The painting on our cover is "Two Ladies" by John Kenney, from his exhibit Simply Sea Islands, featured at the Beaufort Art Association Gallery in July and August. See more on page 5.
July 5 – July 18, 2023
rPublisher: Jeff Evans — Jeff@LCWeekly.com
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Contributing Writers: Vivian Bikulege, Katherine Tandy Brown, Debbi Covington, Sandra Educate, Carolyn Mason, Laura Lee Rose, Cele & Lynn Seldon, and Sutty Suddeth
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106 West Street Extension, Beaufort, SC 29902 Call: 843-986-9059 or Email: editor@lcweekly.com
LLowcountry 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 2023 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.
When it comes to keeping up with pop culture, my husband and I are thoroughly lame. We’re typically five or ten years behind on all the big, buzzy streaming series, if we get around to watching them at all.
Which is why we’re currently feeling uncharacteristically cool, having just finished “1883,” one of the two “Yellowstone” prequels. It was initially released a year and 1/2 ago, but only recently came to Paramount + (our go-to channel) so we’re practically au courant.
For the record – lest we lose our “nerd” bona fides – we’ve not yet seen the newer prequel “1923,” and we haven’t even seen “Yellowstone,” the flagship series that launched a thousand spinoffs. Or, um, two so far. Apparently, we will be experiencing the much-ballyhooed Dutton family saga the old-fashioned way, in chronological order. A radical concept, eh?
Today, as I sit at my computer devouring news articles and commentary, searching for something relevant to opine on, my mind keeps drifting, instead, to “1883.” Why? Maybe because, unlike with the multiple real-life dramas unfolding – at home and in the world –everybody seems to agree about “1883.”
It’s no small thing, anymore, to find something everybody agrees on, especially when that agreement is of a positive nature. It’s deeply refreshing. Almost a miracle.
I started a discussion about “1883” on Facebook last week, assuming most folks had seen the show when it first aired, back in December 2021. I was correct. Everybody wanted to talk about it, and the comments were consistently effusive. One of my most conservative FB friends called the series “damn good.” One of the most devoted progressives I know deemed it “exquisite.”
And on it went. Comment after comment, superlative after superlative. My bridgebuilding, consensus-loving heart soared. My “1883” discussion was proving to be a Kumbaya moment!
I’m not sure why, exactly.
Maybe just because it’s a western? Though I’ve never been inordinately fond of westerns, I’m told they are deep in our cultural DNA.
From a 2016 article in The Guardian:
“The western has always been the American epic,” says Robert Thompson, director of Syracuse University’s Bleier Center for Television & Popular Culture, “It’s exciting and violent and huge. We don’t have a single text like The Iliad or The Odyssey but the western is our story.”
According The Guardian’s Stuart Miller, our love for the western ebbs and flows, but always abides, and is perennially ripe for revival. Especially following times of great social or political upheaval.
“Westerns never died off but few were made from 1980 to 2003,” he writes. “They returned with a vengeance after 9/11 and the invasion of Iraq. It was a time that sent people into shock and America was longing for a way to figure out what went wrong, who we are, what our values are and where we go in the future.”
In the same article, director Ti West says, “The story and the archetypes in westerns may be simple, but that allows you to use subtext to tie things into what is happening now.”
This makes sense. In fact, watching “1883,” I found myself wondering if creator Taylor Sheridan was making a veiled comment on the Covid pandemic with his depiction of Smallpox in the series. I’m trying to avoid spoilers here – some of you may be even less “on trend” in your viewing habits than we are –so I won’t elaborate. Besides, the connection may be totally coincidental. My mind went there, but my mind’s just like that.
Honestly, I don’t think any of the above has much to do with why I love “1883,” though the reference to Homer probably comes closest.
I love it for the poetry.
The larger-than-life, almost “literary” characters. The heart-stopping panoramas. The simple-complicated story of human survival that can’t be wrangled into one of your favorite political narratives . . . or mine.
And then there are the voiceovers of Elsa Dutton, the 17-year-old girl from Tennessee who narrates each episode. At first, they made me slightly uncomfortable. Her low, soulful drawl didn’t sound authentic to my southern ears, and her lyrical philosophizing seemed . . . over the top. Hyperbolic. Grandiose.
Example: Some called it the American Desert. Others, the Great Plains. But those phrases were invented by professors at universities. Surrounded by the illusion of order. And the fantasy of right and wrong. To know it, you must walk. Bleed until it’s dark. Drown in its rivers. Then its name becomes clear. It is Hell. And there are demons everywhere.
After an episode or two, her voice had won me over – authentic or not – and I’d decided that grandiose is good. This is an American epic, after all.
As such, Sheridan’s characters are a strategic mix of American archetypes, not “coincidental” at all. His male protagonists –the two men leading a group of would-be
settlers across the treacherous Oregon Trail –both fought in the Civil War 20 years earlier, one for the Union and one for the Confederacy. (As the story moves forward, they move from grudging mutual respect to something like brotherly love.) The Union captain’s trusty sidekick is a Black man, a former slave and soldier, who maintains a quiet dignity and steady heroism throughout. The Comanche Indians who appear on the scene are cooperative and noble until a brutal attack turns them toward savagery. The bandits and horse thieves are white men without honor. The European immigrants on the trail are willing to give up everything –including their home – for the promise of freedom. And free land.
Though rife with death and punctuated with a hundred small horrors, “1883” is a beautiful fable. It works at the level of Myth, with a capital M. Not just history, but prophecy. Episode after episode, I found myself pondering not just what America was, but what America is, and what America could be.
Sam Elliot, Tim McGraw, and Faith Hill are the big stars who created the hype and attracted the eyeballs, and they are all splendid in their roles. I knew Tim McGraw was a fine actor, but had no idea his wife could do this! Her Margaret Dutton is a force of nature. And Sam Elliott is . . . well, Sam Elliott.
But it’s Isabel May’s Elsa Dutton who is the beating heart of it all, maybe because – like America – she’s complicated. Almost a living, breathing paradox. Both childlike and wise beyond her years, she is innocent and knowing, vulnerable and fearless, gentle and ferocious, radiantly feminine and a swashbuckling cowboy. She is Lightning Yellow Hair, and she is unforgettable. The other characters –though wonderfully embodied – are familiar archetypes. Elsa is something altogether new, but every bit as iconic. An instant classic. A heroine for the ages.
Every young girl who sees “1883” will long to be Elsa Dutton.
This middle-aged girl does, anyway.
The simple expression of day-to-day life in the Sea Islands is captured in vivid color by John Kenney, the Beaufort Art Association’s featured artist for July and August.
Kenney’s wide range of subject, expression, and bold use of color are characteristics of his work. Paul Edwards, a friend of Andy Warhol’s, was his mentor, and Kenney’s vision was strongly influenced by pop culture and the industrial cityscape of his native Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Living in the Lowcountry has been transforming for Kenney as he works to capture the magic of this special place of the
South. This show, entitled “Simply Sea Islands,” captures our life here – the water, the landscape, the people and the places of our Lowcountry home.
Join John Kenney for an opening night reception at BAA Gallery on Friday, July 7th, from 5-8pm. Other special opportunities for a personal tour and conversation about Kenney’s work will be offered on the following dates: Saturday, July 15, 12noon – 2pm; Saturday, July 22, 12noon – 2pm; Friday, August 4, 5-7pm: and Saturday, August 12, 12noon - 2pm. The Gallery of the Beaufort Art Association is located at 913 Bay Street, downtown Beaufort, under the black awning.
“The longer I live, the more beautiful life becomes.”
– Frank Lloyd WrightAt times, life itsownself can seem a puzzle. Especially if you listen to the daily news, the negative conditions of our planet and man’s inhumanity to man may seem completely overwhelming and unsolvable. But the above words from a creative soul and esteemed architect reflect hope in a world that can often appear to have lost its grasp of beauty, to have embraced the worst traits of mankind, and to have pledged allegiance to the dark side.
The South Carolina Lowcountry is one of the loveliest places I’ve lived. Fifteen years ago, I knew I’d found home when a mantra appeared in my head: “I love the Lowcountry; it beckons me back.” So I packed my Kentucky bags, moved here, and never
looked back. Since then, even on days when this Pollyanna hits a low point, all I have to do is glance at those magnificent live oaks bedecked with Spanish moss, be mesmerized by southern sun painting diamonds on the water, watch a Great blue heron standing stilt like at river’s edge fishing for supper, or be greeted with a “Hey, how y’all doin’?” from a friendly stranger, and I immediately think but look where I live. And my serotonin levels perk right up.
What gives me hope without exception is spending time in nature. A stroll on the Spanish Moss Trail reveals ibis, wood storks, osprey, egrets, herons, laughing gulls, and the occasional roseate spoonbill hanging out in the trail’s gorgeous woods and waters. While scrunching my toes in the sand at Hunting Island, flocks of sandpipers scuttle amid the breakers rolling in as cadres of pelicans skim the ocean’s waves.
Often, locals head to Bay Street Bluff and spread a blanket for a picnic, set up colorful beach seats for a moved-outdoors meeting, unfold easels for a sketching session, or strategically place white-ribbon-bedecked churchlike chairs for a wedding. Sometimes, simply slouching into a canvas deck chair to gaze upon the river, boats of all sorts and conditions, clouds morphing into puffy white animal shapes, and cars backed up to cross the Woods Bridge when its swing finally opens can reduce everyday worries back to doable size. Mother Nature knows her business.
To us humans, this business of life and creating a good one can seem complicated, even scary from time to time, especially as one ages. Frank Lloyd Wright’s observation is a good one to take to heart. Having inhabited this planet for a while, I concur with his premise. It’s easy to focus on an aging body and infirmities that can ensue. Bodies obviously change through the years and reflect wear and tear, which is the best reason to take good care of yours all along. Worrying about illness and injury can produce a great deal of stress, which can, of course, make matters worse. As can focusing on the unanswerable question, “How much time do I have left?” That can sure keep you up nights if you let it.
Though I don’t have a magic bullet to make everything hunky-dory, I do have several suggestions. Stop worrying so much about time and do your best to be as present as you can be a day at a time. A minute at a time, if necessary. Make yourself “be here now,” as contemporary spiritual teacher, psychologist, and writer Ram Dass prescribed in his classic ‘70s book of the same name. Regular meditation and deep breathing can certainly help, as can spending time with people – and animals! – you love and taking that aforementioned natural beauty “cure”.
I no longer believe in coincidence, but I do believe there’s flexible order to the Universe, that it can morph to accommodate a situation. Perhaps that’s a bit woo-woo but my experiences make that theory valid for me. As I was writing a few minutes ago, I looked up in time to see a lovely doe strolling down my driveway, followed by twin spotted fawns. Made me smile. Coincidence? I think not!
At any rate, worry doesn’t accomplish a thing. Taking a much-needed break can lighten your spirit and perhaps even provide you with a helpful hint to ease your situation.
WHOLLY HOLISTICS
by Katherine Tandy Brown
As a child, I “signed up for” the job of trying to make everyone in my family happy, one that no person on earth could have accomplished, short of those involved, who at that point clung to their allotted “family roles.” But once a week, we all got a break because on Sundays, Daddy piled us into his 1956 forest green Chrysler – Mom, my sister Lindsay, me, and our dog Spotswood “Spotty” Diddle Brown – for a drive to Walnut Hill Farm, right outside Hopkinsville, Kentucky, for the entire afternoon.
Owned by my dad’s sister Madeline and her husband Mac, the property had been on the Cherokee tribe’s infamous Trail of Tears on their migration west to Oklahoma. A retired Navy captain who taught high school chemistry/physics until school officials made him retire from teaching at 80, Uncle Mac led Lindsay and me on magical journeys of discovery. We found arrowheads and Native American tools, collected empty locust shells and strung them into “jewelry,” and wrote postcards to slide into bottles and launch down Little River. On rainy days, he’d open his captain’s chest chock full of treasures, including a Magic 8-Ball that “told” fortunes, an elephant-shaped Chinese puzzle, green plastic “leaping” grasshopper, and a Slinky or two.
On those endless days, we’d exhaust ourselves with play. Spotty would always roll in something dead and stinky so the car windows stayed down on the way home. Lindsay would moo and neigh at farm animals in the fields as we passed. And the entire family would reset emotionally for a time. I remember that at least I did. The Sunday adventures led me out of worry and into the joy of delightful childhood afternoons, complete with evening sunsets, lightning bugs, and PB&J sandwiches. They restored my hope.
I’d guess you might have a few breath-offresh-air memories of your own. Revisit them. Believe in them, for those recollections are all about that glorious idea, hope. Shine the light of hope into your world and let it lift you into life’s possibilities.
The Beaufort Bookstore and the nonprofit Pat Conroy Literary Center will host an evening with suspense novelist Kerry Peresta, author of The Torching (book 3 in the Olivia Callahan series), on Wednesday, July 19, at 5:00 p.m. at the Beaufort Bookstore—2127 Boundary St #15, Beaufort). This event is free and open to the public. Books will be available for sale and signing. Seating is limited; please call to reserve your spot: 843-525-1066.
strong, yet vulnerable, clear-headed one moment, lost in the terrifying fog of traumatic brain injury the next. In The Torching, we get to ride along as Olivia battles to rebuild, literally and figuratively, her life and her home, while her murky past continues to throw shadows over her present and future. Tightly written, this one’s a heart-pounding page-turner from beginning to end.”
– Annette Dashofy, award-winning and USA Today bestselling author of the Zoe Cham. Three years ago, Olivia Callahan endured an assault that resulted in a devastating brain injury. She survived, but she couldn't remember anything about her life or who she was. Now, she's determined to build a bridge between the past she lost and the life she must reclaim When Olivia crosses paths with Private Investigator Tom Stark, she is drawn to the investigative field, and becomes his intern. She finds a heavily redacted, forty-fiveyear-old file locked in his desk drawer that mentions her mother as a young woman. Why had her mentor hidden the file from her, and why had he never mentioned a case involving her mother?
Kerry Peresta is the author of the Olivia Callahan Suspense series. Kerry spent thirty years in advertising as an account manager, creative director, copywriter, and editor. She began writing full-time in 2009 as a newspaper humor columnist. Her books feature strong, quirky, women who wrestle with personal choices that result in dangerous and often bizarre situations. She is a member of Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, South Carolina Writers Association, Island Writers Network, and a presenter for the Pat Conroy Literary Center. Kerry and her husband live in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina.
Learn more about the Pat Conroy Literary Center at www.patconroyliterarycenter.org
“Kerry Peresta has done it again, giving us Olivia Callahan, a complex heroine, who is
As Olivia moves forward with her fledgling career, a string of mysterious fires moves through the community, puzzling the Baltimore Arson Investigative Unit. One of the fires strikes Olivia's beloved farmhouse in rural Maryland. Now, in addition to uncovering the secrets bound within the redacted file, she becomes convinced that the fires happening around the area are disturbing calling cards . . . and they're meant for her.
Author Kerry Peresta
ew York Times bestselling novelist Beatriz Williams will visit the nonprofit Pat Conroy Literary Center on Sunday, July 9, at 2:00 p.m. Williams will discuss her newest book, The Beach at Summerly, praised by fellow New York Times bestselling author Marie Benedict as "Grand and gripping . . . shot through with suspense, romance, and glorious, beach-laden locales. I could not put it down.”
Free and open to the public, this event will be held at the Conroy Center (601 Bladen St., Beaufort). Books will be available for sale and signing. Seating is limited; call 843-379-7025 to reserve in advance.
Beatriz Williams returns with a ravishing summer read, taking readers back to a mid-century New England rich with secrets and Cold War intrigue.
June 1946. As the residents of Winthrop Island prepare for the first summer season after the sacrifice of war, a glamorous new
figure moves into the guest cottage at Summerly, the idyllic seaside estate of the wealthy Peabody family. To Emilia Winthrop, daughter of Summerly’s year-round caretaker and a descendant of the island’s settlers, Olive Rainsford opens a window into a world of shining possibility. While Emilia spent the war years caring for her incapacitated mother, Olive traveled the world, married fascinating men, and involved herself in political causes. She’s also the beloved aunt of the two surviving Peabody sons, Amory and Shep, with whom Emilia has a tangled romantic history. As the summer wears on, Emilia develops a deep rapport with Olive, who urges her to leave the island for a life of adventure, while romance blossoms with the sturdy and honorable Shep. But the heady promise of Peabody patronage is blown apart by the arrival of Sumner Fox, an FBI agent who demands Emilia’s help to capture a Soviet agent who’s transmitting vital intelligence on the West’s atomic weapon program from somewhere inside the Summerly estate.
A prayer often begins with our words to God. Then, as we listen in our heart for God’s reply, the prayer might become a sort of conversation. Or maybe it’s a time of quiet, expectant receptivity. Either way, time and again I’ve found that answers to my prayers do come, often in the form of fresh insight, a new, comforting view of things, or even a wordless feeling that all is well.
I’ve also found that how we respond to what God provides us in prayer makes all the difference. I’ve always been impressed by the Bible’s account of how the Virgin Mary responded when God said, “Fear not, Mary,” and then informed her that she was going to give birth to a baby boy, Jesus.
In those times and in that culture, unmarried pregnant women often faced serious consequences, so God’s news to Mary could have been frightening. Mary’s response, though, has a more heartening spirit: “Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word,” (Luke 1:38). And indeed, despite the difficulties that came up along the way, Mary remained safe and gave birth to Jesus, and the world has never been the same since.
The way Mary allowed her thought and perspective to be guided so completely by God can be an example for us today.
April 1954. Eight years later, Summerly is boarded up and Emilia has rebuilt her shattered life as a professor at Wellesley College, when shocking news arrives from Washington—the traitor she helped convict is about to be swapped for an American spy imprisoned in the Soviet Union, but with a mysterious condition only Emilia can fulfill. A reluctant Emilia is summoned to CIA headquarters, where she’s forced to confront the harrowing consequences of her actions that fateful summer, and a choice that could destroy the Peabody family—and Emilia’s chance for redemption—all over again.
Beatriz Williams is the bestselling author of thirteen novels, including Her Last Flight, The Summer Wives, and The Golden Hour, as well as All the Ways We Said Goodbye, cowritten with Lauren Willig and Karen White. A native of Seattle, she graduated from Stanford University and earned an MBA in finance from Columbia University. She lives with her husband and four children near the Connecticut shore, where she divides her time
Mary Baker Eddy, the founder of Christian Science, explains in her book Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, “The effect of this Science is to stir the human mind to a change of base, on which it may yield to the harmony of the divine Mind” (p. 162).
between writing and laundry. Learn more about the Pat Conroy Literary Center at www.patconroyliterarycenter.org
It’s not willpower that brings about this change of base. It is a divinely impelled yielding to God – the divine Mind, Love, and Truth – that stirs our thoughts, melts fears, and heals.
Recently I became ill. I went right to God in prayer. This is the guidance that came to me: to acknowledge how God made me, and particularly, to love how God made me.
I wanted to give myself over without reserve to God’s guidance. Jesus taught, “If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you” (Matthew 17:20)
Even in the face of my concerns and discomfort, this didn’t seem impossible – a mustard seed is so tiny! I pictured how a compass has 360 degrees. As you look around the edge of its dial, each degree of change is very small, but together they make a full circle.
So step by step, in mustard seed-sized increments, I engaged with the spiritual facts of creation, of our identity as God’s children. The way God has made me –
and all of us – is distinctly spiritual. As the spiritual offspring of the Divine, we express God’s perfect, invulnerable nature. As I consciously embraced these spiritual truths, it felt so natural to deeply love God so very much for how we are created spiritually, as the expression of God’s flawlessness, not as mortals susceptible to illness.
Immediately, my fear began to melt, until it had evaporated. And quickly I felt like myself again – healed entirely. I didn’t stop going in my prayers, though. For the next several hours, one degree at a time, my love for God just grew and grew. It was a stirring and wonderful change of base that not only healed me physically, but deepened my spiritual understanding, too.
God’s guidance to Mary centuries ago – “Fear not” – remains so relevant for us all today. When we pray, we can listen carefully and receptively for divine inspiration, helping us understand why we need not be afraid anymore. Even if it’s just in mustard-seed-sized increments, we can yield up conceptions of ourselves as vulnerable mortals and turn to God’s healing guidance. We, too, have the right to experience the blessings that come when we agree, “Be it unto me according to Thy word.”
By Mark Swinney
With Parrot head apologies to Jimmy Buffett, when it comes to summertime in this paradise we call the Lowcountry, it’s hard to beat burgers, brats, and beer right here. There’s just something about the smell and taste of a perfectly cooked patty, washed down with a cold beer (especially if it’s on draft, per Jimmy).
paradisical burger evidently features a medium-rare patty, warm bun, lettuce, tomato, onion, and Muenster cheese. Well, we think it’s Muenster, since many say they hear “mustard” when they listen to the song, and the web has it both ways. Buffet’s burger is topped with Heinz 57 Sauce. Of course, we had to look up Heinz 57, and Heinz’s hunger-inducing website says it’s a secret blend of premium herbs and spices that includes more than a dozen ingredients, including some we can’t pronounce.
So, back in our bit of natural paradise and, though it’s hard to beat a burger grilled in our backyard (or that of a friend who knows his or her way around a grill), the Lowcountry’s heat and humidity often lead us to letting someone else slave over the stove or grill. Sure, they feature generally consistent and sometimes tasty burgers at national chains with arches, crowns, and red-headed girls in pigtails, where special orders don’t upset them, where we can get it our way, and where we don’t have to ask, “Where’s the beef?” when they serve us square burgers. And, while national chains might offer two burgers for five cents (okay, maybe five bucks or so), we remain fans and supporters of “independent” Lowcountry restaurants where the burgers may cost a bit more — but for good reason.
Given our preference to eat locally, there are many great burger options at independent Beaufort restaurants, and we might devote a “Dish” to many of them one day. However, our “paradise” for burgers (and brats, beers, and much more) is the independent burger palace called Fat Patties on Parris Island Gateway.
second location as part of SERG Restaurant Groups popular dozen-plus concepts.
First, you choose your “pattie” (we say patty, they say pattie), with the current options including: grass-fed beef (which is a tasty cross-breed of Brown Swiss and Angus
When we researched where Buffett wrote “Cheeseburger in Paradise” and about which paradise he was writing the lyrics, there seemed to be as many stories about the origins of Buffett’s hit song as there are possible burger toppings (the possibilities range from Florida’s Gulf coast to the Keys to the Caribbean and beyond). We also find it interesting how often “paradise” shows up in other tasty songs, including, among many more: “Paradise by the Dashboard Lights” from a man named Meatloaf, natch; Sade’s (and Coldplay’s) “Paradise,” “Paradise City” from Guns N’ Roses; Eddie Money’s “Two Tickets to Paradise;” and tons more tunes.
As an aside, before we write our own love letter to a burger paradise right here in the Lowcountry, after looking up the lyrics in cyberspace, we learned that Buffett’s
Owned and operated by Borreggine family since 2012 (they celebrate their 11th anniversary in August), Fat Patties is a paradise for burger lovers and beyond. Loyal “Dish” readers may recall that Nick Borreggine and his family also own Port Royal’s popular Shellring Ale Works. Beer lovers will love learning that Shellring’s beers are on tap at Fat Patties (see below, but let’s start with their unique “burgers” menu).
The Borreggines also had a Fat Patties in Old Town Bluffton, but it’s now Nectar Farm Kitchen’s
cows, sourced from partners Southern Swiss Dairy); ground turkey; American shrimp; black bean; chicken breast; beef with bacon; or smashed (two four-ounce patties, smashed and seared to perfection). Each patty choice has its own price and then the toppings ordering fun begins.
Those who prefer their choices made for them will want to opt for one of their five named creations with add-on pricing, including: Baby
Blue (blue cheese, caramelized onions, and garlic mayo); How You Doin (with crisp house-made mozzarella, grilled pepperoni, and pesto and red sauces); Virginia V (named for Virginia Verhaeghe, who lived where Fat Patties now stands, and served with pimento cheese, thick cut bacon, cole slaw, fried green tomato, and garlic mayo); Who’s Your Pattie (smoked cheddar, pulled pork BBQ, applewood smoked bacon, pickles, and slaw); and Steak Out (roasted ribeye, peppers, onions, mushrooms, provolone cheese, and garlic mayo). For the record, the garlic mayo at Fat Patties works on a burger so much better than Heinz 57, in our opinion (sorry, Jimmy).
Those who want to “Build Your Own” won’t lack for choices (all with low or even no add-on pricing). We count no less than three dozen possibilities when it comes to building your own patty, with more than 10 cheeses, 18 or so toppings, and another 15-plus sauces. Some of the many options that we love include an additional patty (yeap), a farm fresh egg, fried shrimp, pulled pork, and a fried green tomato (bless their hearts). And, yes, you can build your own cheeseburger in paradise, which is a fave of our neighbor Henry, who adds bacon and more to his perfect Fat Patties cheeseburger of choice.
Of their burgers, general manager Deanna Gray, who obviously loves Fat Patties,
her team, and first-time and veteran visitors, says, “We feel their [Southern Swiss Dairy’s] beef is more rich and has a depth that you cannot find in the mass produced beef. Our buns are baked in-house every morning for that soft pillowy melt in your mouth taste.” Deanna also recently told us that the Virginia V option remains one of the most popular burgers and that they even used some of the woodwork from Virginia and Art Verhaeghe’s house when they built Fat Patties. The choices don’t stop after choosing your patty and toppings. All patties orders come with pickles (from US Foods, we hear) that we love, plus delectable rosemary sea salt fries. For a small upcharge, other options include sweet potato fries, housemade lemon pepper chips, cole slaw, sautéed veggies, and a couscous/basmati rice mixture. Oh, and there’s also a choice of traditional white or whole wheat bun, which are perfectly sized for that ideal bun-to-burger ratio (at least in our opinion).
Every time we go to Fat Patties, we promise ourselves that we’re going to order something other than one of the delectable patties, but we frequently fail (for lunch, we typically just split one). That said, there are lots of other great possibilities at Fat Patties (we’ve tried several and we’re slowly making our way through the entire menu).
Of course, they feature a great brat (sourced from another partner, Hunter Cattle Co.), which has stood the test of time and several other bygone brat combos once on the menu. It’s called a Plantation Brat and it comes on a huge hot dog-style roll with pimento beer cheese dip, cole slaw, and brown mustard. Fat Patties fans know that any of the build your own options available for the patties are also offered to top the brat.
The “Other Stuff” part of this side of the menu includes the aforementioned Plantation Brat, but other appetizing possibilities, including: Cheese Steak; Shrimp Po-Boy; and the Shrimp Basket.
Several Fat Patties veterans also report that their bowls are the bomb, including their “set” creations and build your own. Popular selfexplanatory bowls include: Shrimp Bowl; The Mac Bowl; Burrito Bowl (with pulled chicken); Jerk Chicken Bowl; Alfredo Bowl; and a tuna, chicken, or shrimp stir-fry bowl.
Again, any of the patties build your own add-ons can be added to a bowl, which can lead to a lot of fun (and unique flavor combos).
The other side of the menu (yes, we start with the patties side every time and go from there) features “Snacks,” “Salads,” “Tacos,” and the aforementioned sides. The long varied list of snacks includes one of the Lowcountry’s best soft pretzels, popular pimento beer cheese dip, fried mozzarella, crab dip, shrimp cocktail, deviled shrimp, blue cheese fries, fried green tomato, peppered yellowfin tuna, and more (as if that weren’t enough snackable temptation). Nick reports that the hand-breaded and house-pulled fried mozzarella is a Borreggine family fave, and that the former Fat Patties homemade blue cheese tots were a personal favorite that he plans to return to the menu soon.
There are four salads with varied dressings offered, including House, Arugula, Caesar, and Spring Mix. For just five bucks (a bargain, we think), you can add shrimp, chicken, seared, tuna, or even one of their patties, which we appreciate.
Though we haven’t tried them (yet), the tacos look great when we’ve seen them brought to tables by some of Beaufort’s friendliest servers.
And, did we mention the draft beer list? All of the 10-plus drafts are from Nick’s Shellring Ale Works and the varied options pair perfectly with the food at Fat Patties (okay, especially with the burgers). The beers are helpfully divided by styles, including Hops, Dark, Sours, Malt, and Light. Depending on what we’re ordering and what’s on tap, some of our long-time and more recent faves include: Nautical Light, Cultivated Creation, Chela de Playa, Aria’s Amber Ale, and Beautiful Beginnings (can you tell we’re not hopheads). When we asked Nick, who knows a thing about beer and food, he told us one of his favorite pairings is their Jelly Fruited Sour Ale with the aforementioned blue cheese fries, saying that the acid of the beer cuts right through the fat and rich layers of the popular fries.
Of course, they do have a nice selection of beers in bottles and cans as well. There are also wines by the glass and bottle (thanks to Nick’s wife, Michelle), as well as specialty drinks, margarita flights, spiked shakes, and more.
And, speaking of beers, Fat Patties features “happy hour” discounts and drink specials on their beers and more from 4pm to 6pm
Monday to Friday (as well as all day Saturday). There’s also their popular “Parris Island grads eat free” every Friday, as well as 25% off all food for Active Duty military and veterans every Monday (thanks from a proud Army veteran!). Other weekly specials, which are posted on a chalkboard above the kitchen pass, currently include: Tequila Tuesday, Trivia Night Wednesday, Karaoke Night Thursday, Fish Fryday, aforementioned drink specials all day Saturday, and BOGO half-off apps on Sundays (as well as $5 Bloody Marys and mimosas). Finally, if that weren’t enough, they even produce their own ice cream. Deanna says some current crazy flavor faves include Burnt Marshmallow (which also makes for a great spiked shake) and Bourbon Pecan Pie, but that there are a ton of others to suit any taste (though we’re almost always too full to indulge).
Full disclosure: we’ve never had a cheeseburger in paradise at one of many Parrot head havens, including more than two dozen Margaritaville restaurants (as well as 30-plus more across three other restaurant brands), lots of resorts, campgrounds, clubs, and other accommodations options, “55 and better” communities, including Latitude Margaritaville Hilton Head. We have a book signing there this fall and may just have to try another cheeseburger in this paradise we call the Lowcountry.
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.
No two tomato pie recipes are the same. If someone actually added them up, I'd be willing to bet that folks from Beaufort have about a zillion recipes for Tomato Pie. They're all just a teeny little bit different. Some use a variety of fresh herbs, some add bacon, some use salad dressing instead of mayonnaise. No matter which version you prefer, we all agree that tomato pies are one of our favorite local delicacies and something we look forward to every summer. It's very interesting to me that tomato pies are pretty much a Lowcountry thing. Most friends from my hometown of Wilson, North Carolina, had never tasted tomato pie until I published the recipe in my first cookbook, Dining Under the Carolina Moon, way back in 2005. Mama made tomato pies for our whole neighborhood. Instant hit! And, she sold quite a few of the cookbooks, to boot. I still change the recipe from time to time. Sometimes, I'll experiment with a gourmet cheese, and Vince and I love the addition of bacon for a summer supper. I'm sure some of our local gourmands will question my use of dried herbs. As much as I love fresh basil, dried basil has an intense, concentrated flavor that I prefer. Use my recipe as a template to concoct your own version. You just can't make a bad tomato pie with our fresh, local tomatoes. Yay for tomatoes! Yay for tomato pies!
1 (9-inch) deep dish frozen pie crust, thawed in the refrigerator
1 egg, beaten
2 or 3 large ripe tomatoes, thickly sliced Salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
3 green onions, chopped Dried sweet basil
Chopped chives (fresh or dried)
1 cup (scant) mayonnaise
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar or mozzarella
By Debbi CovingtonPlace thawed pie crust on a large baking sheet. Using the tines of a fork, prick the crust multiple times to keep it from puffing up while being par-baked. Break egg into a small dish and beat. Using a pastry brush, brush the bottom and sides of the crust with the beaten egg. Do not brush the top edge. (The egg will help to seal the crust during baking and prevent a soggy bottom after the tomatoes are added.) Bake the crust in a pre-heated 375 degree oven until lightly browned. Remove and cool to room temperature. Fill par-baked pie shell with tomato slices. Sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper. Add green onions. Season, to taste, with dried basil and chopped chives. Combine mayonnaise with cheese in a medium bowl. Using a spatula, spread the cheese mixture evenly over the seasoned tomatoes, sealing to the edges. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes at 350 degrees. Serves 6 to 8.
Art League of Hilton Head is partnering with Sea Turtle Patrol HHI, a nonprofit organization that monitors and supports the nesting and hatching of sea turtles on Hilton Head beaches, to help raise both awareness and funds for this endangered species. A special three-day exhibit featuring sea turtle-themed artwork created by local artists will be held at Art League Academy July 18-20, with a closing reception on July 20, 5-7pm.
"We named the exhibit Halfway Home because we'll be right at the halfway point of the sea turtle season," says Kristen McIntosh, Executive Director of Art League of Hilton
Head. "The artists have created some beautiful pieces for sale, and we're thrilled to be able to help such a worthy cause."
“We patrol the beach daily from May through October, protecting our sea turtle population and educating beachgoers throughout the season,” says Amber Kuehn, Sea Turtle Patrol HHI’s Director. "Our volunteer staff depends on the support of the local community. Partnering with Art League means the world to us."
The exhibit will be at Art League Academy, 106 Cordillo Parkway. The exhibit and reception are free and open to the public.
By artist Murray Sease
By artist Debi West
The following exhibits are open to the public this summer at Coastal Discover Museum.
Binya: Faces ob de Gullah Geechee
Coastal Discovery Museum – Main Gallery
Now – July 9
Please join us during the final few weeks of the exhibition Binya: Faces ob de Gullah Geechee at the Coastal Discovery Museum. Featuring over 50 portraits and related objects from the 1920s to the present, this remarkable exhibition delves into varied stories of individuals from across the Gullah Geechee corridor. Recent acquisitions and commissions for the collection at the Coastal Discovery Museum are featured along with numerous loans from regional artists and collectors. A closing party will be held on July 8, featuring Gullah Geechee Fashion, Art, Music, Food, and Storytelling. Please visit https://www.coastaldiscovery.org/ for detailed information. The exhibition is open through July 9, 2023.
Nikon Small World
Coastal Discovery Museum – Sea Island Gallery; Now – August 20
A Stunning World Seen Through the Microscope
The Coastal Discovery Museum is delighted to host the exhibition of the 20 prize-winning images from the 2022 Nikon Small World Competition. Combining microscopy and photography, a photomicrographer is able to capture a glimpse of a world unseen by the naked eye. A photomicrograph may be of great technical significance and, at the same time, a sheer beauty to contemplate. This remarkable intersection of science and art inspired Nikon Instruments to create the Small World Competition in 1974 – and 48 years later, it remains the premier photomicrography competition in the world. From Small World’s very first winner to this year’s winning image, microscope techniques, equipment, optics, and software have changed dramatically. Improved techniques and tools contribute to solutions for complex biological and industrial mysteries, but there is much in the microscopic world that remains undiscovered. To view the complete collection of winning images from this year, go to www.nikonsmallworld.com.
Conservation in the Classroom Coastal Discovery Museum – Main Gallery
July 14 – September 10
The Coastal Discovery Museum is pleased to once again partner with area elementary schools for Conservation in the
Classroom, an environmental education experience that inspires and challenges students to take action and educate others about protecting our natural habitats. Now in its fourth year, this standard-based program culminates in an exhibition at the museum from July 14 through September 10.
Each school chooses from four themes, including shorebirds, sea turtles, dolphins, and horseshoe crabs. They then work with their classroom teacher and museum educators to learn about the species and the environmental issues that affect them, concluding with a hands-on project that merges science and art to bring that knowledge to life.
Coastal Discovery Museum gratefully acknowledges the support of The Bargain Box, Breedlove Foundation, and Palmetto Electric Trust for providing the support that makes this program possible.
Coastal Discovery Museum is located at 70 Honey Horn Drive, Hilton Head Island. Free and open to the public. 843-6896767. www.coastaldiscovery.org
We survived last week. Barely. And it looks like more blistering hot weather is coming.
Most of us live and work in air conditioned comfort, but our plants aren’t so lucky. Our lawns seem to survive OK, as long as they’re kept hydrated. But our leafy plants suffer terribly if they are in the sun. Leaf scald can occur in just a few hours. And it’s not likely that affected leaves will recover.
What to do about it? Not much, really, for in ground plants, but you can move those in containers to shady spots . . . if you can lift them and if you even have shady spots. We need to prepare for the climate change that these hot days portend and change the way we think about the way we plant our gardens.
July and August in the south are already brutal, but temperatures over 100 are becoming all too common. Water rationing during summer has come to many states and even Beaufort County has voluntary water restrictions several times a year.
Now I’m not recommending that you run out and pull up all your broad leaved plants and start a xeriscape garden, but remember the rule of thumb in gardening is: the smaller the leaf, the more sun it can tolerate, and the larger the leaf, the less sun it can tolerate. So plan the placement carefully.
‘Some Like It Hot” isn’t just a great movie, it’s the title of a gardening book by P.J. Garten that every southerner should own. I loaned my copy and never got it back so I ordered a used one from Amazon and there were darned few available! Buy one before they’re gone!
Plants that don’t gasp and die in sweltering heat and won’t inflate your water bill are the Salvias. These come in every color of the rainbow and there are those that bloom in spring, summer and fall. You can actually have a successful garden of Salvias alone. They are beloved by bees, since they all have the tiny flowers they prefer. Salvias, like most plants here, benefit from a midsummer haircut and deadheading to keep them blooming robustly and from getting leggy.
Several plants are known as Dusty Miller, but I prefer the perennial kind, which are in the Artemisia family. These silver leaved plants are wonderful foils between hot colors. “Powis Castle” and “Silver Mound” are two Lowcountry favorites.
I would add daylilies to the heat lovers list, but I would make sure they are near my back door because daily deadheading in 90+ degree weather is a necessary but unpleasant chore. Like their name, their beautiful flowers last only a day and look like wet tissues the next day.
Don’t forget to look into some small leaved shrublets. Mexican Heather, an annual or perennial, depending on the harshness of winter, can take the heat, but try not to place it
By Sandra Educate
where it gets our relentless sun for several hours a day. The more sun, the lighter green the foliage, but it will still bloom happily from spring until frost.
Serissa, also known as The Tree of a Thousand Stars, takes the heat beautifully. Its common name is misleading since it rarely gets more than three feet high, but keeping it pruned to about two feet will create a much bushier plant. The Thousand Stars part is right, though, as it is literally covered with tiny white or pink flowers all season long. Another bee favorite.
Almost any prairie plant is heat tolerant and requires less water. It’s so nice to see color in the garden when so many of your favorites stop blooming until the summer heat abates. And remember to mulch, mulch, mulch. Heat stroke is nothing to ignore. Even a small rise in temperature can increase your vulnerability to them. So lay in a goodly supply of sweet tea and enjoy your summer.
Sandra Educate is active in the local Master Gardeners Association and the Beaufort Garden Club, and she produces the annual Lunch and Learn series at the Port Royal Farmers Market. She loves strange and unusual plants and hates weeds. Sandra won’t give away her age, but takes her inspiration from Thomas Jefferson, who said, "though an old man, I am but a young gardener."
Serissa
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.
WANTED!!! Comics, movie/ tv/ and music memorabilia, books, magazines, manga, toys, old stuff, coins, playboys, collections of most anything. Fair negotiating. 410-980-6523
STAINED GLASS CLASSES IN BEAUFORT! Four hour suncatcher workshop with everything included. $175/student. (508) 280-9792
BEAUFORT COUNTY LIBRARY ONGOING PRO-
GRAMS & 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 Dance and once a month a 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 founded '02, meets Wed evenings at AMVETS on Ribaut Rd., Port Royal. Free lessons to members. The club is an ACSC, SOS, and the National Fastdance Association member. For info visit www. beaufortshagclub.com
WILDFLOWER FAMILY
THERAPY CENTER offers individual, couple, and family therapy for children, teens, and adults. Visit us at www. wildflowercenter.org
EVERY 2ND TUESDAY, SHARING HEARTS SUPPORT GROUP Come tell your 10-minute story of a life lesson or healing message using your own creative expression through 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 843525-6115 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 in the Beaufort area. All are welcome. No previous meditation experience needed. Please call Michael at 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
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.
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@
$25
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 10:00 am until 2:00 pm every Friday and every Saturday from 10:00 until 4:00pm 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 (706-6336192) 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 a wide range of 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.
THRESHOLD SINGERS OF THE LOWCOUNTRY A choir to ease and comfort people at bedside by offering gentle voices and sacred songs, with sincere kindness. Two to four singers go to bedside when asked and sing a cappella and in harmony. Practice at St. John's Lutheran Church the 2nd & 4th Sundays of the month from 2:30-4:00 pm. Our songs are our gift of service for no charge. Call Pat Keown at 843-4766073 to either join or ask us to sing for a loved one.
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 10am4:30pm 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 Join Shell Point Baptist Church Saturdays for “Celebrate Recovery”, addressing life’s problems and looking to scripture for solutions. Meal at 6pm; Praise and Worship at 6:30pm followed by Small Groups at 7:15pm. 871 Parris Island Gateway, Beaufort. Info at 843-592-1046.
By whom or by what had I been impelled to disrupt the normal course of my existence?” asked French anthropologist Claude Lévi-Strauss in 1955 as he struggled to understand cultures in the Amazon rainforests. I asked myself a similar question last week when my wife and I flew to Los Angeles to spend a few days with our son, daughter-in-law, and two-year-old granddaughter. Their house is thirty miles (seventy minutes by car) north of the Los Angeles airport—LAX in airport code, though anything but reLAXing. For a person from the Lowcountry, California can feel as foreign as the upper reaches of the Amazon did to Lévi-Strauss. Being there, even over a long weekend, requires adjustment.
My first afternoon, needing some air, I took a walk around the neighborhood. Our kids’ house is on a hill steeper than any natural or man-made elevation east of the Appalachians. Take a right out the front door, walk a few dozen steps, and you’ll be breathing like you just completed a 5-K personal best; go left and be careful not to trip and fall or you’ll roll half a block downhill, ending up in a yard of stone, cacti, and other fat succulents. Grass doesn’t do well here; those who insist on a green lawn install Astroturf, which they sweep rather than mow. It’s a quiet walk except for the occasional squawk of a magpie or the constant, low background hum, which is not the existential “ohm” but the ever-present noise from the nearby freeway.
We drove one afternoon through impressive, rocky hills to a park at Malibu Beach, where our granddaughter likes to climb and slide on playground equipment. While there I watched a shirtless guy, maybe eighty years old, doing pullups on a bar erected for that purpose. Around us in a long, asphalt loop whizzed younger men on electric scooters, seeming to imagine they were getting exercise. Later, down the beach at the busy Malibu pier, we mingled among people speaking half a dozen languages –I made out English, Spanish, Japanese, Vietnamese, either German or Dutch (the guy mumbled), and one or two others. Prices frequently caught my attention. Parking for an hour at the pier cost fifteen dollars; the lowest-grade gasoline was five dollars a gallon; and a bottle of “Two-Buck Chuck,” the wine known since 2002 for
costing two dollars a bottle, was $3.99. Our son says that for his house, which is a bit larger than ours but has a smaller yard, he pays one and one-half times more in property taxes in a month than we pay in a year. Of course, the nearby public school is top-notch. As for coming and going, flying is different from what I remember from my youth, not to mention from what cousin Orville experienced back in 1903, when he remained in the air all of twelve seconds. Dress for flying is more casual than it used to be. No longer does one see high heels and wingtips; now, it’s lots of uncared-for feet in flip-flops. Jeans and sweatpants are the norm, too. One maybe-eighteenyear-old woman had on shorts so brief that I could view parts of her anatomy that I had no wish to see. I got a sense that whatever money women under forty were saving on attire for the flight they were spending on dark eye shadow and fake lashes so long they had to wear their eyeglasses at the ends of their noses.
And haven’t cell phones blurred the long-respected line between public and private information? In the Los Angeles airport, as we awaited our (delayed) flight home, a man sitting next to me held long and loud conversations with medical personnel and family members about his brother, who the day before had suffered heart failure during a pickleball contest. I didn’t know whether to express my sympathy, which would have been civil, or to keep my mouth shut so as not to divulge that I’d heard every word of his conversation, as had a dozen others sitting around us.
Conversations differed as we awaited a connecting flight (also delayed) at the Denver Airport—DEN in the code, though not resembling anything I remember from Cub Scouts—where across from me a balding guy wearing slick gray pants, thin-soled loafers, Blue Tooth in ear, showed everyone nearby that he could mix metaphors better than good bartenders mix daiquiris:
“Bobby, it’s the whole nine yards. None of this half-a-loaf stuff.”
(Pause)
“Gino’s on board. I said he had to get with the program, take care of the nuts and bolts. He read my lips.”
(Pause)
“Nope. Not taking that route again. We do it cost-plus or we don’t do it.”
(Pause)
“Barry needs to massage the numbers, but it’ll fit. He’s all over Accounting,”
(Pause)
“Yeah, Jeremy’s interview was golden. I need to run him by Barry and Chuck, but he’s the real thing. A self-starter. Brings a lot to the table.”
(Pause)
“No, Bobby, no. Now, hey, let me share this with you. Your ears only. Kleinbeard’s over the hill. On his way out. Productivity’s down, alcohol consumption up. He was clueless at the Phoenix show. Didn’t have his samples; didn’t know the product. Having him on the road isn’t worth the Marriott points.”
(Pause)
Suddenly, an announcement about another flight delay, this one related to “thunderstorms at your intended destination,” jarred me loose from the
By Donald Wrightconversation. My situation of not arriving in Charleston until after midnight and having to drive on to Beaufort in the wee morning hours paled in comparison to poor Kleinbeard’s. Wherever he was, I was hoping somebody might buy him a drink. We got home at 3:45 a.m. and, ignoring the crackling serenade of tree frogs, slept like babies.
Donald Wright retired from SUNY-Cortland after 31 years as a professor of African history. He has authored of half a dozen books, held Fulbright, Rockefeller Foundation, and NEH Fellowships, and lectured in South Africa, China, and cruises along Africa's Atlantic coast. He lives with his wife, Doris, in Beaufort.
Tues - Sun: 11am-9pm
- Slim & Friends; Tuesdays - Fusion Jonez, Wednesdays - Grateful Dead Wednesday with The Reckoning; Thursdays - iLLA ZiLLA. 7/7 Check
Your Head - Beastie Boys tribute, 7/8 The Grateful Brothers - Grateful Dead, Allman Brothers tribute, 7/9 Oh He Dead, 7/12 Maxwell's Silver Jammer
- Beatles tribute, 7/13 Son Volt, 7/14 Sexbruise?, 7/15 Interstellar Echoes - Pink Floyd tribute, 7/16
Brent Cobb, 7/18 Duane Betts; Palmetto Motel, 7/21 Womz & Cartez of Futurebirds; Spencer Thomas, 7/22 Same As It Ever Was - Talking Heads tribute, 7/23 Mountain Grass Unit.
(843) 571-4343 or www.charlestonpourhouse.com
Windjammer, 1008 Ocean Blvd, Isle of Palms. 7/6 Flatland Cavalry; Pony Bradshaw, 7/7 The 502s; Under the Rug, 7/8 Doom Flamingo, Mat Kearney Acoustic Trio; Marc Scibilia, 7/9 Mat
Kearney Acoustic Trio, 7/14 & 7/15 Midnight City, 7/16 Randy Houser; Elizabeth Covington, 7/20 Moe, 7/21 Muscadine Bloodline. (843) 8868596 or www.the-windjammer.com
Foolish Frog, 846 Sea Island Pkwy, St. Helena Island. (843) 838-9300 or on Facebook
Luther’s Rare & Well Done, 910 Bay Street. (843) 5211888 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. Wednesday, Friday & SaturdayKaraoke. (843) 379-7676 or Rosie's on Facebook
Saltus River Grill, 802 Bay St, Beaufort. (843) 379-3474 or www.saltusrivergrill.com
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. 7/5 Marlena Smalls with The Lavon Stevens Trio, 7/7 & 7/8 John Lumpkin Quartet with Kristen Warren honor Women of Jazz, 7/12 Bobby Ryder, 7/14 & 7/15 Hilton Head Jazz Camp Faculty All-Stars, 7/19 Marlena Smalls with The Lavon Stevens Trio, 7/21 & 7/22 N0el Freidline & Maria Howell: Motown Reimagined. (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
The Music Farm, 32 Ann Street, Charleston. 7/7 Memphis May Fire; Norma Jean; Secrets & Paul, 7/8 Lo Monaco & the Talbott Brothers; Emily Curtis, 7/11 Crown the Empire; Varials, 7/13 Yung Pinch, 7/14 Charleston Metal Night with Metalraven; Smargle; Julia Legare; Severed by Dawn, 7/15 K-Pop Mixtape, 7/17 Del Amitri; Young Mister, 7/21 Reyes: Muestra Fiesta Dedicada a la Realeza de la Musica Latina, 7/22 Gamer Rave. (843) 408-1599 or www.musicfarm.com
The Pour House, 1977 Maybank Hwy, Charleston. Sundays - The Motown Throwdown, Mondays
Editors Note: Events listed here may be subject to postponement or cancellation. Please check for further information.
Now – 8/20, Jersey Boys: The Story of Frankie Vallie & The Four Seasons. The Tony Award winning musical sensation comes to the Arts Center of Coastal Carolina, 14 Shelter Cove, Hilton Head. For more information and tickets, visit www.artshhi.com
Mon 7/17, Comic Melissa Villasenor at the Arts Center of Coastal Carolina. A comedic impressions expert, she got her start on America’s Got Talent. Two shows: 4 pm & 7:30 pm. Tickets available at www.artshhi.com
Now – 7/22, Come to the Table, an exhibit of classical still life paintings by Denise Liotta DeMarzo at Art League Gallery. Located mid-island inside Arts Center of Coastal Carolina, 14 Shelter Cove Lane, Hilton Head, 843-681-5060. www.artleaguehhi.org
Now – 7/30, From My Imagination to Yours, an exhibit of work by Virginia Cassidy at the Society of Bluffton Artists gallery in Old Town Bluffton. For more information, visit https://www.facebook. com/ZenDenArtistry
Now – 8/20. A Stunning World Seen Through the Microscope, an exhibition of the 20 prize-winning images from the 2022 Nikon Small World Competition. Free and open to the public at Coastal Discovery Museum, 70 Honey Horn Dr, Hilton Head. www.coastaldiscovery.org
7/7 – 8/30, Simply Sea Islands, an exhibit of work by John Kenney at the Beaufort Art Association Gallery. Opening reception on Friday, July 7 from 5-8pm. www.beaufortartassociation.com
7/18 – 7/20, Halfway Home, an exhibit of Sea Turtle art at the Art League Academy. Closing reception on 7/20, 5-7pm. 106 Cordillo Parkway, Hilton Head. The exhibit and reception are free and open to the public.
Fri 7/7, Ruth Watson, author of A Right Worthy Woman, in conversation with Rebecca Bruff and Marilyn Harris at the Black Chamber of Commerce, 711 Bladen St, Beaufort, from 5-7pm. To register, visit https://anevening-withruthpwatson.eventbrite.com
Sun 7/9, NYT bestselling novelist Beatriz Williams at the Pat Conroy Literary Center at 2 pm. Williams will discuss her newest book, The Beach at Summerly. Books will be available for sale and signing. Seating is limited; call 843-379-7025 to reserve in advance.
Wed 7/19, Evening with novelist Kerry Peresta at the Beaufort Bookstore, in partnership with Pat Conroy Literary Center. Peresta will discuss The Torching (book 3 in the Olivia Callahan series) at 5 pm. 2127 Boundary St #15, Beaufort). Free and open to the public. Books will be available for sale and signing. Seating is limited; please call to reserve your spot: 843-525-1066.
Sat 7/8, Window of Hope Concert, Live inspiration and jazz music. Featuring Bessie Bates, Terry Herron, Mammies Band, Cool John Ferguson, Bam Bam, and the Bountiful World Choir. 5 – 7pm at USCB Center for the Arts. Admission: $25 for single ticket; $15 per ticket for groups of six or more. For tickets call 843-359-3407 or 843-476-2165.
Tuesdays, 7/11, 7/25, 8/8, 8/22, 9/5. Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra’s Jazz in the Park series. At 7:30 pm in Lowcountry Celebration Park. These concerts are free and open to the public. For more information, visit hhso.org or call 843-842-2055.
Sat 7/8, Maye River Quilters will meet at 10 am at Palmetto Electric Cooperative, 1Cooperative Way in Hardeeville. Social time begins at 9:30. To attend as a guest, email RSVP to mayeriverquilters@ gmail.com. For more information and for membership forms, call 843-705-9590.
7/14 – 7/23, 67th Annual Beaufort Water Festival in Waterfront Park. For a full schedule of events, visit www.bftwaterfestival.com
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 843-838-7437. Tours free are and park entry fees apply.
Second Friday, Beaufort Drum Circle 2nd Friday of every month. No experience necessary. All are wel-
come. Bring a chair and drum or other percussive device. If you don't have one, we have a bunch of extras. Facilitator Eric Roy will lead us in traditional rhythms and others 6:30 – 8pm, under the Gazebo in Waterfront Park. For more information visit beaufortscdrumcircle@gmail.com and check our Facebook page.
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 5:307:30pm. 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 sponsored by the Lady’s Island Garden Club. Meander through the historic Old Point neighborhood, enjoying some unique and noteworthy trees. The “walk” 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.
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
Derek C. Gilbert derek@dcgilbert.com
Melissa R. Wicker melissa@dcgilbert.com
Sam Bailey samuel@dcgilbert.com
843-524-4006
