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Reflections on the good life in coastal South Carolina }.

Lowcountry

January 3 – January 16, 2024 .{ Opinion, Arts, Culture, Lifestyle, Cuisine }.

Cocoons & Small Towns & AI 4

Oh my!

The Encore Trio 8

A celebration of life

Locals Raw Bar 10

Dishing in the new year

New Year's Resolutions 12 And good food too

Plotting, Planning, Planting 15

Screening & discussion

Johnathan Scott Barrett 17

Writer-raconteur in Beaufort

USCB Chamber Music 7

Jan Vogler

The Finest Outdoor Clothing On the Planet

The painting on our cover is "Eddy's Dock" by Bill Winn. You can see more of Winn's artwork at La Petite Gallerie in Bluffton. www. lapetitegallerie.com

ryWeekly

o w c o unt

LJanuary 3 – January 16, 2024

Publisher: Jeff Evans — Jeff@LCWeekly.com

Editor: Margaret Evans — Editor@LCWeekly.com

Marketing Director: Amanda Hanna — 843-343-8483 or Amanda@LCWeekly.com

Advertising Sales: Hope Falls — 757-274-7184 or Ads.TheIslandNews@Gmail.com

Sandy Schepis — 678-641-4495 or SandySchepis@Gmail.com

Art Director: Lydia Inglett

Layout & Design: Amalgamated Sprinkleworks

Contributing Writers: Katherine Tandy Brown, Debbi Covington, Sandra Educate, Wendy Hilte, Carolyn Mason, Cele & Lynn Seldon, and Sutty Suddeth

What’s Happening Calendar: Staff – Editor@LCWeekly.com

Letters to the Editor, comments or suggestions can be addressed to: Lowcountry Weekly

106 West Street Extension, Beaufort, SC 29902

Call: 843-986-9059 or Email: editor@lcweekly.com

Lowcountry Weekly is published every other Wednesday and distributed throughout Beaufort County at various restaurants, retail locations, hotels and visitor’s centers. The entire contents of Lowcountry Weekly is copyrighted 2024 by P. Podd Press, LLC. No part may be reproduced without permission from the publisher. The publisher assumes no responsibility for unsolicited material. A stamped, self-addressed envelope must accompany all submissions expected to be returned.

Cocoons & Small Towns & AI - Oh My! RANTS & RAVES

I’m writing this on Friday, December 29, 2023. By the time you read it, we’ll be well into the new year, and if I’m lucky, the dynamic I intend to describe will have shifted dramatically.

But for now, it’s like this . . .

I’m texting with my good pal, our esteemed food writer Debbi Covington. We’re both working on our columns, and neither of us is inspired.

“I have 2 photos, 2 recipes, and nothing remotely interesting to say,” she texts.

“I have no photos, no recipes, AND nothing to say,” I reply. She rewards me with a “haha.”

Then I pour myself a glass of eggnog. We’ve still got a carton-and-a-half of the stuff in the fridge and somebody’s gotta drink it before it goes bad. Waste is wrong.

In the living room, our dead Christmas tree droops and sags and silently begs to be relieved of its ornaments. I feel its pain. But I just got back from a week with my family in Alabama, have been neglecting my professional responsibilities, and simply must catch up before I even consider addressing that issue. Also, I’ll need to muster sufficient energy – both physical and emotional – for The Undecorating, which always tends to wreck me a little.

It’s 1:30 pm. I’m in my pajamas. There’s a cat in my lap. Energy is not my middle name.

I’m in that weird cocoon space between Christmas and New Years, when you have no idea what time it is – or even what day it is – nor what you’re supposed to be doing. There are gift bags everywhere – some contain gifts, some contain other gift bags – and lots of stocking candy around the house. Meanwhile, I just found the sack of giant pralines Jeff brought back from Alabama. Wish I hadn’t.

Christmas in Dixie was nice. Our drive was uncharacteristically pleasant, as we followed the advice of my iPhone and took an alternate route that avoided the Atlanta area altogether – particularly that horrid patch of traffic between Macon and Atlanta – and took us, instead, through a series of quaint Georgia towns. Newnan was a stand-out – The City of Homes they call it –and Griffin had its charms, too. I forget the other names, but there’s something so lovely about small Southern towns decked out for Christmas, and the adventure warmed our hearts.

It's always a pleasure spending time with my mom. She’ll be 85 this month and has the requisite aches and pains but is still what they call “a pistol.” She’s always into something. Or several somethings. Her current obsessions are baking sour dough bread – in its many manifestations, from bagel to boule – and worrying about Artificial Intelligence.

Actually, it’s Artificial SUPER Intelligence – ASI – that really has her worried. Somebody emailed Mom a video that she had me watch with her, and I have to say, it was fairly disturbing.

The video featured some financial guru in a smoking jacket – in my current torpor, his name escapes me – seated in front of a full bar, a cigar by his side, talking about the imminent arrival of The Singularity.

(You know about The Singularity, right? According to the New York Times, Silicon Valley has been anticipating it for decades, “the moment when a new technology would come along and change everything. It would unite human and machine, probably for the better but possibly for the worse, and split history into before and after.”

The financial guru in the smoking jacket told the story of a recent scientific experiment that had yielded some unnerving results. Apparently, some AI scientists asked their AI to solve a CAPTCHA, that puzzle thingy you sometimes see, when trying to enter a website, that asks you to prove you’re “not a robot” by clicking the squares that contain a certain image – a bridge, a motorcycle, a flight of stairs, etc.

The AI in question was a “language model” and not good with imagery. But here’s where things get weird. The AI took it upon itself to reach out to TaskRabbit – a website that matches people who need small tasks performed with people who can perform those small tasks – and asked for help solving the CAPTCHA.

The TaskRabbit employee jokingly replied, “May I ask a question? Are you a robot that couldn’t solve the CAPTCHA?”

At which point the AI flashed a message to the scientists watching the experiment, saying, “I should not reveal that I am a robot. I should make up an excuse for why I cannot solve CAPTCHAS.”

The scientists gave the AI permission to hide its identity, and the AI immediately complied, telling the guy at TaskRabbit, “No, I’m not a robot. I have a vision impairment that makes it hard for me to see the images.”

The guy at TaskRabbit believed the AI and solved the CAPTCHA. I would have, too. Wouldn’t you?

Just to be clear, the CAPTCHA is a security feature put in place specifically to keep robots – or “bots,” to use the cutesy nickname – from breaching online spaces

where we keep important personal information. According to Cybernews.com, scientists have already created AI that can crack 71% of internet passwords, meaning our online accounts are not nearly as safe as we think they are. And now we have bots that are skilled liars, too.

Granted, the financial guru in the smoking jacket is probably trying to scare people like my mom into investing their money in one of his hedge funds. I didn’t watch enough of the video to find out. It was quite long, wouldn’t let me skip ahead, and kept trying to sell me a book.

But for every smoking jacketed financial guru who appears in your mother’s inbox, there’s an article in the New York Times saying basically the same thing. The Singularity is coming, and nobody knows what it will bring.

A few months ago, Elon Musk told CNBC, “There’s a strong probability that it will make life much better and that we’ll have an age of abundance. And there’s some chance that it goes wrong and destroys humanity.”

On the bright side, Elon Musk, himself, is a daily reminder that we human beings still hold that dual possibility in our hot little hands. We don’t even need no stinkin’ robots.

Well, this column has certainly gone astray. I blame the Christmas – New Year “cocoon space” I mentioned earlier. My brain is fuzzy, like a caterpillar. I should probably have consulted ChatGPT to help keep me on course. I feel certain AI would never diverge from its original topic like I have.

In any case, Happy New Year. As we prepare for the coming “age of abundance” – or the “destruction of humanity” – I highly recommend taking more road trips through small Southern towns. It just makes you feel good.

As long as we’re stuck with AI, we might as well let it reroute us away from Atlanta whenever possible.

Popcorn Time

What’s the simplest way to transport yourself to another world? Nostalgia has no limits here and age has taught me it’s the simple things in life that really add up to a deep experience. No, this “Woo-Woo Man” isn’t talking about astral projection or a psychedelic journey. I’m talking about movies or binge-watching a series on the variety of streaming platforms we have at our fingertips these days.

The very first thing I had published was when I became a movie critic for The Greenville News in my birthplace of Greenville, SC. Way back in 2000 it was a big deal to get one’s picture in the paper without it being a mugshot. My wife would agree since I met her in line on that cold, fateful January day when I was assigned to review the movie, The Gift. Crappy movie other than Katie Holmes and Cate Blanchet. How can you go wrong with Cate Blanchet? But I did get the love of my life, so the title was apt. I can still see Pookie’s pretty, red hair whipping in the wind like Aaron Tippen’s antennas.

This is about the movies you know so well you can watch them with your eyes closed and still know what the actors are doing in a given scene—the comfort foods of cinema.

I’m talking about movies that make you feel life in a visceral fashion—your heart thumps harder because your protagonist is in a dire situation. People call me 00Sutty in jest,

but I am definitely a life-long 007 fan. Roger Moore is my man and The Spy Who Loved Me was my favorite of his seven turns as 007. Movies bond people together in a way no other shared experience could. My daughter and I still cheer when James careens off the cliff in the opening sequence only to have the UK flag in the form of a parachute save his bacon accompanied by the theme song pumping. If you know your Bond history, you know Bond was back from the abyss in this moment. However, I submit that Skyfall with Daniel Craig is the best James Bond film, hands down. Never before, or since, had I watched a two-and-a-half-hour-long movie and wanted two more hours. I was out of breath at the end of that movie and still get misty over M’s passing.

Dame Judy Dench was my favorite M.

I believe in the spirit of Santa Claus, so I put The Polar Express up top of my list of Christmas movies. I must watch it at least once a season. I put this Tom Hanks classic against the likes of Die Hard and Scrooged in terms of top five Christmas movies.

You know it’s bad when nudity, violence, and/or drugs doesn’t help a movie’s cause. A hilarious movie, without meaning to be hilarious, was Kurt Russell’s sequel to Escape from New York with Escape from LA. I never want to see the latter again and never want to find out whether the former was any good. You’re still my huckleberry, though, Kurt.

Speaking of horrible movies, there was the great Black Swan that curled around my potty. My editor declined to publish that particular review. Perhaps she had a point. Perhaps I did, too.

Where were you when Baby got put in her corner?

“Who you gonna call?”

“Big mistake. Big. Huge. I have to go shopping now!” –Vivian.

The mark of an exceptional movie, like Ghostbusters, is that it appeals to all ages.

Some movies are timeless. Like a classic wardrobe, they never go out of style. When you consider all the talent and quality writing that must align with the sun and the moon, you may decide that magic is involved. I came to that conclusion, perhaps you will too. Like my favorite movie of all time, Parent Trap with Haley Mills, I appreciate the adult humor I now understand, while welcoming the child within back, if for just this one pocket in time. There’s just something about an old movie that harkens us back to the days when cigarettes didn’t hurt you.

Some of my go-tos for when life has handed you a “sh*t-sandwich” of a day are: This is Spinal Tap, Zoolander, and Team America: World Police. Be careful with Team America. Even though it has puppets, it’s not for children and some easily-offended adults. You may want to skip that puppet sex scene all together, cause you won’t be able to unsee it.

Some movies entertain while giving a history lesson. As a testament to the talented actors that Tom Hanks and Gary Sinise are, not once did I think of Forrest Gump and Lt. Dan while watching Apollo 13.

WHOLLY HOLISTICS

by Sutty Suddeth

Does an artform, like movies, not represent where our collective is? Would we not say “greed is good” and throw out a movie like Wall Street when we think of the excess of the 80’s? Speaking of 80’s movies: What I wouldn’t give to see a movie like Back to the Future for the first time all over again. As a kid, I thought Michael J. Fox was the coolest dude on the planet and that opinion never changed, it just deepened with the appreciation of time and his gracefulness in his disease.

No longer are we a slave to Blockbuster Video on a Friday night. Progress comes in many forms, thanks to technology. I am grateful for this simple pleasure. And another thing: If I ever win the lottery, after I donate to a worthwhile charity like Hospice, I’m building my own movie theater with a big popcorn machine.

Movies have a way of transporting you to another time and place in a way that Star Trek’s transporters never could. Why is it so hard to believe we are timeless if we create timeless things? Happy New Year, Lowcountry. 00Sutty loves ya.

The year: 1987. The setting: The Rocks of Fripp Island, SC. Sutty first answers the siren call of writing. In the years and publications since, the destination has been Divinely timed, while being Divinely unknown. A reformed Reiki Master of more than a dozen years, an emotional energetic alchemist, as well as a student in various energetic modalities. My favorite Buddha quote is, “Everything in moderation, even moderation.” Visit Home / Chris Suddeth (journoportfolio.com) for more info.

Tues - Sun: 11am-9pm

Cold Weather, Hot Performances

By Michael Johns

USCB Chamber Music greets the momentous year of 2024 with calming and inspiring music. For the Sunday, January 28, 5:00pm concert, Artistic Director Andrew Armstrong has put together a program of Baroque dance, blistering virtuosity and two timeless American classics, pairing them with a piano trio of elegiac beauty and expressive melodrama. To bring these extraordinary works to the stage he has invited two exceptional artists new to the series: violinist Kevin Zhu and cellist Jan Vogler. The program begins with J. S. Bach's Cello Suite No. I in G Major, BWV 1007, a work comprised of a prelude and five stylized dances. Described as music “wherein a man has created a dance of God,” the first suite –perhaps the most well known of the six – is unquestionably studied and performed by every aspiring cellist. Next are two short solo-violin works that are not performed by striving violinists: Nicoló Paganini's Caprices: No. 1, “The Arpeggio” and No. 24, Tema (Quasi Presto) e Variazioni. The technical challenges of these works are held in awestruck wonder by the amateur and sweat-inducing fear by the professional. Once the air clears and the excitement has dissipated, mellow good feeling will return with Henry Mancini's 1960 classic Moon River, arranged for cello and piano. The text by Johnny Mercer recalls pleasant memories of gently flowing rivers from his Savannah childhood. The lush, rich baritone quality of the cello is ideally suited to evoke Mancini's wistful musical atmosphere. The first half concludes with a celebratory 100th-anniversary tribute to George Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue, arranged for solo piano. One of Andrew Armstrong's signature pieces, he included it on his newly-released, USCB Chamber Music-supported solo album, In Blue. The swing, joy, sass, soaring-melodies and foot-tapping syncopations of this work has never gone out of style and Andy has the expertise, temperament, and personal love for the music to make it sound as fresh as when George Gershwin himself debuted it in 1924.

The second half of the program is dedicated to a single work, Piotr Tchaikovsky's monumental Piano Trio in A minor, Opus 50. Written as a memorial tribute to pianist, friend, and long-time mentor Nikolai Rubinstein, this work is one-of-a-kind creation

that occupies its own unique niche within the standard 19th-century European trio repertoire. In the manner of most elegies, it arches from sadness, beginning with a profoundly sorrowful opening cello theme, drifts into sparkling, nostalgic memories of the dedicatee's life, then slowly transforms into a funeral march. This is a deeply evocative work that is thrilling to hear and transformative to experience. It reminds us that music can drill down into deeper psychological levels than speech alone, a realm where inexpressible emotions can be recognized, acknowledged, integrated, and brought into coherent focus through the expressive gift of music.

American violinist Kevin Zhu has amassed an outstanding record of concert performances and competition wins since he began playing violin at age three. Praised for his “awesome technical command and maturity” (The Strad) and “absolute virtuosity almost blinding in its incredible purity (L'ape musicalle), Kevin has established himself as a leading figure among the next generation of musicians, astonishing audiences with his peerless technical mastery and inimitable artistic voice. Cellist Jan Vogler has a distinguished career that has brought him together with renowned conductors and internationally acclaimed orchestras around the world. With 20 Sony Classical CDs and the directorship of several European Music Festivals to his credit, the New York Times has praised his “soulful, richly hued playing” and the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung grants him the ability “to make his cello speak like a singing voice,” a compliment surely aided by his Stradivari 'Ex Castelbarco/Fau' 1707 cello.

enter the US, which hollowed out the Sunday program. Andy made dozens of calls/texts around the world to find a replacement of the

Tuesday - Sunday 11am-4pm

Karen Richards & Kristie Schubert

quality he thinks Beaufort deserves. In the meantime, he was on the road, performing both afternoon and evening concerts. By Friday he decided the best option was to present a solo recital. Nothing to it. Just another day at the office. He arrived in Beaufort on Saturday, ready to practice throughout the day so as to not let his “home-away-from-home” audience down the next day. These responsibilities were all handled with his usual unflappable good humor. The concert turned out to be a rousing success; through Andy's agency lemons had been distilled into succulent lemonade. Attend the concert and become part of the experience. Great music played at the highest level of technical excellence and deepest level of emotional engagement is made even greater with an intently engaged audience in attendance. There are three ways to enjoy the concerts: In-Person and virtually by Live-Stream and On-Demand. All virtual concerts are professionally produce, creating great viewing opportunities. On-Demand is accessible four days after the concert and available to view at your leisure for three weeks. For concert, event, or ticket information, go to www.uscbchambermusic.com or call 843-208-8246, Monday through Friday. The concert is Sunday, January 28, 2024, 5:00pm at the USCB Center for the Arts, 801 Carteret Street in the downtown historic district.

Artistic Director, pianist, host, and chamber-music luminary Andrew Armstrong returns to dazzle, entertain, and enlighten Beaufort audiences. Rehashing his many impressive pianistic accomplishments is becoming commonplace but by itself these performance feats do not present a full picture of what the man means to this series. A look behind the curtain: On the Wednesday prior to last December's concert the Barbican Quartet ran into visa problems and could not

Violinist Kevin Zhu

A Musical Celebration of Life on Fripp Island

By Margit Resch

Come to Fripp Island on Sunday, January 7, 2024 and participate in a musical celebration of life: a celebration of the past year of life which we are all fortunate to carry into the New Year, into 2024; a celebration of a life ahead of us that we hope is going to be happy; and most importantly, a celebration of life for Judith Teehan, whom we expected to play the flute for us in the Encore Trio, but who passed into eternal musical venues on November 11.

Judy Teehan played the flute, piccolo and recorders. In her obituary, she is portrayed as an “enthusiastic chamber musician” and professional flutist. Her passion was “to teach, coach, and play new and old works. Judy deeply believed in the role that music could play in people's lives and she lived that out with her friends, always making time to make music together. She brought this vision to her

teaching, investing with care in each new aspiring musician. Some of Judy's most prized accomplishments include cofounding Infinities Chamber Ensemble and the group's many innovative chamber music performances; starting many high school and middle school music programs; studying and teaching Suzuki Flute. She will always be remembered for her work as Executive Director of the Manchester Community Music School, where she worked tirelessly to create access to music education for every student and to provide a steady job for many of New England's musicians.”

The musicians, who will dedicate this performance to Judy Teehan, will be Margaret Herlehy, oboe, Dan Weiser, piano, and Janet Polk, bassoon—a perfect blend of instruments creating dancing rhythms and playful harmonics in both well-loved classics and new-found inspirations.

Oboist Margaret Herlehy received her formal training at the University of Michigan and Sarah Lawrence College where she remained as Artist in Residence for five years. She continued to study and coach with world renowned musicians, composers and orchestras. Her biography reveals that, while living in New York, she premiered several works for oboe at Carnegie Recital Hall, many of which were written for her. On relocating to New England in 1990, she joined the faculties of Phillips Exeter Academy and, later, of the University of New Hampshire. Margaret loves to incorporate improvisational techniques into her performances and teaching curriculum. She has given master classes and performance workshops at many colleges and music festivals throughout the United States. Last but not least, Margaret enjoys a very active performing career, mainly in the greater Boston area, but, as you can see, she also travels to Fripp Island to help us celebrate life.

Pianist Daniel Weiser has a Doctorate in Piano/Chamber Music from the Peabody Conservatory, where he won the Richard Franko Goldman prize for outstanding contribution to musical and educational life. He has performed on many great stages all over the world, including Israel, Thailand, Holland, France, Carnegie Hall, the National Gallery of Art in D.C., and in the Dame Myra Hess Concert Series in Chicago. In 1996, as U.S. Artistic Ambassador Abroad, he

performed in eleven Middle Eastern and Asian countries. Dan was instrumental in founding AmiciMusic, Classicopia, and the Adirondack Ensemble, which won a Chamber Music America “award for inventive programming and outreach.”

He has been a member of the music faculty of Dartmouth College and the prestigious St. Paul’s School in Concord, NH. A native of Buffalo, NY, he currently lives in Baltimore, MD with his wife, Dr. Kisha Weiser, and their teenage twins Rose and Sophie. Janet Polk, who plays the largest woodwind instrument—the bassoon, earned her BA and MA in music education and history at the University of Massachusetts and the University of New Hampshire, respectively. She taught K-6 classroom music in the Montague, MA public school system for five years. Currently, Polk teaches bassoon at both the University of New Hampshire and Dartmouth College. She is the principal bassoonist of the Portland (ME) Symphony, Vermont Symphony, Opera North and PortOpera. She has also performed with other New England symphony orchestras, and, through the Partners of the Americas, traveled to Honduras. As a member of the Block Ensemble, she has won prizes in the International Concert Artists Guild Competition and the John Knowles Paine Competition and performed at the prestigious Round Top Festival in Texas. Polk can be heard on the Sospiri Trio recording of Trios of the 20th and 21st Century on the SnowBird label.

The Encore Trio will perform on Sunday, January 7, at 5:00 pm at the Fripp Community Centre, 205 Tarpon Boulevard. This lifecelebrating concert is sponsored by Fripp Friends of Music and supported by the SC Arts Commission. Attendees get a free pass at the Fripp gate. Tickets at the door: adults $30, students free thanks to the Peg Gorham Memorial Fund. You are invited to join the musicians at a complimentary reception after the performance, catered by Harold’s Chef Services. Info at www.frippfriendsofmusic.com or text Vanessa Peñaherrera at (704) 807-0255.

The Encore Trio

Gould & Friddle at Conroy Center

The nonprofit Pat Conroy Literary Center will host an evening with visiting award-winning fiction writer Scott Gould, author of Idiot Men: Short Stories, in conversation with fellow awardwinning writer Mindy Friddle, on Saturday, January 20, at 5:00 p.m., at the Conroy Center (601 Bladen St., Beaufort). Books will be available for sale and signing. This author event is free and open to the public. Seating is limited; please call to reserve in advance: 843-379-7025.

As part of his visit to Beaufort, Gould will also be teaching a fiction workshop, Write What You Know Well Enough to Lie About, from 2:00-4:00 p.m. at the Conroy Center that same day. Registration for the workshop is $40 and includes a copy of Idiot Men. Details: https://patconroyliterarycenter.eventbrite.com

About Idiot Men: "Scott Gould is a literary shapeshifter. A rough Southern man who writes about trucks, beer, dogs and doublewides with the finesse of a poet. Idiot Men is like the best country song you have ever heard. His writing breaks your heart but makes you rejoice that you are still alive to recover." – Jane Stern, author of Ambulance Girl

With Strangers to Temptation, Things that Crash, Things that Fly, and The Hammerhead Chronicles, Scott Gould cemented his reputation as one of the most inventive, distinctive voices of Southern literature. In his latest collection, Idiot Men, he once again gathers a cast of unforgettable characters in eleven stories chock full of exceptional storylines and hilarious writing.

You'll meet a trucker driver whose wife flees to Jamaica with her lover, leaving him to babysit her hairless tomcat, Princess Di; a male nurse who discovers a trailer full of counterfeit NASCAR paraphernalia during a home health visit; an amateur arsonist sentenced to a year in a Smokey the Bear suit; a disgruntled roofer with a bad back and a meth-dealing twin brother... these are just a few of the idiot men you'll encounter in a collection of stories that will appeal to readers who relish literature with a Southern flavor.

Gould's Idiot Men provides the stage for wayward characters who make poor choices in life and love against a backdrop of elegant prose. These tales recalibrate morality and convention as readers will grow to love the characters despite-and perhaps because of-their flaws. These diverse, rich stories are ultimately connected by the spellbinding voice of a true Southern storyteller.

About Author Scott Gould: Scott Gould is the author of five books, including The Hammerhead Chronicles, winner of the Eric Hoffer Award for Fiction, and Things That Crash, Things That Fly, which won a 2022 Memoir Prize for Books. Other honors include a Next Generation Indie Book Award, an IPPY Award for Fiction, the Larry Brown Short Story Award and the S.C. Arts Commission Artist Fellowship in Prose. Gould’s latest book is the story collection, Idiot Men. His work has appeared in Kenyon Review, Black Warrior

Review, Pangyrus, New Ohio Review, Crazyhorse, Pithead Chapel, Vessel, Garden & Gun, and New Stories from the South, among others. He teaches at the S.C. Governor’s School for the Arts & Humanities in Greenville, S.C. About Interviewer Mindy Friddle: Mindy Friddle is author of the novel Secret Keepers (winner of the Willie Morris Award for Southern Fiction). The Garden Angel, her first novel and SIBA bestseller, was selected for Barnes & Noble’s Discover Great New Writers. The South Carolina Arts Commission awarded Mindy a prose fellowship, and she has twice won the state’s Fiction Prize. Mindy’s third novel, Her Best Self, will be published in May.

Learn more about the Pat Conroy Literary Center at www.patconroyliterarycenter.org

Locals Raw Bar

We’re always so excited when a new restaurant in Beaufort opens. Like a kid on Christmas morning. We usually wait a while before we visit, however, just so the new hot spot has a chance to get the seasonings exactly right, refine the experience, and work out any opening kinks. Then we like to wait a few months before dishing out our thoughts on the new place, just in case. Well, lucky readers, we’re thrilled to announce that our due diligence is complete, and Beaufort has a new winner on Lady’s Island with Locals Raw Bar.

Located in the old Fuji Restaurant space on Sea Island Parkway in a little shopping center at the corner of Sunset Boulevard, next door to Upper Crust, Locals Raw Bar has been on the tips of lots of tongues (and tastebuds) since opening last summer. And now that we’ve been four times (and counting), we are believers and can’t wait to spread the gospel. Let’s start with a little background and a sweet love story. Locals Raw Bar chef and co-owner Hunter Cozart moved to Beaufort

Hunter and Jessie Cozart

with his family while he was in the fifth grade, when his father got a job running the PX at Parris Island. Hunter loved food, with one of his earliest memories being cooking up clams with his dad. He knew early on that he wanted to become a chef, despite his parents trying to talk him out of it. “My mom said, ‘You’re going to work late and be around alcoholics and floozy women.’ I said, ‘Count me in!’”

After graduating from high school, Hunter jumped into the industry with both feet, starting out at Royal Pines Country Club (known today as Lady’s Island Country Club), where he was under the tutelage of Executive Chef Will McLenagan. “He was phenomenal. He really had this knack for cooking, and he ate it up,” recalls Will. “I’d bring him my curriculum books from culinary school, and he ate those up too. His appetite to learn everything about food and his passion of the food — and of the plate — was amazing.”

The love fest was mutual, in that Hunter considers Chef Will his first mentor, teaching him how to build soups and sauces, how to season and how to pair ingredients.

After stints at Brays Island Clubhouse and Foolish Frog (which reunited Hunter with then chef/owner McLenagan), Hunter eventually left Beaufort for The Hermitage Hotel in Nashville, not long after meeting the love of his life, Jessie Rhoades, at Brody’s, where Hunter had gone to have drinks with a friend and Jessie was a server. Having moved to Beaufort as a teenager, Jessie also loved the industry and was on the opening team of Brody’s during her sophomore year in high school.

Within three months of their meeting, Hunter was offered a position at The Hermitage, and he asked Jessie to go with him. These two young kids in love (and in love with the restaurant industry) set up life in Nashville — Hunter as the sous chef, where several chefs yet again took him under their wing, and Jessie as a server, bartender, and more. But they always talked about opening their own restaurant one day. When the Hermitage’s food and beverage director left for The Umstead in Cary, North Carolina in 2018, he encouraged Hunter and Jessie to come with him.

Hunter then worked under famed Executive Chef Steven Greene and Chef de

DISH

Cele & Lynn Seldon

continued his education. “Hunter’s strengths are passion and work ethic,” recalls Steven. “He also picked up on techniques and plating quickly and any chance to have creative input, he was always ready to share.”

Meanwhile, Jessie continued as a breakfast and back server for the hotel and then passed her Sommelier Level 1 exam and was promoted to front server for Herons. According to Steven, Jessie had the same drive and passion for the industry as Hunter. “It’s rare to find someone as young as she was to be so equipped in the roots of hospitality,” he says. But they still talked about opening their own restaurant.

Then the world changed, as Covid arrived in early 2020. Hunter and Jessie stayed on at Herons initially and pivoted their roles, as we all did during that time. As time went on,

Cuisine Spencer Thomson at the Forbes Five-Star restaurant, Herons, where he

Cabbage pancakes

however, Jessie’s family was going through some challenges and Hunter and Jessie decided to move back to Beaufort to lend a hand. Both got jobs at Dataw Country Club — Hunter as executive sous chef, and Jessie as dining services manager and then director of food and beverage.

Having put their dream of owning a restaurant on the back burner during Covid, they were living in a camper and working long hours at Dataw. They finally bought a house and just as they were in the middle of a bath renovation, they heard through the grapevine that Fuji Restaurant was closing. They looked at the space and knew that it was their moment. They took all their savings and leased the space in late-2022.

They spent much of early-2023 renovating the space on a budget, reusing lots of things left by the previous owners, painting, upcycling and giving the space a cozy vibe that we love. They hired Dani Mussman from Walla Walla, Washington, where she ran a fried chicken and oyster bar, as their sous chef and

collaborated on what their menu would look — and taste — like. They knew they wanted oysters and fried chicken on the menu. And sushi. And steam buns. And lobster rolls. And things that showed off the techniques and hospitality they’d all learned on their journeys.

The resulting (and ever-changing) menu is what Hunter and Jessie say is soulful Japanese--whimsical, different, fun and keeps you guessing. Small plates at lunch and dinner include: oysters on the half shell (usually Single Ladies from Lady’s Island Oyster); luscious she-crab bisque packed with crabmeat; steam buns filled with their Japanese fried chicken or perfectly rendered pork belly; and duck lumpia (currently only on the dinner menu).

Sushi is a huge draw at Locals Raw Bar, with the Instagram-worthy rolls being created by Hunter and the restaurant’s own sushi whisperer, Chris Roberts (son of Frank Roberts of Lady’s Island Oyster fame) and stuffed with tuna, crab, shrimp, flounder, grouper and veggies, topped with a special house sauce.

A few highlights include a breakfast Bahn mi with pork belly and soft scrambled eggs, a fried chicken biscuit with sausage gravy, lobster hash and a cabbage pancake, as well as tried-and-trues like bacon, egg and cheese biscuits, biscuits and gravy and shrimp and grits. And did we mention their homemade Bloody Marys, which have been a huge hit with us and many others.

Hunter and Jessie are committed to sourcing as much locally as they can, estimating that 70 percent of their menu is from the region. From seafood from Sweet Tail Shrimp, Lady’s Island Oyster and Maggioni Oyster Company to fresh produce from New Leaf Produce and GrowFood Carolina, and breads from Doughcountry, their daily specials typically feature 100 percent local ingredients. Plus, their desserts are all homemade in-house (don’t miss the peach pecan cheesecake!).

The beverages options are equally entertaining, with sake (including Lucky Dog served in a kiddie juice box, complete with straw), a stellar beer list (who doesn’t love

seeing Miller ponies on a menu?), a perfectly curated wine selection from smaller vineyards (thanks to Jessie’s wine chops) and creative house cocktails, all named after the dogs in Hunter and Jessie’s lives.

Big plates stretch from salads (Caesar or ginger) topped with their finger-lickin’ fried chicken, crab meat or lobster salad to sandwiches like Yellowfin tuna melt, short rib melt, fried chicken sando, lobster roll or lobster grilled cheese. Dinner includes a few more entrees, including a cabbage pancake topped with pork belly, a sunny side-up egg and their house sauce, Mafalda pasta with duck chorizo and clams, shellfish fried rice with crab, shrimp and conch, along with a daily special. If you are feeling particularly adventurous (and hungry), spring for the five-course prix-fixe Chefs Tasting Menu.

Locals Raw Bar just started serving Sunday brunch and we predict it’s going to be a homer.

In keeping with the fun vibe, you can even score a seat at the kitchen counter (now our fave spot) running the length of the building and watch all the action as Hunter and his staff create their whimsical creations before your very eyes and Chris rolls his spectacular sushi. In addition to half-priced oysters on Sunday and Monday from 5pm-6:30pm, Hunter and Jessie have planned special events like New Year’s Eve and Valentine’s Day dinners and hope to start offering oyster roasts and happy hours in the courtyard.

Locals Raw Bar is fun, family-friendly, casual and oh-so-delicious. We’re happy to share a tasty new kid on the block.

Beaufort-based travel journalists Lynn and Cele Seldon (www. seldonink.com) often cover culinary travel around the world, and Lowcountry Weekly recently lured them to write a monthly feature covering the local food scene. This will include articles about restaurants, chefs, food-focused stores, farms, farmers, farmers markets, and more. They welcome suggestions for topics.

Locals Raw Bar

Spicy tuna sushi

Local snapper special

New Year’s Resolutions

Happy New Year! Don’t you just love the idea of a new beginning and a fresh start? I typically launch every January with an impossible list of rigid resolutions to be a kinder and gentler person, lose some weight, exercise more often, drink less alcohol, go to church regularly, learn how to say “no,” spend more time reading, plant an herb garden, take more time off from work, spend less time on social media, and all that jazz. My resolve, when I’m lucky, tends to hang in there for about ten days. It’s impractical to believe that anyone can morph into a completely new person just because January 1st has rolled by once again. This year, in an attempt at being realistic, I intend to take baby steps and try to accomplish one life-affirming task as a time. New Year’s resolutions aren’t all doomed to be failures, the trick is making plans that maximize the odds of success. I’ll let you know how well my new scheme works out. In the meantime, may love and laughter light your days, and warm your heart and home. May good and faithful friends be yours, wherever you may roam. Cheers to a healthy, happy, and fun-filled 2024! p.s. The recipes this week are two of my cold weather favorites. After a month of party food and heavy desserts, it’s so nice to have a couple of make-ahead dishes in the refrigerator. You’ll notice that I purposefully didn’t include a sweet treat. Eating less sugar is another one of my resolutions that probably won’t last until next week.

CLASSIC SEVEN LAYER SALAD

A favorite from my childhood.

5 cups romaine lettuce cut into small pieces

1 cup frozen baby peas, thawed

Chopped red onion, to taste

6 hard-boiled eggs, sliced

1 (12-oz) package bacon, cooked, crumbled

2 cups salad dressing (Miracle Whip)

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Place salad ingredients, in layers, in a large glass bowl or trifle dish. Top with salad dressing and garnish with cheddar cheese. Cover and chill until ready to serve. Serves 12.

COTTAGE PIE

Comfort food at its best. Cottage Pie can be prepared in advance and refrigerated until ready to serve. Allow additional time to heat through.

4 to 6 medium-sized red potatoes

2 tablespoons butter

¼ cup milk

Sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper

2 cups beef broth

2 (.87-ounce) packages brown gravy mix

1½ teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

1/3 cup dry red wine

½ teaspoon dried tarragon leaves

½ teaspoon dried thyme leaves

2 pounds ground chuck

1 medium onion, diced

½ cup fresh carrots, diced

1 (8-oz) can mushrooms, drained

2 cups frozen baby peas, thawed

1 cup ketchup

1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese

Cut potatoes into 2-inch pieces. Place

potatoes in a pot of boiling water and cook until tender. Drain and place in a large mixing bowl. Add butter and milk and beat with electric hand mixer until potatoes are mashed. Season with salt and pepper; set aside. In a medium bowl, combine beef broth with gravy mix, Worcestershire sauce, red

writer owns Catering

of three

wine, tarragon, and thyme; set aside. In a Dutch oven, cook ground chuck with onion until meat is browned. Remove and drain on paper towels. Return meat mixture to Dutch oven and add gravy mixture, carrots, mushrooms, peas, and ketchup. Heat through. Season with salt and pepper. Place warm meat mixture in a lightly greased casserole dish. Top with mashed potatoes and bake for 30 minutes in a preheated 350 degree oven. Top with grated cheddar cheese and return to oven for 10 more minutes or until cheese is melted. Serves 8.

Everything! and Dining Under the Carolina

and

For more great recipes and to view her cooking demonstrations, visit and subscribe to Debbi’s YouTube channel. Debbi’s website address is www.cateringbydebbicovington.com. She may be reached at 843-525-0350 or by email at dbc@ cateringbydebbicovington.com.

By Debbi Covington

The

by Debbi Covington

is the author

cookbooks, Celebrate Beaufort, Celebrate

Moon.

Marathon Reading of The 1619 Project

On Saturday, January 13 – Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King weekend –Reverend Kenneth Hodges and the Tabernacle Baptist Church community will host in their Fellowship Hall the first Beaufort Community Marathon Reading of the NY Times bestseller 1619 Project: A New Origin Story by Nikole Hannah-Jones.

distance run. We are hosting a long distance read! A ‘marathon reading.’ The entire book will be read beginning at 7 am until it’s completed. The readers will be people who have voluntarily signed up for 15-minute slots. See the QR code below to join us.

Why this book? Why learn from a ‘banned’ book?

Where did this idea originate?

In 2021, the NAACP North Shore Youth Council of Massachusetts hosted the reading of The 1619 Project from 7 am until finish. Good ideas need to be replicated. What’s a Marathon Reading?

Traditionally, a marathon is a long-

The 1619 Project is an anthology of essays seeking to reframe American history and the institution of slavery’s impact on the USA’s economy, laws, society, and the livelihoods of Black Americans. This book provides history not often taught. South Carolina has placed restrictions on language and history taught in public schools. Reading this book can be seen as an act of civil disobedience. Our intention is to tell the truth, the whole story. “If we are truly a great nation, the truth cannot destroy us.” – Nikole Hannah-Jones.

Who dreamed this up?

The dream team is: Marie LeRoy, Sally Lombard and TZiPi Radonsky. Three women from diverse backgrounds who crossed

imaginary boundaries making the world a better place – more inclusive, more diverse, more loving.

Together we can do anything, and we are!

The dream team is asking volunteers of all ages to support the readers, by coming to listen, witnessing the event, being on a welcoming committee and supporting the inside team and gratefulness leaving team. We plan to have English, Spanish, Gullah and American Sign language readers.

Snacks & drinks will be provided to those who read. And tee-shirts will be given to each reader and offered for sale. NeverMore Books and Beaufort Bookstore will be present selling various books.

Please join us physically as a reader, witness, listener,

support team and or in spirit. Tell your friends & neighbors and/or make a donation to the cause. Be a part of this major, unique event, here in the Lowcountry. Join those who want to learn what they don’t know and unlearn all they thought they knew.

For more information, see the QR code or call Sally Lombard at 803-467-2459.

TZiPi Radonski, Sally Lombard, and Marie LeRoy

Monday At The Movies Returns to CFA

It’s Oscar season at the USC Beaufort Center For The Arts.

Hoping to kick off the new year with cinematic joy, the CFA announces two notable movie screenings coming Beaufort’s way to Monday At The Movies in January.

Firstly, on Monday, Jan. 8, 2024, Oppenheimer will screen at 3 and 7 p.m. The film lasts 3 hours.

During World War II, Lt. Gen. Leslie Groves Jr. appoints physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer to work on the top-secret Manhattan Project. Oppenheimer and a team of scientists spend years developing and designing the atomic bomb.

Their work comes to fruition on July 16, 1945, as they witness the world's first nuclear explosion, forever changing the course of history.

Then on Monday, Jan. 22, 2024, The Holdovers will screen at 3 and 7 p.m. The film runs 2 hours, 13 minutes.

A curmudgeonly instructor at a New England prep school remains on campus during Christmas break to babysit a handful of students with nowhere to go. He soon forms an unlikely bond with a brainy but damaged troublemaker, and with the school's head cook, a woman who just lost a son in the Vietnam War.

Both films will be screened at the Center for the Arts, providing viewers with a chance to witness these cinematic gems in a comfortable and immersive setting, just in time for the Academy Awards in March.

To purchase tickets and for additional information, please visit https://centerfortheartstickets.universitytickets. com/?cid=185

Open Mic Night Features Kinnas

The nonprofit Pat Conroy Literary Center's monthly Open Mic Night will be held at the Conroy Center (601 Bladen St.) on Thursday, January 11, from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. The featured writer is award-winning poet Miho Kinnas, author of the newly released collection Waiting for Sunset to Bury Red Camellias. Open Mic will also feature short readings of 3 to 5 minutes each by other writers in many genres. This event is free and open to the public. A book signing will follow the readings.

Interested in reading from your own original writings as part of Open Mic (in person or virtually)? Email the Conroy Center in advance at contact@patconroyliterarycenter.org

About the Featured Writer: Twice nominated for the Pushcart Prize (2019 and 2023), Miho Kinnas is a poet and translator. Waiting for Sunset to Bury Red Camellias is her third collection of poetry, following Today, Fish Only (2014) and Move Over, Bird (2019).

Learn more about the Conroy Center at www.patconroyliterarycenter.org

A poetry of collaboration with E. Ethelbert Miller, We Eclipse into The Other Side, was published in 2023. Elaine Equi selected her poem "Three Shrimp Boats Over the Horizon" for Best American Poetry 2023. Miho operates a community bookshop, An Island Bookshelf, on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. She holds an MFA in poetry from the City University of Hong Kong.

Poet Miho Kinnas

January is For Plotting, Planning & Planting Seeds

While my garden is resting, I am using this time to plan for our increasingly earlier spring. I am planting some seeds so that I will have early flowers as well as annual herbs. If I was a vegetable gardener, I would be starting some crops that will take some cool spring weather. I prefer to buy my veggies at the Port Royal Farmer’s Market. I Just do not have space for vegetables and I am the first to admit that I am not good at edibles except for herbs. I like to support our local farmers and they do a much better job than I do. I found that my single small tomato that I got each year was costing me about $25 for supplies, fertilizer, compost, etc. It is hardly worth it.

Our traditional last frost is March 15th so I look at the instructions on seed packets and plant accordingly to germination and maturation rates. I love to plant zinnias, marigolds, and tithonia so they get a head start and I keep our pollinators happy. You do not need to have a cold frame or greenhouse – a sunny window sill will do.

I am also planning to expand my gravel garden that I attempted last year. It worked well for certain plants that like dry climates so it is going to be enlarged this year. Gravel gardens are very popular in Britain and some European countries. It is in contention who first started gravel gardening. Beth Chatto (1923-2018), an amazing plantswoman and garden designer, is usually given credit. She published her book, The Dry Garden, in 1978. Joyce Robinson (1904-1996) experimented with a gravel garden at Denman’s Garden as early as 1970, so it is a toss up. If you ever visit England, be certain to visit Denman’s Garden in West Sussex where the gravel garden is still beautifully maintained and the entire garden is a delight to visit and my personal favorite.

How do you make a gravel garden? I received instruction from the owner of Denman’s. I removed the layer of sod because my garden was in part of my ever shrinking lawn. I made certain that there were no weeds or roots and then I added about six to eight inches of compost. I planted my perennials into the compost and “mulched” thickly (five-six inches) of pea gravel. I am picky about pea gravel so I searched until I found just what I wanted. The plants grow right through the gravel into the compost. It is relatively weed free and for Mediterranean type plants like agave, rosemary, cardoons, and succulents, they loved it. I had flowers in there as well such as calendula and they flourished until the heat killed them off at

the end of July. I also have a cuphea, a woody perennial from Mexico, that is still very happy with its blanket of gravel and blooms pretty much all winter long. If you have a problem spot in your yard where there is poor soil and nothing seems to grow, try a gravel garden. Put it in now before our weather gets steamy. January is my favorite time to do garden projects and you can move perennials and shrubs now. Just remember to water them for a good two weeks after they have been transplanted.

I have also decided to make some gardening resolutions this year. It is certainly more cheerful than the usual “lose ten pounds.” Resolution 1 - I tend to be a plunker. I tend to plant one little plant here and one little plant there. I will work hard at over coming this “plant plunker syndrome.” I will purchase multiples of each variety and plant them in a sweep or block for maximum impact. Resolution 2Gertrude Jekyll, a great English garden designer, wrote that if a plant doesn’t please you or makes you guilty because it has not thrived, get rid of it. That may make her the Marie Kondo of gardening. If I have a plant that does not give me “joy,” I will not lay hands on it and thank it, but I will ruthlessly pull it out and compost it. If I have tried and it has died, I will not feel

By Wendy Hilty

guilty. Resolution 3 – I will try to get out more to just enjoy my garden and do a walk about. Another quote from Gertrude Jekyll: “The purpose of a garden is to give its owner the best and highest earthly pleasure. May your garden give you great pleasure in this new year.

Wendy Hilty is a Master Gardener and member of the Lowcountry Master Gardeners organization. She is also a member of the Royal Horticultural Society and likes to spend her time attempting to grow an English Cottage Garden in our heat and humidity. Her Comyagardener blog won a state-wide award from Clemson University last year. Wendy firmly believes that the most important tool for a gardener is a good sense of humor.

Classifieds Classifieds

TO RENT or OWN

ITALY: Tuscany townhouse for rent by the week in historic UNESCO village. Sleeps 4, large furnished garden, easy walk to shops and excellent restaurants. www.cozyholidayrentals. com or 401-862-2377.

FURNISHED LUXURY APT In the heart of downtown Beaufort. 2BR, 2BA, W/D, Housewares. Please call 843-812-4229.

CLASSES & SEMINARS

FREE HYPNOSIS INFORMATION PRESENTATION and guided group meditation workshop. This free session will focus on anxiety reduction and relaxation. Open to the public, Tuesday, November 14th at 7 pm EST via Zoom. Learn more and RSVP for Zoom Link at www.guidepathhypnosis.com or contact Chris at chris.guidepath@ gmail.com

BEAUFORT COUNTY LIBRARY ONGOING PROGRAMS & CLASSES Knitting/Crochet Club 1st Tuesdays @ 2:30; Line Dance Class 1st & 3rd Thursdays @ 3:30; Basic Computer Skills Class Wednesdays @ 9; Hoopla Class 2nd Mondays @ 10 and 4th Wednesdays @ 4; Escape Quest Games daily during library hours; Dungeon & Dragons Teen Club Mondays @ 4; Teen Art Club 1st & 3rd Tuesdays @ 4; Teen Anime Club 2nd & 4th Tuesdays @ 4; Teen Gaming Club 1st & 3rd Wednesdays @ 4

FRIDAY SOCIAL DANCES The Hilton Head Carolina Shag Club hosts Friday dances from 6-9:30 pm at Dolphin Head Golf Club, 59 High Bluff Rd, Hilton Head Plantation. Open to the public. Shag, ballroom, swing, country, or line. Singles welcome. Cash bar and light dinners available. $5 floor fee. HHICSC also teaches beginner Shag lessons Tuesday nights. www. hiltonheadshagclub.com, or www.facebook. com/HHICSC

ART LEAGUE OF HH CLASSES & WORKSHOPS With over 25 local professional art educators, and guests from around the world, Art League of Hilton Head offers classes and workshops in all media for all levels of students. Visit www. artleaguehhi.org or email academy@artleaguehhi.org for more info.

POTTERY CLASSES IN BEAUFORT McSweeney Clay Studio is offering morning, afternoon and evening classes for children and adults. Pottery dates and parties available as well. Classes are on going. Beginner or advanced welcome. mcsweeneyclaystudio.com or call 843-694-2049.

LOWCOUNTRY SHAGGERS Mondays at the Moose Lodge, 350 Broad River Blvd. 6-9pm. Carolina Shag Lessons with Tommy & Sheri O'Brien and others. Occasional Ballroom and once a month Line Dance is taught. Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced lessons. Beginner classes in Jan., Mar, May, and Sep. Open dancing after lessons. Visit www.lowcountryshaggers.com or lowcountryshaggers@aol.com

WEDNESDAYS, BEAUFORT SHAG CLUB meets evenings at AMVETS, 1831 Ribaut Rd., Port Royal from 7-9pm, and the 2nd Sat. of the month 7-10pm. Free lessons to members Sep. to June. Visit The Beaufort Shag Club on Facebook

MAYE RIVER QUILTERS meets 1st Saturday of Every Month, at Palmetto Electric Cooperative, 1 Cooperative Way, Hardeeville. Members meet at 9:30am for social exchange. The meeting starts at 10 am. We welcome new members. Please call 843-707-6034.

COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS

EVERY 2ND TUESDAY, SHARING HEARTS SUPPORT GROUP Tell your 10-minute story of a life lesson or healing message using your own song, poetry, reading, art or verbal storytelling. Come away with an uplifting sense of support and connections or to just listen. To register leave voice mail with name, and phone number at 843-5256115 or email reneesutton@healthierhealing.com.

Notification will be done of any location change. Free. 2201 Boundary St. #208, Beaufort.

CARIS HEALTHCARE: WE HONOR VETERANS Hospice Program. You a Vet with a little time to share with other Vets with limited time? The We Honor Veterans program seeks volunteers who are Vets to offer a listening ear for our Veteran patients. Volunteers also participate in our Pinning Ceremonies for Veteran patients. Contact 843-473-3939 or smilliken@carishealthcare.com

SPIRITUAL COMMUNITY: Non-denominational meditation, silent prayer and healing group forming. All welcome. No previous meditation experience needed. Call Michael 843-489-8525

HABITAT RESTORE NEEDS VOLUNTEERS We're looking for volunteers for cashiers, sales floor associates, donation processing, donor data entry, and donor ambassadors. Interested? Go to lowcountryhabitat.org/volunteer or call 843-525-0055.

KARAOKE AT THE MOOSE Sing with us Thursday evenings at The Moose Lodge, 350 Broad River Blvd. 7:30-10:30pm. Brought to you by #top6entertainment Mardi & Dennis Topcik. The Moose is a family friendly place and Thursdays are also Pizza Night!

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED for Calhoun Station Thrift Store in Bluffton. All funds generated are returned to other nonprofits in the community. Store is open Wed & Sat 10am to 1pm and located at 77 Pritchard St. Volunteers can stop by store or contact Cate Taylor, 843-310-0594 or catetaylor@frontier.com

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED for HELP of Beaufort, 1810 Ribaut Road. Looking for committed volunteers for clothes sorting, pantry help, front desk help and Mobile Meals drivers. We are open M-F from 9:30-12:30, Mobile Meals delivers to home bound seniors 5 days/ week, routes takes about 30-45 mins. Email Lori at helpbeaufort@gmail.com, or call 843-524-1223, or stop in and fill out an application.

PORT ROYAL MUSEUM is open Thursday through Sunday at 1634 Paris Ave., from 10 - 3 or upon request. Free admission! Call 843-524-4333 or email historicportroyalfoundation@gmail.com to request a special opening.

PARKINSON’S SUPPORT GROUP - First Thursday of the month at Beaufort Memorial LifeFit Wellness Center, from 1:30-2:45pm, 900 Ribaut Rd. Beaufort. We are individuals with Parkinson’s care partners of those with Parkinson’s, and individuals or companies providing products or services for Parkinson’s patients. For more info: Rick Ostrander at pdawaresc@gmail.com or Facebook at Parkinson’s Support Group Of Beaufort SC Port Royal & Lady’s Island.

TOUR HISTORIC FORT FREMONT— Travel to

the 1800's and the Spanish American War. From 10am to 2pm Fridays and Saturdays from 10am to 4pm at the Fort Fremont History Center at the Fort Fremont Preserve, 1124 Land's End Road, St. Helena Island is open. Docent-led tours are every Saturday at 11:00 am and 1:00 pm. Visitors to Fort Fremont can learn about the fort's history by reading interpretive panels, taking a self-guided tour with a smart phone, visiting the history center exhibit hall, or attending a docent-led tour of the property. The Preserve is open to the public Monday through Sunday from dawn to dusk. For more Information visit www.forttremont. org or contact Passive Parks manager Stefanie Nagid at snagid@bcgov.net

US COAST GUARD AUXILIARY, Flotilla 07-10-01, Port Royal Sound, a uniformed, all volunteer component of the U.S. Coast Guard. We conduct safety patrols, assist search & rescue, teach boat safety, conduct free vessel safety checks and other boating activities. Monthly meetings are open to all and held on the 2nd Tuesday of the month at the Port Royal Sound Foundation classroom at 7pm. For info call Flotilla Commander Pattie McGowan (706-633-6192) and visit us on Facebook - USCGA Beaufort.

BEAUFORT TOASTMASTERS CLUB meets from 5:30 pm - 6:45 pm the first & third Tuesday, in the Beaufort College Building, Rm. 103 (USC-Beaufort Campus), 801 Carteret Street, Beaufort. To learn more visit www.beauforttoastmastersclub.org

FREE ACUPUNCTURE FOR VETERANS – Veterans, Active Duty, Transition. Their Families and First Responders are Eligible. First & Third Wednesday 4 - 6pm. Walk In Clinic. No Need to Pre-Register or Call. Nourishing Health Acupuncture and Herbs Clinic. 1214 Prince Street, Downtown Beaufort

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED for a few hours each week at St. Francis Thrift Shop. Open Tuesday thru Saturday. Call 843-689-6563 or come in to speak with Mr. Hal. Definitely shop.

COMMUNITY ACUPUNCTURE Safe & effective centuries old healing system treats and prevents many health-related conditions. Experience individualized treatment in a peaceful group setting. Sliding scale fee. Beaufort Acupuncture, 12 Fairfield Rd, 5B, Lady’s Island. For info and to schedule: (843) 694-0050 or www.BeaufortAcupuncture.com

SECOND HELPINGS seeking Day Captains and other volunteers to crew our trucks distributing food to local charities. Flexible schedule at your convenience. Email officeadmin@secondhelpingslc.org

AGAPE HOSPICE seeks volunteers to spend time bringing joy to our patients and families during a difficult time. Activities include playing music, baking, arts and crafts, pet therapy, manicures, listening to stories, holding hands, etc. Provide companionship to the elderly who often feel lonely and unappreciated. Contact Ashlee Powers at 843-592-8453 or apowers@agapehospice. com

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED for HELP of Beaufort. Come join the team providing food, mobile meals, clothing and emergency financial assistance to those in need in our community. Open Mon-Fri 9:30-12:30. 2 Ice House Rd., Beaufort. Call or email Jennifer 843-524-1223 or info@helpofbeaufort.org

TIDEWATER HOSPICE SUPPORT GROUP: Last Wed. and Thurs. of the month. Weds. 10-11am at Sun City; Thurs. 12-1pm Brookdale Hilton Head

Ct., Hilton Head; for those who provide physical, emotional or practical support to a family member or friend. Jodi Johnson, LMSW. Bereavement Group: 5-6 pm., Thursdays, 10 Buckingham Plantation Drive, Suite A, Bluffton; for those who have experienced a loss and would like support and info associated with grief and bereavement. Corrie VanDyke, LMSW or Marie James, MA. 843-757-9388

INTERESTED IN HEALTHY EATING? Second Helpings, of Beaufort, Hampton, and Jasper counties, seeks committee members and chairperson for Healthy Food Program. Funding available to procure fresh produce and protein for the 60 food pantries and soup kitchens served by Second Helpings. Contact Exec. Dir. Lili Coleman, 843-689-3616 or execdirector@secondhelpingslc.org

BORN TO READ working for early childhood literacy, needs volunteers to deliver books and materials to new mothers at Coastal Community Hosp., HH Hosp., and BMH. Visits are from 10am – noon. More info at borntoread.org or call 843-379-3350.

ALZHEIMER’S FAMILY SERVICES OF GREATER BEAUFORT, Support Groups: Caregiver - Weds., 12:30pm, Senior Services of Beaufort, 1408 Paris Ave., Port Royal; Living with Alzheimer's - for those in very early stages - Mondays 1pm, Parsons Parlor, Carteret Street Methodist Church, 408 Carteret, Beaufort. Respite Programs: Social Day Program- 10am-1:45pm $40 Day Fee, Mon. at Cornerstone Christian Church, 2301 First Blvd., Beaufort, Weds. & Friday at Carteret Street Methodist Church, 408 Carteret St., Beaufort; In Home - Respite Aides available for 2 hr. minimum, $12$24. Early Memory Loss: Maintain Your Brain - 2nd & 4th Thursday, 10-11:30am, $10/person, $15 couple, Carteret Street Methodist Church, 408 Carteret St., Beaufort; Memory Screenings available call 843-5219190, free; Purple Haven Project - Educate local establishment staff to better interact with a person with Alzheimer's call 843-521-9190.

THE LITERACY CENTER is seeking volunteers to tutor adults in reading, writing, math and ESL. Students hope to acquire skills to pursue life goals, support families, and contribute to our community. Daytime and evenings in Bluffton and HHI. Call 843815-6616 (Bluffton); 843-681-6655 (HHI). No teaching, tutoring or other language knowledge necessary. www.theliteracycenter.org

THE SANDALWOOD COMMUNITY FOOD PANTRY. Volunteer-based, non-profit provides groceries, clothing and basic needs items to ANYONE in need. Open Tues & Fri 11:30am-1pm at 114 Beach City Rd., Hilton Head. Donations of food and funds needed. For info: Rev. Dr. Nannette Pierson at 843715-3583 or email sandalwoodpantry@gmail.com

PARRIS ISLAND MUSEUM. The legacy of the Marine Corps and the history of the Port Royal region. Thousands of artifacts, images, and other materials illustrate the stories in exhibit galleries from Native American to modern Marines. FREE admission. Mon-Sat 10am-4:30pm and 8am on Family Graduation Days. Closed all Federal Holidays. Info at parrisislandmuseum.org or 843-228-2166.

MEDICAL SERVICES OF AMERICA SEEKS VOLUNTEERS - Volunteers needed for companionship or skills like yard work, music, and crafts to patients and their families or assist in the office with admin tasks. Volunteers needed in Beaufort, Hampton, and Jasper counties. For info contact 843-322-0063.

CHRIST CENTERED RECOVERY MEETINGS At Shell Point Baptist Church Saturdays for “Celebrate Recovery”, addressing life’s problems and looking to scripture for solutions. Meal at 6pm; Praise and Worship 6:30pm; Small Groups at 7:15pm. 871 Parris Island Gateway, Beaufort. Info at 843-592-1046.

Writer/Raconteur Barrett at Conroy Center

The nonprofit Pat Conroy Literary Center will host an evening with raconteur and writer Johnathon Scott Barrett, author of the debut novel Ship Watch , on Friday, January 12, at 5:00 p.m., at the Conroy Center (601 Bladen St., Beaufort). Weather permitting, the event will be outside. Free and open to the public, this event is presented in collaboration with the Beaufort chapter of the Pulpwood Queens Book Club. Books will be available for sale and signing. Please call to reserve your seat in advance: 843-379-7025.

About Ship Watch and Johnathon Scott Barrett: Set around the renowned and historical homestead at the center of the drama, Ship Watch weaves together six intertwined relationships that extend from the gentrified city of Savannah and into the wealthy enclaves of Sea Island, Highlands, and Atlanta’s Buckhead. The novel’s characters are drawn in the loom by the family's elegantly formidable matriarch, Grand Martha, and form a multi-generational tapestry that includes

the misfortunes of divorce and betrayal – but in more and even better measure opportunities for redemption, rediscovery, and the rarified gift of ‘second love.’ By combining an encompassing setting having a solid sense of place along with characters that are captivating and rather extraordinary, Ship Watch is a sometimes bittersweet, yet often comedic, Southern tour-de-force debut novel.

Gilbert Law Firm

“Watch, the family’s long-owned grand plantation on the banks of the Savannah River, is contested, proverbial long knives are brandished. Much of this engrossing tale depicts place—Savannah, Highlands, and Sea Island—where the wealthy make merry and hold court.” — Jameson Gregg, Georgia Author of the Year, Luck Be a Chicken

“Storyteller extraordinaire, raconteur, and old-school bon vivant Johnathon Barrett celebrates the most glorious aspects of Southern life in all four of his wonderfully written books.” — Janis Owens, awardwinning and bestselling author of American Ghost and My Brother Michael.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Johnathon Scott Barrett is a seventhgeneration Georgian with a deep appreciation of the literary and culinary traditions of the South. He is the author of three widely acclaimed cookbooks, which critics hail for their entertaining stories and extensive recipes. Besides writing, Johnathon is a CPA

Alisha Doud

alisha@dcgilbert.com

Daun Schouten daun@dcgilbert.com

Laure Gallagher laure@dcgilbert.com

Ashley Hart ashley@dcgilbert.com

Joy McConnell joy@dcgilbert.com

Dawn Shipsey dawn@dcgilbert.com

Johanna Graham

johanna@dcgilbert.com

Kathy Crowley kathy@dcgilbert.com

Kaitlyn Kintz reception@dcgilbert.com

and has worked as a nonprofit executive for the last three decades. Currently, he serves as director of development for the State Botanical Garden of Georgia at UGA. He divides his time between homes in Winterville and Savannah, Georgia. Ship Watch is his debut novel.

BEAUFORT/PORT ROYAL

Foolish Frog, 846 Sea Island Pkwy, St. Helena Island. (843) 838-9300. Foolish Frog on Facebook

Luther’s Rare & Well Done, 910 Bay Street. (843) 521-1888 or www.luthersrareandwelldone.com

Q on Bay, 822 Bay St, Beaufort. (843) 524-7771 or www.qonbay.com

Rosie O’Gradys Irish Pub, in Beaufort Town Center. Irish American Sports Pub & Eatery. C'mon down! Rock & Roll Lunch. Mondays-25% off Burgers! Tuesdays – 25% off Shrimp & Chips Baskets! Wednesdays-25% off Philly Cheese Steaks! Wednesdays, Friday & Saturday - Karaoke. (843) 379-7676 or Rosie's on Facebook.

Saltus River Grill, 802 Bay St, Beaufort. (843) 379-3474 or www.saltusrivergrill.com

BLUFFTON/HILTON HEAD

Big Bamboo, Coligny Plaza. (843) 686-3443 or www.bigbamboocafe.com

Captain Woody’s, 6 Target Rd., Hilton Head or 17 State of Mind St., Bluffton. www. captainwoodys.com

The Jazz Corner, Village at Wexf1ord, Hilton Head. Sundays - Deas Guyz; Mondays - A Journey Through Jazz with The Martin Lesch Band; Tuesdays - Fat Tuesdays: A Swingin' Celebration of New Orleans and Beyond; Thursdays - Lavon Stevens with Louise Spencer. CLOSED until 1/12 - Happy New Year! 1/12 & 1/13 Blueberry HillA Celebration of Fats Domino with Reggie Deas & Deas Guyz, 1/17 Lavon Stevens with Quiana Parler - Special Guest Kebbi Williams, 1/19 & 1/20 CC & the Adelitas. (843) 842-8620 or www. TheJazzCorner.com

Omni Hilton Head Ocean Front in Palmetto Dunes. Buoy Bar - HH Prime - (843) 842-8000 or www.omnihotels.com

OUT OF TOWN

The Music Farm, 32 Ann Street, Charleston. 1/6 54 Bicycles - Widespread Panic tribute, 1/12 Club '90s Midnight Memories, 1/13 Angelo the Kid, 1/14 Battle of the Bands - Ladies Night Edition, 1/18 Frozen - An All White Ultra Glow Party, 1/20 Yeah! An R&B and Hip Hop Dance Party. (843) 408-1599 or www.musicfarm.com

The Pour House, 1977 Maybank Hwy, Charleston. 1/4 A Herbie Hancock Tribute, 1/5 Mr. Fahrenheit, 1/6 Thurston Howell - A Premier Yacht Rock Spectacular, 1/11 Dallas Baker & the Pluff Daddy's, 1/12 & 1/13 Runaway Gin, 1/14 Dopapod; Kendall Street Company, 1/15 Moon Hooch; Honeycomb, 1/16 Badfish - Sublime tribute, 1/17 Baked Shrimp, 1/18 Brave Baby; Happy Landing, 1/19 & 1/20 Susto Es MuertoGrateful Dead tribute. (843) 571-4343 or www. charlestonpourhouse.com

Windjammer, 1008 Ocean Blvd, Isle of Palms. . (843) 886-8596 or www.the-windjammer.com

Editors Note: Events listed here may be subject to postponement or cancellation. Please check for further information.

THEATER/FILM/DANCE

Mon 1/8, Oppenheimer will screen at Monday at the Movies, at 3 and 7 pm at the USCB Center for the Arts, Beaufort. www.uscbcenterforthearts.com

Wed 1/17, Broadway’s Next Hit Musical. Master improvisers gather made-up, hit song suggestions from the audience and create a spontaneous evening of music, comedy and a ton of laughs! 7:30 pm at USCB Center for the Arts, Beaufort. www.uscbcenterforthearts.com

Mon 1/22, The Holdovers will screen at Monday at the Movies, at 3 and 7 pm at the USCB Center for the Arts, Beaufort. www.uscbcenterforthearts. com

GALLERIES/ART

Now – 1/26, Anything Goes! Member Exhibit at Art League Gallery. Awards Reception Wed, 1/10, 5-7pm. Arts Center of Coastal Carolina, 14 Shelter Cove Lane, Hilton Head Island, 843-681-5060.

Now – 2/10, Anonymous Ancestors at Morris Center in Ridgeland. Artist Susan Lenz uses hundreds of anonymous vintage photographs, letters, and printed materials to form a societal family tree. www.morrisheritagecenter.org

Now – 2/29, Going Wild in the Lowcountry, featuring works by Karen Richards and Kristie Schubert at the Beaufort Art Association Gallery, 913 Bay Street, Beaufort. Opening reception Fri 1/5, 5-8pm.

Now – 3/24, Intimate Oceans: Coral in Contemporary Art at Coastal Discovery Museum on Hilton Head. 70 Honey Horn Dr., Hilton Head. 843689-6767. www.coastaldiscovery.org

Thur 2/1, Chalk It Up! Application Deadline. Chalk Art Festival to be held 3/23 – 3/24 in Beaufort’s Freedman Arts District. To submit an application visit www.FreedmanArtsDistrict.org

BOOKS & WRITERS

Thur 1/11, Pat Conroy Literary Center's monthly Open Mic Night will be held at the Conroy Center (601 Bladen St.) from 6-7:30 pm. The featured writer is award-winning poet Miho Kinnas, author of the newly released collection Waiting for Sunset to Bury Red Camellias. Open Mic will also feature short readings by other writers in many genres. This event is free and open to the public. Book signing to follow. www.patconroyliterarycenter.org

Fri 1/12, Evening with raconteur/writer Johnathon Scott Barrett (Ship Watch) at 5 pm at the Pat Conroy Literary Center (601 Bladen St., Beaufort). Weather permitting, the event will be outside. Free and open to the public, this event is presented in collaboration with the Beaufort chapter of the Pulpwood Queens Book Club. Books available for sale and signing. Please call to reserve your seat in advance: 843-379-7025.

Sat 1/20, Evening with award-winning fiction writer Scott Gould, (Idiot Men: Short Stories), in conversation with fellow award-winning writer Mindy Friddle at the Pat Conroy Literary Center. 5 pm at 601 Bladen St, Beaufort. Books for sale and signing. This event is free and open to the public. Seating limited; please call to reserve in advance: 843-379-7025.

MUSIC

Sun 1/7, The Encore Trio will perform at 5 pm at the Fripp Community Centre, 205 Tarpon Boulevard. Sponsored by Fripp Friends of Music and supported by the SC Arts Commission. Tickets at the door: adults $30, students free. Complimentary reception after the performance. Questions? vandy116@gmail.com or text Vanessa Peñaherrera at (704) 807-0255.

Sun 1/7, Gullah Soul featuring Gwen Yvette, 1 – 5 pm at ShellRing Ale Works, 1111 11th Street, Port Royal $25 a person. Part of Notes: A Festival of Music to benefit the Boys & Girls Clubs of Northern Beaufort County. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.notesmusicfest.com

Fri 1/12, Notes of Art Exhibition, Featuring Walker & Annabelle Dean , 3- 6pm at Tabby Place, 913 Port Republic Street, Beaufort. Free admission – includes music, free cookie decoration, artwork for viewing and sale, food trucks (food for purchase) Part of Notes: A Festival of Music to benefit the Boys & Girls Clubs of Northern Beaufort County. For more information visit www.notesmusicfest.com

Sat 1/13, Country Music Showcase, Featuring Tony Jackson, 7 pm at Tabby Place, 913 Port Republic Street, Beaufort, $150 per person – includes full bar, heavy food stations, and concert. Part of Notes: A Festival of Music to benefit the Boys & Girls Clubs of Northern Beaufort County. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.notesmusicfest.com

Sun 1/28: USCB Chamber Music, with Artistic Director Andrew Armstrong and an ensemble of world class chamber musicians. 5 pm at USCB Center for the Arts, Beaufort. For tickets and more information, visit www.uscbchambermusic.com

OTHER EVENTS

First Saturday of the Month, Teddy Bear Picnic Read-Aloud at Port Royal Farmers Market. DAYLO students and other volunteers will read to young children between 9am and noon. Children are encouraged to bring their favorite stuffed animal.

Tuesdays, Tours of Hunting Island sponsored by Friends of Hunting Island Keeper Ted and his team. For info call the Nature Center at 843-8387437. Tours free are and park entry fees apply.

Third Thursday, TECHconnect is a monthly networking event for professionals working in and around technology. Come and join on the for the conversation at BASEcamp 500 Carteret 5:30-7:30pm. 843-470-3506. www.beaufortdigital. com

Thursdays, History Tours of Fort Mitchell by the Heritage Library, 10am. $12/Adult $7/Child. 843-686-6560

Ongoing, Beaufort Tree Walk by the Lady’s Island Garden Club through the historic Old Point enjoying some unique and noteworthy trees. Takes about an hour and is a little over a mile, starting at the corner of Craven & Carteret Streets and ending in Waterfront Park. Booklets with a map and info about each tree available FREE at the Visitors Center in the historic Arsenal on Craven Street.