February 2010
DEPARTMENTS
Volume 5, No. 2 FEATURES
38 Recipe for Love
By Mariah Fong
Pinehurst’s acclaimed executive chef cooks up Valentine magic.
42 Ménage à Tweet
By Ashley Wahl
The trials of true love in the age of instant communication.
44 A Few Minutes With: The Sweethearts of Belle Meade Dr. Horace and Dorothy Baker.
46 A Labor of Love
By Deborah Salomon
The house that Donald Ross built is in perfect loving hands.
52 Violets
Noah Salt
February’s flower has a rich history of the heart. COVER & CONTENTS PAGE PHOTOGRAPHS: TIM SAYER
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7 Sweet Tea Chronicles Jim Dodson 8 PinePitch 12 Cos and Effect Cos Barnes 14 The Omnivorous Reader Stephen E. Smith 16 Bookshelf 18 Hitting Home Dale Nixon 21 Vine Wisdom Robyn James 22 Food From the Heart Deborah Salomon 25 Feats of Clay Jim Dalton 29 Birdwatch Susan Campbell 30 The Sporting Life Tom Bryant 33 Thoughts From the Man Shed Geoff Cutler 35 Golftown Journal Lee Pace 55 PineBuzz Jack Dodson 56 Calendar 69 SandhillSeen 75 123 PineNeedler Mart Dickerson 124 SouthWords Deborah Salomon
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PineStraw : The Art & Soul of the Sandhills
PineStraw M A G A Z I N E Jim Dodson, Editor Andie Stuart Rose, Creative Director Megan Shore, Graphic Designer EDITORIAL
Deborah Salomon, Staff Writer Stephen E. Smith, Staff Writer Sara King, Proofreader Mary Novitsky, Proofreader PHOTOGRAPHERS
Glenn Dickerson Jeanne Paine Tim Sayer Hannah Sharpe CONTRIBUTORS
Tom Allen Cos Barnes Tom Bryant Susan Campbell Geoff Cutler Jim Dalton Mart Dickerson Jack Dodson Mariah C. Fong Kay Grismer Robyn James Pamela Powers January Matthew Moriarty Dale Nixon Lee Pace Angie Tally Ashley Wahl
David Woronoff, Publisher ADVERTISING SALES 910.693.2505
Pat Taylor, Advertising Director Ginny Kelly Patty Rea Bill Downey Terry Hartsell Marty Hefner Peggy Marsh Darlene McNeil-Smith Johnsie Tipton Karen Triplett ADVERTISING GRAPHIC DESIGN
Kathryn Galloway, B.J. Hill Mechelle Wood, Scott Yancey Darlene Stark, Circulation Director 910.693.2488
PineStraw Magazine 910.693.2467
145 W. Pennsylvania Avenue Southern Pines, NC 28387 pinestraw@thepilot.com www.pinestrawmag.com ©Copyright 2010. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. PineStraw magazine is published by The Pilot LLC
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PineStraw : The Art & Soul of the Sandhills
PRIVATE SCHOOLS: NOW ENROLLING
SWEET TEA CHRONICLES
Things We Love
BY JIM DODSON
During the recent January cold snap,
my good friend Mohsin Ali nipped through the office door late in the day swaddled from head to toe in downy gray fleece. He was, as always, bearing both a stirring citation and a lovely personal gift. “The subject tonight is love!” Sri Mohsin declared, eyes blazing, “and tomorrow night as well! As a matter of fact, sir Jim, I know of no better topic for us to discuss until we die…but love!” The gift was a packet of Green Tea Ricola throat lozenges. The citation was familiar and courtesy of Shams-ud-din Muhammad Hafiz, the great Persian mystic poet. A volume of Hafiz’s love poetry sits on my very own desk. But I’m half convinced Mohsin has the great sage fully committed to memory. You may remember Mohsin from our May 2009 edition of PineStraw, the longtime Reuters correspondent and son of India born at the very feet of the Himalayas. We called him a “mystic” because he is both a walking expert on world affairs but also a voice of simple timeless wisdom in an age overrun by too many facts and not enough insight. Mohsin’s timeless clarity and Laughing Buddha wit are always a tonic for whatever ails me, including a scratchy throat. “Funny you should say that,” I was pleased to put to him, popping a Ricola into my mouth. “Our February issue is devoted entirely to the subject of love in its various incarnations.” “Oh, how delightful, how wonderful!” he exclaimed. “As the great sage Hafiz said, there really is no other subject but love!” As I pointed out to my dear wise friend, my job this month as editor is simply to introduce the special theme of our thick and bristling February issue (here’s a clue: It has to do with “things we love”) and quickly exit stage left in order for a host of talented writers and artists and experts to sally forth in their inimitable fashion on a topic that, as Hafiz and Mohsin agree, is really the only topic that matters. PineStraw : The Art & Soul of the Sandhills
Before I surrender the stage, however, I’d just like to offer a belated New Year gratitude to you, our enthusiastic readers, for your strong support of the magazine over the past 18 months. Speaking for my partner Andie Rose and our hutch of gifted columnists and contributors, I can tell you we’re in that fortunate minority that loves coming to work each day – creating a magazine that entertains and informs us as much as we hope it does you. As our new “StrawTalk” letters page indicates, we love the idea of hearing your thoughts and suggestions on the magazine. For further clarity in a world where it’s sometimes difficult to find the pearl in the lotus bloom — as Sri Mohsin might say — we’re pleased to introduce an insider’s entertainment page dedicated to cutting-edge music, film and Web sites that well deserve a look. We call it “PineBuzz.” If love is inevitable, as the sages promise, so too is marriage. Likewise we’re delighted to present PineStraw’s inaugural edition of an annual wedding guide, PS Brides and Grooms, tucked with Emily Post precision into the back half of the magazine for easy reference. We can’t think of a more compelling place to tie the knot than here in our very own Sandhills, where you can play 18 world-class holes of golf, take an invigorating ride on horseback, unwind at a premier spa, and hold a breathtaking formal wedding all on the same day if that tickles your fancy. With your ideal wedding in mind, we have assembled a group of experts and resource providers to assist in making your special day — or that of someone you love — genuinely unforgettable. In short, we hope you enjoy our special issue devoted to “love” and a PineStraw spin on the art of getting married. Finally, with this issue, we say a loving farewell to our longtime food writer Mariah Fong. Beginning next month, Mariah and husband Gerry (Ashton chef extraordinaire) and their new baby Una will take up residence way down east in New Bern, where Gerry is starting his own restaurant, called “Persimmon.” We wish them Godspeed and continued good fortune. We wish you a belated Happy New Year and hope you experience the many things you love in 2010. PS
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All That Jazz-a-ma-tazz Valentine weekend throbs with the Heart ’n Soul of Jazz 2010, this year featuring Harry Allen, Joe Locke and Nilson Matta’s Brazilian Voyage (with many Brazilian artists) at 8 p.m. on Feb. 12, followed by Grammy-nominated the Tierny Sutton Band (veterans of Lincoln Center and the Hollywood Bowl) on Feb. 13 at the Carolina Hotel. A performance by jazz vocalist/pianist John Proulx precedes the Feb. 12 concert at 7:30 p.m. The event is presented by the Arts Council of Moore County and Pinehurst Resort. Tickets are $65 per performance or $110 for both, and include a meet-the-artist dessert reception. Information and tickets: (810) 235-8415.
Coop Scoop Summer, winter, hot or cold — The Rooster’s Wife keeps clucking along at her Poplar Knight Spot in Aberdeen: Feb. 5: Mike Compton and Joe Newberry Amelia’s Mechanics Feb. 11: The Gravy Boys (shown below)
Everybuddys Kathy McGougan, a reading recovery and early literacy teacher at Pinecrest Elementary School, observed how people — children especially — responded to Buddy, her Certified Therapy Dog. She took Buddy to school. Students read to him. He liked it. The kids liked him. They read better when Buddy was listening. This spunky Jack Russell terrier may be ready for prime time. McGougan wrote and published 30 leveled readers called Buddy Books with titles like “Buddy at the Beach,” “Buddy Works,” “Buddy at the Bed and Biscuit” illustrated with pictures of … you guessed it. Adorable!
Feb. 14: Angel Band Feb. 16: Scott Ainslie and Glennis Redmond Black, White and Blues Feb. 26: The Carter Brothers Show times and admission: (910) 585-1614 or www.theroosterswife.org The Poplar Knight Spot is located at 114 Knight Street in historic Aberdeen.
The series was accepted nationally by the Read and Recovery List and adopted by several Moore County schools. Buddy Books for home consumption are available at The Country Bookshop in Southern Pines or at www.buddybookspublishing.com Bye-bye, Spot.
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PineStraw : The Art & Soul of the Sandhills
Black Beyond Beautiful The Friends of African and African-American Art have brought the national exhibit Arts of the Masters: A Survey of African-American Images, 1980-2000, to The Arts Council of Fayetteville/Cumberland County, 301 Hay St. in Fayetteville. The exhibit of 60 works from 36 international artists, which continues until March 6, provides “a glimpse into the soul of a people.” Admission: Free. Information and gallery hours: (910) 323-1776.
Pen-ultimate Penick For the fifth year, from Feb. 26 to Feb.28 Penick Village hosts its Annual Art Show & Sale to benefit the benevolent assistance program, which allows residents in financial need to remain at the village. Look for lovely paintings (shown is Nancy Yanchus with a painting she has donated), art objects (some made by residents) and “Day in the Life” auction items. The opening party, at 6:30 p.m. on Feb. 26 features cocktails mixed by celebrity bartenders, hors d’oeuvres and music. Tickets for the party are $45, available at www.penickvillagefoundation.org or by calling (910) 692-0381.
Oh What a Beautiful Musical!
“Play Gently for My Hearing” by Dr. David Driskell (collage/mixed media)
Honestly Abe Abraham Lincoln re-enactor Jim Getty presents “An Evening With Abraham Lincoln” at 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 23 at Owens Auditorium, Sandhills Community College in Southern Pines. The performance is part of the Ruth Pauley Lecture Series. Getty has portrayed Lincoln on A&E’s “The Assassination of President Lincoln” and on TBS in “The Ironclads.” Performances are free and open to the public. Information: (910) 245-3132.
Bee There
“Oklahoma!” gave Americans a lift when it opened during the darkest days of World War II. The exclamation point — and the musical love triangle — are still relevant. Let Curly, Jed and Laurey lift your spirits when Moore OnStage presents this classic Feb. 10-14 at Pinecrest High School in Southern Pines. The production will be directed by Broadway vocal coach Patrick Michael Wickman, who appeared in a recent production of “Master Class.” His goal: “Bring a little Broadway to Southern Pines.”
The buzz starts at 7 p.m. on Feb. 24 at Owens Auditorium, Sandhills Community College, when the Sixth Spelling Bee for Literacy pits costumed teams from the Golf Capital Chorus, Penick Village, The Pilot, Stifel Nicolaus and others against each other to benefit the Moore County Literacy Council. The Council offers free tutoring to adults with low reading skills. Last year’s bee raised $18,000 through sponsorship and donations. The event is free, with more emphasis on fun than spelling. Seeing is bee-lieving. Information: www.mcliteracy.com.
Tickets: $15$25, at (910) 692-7118.
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PineStraw : The Art & Soul of the Sandhills
Fat Chance Fat Tuesday meets Las Vegas when Pope John Paul II Catholic School presents Mardi Gras Casino Night Gala from 6 to 10 p.m. Feb. 13 at Country Club of North Carolina in Pinehurst. Gamers, dressed in cocktail attire, will play craps, roulette, poker and blackjack to benefit technology, operations and scholarships at the Southern Pines school. The $50 admission includes live and silent auctions and heavy hors d’oeuvres. Auction items include a two-night Las Vegas getaway and ice cream for a year. Cash bar available. Tickets: (910) 692-6241 or at www.jp2catholicschool.org
haiku corner
Saxophone Home
from the winter window dark branches against a gray sky a cardinal the only flower
The New Century Saxophone Quartet will perform at 3 p.m. Feb. 21 at The O’Neal School in Southern Pines, part of the Kaleidoscope Family Series, which aims to join children and the arts, up close and personal. The internationally acclaimed quartet won first prize at the Concert Artists Guild Competition and has played baroque to contemporary music at venues in New York, Los Angeles, Amsterdam and with the North Carolina Symphony. Tickets: $10-$15.
MELINDA KEMP LYERLY, ABERDEEN
PineStraw : The Art & Soul of the Sandhills
The quartet will continue their Sandhills gig, performing for the Classical Concert Series at 8 p.m. Feb. 22 at the Sunrise Theater in Southern Pines. Tickets: $25, Information and tickets: (910) 6922787 or www.mooreart.org.
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COS AND EFFECT
Perfectly Out of Sync A decided personality trait of my fami-
ly is our propensity for doing things backwards. Well, maybe not completely backwards — but definitely out of sync. When they all lived under my roof, our timing was usually bad. We replaced window glass in the cold of winter and repaired the roof in the heat of summer. I didn't do spring cleaning in the spring when the light was good, when windows could be opened and bed linens aired. I did it in either February or July. Simple things that others seem to do effortlessly take on insurmountable proportions when we tackle them. Nothing is easy in our book. We frequently manage to get the cart before the horse.
We recently celebrated a non-graduation. Due to miscommunication between my granddaughter and her faculty advisor over an internship she did last summer, she came up short on credits to get her college degree. We celebrated anyway. It was not like her parents traveled from Fuqua Varina. They and her younger brother came from Seoul, Korea. An aunt, who was also celebrating a birthday, flew in from Atlanta with her young daughters. An uncle and his wife and three daughters traveled from Columbia, SC. Another of her brothers flew in from Texas just prior to his final exams from his first year in college. Although we did not get to see her walk across the stage since her graduation has been deferred until August, we still met together, ate and took part in the rituals she was allowed to participate in. Leopards do not change their spots.
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T H E O M N I VO R O U S R E A D E R
No Love Lost
In this case, love means having to say you’re sorry — for buying this book
BY STEPHEN E. SMITH
When it comes
to discoursing on all this slobbery love stuff, James Joyce got it right when he wrote in Ulysses: “Love loves to love love. Nurse loves the new chemist. Constable 14A loves Mary Kelly. Gerty MacDowell loves the boy that has the bicycle. M.B. loves a fair gentleman. Li Chi Han lovey up kissy Cha Pu Chow. Jumbo, the elephant, loves Alice, the elephant. Old Mr Verschoyle with the ear trumpet loves old Mrs Verschoyle with the turned in eye. The man in the brown macintosh loves a lady who is dead. His Majesty the King loves Her Majesty the Queen. Mrs Norman W. Tupper loves officer Taylor. You love a certain person. And this person loves that other person because everybody loves somebody….” So there you have it, straight from the pen of the glibbest Irishman ever. Too bad JoAnn and Steve Ward, the mother-son team who are the stars of the VH1’s reality series Tough Love, didn’t read Joyce’s sardonic description of the thing most obsessively wrong with the world. If they had, they might not have written Crash Course in Love, and the lovesick population of planet Earth might have been spared their ministrations. Unfortunately, they did write it. And their spindly little book with its thick leading, jumbo type and nonsensical ruminations will set you back $17.99 plus tax. Moreover, it’s not likely to improve your love life in any meaningful way.
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But if you’re desperate enough to consider purchasing Crash Course, if your personal life has deteriorated to such an extent that you’re likely to read this malarkey and take it to heart, it’s the function of the reviewer to warn you. So here’s my warning: Don’t buy this book, and if someone gives it to you, don’t bother to read it. You’ve got better things to do with your time and money. The only thing positive I can say about Crash Course is that it occasionally makes a little tiny bit of sense if you don’t bother to think about what the Wards are saying. Beyond that, there are any number of good reasons for not recommending this schlock. First, love is the most subjective aspect of human existence. I wouldn’t trust Dr. Phil’s advice, so you can forget about the Wards, whose credentials amount to a certain camera-friendly je ne sais quoi coupled with the disingenuous charisma of a carnival barker. (If you want to read a great book about love, read Committed: A Skeptic Makes Peace with Marriage by Elizabeth Perkins. She writes intelligently about compatibility, passion, loyalty, family tradition, expectations, the risk of divorce, and responsibility, subjects the Wards barely touch on. Gilbert’s memoir is a straightforward celebration of love with all the intricacy and consequences that true love — real honest-toGod love — entails.) Second, ask yourself how hard it would be to write a book that offers advice to the lovelorn. You can go to amazon.com and type in “love” under the heading “books,” and you’ll find 958,266 results — Love: What Life is All About, The Five Love Languages, The Love Dare, Getting the Love You Want, Why Men Love Bitches, The Mystery of Love, The Brain is Love, and so forth ad nauseam. If you need to pick up a few bucks, buy 15 books about love, paraphrase the contents, stick “love” in the title, convince some dimwitted editor that you possess the wisdom of an Old Testament prophet, and you’re in business. Not to worry, the FDA doesn’t regulate advice to the lovesick. Third, this is a chick book — and I use the term “chick” dis-
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PineStraw : The Art & Soul of the Sandhills
T H E O M N I VO R O U S R E A D E R
paragingly. Every syllable is devoted to directing anxious, mentally challenged, insecure, psycho-sexual driven chicks into self-destructive behavior — like they need any help. And in keeping with the ephemeral nature of the subject, not one of the chapters offers what might be considered an original piece of advice. Here’s a sample of the Wards’ critical thinking: “Don’t judge a book by its cover,” “Try to stand out,” “Learn to laugh at yourself,” “Don’t be weird,” “Be honest about your job,” “Actions speak louder than words,” “Always maintain your dignity,” “If you want him to kiss you, get closer,” etc. If you haven’t already considered the above advice, you’re fated to play out your role in natural selection. No babies for you. Lastly — and this is truly irritating — is the Wards’ use of analogies and/or extended metaphors such as: “Think of sex before a relationship like selling a luxury car. As the dealer, you want to attract the right buyer, so you put out signs everywhere advertising your cars and services and hope the right buyer comes in soon. Being the inviting, friendly dealer that you are, you have a great lot and a beautiful showroom that will intrigue and attract shoppers. When a qualified buyer expresses interest in one of your cars, you may let him take the car out for a spin — but you never let him open it up on the highway at 140 mph, or take it home with him….” Shazam! Using our peculiar infatuation with automobiles as a metaphor for a successful relationship is a laughable cliché. Remember this: analogies never constitute proof. (You can, however, have some fun by extending the metaphor — “He loved to beep the horn on his new sports car, and oh, my, how he loved to pump the brakes, which he always found firm and responsive. There was nothing better than dropping the top and running her flat out on a warm, moist spring evening.”) So there it is, friends and neighbors, the skinny on a truly bad book that costs way too much money. In the final analysis, this love stuff all comes down to chance. And any fool on the street can tell you this simple truth: The only true love is a new love. PS Stephen E. Smith is a regular contributor to PineStraw. Contact him at travisses@hotmail.com. PineStraw : The Art & Soul of the Sandhills
Hawkins & harkness FINE JEWELRY
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N.W. BROAD ST, SOUTHERN PINES, NC
910.692.3749 | 888.609.7622
Celebrating Visual, Literary and Performing Arts
March 25-28, 2010 Pinehurst, Southern Pines, Aberdeen Area of North Carolina
The Palustris Festival is designed for all ages, focusing on celebrating the visual, literary, performing arts and history of the area. Featured events include dance, music, art, theater and more! For complete information on the events, locations and ticketing, go to www.palustrisfestival.com.
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BOOKSHELF
New Releases for February BY KAY GRISMER AND ANGIE TALLY FOR THE COUNTRY BOOKSHOP FICTION – HARDCOVER BRAVA, VALENTINE by Adriana Trigiani. Valentine Roncalli, the shoemaker and designer in Trigiani’s VERY VALENTINE, takes over the NYC family-run shoe business, falls for the dashing, older Gianluca in Italy, and unearths a dusty chapter of family history in South America. REQUIEM BY FIRE by Wayne Caldwell. In the sequel to CATALOOCHEE, residents of the small North Carolina mountain village must decide whether to surrender or fight the federal government when, in 1928, the National Park Commission is instructed to amass half-a-million acres to establish the Great Smoky National Park. SECRETS OF EDEN by Chris Bohjalian. A minister, suffering a crisis of faith, flees his parish after the apparent murder-suicide of a parishioner and her abusive husband, then becomes a suspect.
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SHADOW TAG by Louise Erdrich. Erdrich sets aside the magical-realist style of her novels about the Ojibwes to write a domestic tragedy set among sophisticated, assimilated, highly educated and successful Native Americans. SPLIT IMAGE by Robert Parker. Stressed by the case of a lowlevel mob hit, his failed relationship with his exwife, and his ongoing battle with the bottle, Police Chief Jesse Stone agrees to help PI Sunny Randall with her case, only to realize both their victims and their suspects have much in common. FICTION-PAPERBACK 8TH CONFESSION by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro. As San Francisco’s most glamorous millionaires mingle at the party of the year, someone is waiting for a chance to take vengeance in the latest
installment in the Women’s Murder Club series. LITTLE BEE by Chris Cleave. In Cleave’s haunting novel, a violent incident on a Nigerian beach has tragic echoes in posh London where a tenuous friendship blooms between two disparate strangers. REVELATION by C. J. Sansom. In the fourth novel in Sansom’s acclaimed series set in Tudor London, Shardlake’s search for the murderer of an old friend leads him to Lady Catherine Parr, the dark prophecies of the Book of Revelation and a series of horrific murders. SHANGHAI GIRLS by Lisa See. Through arranged marriages, two sisters leave Shanghai in 1937 to find new lives in Los Angeles in the latest novel from the author of SNOW FLOWER AND THE SECRET FAN.
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PineStraw : The Art & Soul of the Sandhills
BOOKSHELF
NON-FICTION – HARDCOVER
NON-FICTION – PAPERBACK
FREEDOM’S TEACHER: The Life of Septima Clark by Katherine Mellen Charron. In the mid-1950s, Clark, a former public school teacher, developed a citizenship training program that enabled thousands of African Americans to register to vote and to link the power of the ballot to individual and communal empowerment. Charron, a professor of history at North Carolina State, demonstrates the crucial role many black women teachers played in making education a cornerstone of the struggle for freedom in the 20th century. Dr. Katherine Mellen Charron will be at The Country Bookshop on Thursday, February 11 at 4 pm.
A COURSE CALLED IRELAND: A Long Walk in Search of a Country, a Pint, and the Next Tee by Tom Coyne. This epic tale follows a walking-averse golfer who treks his way around an entire country, spending 16 weeks playing every seaside hole in Ireland, and often battling through all four seasons in one Irish afternoon.
LUNCH IN PARIS: A Love Story with Recipes by Elizabeth Bard. Bard, a young American in Paris for a weekend visit, sat down to lunch with a handsome Frenchman and never went home again. Her memoir of her two passionate love affairs: one with her new beau and the other with French cuisine, is peppered with mouth-watering recipes.
PineStraw : The Art & Soul of the Sandhills
PASSING STRANGE: A Gilded Age Tale of Love and Deception Across the Color Line by Martha A. Sandweiss. Clarence King, a late 19th century celebrity, explorer and brilliant scientist, lived a double life— as the prominent white geologist and writer, and as a black Pullman porter and steelworker—a secret he kept from his wealthy Newport family until he finally revealed it to his black common-law wife on his death bed. CHILDREN’S BOOKS A FRIEND LIKE YOU by Tanja Askani. Often when Photographer Askani brings orphaned or injured animals into her private refuge/rehab center at her home in Germany, unexpected companionships form. This delightful collection of photographs of these adorable animals is accom-
panied by simple text celebrating the comforts and delights of friendships everywhere. Ages 4 and up. FANCY NANCY: HEART TO HEART by Jane O’Connor. Ooh la la Valentine’s Day is tomorrow and almost everything about Valentine’s Day is Fancy which makes it the perfect holiday to celebrate with Fancy Nancy. Tiaracrowned young readers will love discovering just who has tucked a fuchsia-glittered valentine into Nancy’s door in this newest installment in the wildly popular series. Ages 3-8. 39 CLUES #7: THE VIPER’S NEST by Peter Lerangis. As they delve deeper and deeper into the secrets of the Cahill family, Amy and Dan discover a dangerous enemy: The Truth. Young bookhounds ages 8-12 will be anxiously awaiting this seventh of ten planned books in this NYT bestselling series. PS
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HITTING HOME
Mr. Ordinary If you’re lucky enough to find him, hold on tight
BY DALE NIXON
A while back, a
Yale-Harvard study indicated that if a woman is single, over 30 and welleducated, her chances of ever getting married ranged from slim to nearly none.
Ever since I read the article, I’ve been wanting to write about romance. I procrastinated on this column because I’m not an expert in the field of romance. But since February is here and Valentine’s Day is right around the corner, I’m hard-pressed to keep my thoughts to myself. I may not be a Dr. Ruth (lucky, lucky me) or a Leo Buscaglia (Did you know the man is not married?), but I do have a few credentials. I watch “All My Children” on the daytime soaps, and I have seen every episode of “The Bachelor.” I’ve seen “Gone with the Wind,” “Pillow Talk,” “Out of Africa” and “Love Story.” I’ve read every book ever written by Judith Krantz, Rosemary Rogers and Barbara Taylor Bradford. I tune in religiously to Dr. Phil and Oprah. Furthermore, I’m a woman. Now that I’ve presented my credentials, I’d like to make a statement to the single woman, over 30 and well-educated, whose chances of ever getting married range from slim to nearly none. The reason you may never get married is because you expect too much from men. You are spinning your wheels looking for Mr. Right. May I make a suggestion? Look for Mr. Ordinary. Mr. Ordinary is not necessarily tall, dark and handsome. He comes in all shapes and sizes. Mr. Ordinary is, however, handsome on the inside. He has a heart the size of California, and his
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soul is usually of a golden color. Afford yourself a second look. You may like what you see. Compared with Mr. Ordinary, Mr. Right may be articulate and a gifted conversationalist. But Mr. Ordinary will take the time to listen to what others have to say. When Mr. Ordinary does have something to say, it’s usually well thought out and sincere. If you’ll notice, when Mr. Ordinary does speak, everyone listens. Apologies don’t come easy for the perfect man. Even when he’s wrong, he’s right. There’s a lesson about this in a quote from one of my romance novels: “People who never make mistakes finally sprout wings and fly away.” On the other hand, Mr. Ordinary admits when he’s at fault and is quick to say, “I’m sorry.” Mr. Ordinary does have his problems. He squeezes the toothpaste in the middle of the tube, drinks out of the milk carton, occasionally locks himself out of the house and never has the oil changed in his car. He may forget your birthday every now and then, pick you up a few minutes late for a date, forget to get a haircut and burn the steaks. But, by the same token, he is never too busy to play with a child, share a picnic or fly a kite. He’s not too proud to mop a floor, cook a meal or run your bath water. Mr. Ordinary can roar with laughter, shed a tear, say “I love you” and bow his head in prayer. Ladies, what I’m trying to say is this: Life is too short to look for perfection in a man. Look instead for Mr. Ordinary. And if you’re lucky enough to find him, grab on, hold on for dear life and never let him go. Happy Valentine’s Day. PS Columnist Dale Nixon resides in Concord but enjoys a slice of heaven (disguised as a condominium) in the village of Pinehurst. You may contact her by e-mail at dalenixon@carolina.rr.com.
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The Watering Hole of the Golf World Where Past & Future Legends Meet Experience our fabulous food
Bar Open: Sun & Mon at 4pm, Tues - Sat at 11:30am Pub Menu available until 9pm (910) 295 6121 • 50 Dogwood Road • Pinehurst NC
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PineStraw : The Art & Soul of the Sandhills
VINE WISDOM
The Sparkle of Rosé BY ROBYN JAMES
I am always declaring war on the
American prejudice toward wines of the pink persuasion. Again, the simple and sweet White Zinfandel wine is a California invention that swept beginner American wine consumers off their feet but actually left the rest of the world blissfully ignorant of its existence. I am grateful to White Zinfandel for providing fresh imbibers with an introduction to wine that was superior to the stomach churning “beverage wines” of the past. It’s better than it used to be, but the problem of “Pink Profiling” remains. I can’t think of a better way to blast that profile than with a gorgeous dry Rosé Champagne or sparkling wine, particularly appropriate for a special Valentine’s Day. In my opinion, it is perhaps the sexiest and most romantic of all wines. Most people don’t realize this, but of the three main grapes that are used in all Champagne, two of them are red. Chardonnay is the primary white grape used in Champagne with the two red grapes: Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. Whether red or white, all grapes, when crushed, expel white juice. They must remain in contact with the skins to absorb and deepen the color. There are basically two ways to make Rosé sparkling wine. The first, as just mentioned, is for the juice to absorb the color of the skins. This method is called Rosé de Saignee. The second is to produce the wine as you would a “blanc” Champagne and then add a healthy dose of red still wine into the blend in the finish. Rosé Champagne is the only pink wine in the European Union allowed to blend red and white together to make pink. Great quality Champagne is produced from either method. Pink sparklers have slightly less acidity than their white counterparts due to their higher Pinot Noir content and/or the addition of red wine. Rosé Champagne typically has aromas and flavors of red berries in addition to the toasty brioche flavors in white Champagne. They can vary quite a bit depending on the grapes used, the method of production and the house style. However, in general, they tend to have a bit more red fruit aroma and flavor than regular Champagne, as you might expect. Fresh aromas of strawPineStraw : The Art & Soul of the Sandhills
berries or raspberries often accompany the other typical aromas. In flavor and mouthfeel they also tend to be a bit richer, bigger and rounder. Rosé bubbles can accompany all sorts of food. They are great with spicy, Indian food and are simply fabulous for their celebratory and romantic feeling. The concept of pink bubbly actually began in the United States during Prohibition, becoming hugely popular in urban speakeasies. The French took note and began making their own beautiful Rosé Champagne. Today, there is the fairly reasonably priced non vintage Rosé Champagne and then there the usually incredibly expensive vintage Rosé. If you were Jay-Z and you had to pick out a bottle for your wife, Beyoncé, on Valentine’s Day, your choice might be Roederer Cristal Vintage Rosé, 2002, described as “distinctive for its ginger and nut elements, a rosé that offers complex citrus and biscuit tones on a solid yet very accessible structure. Vinous in character, it has a lovely, lingering finish.” That will set you back about $600 per bottle. My personal favorite when splurging is Piper Heidsieck Rosé Sauvage, non vintage. Highly rated and described by the Wine Spectator as “Very concentrated and vibrant, this Champagne delivers cherry, cranberry and spice notes on a broad swath of cashmerelike texture. The structure emerges on the finish, but it remains focused and balanced throughout. Drink now.” For a special occasion, the $50 is acceptable. I am also a huge fan of the California baby brother to Roederer Cristal, the Roederer Anderson Brut Rosé Non Vintage, the French company’s California project. Wine Enthusiast grants it a whopping 92 points and says, “Almost as pale as a brut, with a touch of salmon color, and deeply flavored, this Chardonnay and Pinot Noir blend has subtle, inviting flavors of cherries, strawberries, orange zest, vanilla and freshly baked brioche. It’s very fine in the mousse, with a silky mouthfeel. Really marked by elegance and structure.” At about $30, it’s a fabulous introduction to Rosé sparklers! PS Robyn James is proprietor of The Wine Cellar and Tasting Room in Southern Pines. Contact her at winecellar@pinehurst.net.
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F O O D F R O M T H E H E A RT
Love in the Time of Cheesecake Photograph By Hannah Sharpe
Heaven at first bite
BY DEB
RAH SAL M N
Say “cheese”
for smiles. Say “cheesecake” and observe body language: women roll their eyes and grown men swoon because nothing says love like cheesecake. Or else why would Wilton make heart-shaped springform pans? Yet for a lesser reason do we honor cheesecake this February. In 776 B.C. athletes at the first Olympic Games ate a less-sweet version of the Greek concoction. Because really, you need to run a marathon or ski up Mount Olympus to metabolize the ingredients. I grew up thinking Lindy’s cheesecake was one word. Lindy’s, the New York deli frequented by gangsters, sports and entertainment luminaries, made a killer cheesecake — the gold standard long before Sara Lee wielded a spatula. Movie stars had cheesecake flown to distant locations. Politicians used them for payola. And I got a slice onsite every birthday since my mother had no intention of making a party, let alone a cake. Pure heaven. Lindy’s cheesecake cake on a cookie-like crust stood even taller topped with glazed steriodial strawberries. I vowed that when I grew up cheesecake would be my domain. And it is. I played around with ricotta, farmers’ cheese and cottage cheese before deciding to leave perfection undisturbed. I’ve made cheesecakes with and without flour, with and without sour cream. I’ve made pumpkin-maple cheesecakes (with spicy gingersnap crust), key lime cheesecakes, mocha cheesecakes, raspberry swirled cheesecakes, tipsy cheesecakes – even an anisette one, amazing since I detest anise. Along the way I learned several lessons: Cheesecake doesn’t need a goey topping or thick crumb crust which only adds calories. Butter the pan and dust with crumbs. That’s enough. Most recipes warn not to beat too much air into the batter – and never mix it in a processor. Rubbish. I use nothing but an 11cup processor. No lumps, no bubbles, either. I learned that put-
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ting a baking pan filled with very hot water on the bottom shelf of the oven prevents cracking 99 percent of the time. And that the best recipes suggest leaving the cake in the oven, door propped open, heat turned off, for at least 30 minutes after baking time. Also, unfortunately, that cheesecake calls out to me, in a soft but insistent voice, from the refrigerator. I learned the best way to cut cheesecake is with unflavored dental floss or a hot knife, wiped and reheated between slices. And, I certainly learned that making cheesecake is an act of love with pleasant consequences. We needn’t go there. Instead, a recipe for lovers of chocolate, lovers of cheesecake — or just plain lovers.
Chocolate Truffle Cheesecake This recipe fills a heart-shaped or 9-inch springform pan, 3 inches deep. For an 8-inch springform pan, decrease each ingredient by one-third. Preheat oven to 340 degrees. Arrange one rack in the middle, another at bottom of oven. Place a baking pan full of hot water on bottom rack. Crust: 1 prepared Oreo crumb pie crust Batter: 2 1/2 cups Ghiradelli 60% Cacao or Hershey Special Dark Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips 4 8-ounce packages regular cream cheese 1 teaspoon instant coffee granules dissolved in 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract Dash salt 1 1/3 cups granulated sugar 4 large eggs 1 1/3 cups sour cream Bring cream cheese, eggs and sour cream to room temperature.
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F O O D F R O M T H E H E A RT
Crumble Oreo pie crust into processor bowl. Process to uniform crumbs. Butter bottom and sides of springform pan; press a thin, even layer of crumbs on bottom, with a ridge at the sides. Melt chocolate in double boiler or heat-safe dish placed over simmering water. Cool slightly. Place sugar in clean bowl of 11-cup processor or in bowl of stand mixer. Cut cream cheese into cubes, add to sugar and process or mix until smooth. Add lukewarm chocolate, processing to incorporate. Add eggs one at a time, incorporating well. Add salt, vanilla-coffee and sour cream; process or mix until very smooth, scraping down sides of bowl often. Pour batter carefully into pan, tilting to smooth contents. Place pan in 340 degree oven and bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes without opening oven door. When time is up turn oven off, crack door open with wooden spoon and leave cake inside for 30 minutes. Top may still look soft. Remove pan from oven and place on rack; after 15 minutes, run sharp knife around springform but do not release. Cool to room temperature, cover and refrigerate at least 12 hours. Do not cover cake until fully cooled or condensation may drip down on surface. Release spring when ready to serve. Cut cheesecake with unflavored dental floss or sharp, thin-blade knife dipped in boiling water and dried with towel. Garnish with fresh raspberries or unhulled strawberries. This cheesecake keeps practically forever in the refrigerator, and freezes well. Before freezing, cut into wedges and slip a piece of parchment paper between them for one-at-a-time removal. Note: Recipe will work with reducedfat cream cheese and reduced-fat sour cream (not fat-free). The four eggs can be replaced by two whole eggs and four egg whites. When making these substitutions, beat 1 1/2 tablespoons flour into the batter. To lower calorie/fat content of crust: process chocolate Teddy Grahams, chocolate wafers or other dry chocolate cookies to make about 2/3 cup fine crumbs. Rub bottom and sides of springform pan with butter. Pour crumbs into pan, shake to coat evenly. PS Deborah Salomon is PineStraw’s senior writer and a baking whiz.
PineStraw : The Art & Soul of the Sandhills
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Leland Little
AUCTION&ESTATE SALES With Fidelity And Dispatch
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A small sampling of two of the lots of be sold in our Fine & Decorative Arts Auction Saturday, March 20, 2010.
Antique Persian Kashan Area Rug
Connecticut Chippendale Bonnet Top Secretary, circa 1760-1780
Contact: Nancy Blount, CES NCFL #7452
Telephone 919.644.1243 ♦ 910.947.1863 WWW.LLAUCTIONS.COM
620 Cornerstone Ct., Hillsborough, NC 27278 24
February 2010
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PineStraw : The Art & Soul of the Sandhills
F E AT S O F C L AY
A Phoenix From the Ashes
From a burned out studio, Chris Luther’s pottery is once more soaring
BY JIM DALTON
Chris Luther
will never forget November 22, 2008. At a birthday party for fellow potter Michael Mahan, he received word that his studio was on fire. Rushing home, he found the studio completely engulfed in flames; indeed, the roof had already fallen in. His father’s pickup truck was backed up to the door of the burning studio, and Chris jumped in and drove it out of harm’s way. The truck still bears scars from its near miss. Thanks to the quick efforts of neighbors Danny Marley of Hickory Hill Pottery, Jeffrey Dean of Dean and Martin Pottery, and Ben Owen III, the fire was kept from spreading to the house. In addition, Crafters Emergency Relief Fund stepped in to help bridge that long period of waiting on insurance. But Chris’s smile and positive attitude have not been diminished. “I never considered giving up,” he says, “I had to set an example for my sons that you play the hand that’s dealt you.” Chris’s children, 12, 10, and 6, inspired him to dig in and rebuild. Chris’s roots in Moore County pottery tradition go back as far as anyone’s. At the age of 13, his great-grandfather, Henry Chriscoe, moved in with J.D. Craven as an apprentice. He worked hard, saved his money, and soon bought the land next to Craven’s, eventually expanding to over a thousand acres. PineStraw : The Art & Soul of the Sandhills
The pottery industry, like farming, was a family industry, involving uncles, aunts and cousins. Chris’ great-grandfather remained active until his 80’s, firing his last kiln about 1938. Chris’s grandfather Clyde inherited the homestead, and operated the shop until 1944. Clyde’s wife went to work for the Coles in the 1960’s, when there were perhaps no more than a dozen active potteries in the area. As the boom in Seagrove pottery started in the 1980’s Chris’s parents, Horace and Juanita opened Luther Pottery, where Chris got his start in 1991. After Chris’s graduation from Appalachian State University, his mother offered him an opportunity to continue the family business. “I came home from college fully expecting to spend my time on a golf course,” Chris remembers, “but I ended up spending more time in the basement, turning cylinder after cylinder on my dad’s wheel. It took me putting clay to the wheel before I knew why those potters of my childhood did what they did. You do get addicted.” Chris also realized that all of those years hanging around potters had made an impression. He had absorbed much more of the techniques than he realized. It did not take him years of practice to produce acceptable work. From the ashes of his studio, Chris salvaged a small box containing the remnants of the collection of pottery he had prior to the fire. “I can now literally fit how I became a potter into a small cardboard box and I am finding reassurance and inspiration from that,” Chris says. “What’s funny is at first I looked at those sooty pots with a sad heart, but now I look at them very differently.” Chris’s work reflects a building on those traditions. He throws soaring shapes with sensual curves that evoke dancers swaying to music, or mystical sea creatures flowing in the chang-
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F E AT S O F C L AY
ing currents. Some of his favorite glazes are the Shinos, which he uses on bottles, vases, teapots and globes. Other new colors in his palette are bright reds, blues and a finicky oil-spot glaze that he is working hard to perfect. One of his favorite forms to produce is a swirl handle vase. The handles seem to invite touching or stroking, they seem almost too beautiful to be used, but Chris definitely intends them to be functional and glazes them in a variety of ways which enhance the flowing lines of the vase. His shapes are towering, often built by stacking thrown pieces on top of each other and altering the forms. In his new studio, the ceilings are higher because he could not throw pieces as tall as he would like because the sloping ceiling got in his way. Now, in the new studio, he can stand on a ladder and throw pieces as tall as will fit into the kiln.
He throws soaring shapes with sensual curves that evoke dancers swaying to music Resurfacing for existing concrete Specializing in garage floors
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February 2010
Chris has done much of the rebuilding of his studio himself, devoting most of last year to serving as designer, general contractor, carpenter, sheet rock finisher and general manual laborer. He contracted out the laying of the block walls and the pouring of the concrete slab and determined this time to have a building that is much more fireproof. “I put the tin on one side of the roof by myself in one day”, Chris remembers, “and the next day I was so worn out, I could barely get out of bed. I hired some roofers to do the other side!” His new studio building is impressive. It is thirty-feet-wide and fifty feet long, with a full second floor. Downstairs there will be a retail shop, complete with dedicated sales counter and packing station. In addition, there are a new pug mill, lots of storage room for carts of work in process and plenty of room for throwing. Another improvement is a paved sidewalk out to the kiln shed. This means work which is ready to be fired can be
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F E AT S O F C L AY
rolled directly out to the kiln. As the kiln is unloaded, finished work can just as easily be rolled right back into the shop for sale. This means that he had gone for almost nine months without a place to make pots. The fire happened in 2008
Henry Chriscoe, 1895 during the Celebration of Seagrove Pottery, so all of his finished work was on display at the Celebration site in the Luck’s Cannery. He had some commissions to finish for the Renaissance Marriott Hotel in Raleigh, so Ben Owen gave him free run of his studio to do whatever he needed. “The community of potters here has been wonderful,” Chris says. “Everyone has been supportive from the first neighbor to spot the fire to other neighbors who pitched in to help the firefighters, to folks who have come out to help set roof trusses, haul away trash, and pitch in with any other tasks. Sid Luck has offered the use of his time and sawmill to mill the boards needed to finish out the exterior of the new second floor of the studio. You can see Chris’s work at www.chrislutherpottery.com, see the schedule of his kiln openings, follow his progress on his blog, as well as see more of his history. The pottery is located at 4823 Busbee Road, just a few yards off NC 705, the North Carolina Pottery Highway. Chris Luther’s recovery is complete. He had kiln openings in October and December, 2009, and plans one for this February. It may take a while for things to return to normal. But with a ready smile and an optimistic attitude, Chris Luther is a living story of recovery from disaster, a phoenix from the ashes. PS Jim Dalton is a new contributor. PineStraw : The Art & Soul of the Sandhills
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PineStraw : The Art & Soul of the Sandhills
B I R DWAT C H
The Bald Eagle Our natural symbol is soaring once again — even in the Sandhills
BY SUSAN CAMPBELL
Anyone who has had the
good fortune to spot a bald eagle soaring overhead or perched along a waterway cannot help but be awed by its handsome appearance. This large raptor is not only our national symbol but the only eagle found solely in North America. Benjamin Franklin lobbied hard for the wild turkey, the only endemic bird species to the United States. But Congress decided on the bald eagle in 1782, as a result of its perceived fierce demeanor. In actuality, bald eagles are mainly carrion eaters but will attack wounded mammals, birds and aquatic animals as well. They are very opportunistic and will also snatch prey from crows if they get the chance. During the first half of the twentieth century eagles were erroneously persecuted by raptor hunters, often by ranchers who were attempting to protect their investments. They were also affected by metal toxicity as a result of feeding on game containing lead shot. Additionally, during the period of broad scale DDT application, as most people know, the toxin accumulated in carnivores at the top of the food chain. And, as was the case in several bird species, it caused egg shell thinning such that eagle eggs broke long before they could hatch. Bald eagles were declared an endangered species in 1967. Following the ban on DDT and the passage of the Endangered Species Act in 1973, their numbers began to rebound. On June 28, 2007 the species was declared recovered. Here in North Carolina they are being closely monitored by state biologists. Although the number of nests and young has been increasing, PineStraw : The Art & Soul of the Sandhills
they are still considered threatened here. In the Sandhills, there are year-round sightings of individuals, most commonly on our larger lakes such as Lake Surf (Woodlake), Lake Pinehurst, Lake Auman (Seven Lakes) and Thagard Lake (Whispering Pines). None have been found nesting in Moore County to date, but that is likely to change. A pair began a nest in an old pine below the dam at Woodlake several years ago but abandoned the effort. It is now mid-winter, when birdwatchers and endangered species biologists are on the look out for eagle nests. Bald eagle pairs have returned to their breeding territories and are laying eggs. Their sizeable platforms of dead branches and large sticks may or may not be easy to spot. Eagle nests, if they are re-used from year to year will be gradually enlarged, not massive affairs. But newer nests can be well-concealed in the top of a live evergreen or large snag. Eagle young, who typically fledge in April, take three to four years to mature. They will not successfully attract a mate until they have a fully white head and tail. Should you see an adult early in the New Year, keep an eye out for a second bird. A pair of adults may mean there is a nest somewhere nearby. If you suspect that you have found a nest, definitely give me a holler! PS Susan would love to receive your wildlife sightings and photos. She can be contacted by e-mail at ncaves@embarqmail.com, by phone at (910) 9493207, or by mail at 144 Pine Ridge Drive, Whispering Pines, NC 28327. For more information about bald eagles go to: http://www.baldeagleinfo.com/ or http://www.ncwildlife.org/Wildlife_Species_Con/documents/nongame_baldeagle_lores.pdf Soon 2010 eagle nest cams should be up and running. Try: http://www.fws.gov/nctc/cam/ (at the National Conservation Training Center) or http://www.carolinaraptorcenter.org/ (at the Carolina Raptor Center in Charlotte)
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T H E S P O RT I N G L I F E
Where Eagles Soar The view is amazing from a cabin high in the Wasatch
BY TOM BRYANT
The grand-
daddy of all mule deer was resting in his favorite spot high on the ridge overlooking the valley below. He had discovered this hideaway years before during a blinding snowstorm, and it had since become the spot to survey his entire kingdom. A little outcrop impossible to be seen from lower elevations, it’s his place to while away the day until evening and time to head to the valley for food. A gravel dirt road runs north to south of the small valley, and he watched as a little red truck followed by a bigger four-wheel drive vehicle stirred up the dust way down below. He paid little attention to the commotion as an eagle soared high above. The red truck pulled up the rocky drive to the two-room cabin and skidded to a stop. The Ford Bronco was right behind him. A big burley guy, almost too big for the vehicle, oozed out the driver’s side and reached back in to grab a pouch of Red Man chewing tobacco off the dash. He watched as four men piled out of the Bronco. “Well, guys, this is it. Ain’t much to look at, but she’ll keep you warm and dry if you treat her right. How about a chew?” They all turned him down, but one of the four opened the back of the Bronco and reached in a cooler for a beer. “No chew, but I can use this beer. It’s been a long day since North Carolina. How about it, Red? You join us?” The four never did find out if Red got his name from the truck, or bought the truck because of his name. “Naw, I’ve got to head back in just a bit. My sister is cooking up her famous stew tonight, and I need to get there in time for supper or my worthless brother-in-law will eat it all. Let me show you about the place.” The tiny mountain cabin was to be their home for the next ten days as they pursued the wily mule deer. Red unhooked a big latch at the top of the door and one identical at the bottom and screeched the door open. “I’ll spray that with W-D before I leave.” They walked in and crowded around the little room. The four
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were silent as Red started to explain the peculiarities of the cabin. “The sleeping area is upstairs. There are six bunks, and all you’ll need is your sleeping bags. And you’ll need those ‘cause it gets cold up here at night. The fireplace will keep you warm and toasty though, especially when you fire up Waltzing Matilda.” He pointed to a monster black wood cook stove. “I’ll tell you about her in a minute. The milk cans are to haul water in. See that cistern over the sink? Siphon water out of a can into the cistern, open this valve right here, and as they say in France, ‘Voila,’ all the comforts of home. Now let’s get the lay of the land.” They all followed Red back outside and formed a half circle as he continued to hold forth. “On the side of the cabin is the wood shed. Now last time I checked, there was a family of skunks living in there. I haven’t seen one yet. You can smell ‘em though. They won’t bother you. Just make a little noise before you open the door. Nothing worse than a surprised skunk. Up the road is where you’ll find the water. A spring, or almost an artesian well. Clear, cold, fresh mountain water. You’ll love it. Fill those milk cans about half full; they’re heavy and can tip over. That would make for a mess in your new rental Bronco. “Now, let’s check out the hunting area. See that valley there?” Red pointed across to the ridge on the other side. “Pretty, ain’t it? Well, you can’t hunt there. It’s posted. Owned by, believe it or not, a bunch of trout fishermen. Let’s walk out here.” The crew dutifully followed Red out to the center of the road. “Those mountains to the south and to the north are where the deer are anyway. They come down off the ridges at night to feed and go back up before day to rest. A simple hunt. You just got to get ‘em coming or going.” Red chuckled at his little witticism. The other four just looked at each other. Wayne, the one who had put the hunt together, said, “Man, those mountains are straight up. How are we supposed to get up there?” “Very carefully,” Red chuckled again. He was enjoying his stint as instructor. “Naw, man, it ain’t hard. Do like the deer do. They don’t tackle those ridges head on; they go from side to side. You’ll know when you get up there and see their trails. You’ll figure it out. Oh, one more thing. Come on back inside.” They all trooped dutifully behind him. “On the counter over the sink is a weather radio. I brought extra batteries. Listen to it every day. If it says that a front is roaring in here from the northwest, saddle up that Bronco and head to the lowlands. This place gets from
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300 to 500 inches of snow a season. The only thing that can get in here after a storm are snowmobiles driven by experienced rangers. I’d hate for you to have to winter up here.” Chuckle, chuckle. “Okay, boys, I’ve got to go. One more warning.” The good old boy façade fell from Red as if he had just taken off a coat. “Wayne has assured me that you all know what you’re doing in the woods, and I took him at his word. These Wasatch Mountains can kill you. The authorities are still looking for a hunter that disappeared a couple of years back. He was hunting out of a cabin just on the other side of the water hole. There’s a bunch of little creatures on these mountains that can scatter your bones about, so whatever you do be careful.”
He stuffed a big wad of Red Man in his jaw, crammed himself into his little red truck, and rattled off. The troop went back outside and Red said, “One for the road.” He stuffed a big wad of Red Man in his jaw, crammed himself into his little red truck, and rattled off. They watched as the truck rambled down the road. DATSUN was emblazed across the tailgate. “I didn’t think they still made Datsuns,” Tom, the tallest of the hunters, said. “They just changed their name. I believe they are now Nissan.” “Okay, I’m a little smarter. One thing’s for sure, though. If Red gains any more weight, he’s gonna need a shoehorn to get in it. Let’s unload this stuff.” The four grabbed gear from the back of the truck and shortly had most of it inside. On his last trip, Tom reached way in and pulled out his encased rifle. He looked up the road where the dust was just settling from Red’s truck. An eagle soared high in the softening twilight. Well, tomorrow it begins, he thought. The mule deer was already heading down from his lofty perch to feed. PS Tom Bryant is a lifelong outdoorsman and PineStraw’s Sporting Life columnist.
PineStraw : The Art & Soul of the Sandhills
“Bentley & Max” Longhaired Dachshunds Study in Graphite
FINE
ART
Pamela Powers January PORTRAITS
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Friday & Saturday, February 12 & 13 SPECIALS
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PineStraw : The Art & Soul of the Sandhills
THOUGHTS FROM THE MAN SHED
From Baby Teeth To Wisdom Teeth Where did my little ones go?
BY GEOFF CUTLER
Sitting
in the waiting room over at Dr. Neely’s in Pinehurst the other day, waiting for him to extract my daughter’s wisdom teeth, I began to wonder, where have my little ones gone? It seems like yesterday another doctor turned to us and said, “It’s a girl this time, and she’s beautiful!” My wife and I looked for ourselves, and indeed she was. For the next few months, however, our newborn, the second and last of our children, didn’t sleep, didn’t smile, and she cried for a good portion of each day and night. As these things are apt to, all that changed, and when she did begin to smile, it never went away. Over the years, and as she grew, it has provided her parents endless joy. But sitting in the waiting room, a very nice one, I might add, I realized that here was a nurse asking my little girl, my Valentine for all these years, to sign her own medical consent forms as I looked on, useless, and wondering what happened to my baby. Where did she go, and who is this young woman taking control of all the things that I had been responsible for? Next year, like her brother before her, she’ll leave for college, and I can already see it. We’ll be sitting at the kitchen table, and I’ll look across at my wife, and it will be deathly quiet, because of course it’s just the two of us. Maybe we’ve just returned from dropping her off at her new school, and we’re wiping tears away like we did when Will left, and we’ll say to each other, “Now what?” I recognize that plenty of parents have already gone through this, but it must be like learning how to walk again. I suppose we’ll still have a life, and with any luck, we’ll relearn what it is to be a couple. Maybe our kids will come home every once in a while, but then it won’t be long, and they’ll probably get married, and move farther away… but that’s okay, I guess… because sooner than not, they’ll give us grandchildren, and then….Wait a second! Do you see how fast this thing is going? This is why one minute we’re bringing her home from the hospital, all tucked up and snuggly and smelling so baby fresh in her blue and white blanket, and the next minute, she’s getting her wisdom teeth pulled, and we’ll be driving her off to college. And as I gaze at the waiting room’s waterfall (very soothing), I nevertheless begin to feel the scratch of irritation. Is this some kind of a twisted joke? Who thought up the universal family PineStraw : The Art & Soul of the Sandhills
scheme when after only 18 years, that pass in a flash, you’re just beginning to get a handle on parenting, and your kids are showing some of the fruits of your effort, and whoosh, they leave? I’m sorry, but am I missing something here? Evil is what this is, pure and simple. I think they should leave the nest around 25 or so that would be better, because excuse me, I’m not ready for her to leave just yet… damn it! As my irritation begins to boil over into something stronger, I hear a voice coming in from afar, “Mr. Cutler…Mr. Cutler… Whitney’s all through. She did great (thanks to Dr. Neely and his wonderful staff), and she’s waiting for you to come back to the recovery room. Just drive your car around back….” When I find her, she’s flat out on a cot with Jacob Marley headgear on and strings from the gauze coming out of her mouth. The recovery nurse is explaining all the post-operative procedures and prescriptions I’m to get, and then we wake her up and carry-walk her to the car. And all of a sudden, I’m Daddy again, and she’s my little girl, and I’m taking care of her the way it’s meant to be. After I’ve tucked her up in bed, and her brother has brought her prescriptions and things like ice cream, soup and noodles to eat, she’s still semi-conscious from the anesthesia and muttering about this and that through a mouth that isn’t working properly. She wants to talk, and I turn on a recorder to tape her ramblings, just as we did when she was a baby and first learning to talk. I give her a milkshake and spoon. She hits her lips with the spoon a couple of times, but finally manages to get the ice cream into her mouth, blobs of it still dripping down her chin and onto the paper towel laid across her blankets. She garbles something about feeling as if someone’s shot too much Botox into her, and that she probably looks like one of those semi-naked Hollywood bimbos, plastered throughout the pages of the tabloids she reads. She calls these magazines “her news.” I sit down in a chair next to her bed and listen to her as she finishes the milkshake, and in this brief period, time mercifully slows down a bit, and that is good. Before long, she falls asleep and I sit there and watch over her and wish it would stay just like this, a little bit longer. It was my friend Robert who said to me when my children were still babies, and we’d brought them here to Southern Pines for a visit with their grandparents. He said, “Geoffrey, spend as much time with your children as you possibly can. This is a precious time and before you know it, they will be gone.” If there is a truer statement, I don’t know of it. PS Geoff Cutler is owner of Cutler Tree LLC in Southern Pines. He is a regular contributor to both The Pilot and PineStraw. He can be reached at geoffcutler@embarqmail.com.
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G O L F TOW N J O U R NA L
Why I Love the Game Pinehurst, LLC; photo by Chip Henderson.
Golf is pure madness. So is true love
BY LEE PACE
I was semi-hooked on golf dur-
ing the summer of 1971 U.S. Open, when I found Jack Nicklaus, Lee Trevino and amateur Jim Simons to be riveting theater on ABC-TV’s grainy images from Merion Golf Club. My dad bought me some clubs and I tried to teach myself the game from some stupid and dangerous article in Golf Digest called “Square to Square,” which is perhaps why it took nearly a decade for golf to supplant my seasonal devotion to football, basketball and baseball. When I ventured into the newspaper business in 1979 and found the golf beat among my domains, the love affair was ignited. The more I wrote, the more I played. The more I played, the more I wrote.
My love affair with golf has evolved over three decades of writing and playing, of course with the requisite to-and-fro cycles. As a Spanish playwright once mused, “When love is not madness, it is not love.” I have posted sweet scores and nasty numbers. I have met saints and scoundrels. I have discovered “it”—whatever it might be on a given day—and have at other times been rendered clueless. But the tryst continues unabated. Today I love golf because of the number at the end of the round. I am what my scorecard says I am. I am a 75. Or a 92. Period. If I played golf on the PGA Tour, I’d post my score and bolt. No talking to the media. The number says it all. Which is why I run for the hills when I casually ask, “How’s your golf game?” and the guy wants to take me hole-by-hole. And I love knowing, whatever my score says I am today, I can be something better tomorrow. PineStraw : The Art & Soul of the Sandhills
I love my golf journal, which I wrote about in these pages 18 months ago. My neat little moleskin book fits snugly in my golf bag and is a repository for my scores, swing tips and mental meanderings. “Let your right elbow hang loose at address,” David Leadbetter advised in a “mini-lesson” at an Austin, Texas, press event in 2002. When I’m hitting it punk, I review these pages and always find a kernel of wisdom. And often a funny rejoinder as well: After the golf, Leadbetter, the droll South African instruction guru, said he could identify with Colin Montgomerie being heckled by the gallery. “I suffered the same fate myself as a young tour pro,” Leadbetter said. “Finally I told my wife to stay at the hotel.” I love tinkering on the practice range—long thumb or short thumb? Flared feet or square? Good connection at the top. Dead hands with the wedges. Get the toe of the club through the ball. Good posture (flat back, not rounded). Follow the shot with the body. I love walking an old Donald Ross golf course — Hope Valley in Durham, Forsyth in Winston-Salem, Biltmore Forest in Asheville, Cape Fear in Wilmington, Mid Pines here in the Sandhills, among them. I love the compactness, the quirky and smallish greens, the fairway undulations, the classic old homes lining the fairways. I love to see these heirlooms are being well taken care of by a strong greens chairman who knows the benefit of cutting down some trees. You want healthy grass? Give it some air and some light. I love the outliers in golf — Pete Dye, bunker rakes with wooden tines, poa annua greens, courses with nothing more than a simple mark at 100, 150 and 200 yards, clubs that do not have a painting of a guy in red coat hanging on a wall, small scorecards of uncoated card stock that fit easily into your pocket. And I know the kids need the work and mean well, but I really love it when I drive up to a golf course and am left alone to gather my clubs, shoes and accouterments at my own leisurely pace. I love the quirks of golf course architecture. Seth Raynor had his squared-off edges on some greens and spines running through others, his signature holes like Alps, Redan, Road, Short, Cape, Biarritz and Punchbowl. Mike Strantz had his
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G O L F TOW N J O U R NA L
blind shots, right angles, sand pits, berms and ridges. And Tom Fazio has his knack of unveiling a golf course with everything properly outfitted in cashmere and pearls. As one client, William McKee of Cashiers, has said: “There’s nothing loud, just soft, rolling, curving lines. Tom simply has this uncanny ability to create courses that have an evolved appearance, courses with instant patina.” And God do I love going to the British Isles to play golf. There is the drive north to Dornoch and the deranged Scottish skies, sunny to the left, rainy to the right. There are the trophy courses, Ballybunion and St. Andrews and Turnberry, but there are the hidden gems, Enniscrone, Narin and Ballyliffin in northwest Ireland and the Lahinch Old Course further south. I love the literature of the game, especially with Charles Price commiserating about the old days in Pinehurst, Dan Jenkins recreating the glory days at Goat Hills and P.G. Wodehouse with another side-splitting work of fiction. I love ducking into the Old Sport & Gallery in the Village and rifling through the collectibles and marveling at artist Richard Chorley’s brush strokes. I love the peach cobbler and pimento cheese at Augusta National, the stovies at St. Andrews, the clam chowder at Pine Lakes in Myrtle Beach, the omelettes cooked-to-order at The Carolina and the fried chicken (signature Thomas Smith) on the Sunday dinner menu at Pine Needles. And boy do I love the Zone, when I find it. You know that 10-foot putt is bottoms, you pick a fairway stripe off the tee and nail it, your mind is so pure and uncluttered and that click at impact so sweet and soft. I once shot near-par with two swing thoughts: Stop (at the top) and GO! I loved everything Tiger Woods brought to golf—his chip-in on the 16th at Augusta in 2005; his Nike commercial where he bounced a golf ball repeatedly off his wedge face, then launched it down-range with a baseball swing; his single-minded resolve and focus to conquer an unconquerable game. Sadly, that’s all past tense now, for what good is it to play golf well if you’re a cad to the core? I love the friends I’ve made, the people I’ve met in golf. As Bill Campbell, a gentleman’s gentlemen in the game, so aptly notes, “In golf there are no strangers, only
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PineStraw : The Art & Soul of the Sandhills
G O L F TOW N J O U R NA L
friends we have not yet met.” And of course I love golf because of Pinehurst. I love the rocking chairs at The Carolina, the stroll from the old hotel past Ailsa House, Beacon House, Heartpine House and Little House to the golf courses. The spires of the Village Chapel loom above us all, serenading us with hymns throughout the day. The No. 2 course at sunrise is quite sublime: an orange orb flashing behind the third green, for example, through the trees separating the fourth and fifth holes, bathing the convex putting surface and all the dips and hollows around it in blissful light and shadows. Mist hangs in the air. Robins flock north on a March dawn. Woodpeckers chuck away in the pine forests. Scottish golf pro Tommy Armour felt the love many decades ago: “I have seen strangers, jaded and dull, come to Pinehurst and after a few days be changed into entirely delightful fellows.” PS Lee Pace is an award-winning sportswriter and a longtime resident of Chapel Hill.
PineStraw : The Art & Soul of the Sandhills
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February 2010
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The Recipe for Love BY MARIAH FONG PHOTOGRAPHY BY TIM SAYER
“I
n general,” the late great food writer M.F. K. Fisher once observed, “human beings are happiest at table when they are very young, very much in love, or very alone.” We couldn’t agree more with Madame Fisher — which is why, with another Valentine’s Day fast approaching, we thought perhaps acclaimed Pinehurst Resort executive chef Thierry Debailleul might just have the perfect recipe for love. After all, Chef Thierry, as he affectionately goes by, is both French and a mountain of a man passionately dedicated to the proposition of making young and old alike — and especially those in love — very happy at his table.
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PineStraw : The Art & Soul of the Sandhills
Shot on location at The Carolina Hotel, Flowers from Maggie’s Farm
Chef’s own culinary love story goes something like this: Born on the Northwest coast of Brittany into a culturally rich region known for its fish markets and fertile farmlands, Thierry grew up something of a self-described proverbial “late bloomer” in the suburbs of Paris. His mother, Annie, a longtime IBM employee, and his father, Jean Pierre, a technician for the French Air Force, hoped their son might learn German and become an engineer. Instead, at 17, he took a summer job working in the kitchen of a local restaurant and found himself drawn to the engineering of taste. “Neither of my parents was particularly interested in cooking,” he explains, “but I found myself inspired by many memories of elaborate family celebrations from my childhood — weddings, birthdays and christenings and so forth. All of it involved wonderful cooking. French life is centered around the table. These meals were usually several hours long. The celebrations sometimes lasted for days.” After graduating from one of the top culinary schools in France, the venerable Ecole Superieure de Cuisine Française Jean-Ferrandi in the 5th Arrondissement, Theirry worked his way through the kitchens of two Michelin-starred restaurants in Paris. “Because I came from a small provincial town, I always had a desire to see the wider world,” he says, explaining how he packed up his knives and uniforms and headed for a two-week vacation to Martinique that turned into a five-year gig at a four-diamond resort. L’amour caught up to our wandering French chef in the Caribbean. “While I was working in St. Martin a group of chefs annually held a barbecue on an island beach. It was like something you read about in a book, very beautiful. I suppose it is rather romantic that this is where I met my wife, Margarita.” She hailed from the Dominican Republic; the pair discovered they had far more than a love of beach barbecue in common. Among other things they discovered they were born on the same day, in the same year, and only hours apart, yet separated by 7,000 miles of ocean. “It seemed,” says Chef, with an understated Gallic grin, “we were possibly destined to meet.” Their courtship was, he allows, “probably not the most romantic thing. For one thing, I worked the usual hours of a chef — meaning night and day, weekends, and with perhaps only one day off. Still, we made it work. At the end of the day, love conquers all, even schedules.” Thierry and Margarita soon married and produced two children, Estarlin and Stephanie. Their family’s culinary odyssey took them on to resorts in Hawaii and Texas and eventually to the largest casino in the world, Foxwoods in Connecticut. When the couple decided to look for a slower-paced lifestyle with great schools for their children — and a top-drawer resort with the culinary tradition and amenities Thierry desired — Pinehurst fit the bill. Chef Thierry brings many years of global cooking experience and an earthy sense of humor to his craft,
PineStraw : The Art & Soul of the Sandhills
not to mention the values of his native Brittany. Not surprisingly, many of his fondest memories center around the teeming fish markets and bountiful dining rituals of his boyhood. When I asked chef what he might prepare for himself and his lover on Valentine’s Day, he offered a quick smile and replied without the slightest hesitation, “A seafood platter like that of home, with clams, lobster, shrimp and oysters.” As for dessert, well, Thierry is an admitted sugar fanatic — a chef particularly fond of chocolate. He also loves complex and contrasting desserts that combine hot and cold with crunchy and smooth. This is evident on his new winter menus at the resort, which features desserts that dazzle with butterscotch foam, chocolate molten cake, and pistachio biscotti…need I say more?
M
argarita has also reconnected with her culinary past, inspired by her grandmother’s passion for cooking. When Margarita was young, her grand-mére worked as a personal chef for a wealthy family in Santo Domingo, blending the tropical flavors of the islands with her own French cooking roots to create a style that shaped her granddaughter’s own evolving palate. Not surprisingly, the talented Debailleul family expresses their love through food and family get-togethers. “We love to cook,” says Thierry. “It’s become a passion for us both — an expression, you might say, of who we are and where we come from.” In France, observance of Valentine’s Day is not nearly as commercial as it is in America, according to Chef Theirry. “People either cook very intricate meals to surprise their loved ones or simply go out for a memorable meal.” Dining out in France, he says, is reserved for special occasions. This year, owing to Chef Thierry’s special duties at the resort, the Debailleul family will observe the holiday with an exchange of cards and a quiet supper at home the day after Valentine’s Day. In a romantic prelude to the holiday, however, on February 12 and 13, Chef Thierry’s culinary magic will be a highlight of the resort’s annual Heart and Soul of Jazz weekend, which features a spectacular three-course dinner and elaborate dessert buffet with sugar sculpture, fine wine and specialty drinks. For his own Valentine, Chef Thierry is thinking of a special lobster dish that comes straight from the heart, his own recipe for love “A great meal is like a voyage of discovery,” he muses. “It takes you out of the familiar and provides a new experience to all of one’s senses — especially taste, texture and sight. There is the excitement of the dining room. Then there is the mystique of cooking, the mystery of how something so delicious is made. In that respect,” he says, “great cooking and the art of eating are very much an act of love.” We doubt that Madame Fisher could have put it any better. Bon appétit — and happy Valentine’s Day.
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Chef Thierry’s Vanilla Scented Brittany Lobster en Croute Lobster and Lobster Bisque Covered with Seaweed Crusted Puff Pastry and Baked, topped with Sherry Crème Fraiche
Recipe makes two servings THE LOBSTER 2 live Maine lobster, 1 lbs each Cook 6 minutes in salted boiling water and shock under chilled water. Clean from its shell entirely (tails, knuckles and claws). Discard all loose parts from head and reserve all shell. Split the tail in two and remove the inside impurities. Note that the lobster will look slightly medium rare. THE BISQUE yield: 2 cups All shells and body of the lobster you just cleaned 1 tsp. olive oil 2 peeled and rough cut shallots 1/4 fennel bulb 1 garlic clove, peeled and smashed 1/4 Tahitian vanilla bean (cut in half, then split in 2 and scrape out seeds) 1 tsp. tomato paste 1 sprig of fresh thyme 1 tbsp. cognac or brandy 1 cup water 1 cup Lobster bisque (good quality either fresh or canned) 1/2 cup heavy cream 1 dash salt, 1/2 turn black pepper mill
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METHOD 1. Using a medium-size stock pot, sauté the shells in hot olive oil for 5 minutes. 2. Add shallots and fennel, and continue sautéing over moderate. heat. Add the garlic , vanilla bean, tomato paste and thyme sprig. 3. Add cognac with care and flambé (flame) for 2 minutes. The liquor will reduce down. Do not let dry out completely. 4. Add the water, lobster bisque and heavy cream. 5. Season and simmer slowly for 12 minutes. Strain through a medium sieve and cool the bisque to room temperature. TO COOK THE GARNISH 2 oz. unsalted butter, softened 1/2 carrot, peeled and cut in julienne strips 1/4 fennel bulb, cleaned, core removed and cut in julienne Juice of 1/2 lemon 1/2 zucchini, cut in julienne strips 1/2 yellow squash, cut in julienne strips 3 oz. button mushrooms, sliced 1 artichoke heart, cooked and quartered 2 sprigs of fresh thyme 1 bay leaf 2 pinches kosher salt 1 turn black pepper mill
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PineStraw : The Art & Soul of the Sandhills
METHOD: 1. In a medium sauté pan, heat butter; sauté the carrot and fennel for 5 minutes on low heat. 2. Add the lemon juice, simmer for 2 minutes. 3. Add zucchini, squash, mushrooms, thyme, bay leaf and artichokes and continue cooking for 5 minutes on medium heat. Season with salt and pepper. 4. Transfer to a cold dish and let the vegetables cool. To assemble the dish: METHOD: 1. Find a nice ovenware dish (stoneware, porcelain or nice copper pan). 2. Spread the bottom with soft butter, salt and pepper . 3. Place the cooked vegetable mixture as a nice bedding. 4. Place the cleaned lobster meat right on top in the shape of a lobster. 5. Salt and pepper lightly. 6. Pour the bisque around. 7. Beat 1 egg with 1 tsp. water and brush the perimeter of the dish. 8. Cover the whole dish with a cold sheet of puff pastry (docked evenly), completely sealing the entire perimeter. 9. Brush the whole pastry top and sprinkle very lightly with chopped dry seaweed. 10. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 20 minutes on the lower shelf. Pastry should be golden and crisp. SHERRY CRÈME FRAICHE Yield: 1 cup 1 tbsp. Bristol Cream Sherry wine 1 tsp chopped fresh chives 1/4 cup crème fraiche (or sour cream) 1 dash kosher salt 1/4 turn black pepper mill 1. Mix the sherry, chives, salt, pepper and créme. Keep cold in a nice sauce boat
Photography by Tim Sayer
TO PRESENT THE DISH: 2. Place the oven dish right away on the table, cut the crust open and serve the lobster and vegetables into 2 nice rimmed soup bowls and ladle the bisque over 3. Top with a spoon of sherry cream. Enjoy. PS
PineStraw : The Art & Soul of the Sandhills
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Ménage à Tweet BY ASHLEY WAHL
Tim Sayer Photography
T
he first time my beau brought her over, I wasn’t expecting the excess company. Three is a crowd, you know. Besides, the floozy repulsed me from the get-go. I hated everything about her, but what troubled me most was the spell she seemed to have cast over him. The gentle inflection in his voice when he said her name, the ceaseless babbling about all the amazing things she can do, and the way his face got that soft glow when he looked at her. The boy was utterly enchanted, and it couldn’t have been more blatant. At one point, while watching him ogle her like he was some sort of hungry hyena, I thought I was going to be sick. But it was watching them canoodling together, watching him grazing his fingertips tenderly across her glossy touch screen, that caused the realization to smack me like a tsunami: I was jealous of my boyfriend’s new phone. Her name is Droid and, from what I hear, she’s a gadget with a lot going for her. Chic, intelligent and hot off Verizon’s market — their “it” phone, if you will. She’s social butterfly, secretary, networker and navigator all rolled into one. She has access to over 10,000 dazzling applications, and, as if those qualities weren’t good enough, now she’s got my dearly beloved wrapped around her shiny little features. For the first few days that mon amour brought his Google-searching-know-it-all-Nancy along, he was convinced that our ménage a trois would work. Perhaps it could have, but I just couldn’t bring myself to give her a chance. She’s sort of a weak damsel if you ask me. Oh, but her “prince charming” has absolutely no shame whatsoever in protecting her in the face of distress, holding her in his hand like the dainty little flower that she is. Her largest perils are steady raindrops and slobbering toddlers, for crying out loud! Pardon me for having difficulty respecting that piece of work. Yet still, I felt incredibly threatened by her presence. I’d even dare to describe the feeling as inferiority. By flaunting those playful little apps of hers in front of him, the temptress had managed to virtually lure his hazel eyes away from mine. And I’m certainly unable to provide him with the kind of infinite knowledge that he craves, like which sport’s team is winning. I am upset at him for bringing her home, and at her for, well, existing. But maybe my insecurities and third wheel insights are not either of their faults. Perhaps I am the one to blame. I have always been rather apathetic about technology. At the beginning of our relationship, the first time Josh caught me clicking the “Remind me later” option on my computer’s update request, he looked me fiercely in the eyes and popped the question, “Ashley, how long has it been since you last updated your software?” PineStraw : The Art & Soul of the Sandhills
I raised an eyebrow. He called me primitive. Fortunately I found the epithet endearing. Don’t get me wrong — I’m savvy enough for cultural survival. I do have an email account, after all. And, though I’m a bit pink in the cheeks to say, a Facebook account too. But the option of having access to them each waking moment, and a phone that twitters to announce the arrival of every new message or “tweet,” frightens me. Maybe I’m not ready to live in a world where people no longer make eye contact, where books, maps and board games become ancient history, and the children (assuming the act of making them continues to exist) begin texting before they can talk. Maybe I’d rather experience the world by physically walking around in it, by hiking mountains and eating honeysuckles as opposed to living on the other side of a screen. Okay, maybe I’m getting a little ahead of myself here. Or, maybe, I really am a bit envious that I have less to offer than a four-and-a-half inch piece of plastic. A few weeks ago, on a particularly clear night, I couldn’t help but roll my eyes when Josh whipped his phone out right in the middle of our romantic star gazing session and began scrolling away on it. I had just rattled off the humble handful of constellations that I could recall from the astronomy class I had taken a few years ago — Cassiopeia, Orion, Taurus and its star cluster called the Seven Sisters, the Big and Little Dippers – when he pointed Wonder Girl towards the sky and asked me to look at her screen. It pained me to admit it verbally, but, when I forced my eyes in her direction, what I saw was impressive. It was an application called Google Sky Map, and it could identify nearly any star, constellation or planet where you pointed it. The three of us snuggled closely together and explored the glittery sky. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but we shared another magical moment together just the other day. On a drive home from an afternoon of golf, Josh and I pulled over and abandoned the car to more carefully admire a deep golden and orange sunset. Taking turns, one of us would run towards the setting sun and leap up into the air for a pose while the other used Droid’s camera to take stunning silhouette photos. She was actually sort of nice to have around. I still haven’t developed deep amorous feelings for the digital diva — don’t get the wrong idea. In fact, I’m almost certain that I will never love her in the way that my beau does. But we’re making progress. She doesn’t make my blood curdle anymore upon sight. And, with the special moments that we have shared, I believe that I’ll grow to appreciate her. Plus, now that she’s lost her “new girl” status, I no longer have to spend my spare time brainstorming ways to rid her from my and Josh’s company, such as getting trapped in a hurricane or burying each other in the sand. And as far as insecurities go, I needn’t worry. I am getting a lot more eye contact these days. Besides, I think we all know who gives the better foot rubs. PS
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A FEW MINUTES WITH
Hannah Sharpe
Sweethearts
The
of Belle Meade
BY JIM DODSON
HORACE: We did and still do, although these days our knees are giving out a bit. We used to dance all the time, though.
D
r. Horace Baker is 87, a retired general surgeon from Lumberton. His wife, Dorothy, is 86. They have three grown children, four grandchildren, and three great-grandkids. Come June 17, they will have been married for 63 years. During Belle Meade’s Wednesday night singalong, Dorothy plays the accordian and Horace accompanies her on his harmonica. They also love to dance. PineStraw caught up to them just prior to one of their weekly sing-along gatherings.
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DOROTHY: We still do, though – even with our knees. PS: What’s your favorite dance? DOROTHY: Oh, that’s easy. The waltz. Waltzing is so elegant. HORACE: She speaks for me. PS: Is it true you are a mixed marriage — she’s from way up north and you’re a Southerner?
PS: We’ve heard you two are called the ‘Sweethearts of Belle Meade” by several folks. Is that true?”
DOROTHY: That’s right. I’m from Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, and he’s from Lumberton, North Carolina.
HORACE: I guess you could say we’re pretty sweet on each other. We’ve been together a long time.
PS: Those are towns quite far apart. How on earth did you two dancing lovebirds meet?
DOROTHY: There are people who might tell you that.
HORACE: It wasn’t on earth. It was on the sea.
PS: We also hear you two love to dance.
DOROTHY: I was an army nurse. He was an army sur-
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PineStraw : The Art & Soul of the Sandhills
A FEW MINUTES WITH
geon. We met on a ship in the Pacific Ocean during the war. He was coming onto the ship when I first saw him. I knew he was mine for sure. PS: Love at first sight? DOROTHY: Oh, absolutely. HORACE: It took me a little while. I came on the ship and was being introduced to the other doctor and the nurses when she came into the room. I noticed her right away, though. PS: How long did it take for Cupid to do his thing? DOROTHY: After our first trip to Japan together he asked me out on a date and took me to the Empress Hotel for dinner. It was very exciting. PS: That’s a pretty romantic first date… HORACE: Not only that, I took an army chaplain along. PS: To get married? You move fast, doctor. HORACE: No, he was just a mutual friend. But that’s when I really began to get interested in Dorothy. I liked everything about her. PS: Tell us about your wedding day… DOROTHY: It was in Seattle, June 28, 1947. We had to wait for the ship to come to shore because all our friends were on the boat. But our families came from North Carolina and Wisconsin even though it was difficult to fly then. PS: You’ve been married 63 years and you’re still acting like newlyweds. What’s the key to such a long and happy union? HORACE: We’re good Baptists. We respected each other and never fussed. PS: You never had a tiff? A lover’s quarrel? How is that possible? HORACE: Nope. Never. (With a chuckle and glance at wife) I knew who was boss. DOROTHY: You have to laugh a lot. That helps. So does respect for each other. Just keep breathing, too. [She laughs]. That’s a key to longevity. HORACE: Every marriage is different. You have to work out a system that works for you. I worked hard as a doctor and Dorothy took care of the children and our home. DOROTHY: It’s like dancing. One leads one follows. PS: What advice would you give to a young couple just starting out? HORACE: It’s important to have a religious life and take marriage seriously. Vows are not suggestions.
The Given Book Shop
DOROTHY: Keep laughing and enjoying each other. Remember the Golden Rule applies at home, too. Every day. PS: You two really seem to have figured out the secret to a happy marriage. Does dancing and playing musical instruments help? We hear you two are something. HORACE: It keeps us out of trouble. DOROTHY [Laughs]: We’re not that good — but we do regularly show up. HORACE: That’s good advice for a marriage, too. PS PineStraw : The Art & Soul of the Sandhills
The Given Book Shop
Biographies • Diet and Exercise books • Health • Animals • History • Cookbooks Politics and Government • Art • Sports • Golf • Specialty books on America, Various States, Geographic Areas, Countries of the World, etc. We also have tapes, videos and CDs.
Open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday-Saturday
Olmsted Village • 295-7002
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S TO RY O F A H O U S E
A Labor of Love
Bob and Carol Hansen curate the house that Donald Ross built BY DEBORAH SALOMON • PHOTOGRAPHS BY GLENN DICKERSON HISTORIC PHOTOGRAPHS FROM THE TUFTS ARCHIVES
I
n a small home office on Midland Road, Bob Hansen unrolls the Donald Ross original architectural drawings, dated 1915, for the South Euclid (Ohio) Country Club golf course. He does it casually but reverently, with a sense of ownership. As well he should. Bob and Carol Hansen live at Dornoch Cottage, the home Ross designed and built in 1924 with his second wife, Florence Blackinton. But instead of making the home their own, the Hansens have created a livable shrine to Ross — and the game. “This is Donald Ross’ house,” Bob states emphatically. “Nobody has the right to change it.” On the foyer table stands a photograph of Donald and Florence — “Just so you’ll know who the real host and hostess are,” Bob continues. The Hansens’ golf pedigrees are long and solid. Not only did they grow up in golf-steeped families, Bob’s business is building golf courses, most recently near Sunset Beach, N.C. He is a golf historian par excellence with museum-worthy collections of golf art, antique clubs and memorabilia. Carol adds paintings and pottery that link women to the sport. Yet by skillfully integrating period furnishings, Dornoch Cottage looks more gracious home than Graceland.
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Then and now...facade of Dornoch Cottage in the 1930s, and the present, with glass doors and spacious foyer.
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PineStraw : The Art & Soul of the Sandhills
Bob and Carol Hansen recreated the Ross era with authentic colors and cottage/formal decor.
The Hansens’ kitchen, with l’air de Provence, was enlarged by a previous owner. PineStraw : The Art & Soul of the Sandhills
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Donald and Florence Ross relaxed in the living room...which Bob and Carol Hansen modified, using more wood, leather furnishings and Oriental rugs.
The Rosses had a piano for his musical daughter...otherwise, the Rosses might find the Hansens’ living room similar.
This room shows the Hansens’ tribute to Donald Ross...and an era of golf long gone.
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A Southern colonnade across the rear of the house satisfied Florence Ross’ architectural requirements.
A labor of love? Definitely, as was the house itself. Ross, whose trade was listed as carpenter/clubmaker, arrived in Boston from Dornoch, Scotland, in 1899, leaving his fiancée behind. He returned to marry her and, in 1901, James Tufts brought Ross to Pinehurst as club manager. Donald and Janet Ross and their daughter lived in Hawthorne Cottage until Janet died of breast cancer in 1922. The 50-year-old widower was lonely. Documents in the Tufts Archives at Given Memorial Library in Pinehurst indicate that in 1924, wealthy widow Florence Blackinton purchased a lot on Midland Road with the intention of building a winter home. Ross was sent by the Tufts family to negotiate boundary issues. Romance sparked and, about a year after Janet’s death, the couple married. Let the tongues wag. Ross took over the house design, which, the story continues, changed. Florence wanted a plantation house. Donald preferred a Scottish cottage. The surprisingly harmonious result: cottage front, antebellum two-story colonnade spanning the rear. Later, when Ross designed Pinehurst No. 2, he doglegged the course to enhance the size of his backyard. For the exterior, Ross chose a pinkish local brick which caught his fancy. The property, of course, was carefully landscaped. Bob produces a typed order, dated 1934 and signed by Ross, for 120 plants costing six dollars, freight included. He also owns a signed scorecard: Ross shot 66 on No. 3. Signatures are rare because Ross PineStraw : The Art & Soul of the Sandhills
Golf art and Southern/international antiques dominate the bedrooms.
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S TO RY O F A H O U S E
ordered his secretary to destroy files, Bob says. Donald and Florence Ross lived at Dornoch Cottage, named for his birthplace, until his death in 1948. Bob Hansen has been inside Ross’ childhood home (a simple row house) in Scotland. Its rough-patterned plaster walls are repeated in Dornoch Cottage. “So many images of that house are here,” Bob says. By contemporary standards, the rooms at Dornoch Cottage are moderately sized but diverse. There is no great room. Instead, there’s a charming livingdining room, a library, Ross’ “man’s room” and an enlarged kitchen decorated in the colors, furniture and pottery of Provence. The spacious foyer is European/New England. Off the foyer Ross located his tiny office, where he conducted business without disturbing the family. Multi-paned windows frame Carol’s gardens, a small swimming pool added by a previous owner and, in the near distance, the green where the Hansens trained their binoculars on Tiger Woods, among other notables. Each of the five bedrooms has a bathroom, unusual for that era. But why does the staircase originate from the rear of the house instead of the front hallway? Bob Hansen explains that residences facing the golf course had two main entrances. People walking or driving the path edging the course would approach the house from the rear and enter through a second “front” door. Besides, a stairway rising from the kitchen/dining/living area is more convenient and private. “The whole house is quirky,” Carol says. “I like the oddities.” Bob and Carol Hansen grew up on the New Jersey shore. By age 5 he was playing golf, and by 15, playing golf at Pinehurst. As Bob matured in the game, so did his fascination with its history which, Carol admits, stops just short of obsession. To live outside the golf milieu would be unthinkable. They had talked of winding down in Pinehurst but decided to build a house in the Sunset Beach area until, during a visit to the Sandhills, a friend said she knew of an interesting place that might be available “to the right person.” The place was Dornoch Cottage. The
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PineStraw : The Art & Soul of the Sandhills
S TO RY O F A H O U S E
owners, Wayne and Jo Ashby, wanted buyers respectful of its heritage. This, Bob told the Golf Channel, would be the final collectible. They negotiated. Carol was skeptical of the condition of the house. “It was a little beyond what we wanted to do but I thought we could make it work,” Bob says. Carol planned to bring back the original purity, with tasteful upgrades like lightening the library paneling, researching colors (pale avocado green, deep rose) and wallpaper patterns (bird of paradise, French toile) popular during the twenties and thirties. She gutted the bathrooms, retrofitting them with pedestal sinks and cabinet reproductions. “I aimed for a cottage look but it came out more formal,” Carol says. She shopped for case pieces to fit the walls. The Ross’ bedroom is now the upstairs sitting room adjoining the master bedroom built later over the enlarged kitchen. Guest rooms were designed for the couple’s two grown children. Golfscapes are everywhere. Bob gestures to his prize: a painting from 1881 of the 17th green at the Royal Liverpool Golf Club, Hoylake, that had gone missing for decades. He owns a goatskin document from 1784 signed by Jamie Balfour. Carol points to a painting of a young putter titled “Ted.” The artist/illustrator, Maude Humphrey, was Humphrey Bogart’s mother, Carol learned. She assumes Bogey modeled for the painting. On and on it goes: photographs, portraits, documents, implements, English china decorated with little golf gnomes. Bob and Carol open their home to the Donald Ross Society and selected pilgrims. After treading the master’s boards, looking out his paned windows and absorbing his surroundings for several years, Bob has come to this conclusion: Ross’ golf courses and, perhaps his home, illustrate his philosophy of life: Get up in the morning, go down the middle of the road. If you get off track, do something special to get back where you should be. “He adored what he did — never got ahead of himself,” Bob says. And Bob Hansen — does he adore what he has done and where he and Carol live? He pauses, shrugs and smiles. “Well…yeah.” PS
PineStraw : The Art & Soul of the Sandhills
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The Garden’s Faithful Monarch
BY NOAH SALT
Tradition
holds that the red rose is the flower of Valentine’s Day — or is it?
According to the legend of Saint Valentine, a romantically defiant Roman priest used ink made from crushed blossoms of violets to pen a farewell note to his jailer’s daughter on the eve of his execution, signing it “From your Valentine.” This happened under the violent rule of Emperor Claudius II, when Rome was embroiled in a series of bloody and unpopular wars, making the task of keeping a standing army an ever-present challenge. When it became clear that Roman legions would rather stay home with their loved ones than fight on distant soil, Emperor Claudius canceled all marriages and engagements — prompting him to forever be known as “Claudius the Cruel.” A rebellious monk named Valentine was caught secretly marrying couples in defiance of this decree, prompting Claudius to have him jailed and flogged. On February 14, 269 A.D., the legend holds, shortly after writing his famous love letter in an ink derived from violet petals, Valentine was beaten to death by clubs and had his head cut off. Ironically, his martyrdom came on a day set aside to honor Juno, goddess of home and marriage. In 496 AD, Pope Gelasius established February 14th to honor “Saint” Valentine.
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Gradually he became the patron saint of lovers. His special day was marked by the sending of special love notes and flowers. As roses didn’t grow in Roman February, a far more likely choice was Sweet Violets, the diminutive of the Latin word Viola, which blossom in February and typically endure well into spring. Another Roman tradition that translated down the ages involved the bringing of gifts of jewelry and flowers to celebrate family birthdays. To no one’s surprise, violets were adopted to be February’s flower, a symbol of enduring love, faith, and Valentine-like chastity. After all, even its leaves were heart-shaped. Poets and folklorists have always harbored a special affection for violets. Perhaps because of their symbol of fidelity — and the fact that they grew in vast abundance in the fields around Stratford-on-Avon — Shakespeare mentions them in no less than a dozen of his plays and a sonnets. Wordsworth compared his lost love to a violet. Natural healers believed a tonic made from violet blossoms (which are packed with natural honey) was a powerful restorative after a long illness. When violets appeared in a dream, it was a sign of imminent good fortune. Fairies were said to frolic among violets. Monarchs and visionaries loved them, too. Thomas Jefferson collected them from the wooded slopes around Monticello, grew European varieties from seed in his green houses, and insisted on installing a large bed of fragrant white violets — to help mask the smell of his estate’s near-
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PineStraw : The Art & Soul of the Sandhills
by privy, some maintain. Two days before his exile to Elba, French Emperor Napoleon came across a boy picking violets in his estate’s garden. The smell of the flowers was so pleasing to the troubled monarch, he went back the next day and picked his own violets, carrying them in his mouth and hands wherever he went. “Henceforth,” he old his loyal servants, “the violet shall be the symbol of my wishes.” When the practice came to the attention of his troops, they took to calling Bonaparte “Pere la Violette.” In the spring, when the royal secret reached the public at large, followers of the dethroned monarch took to wearing the flower that symbolized their faithfulness as a living memorial in their buttonholes. It was about this time when French chefs began using candied violet petals in their dishes. During the reign of Britain’s Queen Victoria, an ultra-conservative period when social conventions frowned heavily on any public expression of love or affection, flowers became their own “secret language,” often sent to convey a primal message. Violets had a dual “hidden” message. Traditional violet — a color which took its name directly from the flower — was regarded as a pure expression of faithfulness worthy of St. Valentine himself, as in “I’ll always be true.” Mauve or cream-colored petals conveyed, on the other hand, a slightly more adventurous spirit of love. “Let’s take a chance,” was the commonly inferred message. Given such romantic antecedents, it’s only fitting that the violet family comprises more than 400 different species scattered through temperate and tropical regions around the world – one of the most common and beloved wild and cultivated bedding plants on earth, and in most instances — as in the hardy pansies that bravely light up a Sandhills’ border on even the coldest days of late winter — they present a stunning herald of spring’s impending arrival. In this country, violas and pansies constitute the third-bestselling bedding plant, making them a faithful monarch of the American flowerbed. Because violets come in a range of colors, traditional gardeners regard them as a natural harmonizer of any flower bed – a beautiful link between winter’s approaching conclusion and a lover’s rebirth of spring. PS
PineStraw : The Art & Soul of the Sandhills
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Home Style
“
Count on me to provide the best
homeowners insurance value in town.
”
State Farm Agent:
Jim Leach
Hwy 211 West, Pinehurst, NC 910-215-8150
www.jimleachagency.com
“Call me when you refinance your home for a great rate.”
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PineBuzzz
Best Bets in Music, Internet and Film BY JACK DODSON Sweet Throwbacks: Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros Album: Up From Below If you’re a flower child of the Sixties — or just dig that sound — the debut album of Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros may be just the thing for you. To hear former Irma Robot front man Alex Ebert tell it, he put together this eclectic blend of talented musicians with the casual ease of an impromptu backyard jam session. Yet don’t be fooled. Critics have favorably compared their sophisticated sound to The Mamas and the Papas as well as The Band. Employing a Whole Earth catalog of instruments that includes acoustic and electric guitars, trumpets, accordion, marimbas, viola, various kinds of keyboards and percussion, Ebert and his merry band of Sixties throwbacks produces music that is complexly layered yet strikingly simple in its melodies. Ebert took his nom de guerre “Edward Sharpe” from a fantasy novel he was writing about a lonely boy whose life is transformed by music. Along with girlfriend Jade Castrinos and a group that often swells from 10 to 12 members, the Zeros playfully knock the dust of such iconic hippie themes as love, revolution and the search for personal salvation. “Well we once were the Jesters/ In your Kingdom by the sea/ And now we’re out to be the masters/ For to set our spirits free — set free,” Ebert belts out with a raspy, urgent voice in a cut called “Janglin.” A quest for love and/or redemption informs almost every song on this complex and fetching debut album, which has garnered rave reviews for its sweet communal energy and bold musicality. In concert, band members behave like a joyful troupe of Medieval musicians — roaming the stage, freely interacting with each other and their growing legions of fans — producing a performance intimacy that makes their concerts look and feel like a true Sixties “happening..” You can see for yourself on YouTube, where several of their concert clips are available. Just type in their name. Perhaps the best track on the album is the Internet-popular “Home,” a soulful ballad that radiates with enough love, peace and happiness to get the most grizzled Sixties refugee’s toes tapping. Supported by a host of strong back-up voices, Castrinos and Ebert trade off lead vocals, singing about all the places they’ve been in each others company and how everywhere magically feels like home “wherever I’m with you.” What could easily come off as pure retro schmaltz by a band of lesser talent and vision instead amounts to one of the most memorable Indie anthems of 2009, if only because it manages to find a redemptive, old-fashioned way to say “I love you.” With its myriad instruments and catchy tunes, Up From Below is one of the nice musical surprises of the past year, as passionate as it is endearing.. If there is indeed a better world to be found in making sweet music with friends and lovers, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros certainly seem to have found it.
PineStraw : The Art & Soul of the Sandhills
Bands on the Run www.Blogotheque.net Nine band-members bearing their instruments crowd into an industrial elevator and begin to make a little music. A filmmaker squeezes in with them, his camera running as an impromptu concert begins. Taken out of any realm of normalcy in live music, Indie icons Arcade Fire unexpectedly fills the gritty elevator with a lovely acoustic anthem called “Neon Bible,” producing a touching moment of peaceful intimacy just moments before the elevator door slides open and the band vaults out to a live stage appearance. This video is part of a fascinating collection of noir Internet music videos called the “Take-Away Shows” produced by Vincent Moon’s for his groundbreaking La Blogotheque Web site. The series features established and emerging Indie artists performing their music in some of the most unlikely places imaginable. From the Shins and Sigur Rós, Fleet Foxes and Bowerbirds, nearly everyone who is anyone on the Indie music scene has appeared on Moon’s eerily atmospheric music Web site, providing fans with an intimacy that has the look, feel and sound of a mini documentary. In one video, Master string-man Andrew Bird strolls the moody cobblestone streets of Paris with his guitar, his back to the camera almost the entire time, a modern troubadour lost in time. In another, singer-songwriter Sufjan Stevens, who has gained serious popularity over the last decade, sits in the middle of an empty, dark room with an acoustic guitar, playing seemingly to himself. Never once does he glance at the camera or interact with the filmmaker, a concert for one. For its turn on film, the college-pop sensation Vampire Weekend pounds out its music in a romantic Paris courtyard, using the lids of trash cans for makeshift percussion purposes. This a music geek’s Internet dream — a chance to see their favorite bands relaxed and playing music outside of the normal confines of a conventional concert setting. Moon captures his subjects with a loving hand-held camera, using ultra tight camera-work, shifting light and unusual angles to give his grainy videos the intimacy of a photographic experiment. Descriptions typically accompany each Take Away Show, providing intimate insights into the filming experience and every featured artist and band, chronicling the emerging stars of the Indie music universe. Though much of the Web site is written in French, La Blogotheque is easy to navigate and sets up more or less like a userfriendly blog, updated on a fairly regular basis. Best of all, it’s a fantastic place to see and hear what's new on the ever-evolving Indie music scene. One word of warning: It’s easy to lose track of time playing around with La Blogotheque, as each video seems to be more bewitching than the last. PS
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ARTS OF THE MASTERS: A Survey of AfricanAmerican Images, 1980-2000. The Arts Council of Fayetteville/Cumberl and County, 301 Hay St. in Fayetteville. Through March 6. (910) 323-1776
AA.A.R.P. TAX HELP. Tuesdays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. through April 30 at the Southern Pines Public Library. (except Sat., April 3). Clients must register onsite. (910) 692-8235
LIVE IN HD! A PRAIRIE HOME COMPANION WITH GARRISON KEILLOR 8 p.m. Sunrise Theater (910) 692-8501 MEET THE ARTISTHollyhocks Art Gallery: Susan Edquist 11am-2pm (910) 255-0665
LONGSTREET ROOSTER’S CHURCH & CEME- WIFE The Gravy TERY DAY TOUR Boys. (910)585-1614 (910) 692-2051 OLDIES & PRESCHOOL GOODIES film series. STORYTIME Southern Pines Public Southern Pines Public Library (910) 692-8235 Library (910) 692-8235 MEET THE ANTIAUTHOR Country VALENTINE’S DAY Bookshop (910) 692PARTY 5:30 to 6:30 3211 p.m. Southern Pines Public Library (910) 692-8235 NC SYMPHO ROOSTER’S NY CONCERT WIFE Scott Ainslie BACH AND and Glennis Redmond PRESCHOOL STORYTIME BRAHMS 8 p.m. and Red, Black and Blue(910) 585-1614 Southern Pines Public Pinecrest High School Library (910) 692-8235 (877) 627-6724 PIZZA WITH FAMILY FUN PIZZAZZ 5 - 6 p.m. NIGHT 5:30 p.m. Southern Pines Public (910) 692-8235 Library (910) 692-8235
A PRAIRIE HOME COMPANION WITH GARRISON KEILLOR ENCORE PRESENTATION. 8 p.m. at the Sunrise Theater (910) 6928501
ROOSTER’S WIFE. Live music from Angel Band at the Poplar Knight Spot, Aberdeen. For more information call (910) 585-1614
CLASSICAL CONCERT SERIES. 8 p.m. The New Century Saxophone Quartet. Sunrise Theater, Southern Pines. (910) 692-435.
RUTH PAULY LECTURE SERIES. 7:30 p.m. A first-person presentation by awardwinning Lincoln reenactor Jim Gerry. Owens Auditorium, Sandhills Community ALASKA: SHOREBIRDS AND College. (910) 2453132 MORE! 7pm at Weymouth Woods , Southern Pines. 910692-2167
ROOSTER’S WIFE Live music from Mike Compton and Joe Newberry, Amelia’s Mechanics(910)5851614 HEART ’n SOUL OF JAZZ WEEKEND. 8 p.m. Pinehurst Resort. (800) 487-4653 MOORE ON STAGE “Oklahoma!” Feb. 1014 Robert E. Lee Auditorium, Pinecrest High School(910) 692-7118
PRESCHOOL STORYTIME Southern Pines Public Library (910) 692-8235
SPELLING BEE FOR LITERACY 7 p.m. Owens Auditorium, Sandhills Community College (910) 692-5954
THE MET AT THE SUNRISE SIMON BOCCANEGRA 1 p.m. Sunrise Theater (910) 692 8501 MEET THE ARTIST at Hollyhocks Art Gallery, Irene McFarland, 11am2pm, (910) 255-0665
VALENTINE’S DINNER Cypress Bend (910) 295-2257 KIWANIS CASINO NIGHT 6:30 - 10 p.m. (910) 695-3706 ARTIST Hollyhocks Art Gallery: 11am2pm. (910) 255-0665 CAROLINA PHILHARMONIC (910) 400.5070 POTTERY IN THE PINES, KIRK TOUR (910) 295-2257 or (800)700-4369 MEET THE ARTIST at Hollyhocks Art Gallery: Susan Edquist, 11am-2pm, (910) 255-0665.
MEET THE ARTIST at Hollyhocks Art Gallery: Karen Meredith, 11am-2pm, (910) 255-0665
MARDI GRAS WINE TASTING PARTY 6 - 8 p.m. at The Village Wine Shop, (910) 295-5100 INAUGURAL KALEIDOSCOPE FAMILY SERIES New Century Saxophone Quartet at 3 p.m. O’Neal School Theater, (910) 692ARTS (2787)
ART EXHIBIT & OPENING RECEPTION 6-8 p.m. Campbell House Galleries (910) 6922787
SEAGROVE WINTERFEST. (336) 8737887. ROOSTER’S WIFE Carter Brothers Poplar Knight Spot, Aberdeen. For more information call (910) 585-1614 ART SHOW AND SALE. Annual Art Show & Sale Opening Reception. 6:30 p.m. (910) 692-0381
JOHNNY MATHIS IN CONCERT 4 p.m. Kirk Tours (910) 2952257 MEET THE ARTIST at Hollyhocks Art Gallery: Jane Csnellie, 11am-2pm, (910) 255-0665
PINEHURST DRESSAGE SCHOOLING SHOW Pinehurst Harness Track (910) 693-1769
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PineStraw : The Art & Soul of the Sandhills
February Calendar February 1 - March 6 ARTS OF THE MASTERS: A Survey of African-American Images, 1980-2000. The Friends of Africa-American Art have brought the national exhibit to The Arts Council of Fayetteville/Cumberland County, 301 Hay St. in Fayetteville. The exhibit of 60 works from 36 international artists provides “a glimpse into the soul of a people.” Admission: Free. For information and gallery hours, please call (910) 323-1776.
February 1 - April 30 A.A.R.P. TAX HELP. Tuesdays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. At the Southern Pines Public Library, (except Sat., April 3). Clients must register onsite. There are no prior appointments by phone. For more information, please call (910) 692-8235 or visit www.sppl.net.
February 4 LIVE IN HD! A PRAIRIE HOME COMPANION WITH GARRISON KEILLOR. 8 p.m. at the Sunrise Theater. In an exciting first for the show, a performance of A Prairie Home Companion at the Fitzgerald Theater in St. Paul, Minnesota, will be beamed live in high-definition exclusively to some 500 participating movie theaters and performing arts centers across the U.S. and Canada. Reserved seating tickets are $22. For more information, please call (910) 692 8501 or visit sunrisetheater.org. MEET THE ARTIST at Hollyhocks Art Gallery: Susan Edquist, 11am-2pm, (910) 255-0665.
February 5 ART EXHIBIT & OPENING RECEPTION. 6-8 p.m. Harry Neely, Paintings. Exhibit to run for entire month, call for schedule. Campbell House Galleries, 482 E. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. (910) 692-2787. ROOSTER’S WIFE. Live music from Mike Compton and Joe Newberry, Amelia’s Mechanics at the Poplar Knight Spot, 114 Knight St., Aberdeen. For more information or to buy tickets visit www.theroosterswife.org or call (910) 585-1614. WINE TASTING. 6 - 8 p.m. at The Village Wine Shop, 80 Magnolia Rd. in Pinehurst. For more information, please call (910) 295-5100 or visit www.villagewineshop.net.
February 6 THE MET AT THE SUNRISE - SIMON BOCCANEGRA. 1 p.m. James Levine conducts. Tickets for Live In HD are on sale. These tickets will be available at the Sunrise office and online. The Sunrise Theater, 250 NW Broad Street, Southern Pines. For more information, please visit www.sunrisetheater.com MEET THE ARTIST at Hollyhocks Art Gallery: Irene McFarland, 11am-2pm, (910) 255-0665. KIRK TOURS, WORLD’S TOUGHEST RODEO. Depart Lowes, Olmstead Village 4:30 p.m. Dutch treat dinner then the show. See World Champion cowboys prove their grit in bull riding, bareback and saddle bronc exhibitions of power and agility. Cost: $65 per person (includes admission & transportation). For more information, please call (910) 295-2257 or 800-700-4369.
February 9 A PRAIRIE HOME COMPANION WITH GARRISON KEILLOR ENCORE
PRESENTATION. 8 p.m. at the Sunrise Theater. A second showing of Prairie Home Companion at the Fitzgerald Theater in St. Paul, Minnesota. Tickets are $20. For more information, please call (910) 692 8501 or visit sunrisetheater.org.
February 10 LONGSTREET CHURCH & CEMETERY DAY TOUR. Day Tour by Car Caravan, leaves from the Shaw House at 9 a.m. and returns at 1 p.m. Cost for MCHA members $10 per person, non-members $15 per person. Some historical accounts refer to Longstreet as the “mother” of Presbyterian churches in the area. For more information, please call (910) 692-2051. PRESCHOOL STORYTIME for infants and toddlers (ages birth through 5 years). 3:30-4 p.m. for stories, songs, and fun, and then stay for playtime! At the Southern Pines Public Library. For more information, please call (910) 692-8235 or visit www.sppl.net. ANTI-VALENTINE’S DAY PARTY. 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Not feeling the love on Valentine’s? Don’t let Cupid ruin your day! The Teen Advisory Board is hosting this event at the Southern Pines Public Library. Shred old love letters, play “Pin the Tail” on the ex-boyfriend/girlfriend, catapult candy hearts, and eat pizza! Students in grades 9-12 are invited. For more information, please call (910) 692-8235 or visit www.sppl.net.
February 10-14 MOORE ON STAGE - “Oklahoma!” Wednesday-Saturday at 7:30 p.m., Sunday at 2 p.m. Tickets are $25/adult, $15/students (18 and under). Robert E. Lee Auditorium, Pinecrest High School, Southern Pines. For additional information please visit www.mooreonstage.com or call (910) 692-7118 for reservations.
February 11 ROOSTER’S WIFE. Live music from the Gravy Boys at the Poplar Knight Spot, 114 Knight St., Aberdeen. For more information or to buy tickets visit www.theroosterswife.org or call (910) 5851614. OLDIES & GOODIES FILM SERIES. 2:30 p.m. The Southern Pines Public Library. The movie is “The Trail of the Lonesome Pine,” a 1936 film directed by Cecil B. DeMille and starring Henry Fonda, Fred MacMurray, and Sylvia Sidney. Enjoy a classic film and a cup of tea! For more information, please call (910) 692-8235 or visit www.sppl.net. MEET THE ARTIST at Hollyhocks Art Gallery: Jane Casnellie, 11am-2pm, (910) 255-0665. MEET THE AUTHOR. 4 p.m. Dr. Katherine Mellen Charron presents FREEDOM’S TEACHER: The Life of Septima Clark. The Country Bookshop, downtown Southern Pines. For more information, please call (910) 692-3211. LIVE MUSIC. 7 - 9 p.m. at The Village Wine Shop, 80 Magnolia Rd. in Pinehurst. For more information, please call (910) 295-5100or visit www.villagewineshop.net.
February Movie & Event Schedule Evening $7.00, Matinee $6.00 Children under 12 - $5.00 Weekdays at 7:30 Sat. & Sun. at 2:30 & 7:30
LIVE IN HD! A PRAIRIE HOME COMPANION WITH GARRISON KEILLOR Thursday, February 4 • 8pm Reserve seating • Tickets $22 MET OPERA LIVE IN HD Guiseppe Verdi’s
SIMON BOCCANGERA Saturday, February 6 • 1pm Reserve seating • Tickets $20 Encore shows Wednesday, Feb. 17 at 6pm Tickets $20 at the door.
COMING IN MARCH DERVISH Friday, March 5 • 7:30pm Reserve seating • Tickets $30 For reserved seating tickets visit sunrisetheater.org or call 692-8501
YOUNG VICTORIA Feb. 5-8 • 7:30pm Feb. 7 • 2:30 & 7:30pm
THAT EVENING SUN Feb. 11-15 • 7:30pm Feb. 13 & 14 • 2:30 & 7:30
AN EDUCATION Feb. 18-21 • 7:30pm
Feb. 20 & 21 • 2:30 & 7:30
February 12 PINEHURST RESORT'S HISTORIC WALKING TOUR AND TEA. 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. Discover the stories of Pinehurst’s history and enjoy the traditions of classic high tea at one of America’s historic Landmarks. $25/person. Space is limited, please call for reservations. For more information or to make a reservation, please call (910) 235-8415.
Key: Art Literature Children Dance Film Fun Health History Music Nature Speaker Sports Theater PineStraw : The Art & Soul of the Sandhills
250 NW Broad St. Southern Pines • 692-3611 www.sunrisetheater.org
LOSS OF A TEARDROP EARRING Feb. 25- Mar. 1 • 7:30pm
Sat & Sun • 2:30 & 7:30
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CA L E N DA R WINE TASTING. (Childress Winery) 6 - 8 p.m. at The Village Wine Shop, 80 Magnolia Rd. in Pinehurst. For more information, please call (910) 295-5100.
February 12-14 MID PINES MEN’S INVITATIONAL. The format is a two-man team 36-hole better ball format played on the famous Donald Ross designed course. Mid Pines Inn and Golf Club, 1010 Midland Road, Southern Pines. For more information, please call (910) 692-2114.
February 12-13 HEART ’n SOUL OF JAZZ WEEKEND. 8 p.m. Pinehurst Resort and the Arts Council of Moore County will host Tierney Sutton and Harry Allen. Individual concert tickets are now on sale at $65 per person or $110 for both nights, including entrance to the post-concert dessert reception. Cardinal Ballroom, Pinehurst Resort. For tickets and information, please call Pinehurst Resort at (800) 487-4653 or visit www.pinehurstmedia.com
Diane Kraudelt, 11am-2pm, (910) 255-0665. KIWANIS CASINO NIGHT. 6:30 - 10 p.m. Fair Barn in Pinehurst. A $55 donation includes: food, drink tickets, door prizes, play money, a live and silent auction and an evening filled with fun. Tickets Available at the Country Bookshop and The Squire’s Pub or by calling Germaine (910) 695-3706, (910) 639-1373 or elkinsg@sandhills.edu CAROLINA PHILHARMONIC - CHAMBER MUSIC “In the Name of Valentine” Strauss, Beethoven, Kreutzer, Rachmaninoff and Piazzolla. Reception 5:30 p.m., Concert 6 p.m. Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church, Pinehurst. For more information call (910) 400.5070. MARDIS GRAS DANCE. The dance event begins at 7 p.m., complimentary lesson 7:30-8, dancing 8-10. Cost for non-members $7 & USA dance members $5. Singles & couples welcome. Come dance & celebrate Mardis Gras. Snacks & Refreshments. 105 McReynolds Street, Carthage, on the 2nd floor of the Sinclair Bldg. across from Fred’s. For more information call Trevor at (910) 639-0489 or Asunda at 919-356-2784.
CYPRESS BEND WINERY VALENTINES DINNER. Depart Lowes, Olmstead Village, 5:30 p.m. Evening includes four course dinner, glass of wine, etertainment, and transportation. Cost: $150 per couple (reserve by February 1, 2010). For more information call Kirk Tours (910) 295-2257 or 800700-4369. MEET THE ARTIST at Hollyhocks Art Gallery:
February 16 ROOSTER’S WIFE. Live music from Scott Ainslie and Glennis Redmond and Red, Black and Blue at the Poplar Knight Spot, 114 Knight St., Aberdeen. For more information or to buy tickets visit www.theroosterswife.org or call (910) 585-1614. PIZZA WITH PIZZAZZ. 5 - 6 p.m. Participants will meet comic book artist and collector Kevin Maddox. The Southern Pines Public Library. Kids in grades 6-8 are invited. Free pizza! For more information, please call (910) 692-8235 or visit www.sppl.net. MARDI GRAS WINE TASTING PARTY. 6 - 8 p.m. at The Village Wine Shop, 80 Magnolia Rd. in Pinehurst. For more information, please call (910) 295-5100.
February 17 February 14
February 13
downtown Rockingham. Parts for women of all ages. No previous experience necessary. Play dates are April 8 - 18, Thursday thru Sunday. Rehearsal dates are March 1 - April 7. For additional information, please call (910) 997-3765.
ROOSTER’S WIFE. Live music from Angel Band at the Poplar Knight Spot, 114 Knight St., Aberdeen. For more information or to buy tickets visit www.theroosterswife.org or call (910) 585-1614.
PRESCHOOL STORYTIME for infants and toddlers (ages birth through 5 years). 3:30-4 p.m. for stories, songs, and fun, and then stay for playtime! At the Southern Pines Public Library. For more information, please call (910) 692-8235 or visit www.sppl.net.
February 18 February 15, 16 AUDITIONS FOR “STEEL MAGNOLIAS.” 6:30 - 9 p.m. at the Richmond Community Theater,
NC SYMPHONY CONCERT - BACH AND BRAHMS. 8 p.m. Featuring Grant Llewellyn, music director, and Lynn Harrell, cello. Program: Bach,
Key: Art Literature Children Dance Film Fun Health History Music Nature Speaker Sports Theater
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PineStraw : The Art & Soul of the Sandhills
DINING GUIDE
DINING GUIDE
Ashten's, A Great Restaurant with a Serious Martini Problem! Serving Dinner Tuesday-Sunday Private dining available
www.ashtens.com 140 E. New Hampshire Ave Downtown Southern Pines 910 246-3510 Global Cuisine from a Southern Perspective
CA L E N DA R Shostakovich and Brahms. Pinecrest High School Auditorium, Southern Pines. For tickets and additional information, please call the NC Symphony Box Office at (877) 627-6724.
with shorebirds. 7pm at Weymouth Woods Auditorium, 1024 Ft. Bragg Rd., Southern Pines. Visitors welcome. Call 910-692-2167 for more information or visit online at www.sandhillsnature.org.
MEET THE ARTIST at Hollyhocks Art Gallery: Karen Meredith, 11am-2pm, (910) 255-0665.
February 23
FAMILY FUN NIGHT. 5:30 p.m. Children in grades K-2 and their parents are invited to enjoy stories, songs and crafts about “Cats, Big & Small” and then stick around for a free dinner. For more information, please call (910) 692-8235 or visit www.sppl.net. LIVE MUSIC. 7 - 9 p.m. at The Village Wine Shop, 80 Magnolia Rd. in Pinehurst. For more information, please call (910) 295-5100.
February 20 POTTERY IN THE PINES, KIRK TOUR. Depart Lowes, Olmstead Village 9 a.m., return 4 p.m. Enjoy a narrated history tour visiting the potters of the Seagrove area. Experience clay becoming dirt dishes and pieces of art, Raku demonstrations, potters throwing (turning) a pot. Dutch treat lunch at Westmoore Restaurant. Cost: $35 per person (transportation only.) For more information call Kirk Tours (910) 295-2257 or 800-700-4369. MEET THE ARTIST at Hollyhocks Art Gallery: Susan Edquist, 11am-2pm, (910) 255-0665.
February 20-21 SEAGROVE WINTERFEST. Several potters will debut new shapes and colors of their works. Participating Seagrove pottery shops. For more information email ncpottery122@embarqmail.com or call (336) 873-7887. FEARRINGTON FOLK ART SHOW. 10 a.m. -5 p.m. Experience a rare opportunity to purchase artwork directly from over 35 of the Southeast’s finest folk artists. Tickets to the show are $5 (children 12 and under enter free of charge), available at the door. Learn about folk art Saturday and Sunday 1and 3 p.m. Collectors’ Preview Friday, 7 - 9 p.m. Enjoy wine, hors d’oeuvres and a first look at this year’'s show. Meet the artists, discuss and purchase their work. Arrive early for a special opening symposium from 6 - 7 p.m. featuring a preview of All Rendered Truth and a panel discussion including Blackwell and Young. Tickets for the Collectors’ Preview are $25 by reservation only. For more information or to make Preview reservations, please visit www.fearrington.com/village/folkart.asp.
February 21 INAUGURAL KALEIDOSCOPE FAMILY SERIES. 3 p.m. Presented by the Arts Council of Moore County. Featuring the New Century Saxophone Quartet, O’Neal School Theater, 3300 Airport Rd., Southern Pines. Tickets are $10 for ACMC members & O’Neal families/$15 nonmembers. For more information, please call (910) 692ARTS (2787) or www.mooreart.org.
February 22 CLASSICAL CONCERT SERIES. 8 p.m. The New Century Saxophone Quartet is a pioneering and versatile group, winning enthusiasm for the saxophone quartet as a chamber music ensemble. Sunrise Theater, Broad Street, Southern Pines. To subscribe or for additional information, please call (910) 6924356. ALASKA: SHOREBIRDS AND MORE! Wildlife Biologist Terry Sharpe will give a presentation on his trip to Alaska and the field work he did
RUTH PAULY LECTURE SERIES. 7:30 p.m. A first-person presentation by award-winning Lincoln reenactor Jim Gerry. Talks are free and open to the public. No tickets are required. Owens Auditorium, Sandhills Community College, Airport Road, Southern Pines. For more information, please call (910) 245-3132.
February 24 PRESCHOOL STORYTIME for infants and toddlers (ages birth through 5 years). 3:30-4 p.m. for stories, songs, and fun, and then stay for playtime! At the Southern Pines Public Library. For more information, please call (910) 692-8235 or visit www.sppl.net.
February 25 SPELLING BEE FOR LITERACY. 7 p.m. An evening of light-hearted competition to benefit Moore County Literacy Council. Three-member teams compete for Best Spelling Team trophy, Best Team Costumes and Most Team Spirit. Entry fee: $600 per team. This is a free event, but donations are welcome! Owens Auditorium, Sandhills Community College. For more information, please call the Moore County Literacy Council at (910) 692-5954. MEET THE ARTIST at Hollyhocks Art Gallery: Diane Kraudelt, 11am-2pm, (910) 255-0665.
February 26 ROOSTER’S WIFE. Live music from the Carter Brothers and Janet Kenworthy at the Poplar Knight Spot, 114 Knight St., Aberdeen. For more information or to buy tickets visit www.theroosterswife.org or call (910)585-1614.
February 26 - 28 ART SHOW AND SALE. Annual Art Show & Sale to benefit the benevolent assistance program, which allows residents in financial need to remain at the village. Look for paintings, art objects (some made by residents) and “Day in the Life” auction items. The opening party, at 6:30 p.m. on Feb. 26, features cocktails mixed by celebrity bartenders, hors d’oeuvres and music. Tickets for the party are $45, available at www.penickvillagefoundation.org or by calling (910) 692-0381.
February 27 JOHNNY MATHIS IN CONCERT. 4 p.m. Depart Lowes, Olmstead Village, return after show. Dutch treat dinner at 42nd Street Oyster Bar. Cost: $120 (includes premium seating & transportation). For more information call Kirk Tours (910) 295-2257 or 800-700-4369. MEET THE ARTIST at Hollyhocks Art Gallery: Jane Csnellie, 11am-2pm, (910) 255-0665.
February 28 PINEHURST DRESSAGE SCHOOLING SHOW. Pinehurst Harness Track, Route 5, Pinehurst. For more information, please call (910) 693-1769.
Continued on page 64 Key: Art Literature Children Dance Film Fun Health History Music Nature Speaker Sports Theater PineStraw : The Art & Soul of the Sandhills
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Experience Fayetteville
CA L E N DA R
Continued from page 61
Art Galleries Art Gallery at the Market Place Restaurant Building at 2160 Midland Rd., Pinehurst, features original art by local artists Joan Williams, Deane Billings, Jeanette Sheehan, Mike D’Andrea, Janet Burdick, Nancy Yanchus, and Cele Bryant. Meet one of the artists Monday-Friday, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. (910) 215-5963. Artist Alley features juried art and fine crafts from local and regional artists, 167 E. New Hampshire Ave., Southern Pines. 11 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday-Saturday. (910) 692-6077. Artists League of the Sandhills, located at 129 Exchange St. in historic Aberdeen. Exhibit hours are noon-3 p.m., Monday-Saturday. (910) 944-3979. Broadhurst Gallery, 2212 Midland Rd., Pinehurst, showcases works by nationally recognized artists such as Louis St. Lewis, Lula Smith, Shawn Morin, Rachel Clearfield, Judy Cox, and Jason Craighead. Meet-theartist opportunities are available. Tuesday-Friday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m., and Saturday, 1-4 p.m. (910) 295-4817, www.broadhurstgallery.com. The Campbell House Galleries, 482 E. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines, is open 9 a.m.-5 p.m., MondayFriday, and every third weekend of the month from 2-4 p.m. (910) 692-4356, www.mooreart.org. The Downtown Gallery (inside Flynne’s Coffee Bar) is located at 115 NE Broad St. in downtown Southern Pines. Ever-changing array of local and regional art, pottery and other handmade items. (910) 693-1999. Hastings Gallery is located in the Katharine L. Boyd Library at Sandhills Community College, Pinehurst. Gallery hours are 7:45 a.m.-9 p.m., Monday-Thursday; 7:45 a.m.-5 p.m. Friday; and 8:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday.
PineStraw : The Art & Soul of the Sandhills
Hollyhocks Art Gallery, 905 Linden Road, Pinehurst, features original artwork by local artists Diane Kraudelt, Irene McFarland, Karen Meredith, Susan Edquist and artist/owner Jane Casnellie. Daily 10:30am to 9:30pm and Sunday evenings 6pm-9:30pm. (910) 255-0665 www.hollyhocksartgallery.com. Lady Bedford’s Tea Parlour, located at 25 Chinquapin Rd. in Pinehurst, is featuring local artist Nancy Campbell. Original oil and watercolor paintings are on display. Open Tuesday - Saturday 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. (910) 255-0100 or www.ladybedfords.com The Gallery at Seven Lakes, a gallerydedicated to local artists. The Gallery is open on Wednesday and Thursday each week from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. 1145 Seven Lakes Drive, The St. Mary Magdalen building. Just 9 miles from the Pinehurst Traffic circle up 211. Seagrove Candle Company, 116 N.W. Broad St., Southern Pines, showcases the arts and crafts of the Sandhills and Seagrove area. Open 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday, Wednesday-Saturday, (910) 695-0029. SKY Art Gallery, 602 Magnolia Dr., Aberdeen, is open 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday. (910) 944-9440, www.skyartgallery.com. White Hill Gallery, 407 U.S. 15-501, Carthage, offers a variety of pottery. (910) 947-6100.
Nature Centers Sandhills Horticultural Gardens (32 acres of gardens). The Sandhills Horticultural Gardens are handicappedaccessible. Daylight hours year-round. (910)695-3882. Weymouth Woods Sandhills Nature Preserve (898 acres). 1024 Ft. Bragg Rd., Southern Pines. (910) 6922167.
Historical Sites Bethesda Church and Cemetery. Guided tours for groups by appointment. 1020 Bethesda Rd., Aberdeen. (910) 944-1319. Bryant House and McLendon Cabin. Tours by appointment. (910) 692-2051 or (910) 673-0908. Carthage Historical Museum. Sundays, 2-5 p.m. or by appointment. Located at Rockingham and Saunders streets, Carthage. (910) 947-2331. House in the Horseshoe. Open year-round. Hours vary. 288 Alston House Rd. (10 miles north of Carthage), Sanford. (910) 947-2051. Malcolm Blue Farm and Museum. 1-4 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday. Group tours can be arranged by appointment. (910) 944-7558 or (910) 603-2739. North Carolina Literary Hall of Fame. 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Monday-Friday, at the Weymouth Center for Arts and Humanities, 555 E. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. (910) 692-6261. Shaw House Property. Open 1-4 p.m. Tuesday-Friday. (910) 692-2051. Tufts Archives. 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday-Friday, and 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Saturday. (910) 295-3642. Union Station. Open 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Located in downtown Aberdeen. (910) 944-5902. ———————————————————— To add an event, send us an e-mail at pinestraw@thepilot.com
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Shop Sanford
Shop Sanford
Resale Retail
Fabulous Finds Consignment
Tuesday-Friday 10am-5pm Saturday 10am-3pm 106 B Barcelona Drive Fayetteville, NC (behind RavenHill Medical Day Spa)
(910) 864-3690
• Citizens of Humanity • Joe’s Jeans • James Denim • Banana Republic • BCBG • Express • Evening Gowns • Cocktail Dresses • Handbags: • Dior • Chanel • Kate Spade • Yves St. Laurent
PINENEEDLER ANSWERS
Puzzle answers from page 123
A D O R E R B U O C G T O B H E R S H E Y D B E L M O O I M C U A C M L I N C O L N M M K A N L D O Y E R E W A S H I N G T O N D T O O H S I E G P I G S O S U P E R V I O L E T I A Y S S C F L O W E R S S
2 8 7 9 5 3 6 1 4
3 1 4 7 2 6 8 9 5
6 5 9 8 1 4 7 2 3
9 6 1 5 3 2 4 7 8
5 4 2 1 7 8 9 3 6
8 7 3 4 6 9 2 5 1
R O K E N I Y S L O Y S C O U T S M N E Y P E T A I S I S E E M Y D E A R Y L B O W L V E
4 2 6 3 9 5 1 8 7
1 9 5 6 8 7 3 4 2
7 3 8 2 4 1 5 6 9
SandhillSeen Weymouth Chamber Music Frederick Moyer Photographs by Jeanne Paine
PineStraw : The Art & Soul of the Sandhills
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Shop Seven Lakes
.49 3 2 1/4
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SandhillSeen Junior Hunt Breakfast Junior Hunt Meet at Kennels Photographs by Jeanne Paine
PineStraw : The Art & Soul of the Sandhills
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SandhillSeen Multiple Sclerosis Benefit Pine Needles Resort Photographs by Jeanne Paine
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M A G A Z I N E
P.O. BOX 58 Southern Pines, NC 28388
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PineStraw : The Art & Soul of the Sandhills
SandhillSeen Art Exhibit Campbell House Photographs by Jeanne Paine
PineStraw : The Art & Soul of the Sandhills
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SandhillSeen Hospital Ball Photographs by Marie Lewis
CUTLER TREE Tree Pruning • Removal Plant Site Consulting Stump Grinding • Shrub Care Tree Conservation for New Home Sites Free Estimates Geoffrey Cutler 910-692-7769 Fully Insured 910-690-7657
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February 2010 80
Confessions of a Wedding Cake Widower By Jim Dodson
83 Don’t Forget 93
The State of Our Unions By Deborah Salomon
97
Say Yes to the Right Dress By Megan Shore
101 A Bride’s Guide to the Perfect Flowers By Ashley Wahl
105 Green Weddings By Mariah Fong
108 Unforgettable Affairs By Ginny Kelly
110 The Well Suited Groom By Holly Pepper
112 Bridal Directory 120 Vows By Tom Allen COVER PHOTOGRAPH: SAYER PHOTOGRAPHY THE COUPLE ON THE COVER: KATHRYN AND ERIC GALLOWAY ON THEIR WEDDING DAY
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PineStraw : Bride & Groom
Jim Dodson, Editor Andie Stuart Rose, Creative Director Megan Shore, Graphic Designer Kathryn Galloway, Graphic Designer
EDITORIAL
Deborah Salomon Tom Allen Mariah C. Fong Ashley Wahl
PHOTOGRAPHERS
Matt McKenzie Don McKenzie Tim Sayer Hannah Sharpe Mollie Tobias
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145 W. Pennsylvania Avenue Southern Pines, NC 28387 pinestraw@thepilot.com www.pinestrawmag.com ©Copyright 2010. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. PineStraw magazine is published by The Pilot LLC
PineStraw M A G A Z I N E
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Confessions of a Wedding Cake Widower
BY JIM DODSON dozen years ago, I arrived on the doorstep of my future wife’s house full of eager anticipation about our first date, only to find her literally up to her elbows in buttercream wedding cake frosting. “Come in,” she said, waving me across the threshold with a frosting knife and a brisk peck on the cheek. “I’m just finishing up a dozen wedding cakes that I have to deliver early tomorrow.” “You’re making a dozen wedding cakes?” I asked, a bit flabbergasted. Mutual friends had alerted me to Wendy’s cake-making prowess. But a dozen wedding cakes all at once seemed a bit extreme even for an expert cake maker. As it was winter in Syracuse, I pictured ten sports-mad couples getting hitched mid-court at the halftime of a Syracuse University basketball game. There would be enough cake for the entire domed complex. “Actually, it’s seventy-five,” she calmly explained. “I have sixtythree already finished and boxed.” In the kitchen I got my first glimpse (and taste) of her peculiar brand of madness. On one counter of her large kitchen sat a baker’s dozen miniature wedding cakes that had their initial undercoating of frosting. She invited me to take a seat while she did the second coating, offering me an extra reject cake that hadn’t made the cut. I sat down, hacked off a piece, and fell in love with her cake even before the woman who baked it. “Let me get this straight,” I said after few moments. “Someone actually ordered seventy-five individual wedding cakes?” “That’s right,” she said, getting straight back to work with the confident expertise of a cosmetic surgeon. “Every bride is different. But every bride has a perfect picture of the cake she wants in her head. Even if it’s seventy-five of them.” For the next hour or so, mostly in respectful silence (save for
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Sinatra playing somewhere on the stereo — Old Blue Eyes relaxed her, I later learned), I watched my first date do her cake thing — mesmerized by the old-world care and skill she applied to her craft. In almost no time, twelve spectacular little wedding cakes that looked almost too beautiful to eat took shape. During that time, I was basically irrelevant. “I always feel so good after I finish a wedding cake,” she allowed with a sigh after we’d boxed up the final dozen and ventured out the door to supper. “Maybe you’d like to help me deliver them tomorrow.” “Sure,” I said cavalierly, having no idea what I might be getting myself into. “Great,” she said. “We might make a pretty good team.” Turns out, we did. Three years and maybe two dozen major wedding cakes later, we got hitched in our yard in Maine, and naturally she made the cake. By her standards it was a fairly modest but elegantly stunning thing, my favorite white cake filled with layers of pureed raspberry filling done in a luscious white chocolate buttercream and covered with crimson sugar roses and a huge green sugar bow. This beauty was gone, alas, before I even got a taste of it. Over the next few years, however, I got to watch her make perhaps a dozen more wedding cakes, each one seemingly more elaborate and outrageous than the last. There were multi-tiered affairs and wedding cakes made to look like baskets filled with spring flowers. One rather insistent mother-daughter combo who sounded as if they might have been on the lam from Boston’s North End insisted upon a confectionary love palace that featured — against everyone’s advice — arched bridges made of real flowers leading to a trio of Versailles-like fountain cakes, sort of Martha Stewart-meets-theMob theme. Because I often went along to ensure smooth delivery of the
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product, I happened to be on the case when we delivered this Vegas-like masterpiece to an inn on a broiling summer day. I was halfway home when my cell phone rang. For the first time ever, I heard pure panic in my baking bride’s voice. “As I feared might happen, the flowers they ordered were too heavy and one of the bridges collapsed. The reception starts in ten minutes and part of the cake is gone. You’ve got to come back. Bring a hammer and some of Liam’s blocks.” In a matter of minutes she artfully reengineered the damaged cake, supported by her own child’s ABC blocks, and applied a new coating of buttercream and fresh-cut flowers. The bride and her mom never knew the disaster they barely averted. The cake was demolished in minutes. Wherever the happy couple is today in the Federal Witness Protection program, I’ll wager they still have a piece of their wedding cake in the freezer. The point is this: You have no idea, dear couple, what extraordinary passion, skill and dedication go into creating your perfect wedding cake. Whenever Wendy is in the throes of making someone’s perfect wedding cake, for example, all signs of visible domestic life instantly cease. Her complete concentration rivals that of a star athlete before the big game. The kitchen is scrubbed down like a surgical operating arena and all children, pets and husbands are essentially banished from the premises until further notice – told to go busy themselves elsewhere. Halfway through the process, if we are very good, we at least get to eat the “cake tops,” the portions of neatly trimmed cake that give a wedding cake its precise and beautiful lines. Years ago, I took to joking with friends that I am a wedding cake widower. Basically, though, I have no complaints whatsoever. Watching someone’s wedding cake come together from planning to execution to delivery is an experience that never fails to inspire and politely remind me of how every wedding cake, as with every couple, is entirely unique, a personal expression of someone’s sweetest hopes for a new life together. So here’s wishing you two kids a beautiful and delicious wedding cake from any of the fabulously talented local wedding cakemakers listed on page 114. And bring on the caketops, I say.
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Don’t Forget
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Something Old
Something New
The old represents something the bride is leaving behind as she embarks on her future with her new husband. Choose something from a grandparent or parent. This item could be as humble as an old handkerchief, which could be placed around the floral arrangement the bride carries down the aisle, or as precious as a piece of heirloom jewelry, from a beloved family member, that can be worn on the wedding day.
The new represents something the bride is gaining through marriage. Often brides use their wedding band as something new but a lovely new necklace or pair of earrings from her betrothed is a little more special. For the fashionista bride, a fabulous pair of shoes may be just the thing. No matter what is chosen, make sure it is something that makes the bride feel special.
Heirloom jewelry
Stuart Weitzman gold heels from Monkee’s in Southern Pines
A family member’s veil
An antique handkerchief Bride’s wedding band
A timeless piece of jewelry from the groom
Something Borrowed
Something Blue
The borrowed should be something close to the bride. It is representative of something the bride admires about someone or something. Borrowing the wedding band of a happily married mother or grandmother is a perfect way to add a touch of meaningful symbolism to this tradition.
The blue should be symbolic of something playful and fun. The bride and groom should choose this item together and keep it as their wedding day secret. Paint the bride’s toenails blue, (as long as she isn’t wearing open toe sandals.) Or, a garter for the bride that includes a little blue lace. Beautiful blue lingerie is a fun and sexy secret that no one will ever know.
A pearl necklace is always a classic wedding accessory, especially when borrowed from a relative.
Blue toenail polish
Lace garter accented with blue ribbon
The bride’s mother’s or grandmother’s wedding ring
A simple blue hair bow A retro wedding dress or just some of the fabric PineStraw : Bride & Groom
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Your Groomsmen A classic pair of cufflinks will look great with the groomsmen’s suits. This gold and diamond pair would beautifully adorn a crisp white tuxedo shirt or any color of the rainbow dress shirt. Cufflinks from Hawkins and Harkness of Southern Pines.
Customized golf balls are a great gift for your golf-mad buddies. A great addition to this gift would be a round of golf at your favorite Sandhills golf course, with lunch thrown in.
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A good pocketknife is indispensable and will be utilized for a lifetime. Colors, styles, sizes and choices abound and some can even be engraved with anything from initials to military emblems. This classic Swiss Army tool is available at River Jacks in Southern Pines.
What better way to spend the night before the wedding than with a good single malt and your best friends? Find some simple crystal glasses and have them engraved with each of the groomsmen’s initials. Pair these with their favorite bottle of liquor and you will have the perfect gift for the man with a taste for the refined.
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Your Bridesmaids A fun and brightly colored wallet is perfect for the fashion conscious bridesmaid. Tory Burch wallets from Monkee’s
Beautiful, locally made truffles are a sweet gift by themselves or can be an edible add-on with a few other small gifts. These chocolate stunners are handmade in Southern Pines at Sweet Charity.
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A sweet and light perfume is a great gift the bridesmaids can wear on the “Big Day.” Lollia perfume available at Denkers in Southern Pines. A handmade necklace is a one-of-a-kind gift. Miss Fickle necklace available at Swank in Southern Pines.
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Don’t Forget
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To Say “Thank You!” Writing and sending thank-you notes is an essential piece of wedding tradition. Don’t be intimitated by the formality of sending a note. Just say thank you from the heart. Below are a few key guidelines to keep in mind. Send your thank-you notes as quickly as possible following your wedding. It’s fine to wait until after the honeymoon but try to get them done within 3 months and absolutely no later than 6 months. Wedding thank-you notes should be sent on formal stationery. Find something that represents you as a couple. The choices available are endless, so shop around.
Crane & Co. thank you cards from Southern Pines Paper Company
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Always make specific reference to the gift that is the subject of the note, such as, “Thank you so much for the blender. How did you know that our favorite breakfast treat is a smoothie?”
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Don’t Forget
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To Sit Back and Relax! A bubble bath is the perfect way to end a long, hard day of wedding planning. Rejuvenate the body, mind and spirit with a soapy, sensual retreat. Lather up, you deserve it. Tokyo Milk bubble bath available at Mockingbird in Southern Pines.
Your feet have been there for you through it all. Kick off those strappy, uncomfortable heels for an evening and slip into something a bit more...fluffy. Treat your feet to a bit of R&R with a playful pair of plush slippers and let the toe-wiggling begin. Juicy Couture slippers at Monkee’s of Southern Pines.
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Who said wine should be reserved for special occasions? Let loose and unwind with a glass of your favorite vino. You’ll thank yourself.
The sense of smell has the power to take you to faraway places. The beauty? You dont’ even have to leave your home. For a relaxing mental escape, try an Aromatherapy candle, available at Mockingbird in Southern Pines.
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The State of Our Unions Why traditional weddings flourish in the Sandhills
BY DEBORAH SALOMON
cent less than Northeastern hubs. Destination weddings often last three days. “Nobody has just a wedding and reception anymore,” Fletcher says. Rehearsal dinners take place on Thursday. A welcoming event for out-of-towners happens on Friday. Golf tournaments, sightseeing, spa treatments, barbecues keep guests entertained until the big event on Saturday, followed by a wrap-up
ridezilla” doesn’t Ido it in Moore County. Brides say yes to the dress without tantrums. Cakes look edible, not like abstract art. In fact, the wedding business rates bouquets from Vickie Fletcher, Left to right: Jennifer Thomas, Michele Soderquist, Vickie Fletcher. Jennifer Thomas and Michele brunch on Sunday. Soderquist — local wedding coordinators, not disaster divas like Venues vary, from the classic church/country club to the Fair Jennifer Lopez in “The Wedding Planner.” Barn; the brick balcony overlooking Pinehurst No. 8 to the “Bride Wars?” rocking-chair-lined porch of the Holly Inn. Weymouth and “That stuff doesn’t happen around here,” Thomas states, adding Covington House are popular bookings. Soderquist recalls one that other than finding an official who wouldn’t mention God, a formature bride who wanted a home-style wedding without disgotten veil was her worst complication. Fletcher solved a sticky turbing her home; this was accomplished at the Carolina demand for incorporating a family recipe into the wedding meal Hotel’s Presidential Suite complete with bedrooms, bathrooms with macaroni and cheese tartlets. Soderquist had an iffy moment and dining space. with a size 8 bridesmaid who ordered a size 4 dress — but seamThomas arranged a pondside wedding for a terminally ill bride. stresses at the Carolina Hotel, where Soderquist is also director of Ideally, planners want 8-12 months. Prime time includes May catering, bridged the gap. through June and October through December. The process begins “You make your brides,” Soderquist says. “If (the planner) is calm with an in-depth interview. It’s all about listening, Fletcher says. and organized this aura rubs off on the bride.” Sonderquist opens with, “Tell me what you hate, not what you like.” Theme weddings aren’t big, although Fletcher is researching a Some brides (with or without mothers, grooms, relatives) bring phoDickens renewal of vows for next Christmas. The prevailing mode tos and ideas from magazines and the Internet. Others work from a remains elegant traditional, not that Roaring Twenties attire — flapprice point or don’t have a clue, which is OK. A wedding planner’s per frocks, pearl ropes, cloche hats — would be nixed. Planners function is to inform, guide and implement—not judge. have learned how to evaluate family dynamics and deal with The initial consultation is usually free. The planner assesses the requests for Pepto-Bismol pink. They also know vendors’ strengths bride and the practicality of her ideas. “They come with visions,” and specialties. Fletcher says. “Some want a Waldorf-Astoria feel without the price.” “If the bride wants sea bass, I tell her Mark Elliott (of Elliott’s on When this happens, Soderquist gently scales the vision down, Linden) does it best,” Fletcher says. retaining the “feel” without the trappings. Plus, they work in a wedding-friendly, recession-resistant utopia Price is discussed but, planners say, specifics aren’t shared until where nuptials ring in at about $27,000 (and up) compared with the the commitment. Planners work for approximately 10 percent of the national average of $21,000. Yet Thomas pulled off one wedding for package or by the hour ($30-$40). If the wedding is booked direct40 guests for $9,200. ly with the hotel, a planner like Soderquist is provided. Thomas Surprisingly, despite economic woes, 2009 was Fletcher’s best arranges weddings at National Golf Club. year. Soderquist gets 40 leads a month and books 25-40 wedMeghann Barnes, who will marry Derek Eppenbrock in dings a year. Southern Pines in April, brought a notebook to her initial conAccording to The Wedding Report, an industry trade document, sultation with Fletcher. “I like to be in control,” the fundraiser, in 2008 the 2,162,000 weddings that took place in the United States who lives in Augusta, Ga., says. The notebook was divided into fueled a $59 billion industry. “idea” sections for flowers, food, everything else. Each section The spate of wedding-related movies and TV shows may, in fact, contained clippings. express romantic escapism during hard times. “I know what I like when I see it but I’m open to things,” Pinehurst has become a wedding destination. Planners credit Barnes says. accessibility, Southern hospitality and good prices — up to 40 per-
“B
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fine
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Barnes’ wedding illustrates the “family first” component observed locally. An heirloom tablecloth may cover a serving table. Barnes’ ceremony (in church, according to family tradition) will be held on her grandmother’s birthday; a card on each table will bear the name of a location — the place the couple met, their first date and others. Barnes fits the national bride profile by being in her late 20s, a full-time professional who with her fiancé will contribute to the cost. The Steve Martin credit-card wielding father of the bride is almost a fossil — as is the domineering mother. Instead, for busy brides and grooms, planners assume the roles of advocate, facilitator, salesperson, psychologist, hand-holder and CFO. Trust is paramount. Melissa Griffin was stationed in Alaska and engaged to Patrick Griffin, serving in the Air Force in North Carolina, when she found Thomas online. “I tried to plan everything from Alaska but just couldn’t,” Griffin says. She knew almost nothing about the Sandhills. Trust was established by phone, e-mail, texting. “The wedding (at Woodlake Country Club in October) was small but we went all out,” Griffin says. Technology, products and services unheard of a generation ago lead weddings in many directions. Still, above all, Soderquist says, “This is the bride’s day.” And no matter what transpires on reality shows, Thomas says the drill hasn’t changed much: walk down the aisle, eat, drink, cut the cake, take pictures, dance, do the bubbles (instead of bird seed) and go home. Jennifer Thomas can be reached at Vows at (910) 949-4006. Vickie Fletcher at Elegant Weddings, (910) 603-5102. Michele Soderquist can be reached at 800 659-4653.
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THE “I DO” TO-DO LIST Remember, a wedding is the beginning, not the end result. Don’t burn bridges or sever family ties over transient issues. Be realistic and flexible. Popular venues go quickly. Book early, then attend to details. Don’t try to satisfy everyone. This day is for the bride and groom. Enlist family and friends to address invitations, assemble favors, keep track of gifts. Include the groom’s family in plans and some decisions. Too much information can be confusing. Identify what you like. Don’t get carried away by magazines, Web sites, other media. Know that wedding planners’ fees may be partially offset by better prices available to them. Check vendors’ references. Ask to sample food proposed by the caterer. Don’t make commitments or promises (flower girls, seating arrangements) until you are sure. Retractions can be painful. As the day approaches do everything possible to keep stress at bay. Better a happy bride with the wrong flowers than vice versa.
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Mermaid
Brides who want to show off their shape but still want the fun of a “twirling” skirt should try a mermaid silhouette. This shape accentuates a sexy figure and works on tall or petite women. But pearshaped women should proceed with caution when trying this dress, as the mermaid highlights the hips.
Ball Gown
The classic shape for a wedding dress, the ball gown enhances, or can help create, a small waistline. It can also hide those last few pounds you’ve wanted to lose from your lower half. Petite women should be careful, however, of being overtaken by this shape. Proper fit is essential for the shorter bride.
This fairy tale of a dress has crisscross tulle and a strapless sweetheart bustline that joins an intricately beaded midriff. The full skirt is softly gathered tiers of tulle. The drop waist helps maintain a curvy and sexy silhouette.
An asymmetrical, modified sweetheart neckline brings this gown into the 21st century, while a silk-satin pleated bodice creates movement on this simply modern gown.
The beautiful V neckline of this silk shantung dress will help draw attention upward to the bride’s face, while its depth helps create more of a bust. A ruched bodice with a drop waistline and side draped skirt will hide some lower body heft but would overwhelm a petite woman’s shorter torso and legs.
Taffeta and tulle create drama on this handkerchief-style hemline and is a perfect match for the lace edged tulle underskirt. A touch of lace peeks over the strapless neckline while crystal-encrusted brooches secure a handdraped torso.
Softly curved strapless silk satin is hand-beaded with a Swarovski crystal band at the natural waistline. This sort of simple and fitted gown is perfect for adding curves to a straight torso.
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The sweetheart-shaped bodice of this satin gown would be flattering on almost any bride. The functional corset back, full skirt with Basque waistline, and center front-pleat detailing make this the Houdini of hiding tummies. Forget crash dieting before the big day; just look for these kinds of skirt details.
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A-Line
Sheath
If you are either very tall or very short, then the sheath silhouette may be the right choice for you. Construction and fabric are the two essential elements when picking the right sheath dress for your body type. Just remember, slender figures should try softer, flowing fabrics with more drape, and curvier girls should look for a more constructed cut and stay away from silky or bias-cut fabrics.
Lace and chiffon are a classic combination on this simple gown. Thin straps, and a lace scalloped square neckline will highlight a beautiful collarbone and an elegant neck.
This silhouette is the most flattering to all of the body types. The shape is slimming without losing the fuller skirt of a traditional wedding dress. When picking an A-line dress concentrate on the neckline and sleeve (or lack there of). Just because strapless is the most popular choice now does not mean that it is the most flattering choice for you.
Intricate beading on this empire waist brings attention to the smallest part of the bride’s waist. Strapless silk organza with a curved neckline lends itself beautifully to a special wedding necklace. A dropped waistline will highlight curves and a multi-tiered skirt with French seam accents give this dress a couture air.
A dress that embodies all of the bridal trends: strapless, satin-faced chiffon, with a sweetheart neckline accented with a jeweled brooch, ruched bodice and pick-up skirt. This is a dress for a trend-watching bride.
A silk chiffon sheath may not be trendy, but beautifil details make this dress a classic choice. Intricate hand-beading and a sheer V-neckline overlay with flutter sleeves, and a keyhole back bodice with covered button closure make this dress heirloom worthy.
Rise above the trends and embody elegance with this effortless stunner. Chiffon is perfectly draped into a delicate scooped neckline that will flatter a bride with a round or full face. Sheer cap sleeves and a satin band at the natural waist help define the shoulders and waist, creating a soft hourglass figure.
Gown images provided by Brides Etc. PineStraw : Bride & Groom
To add some weight to a slender bride’s figure, try a tiered gown. This dress features net over satin with crystal beading, sequins, and embroidered lace. Because of this dress’s many design elements and accents, be warned that it can appear too heavy for a weight-conscious woman.
BY MEGAN SHORE
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A Bride’s Guide to the
Photographs by Hannah Sharpe
BY ASHLEY WAHL
Perfect Flowers
Selecting the perfect flowers for your special day does not have to be a daunting task. In fact, it can be quite simple. Four of our savvy Moore County florists share their insights on the latest trends for 2010, including which flowers continue to remain timeless, and tips on making your wedding precisely that — yours. This just in: Yellows are back. Blues and purples are chic now, too. Simplicity is the new black. Orchids are making exotic appearances in centerpieces, bouquets and corsages. White flowers and tulips are still racking up popularity votes. And don’t forget the rose — always a classic choice. But let us rewind. Before you can begin selecting your flowers, our experts agree, you must first decide what tone you are aspiring to convey. Breathe easy. This should be a reflection of your own style, no one else’s. Whether you are aiming for elegant, bold, lavish or romantic, your flower selection will largely affect your desired ambience. “Do what you want to do,” asserts designer Linda Michael of Botanicals. So if you’re keen on the striking, intricate nature of the orchid, go for it! But if you prefer the sleek sophistication of calla lilies, the elegant splendor of irises or the whimsical appeal of bluebells, then stay true to your taste. “The first thing I ask a customer is, ‘What is your favorite flower?’” shares Aldena Frye, who has been in the flower business for what she defines as “forever plus a day.” “It is important to find out what the bride loves first. Then [the florist] must find out what the bride hates,” laughs Frye. Perhaps you might consider the deeper symbolism of the flowers you select, such as the passion, love and timelessness represented by a red rose. Is there is a flower particularly meaningful to your own romantic relationship? Consider incorporating it into your floral medley. Fragrances are worth pondering, too. If the scent of honeysuckles positively titillates your senses, why not use them in a spring wedding? (Yellow, after all, is in this year.) Maggie’s Farm owner, Maggie Smith, couldn’t agree more. “It’s important to express the bride and groom’s perPineStraw : Bride & Groom
To ease the Big Day jitters, Aberdeen Florist suggests selecting something blue, a hue known for its calming effect, and leaves it up to the lily grass to unify their combination of textures and colors.
Spring is in the air. Orange roses create a sense of warmth and playfulness in this sweet and simple arrangement from Maggie’s Farm.
This blushing bouquet is proof that the effect of using varients of the same hue is simply stunning. Maggie’s Farm selects a flower and berries from the bouquet for the boutonniere.
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Nothing says romance quite like red and pink roses. This heart-shaped bouquet by Botanicals, elegantly embellished with pearl beading, is designed to make a lasting impression.
These exotic arrangements by Aldena Frye exemplify the beauty of creativity. Though non-traditional, the bold combination of flowers, foliage and feathers is elegant and, most importantly, unique.
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sonalities,” she says, which can be done from the style and color of the flowers down to the containers they are arranged in. However, Maggie does admit to seeing a new trend: green weddings. “Brides are coming to me in hopes of planning a wedding with a low carbon footprint,” she explains. “They are using organic, locally grown flowers. Having the flowers grown locally means that less transportation is needed.” Although our florists each believe that the bride has the ultimate say in her décor, Janet Peele of Aberdeen Florist sees value in referring back to Emily Post. “Sometimes there are taboos,” explains Peele. “I sort of assist the bride by letting her know what can or can’t be done within the church. Certain churches allow more frou-frou than others. Etiquette makes people comfortable, and that’s what you want,” Peele advises. To achieve both aesthetic appeal and harmony at this most sacred ceremony, Peele recommends choosing a flower from the bride’s bouquet for the groom’s boutonniere. But as far as mixing unusual combinations of flowers goes, Aldena Frye and Carol Dowd’s designers at Botanicals concur that there is absolutely nothing taboo about it, as long as a sense of unity is maintained. “We mix things people traditionally would not,” says Frye. “Color will unify anything.” Linda Michael also stresses the importance of thinking outside of the season. “You have so many options,” Michael explains. “You simply need to ask what is or can be available.” A few things for an inquiring bride to keep in mind before making any decisions are her budget, her wedding colors and, lastly, where the flowers will go after the reception ends. “It is very important to stay within a comfortable price range,” advises Maggie, “but if there is no limit, then by all means go all out.” Linda hopes that a common misconception many brides have about exotic flowers can be mended. “You can usually get what you want for a reasonable cost,” she declares. The colors of your bridal party may also affect the colors you choose for your flowers. They do not necessarily have to be variants of the same hue, but the shades should be complimentary or, in the very least, visually appealing. “The florist needs to see the colors first. If an attendant is wearing a navy blue dress, for example, you won’t want to put a navy blue flower in her bouquet—it won’t show up in pictures,” says Peele. You may choose to recycle your bouquets and arrangements after the ceremony by donating them to a local hospital, or they could become elegant mementos from the celebration of your love, future and commitment for your family and guests. What is most important, though, is that, on the day designed for you to positively radiate, your flowers reflect you, too.
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Green Weddings
Tim Sayer Photography
Simple and natural nuptials are a growing trend
BY MARIAH FONG
A
s the old wedding adage goes: Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue. All good advice. Yet in a world where environmental awareness is rapidly on the rise and budgets are tight, many bridal authorities report that the “green” or eco-friendly wedding is finally coming into its own. A shared passion for the earth makes simple weddings an increasingly appealing option for many couples. The good news? It doesn’t necessarily have to cost a lot of green to go “green” on your wedding day. As Denise Olson of Green Goods in Southern Pines points out, “Choose what things are most important to you as a couple and start there — remembering to keep things simple.” Here are some of her suggestions: STAY CLOSE TO HOME A home or backyard wedding is a very old-fashioned idea and can be terribly romantic, not to mention seriously eco-friendly. By using one venue for your marriage vows and reception, you significantly reduce transportation costs and save energy. Traditional venues like ballrooms and resorts use lots of energy and natural resources. Farms, meadows, and terrace gardens use the beauty and drama of nature as a setting. A home wedding cuts down dramatically on the need for nonrecyclable decorations and waste of natural resources. Incorporate hobbies or other special interests into the theme of your special day, e.g., say your vows at the beach, river’s edge or on a pretty Sandhill summit. For out-of-town guests, consider PineStraw : Bride & Groom
using the homes of friends or finding a “green” hotel listed on greenhotels.com. INVITING OPTIONS Choosing an environmentallysavvy stationery is another small modification that tremendously cuts down on waste. These days some super-hip couples send out “E-vites” (electronic invitations) using no paper at all. You can also set up a wedding Web page so guests can check out all the details and RSVP through cyber space. If that is a little too electronic for you, consider the use of recycled paper or “bloomin’” cards. The most beautiful recycled cards are from Twisted Limb; they are recycled and handmade and are available locally through special order at Green Goods. Bloomin’ cards are perfect for any plant lover! The invitation is printed on plantable seed paper. So after they RSVP, they toss it in the dirt and watch it grow. There are many designs and seeds available. Bloomin’ cards are also sold at Green Goods. Finally, using only one envelope instead of two or RSVPing by phone are small ways that make a big difference and save your planet even more. LOVE IN BLOOM, NATURALLY Flowers are a joyful symbol of love and cheerfulness, but choose wisely, for there are some hidden issues. Some popular varieties of flowers are genetically modified and grown with pesticides to maintain a “perfect” petal. (For example, certain roses are so genetically modified that they have to be sprayed with a rose scent because they no longer produce the marvelous perfume that makes them famous.) Also, many exotic flowers come from abroad and use tons of fuel in transportation alone.
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Here are a few greener suggestions: Find a Veriflora certified florist that guarantees that the flowers are not drenched in chemicals. Use flowers that are in season or are grown locally. Purchase your flowers directly from a local farmer. Area farmers’ markets are a great place to start. Not long ago, we also heard about a young woman who planted a flower garden months before her wedding day — just so she would have a bounty of blooms to use. Consider using potted plants or herbs as your centerpieces so they can be replanted as gifts after the celebration. Reuse your favorite wine bottles as vases. Donate your flowers to a local hospital after the reception. Make your boutonnieres out of folded, recycled paper. Make a statement by using pure and natural flowers to symbolize the authenticity of your love. FOOD FOR THE SOUL AND THE PLANET In Grandma’s day, friends and family often brought delicious home-made dishes and even made the cake. In lieu of a gift, why not suggest friends bring their favorite covered dish? If you do opt for a caterer, choose one who local to cut down on transportation costs. More importantly, find a caterer who utilizes fresh local ingredients and as many organic items as possible. The food will reflect the freshness in its flavor but also cut down significantly on packaging, electricity and fuel expenses. Try to choose a creative menu that is in sync with the season. If your celebration is in summer, for example, utilize the abundance of tomatoes, squash and multitude of fruits. If your spe-
cial day is in the heart of winter, consider the use of succulent citrus and dried fruits and chutneys. Fortunately the use of seasonal local organic food is part of a rapidly growing trend almost everywhere. So this part of the wedding planning should be a breeze. SKIP THE MONEY CLIP AND SAVE THE EARTH Favors and parting gifts are another opportunity to get super creative and step out of the box. A new trend is to opt out of favors entirely and use that money to donate to your favorite charity or towards your honeymoon. The web site www.idofoundation.com can help you connect with your favorite charities. Another cute idea is to have a bamboo centerpiece so each guest gets to bring home an individual tree as a gift. Beautifully decorated tins of seeds are yet another trendy favor, also available at Green Goods of Southern Pines. SOMETHING BORROWED — AND RECYCLED The wedding gown is perhaps the most important piece of your wedding planning — and possibly the easiest to turn green. Buy vintage or as the verse goes… borrow something old and meaningful from your mom or grandmother. If you must have a new dress, look for sustainable fabrics like hemp, silk or organic cotton. Adele Wechsler and Renee Geneva are two designers who offer wonderful dresses made from natural or recycled materials. To take recycling a bold step further, consider making your eco-dress into a romantic quilt!
Historic Home & Gardens For more information call 910-692-6261 Hours: M-F 10am-2pm 555 East Connecticut Ave. P.O. Box 939 Southern Pines, NC 28388 weymouthcenter@pinehurst.net
www.weymouthcenter.org
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A Guide to Your Ideal Event Sites By Ginny Kelly
A
The historical charm of cozy Mid Pines Inn in Southern Pines makes it a perfect wedding getaway. A stunning Georgian style dining room provides a reception venue complete with a dance floor and a cozy sunroom overlooking a famed Donald Ross golf course. Mid Pines also offers cottages along Midland Road that can provide accommodation for parties or out of town guests at a reasonable price. Available dates are limited at Mid Pines so it is recommended you book early for your big day! Contact Patsy Smith, Event Coordinator, for more information. 692-2114
National Golf Club provides everything you would expect and more from a prestigious Sandhills country club. “First-class service and hospitality afford you and your guests an unforgettable wedding day,” says National’s wedding planner Vickie Fletcher. Amenities include a Grand Ballroom that can accommodate a seated dinner of up to 150 people, as well as an outdoor patio with spectacular golf course views, ideal for couples seeking a classy, elegant affair with a hint of the auld game. Contact Vickie Fletcher, Wedding Planner, for more information. 2954300
“The Pinehurst Resort has been making history since its inception,” says Michele Soderquist, Director of Catering for the legendary Sandhills resort. “Brides come to Pinehurst and truly connect with that history and the ambience of the hotel and begin to create their own memories and story here.” The majestic Carolina Hotel provides the option of more than 20 different event rooms ranging from an intimate wine cellar with a capacity of 12 guests to a Grand Ballroom fit for a crowd of 600. Alfresco weddings on the West Lawn are also increasingly popular. In short, the Carolina’s versatile staff can pull off just about any kind of party on any size budget. And with everything from caterers to florist to pastry chefs right on site, brides have everything they need to script their own fairy tale. Contact Michele Soderquist, Director of Catering, Pinehurst Resort, for more information. 295-6811
Photo Courtesy of Pinehurst, LLC
Sayer Photography
Sayer Photography
Photo courtesy of Mid Pines
Nestled in the heart of Southern Pines’ horse country and seconds away from downtown, Weymouth Center for the Arts and Humanities and its beautifully groomed gardens make an ideal wedding choice for the traditionminded couple. You can take your vows beneath a splendid Roman pergola or say “I do” on a terrace framed by spectacular seasonal perennials leading to a stunning aqua garden. A broad and well-maintained lawn is perfect for a tented reception. The ancestral home of famed novelist James Boyd and his newspaper editor wife Katharine also provides a wellstocked kitchen for caterers and dressing rooms for the wedding party. Without a doubt, Weymouth Center is one the Sandhills’ most intimate and popular romantic wedding settings. Contact Hope Price for more information. 692-6261
Sayer Photography
s any successful restaurateur knows, the key to dining success is “location, location, location.” The same principle holds true for your wedding day. The place you select for your ceremony and reception – and other related events – will go a long way in shaping how your special day is remembered by those who honor you by their attendance. As one of the nation’s leading destination wedding spots, the Sandhills is fortunate to have a number of spectacular venues with options that permit you to customize wedding plans and make it an unforgettable affair.
The Fair Barn, located in the heart of historic Pinehurst, offers a large banquet hall in an elegantly rustic setting that can be customized to accommodate a bride’s wildest dreams. The Barn provides the flexibility to pick your own vendors for food, flowers, cake, entertainment, rentals, even decorations, allowing a bride to put personal touches on her special day. With a capacity of up to 550 people for a seated reception, the Fair Barn offers one of the region’s largest venues, including access to the Village Arboretum if desired for outdoor nuptials. Contact Ann Owen, Event Coordinator, for more information. 295-0166
Sayer Photography
Like the famed golf courses that surround it, the view from the lakeside terrace at the ever-popular Country Club of North Carolina is enough to take your breath away - and paint a gorgeous backdrop to any wedding event of any size. If golf rounds are as important as the centerpieces, CCNC can delight both bride and groom. The clubhouse boasts three elegant grand dining rooms and the ability to host up to 385 guests. A veteran special events staff can beautifully customize any wedding to the bride’s wishes. Kristin Gilligan, Catering Coordinator, guarantees that a CCNC wedding will be “something you never forget.” Contact Kristin Gilligan, Catering Coordinator, for more information. 692-6565
Have you dreamed of hosting your bridesmaid’s luncheon, rehearsal dinner, wedding ceremony and reception all at the same place - thus making travel and lodging arrangements easy on your out-of-town guests and keeping the stress of wedding planning to a minimum? If so, then you need to look no further than Little River Golf Resort. This popular golf resort and club, with a rich equestrian legacy all its own and terrific catering services, provides multiple indoor and outdoor options designed to meet every wedding need and budget. Contact Bobbi Scarboro, Event Coordinator, for more information. 949-4600
McKenzie Photography
The Country Club of Whispering Pines, located just north of Southern Pines, offers a versatile 5,500 sq. ft ballroom that can host a party of up to 350 people. But more than just space, CCWP provides great bang for your wedding-day-buck thanks to affordable food and beverage packages and an on-site wedding coordinator who assures there are no hidden costs. Its golf courses are one of the bestkept secrets in the Sandhills, for members of the party who like a little golf with their nuptials. Contact Debbie Bureau, Event Coordinator, for more information. 949-3000
Photo courtesy of CCWP
With 35 acres of natural landscape and an architectural gem based on an original design by Frank Lloyd Wright, The Covington House provides an ideal setting for the intimate wedding experience. The option of a ceremony and reception by the lake or infinity pool makes this a unique setting with a host of unforgettable possibilities. The house has a large kitchen for caterers and a romantic honeymoon suite for the newlyweds. Linda Covington, the estate’s longtime owner, describes the property as “a private, yet inviting setting that is almost magical.” Contact Linda Covington, Owner/Coordinator, for more information. 695-0352
You may want to consider some of these other fine establishments for your reception or other events surrounding your wedding. The Pine Crest Inn Pinehurst’s famous watering hole rich with history and a prime village location. 295-6121
The JFR Barn
Woodlake Country Club
Legacy Lakes
A rustic steakhouse with private party rooms and a reputable wine cellar perfect for intimate dinners. 692-7700
The colonial inspired Historic Oates House at Woodlake is a picturesque setting complete with panoramic lake views. 245-4031
One of the nation’s top public golf courses, and a convenient Southern Moore County location, the Plantation House at Legacy Lakes is another stunning option for wedding events. 944-2641
The Holly Inn Host your rehearsal dinner in the elegant octagonal shaped dining room inside this quaint Pinehurst Resort National Historic Landmark hotel. 295-6811
The Centennial at Pinehurst No. 8 Another chic Pinehurst Resort venue. 295-6811
The Well-Suited Groom
Tim Sayer Photography
The right suit or sports coat can positively make your day. And Then some
BY HOLLY PEPPER
“Everybody wants to be Cary Grant. Even I want to be Cary Grant.” — Cary Grant Let’s face it: Nobody ever looked as cool and collected as Cary Grant — even on their wedding day. A fabulous wedding dress may help guarantee that your special day is unforgettable. But a great suit of clothes can star in the new hubby’s wardrobe for years if not decades to come. So it is a little perplexing to this veteran wedding-goer why some fellas — and, more surprisingly, their detail-oriented brides — don’t place more emphasis on the well-suited groom. The traditional tuxedo and the elegant cutaway morning coat remain the attire of choice for the formal, high-end wedding. But today, decidedly more relaxed social latitudes make a well-made suit of clothes both a sensible economical choice and an appealing option. Herewith, a small primer on the well-suited male:
Tradition Rules A suit should fit the man wearing it, so don’t skimp on quality and proper tailoring. Traditional suits come in three primary colors: navy, gray, and black. For an occasion that will require you to have your picture taken hundreds of times (not to mention looked at for the rest of your life), select a classic suit that flatters both your physique and your lifestyle. Depending on the season, plaids and banker’s stripes are okay — though definitely keep them tastefully muted. White dinner jackets are kind of fun — if you’re Cary Grant. For this climate, lightweight blends of wool and breathable silk and finer synthetics are best. If your nuptials are on a
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beach or by the backyard pool, you might even get away with a light-hued linen offering, providing cool comfort and a certain tropical panache. Consider adding a roguish splash of color with an elegant pocket silk.
Jackets Only Choose a suit jacket or sports coat style that doesn’t swallow you whole. Single-breasted suits are flattering to almost every body shape, and double-breasted suits work splendidly on men with a chest to fill them out. The traditional navy blazer is a perennial. Two-button jackets are classic but three-button jackets are more popular with the younger groom. Word of advice though: Never, ever, button that third button. Otherwise you’ll look like a recruit from the local military academy. Also, pick a flattering jacket or sports coat with a vent in back. This will make your jacket drape better on your torso and provide greater range of motion for cake-cutting or dancing the night away.
Pants Please Current fashion leans to a pant with a traditional flat front. Pleats draw attention to and add weight to the midsection, whereas a flat-front pant is flattering to just about all body types. If you’re determined to wear pleated trousers, one small pleat will suffice. The pleat needs to look crisp, straight, and fresh. Finally, be confident in your new clothes. She’s marrying you — not your haberdasher. Or even Cary Grant. The happier you feel wearing a great suit of clothes or even a classic sports jacket will not only heighten the pleasure you feel on your wedding day — but remind you of this special day for years to come.
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The Directory Beautiful You SPAS
*firstspa (pg. 79) (910) 715-1811 www.firstspa.org *Renaissance Day Spa (pg. 96) (910)484-9922 *The Spa at Carolina Skin Care (pg. 111) (910) 235-7721 *The Spa at Pinehurst (pg. 81) (910) 235-8320
BEAUTY SALONS
Photograph by Mollie Tobias
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Craze Hair Studio (910) 603-4090
Pine City Salon (910) 692-4585
David & Company Salon & Spa (910) 944-2265
Salon 165 (910) 695-3165
Elaine’s Hairdressers (910) 295-6435
Secret’s Hair & Nail Design (910) 692-1942
Exhale…A Salon (910) 246-5335 Great Impressions (910) 692-3444 Hair Biz at the Cottage Salon (910) 246-2887
Ambiance Salon (910) 692-9411
Hair Cottage (910) 692-2825
Bliss, A Salon Experience (910) 944-8888
Hair Jazz (910) 944-0484
Christy’s Hair Creations (910) 949-3410
La Parlor Beauty Salon (910) 944-7598
Southern Magnolia Salon & Spa (910) 215-0529 Studio Elite Hair Gallery (910) 944-4744 Tracy’s Sassy Scissors (910) 947-2286 Uniquely Chic (910) 692-3218 Untangled Hair Salon (910) 692-0939
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PineStraw : Bride & Groom
Beautiful You NAIL SALONS Elegant Nails (910) 295-6160 Elite Nails (910) 673-1870 Exotic Nails (910) 944-5771 LV Nail Spa (910) 693-3730 Luxury Nails (910) 246-0599
Nail City (910) 215-8193 Natural Nails by Melody (910) 692-6254
Hawkins & Harkness Fine Jewelry (910) 692-3749 or 888609-7622
Regal Nails (910) 693-3330
*Heavenly Pines (pg. 94) (910) 235-9086
T.K. Nails (910) 695-1955
*Honeycutt Jewelers (pg. 106) (910) 692-2388
V Nails (910) 947-3302
JEWELRY Monique’s Nails (910) 695-1113 My Nails 2 (910) 692-0690 Nail Boutique (910) 673-2900
Gemma Gallery (910) 295-3010
*Brenda’s Jewelers (pg. 100) Southern Pines (910) 6928785 Sanford (919) 774-4855 Fiskin & Fiskin, Inc. (910) 692-1717 or 888528-2839
Jeffery Alan Sheer (910) 693-0331 Jewels of Pinehurst (910) 295-2824 *Tara’s Jewelry (pg. 95) (919) 774-7196 *Rhudy’s Jewelry (pg. 111) (910) 488-7571 Photograph by Matt McKenzie/McKenzie Photography
PineStraw : Bride & Groom
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The Directory
Sugar, Spice & Everything Nice
FLORISTS
CATERING
CAKES
*Aberdeen Florists (pg. 115) (910) 944-7826
Chef Warren’s (910) 692-5240
Bakehouse & Café (910) 944-9204 www.thebakehouse.biz
*Aldena Frye Floral Designs (pg. 104) (910) 944-1071
Corfu Catering (910) 693-1839
*Botanicals Fabulous Flowers & Orchids (pg. 113) (910) 692-3800 www.botanicalsweb.com Le Jardin (910) 295-2833 *Maggie’s Farm (pg. 103) (910) 295-1784 www.maggiesfarm4flowers.com Southern Belle Florist (910) 464-7777
*Eliot’s Catering (pg. 86) (910) 295-3663 Ellerbe Springs Inn (910) 652-5600 Goldie’s Gourmet (910) 673-2211 Ironwood Café (910) 255-0000
Broad Street Bakery (910) 692-3902 Cakes By Sherran (910) 295-9761 Kane’s Kakes, LLC (910) 337-0623 *Lady Bedford’s Tea Parlour (pg. 107) (910) 255-0100
*Laurie Rich Catering (pg. 111) (910) 295-5886
Shirley’s Specialty Cakes (910) 603-4224 shirleyspecialtycakes.com
*Sweet Feed (pg. 104) (910) 692-3404
Sweet Fi’s Cakes (910) 949-2252
Rhett’s (910) 695-3663
The Cake Lady (910) 725-1081
Photograph by Don McKenzie/McKenzie Photography
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PineStraw : Bride & Groom
The Directory Details
WEDDING CONSULTANTS: A Designer’s Touch (910) 986-0158
*Elegant Weddings, Vickie Fletcher (pg. 122) (910) 603-5102 www.elegantweddingsnc.com *Vows (pg. 106) (910) 949-4006
ATTIRE: *Brides Etc. (pg. 106) (910) 692-5685 www.bridesetcnc.com Gown & Tux • (919) 776-0431 *Bridal & Formal Center (pg. 87) (910) 868-4696 *Damac Wedding & Formal Wear (pg. 96) (910)323-3311
PineStraw : Bride & Groom
*Otrebla’s Tailoring (pg. 100) (910) 323-0264
INVITATIONS & ANNOUNCEMENTS: *At Home & Southern Pines Paper Co.(pg. 104) • (910) 695-7277 *Village Printers (pg. 91) (910) 295-6317 Whistle Stop Press (910) 692-8366 Harris Printing Co., Inc (910) 673-5641 *RSVP (pg. 115) • (910) 295-4333
RENTALS: Pinehurst Event & Wedding Rentals • (910) 295-9927 *Richmond Rentals &
Sales (pg. 92) • (910) 6925145 www.richmondrentalsandsales.com McCollum Party Rentals 866-352-9405 *Party Poopers (pg. 112) (910) 246-5300
TRANSPORTATION:
Bus Service (910) 944-1457 Andy’s Limousine Service Tours & Transportation (910) 417-5466
Purcell Limousine Service Inc. (910) 693-1248
*Kelly Luxury Limousines (pg. 95) (910) 691-1600 KellyLuxuryLimousines.co m
Executive Limousines of the Sandhills (910) 947-6027
There and Back Limousine & Charter
Carthage Rental (910) 947-3500
A Blue Diamond Limousines & Sedan (877) 277-7433
Sandhills Transportation (910) 944-5710
Kirk Tours • (910) 2952257 www.kirktours.com
AUTO RENTAL:
Diamond Taxi Transportation (910) 603-1261 Safe Way Transport Service (910) 692-3125 Photograph by Don McKenzie/McKenzie Photography
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The Directory RECEPTIONS *121 Cafe (pg. 78) (919) 774-1888 Beacon Ridge Golf & Country Club (910) 673-3158 *Country Club of Whispering Pines (pg. 85) (910) 949-4330 *Covington House (pg. 117) (910) 695-0352 Cypress Bend Vineyards, Inc (910) 369-0411 *DoubleTree Hotel (pg. 76) (910) 323-8282 *The Fair Barn (pg. 91) (910) 295-0166 Photograph by Mollie Tobias
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Hampton Inn & Suites (910) 693-4330
Let’s Party!
Homewood Suites (910) 255-0300 Ironwood Café (910) 255-0000 Jefferson Inn (910) 692-9911 www.JeffersonInnSouthern Pines.com *The JFR Barn (pg. 77) (910) 692-7700 • www.jrfbarn.com *Legacy Lakes (pg. 104) (910) 944-2641 *Little River Golf & Resort (pg. 103) (910) 949-4600 *Mrs. Lacey’s Magnolia House (pg. 112) (919) 777-6787 National Golf Club (910) 295-4300 (or toll free at 800-471-4339) www.nationalgolfclub.com
*The Old Buggy Inn (pg. 117) (910) 947-1901 *Pinehurst Resort (pg. 81) (910) 295-6811 Pine Crest Inn (910) 295-6121 *Pine Needles & Mid Pines (pg. 89) (800) 292-1963 www.pineneedles-midpines.com *Weymouth Center (pg. 107) (910) 692-6261 • www.weymouthcenter.org Woodlake Resort & Golf Club (910) 245-4970
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PineStraw : Bride & Groom
Let’s Party! MUSIC/ ENTERTAINMENT Danny & June Infantino (910) 692-5696 dannyinfantino.com
Mr. DJ- Gary Hunt (336) 653-6735 www.mrdjnc.com Party Tyme DJ (910) 585-8052 partymedj@nc11.com
Laurie Muirhead, Harpist (910) 693-1300 harpmotive@aol.com
*Pier Side Entertainment (pg. 119) (910) 690-9504 www.DJPeterCarpenter.com
*Valerie Stancik, Vivace Music (pg. 82) (910) 528-1362 or (910) 692-0705 www.vstancik.com
Sandhills Mobile DJ (910) 585-0576 www.sandhillsmobiledj.com
DISC JOCKEYS Gary’s Ultimate DJ Service (910) 692-4144 gary@preservethedance.com Photograph by Mollie Tobias
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The Directory
Capture the Moment PHOTOGRAPHERS A Southern Studio (910) 692-7400 www.asouthernstudio.com Dana Kirk Photography (910) 944-8899 Dave Nicoll Photography (910) 692-7639 Deborah Boyd Photography (910) 673-1139 www.deborahboydphotography.com DWA Photography (919) 776-2092 www.dwaphotography.com *Jimmy Haire Photo Studio (pg. 118) 1-800-487-0245 or (919) 776-8048 www.jimmyhairephoto.com *McKenzie Photography (pg. 88) (910) 692-1712 www.mckenziephotography.com www.mmckenziephoto.com *Michelle Bolton Photography (pg. 114) (910) 673-8960 *Mollie Tobias (pg. 90) (910) 988-8839 *Sayer Photography (pg. 84) (910) 692-6320 www.sayerphotography.com
VIDEOGRAPHERS *Davis Video Productions (pg. 94) (910) 215-0986 www.davisvideopro.com *Von Master Professional Videography (pg. 121) (910) 528-0702 www.myspace.com/vonmaster
Photograph by Matt McKenzie/McKenzie Photography
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PineStraw : Bride & Groom
VOW S
A New Life Begins
BY TOM ALLEN
P
aul was newly widowed and lonely. He called a few months after her first husband died and asked if he could “come over.” Helen said, “No.” Some years later, after his second wife and her second husband died, he called to ask again. This time she said, “Yes.” That was September. Six months later, on a Sunday morning, while shaking hands with folks as they left the little church I pastored, Paul and Helen shared the good news. Helen beamed when she flashed the little bit of bling on her left hand. They’d been to WalMart the previous day, picked out a ring, and set a date. Would I marry them in my apartment in Louisville? “I’d be honored,” I said. After some smiles and hugs, I pulled out a pocket calendar and scribbled in the date. It would be the third marriage for these seventy-somethings and my first wedding as a young minister. The ceremony was to be a simple affair. Whatever I chose to say would be fine. Whatever vows I used would suffice. There would be no music, no reception, no family or friends in attendance, but we’d still need two witnesses. They asked if Beverly, my fiancée, could be one, then inquired if we might find another. The other ended up being Charlene, the secretary from the church Beverly served. Paul and Helen met Charlene the day of their wedding and as far as I know, never saw her again. We gathered at my apartment on a Saturday afternoon. Helen had bought a new dress for the occasion, Paul was in a suit, first time I’d seen him in one. Beverly and Charlene created a small bouquet for the bride and a red-rose boutonnière for her groom. The couple and their witnesses stood in front of my couch. The ceremony lasted all of ten minutes. After I pronounced them husband and wife and they kissed, we explained the occasion couldn’t pass without some kind of celebration. We’d laid out a very Baptist reception — a sheet cake with white icing, pastel butter mints, some salted nuts, and Hawaiian Punch laced with ginger ale. Wedding paper plates and napkins completed the setting. When we sat down to eat, I heard Helen remark to her new husband, “Don’t worry about it. They won’t care.” “What’s the matter?” I asked. “He gotta new set of teeth last week and he’s not used to ‘em,” Helen remarked. “Paul,” I said smiling, “you go right ahead and take your teeth out if you need to.” And he did! He plopped those new dentures down on a wedding napkin and gummed down a piece of sheet cake in no time. I’m pretty sure he passed on the mints and nuts.
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Paul and Helen left that day, ready to make their home in Helen’s house. There was no honeymoon to speak of. Their kids, happy and supportive over their parents’ wedding, planned a family dinner the next day to celebrate the occasion. Since that day, I’ve been a part of a number of weddings as both celebrant and participant. I’ve watched mothers vicariously live out their own dreams in the weddings of their daughters and seen fathers brought to tears when they walked their little girls down the aisle. I heard some bad renditions of “You Light Up My Life” by microphone-hugging divas and held my breath when stocky groomsmen passed out from standing too long. I’ve observed divorced parents, still bitter over their own failed marriages, bury the hatchet, if only for a few hours, for the sake of their son’s or daughter’s special day. I’ve been moved by weddings that were worshipful occasions, some in churches, filled with glorious music; others in outdoor cathedrals buttressed by stately pines or vaulted by white satin clouds. I’ve attended receptions that made me want to get married again, just so I could laugh and dance and eat smoked salmon with creamed cheese and capers on fancy crackers. I’ve prayed for every marriage to last, for couples to realize that living with another person takes work, and that as trite as it may sound, for them never to forget that little things still mean a lot. I’ve encouraged couples to never go to bed mad, to remember birthdays and anniversaries, and to believe that when tough times come, with love and faith, they will survive. Paul and Helen had some good years as husband and wife. Paul died, then Helen followed a couple of years later, yet the memory of their simple ceremony, twenty years ago on an early spring afternoon, brings to mind a lovely Latin phrase I’ve occasionally heard sung at weddings. Oddly, it’s taken from a hymn, first sung centuries ago in the Roman liturgy, originally during the ceremony of The Washing of the Feet at Holy Thursday’s Mass of the Last Supper — Ubi caritas et amor, Deus ebi est — Where charity and love are, God is there. Whether one understands marriage as a sacrament or a necessary procedure to make something official, and regardless if the ceremony is held in a house of worship or on a sun-drenched beach or in a Las Vegas wedding parlor, when love is present and unselfishly shared, the occasion becomes sacred. A new life begins. Such moments, I believe, make God smile. PS Tom Allen, is minister of education at First Baptist Church in Southern Pines, and frequently writes PineStraw’s Letter From the Sandhills.
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PineStraw : Bride & Groom
Sayer Photography
When love is unselfishly shared, everything becomes sacred
February PineNeedler BY MART DICKERSON
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ACROSS 1 Lover (6) 3 Cracked (6) 9 Candy invented Feb. 1894 (7) 11 Kid's organization formed Feb. 1910 (9) 13 Sesame Street character born in Feb. (4) 15 Candy Heart message (5) 17 President born in Feb. (7) 19 Egyptian goddess worshipped as ideal mother and wife (4) 20 President's Day honoree (10) 21 Candy Heart message (6) 22 # XLVI (9) 24 February flower (6) 25 Valentine gift (7)
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Sudoku Fill in the grid so every row, every column and every 3x3 box contains the numbers 1-9. Puzzle answers on page 68
PineStraw : The Art & Soul of the Sandhills
4 9 1 8 2 3 4 9 7 5 3 8
DOWN 2 “The Babe,� born in Feb. (4) 3 A man who forgets Feb 14th (4) 4 Candy Heart message (6) 5 Material invented by Du Pont Feb.1935 (5) 6 Valentine gift (10) 7 February weather predictor (9) 8 Candy Heart message (6) 10 Great Expectations author born Feb.1812 (7) 12 Candy Heart message (6) 14 Feb. birthstone (8) 15 Fat Tuesday in Feb. (9) 16 ____the knot (4) 18 Board game 1st sold in stores in Feb. 1935 (8) 21 Candy Heart message (6) 23 Feb. zodiac sign (6)
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S O U T H WO R D S
Puppy Love
BY DEBORAH SALOMON
Sigmund Freud bent the French admonition cherchez la femme into cherchez la maman.
Truly, my lifelong love of animals, domestic and otherwise, is her doing. Doesn’t take a psychiatrist to understand why. My mother barely tolerated animals. “There, there…nice doggie, don’t jump,” she would say, hand raised protectively as she backed off. Needless to say, the lonely only child living in a New York apartment begged in vain for a puppy until the Christmas of 1947, when Santa brought a honey-colored cocker spaniel. I was in heaven. “There, there, Skippy – don’t wet the rug.” Two weeks later Skippy went to live a long, happy life with friends in New Jersey. I know because I visited him often. This trauma was compounded when, to demonstrate charity, my mother “suggested” we donate my ninth birthday money to an orphanage. She took me there on a bitter cold January evening, to relinquish the $10. I remember being confused, yet proud. Then, walking back to the subway, I saw a stray cat behind a railing -- and a hot dog vendor on the corner. I begged my mother to buy me one. After all, this was my birthday. More than half a century later I can still see that gray kitty devouring the treat. My psyche was set and the animals knew it. Squirrels ate from my hand. Ducks followed me home. I once lured a lost horse with carrots. My maternal grandparents in Greensboro took pity on the deprived child. During the summer their calico had kittens just for me, Nanny said. I adored Nanny for that; Granddaddy, too, who let Snowball, his Samoyed mix, sleep on my bed. See? Snowball didn’t smother me, Mom. At Duke, I kept a stray terrier in the dorm for two weeks before being discovered. But, except for a pond turtle named Dinky who lived for eight years in an amphibious environment I created for fourth grade science (yeah, right), I never had a pet until I was married and living in a small
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apartment with a colicky baby – not the ideal situation for a stubborn, diarrheic Basset hound. Other cats and dogs followed. I cultivated a deep relationship with each, perhaps not the healthiest relationship since my caregiving instinct borders obsession. I click away from commercials picturing abandoned animals. I despise movies that introduce a dog only to kill it off. Wild horses couldn’t drag me to a circus or zoo with caged animals. I feed the birds at home and elsewhere. Yes, those are dog biscuits in my car. Once, when a neighbor’s son needed a place to put his caged snake while he was at camp (his mother refused), I offered my garage. After rescuing and finding homes for 32 kittens, I finally trapped the feral mother (who I’d been feeding chicken livers and cream to keep her warm during a harsh winter) and had her spayed. I am a non-militant vegetarian. My love brings happiness and comfort – but sadness, too. After my daughter Wendy died I visited her brilliant mixed breed who had been adopted by a friend. As I approached the driveway, Rasta recognized me and came running to the car. I opened the door but, instead of greeting me, her eyes looked over my shoulder, for her mistress. My deepest love was for Railbird, a racing greyhound my other daughter adopted through an organization. Railbird was tall, dignified, quiet -- a prince among animals. Yet despite his aloofness he loved his Nanny and came to me willingly when he needed hospice care. For six months Railbird and I shared a love, pure and beautiful. I understand that people don’t understand people like me. They think attention lavished on animals is attention better spent on humans. Perhaps. But if a person is injured on the road everybody stops to help. If an animal is injured, the people who stop possess a higher degree of humanity. Look at the mascots who have been reunited with the soldiers returning from Iraq. Look at therapy dogs who lick the faces of patients ravaged by AIDS. Look at tabbies content just to purr beside an elder who can no longer walk. What’s not to love? Thanks, Mom, for the lesson. PS
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PineStraw : The Art & Soul of the Sandhills
Illustration by Pamela Powers January
Remebering an old prince named Railbird. And more
Classic CCNC tradition on 1.62ac golf front lot in culdesac setting. Nice floor plan including 3bd/3.5ba w/ main level living areas & mstr suite. Inground pool w/ plenty of privacy. 4000+sf and a great value for $675,000. Call Kim 910-528-2008 KIM STOUT 910-528-2008 REBECCA CUMMINGS 910-315-4141 EMMY WEBSTER 910-639-3520 MARGRET ENDRIGAT 910-690-8025 www.internationalrealtyspecialists.com
MLS # 136395 233 National Drive, National Golf Club Stately golf front home with 5 bedrooms. Majestic staircase in foyer, gorgeous screened porch and 2 decks for outdoor living. Two living/family rooms, master on main floor. Must see this one! $740,000.
CALL PEGGY FLOYD 910-639-1197 WWW.PINEHURSTLUXURYPROPERTIES.COM
To See Our Featured Listings and All Listings in Moore and Scotland County, go to www.WomanWithVision.com and click on Market Snapshot for more information. "YOUR WELCOME HOME TEAM" LAURENE STUBBS, BROKER, ABI, GRI 910-318-1869 • LAURENESTUBBS@ATT.NET CELESTE JACKSON, BROKER 910-610-5117 • CELESTEJACKSON1@HOTMAIL.COM 203 Savannah Garden Dr, Carthage, NC 3 br, 2 ba well maintained, immaculate home nestled in great neighborhood. Spacious kitchen w/ breakfast bar perfect for entertaining plus large pantry and ample cabinet space. Large master suite w/ walk in closet, double sink, jacuzzi tub and separate shower. Perfect landscaped yard! Great deal! $159,900
CALL KIM AT 910-315-9923
New listing. Arguably
"Choose a Realtor who is also
the finest golf-front lot
an experienced
in all of golf! Over 600
State-Certified Appraiser"
feet on the famed No. 2
To see MY LISTINGS
golf course. Views of
and ALL area MULTIPLE
the 8th and 9th green
LISTINGS go to
from every room. 5,700 square feet of luxurious living. $2,250,000
CALL GREG FOR A SHOWING 910-690-7214 WWW.GREGREGAN.COM
• GREG@GREGREGAN.COM
www.TammyLyne.com TAMMY LYNE, REALTOR 910-235-0208
CCNC, A-6 St. Andrews Dr. From the outdoor kitchen and water features surrounding the stone patio to the keeping room with fireplace off kitchen and the 23' x 28' family room, this spacious home is remarkable for living large. And this home has 2 master suites and a Carolina room, formal living, dining room and study. MLS #128649. $549,000
FOR YOUR PERSONAL TOUR OF THIS FINE HOME, CALL THEYL TURNER AT 910-528-2321
Spring Lake Hills 120 Spring Lake Rd Unit 7-Pinehurst 2 Bd, 2 Ba, 1 Garage Why pay RENT? Great opportunity for the first time home buyer! Price $124,000
Experience a Realtor who is local… and offers years of experience along with the education to make your dream home a reality. DEBBI FERGUSON 910-315-6310 • DFERGUSON10@NC.RR.COM WWW.DEBBIFERGUSON.COM MLS#-135755 48 Greyabbey Drive, Pinewild 4 br 4.5 bath home, golf front, large yard, porches, hardwood flooring, large kitchen with golf view from eating area, Pinewild membership included in price. $765,000
PEGGY FLOYD 910-639-1197 DIANNE FORSBERG 910-315-5073
OR
WWW.DIANNEFORSBERG.COM
JOHN BULLARD 910-419-2420
Call me or visit my website
lauriewdavis.com for information on homes listed in the Pinehurst/Southern Pines area MLS.
LAURIE DAVIS 910-690-8480 LAURIEWDAVIS1@AOL.COM
WWW.PINEHURSTLUXURYPROPERTIES.COM
A Delightful Discovery! Home will be Heaven in this Custom built 4BR/3BA + Bonus room home. You will revel in the comforts and conveniences of this choice find boasting lovely amenities. Space to spare. Main-level master bedroom suite with a dream walk-in closet! $459,900.00
WHEN EXPERIENCE COUNTS...COUNT ON LUCRETIA! WWW.PINEHURSTHOMESEARCHER.COM WWW.LUCRETIAPINNOCK.COM
LUCRETIA PINNOCK 910-692-6767