MOD Society Magazine - Triad July/August 2023

EDITOR from the

Summer salutations, #marvelouslyMOD readers! It’s vacay season, and we have plenty of sunny vibes for you in this issue.

First up, our home feature takes you to beautiful Hilton Head, South Carolina, to a seaside retreat designed by our Points of View columnist, Lisa Johnson. Lisa worked with a longtime client to refresh the home with a coastal chic look that captures the area’s serene Lowcountry aesthetic. Then, we head to Raleigh for an exclusive tour of the North Carolina Executive Mansion’s gardens, led by First Lady Kristin Cooper. She shares how a snow day sparked a love of bird watching that led her to partner with the Audubon Society to fill the Executive Mansion gardens with native plants that attract multiple bird species.

Architectural designer and owner of SR Design Group Angela Schlentz shares a few of her favorite pieces to create a stylish kitchen and dining area in our designer column.

And you’ll love the fun, beachy boats from Palm Yachts. The Palm Beach-based company offers picnic boats in party-perfect pastel hues, topped with cabana-striped Bimini tops.

Our Book Club feature takes you to Key West, with the latest novel from Southern literary legend Lee Smith. Silver Alert tells the hilarious and heartwarming story of an elderly man and a young woman, both grappling with change as they transition to the next phase of their lives.

Facilitating life transformation plays a big part in Joy Nelson Thomas’ role as founder and executive director of Winston-Salem-based nonprofit LEAD Girls NC. The organization works within local schools and the community to equip preteen girls with the skills, confidence and support they need to become successful adults.

In Society Sightings, we take you to the nuptials of Greensboro couple Macy Thurmond and Jaxon Barber. And Society Sightings also has your ticket to one of High Point’s biggest social events, The Art Gallery at Congdon Yards’ Gala.

Clothes Whisperer Maribeth Geraci has tips for packing fashion essentials for summer travel. And Points of View columnist Lisa Johnson urges us to pay attention to the details to form a greater appreciation for beauty.

Putting this issue together has felt like a bit of a vacation for our team, and we hope it puts you in that same relaxed, sunny state of mind!

Jennifer Bringle, editor-in-chief

CONTENTS

EDITOR’S LETTER

Summer is here, and our editor is excited to get you in a sunny state of mind with this issue.

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PARTY PERFECT

We’ve found the cutest boats on the water, and we have the story behind how a sister duo went from lifestyle bloggers to the founders of Palm Beach Yachts.

LOWCOUNTRY LIVING

A repeat client challenges designer Lisa Johnson to refresh her Hilton Head, South Carolina, home with a kitsch-free coastal look. The results set the scene for stylish seaside relaxation and entertaining.

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ARCHITECTURAL ARTISTRY

Architectural designer and SR Design Group founder Angela Schlentz shares some of her favorites for upping the kitchen style ante.

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CLOTHES WHISPERER

POINTS OF VIEW

Designer and Shop on Blair owner Lisa Johnson implores us to pay attention to the details and find the beauty in every little moment.

CONTENTS

PLANTING A LEGACY

Take an exclusive tour of the gardens at North Carolina’s Executive Mansion with First Lady Kristin Cooper. She shares how a snow day inspired her to install native plants that draw multiple species of birds to the garden.

TAKING THE LEAD

Over the last seven years, Joy Nelson Thomas and her team at LEAD Girls NC have helped hundreds of preteen girls in Winston-Salem learn the skills they need to be successful adults. She tells us why this work is so important and how the community can help make it happen.

THE STORYTELLER

In our latest Book Club feature, we catch up with North Carolina literary legend Lee Smith, who tells us the inspiration behind her latest novel, Silver Alert The book tells the hilarious and heartwarming story of two people on the precipice of great life changes.

SOCIETY SIGHTINGS: TAG GALA

The annual gala for The Art Gallery at Congdon Yards is one of the biggest social events in High Point. Enjoy the sights from the festive soiree.

SOCIETY SIGHTINGS: THURMOND-BARBER WEDDING

4 0 4 6 62 MOD SOCIETY JULY/AUGUST MMXXIII | 13

LOWCOUNTRY LIVING

SA vacation home isn’t like any other home. It has to capture the owner’s tastes and aesthetic while also reflecting its surroundings, whether that setting is the mountains, beach or a bustling city. It should offer a sense of calm and ease, and create an atmosphere where its inhabitants can relax and escape the stress of daily life.

That’s exactly the goal Lori White and her family had for their Hilton Head, South Carolina, beach house. They’d owned the home for years and wanted to give it a refresh to better represent their current tastes. And Lori knew exactly who to call for that update: Lisa Johnson of Lisa Johnson and Co., and Shop on Blair.

Lisa and Lori have enjoyed a long working relationship, with the former having updated the latter’s primary home in Clemmons, North Carolina, in recent years. For the Hilton Head abode, Lisa tackled it in two phases with the goal of creating a space conducive to relaxation that combines the feel of the coast with the family’s personal aesthetic.

But Lisa was careful to keep those coastal notes subdued to avoid seashell overload.

“I try to create a palette that establishes a warmth of casualness with a nod to what’s outside the door,” she says. “But I don’t think we have to have coral and waves in every room.”

Lisa also approached the project with her signature style of mixing vintage and antique pieces with new additions.

“Antique or vintage items add character and one-of-a-kindness to a house,” she says. “And the way that they constructed furniture in the past was different — they made it timeless and lasting. So, I always start a project by trying to find those pieces that have been loved in a great way and are also perfect for the project.”

That ethos shows up throughout the home, both in main rooms and smaller spaces. In a walkway between the family room and breakfast area, Lisa paired an antique wooden console with an eye-catching carved geometric pattern with contemporary art and modern lucite lamps topped with bold blue-and-white patterned shades.

A similar tableau appears in the foyer, where Lisa placed a large, vibrant vintage art piece above a contemporary table holding pieces of oversized coral from Lori’s personal collection. Just as in Lori’s primary home, art plays a major role in the beach house’s design. “We definitely brought in a lot more art,” Lori says. “We wanted to take the artwork up several notches.”

In the breakfast room, a large painting serves as the focal point for the space. The piece, by artist Sally King Benedict, was commissioned for the home, with the artist drawing on the color scheme Lisa put together for the furnishings and accessories.

“Within the painting there are multiple faces, and the center point is a palm tree,” Lisa says. “She took everything that we had talked about, and she put it very boldly into a piece of art, which I thought was great.”

Lisa outfitted the rest of the room with a table the family already owned, along with chairs upholstered in beach-friendly performance fabric and a Palecek chandelier that casts dappled light onto the ceiling at night. Another lamp in the corner adds a touch of coastal whimsy — a woven floor lamp by designer Mario Lopez Torres featuring a cockatoo perched beneath its shade.

In the main living area, an open-frame staircase afforded Lisa the opportunity to create another moment with a bar cart in the nook beneath the second level of stairs.

“I love the stairwell — the architectural essence of it is so cool, and I love that it’s open,” Lisa says. “Because you can see through every step, we made a point of putting something interesting to look at at every point.”

The bar cart sits conveniently adjacent to the main living room, a light, bright space with a serene blue palette punctuated by pops of verdant green. A soft blue sofa and chairs upholstered in leafy green fabric seem to reflect the natural shades outside the front door. A waterfall stool upholstered in green-and-blue speckled Scalamandre fabric connects the two colors while adding a touch of fun to the space.

“I found that waterfall stool and said, ‘Lori, I love this stool.’ And she’s like, ‘Oh, I don’t know,’ and I said, ‘You gotta trust me on this,’” Lisa says. “So, we put it in this fabulous Scalamandre fabric, and I think it’s the thing that ties the room together.”

To keep the light, airy feel, Lisa added acrylic side tables made in North Carolina and a vintage lucite coffee table with a top made of cracked lucite. And above the sofa, a mirror with a golden sun pattern adds a subtle, beachy feel.

“I think it just kind of sets the tone, and it’s the sunshine in the room,” Lisa says. “There’s a perfect example of putting elements in that you would see at a beach, but it’s not so cliched.”

Upstairs, the bedrooms were also refreshed, along with an extra dose of art. In one sleeping area, Lisa made minimal changes beyond adding a floor-to-ceiling installation of vintage color block art.

“That art is what made the room feel new,” she says. “Sometimes you can keep what you have, maybe change your pillows or one fabric, and adding art can make you feel like it’s all new again.”

In another bedroom, Lisa added new linens from the Schumacher and Matouk Linens collection, in a blueand-green floral pattern that carries the home’s main palette into the space. And new art, such as a bold abstract in blues, greens, browns and corals, joined pieces from Lori’s existing collection, but with a twist.

“I took all the art down and acted like I never knew where it was before,” Lisa says. “And then I re-hung it to create a new look for the room.”

In another bedroom, Lisa added abstract pop art by Ron Giusti, whose work also hangs in Lori’s Clemmons home.

“She loved it so much that we brought a couple of Ron’s pieces for her home away from home,” Lisa says.

A dark blue nightstand between the room’s two beds also holds a large clamshell that was a special gift from Lisa to Lori.

“That is an antique Faberge shell that I was lucky to find,” Lisa says. “I wanted to give Lori something special, and I found that shell and thought, ‘That’s perfect.’”

With a beach house, indoor-outdoor living is a must, so Lisa made sure the covered patio exuded the same sense of comfort and style as the interior of the home. A generous sectional provides plenty of room for reading, chatting or watching golf on television. And curtains made of the same performance fabric covering the furniture allows the family shade if the sun gets too bright, as well as protection from bugs or rain.

“We tried to just make that area warm and welcoming,” Lisa says. “It’s a comfy place where they can sit, put their feet up, have a cocktail in the evening or have coffee in the morning.”

The use of performance fabrics throughout the home allows the family to have spaces that are not just beautiful, but also functional, even at the beach.

“They’re very sand- and water-friendly,” Lori says. “And we have dogs coming in and out, so it helps to choose performance fabrics.”

For Lori, working with Lisa again felt like consulting an old friend with great taste who understands exactly what you like. And with a project such as a beach house several hours away, that relationship made what could have been a much more complicated process simple and enjoyable.

“I think we put together probably 20 different fabrics and probably 40 pieces of art in about two hours,” Lori says. “She just knows my style. She knows what I like, and she presents selections that are simple for me to make a decision on. So, it is just easy.”

– Jennifer Bringle, editor-in-chief

Regarding the Home...

DESIGN: Lisa Johnson

Featured Home Photos

Cover Breakfast Nook

Pages 14-15 Living Room

Page 16-17 Front Porch

Page 18 Staircase

Pages 19 Foyer

Page 20-21 Bedroom

Page 22-23 Bedroom

Page 24 Bedroom

Page 25 Bedroom (top) Hallway (bottom)

Page 26 Covered Patio

Lovely Light

Arteriors’ Mia pendant light boasts nearly 100 strips of upholstered banding that create soft, filtered illumination.

Right Up Your Galley

With multiple serving boards, the Galley Workstation makes it easy to prepare, cook and serve meals.

Transcendent Tile

Brass Beauty

Schaub’s Northport round knob in signature satin brass adds elegance to kitchen cabinetry.

All Aglow

Napa Outdoor’s Alden lantern creates a touch of light for dining table centerpieces.

Top Notch

Finished with Grothouse’s pigmented oil in Nera, this walnut countertop shows the beautiful intricacies and imperfections of the wood..

Bar None

Essentials for Living’s Tapestry barstool brings coastal style to any kitchen or dining space with a mahogany frame and neutral rope-weave details.

Created by interior designer Michael Berman, the Studio Modern tile collection for Walker Zanger is made with ceramic and stone and inspired by classic Art Deco and Hollywood Regency motifs.

Soicher Marin’s jungle heron and jungle macaw giclee on paper paintings add a lush look to kitchens.

Welcome to the Jungle Clearly Chic

The classic shapes of these clear glass decanters have a modern edge. Each vessel’s neck is cut at an angle and topped with a solid glass globe stopper

Turn the Tables

A solid marble top and tapered wood base create the clean-lined silhouette of the Theodore tables by Arteriors.

In Bloom

Thibaut’s Japanese Garden wallpaper, part of its Pavilion collection, makes a statement in this dining area.

Cool Cabinets

Cuisine Ideale’s custom cabinetry features a portofino mitered door produced from solid walnut with a natural finish.

SR Design Group founder Angela Schlentz knows kitchens. The architectural designer has specialized in upgrading kitchens and bathrooms for several decades. During that time, she has learned how to create spaces that are functional, fashionable and worthy of their place as the heart of the home.

Photo courtesy of Thibaut, Inc.

PARTY PERFECT

photography courtesy of palm yachts

In punchy colors and with plenty of panache, Palm Yachts offer a fashionably fun way to enjoy the water with family and friends.

It started with a blog. Two sisters, Beth Beattie Aschenbach and Danielle Norcross, wanted to share their favorite aspects of one of their most-beloved places, Palm Beach, Florida. So in 2012, they launched “Palm Beach Lately,” a travel and lifestyle blog capturing the stylish vibe of the posh seaside locale.

“From the whimsical hotels and homes to the delicious restaurants and lovely boutiques, we always find inspiration around every corner of Palm Beach,” they said. “What started with our love of fashion, home and travel has transformed into our own fresh vision for Palm Beach style.”

Fast-forward a few years, and “Palm Beach Lately” has become much more than simply a blog. The sisters have transformed their hobby into a lifestyle brand, with collaborations with such names as Vineyard Vines, Serena & Lily and The Colony Palm Beach hotel. And the sisters have lent their signature Palm Beach style to another venture: Palm Yachts.

Palm Yachts offers brand-new 17-foot custom hull or fully restored center-console Boston Whaler boats,

customized in cotton candy hues of pink and blue, plus mint, yellow, navy and dark gray options. Each boat includes a coordinating cabana-striped Bimini top to shade boaters with style.

Designed for picnics, island hopping and other festive pursuits, the boats also come equipped with Yeti coolers, a stereo, accent lighting and plenty of USB ports to keep phones charged and playlists running. Each boat seats six people, plus the captain.

Palm Yachts are available for local charters in the Palm Beach area, but if you’re not heading to Florida, you can still enjoy the pint-sized party vehicles. The company also sells its yachts for $60,000 each.

For Beth and Danielle, Palm Yachts is just another way to share the style and fun-loving atmosphere of the place they love.

“We love collaborating with others to bring new experiences and products to those who love sunshine,” they said.

– Jennifer Bringle, editor-in-chief

CLOTHES WHISPERER

This summer will be one of the busiest travel summers on record. Near and far, on planes, trains and automobiles, we are on the move.

Whether packing for short or long trips, we want simple, versatile clothes that mix and match, take up little room in our suitcase and, of course, travel well. But where do you begin when choosing what goes and stays to ensure you look and feel your best in your travel wardrobe?

I start with fabrics. Lightweight tech fabric pants that can be washed in a sink if necessary, in black and or navy, can easily be dressed up or down. Add a lightweight blazer, along with several tops in cotton, linen or knit — they can add a pop of color and pattern. You’ll also want one simple dress for going out to dinner that you can change up with a scarf or jewelry. And a good walking shoe, along with a nice flat or wedge, complete your looks.

You don’t want to overpack. It’s a nightmare when you take too much. I always lay out everything on my bed that I’d like to take and edit down. When it’s all laid out, you can see better ways to coordinate outfits and not take as much.

There are exceptions, of course, depending on the type of travel. Destination weddings for example, a safari or a high-end cruise that requires black tie for dinner will require you bring more options. And for a beach trip, you might add shorts and definitely your swimsuit and cover up. These suggestions are a bare-bones starting place for most trips. While you want to be prepared, just remember: You can shop when you get there!

– Maribeth Geraci, DressCode Style www.dresscodestyle.us

POINTS OF VIEW

PAYING ATTENTION TO THE DETAILS CAN HELP YOU FIND BEAUTY IN YOUR LIFE.

“The true secret of happiness lies in taking a genuine interest in all the details of daily life.” I love this quote from William Morris and believe in its simple truth.

William Morris was one of the founders of the Arts and Crafts movement, a poet, an artist and one of the most significant textile designers in history. He was a man who valued beauty, and I like that about him.

Appreciating beauty by taking a genuine interest in every detail requires that we be present and wholly, sincerely engaged. I try to challenge myself daily to not worry, to practice mindfulness and most importantly, to be present.

At times, this is natural to me. When doing a consultation where clients need expertise, I easily focus on giving them my all so that I exceed their expectation to give them thoughtful advice. In turn, when there is a confluence of demands, expectations and outcomes both personally and professionally, I tell myself to let go of what must be and see what is, which brings me happiness.

When we hold our attention to the present, we begin to see all that is around us, and in this we can discover more happiness. I find happiness by grounding myself in contentment to a moment, a place, a person — not desiring more but celebrating what is. I’ve learned, sometimes the hard way, that happiness is a state, not a trait. Happiness isn’t permanent, but rather a feeling.

Happiness energizes me and how it relates to my job — creating beauty in a home for myself and my clients. It’s very satisfying to receive a message from a client that they are elated with the outcome of a project. My reply is always, “I’m happy that you’re happy.”

So back to the William Morris quote. Taking a genuine interest in details provides me with clarity on happiness. Do what it takes to lean in and pay attention. I think the devil can be in the details, but the beauty can be found there, as well.

Lisa Johnson, Lisa Johnson & Company LisaJohnsonCo | Shop on Blair

LEGACY PLANTING A

North Carolina’s First Lady Kristin Cooper has opened the Executive Mansion as a sanctuary for native plants and birds. She traces her passion for flora and fauna to a pivotal moment as a mother of three young daughters.

“I had always loved birds, but it wasn’t until I was snowed in with my young family one winter that I became really interested in them,” she says. “I received a window feeder for Christmas, so we would watch for the birds and identify them with a book when we grew tired of movies. The birds cured our cabin fever during that snowstorm.”

Kristin brought this enthusiasm as a birder to the Executive Mansion in downtown Raleigh. The mansion’s property was transformed after the Audubon Society reached out to her with an idea for a native plant garden to support North Carolina birds. That partnership and the subsequent garden installation has led to the planting of more than a thousand native plants onsite.

Some of Kristin’s favorites include the Golden Alexander — which hosts black swallowtail butterflies — coneflowers, black-eyed Susans, goldenrods and a native sedge that is not invasive like the popular liriope plant.

As part of the initiative, Kristin has also planted several native trees, including longleaf pines, magnolias and even a palm tree. A large, thriving muscadine vine pre-dates Kristin.

“North Carolinians enjoy muscadine grapes in Welch’s juice, and the birds enjoy the berries,” she says.

“The mother vine is in Manteo. It’s been there for 400 years and is enormous.”

Kristin says the plants benefit the birds in unexpected ways.

“What many people don’t realize is that insects are birds’ main food,” she says. “When you plant something native to your environment, you attract many species of insects for birds to eat.”

Dozens of bird species have now flocked to downtown Raleigh.

“Our neighbors have noticed the birds. One even stopped to share how they’ve noticed a different sound on their walks due to the current variety,” Kristin says. “It makes a difference. It increases our desirable wildlife.”

In addition to delighting in the garden, Kristin keeps a close eye and ear to the ground to ensure the wildlife thrives.

“Bluebirds are among the few birds with eggs the same color as their bodies, so bluebirds lay blue eggs,” she says. “But this year, I was puzzled to find a clutch of pink eggs in their nest. As it turns out, there’s a rare phenomenon I’ve never seen in the 20 years I’ve raised bluebirds where their eggs are occasionally white or pinkish. I’ve seen hundreds of eggs in their nests, but I’ve never seen this before.”

Though Kristin credits the Audubon Society for their partnership in making the native plant garden a

reality, she also gives a nod to Dottie Martin, who lived at the Executive Mansion decades before her. Dottie served as First Lady of North Carolina from 1985 to 1993 and was the first to champion a garden on the grounds. She worked with the Junior League of Raleigh and the N.C. Association of Nurserymen to establish a Victorian rose garden that remains today.

“I hope this honors her legacy,” Kristin says. Kristin has inspired North Carolinians of all ages to participate in their natural environment through the garden. Many local garden clubs have volunteered on site, and the Executive Mansion offers garden tours for children and adults.

For those interested in taking the first step at a native plant garden of their own, Kristin points to the Audubon Society as a go-to resource. She also suggests starting with something familiar, like a dogwood, redbud or magnolia tree, or to consider her favorite Golden Alexander plant.

“Birds are very important to our ecosystem, and many are under stress,” she says. “North Carolina is a really good state for native plants because of our climate. We have the ability to grow an enormous variety. Things love growing here.”

The snow-day beginnings of Kristin’s enthusiasm for nature comes full circle as she reflects on how more people work from home than ever before.

“During the early days of the pandemic, we hosted a Zoom garden tour,” she says. “There was national interest. People are home more. Suddenly, it matters what’s growing outside your window. My own children, for example, think gardening is more important, and in general, more people are gardening.”

The effect of the native plant garden at the Executive Mansion can be heard, seen, felt, tasted and smelled. For First Lady Kristin Cooper, this legacy is worth chirping about.

– Meredith Martindale

LEAD TAKING THE

Joy Nelson Thomas has long had a passion for empowering girls. When she was a student at Salem College, she helped mentor and raise a family friend’s daughter through high school. The experience gave her insight into the plight of some girls who don’t have the support of family or friends to help them grow.

“I saw what it is like when kids are falling through the cracks, when they don’t have support systems in place,” she says.

After that experience, Joy began doing research about socioeconomic mobility in Forsyth County and found that many young girls were in similar situations, growing up without the support or resources to position them for success as adults.

Seven years ago, Joy walked away from her fulltime corporate career to found Learning Everyday Accomplishing Dreams (LEAD) Girls NC (leadgirls.org), a Winston-Salem-based nonprofit focused on providing the tools and resources that low-income and at-risk preteen girls need to become productive citizens and active leaders in their communities.

LEAD Girls NC has partnered with Winston-Salem/ Forsyth County Schools to conduct its eight-to-10-week workshop series at area middle schools. The organization also hosts community-wide workshops which are open to any middle school student and held at the group’s downtown office.

“We work very closely with principals to identify challenges in their schools because we know every school is different,” Joy says.

During those workshops, girls participate in dialoguefocused sessions that engage them in deep thinking and facilitate active communication about challenges, as well as goals. LEAD Girls NC participants learn ageappropriate financial literacy, explore potential career paths and pick up academic success skills. The program also works to cultivate a desire to give back to the community through service projects.

Joy says the program goes beyond practical skills to nurture the girls and help them navigate social obstacles they may face at school, home or online.

“We know there are lots of challenges as we think about things like body shaming, bullying and communicating effectively with authority figures,” she says. “So we address all the skills that we need to be good learners and leaders in school and the community.”

Each year, LEAD Girls NC collects data about its participants’ experiences in the program, and this data allows Joy and her team to tailor the curriculum to address current and changing needs.

“We are collecting data year after year, and one of the things that we see often is understanding the importance of responsibility and consequences,” she says. “That is key for our girls to understand that the things we do have consequences, whether they’re good or bad.”

Along with its workshops, LEAD Girls NC also hosts a Fashion Entrepreneurship Camp each summer. The camp has been so successful that the organization extended it to a second week this year. The camp offers girls a “Project Runway”-like experience, where they launch their own businesses, creating designs and learning how to market and sell their finished products. The budding fashion entrepreneurs then model their creations on the runway at Winston-Salem Fashion Week in September.

“The beautiful thing about the Fashion Entrepreneurship Camp is that it exposes girls to the different sectors of fashion and design,” Joy says. “When you look at design, you see how everything intertwines, from creating products to selling and marketing them. And now you see design, and you think about conceptualizing couches and fabrics and all these different things that intersect. Camp allows us to introduce girls to business.”

Joy says that experiences such as Fashion Entrepreneurship Camp prepare young girls not only to do well in school, but also after they graduate and go to college or enter the workforce.

“This generation is going to be the next leaders, the next CEOs, the next employees,” she says. “It is really important to make sure we are equipping this next generation with the right tools to be successful.”

Joy says the work LEAD Girls NC does can’t happen without the support of the local community, which has been generous with both time and resources. And for those who want to get involved, she says there are a variety of ways to support the organization, from donating items such as snacks and feminine products to monetary assistance to simply offering time as a volunteer.

“We always strive to try to expose girls to things that will interest and inspire them, so whether you work in graphic design or merchandising or a bakery, we’re interested in bringing that experience to our girls,” she says. “Our girls want to do a wide variety of things, so there’s always that possibility of donating time and being a champion in this work for the next generation of leaders.”

Seven years after taking the leap to start this organization, Joy has seen LEAD Girls NC grow from a little over 60 participants to nearly 400. And as she continues to grow its reach, she sees the investment she, her team and all of LEAD’s supporters make as one that will pay dividends in the greater community for decades to come.

“Young women are the future of our community, and we want to empower them to have the confidence and leadership skills so they can be the best versions of themselves,” she says. “When you look at investing in our youth, that is good for everyone. Because whether they go to college or not, they are the future employees at lots of companies in this area. And just making sure that those employees have the skills to succeed will be critical to the growth of our region.”

– Jennifer Bringle, editor-in-chief

THE Storyteller

LEE SMITH, NATIONAL BESTSELLING AUTHOR

Lee Smith knows how to weave a yarn. The author of more than a dozen acclaimed novels, multiple short story collections and a memoir, Lee has cemented her status as one of the modern South’s greatest storytellers. She adds to that legacy with her latest book, Silver Alert, which made its debut earlier this year.

The book alternates between the perspectives of two main characters: Herb, an elderly man living with his Alzheimer’s-stricken wife in Key West, Florida, and DeeDee, a young woman trying to turn her life around while working as a nail technician. Herb hires DeeDee to do his wife’s nails, and she soon becomes an invaluable part of the couple’s life.

The couple’s family plans to move them to an assisted living facility, but Herb rails against this and hits the road in his Porsche with DeeDee in tow.

Lee found inspiration for the story during a trip to Key West with her husband, writer Hal Crowther, both of whom live in Hillsborough, North Carolina. As the couple drove north from the island, they saw an illuminated billboard across the highway with a Silver Alert, a notification system for missing elderly people. The alert identified a car the missing person might be driving, a Porsche, which piqued Lee and Hal’s interest. “We started getting really interested and making things up, kind of who he might be and where he might be going,” Lee says. “And by the time we saw it for the third time, my husband just hit the wheel and said, ‘You go, guy!’ Because we’d made up this whole story that it was some old guy, and they’d taken his car away and were trying to put him in assisted living.”

Lee says many of her stories come to her this way — interesting little moments that she builds into a larger tale. “Because I am a writer, I’m always looking for stories,” she says. “I don’t make them up so much as I find them. And if you’re looking for them, you will find them everywhere.”

To create her main characters, Lee relied on a mix of imagination and research. For Herb, she drew from personal experiences with family and friends to capture the difficult transition for a once-robust man in his 80s to move with his ailing wife from their home to an assisted living facility.

“I’m almost 79, and so many people I know are struggling with what’s next, and your family wants you to do such-and-such, and you don’t,” she says.

“It’s something I have been following with a lot of my friends, and it’s on my mind.”

The DeeDee character also has roots in Lee’s own story, as both hail from the Virginia mountains. This Appalachian upbringing plays an important role in many of Lee’s books, which are often set in the region. For DeeDee — a 23-year-old woman who has escaped an abusive childhood and sex trafficking to find a new life in Florida — Lee also drew inspiration from work she’d done to help women and girls in similar situations.

“I am appalled by the problem of trafficking,” she says. “And I’ve worked with two different places that do the type of rehabilitation that DeeDee experienced. I did a benefit for a very similar place in Nashville, and I worked with some girls at a similar place in Maine.”

Silver Alert is the second of Lee’s books set in Key West, following her novella Blue Marlin, which was published in 2020. She says the island has become a frequent destination for her and her husband, both for vacations and literary events. During those trips, she has become intimately acquainted with the city as a lush and quirky backdrop for her stories.

“I’m a person for whom place is enormously important. I have to completely visualize the story as if it were a film,” she says. “It was a place my parents loved, too, and it’s the kind of place where you have the sense that anything can happen.”

And while the story of Herb and DeeDee is fiction, Lee says she hopes their tale will help readers better understand those facing the same challenges of these characters.

“I hope that they come away with a greater depth of compassion for my characters for sure, but particularly for older people,” she says. “People who were aging and suddenly being thrown into situations that they never thought they’d have to deal with and all the problems that can come with that.

“And I wanted to have a character like DeeDee and let her make it. I just love her from the bottom of my heart. She’s a person of endless goodwill and good intentions who has been treated very badly by the world. But she’s going to make it finally.”

– Jennifer Bringle, editor-in-chief

Triad’s Finest

Chances are you’ve seen our stunning blue-and-gold Triad’s Finest signs decorating the area! Led by Kristen Haynes, an industry expert with more than a decade of experience, Triad’s Finest Real Estate is committed to delivering exceptional service and personalized guidance to make your real estate journey a memorable one. With our team of experienced professionals, we provide outstanding service, deep market knowledge and a personalized approach to every client. We embrace innovation and utilize cutting-edge technology to make everything as seamless as possible. From virtual tours to advanced market analysis, we leverage the latest tools

to empower you with valuable insights and assist you in making informed decisions.

Triad’s Finest Real Estate serves the entire Triad and High Country of North Carolina. Through our partnership with eXp Realty, Triad’s Finest Real Estate has a worldwide network of professional agents to recommend if you are or someone you know are relocating.

Whether it’s downsizing or relocating, buying or selling, we are here to help you with your real estate needs!

– Kristen Haynes, Triad’s Finest triadsfinest.com or 336-209-3382

SOCIETY SIGHTINGS

photography by aesthetic images photography

TAG Gala

The annual The Art Gallery (TAG) at Congdon Yards Gala and Art Auction is a lively mix of art, food, drink and music and serves as the unofficial kickoff to spring in High Point. More than 400 friends and art lovers gathered in TAG’s beautiful new space in Congdon Yards to support the nonprofit visual arts organization. This year’s event was a feast for the eyes with artwork from 60 artists, along with more than 100 silent auction items generously donated by local businesses.

TAG is the premiere nonprofit organization in High Point dedicated to the visual arts and offers exhibitions and educational opportunities for creative engagement for the entire community. Proceeds from the gala help underwrite TAG’s programming, including a full lineup of summer camps for kids. TAG also has a robust schedule of adult classes and workshops which will be expanded soon with the opening of a clay studio. For more information, visit www.tagart.org or call 336-887-2137.

Molly Keenan (Gala Co-Chair), Donna Cumby (Gala Chair), Stephanie Beaver (Board President), Kathy Rohrbeck, Jeff Horney (Executive Director), Sara Beth Davis, Lin Amos, Courtney Best, Emilee Brigman & Lee Nunn

Donna Cumby (Gala Chair), Molly Keenan (Gala Co-Chair)

Dusty & Kay Maynard

Mary Powell & Marc DeLille

Kimberly Combs, Braxton & Ashley Culler

Heath Slane & Angel Coleman

Stephanie Ross, Ivey Orr, Nan Yates & Mary-Lynn Moore

Andy & Anne Bills

Rena & Mark Norcross

Buck & Nan Kester

Laura Amos & Susan Culp

Caryl & Ben Adams

Terrance & Dorothy Johns

Katy Danahy & Melissa Hamilton

Lyall & Will Moore

Elizabeth & Drew Weaver

Katherine McMullan, Will Armfield, Maria Zimmerman & Cindy Armfield

Michael & Madeline Amos

Claire & Jeff Horney

Cindy Jarrell, William Hendrix, Katherine & Henry McMullan, Maria Zimmerman, Ginger Somers

SOCIETY SIGHTINGS

Thurmond-Barber Wedding

Macy Thurmond and Jaxon Barber were married on September 25, 2022. Macy, a native of Greensboro, North Carolina, is the daughter of Drs. Sherman and Rhonda Thurmond. Family and friends gathered for the nuptials at Board and Batten in Lexington, North Carolina.

The bride wore a full-length white gown with a v-neck, lacetrimmed and beaded bodice with capped sleeves. Her veil and train flowed behind the flounced full skirt, creating the illusion of floating on a cloud. The bride’s attendants wore identical silver-gray satin gowns held by single shoulder straps with the skirts open to the knee at the side seam.

Following the ceremony, the couple enjoyed a cocktail hour and a coffee cart from Union Coffee. The reception was then held with a formal dinner, followed by music and dancing. The evening’s festivities ended with the ecstatic couple sharing a private last dance and a sparkler send-off.

Aura Marzouk Lake Photography and CV Creations captured and preserved the romantic scenes from this memorable event.

photography by aura marzouk lake photography

The bridesmaids

Macy with Dad & Mom

The send-off

Just

The happy couple