MOD Society Magazine: Triad July/August 2024

Summer Issue MMXXIV

Greensboro, High Point and Winston-Salem’s Curated Lifestyle & Design Magazine

LAKESIDE LIVING

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T ENTS LIVING 14 LAKESIDE Patti Allen and Stephanie James of Allen + James Home help a couple create

a colorful and comfortable retreat on the shores of Smith Mountain Lake.

Learn how they outfitted the abode to host large gatherings of family and friends.

STYLE 28 SEAWORTHY Designer Terry Lowdermilk takes us aboard one of his most distinctive designs—a sailboat owned by two longtime clients. See how Terry worked with space constraints and sea conditions to create a floating sanctuary.

BUSINESS 40 AKairaBUZZING Wagoner loves bees. And she has dedicated her career to protecting

these valuable insects through a scientific discovery that helps beekeepers improve the heath of their hives. She shares how her invention works and why it’s so important.

THAN A BEACH READ 52 MORE In her latest book, The Saddest Girl on the Beach, North Carolina author

Heather K. Frese explores love and loss against the backdrop of the Outer Banks.

She explains how her connection to the barrier islands helped her tell a story of grief and growth.

LEGACY 56 LIVING For generations, Washington Street in High Point served as a hub of business

and activity for the city’s Black residents. Now the Washington Street Historic Preservation Society is working to preserve that history and revitalize the area for generations to come.

ART OF CRAFT 62 THE At the Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts (MESDA) at Old Salem,

casual visitors and researchers alike find one of the most comprehensive collections of Southern decorative arts in the nation. We take you on a tour and highlight some of the museum’s most important collections.

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from the EDITOR Welcome to our summer issue, #MarvelouslyMOD readers! The long, sun-soaked days have me in the mood to lounge by the water, and this issue certainly delivers on that.

Our home feature takes you to the picturesque shores of Smith Mountain Lake in Virginia, where the team from Allen + James Home revamped a lake house designed to host large family gatherings. Designers Patti Allen and Stephanie James share how they created spaces that are as comfortable as they are stylish.

And all aboard for our look inside a sailboat designed by Terry Lowdermilk Interiors. Terry takes us below deck to see how he appointed the boat’s cabin to feel like a home away from home for his longtime clients.

Summer is also bee season, and Greensboro scientist Kaira Wagoner knows the importance of these tiny insects. After studying their behavior for more than a decade, she developed a product that will help beekeepers improve the health of their hives and promote plant pollination.

During summertime, I love visiting museums and enjoying other learning opportunities, and we have two for you this issue. First, we go to the Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts (MESDA) at Old Salem in Winston-Salem. This gem houses the most comprehensive collection of Southern decorative arts and related research sources in the country.

Then, we follow in the footsteps of centuries of African Americans in High Point on the city’s African American Heritage Trail along historic Washington Street. Phyllis Bridges, who helped found the Washington Street Historic Preservation Society, tells us why learning about the past can lead us to a brighter future.

Just in time for beach read season, we have an interview with Raleigh author Heather K. Frese, whose new book, The Saddest Girl on the Beach, explores love and loss amid the backdrop of the Outer Banks. Heather shares how the North Carolina barrier islands played a pivotal role not only in her life, but also in the lives of her characters.

As you enjoy all that this time of year has to offer—vacations, barbecues, cocktails on the patio—I hope this issue of MOD Society enhances your summer experience. Until next time!

Jennifer Bringle, editor-in-chief

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LAKESIDE

Living

“This is a family-driven house, and they wanted all the brothers, sisters, cousins, children and grandchildren there for the summer.”

– Patti Allen

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When Earle MacKenzie decided to purchase and revamp a waterfront home on Smith Mountain Lake in Virginia, he knew exactly who to call to help design its interior. Patti Allen and Stephanie James of Allen + James Home in High Point had assisted Earle in staging several investment properties at the lake, so he knew they could help him and his wife appoint their vacation home.

“They very efficiently and quickly helped me select furniture for and stage spec homes, and it went so smoothly that when it was time to do our own house, I had no question who we’d call,” Earle says.

Earle’s wife Glenna, who has since passed away, lived with chronic disease that required the use of a wheelchair. But that didn’t stop her from being a major part of the design process, working with Patti and Stephanie on the color scheme, furnishings and accessories for the home. “(Patti and Stephanie) were just so wonderful,” Earle says.

“We went down to High Point twice, and they took Glenna in her wheelchair through a number of locations, asking her what she liked—what patterns and colors and lamps.”

And she gravitated toward cheerful, bright colors and patterns that infuse a sense of joy and fun into the home’s rooms.

“We have fun with the color when clients really want to step out of the box,” Patti says. “A lot of people want to play it safe.

And she didn’t—she wanted to go for it. That was her.

She loved colorful clothes and was a very fun person.”

That aesthetic really shines in two of the guest bedrooms.

One features a warm coral pink wall color set off by a bed upholstered in a large-scale floral fabric in punchy hues of teal, pink, green, orange and coral. Pillows of varying patterns in that same palette rest upon pale salmon pink bedding, and white window treatments with a small teal pattern and multicolor tape along the edges tie it all together.

“We would just present them with a palette of colors, and then we selected the fabrics,” Patti says. “You can use different geometrics and prints together, and we always like to mix three or four different fabrics in a room.”

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That same palette shows up in another guest bedroom, this time with teal as the anchor color.

Patti and Stephanie used a solid on the walls, as well as a pattern in teal-and-white wallpaper on one wall. Patterned pillows and draperies complete the look.

A similarly vibrant palette carries into the downstairs rec room and game area. The space, which opens directly to the backyard and lake, offers a casual-yet-sophisticated setting for relaxing with family and friends. The Allen + James team outfitted the room’s furnishings in performance fabrics from Thibaut, including two coral, patterned textiles on chairs, a blue-and-white geometric on a large ottoman that also serves as a coffee table and a multi-colored stripe on a small bench.

“I always tell the story about the big table on the screen porch, because they were just relentless in finding what I wanted,” Earle says. “I kept saying, ‘I want something that’s big enough for 12 to 15 people.’ And they kept saying, ‘Earle, that’s a very big table.’ But they kept working until they found it, and it was perfect.”

Every bedroom

“

is special, and he wanted to make sure every bathroom had a lot of color – that was truly important for them.”

The interior dining room also features a large table surrounded by white bamboo-style frame chairs with blue upholstered seats. High-back chairs in a colorful floral fabric that also show up in the keeping room off the kitchen get pulled up to the ends of the table.

“They wanted those largescale tables in all their areas because they have big family gatherings,” Patti says.

But the family doesn’t just gather around the table.

“They’re coming in from the water To accommodate large in that room, so having durable groups, Patti and Stephanie – Patti Allen fabric was important to them for outfitted both interior and that space,” Patti says. exterior living rooms with In the game area, white walls and furniture stand generous furnishings that invite guests to relax out with pops of vivid color. A deep teal paint on and linger. the interior wall of the built-in bookshelves and In the interior living room, a bank of floor-toan eye-catching coral-and-white patterned fabric ceiling windows offers a spectacular view of the on chairs around a bridge table add a dash of lake, and the designers pulled those natural shades excitement to a space designed for fun. of the water into the room with blue-and-white “They have the bridge table for cards, but it also serves as secondary dining seating,” Patti says.

“This is a family-driven house, and they wanted all the brothers, sisters, cousins, children and grandchildren there for the summer.”

And that’s certainly evident in the home’s dining areas. An outdoor dining space on a covered porch boasts a massive, custom table surrounded by stylish blue-and-white woven chairs.

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patterned upholstery on several plush chairs.

A white-frame sofa gets a classic nautical look with oversized navy cushions. And softer aquas and teals appear on lamps and vases.

Patti and Stephanie offset all that blue with a rug bearing the same coral-and-white pattern that appears on chairs around the game table and throw pillows in coral floral fabrics.

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“We used a lot of coastal collections, which they gravitated to,” Patti says. “They were very classic in their style.”

That coastal vibe carries over to the covered porch seating area, which offers a bird’s eye view of the lakeshore below. The designers reflect that scenery with furnishings in a natureinspired palette of blues and greens. A massive woven sectional with navy cushions piped in white gently curves around a corner of the space, providing room for large groups to relax and enjoy the view. Several large swivel rockers with plush cushions allow visitors to join the conversation or gaze at the water.

“We used Summer Classics furniture and performance fabrics from Sunbrella,” Stephanie says. “That porch is right off the primary suite, so it gets a lot of use, and they wanted it to be very comfortable.”

While the style and look were important, Earle says he and Glenna wanted the home to be a place where everyone could feel comfortable and not worry about spills or sitting on furniture in wet bathing suits.

“We told them when we started that we wanted it to be elegant, but in a casual way,” Earle says. “And we wanted it to be a place where people didn’t feel uncomfortable sitting on a chair. So, virtually all of the materials and the fabrics are Sunbrella or something similar, so if something gets on it, we just clean it off.

And I’m not worried about my grandkids or my great-nieces and nephews coming to visit.”

That idea of the home being open to large gatherings of family guided the entire design process, from the furnishings to customizing the bedrooms for each family member.

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loved

“What we about Patti and Stephanie was they listened so well and gave us exactly what we would have done if we could have done it ourselves.

We couldn’t have been happier.”

– Earle MacKenzie

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Stephanie James Allen + James Home

Patti Allen Allen + James Home

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Summer Issue MMXXIV

Greensboro, High Point and Winston-Salem’s Curated Lifestyle & Design Magazine

“The premise of the house was to have all his family members there all summer, so they made a lot of bedrooms,” Patti says. “Every bedroom is special, and he wanted to make sure every bathroom had a lot of color—that was truly important for them.”

Earle says he had 17 people at the home over Memorial Day weekend, and he loves welcoming extended family to spend time together by the lake.

He says the home functions exactly as he and his wife envisioned, and he credits Patti and Stephanie for making that vision a reality.

“I’ve worked with other designers, and the thing that I love about Patti and Stephanie is that they actually listen,” Earle says. “Oftentimes you get a designer, and they have in their head what they want to do, and it’s just so hard to work with them because they’re not listening. What we loved about Patti and Stephanie was they listened so well and gave us exactly what we would have done if we could have done it ourselves. We couldn’t have been happier.”

– Jennifer Bringle, editor-in-chief

LAKESIDE LIVING

MOD Society Magazine Greensboro, High Point, Winston-Salem Vol. 6 No. 4 ON THE COVER Allen + James Home PUBLISHER MSM Media, LLC Kathryn Field EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Jennifer Bringle Editor@yourMODsociety.com CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Whitney Brockman Marisa Faircloth, PA-C COPY EDITOR Jennifer Weaver-Spencer DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY Micciche Photography CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Sara Brennan Aura Marzouk Lake LAYOUT AND DESIGN Crystal Staley DIGITAL AGENCY The Buzz Effect ADVERTISING Advertising@yourMODsociety.com

Regarding the Home...

HOMEOWNERS: Earle and Glenna MacKenzie DESIGNERS: Allen + James Home

Featured Home Photos Cover Covered porch Pages 14-15 Living room Pages 16-17 Outdoor dining room Page 18 Dining room Page 19 Sitting room Page 21 Game room Page 22 Bedroom Page 23 (top and bottom) Bedroom Page 24 Patio Page 25 Backyard

TRIAD Greensboro, High Point, Winston-Salem

yourMODsociety.com Triad.MODsocietyMagazine #marvelouslyMOD MOD Society Magazine is published six times a year by MSM Media LLC. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the written permission of the publisher. ©2024.

CERTIFIED REFORESTED

For each edition of MOD Society Magazine, trees are planted as part of the PrintReleaf program.

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SEA

Worthy STYLE “We tried to do some things that would be a little unexpected because they really wanted it nice—they wanted it to feel like home.”

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When two of interior designer Terry Lowdermilk’s longtime clients Meredith and Alan Clark decided to buy a sailboat, they wanted the vessel to have the same sense of style and comfort that permeates their primary and secondary homes. So, they turned to Terry from the outset to ensure their boat would be just as beautiful and comfortable as the other abodes he designed for them.

“We tried to do some things that would be a little unexpected because they really wanted it nice— they wanted it to feel like home,” Terry says.

Meredith and Alan had their boat custom built in Germany, and they enlisted Terry to help choose finishes, flooring, cabinets and countertops in the boat’s cabin, which includes three berths (bedrooms) and two bathrooms, as well as a living area and a kitchen.

From there, the couple tasked Terry with outfitting the space in the same way he would a traditional home, while accommodating the sometimes unconventional specifications of a boat cabin.

“Meredith told me, ‘I want beautiful art, I want beautiful pillows, I want beautiful bedding,” Terry says. “The beds on a boat are an odd shape, so we had custom sheets to fit those beds. And my seamstress in Pleasant Garden made all the pillows for the beds, sofa and upstairs areas.”

The pillows lend a pop of color and pattern, as well as comfort, throughout the boat. And while they have multiple patterns and trims, the pillows all adhere to a sophisticated coastal palette of blues, greens and white.

“We wanted a color scheme that would be light and fresh so that the boat wouldn’t feel claustrophobic,” Terry says.

Terry selected fabrics from Scalamadre, Stroheim, Pindler and Thibaut for pillows, using mostly indoor textiles in the cabin and more durable outdoor fabrics on the deck lounges.

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“I let the upper deck fabrics help guide us in color because I was a little more restricted by what’s available in outdoor fabrics,” he says. “From there, we pretty much did blue and white on the upper deck, and then below deck, we started adding green into it.”

Those colors also appear in artwork that adorns the walls throughout the boat’s cabin. To accommodate the art, Terry says he carefully measured all the wall space, giving the dimensions to the artists who custom painted each piece. And to hang the pieces, the Clarks worked with a company in Savannah, Georgia that specializes in art and decor installations on boats.

“When the boat starts rocking during a storm or choppy water, everything has to be firmly attached,” 32

he says. “And they also have to stow the decorative things in the kitchen, so we have places for them to tuck these things away.”

Terry also incorporated rugs designed to stand up to the rigors of life on the water while also providing an additional level of comfort and style.

“We had some beautiful outdoor carpeting made into rugs,” he says. “For their primary berth, we custom cut the carpet to fit that space, and then we added a few different rugs in the living area. It’s nice to be able to utilize beautiful products like that.”

Making the most of the available space was another consideration of Terry’s design. On the bow of the boat, for instance, he added cushions and pillows to create another space for relaxing by the water.

“We had cushions made to go in that area that you can lie on, and then we added the big pillows to lean against,” Terry says. “It’s just a great place to be outside, sunbathing with friends, that kind of thing. It was a fun use of that space.”

Terry says this was his first boat design project, and while it certainly presented some challenges in terms of square footage and finding materials that stand up to the rigors of being seaside, he says he saw it as simply another living space.

“To me, it’s just another interior,” he says. “I looked at it like I would any other interior job: What are the parameters? What is my budget? What are the colors and style? There was a slightly different approach, but the basic tenets of the design were the same.”

– Jennifer Bringle, editor-in-chief MOD SOCIETY SUMMER ISSUE MMXXIV |

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a buzzing BUSI N E S S

Kaira Wagoner has always loved nature. As a kid, she became really interested in animals and their behavior, which led to a study abroad trip to Kenya while she was a student at Guilford College.

After graduation, Kaira worked on a project that helped local potters create filters to make unsafe river water safe for drinking. But then her mentor on that project contracted malaria from a mosquito in Nigeria and passed away. That death proved to be a turning point in Kaira’s life.

“I decided to go back to grad school to study malaria-carrying mosquitoes,” she says. “I got my master’s studying that, and that got me really interested in insects.

But I knew I wanted to study a beneficial insect for my Ph.D.” That led Kaira to UNCGreensboro, where she began studying honeybee health.

During her Ph.D. research, she identified a chemical associated with unhealthy baby bees that alerts the adult bees to the presence of sick babies.

“Bees have hygienic behavior, and adult bees patrol the colony to determine where there’s a problem,” Kaira says.

“There’s a wax cap over each baby bee’s cell, and the adults can smell a problem through the cell, take the cap off and remove the sick baby from the colony.”

This sacrifice allows the bees to circumvent potential disease outbreaks and maintain the health of the colony.

“Hygenic bees can reduce viruses and parasites to improve the chances that the colony will survive,” Kaira says.

Kaira pinpointed the pheromones that allow bees to smell illness in other members of their colony and developed a test that allows beekeepers to assess how well a colony responds to disease. That allows them to better determine which colonies need pesticides to eliminate viruses and parasites.

“And it also helps beekeepers breed better bees,” Kaira says. “It allows you to breed honeybees to be disease-resistant so we can get away from unsustainable reliance on chemical pesticides.”

After years of research, that discovery led Kaira to found—along with beekeeper Phoebe Snyder— Optera and its pheromone-based bee testing tool, UBeeO. UBeeO allows beekeepers to measure the natural disease detection of some bees to better protect their hives.

Optera and UBeeO come at a time when the importance of bees to ecosystems and food production has become more widely known.

Bees play a critical role in pollinating crops, with data from Clemson University estimating that bees contribute an estimated $20 billion to the value of United States crop production annually. Some crops, including almonds, blueberries and cherries, rely almost completely on honeybee pollination.

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“The estimates that I’ve heard are that one in three bites of food we eat are thanks to a honeybee or bee,” Kaira says. “There are so many foods that make our diets and meals interesting that we wouldn’t have if we didn’t have healthy bees.”

Kaira says that currently, bee colony loss rates are around 40 percent annually in the U.S. So, improving honeybee health could potentially increase the amount of food produced each year.

“We’ll have more colonies available for pollination services, and that will improve crop production,” Kaira says.

While UBeeO is now available to beekeepers, Kaira continues her research into bee behavior, looking for potential links between diseased honeybees and other native pollinators.

“We know that honeybee diseases actually spill over into native pollinators like bumblebees,” she says. “They share resources—they visit the same flowers, and viruses can be left on the flower by a honeybee and picked up by a bumblebee, and vice versa. So, if we have healthier

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honeybees, that may have positive implications for the health of native pollinators, as well.”

Kaira says that as UBeeO becomes more widely available to beekeepers, she hopes her discovery can make a positive impact not only in insect communities, but also in food production. And as she looks back at the decade-plus of research and work that has gone into bringing UBeeO to the market, Kaira says she never would have guessed that this interesting little scientific discovery could lead to something with such a potentially great impact.

“It has been a long time coming, and it’s actually really exciting because it’s something that was built from this fundamental science,” she says. “We had no idea that this was going to turn into something that could be applied and useful to beekeepers. It’s amazing that it has evolved into this potentially global phenomenon that could help reduce costs for beekeepers, improve food security and crop pollination for farmers and consumers, and of course, improve honeybee health.”

– Jennifer Bringle, editor-in-chief

SOCIETY SIGHTINGS photography by aesthetic images

TAG Gala The annual TAG (The Art Gallery at Congdon Yards) Gala and Art Auction, a lively mix of art, food, drink and music, is the unofficial kickoff to spring in High Point. This year’s event was the most successful ever with more than 450 art enthusiasts gathering in TAG’s home at Congdon Yards to support the non-profit visual arts organization. The event offered a feast for the eyes with artwork from more than 60 artists, along with more than 140 silent auction items generously donated by local businesses.

Jeff (executive director) & Claire Horney, Kate & Wylie Hutchison

TAG is the premier nonprofit organization in High Point dedicated to the visual arts. It offers a wide variety of art exhibitions and educational opportunities for creative engagement for the entire community. Proceeds from the gala help underwrite TAG’s extensive programming, including a full lineup of summer camps for kids. TAG also has a robust schedule of adult classes, including instruction in clay in the new pottery studio. Plans are underway for the opening of a gallery store in early fall. For more information, visit www.tagart.org or call 336-887-2137.

Emily Ragsdale, Mason Ward, Courtney Best (board member)

George Lindner, Mary-Lynn & Dudley Moore

Nancy and Lin Amos (board president) 46

Ann & Charles Cain

Haleigh Sexton (gala co-chair) & Molly Keenan (gala chair)

Charlene & David Spencer

Mary Powell & Mark DeLille

Leslie & Iv Culp

David Thompson & Kimberly Crews Gayle Lambeth & Susan Wood (both board members)

Kathy (board member) & Steve Rohrbeck

Suzanne & Bill Lowe (presenting sponsors)

Jeff Horney (executive director) Stephanie (board member) & Mike Goldman

Richard & Ivey Orr

Elizabeth (board member) & Drew Weaver

Jimmy Keever & Elizabeth Johrendt

Dana East, Melody Burnett & Nancy Bowman (all with Visit High Point)

Jane Dagmi & Frank Leyon

Kris Flynt & Lee Ross

Edgar & Heather (board member) Cross

Allie & Joe Blosser

Hunter & Megan Oglesby

Nan & Rufus Yates

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SOCIETY SIGHTINGS photography by aesthetic images

Cain-Speed Wedding Olivia Cain and Josh Speed met in Charlotte, North Carolina, in November 2021 on a blind date at what is now their favorite restaurant, and the rest is history. After Josh proposed at the end of their hike up the path leading to Moses Cone Manor, a little over a year later he and Olivia were married on a beautiful fall day in her hometown of High Point. Olivia, her sisters and the rest of the bridal party dressed for the wedding ceremony at her childhood home in Emerywood. At 5:30 p.m. at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, Olivia walked down the aisle in her timeless Suzanne Neville dress accompanied by her dad. The church sanctuary was adorned by beautiful bouquets of baby’s breath arranged by Grassy Knoll.

Olivia Cain

The bridal party 48

The bride and groom arrived at the Emerywood Country Club with their bridal party in a trolley for an entertaining and cheerful evening of dinner and dancing. They danced their first dance to the song “Everything” by Michael Bublé.

The Infinite Soul band performed late into the night with a packed dance floor full of Olivia and Josh’s friends and family. Olivia wore her grandmother’s mink wrap as she and Josh exited the club under a cloud of flower pedals tossed high by their friends, bringing a perfect ending to their dream night.

The ceremony

The happy couple

The first dance

Happily ever after...

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Where Art Meets Science

BY MARISA FAIRCLOTH, PA-C

In my opinion, the best providers for injectables and medical spa treatments have vast experience and are rarely motivated by profit. That’s why Restoration MedSpa’s staff is composed of highly trained artists who understand anatomy and facial balancing. We are in the business of building confidence, and we want every patient to leave our practice feeling great about themselves. Our goal is to exceed your expectations!

How do we do it? We start by asking questions. We want to make sure we understand your needs and wishes. I tell my patients, “I am happy when you are happy.”

Often patients come to us with requests about specific treatments without having knowledge of what produces the best results. We help you shape your plan to ensure you get the best possible outcomes. It’s never a good idea to treat one feature without considering the entire face. Facial enhancements should actually enhance, not detract, from your overall look.

That’s one of the reasons our patients trust us. They also know we stay ahead of the latest aesthetic innovations.

We research industry trends and technologies to determine what is worthwhile before rolling anything out.

If you’re ready to explore treatments that are right for you, schedule your complimentary consultation today with the only BBB Torch Award recipient provider in the region at 336.999.8295 or visit RestorationMedSpa.com.

ABOUT MARISA FAIRCLOTH, PA-C Marisa is the author of Empowered by Beauty: A Testament for Unleashing Confidence. She’s also the owner and chief practitioner at Restoration MedSpa in Greensboro and Winston-Salem. A sought-after Forbes speaker, Marisa is an industry leader and the Triad’s No. 1 non-invasive cosmetic procedures provider. She has dedicated more than 40 years of her healthcare career toward aesthetics. She is credentialed as a Master Level Injector with Allergan, ranking Restoration MedSpa in the top 250 among 40,000-plus medical spas nationwide.

HEATHER FRESE: WINNER OF LEE SMITH NOVEL PRIZE

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MORE than a BEACH READ As a kid, author Heather Frese spent many summers vacationing with her family on North Carolina’s Outer Banks.

A native of Ohio who now lives in Raleigh, she treasured those sundrenched days by the sea, forming core memories that would one day inspire her writing.

The Outer Banks served as the backdrop of Heather’s first book, the Lee Smith Novel Prize-winning The Baddest Girl on the Planet. Heather revisits Cape Hatteras—along with the characters from her first book—in her latest novel, The Saddest Girl on the Beach.

The book focuses on Charlotte, a college student from Ohio who escapes to her family’s favorite vacation destination in the aftermath of her father’s untimely death. Bunking with her friend Evie’s family, who own an inn on Hatteras Island, Charlotte attempts to come to terms with the loss of her father.

The similarities between Charlotte and Heather go beyond their shared home state. The author also lost her father at a young age and struggled with the grief of losing a parent too soon.

subject in a nonfiction essay. After crossing that first bridge, she began thinking about the loss and her grief in the framework of fiction.

“I started to think about what ifs, such as what if this happened to this character who I kind of already knew a little bit, Charlotte,” Heather says. “And I thought, ‘What if she was younger and in this more vulnerable stage of her life than I was in my late 20s?’”

In the book, Charlotte decides to take a break from college after her first semester to distance herself from the reality of her father’s death. While her mother and brother carry on in Ohio, Charlotte spends her days in Hatteras, working at the inn, helping her friend navigate an unexpected pregnancy and venturing into ill-advised flirtations with her friend’s brother and her cousin’s exboyfriend, Michael.

“What’s going to bring Charlotte out of her deeper sense of grief ? And she turns to leveraging her sexuality in a way that makes her think of other things—it’s something that snaps her out of it,” Heather says. “And if she can focus on this, it’s almost a coping mechanism, although not a healthy one.”

“His death was one of those dividing lines where everything changes,” she says. “And you’re trying to figure out who you are without this foundational person in your life, trying to regain some sense of equilibrium.”

That relationship with Michael begins innocently, with the two bonding over the book, How to Read a North Carolina Beach, by scientists Orrin H. Pilkey, Tracy Monegan Rice and William J. Neal. Charlotte and Michael text passages of the text—which offers a scientific view of the constantly changing Outer Banks—as almost a metaphor for what’s happening in their lives.

Heather lost her father just as she entered graduate school for creative writing, and at first, she found the loss too difficult to write about in her classes. But then she says she couldn’t not write about it, and tackled the

Heather says a friend loaned her the book while she worked on revisions to The Saddest Girl on the Beach, and she immediately realized the scientific tome had an oddly significant connection to the story she was telling.

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“I was just so taken with how strangely poetic and metaphorical the science was, yet it was straight-up science telling you how this works,” she says.

The state of seemingly constant change that defines the Outer Banks —with storms and flooding reshaping the landscape year after year—became a means of Charlotte finding her strength in the overwhelming grief after her father’s death.

“There’s a really strange dichotomy with the Outer Banks—it’s so fragile, and it has this impermanence,” Heather says. “It takes a beating, but these barrier islands are also protective, and they’ve been around for thousands and thousands of years. And Charlotte notices that.”

As she spends month after month on the island, weathering harsh winter nor’easters and the isolation of the off-season, she begins to see Hatteras beyond the rosy lens of her vacation memories. Heather says she experienced that same transition from tourist to local when she moved to the island to live and work for a time.

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“It becomes just the place where you live, and you become a bit immune to the beauty because you see it all the time,” she says. “And that’s what happens to Charlotte— this is her favorite place in the world, and she thinks going there will heal her grief, but then reality sets in.”

And that’s the beauty of The Saddest Girl on the Beach.

While the coastal setting and sunny cover—not to mention truly hilarious moments courtesy of Charlotte’s bestie Evie—may lead you to believe it’s yet another frothy beach read, the book offers readers something deeper and ultimately more satisfying.

“I don’t want to scare people away with the grief,” Heather says. “But at the same time, how many of us have not experienced some kind of grief ? It’s a real human condition, and it’s part of what connects us.”

– Jennifer Bringle, editor-in-chief

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Living

LEGACY As a child growing up in High Point, many of Rishaunda Moses’ fondest memories were formed in the businesses and homes lining Washington Street. Rishaunda’s great-grandfather opened a funeral home on Washington Street during the 1940s, and she spent her summer days going between the Carl Chavis YMCA and her family’s business.

“I grew up on that street,” Rishaunda says. “There was a candy lady on the street. You could walk up and down in that area, you could go to the library, and children were safe. So the hub of a lot of my summer days and even after after school was right there on Washington Street.”

So when local historian and High Point resident Phyllis Bridges approached Rishaunda to join the Washington Street Historic Preservation Society, she jumped at the chance to help preserve the legacy of the area that played such an important role in her and her family’s history.

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“We really just wanted to see the economy of the area come back up,” Rishaunda says. “We definitely want to preserve the history—original architecture is important, but it’s more about the people and the stories. Those of us who spent any time in that area, we remember what a supportive and protective community it was for us growing up.”

Phyllis, Rishaunda and a group of Washington Street property owners founded the Washington Street Historic Preservation Society in 2019 with the goal of preserving the history of the area, as well as catalyzing its revitalization. Since then, they’ve earned a historic designation from the city of High Point protecting the

an African American Heritage Trail. The trail includes nearly a dozen sites, such as the Blair-Coltrane House, where legendary jazz musician John Coltrane grew up, along with Greenhill Cemetery and the site of the former Kilby Hotel & Arcade.

“Not only was it a hotel, but it also was a safe haven for Black travelers during segregation,” Phyllis says. “It was also one of those designations listed in the Green Book, which was like a phone directory for African Americans for traveling during the segregation era.”

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historical integrity of the area. The designation creates guidelines for what can be built in the neighborhood, and serves as a guide for restoration and preservation of existing historical structures.

“Washington Street was on the National Register (of Historic Places), but no one went forward to take that additional step to protect those structures,” Phyllis says.

“So we came up with a mission, our purpose, and how to move forward, and it just took off from there. But getting that local designation was top priority.”

Along with the historic designation, the Washington Street Historic Preservation Society also established

To commemorate that and other lost pieces of Washington Street history, Phyllis applied for a grant through her nonprofit, Yalik’s African American Art and Cultural Center, to start placing historical markers at the sites.

The markers play a role in the Washington Street Historic Preservation Society’s larger goal of not just protecting historic structures, but telling the stories of the people who lived and worked in the neighborhood.

“When you understand the stories, you’re better able to understand the history and learn from the past,” Phyllis

The Washington Street Historic Preservation Society also partnered with the High Point Museum to include African American Heritage Trail sites on their app, and Phyllis says the next step for the trail includes raising funds to purchase a trolley that will provide tours of the area for locals and visitors alike. She says this kind of programming can play an important role in the current revitalization efforts happening in High Point.

“I want this to be a learning tool that educates people on African American history in a way that is comfortable,” Phyllis says. “And this educational piece can help with tourism, too.”

Phyllis’ next big project for the area involves building a new arts and cultural center on the site of the former First Baptist Church, which was razed in 2015. The facility will house not only galleries and performance space, but also a museum dedicated to honoring the legacy of the historic church.

“We’ve already got a church robe, pulpit chairs and photos that people wanted to share with us,” Phyllis says. “This will be part of the growth in High Point that also touches on its history.”

And for both current and former Washington Street residents such as Rishaunda, the work of the Washington Street Historic Preservation Society serves as a connection not only to history, but to family and friends who called this street home over the last century.

“It makes me feel so connected to them and the important, hard work they did for generations to make it here,” she says. “I love seeing families reconnect on Washington Street, and I love seeing people feel like Washington Street is a safe and supportive place for them to be again.”

Y O U R M O D S O C I E T Y. C O M

says. “If you’re going to tell the story, you have to tell the whole story and not just focus on one piece.”

– Jennifer Bringle, editor-in-chief

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ARTof CRAFT Decades ago, the idea of studying early Southern decorative arts seemed laughable. Scholars and collectors dismissed or ignored Southern antiques for much of the first half of the 20th century. But avid antique collectors Frank L. Horton and his mother, Theodosia “Theo” L. Taliaferro knew those people were wrong.

Those collections include a vast array of important pieces, such as the earliest surviving piece of Southern furniture, a court cupboard made in the mid-1600s in Jamestown, Virginia. MESDA’s Gallery of Southern Ceramics holds an impressive collection of works by enslaved potters from the Edgefield District of South Carolina.

Inspired by a burgeoning movement to honor these decorative craft traditions that began gaining steam in 1949 in Williamsburg, Virginia, Frank and Theo envisioned something similar in Winston-Salem.

After a generous donation secured a former grocery store building in Old Salem for a museum, Frank and Theo loaned their collections to what became the Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts (MESDA). The museum opened in 1965, funded by an endowment from Frank and Theo.

“One of the most iconic objects is a large jar that was made by David Drake in the 1850s,” Johanna says.

“David Drake was an enslaved potter who knew how to read and write, which was unusual at that time in South Carolina. He inscribed many of his jars, sometimes with just his name or his name and a date. But ours has his interpretation of a Bible verse from Revelations.”

In the years since, MESDA has become far more than a museum full of antiques. The facility houses some of the most well-preserved examples of pottery and other works by enslaved people, and it honors the craftsmanship and traditions of Southern makers dating back to the 1600s.

“We have about 2,500 pieces that are on on exhibit in the collection, everything from furniture to silver to paintings and pottery, along with paper books, needlework, quilts,” says Johanna Brown, chief curator and director of collections, MESDA. “And then we have several hundred more pieces that are in storage, partly because some things such as textiles can’t be on exhibit all the time because they are sensitive to light.”

Johanna says these pieces tell a story beyond their simple decorative or utilitarian purpose. They afford MESDA visitors with a glimpse into everyday life in the past, and highlight the artistry of everyone from simple Moravian carpenters to enslaved people.

MESDA also has separate galleries exhibiting works from different regions of the South. Johanna says this allows visitors to see the individual stories of each area— the way people lived, the influences on their work, etc.

“It really gives you the opportunity to look at how distinct the stylistic elements of different regions are and how they change through time,” she says. “For instance, you’ve got the Chesapeake and Charleston, South Carolina, which are coastal, and they were much more stylish because it only took as long as a boat to cross the pond for those styles from Europe to get there.”

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MESDA goes far beyond just displaying examples of Southern craft. The institution has built a reputation as a research center for students, scholars and collectors.

The museum houses a research library and rare book collection, and offers a host of digital databases and other resources to assist those who want to learn more about early Southern decorative arts.

“One of the things that Frank Horton did from the beginning was secure funding for the research program,” Johanna says. “So we had people going out into the states MESDA represents, looking for examples of works from that region, taking photographs and measurements, documenting family histories, and since then we’ve digitized that information.”

MESDA also conducts a summer program for graduate students, which includes an intensive fourweek study of the traditions of one specific Southern region. Johanna says many of the students come back each summer to study the other featured regions.

And the museum also offers seminars and other learning opportunities for the general public, focusing on everything from silverware to furniture.

“We’ll bring in outside speakers and have a tour of the collection, and you don’t have to be an avid collector or scholar to enjoy these programs,” Johanna says.

Johanna says these programs help visitors see beyond the objects in the museum to the people and cultural traditions behind them. And they challenge people to look past the craftsman who created a piece and consider all those behind them who made that work possible.

“We try to look at all the different stories an object can tell, and in doing that, it helps us not only understand that particular object, but also how we see ourselves in society today,” she says. “So with a quilt, it’s looking at not only the materials and techniques, but also the family dynamic that had to occur for a woman in the 1800s to have time to make the quilt. Who’s taking care of the children and preparing meals? Probably an enslaved person. So it helps us look at things from a different perspective.”

– Jennifer Bringle, editor-in-chief

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YOU BELONG HERE.

YOU DESERVE THIS.

What types of classes can someone find at Neighborhood barre?

What is trending in health and fitness right now?

We offer classic barre classes as well as barrebased Strength and barre-based HIIT formats.

Our barreSTRENGTH formats have become really popular during the last two years and our hybrid classes, which we just launched, combine two of our formats in one session.

According to the reported trends, people are looking for group exercise, mental wellbeing, strength training and low impact formats.

There was a time when at-home workouts were having a major moment but now, people are craving group interaction and a sense of community support. And there are so many benefits delivered from group exercise, beyond the exercise itself.

What are the benefits of barre fitness?

Barre offers clients a low-impact yet highly effective workout that targets all areas of the body in 50 minutes or less. It’s a perfect modality for the busy woman on the go who has limited time to fit in a workout. Barre fitness is especially great for women in their 40s and older, because the low impact exercises performed do not lead to an over stimulation of cortisol production, which can actually result in muscle breakdown and a slower metabolism.

Clients will find that the variety of classes offered at NB deliver a cross-training experience where one can build strength, improve flexibility and posture, as well as have access to low-impact cardio, all in one studio.

Parallel with the reported trends, our strengthbased and hybrid classes have become really popular at our studio. Our hybrid classes offer clients the opportunity to experience the best of two barre fitness formats in 50 minutes or less.

And just search “strength training” and you will see that it’s all the rage right now with so many benefits!

You Belong Here Here at NB, we pride ourselves on clients feeling welcome. We believe everyone belongs here.

We believe everyone deserves to take care of themselves in a stress free environment.

Whitney Brockman, Studio Owner and Certified Instructor, NEIGHBORHOOD barre Greensboro MOD SOCIETY SUMMER ISSUE MMXXIV |

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