now Memorial Day. It was started by freedmen at the end of the Civil War on May 1, 1865, in South Carolina during the Reconstruction Era. It soon became one of the largest celebrations in the nation and was centered around our Beaufort National Cemetery.

For over 30 years, the Original Gullah Festival has provided unique familyfriendly cultural experiences for our local, national and international attendees of over 35,000 plus during the 3-day event.

Join us for the Gullah Festival this year and witness of our community coming together in unity to celebrate our shared unique rich history.

www.BeaufortLifestyle.com | May 2017

33

dining guide

RIBAUT SOCIAL CLUB

L

story by mary ellen thompson

et’s face it, we are all, in some way, enamored of secret societies and private clubs; they speak to our innate desire to belong. There is a gem of a small restaurant, The Ribaut Social Club, nestled in one of Beaufort’s finest inns - Anchorage 1770. The Ribaut Social Club is not a private club, nor a club at all per se, but it’s exclusivity hints so strongly in that direction, that you will feel as if it is. Here is the opportunity for guests and locals to experience cocktails and dinner inside in the dining room, or on one of the porches with spectacular views overlooking the Beaufort River. Stepping into Anchorage 1770 is like walking backwards through time into massive charm and ambiance. With only fifteen guest rooms, being in Anchorage 1770 feels like being a guest in a grand old estate home.

Inn owners, Frank and Amy Lesesne, have teamed up with Chef Byron Landis and the result is that on Wednesday through Saturday evenings, The Ribaut Social Club is serving cocktails and small plates, and dinner from 5 to 8 p.m. Reservations are practically a must, and should be requested about a week ahead,

34 May 2017 | www.BeaufortLifestyle.com

photography by paul nurnberg

but last minute accommodations can sometimes be made. Thirty to forty reservations are taken and there is only one seating so no one is rushed. If you are having dinner, when you arrive at the inn, you will place your order and then are free to wander the downstairs rooms and three porches until your first course is ready to be served when you will be shown to your table. This time gives guests a chance to mingle and socialize, or just find their perch on a porch and savor the views. Brunch is served on Sundays from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

In creating The Ribaut Social Club, Frank and Amy explain, “Our aim is to capture the incorrigible spirit and convivial atmosphere of the original Ribaut Club, established at the Anchorage in 1891. In its heyday, the Club hosted performances, grand parties, dances and even gambling—a raucous getaway from buttoned-up social strictures of the time.” Their website goes on to further explain: “Insider Insight: The Ribaut Club.

Calling themselves The Ribaut Club, a social club of young gentleman organized their own cultural salon in 1891. The R.S.C. was housed in the old Elliott House. Initial press reports stated

that the members were very enthusiastic and their rooms would be supplied with books, magazines and newspapers. However, the mild mannered beginning of this social club soon changed to more outrageous pursuits. The club threw grand parties and celebrations with dancers and costumes usually lasting late into the evening. They also put on performances and plays.”

Who could resist trying to recapture the sociability of such an era?

Chef Landis sources locally as much as possible, especially seafood and produce; bread, desserts, and pasta are all made in house. The menu changes monthly and he says part of the appeal of dining there is that it is almost like going to a new restaurant every month.

The cocktail menu is straightforward, and wine offerings change seasonally; however a signature cocktail, the Cherry Bounce, is working it’s way upwards from the dark recesses underneath the house where it is being stored until it’s debut.

Imagine: cherry, bourbon and sugar. Small plate items include such dishes as Cucumber Gazpacho and Strawberry Relish; North

Carolina Striped Bass Ceviche, Avocado, Mango, Jalapeño & House Chips; Red Beet Gnocchi’s & Lemon Walnut Pesto. The red beet gnocchi is in fact made with beets, not potatoes, which gives it a new twist.

Dinner entrees may include Cornmeal Crusted Crab Cake, Fennel Salad, Artichokes, Goat Cheese Polenta, Lemon Butter Sauce; Rack of Lamb, Natural Jus, Red Beet Gnocchi, Parsnips, Spring Ramps, Balsamic Reduction; as well as a steak and a fish entree. There is also a choice of two starters and two salads and a selection of desserts.

The seasonal Sunday brunch temptations may be Sautéed Soft Shell Crab, Poached Eggs, Whole Wheat Toast, Avocado, Arugula, Tomatoes, Lemon Hollandaise. The brunch menu changes weekly but always includes house staples - Eggs Benedict; a salad, a selection of waffles, pancakes, toasts and sides.

Envision any or all of the above being served while you are seated on a porch high above the street and watching the boats glide up and down the river. Check the website for current menus and call for a reservation. Enjoy! www.BeaufortLifestyle.com | May 2017

35

dining guide

REOPENED

Impressions are everything.

Make yours today.

AF T E R 1 2 5 Y E AR S

LOWCOUNTRY C O A S TA L C U I S I N E Small Plates And Fine Dining

203 Carteret Street Beaufort, SC 843.379.0052 breakwatersc.com

Ribaut Social Club 1103 Bay Street (877) 951-1770

1103 BAY STREET 877-951-1770

36 May 2017 | www.BeaufortLifestyle.com

Breakwater Restaurant and Bar 102 Carteret Street, Suite 102, Beaufort SC 29902 (843) 379-0052 www.breakwatersc.com

Sea Eagle Market 2242 Boundary Street, Beaufort, SC. (843) 521-5090 www.seaeaglemarket.com

HOME & GARDEN www.BeaufortLifestyle.com | May 2017

37

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sland Realty is dedicated to setting the standard for leadership and customer service in the greater Beaufort County real estate market. They have extensive knowledge of each of the communities located in and around Beaufort County. As real estate professionals, they will work tirelessly on your behalf to make your next real estate buying or selling experience a pleasant and successful one. The services they offer include working with both buyers and sellers in a wide array of real estate markets including residential, commercial, land, and other related property types.

The agents at Island Realty are dedicated to serving all of your real estate needs. They are committed to providing a superior level of service in order to ensure a smooth and beneficial outcome to each and every real estate transaction. Their agents maintain exceptional knowledge of the local real estate markets, outstanding negotiating skills, and the experience necessary to give you the service you deserve. Professionalism, dedication, and knowledge make Island Realty the perfect choice when selecting a realtor.

If you are looking to sell your home or other type of real estate, rest assured that it is the commitment of Island Realty to help sell your property in a timely fashion while helping you attain the highest possible price for your real estate. They provide outstanding exposure to your property through both traditional means of advertising while maintaining a comprehensive approach using today’s modern techniques including web

advertising. With tremendous selling experience combined with their comprehensive selling methods, Island Realty will ensure that your home selling process is a smooth and enjoyable experience.

Island Realty has found that providing outstanding services for their buyers includes combining superb area and market knowledge with experience you can trust. For buyers looking for homes or other real estate here in Beaufort or the Sea Islands, they will work with you to find your ideal home by using a wide array of resources. From free online access to search every home in the market to their dream home finder form, they will make sure all your real estate buying needs are met.

Serving Beaufort and the Sea Islands

Fripp Island • Harbor Island • Coosaw Point • Beaufort

“Open Daily” 2 Harbor Drive 20 The Horseshoe Harbor Island, SC 29920 Coosaw Point, SC 29907 843-838-3004- office www.islandrealty.info 888-374-7747 - toll free 38 May 2017 | www.BeaufortLifestyle.com

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Beaufort Success Story: GREG AND SHELIA BENNETT

f you are in the market to buy or sell a home, then look no further than Beaufort Realty Consultants.

The owners of Beaufort Realty Consultants have been involved with the buying and selling of homes in Beaufort and adjacent areas for over 20 years. Since inception, they have been an important part of the local community and will continue to serve all of the area’s real estate needs for years to come. Greg and Shelia Bennett have been in the real estate business since 1997 and have owned their own Brokerage since since 2001.

Greg and Shelia Bennett have been in the real estate business since 1997 and have owned Beaufort Realty Consultants since 2001. They specialize in residential and vacation home and land sales, servicing Beaufort, the surrounding areas and the beach resorts of Harbor and Fripp Island. Additionaly, they provide both a long term residential and short term vacation property division to assist clients with investment properties. Together they exemplify the unique combination of hard

earned success, good humor and laid back lowcountry living that is the Beaufort lifestyle.

With well trained agents in the office working under an experienced broker, all of Beaufort Realty Consultants’ staff members are high caliber professionals with extensive experience and knowledge about the local real estate market. These agents come from diverse backgrounds and all are dedicated to providing the highest quality service to their clients.

The office at Beaufort Realty Consultants is fully equipped with an integrated network of computer and communication systems. They have instant access to the regional Multiple Listing Service, Public Record Searches, and many other tools and services that the agents can use to better serve their clients.

In addition to their agents and brokers, Beaufort Realty Consultants also has full time administrative staff members that work tirelessly to accommodate any and all of your needs. These team members will help coordinate meetings, set schedules,

and ensure the timely processing and delivery of all your documents.

Experienced, well trained and professional, the agents and staff at Beaufort Realty Consultants are ready to work with you and for you!

Beaufort’s First Choice in Property Management

• RESIDENTIAL • VACATION • COMMERCIAL

Serving Beaufort, Bluffton and Hilton Head

910 Charles Street Beaufort, SC 29902 Rentals & Property Management

843-521-1942

www.VisitSeaIslandRentals.com www.BeaufortLifestyle.com | May 2017

39

GRAYCO

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HARDWARE & HOME

young couple needs living room furniture for their new home. Two college girls need beach outfits. A father and son are looking for new fishing rods. A retired gentleman is treating himself to a new grill. And one woman just needs a hammer.

Amazingly, all of these shoppers can find what they’re looking for at Grayco Hardware & Home, a locally owned and operated business that really does offer something for everyone.

What began as an auto parts store in Beaufort in the 1960s has since grown to include Grayco Hardware & Home with locations in Beaufort and on Hilton Head Island, the Grayco Building Center in Beaufort, Bluffton and Ridgeland, and the Grayco Window & Door Center in Savannah and Augusta.

The company’s roots can be traced back several decades to when Port Royal native Richard Gray began working at a local filling station repairing cars. It wasn’t long before he took his knowledge of auto parts and launched Beaufort Muffler & Auto Supply, which evolved over the years to include hardware and eventually become the area favorite for hardware and home improvement.

By his side from the very beginning has been Joyce, his wife of nearly 60 years who, according to their son, Herb, offers unfailing support and is an integral part of the business. Herb has been involved in the family business since working summers there while in high school. After graduating from Clemson, he joined Grayco permanently. He’s now the company’s Chief Executive Officer and Ben Tomlinson is President. The business employs more than 250 people, many of whom have been with Grayco for 15 to 20 years.

And customers know they can always count on seeing the friendly face of

40 May 2017 | www.BeaufortLifestyle.com

Richard, who’s still at the store every day, working in the office and helping out on the sale floor. He welcomes every customer and treats them all as friends, a practice that is at the core of Grayco’s operations.

“Since the beginning, our business philosophy has been that our customers are our number one priority,” said Herb.

“We expect all of our store associates to treat every customer as a new friend and build a one-on-one relationship with that person.” He gave a recent example of a retired veteran who needed help buying a mailbox and post. “Our associates went above and beyond expectations and put it all together for him right there in the store,” he continued. “All the customer had to do when he got home was dig a hole for it.”

As far as competition from the “big box” stores, Herb isn’t worried. “We believe that you don’t have to be the biggest, you just have to be the best, and we feel that we are,” he said. “Customers don’t wander around in our stores feeling lost and waiting for someone to help them.”

He added that pointing across the store to help a customer find an item is not allowed at Grayco; associates instead walk you directly to the item and are ready to answer any questions.

Robert Loughran, Customer Service Manager of the flagship Beaufort store on Lady’s Island, said he is proud to work at such a wonderful and unique store. “This is definitely a one of a kind store,” he said.

“Customers who come in and are just visiting the area tell me on almost a daily basis that they wish they had a store like this back home. There really is something for everyone here.”

Judging by the list of store departments, he’s not exaggerating. Grilling Center, Housewares, Hardware, Lowcountry Living Showroom, Lawn & Garden, Paint Center, to name a few. Within each department, Grayco carries a wide array

of popular brands, including: Weber grills, Yeti coolers, Stihl equipment, Benjamin Moore paint, Columbia sportswear, Meyer’s soaps, Guy Harvey apparel, linens from Pine Cone Hill, and Pawley’s Island Hammocks.

Grayco even has a wedding registry, which offers couples the opportunity to select items ranging from china and home décor to lawn equipment and tools.

Another component of the company’s business philosophy is philanthropy. For decades, Grayco has donated hundreds of thousands of dollars throughout the Lowcountry, including numerous Habitat for Humanity projects. Richard also donated 77 acres to the town of Hardeeville for a sports complex, which is named in his honor. In 2013, the Beaufort Regional Chamber of Commerce awarded Richard with their highest honor, the Lifetime of Leadership Award, and recognized Grayco with an award for excellence in free enterprise.

Grayco Hardware & Home’s Beaufort store is located at 136 Sea Island Parkway in the Island Square Shopping Center. For more information, call (843) 521-8060 or visit their website, www.graycoinc.com.

Home Décor including Furniture, Lighting, Serveware, Dinnerware, Drinkware & Table Linens, Hardware, Grill Center, Paint Center, Marine Center, Lawn & Garden, and Clothing and Accessories

Grayco Hardware & Home has everything you need to become a grill master.

We carry a wide range of gas and charcoal Weber® grills as well as grilling accessories.

Stop into one of our two convenient locations and we will help find the perfect grill for you.

Shown above, the Genesis® II E-640 Gas Grill

136 Sea Island Pkwy., Lady’s Island, Beaufort • 832-521-8060 6 Bow Circle, Hilton Head Island, Crossroads Shopping Center • 843-785-5166

www.graycoinc.com

Showcase of Homes...

Habersham • 26 Harford

Enjoy year-round outdoor living with this wonderful screened porch and private courtyard in this meticulously maintained 3 BR 3 ½ Bath Townhome with 2 car detached garage $489,000.

Eric M. Gnau Realtor (843) 597-0388 egnau@corabettthomas.com CoraBettThomas.com

1124 Palmetto Point

Cul-de-sac seclusion on a protected view of the marsh affords absolute peaceful privacy from your screen porch. $514,000 MLS # 149622 Annette Bryant Realtor (843) 986-7343 Annette.Bryant@ColdwellBanker.com

Talk to an Account Executive today and find out how you can get your listings featured in Beaufort Lifestyle! Have your listings seen by over 40,000 readers per issue...it’s a great opportunity to spread the word.

1000s of looks. 100s of colors. 1 stylish you.

Your Local Style Consultant is just a call or click away.

Schedule your FREE In-Home Consultation today!

843-837-4060 // BudgetBlinds.com Budget Blinds of the Lowcountry 880 Fording Island Rd. Unit 8 Bluffton, SC 29910 Locally owned and operated

42 May 2017 | www.BeaufortLifestyle.com

BUDGET BLINDS OF THE LOWCOUNTRY

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ince its founding, Budget Blinds Serving Beaufort has proudly served the local community by offering high quality and stylish window coverings for any occasion. Their goal is simple: to provide you with the best products and services in order to enrich your home environment. Their lavish selection of window treatments includes shutters, blinds, draperies, shades and even window film. Regardless of the window’s size or shape, you can rest assured Budget Blinds Serving Beaufort will have a customized window coverings solution ready for you.

Call to schedule your free in-home consultation. They will bring you the highest quality and most fashionable window coverings in Beaufort and surrounding areas.

Our beautiful window coverings are just the beginning.

Budget Blinds Serving Beaufort will bring you attractive window treatments that are sure to impress any guest but, more importantly, they bring you an unmatched level of service.

A friendly Budget Blinds Serving Beaufort Style Consultant will bring the window treatment showroom to you. You can explore the choicest window coverings in Beaufort by sampling a multitude of fabrics, materials, colors and options, all in the comfort of your home.

Receive expert advice on what types of window coverings will complement your existing décor. View their portfolio of work to learn how different materials and colors can change the lighting and mood of your rooms. All this at no cost to you!

Once you select the window treatments that will bring out the best in your home, they will take precise window measurements to ensure the perfect fit. Their professional and courteous installation process will follow shortly after. In the end, all you’ll have to do is sit back and enjoy the view.

That’s the Budget Blinds Serving Beaufort way.

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SEA ISLAND PROPERTY PROS

he relationship between a home buyer or seller and their agent is based on trust, shared goals and understanding. No one understands this better than Annette Bryant and Julianne Steinmetz. This powerful partnership is known as the Sea Island Property Pros, and they are willing to do whatever it takes to earn that trust and they are ready to guide you every step of the way.

Annette Bryant, Broker in Charge at Coldwell Banker Platinum Partners SC, is a lifelong career agent “connecting people and places.” Combining her experience in land development and homebuilding is a passion. Annette is the “go to agent” when considering building a custom home, remodeling or renovating waterfront homes along positioned along our ​shorelines.

Talented, experienced and professional, Annette states, “My passion is helping my clients to connect to the special places in their lives that make ‘home’ come to life for them. Moving to Beaufort, South Carolina enriched my life and combined experience in real estate with loving where I live. The sail air, gorgeous landscape and outdoor lifestyle is always changing and every day is a breath of fresh air.”

Originally from Pennsylvania, Julianne Steinmetz moved to Beaufort in 2015. While vacationing in Charleston, Julianne saw a brouchure about Beaufort and it reminded her of New Orleans. During her next vacation, while visiting Savannah, she took a trip to Beaufort. By the third trip to the area, this time on Harbor Island, she told her husband it was time to buy a house in Beaufort. Already a licensed real estate agent in Pennsylvania, Julianne immediately joined the team at Coldwell Banker

Platinum Partners SC. Annette and Julianne clicked and have recently joined forces as the Sea Island Property Pros. “Whether you are buying or selling real estate, I understand that the process can often be challenging and complicated. My goal is to take the pressure off of you so that you can make clear and concise decisions throughout the process.

I pride myself on being honest, accurate and responsive. Being originally from Pennsylvania, I grew tired of the cold, snow and ice and followed my dream to move somewhere warmer and near the sea. I chose Beaufort and love every day on these beautiful islands!”, Julianne says.

One of the communities that Annette is excited for everyone to hear about is Hearthstone Lakes. The properties there are selling quickly and it’s no secret as to why. The Hearthstone Lakes Community offers spacious floor plans and modern amenities in new and move-in ready homes at a sensible price point. The large 200-acre community offers a blend of rural charm and suburban convenience with lagoon views, a community swimming pool, and local parks for a true living experience. Hearthstone Lakes is conveniently located in Hardeeville, SC, just a few miles from beautiful Beaufort, and is near major commuter routes, providing effortless drives to entertainment, medical facilities, airports, local military bases, schools and recreation.

Stop by or call Sea Island Property Pros today! Annette and Julianne eagerly await the opportunity to guide you through your home buying or selling journey.

Dataw Island, Where Life Flows Gently with the Tide 224 Locust Fence

1124 Palmetto Point

1055 Curisha Point S

Relax and enjoy the spectacular view of Cul-de-sac seclusion on a protected view of lagoon and Morgan River Course from this the marsh affords absolute peaceful privacy custom built home. $395,000 MLS # 148954 from your screen porch. $514,000 MLS # 149622

Low country style architecture on the exterior leads to a truly free flowing floorplan.

Your eye is drawn to the vista of marsh and the Morgan River. $800,000 MLS # 149942

Your “Sea Island Property Pros” 843-986-2444 www.CoastalRealEstateinMotion.com 1211 Boundary Street, Beaufort, SC 29902

Annette Bryant REALTOR®

843-986-7343 Annette.Bryant@ColdwellBanker.com

Julianne Steinmetz REALTOR®

843-683-9083 Julianne.Steinmetz@ColdwellBanker.com

www.BeaufortLifestyle.com | April 2017

43

O

OYSTER CAY COLLECTION

yster Cay Collection is one of the top 10 importers of antique teak furniture into the United States. The natural benefits of teak; strength, durability, warm color, resistance to termites or other damaging elements, make it an extremely adaptable wood. Its water-resistant properties and tendency not to splinter easily made it a favorite for shipbuilders for hundreds of years and it has since been used for a wide range of both indoor and outdoor furniture. From large dining room tables to elegant cabinets and patio furniture, teak has the flexibility that many furniture makers are looking for today. Teak, indigenous to Southeast Asia, is the preferred building material with few knots and a beautiful patina.

Our focus has been to buy unique, functional pieces – items that can fit into any home whether the style is contemporary or traditional. We import furniture and handicrafts through the island of Bali, Indonesia, but most originate from Java, Sumatra, and Lombok.

Most of our tables date to the 1930’s. The cabinets are in that same vintage, and several of the armoires from the early 20th century. Many are original pieces, but have been rebuilt and refinished to make them a truly exceptional addition to your home. We also purchase a few newly constructed pieces. Those new pieces are made from Borneo rosewood, ironwood, or teak.

You will also find Indonesian handicrafts – woven placemats, covered trays, beaded purses, hand carved wooden birds and Buddha, wall panels, and many other home accessories.

We also design pieces, which are made using reclaimed teak.

We can draw up your piece to suit your specifications. Call or email us for a free quote on any design or shipping costs.

44 May 2017 | www.BeaufortLifestyle.com

A

re you in the market to buy or sell your home? Are you looking for the right agent(s) to guide you in this life changing decision? Well look no further than Team Achurch at Ballenger Realty. The A stands for Achurch, and Will and Amy Achurch are a husband and wife team who are eager to help you through this process.

Will, a Beaufort native, has recently joined his wife Amy at Ballenger Realty.

He’s no rookie, though. Having been in banking for 15 years, and a Market President for two major financial institutions in Beaufort, he has had the opportunity to be involved in a multitude of commercial and residential real estate transactions. This unique skill set and experience is beneficial to their clients.

Will is passionate about the Beaufort community, and giving back is very important to both he and Amy. He serves, and has served, on a variety of civic and non-profit organizations in multiple capacities throughout the Low Country. These include Chairman for the Beaufort Regional Chamber of Commerce, Treasurer for the Beaufort

The A Team

Yacht and Sailing Club, Board Member for the Neighborhood Outreach Connection, Board Member for the Exchange Club of Beaufort, Treasurer of the Friends of Charles Towne Landing, Secretary for the Old Towne Task Force Committee, and as a Volunteer Monitor for the SC DNR’s Oyster Restoration and Enhancement Program.

Amy Achurch has lived in the Carolinas her entire life, with the past 14 years being spent in the Low Country. She has been a real estate agent in Beaufort for the last six years and has a true love for all it encompasses. She states, “I help my clients from the beginning search to a successful closing and beyond. Working with buyers and sellers of residential property is my specialty. A large amount of my business is based on referrals due to so many happy clients that refer me to their friends and family. Being available, knowledgeable, prompt and professional are the keys to my relationship with my clients.”

Beaufort has proven to be HOME to Will, Amy and their daughter. They love living here and enjoy having family in town as well. Amy is happy to answer

any questions that clients may have about Beaufort, whether it is real estate related, or if you just need a recommendation for a great restaurant, shopping experience or day trip.

Will and Amy Achurch would love to help you with your real estate journey.

Will says, “Amy and I care deeply about our reputation as real estate professionals, and to an even greater extent, we care about our clients. This is why we work diligently to be prompt, professional, and thorough.”

www.BeaufortLifestyle.com | May 2017

45

DISTINCTIVE GRANITE AND MARBLE

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Time to Move to OUTDOOR LIVING

By Andrea Antunes McGilton, Distinctive Granite and Marble

ummer time and the livin’ is easier and more fun with new outdoor living rooms. Here in the Lowcountry we are blessed with a climate that allows us to live outdoors practically all year long. Many residents have already discovered how to use stone in creative ways to design outdoor living spaces that are practical, comfortable, elegant and virtually maintenance free.

Landscape, patios, decks, walkways, pools, gazebos, bars, showers, counters and kitchens can all be part of your wonderful outdoor oasis.

Industry sources say that the second most popular remodeling project after indoor kitchens is outdoor kitchens. Why not jump on the bandwagon? With the wide variety of materials, fixtures and appointments to fit every budget, the outdoor kitchen has moved from luxury concept to mainstream reality.

When planning your new outdoor living area, be sure to consider all the basics, like a built-in grill, refrigerator, cabinets, all-weather furniture and landscaping. Plus, perhaps, a pergola for shade, bar for mixing and serving cocktails, ceiling fans, misters, a gas patio heater, fireplace or fire pit, special lighting and a good sound system.

Of course, your countertop will be a centerpiece of your outdoor kitchen and choosing the right stone will ensure years of enjoyment and admiration. Impervious to the elements, natural stone adds a timeless and luxurious quality to the outdoor kitchen.

Limestone has been used in the construction of countless outdoor buildings, monuments and fine residences. It’s an excellent choice for both interior and exterior applications.

Granite is by far the most popular outdoor surface stone.

For resistance to bacteria, heat, scratches and stains, granite is unsurpassed in overall performance. It won’t chip or crack and is

46 February/March 2017 | www.BeaufortLifestyle.com

the least porous stone. Granite is excellent for food preparation because it is one of the most bacteria-resistant surfaces. It’s nearly impossible to scratch and will not stain under normal use. A granite countertop is by far the best choice for durability and ability to retain its original luster and color with little to no maintenance.

The new leather finish for granite is one of the most popular new options for outdoor design. It has a rustic look and a finish that hides pollen and causes water to bead. Maintaining and cleaning leather-finished granite on counters, island and serving bar couldn’t be easier. Granite comes in so many colors and patterns, and has so many varieties, that it becomes a colorful focal point for outdoor design. You can get the same quality and timeless look outdoors as that found inside your home.

In terms of texture and color, granite offers endless choices.

Today’s hottest countertops are showing more colors, textures and patterns, as well as some creative mixing and matching of materials to create more personalized designs. No reason this can’t extend to your outdoor living spaces.

Travertine is an excellent choice for patios and pool decks, often preferred by architects and interior designers. With a surface that is brushed, the stone feels soft, it’s not hot or cold on your feet and it’s not slippery. It’s a great choice for floors in an outdoor cabana bath.

Using natural stone in your outdoor living spaces is a wise investment. Stone increases the value of your home, it reduces maintenance costs, and it offers long-term durability in addition to aesthetic appeal.

Lighting, fabrics, furniture, seating arrangements, awnings, accessories and decorative accents are all personal selections for your outdoor space. Think stone this spring – and let your imagination blossom!

Granite • Marble • Travertine • Onyx • Limestone • Quartz • Tile

Proud to be st the 1 Choice for

Granite &Quartz

Distinctive Granite and Marble is stocked with a huge selection of stone ready for fabrication and delivery.

Prices have never been better.

Be assured that you are receiving the best price for the best quality stone.

It’s our Apples to Apples guarantee!

Bring us any legitimate written estimate and we will meet it.

Apples to Apples.

www.DistinctiveGraniteandMarble.com

Pure White Quartz

Calacata Gold Quartz

Statuary Quartz

Visit the Beaufort Showroom Today!

39 Burton Hill Road (Just 1/2 mile off Robert Smalls Parkway) 843-379-5012 Other Distinctive Showrooms L . | 47 Hilton Head Island • Riverwalk.B• Savannah www

eaufort ifestyle com December/January 2016-17