Washington: The Magazine-January/February 2015

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015WAshiNgtoN, NoRth CARoliNA

Washingtona weddingdestination

Weddingbells

WASHINGTONT h e M a g a z i n e

Blissfulweddingbites11

a beautiful beginning to

your life together

Visit our site to download a copy of the Washington Wedding Guide!

Weddings in Little Washington, NC

Look no further than Little Washington for your wedding, where you’ll find everything you need for an unforgettable day. Our historic venues and unique settings are perfect for weddings of all sizes and styles.

Little Washington also offers an abundance of activities to keep your guests entertained: paddling on the Pamlico River, touring the expansive historic district, exploring the NC Estuarium, or simply perusing the galleries and boutiques.

Learn how to make your Little Washington wedding the event of a lifetime: visit www.LittleWashingtonWeddings.com or call: 800-546-0162

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FEATURES & DEPARTMENTSin

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The VenUeWedding destination Washington:A one-stop shop for that memorable day

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On The COVeRCarly Phillips Duguid had both a traditional, and non-traditional Washington wedding in May of 2014. Read about it in A Special Day, on page 25.

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Publisher’s Note

The Scene

Advertiser Index

Cast a Line

Dining Guide

Word on Wine

Calendar

Why I Love Washington

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in eVeRY iSSUeShOPPingA matter of tradition:Selecting the perfect wedding gift

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A special day:All weddings are perfect in their own special way

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Blissful bites:Celebrate wedding season with these tempting tidbits

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Cutting the cake: Illustrating style and design in slices

32The CaKe

The perfect dress: Finding theperfect dress

36The DReSS

Keeping the routine, routine:Fun ways to stay fit in the new year

61FOR YOUR heaLTh


Paige and Philip Cochran had a simple, laid-back waterfront wedding. Carly and Stuart Duguid wed amidst bagpipes and kilts. Suzanne and Hunter Caudle packed their wedding weekend with

celebratory events planned during a 14-month engagement.

Three very different Washington-area weddings. All forged memories that will last a lifetime.

Ours is an ideal location for weddings of all types. The natural beauty of the Pamlico River offers a backdrop unique to eastern North Carolina. Area churches and local venues like the North Carolina Estuarium and historic Washington Civic Center provide the perfect complement to the inherent coastal charm.

It’s here that future brides see themselves, more and more, when they picture their perfect wedding day. Following just those few special wedding stories on page 25, it’s easy to see why.

The same appeal that keeps locals home has turned Washington into a prime wedding destination. Community leaders are working hard to promote the area and all it has to offer those soon

to be wed. Read the highlights on page 20.Once vows have been exchanged, it’s time to

partake in another timeless tradition, cutting the cake. Choosing the perfect wedding cake can be a complicated process. But it doesn’t have to be. Local experts layer practical advice on style and substance starting on page 33.

Perhaps nothing is more important for a bride-to-be than choosing the right dress. Six local brides share their thoughts about dress selection on page 36.

For a bride and groom, the wedding day remains etched in memory for a lifetime. Looking back on such a monumental occasion can bring joy, but also some lessons. Local couples share some things they might do differently if they had their weddings to do over again. Read about them on page 42.

I hope you enjoy this bridal issue of Washington the Magazine. If you are a recent or soon-to-be bride or groom, congratulations and best wishes.

Ashley VansantPublisher

A destinationof tradition

nOTeFROM

aShLeY

We would love to hear what you think about Washington the Magazine. Email us at [email protected] or write to P.O. Box 1788, Washington, NC 27889. Letters chosen for publication may be edited for length and clarity. All submissions become the property of Washington the Magazine.

Write to us

PublisherAshley Vansant

EditorialDavid Cucchiara

Jonathan Rowe

Vail Stewart Rumley

ContributorsKevin Scott Cutler

Bobby Davis

Meredith Loughlin

Jane Olsen

Will Preslar

Eye Integrated

Washington Tourism Development Authority

Advertising DirectorKathryn Powell

Marketing & SalesGerman Llodrat

Cecilia Prokos

DistributionSylvester Rogers

Art DirectionRyan Webb

Contact informationWashington the Magazine

P.O. Box 1788

Washington, NC 27889

Advertising inquiries252-946-2144 Ext. 221

Subscriptions & change of address252-946-2144

Washington the Magazine is published six times

a year by Washington Newsmedia, LLC.

Copyright 2015, Washington Newsmedia, LLC


JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015 | WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE • 9

OUT anD

aBOUT

Joe Wood, Greg Rowe, Jim Hardison, Cliff Hardison, Jim Bateman, Donnie Woolard and Earl Queen

Gary and Barb Robitaille, Barb Spurlock Melissa Jarvis, Derrick Powell and Jennifer Young

Wanda Hardison, Teresa Rowe and Jane Bateman

THE SCENEPAL Dinner Dance

Law enforcement, first responders, public figures and guests came out for the 3rd annual PAL Dinner Dance, sponsored by the Beaufort County Police Activities League. Local band CAPPS provided entertainment for this fundraiser to support STEM activities among Beaufort County students.

William Pitt, Stacy Drakeford and Larry LangJohn Rodman, Randy Walker and William Taylor

Leighann Pfeiffer, Ali Pfeiffer, Hunter Caudle and Susie Taylor

Fran Austin, Michael and Pat Calfee


OUT anD

aBOUT THE SCENEEngagementParty

Washington attorney Don Stroud hosted an engagement celebration for his former clerk, now a lawyer, Jerauld Pafford and is fiancée Maggie Nelms at his East Second Street home. The affair was black tie and featured servers in period costume, and was a who’s who of eastern North Carolina law. The happy couple was married on New Year’s Eve.

Izzy Kitch, Megan Gadd and Gina Belmont

Michelle and Bert Kemp

Ann Pafford and Ann Prescott

Maggie and Melanie Nelms

Tara O’Brian and Ian Stroud

Jerauld Pafford and Maggie Nelms

W. Russell Duke Jr. and Don Stroud

Mr. and Mrs. Cy Nelms Lisa Fitzpatrick and Jessica Davenport


OUT anD

aBOUT THE SCENE

Terri Bergevin, Jonelle Edwards and Jan Sparrow

Beth Oden and Connie Hackney

Deb Caufield and Patti Phelps

Sandra Dupree and Betty Schmitt

Lib Talley, Marilyn Bram, Penny Rodman and Peggy Thompson

Carol Windley and Louise Vosburgh

Emma Holscher and Ann Peters

Toys for Totsluncheon

The annual book clubs of Beaufort County Toys for Tots luncheon once again drew an enormous crowd to Yankee Hall in Pactolus on Dec. 4. The event, in which members of books clubs bring toys to donate to the drive, featured the Pactolus School steel drum band, several Marines in dress uniform and the good will of those organizing the 2014 toy drive.

Bev Walker and Jean Belote


OUT anD

aBOUT

Galen and Jeanne Niederhauser, Bo Brooks

Larry, Rita, David and Carolyn Lee Dee and Tony Cannon

Edmund Davenport and Liz Harold

THE SCENEPTRF Oyster Roast

Pamlico-Tar River Foundation’s annual oyster roast always draws a big crowd from across eastern North Carolina. Held on the grounds of Washington Civic Center, the oyster roast is the environmental organization’s main fundraiser each year, and features a silent auction, all you can eat oysters, chili and beer brewed in eastern North Carolina, topped off by dancing the night away.

Darrick Rogers, Griffie and Cash GreeneChuck Strickland and Mary Joe Smith

Chris and Beth Collier, Neil and Meredith Loughlin

Cheryl, Joe and Hunter Alderman


OUT anD

aBOUT

Phyllis Manning, Anna Bosler, Amanda Bryant and Tammy Edwards

George Kean and Lawrence Behr Margie and Kevin Holt

Karyn Drum and Gary Duncan

THE SCENE

Robert and Geri Lassiter Suzanne Anderson, Bettie Bonner Bradshaw, Alice McClure and Cathy Waters


OUT anD

aBOUT

Turnage FilmPremier

“Holey Matrimony,” an indie film premiered at the Turnage Theater, but that wasn’t the only connection the film had to Washington. Several of its scenes were filmed inside and outside the Turnage and a crew of local extras found their way onto the screen. Cast, crew, friends and supporters of the Beaufort County Arts Council turned out for the premiere of the zany comedy.

Ronne and David LottBill and Camilla Dawson

Derik Davis, Shannon and Ty Carter

THE SCENE

Derrick and Tyler Brooks

Opal Williams, Libby Moore, Tammy Dunn and Kirby Grace

Lisa Hodges and Jennifer Sabel Joe and Audrey Toler

Stuart Lannon and Joey Toler

Jeanie and Jack Feichtner

H A R B O R H O M E S

MOSS LANDING


WhaT’S in

STORe

WRiTTEN BY JONATHAN ROWEPHoTogRAPHY BY WILL PRESLAR

A matterof tradition

Candlelight RomanceThese Reed and Barton Weston 6-inch candlestick holders are perfect for setting the mood at any event. The full lead crystal holders will shine on any romantic couple on their special day and will make for reminiscing for anniversaries to come. $119.

For The GentsFor the line of men standing behind you while you commit your life to her, here are a few practical items that would be appropriate for thanking them for their support. The Sarge pocket knife, the M-clip money clip, dubbed the world’s finest money clip and 14-karat gold cuff links are all items you can’t go wrong with. Knife, $19.95. Money clip, $310. Cuff links, $175.

For 107 years, Stewart’s Jewelry Store has been an institution in downtown Washington, helping to usher brides and grooms from engagement to wedding, from picking out the perfect ring to picking out china patterns that will last a lifetime. For decades, the store has offered the unique, personal service of bridal registries, steering well-wishers in the right direction when it comes to wedding gifts for the happy couple. For many brides and grooms born and raised in Beaufort County, registering at Stewart’s is a rite of passage — a momentous step on the way to saying “i do.” This issue’s shopping guide shows just a sample of what Stewart’s has to offer those embarking on a life together.


Serve and DineThis Juliska Berry and Thread 5-piece whitewash set is great for accenting the table after your wedding. The inspired stoneware collection embraces the historic motifs of Juliska’s Bohemian glassware. its mix of various shapes, decorative compositions and colors are designed for you to layer in as you like to create your own story. Made in Portugal, this set is microwave, oven, dishwasher and freezer safe. Charger, $118. Dinner plate, $40. Salad plate, $38. Mug, $30.

Bon AppetitThis set of Juliska Villandry Bright Satin 5-piece silverware set is a fine set for newlyweds when hosting dinners, family gatherings, other functions or simply for a dinner for two. $95.

For The LadiesHaving trouble deciding how to say “Thank you,” to those special friends who helped make your special day? The Salisbury Pewter cuff bracelet, the 8.5-9.5 mm 14-karat freshwater pearl necklace or the 12 mm cultured pearl earrings are all elegant gifts for you or your bridesmaids. Bracelet, $25. Necklace, $675. Earrings, $950.


CenterpieceThis Beatriz Ball Alba Bowl is a perfect piece for the center of your table or to serve punch, fruit or other items for your gathering and other events. Made of eco-friendly 100-percent recycled aluminum, the Alba Bowl allows chilling or warming foods up to 350 degrees. of heirloom quality, your piece will not tarnish or lose its shine. it can be used with confidence to heat, chill and safely serve food. $245.

WhaT’S in

STORe

Full CourseThe Mottahedah Tobacco Leaf 4-piece china set illustrates a reproduction of the tobacco leaf pattern commonly found on china trade porcelain in the second half of the 18th century. The set is a classy selection for newlyweds, wedding events and other functions. $575/set.

Making MemoriesThese frames by Reed and Barton are perfect for displaying those special captured moments from a wedding or other event. The 4x6-inch Lyndon tarnish-resistant frame is highlighted by its classic beaded design. The 5x7-inch Midnight Silver Link frame is sophisticated and refined. This truly unique piece has an inlay of black enamel that surrounds a bright silver link chain design and is a wonderful way to display that special photo. $50. Midnight, $55.


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Washington harbor

District


Wedding destination

Washington

TheVenUe

Local florists, caterers and clothing stores are conveniently within walking distance to Festival Park.


The bride, clutching her father’s arm, gracefully walks down the aisle as a panorama of violet, crimson and burnt orange

lights up the backdrop, the mixture of colors reflecting gently off the river like an artist’s palate. Alongside close family and lifelong friends, the soon-to-be wedded pair exchanges vows, while the sun gradually dips below the horizon.

The ceremony is not artificially extravagant by any means. Essentials like flowers, tuxedos and even the cake have been provided by local

businesses located just down the street, and the picturesque setting is one only Mother Nature can deliver. Modest, intimate, unpretentious, inexpensive and, well, nearly perfect.

A wedding like this is every bride-to-be’s dream and if done right, it can generate a memorable moment in time for all those in attendance. The secret is finding a location that can deliver not only the necessities, but the natural scenery as well.

In Washington, that dream can be transformed into reality.

“The surroundings here, they just can’t be beat,” said Beth Byrd,

director of the Washington Harbor District Alliance. “Also, one of the nice things is since we are a smaller town, we don’t have a lot of the hustle and bustle and traffic of larger venues. It’s just more relaxing here and, of course, we’re known for our Southern hospitality downtown. It’s very welcoming for the tense bride to be, her mother and family.”

History blended with nature and the character of a small town — Washington and the surrounding area provides ideal locations for you or your daughter’s big day.

For outdoor weddings, it begins

A one-stop shop for that memorable dayWRiTTEN BY DAVID CUCCHIARA | PHoTogRAPHY CONTRIBUTED

The Estuarium has become an increasingly popular, alternative location to hold a wedding in Washington. Couples who choose the Estuarium for their wedding have the option of an outdoor and indoor setting.


and ends with Festival Park on the Pamlico River waterfront in downtown Washington. Fitted with a new gazebo, the lawn that has already accommodated many weddings in years past, has become even more of an attractive place for locals as outsiders. Festival Park is also a convenient and cost-effective option. In walking distance is a melting pot of caterers, tuxedo rental shops, jewelry stores, florists and even restaurants capable of hosting a bridal party or reception.

Washington also appeals to the nostalgic, as the century-old Civic Center has also become one

of the area’s most popular spots to exchange bands. The center is functional, providing enough space to seat hundreds, and the exposed brick walls and original hardwood floors create a unique ambiance.

Venues like the Washington Yacht and Country Club, the Turnage Theater and the North Carolina Estuarium appeal to a variety of tastes and desires. Each spot offers something different.

Outside of the downtown area, Goose Creek State Park, Bonner’s Point in Bath and the Wilkinson Center in Belhaven are just a few other charming attractions that

could set the stage for a memorable ceremony.

“In Bath, they’ve had weddings out on the water and in Festival Park they had about 15 out here last year. The Estuarium has had maybe eight,” City of Washington Mayor Mac Hodges said. “There are a lot of destinations in Beaufort County if you want to have a destination wedding. There are a lot of outdoor, neat places to get away.”

Over the last decade, destination weddings have increased in popularity. Couples have traveled everywhere from the mountains of North Carolina to the California

Washington’s Festival Park is the No. 1 most popular location in Beaufort County to hold a wedding, offering a picturesque natural setting and easy access to local downtown shops and restaurants.

You’re Getting Married! Keep These Seven Things in Mind.As father of a beautiful bride in May 2014 and as a banker, I know how important and difficult it can be to both plan for your wedding and for your financial future. To help you get started, here are seven key financial conversations to have with your soon-to-be spouse.

G . W I L L I A M TAY L O R I I IFirst Bank Senior Vice President and Area Executive

WASHINGTON132 West Second StreetWashington, NC 27889252-946-4171 BRANCH MANAGER: MELISSA JARVIS

BELHAVEN770 West Main StreetBelhaven, NC 27810252-943-2149 BRANCH MANAGER: BRIDGET JEFFERSON

1. HOW EACH OF YOU VIEWS MONEY. What goals do you have for your life together, and what part does money play in helping you to achieve them?

2. HOW YOU’LL SET UP YOUR BANK ACCOUNTS. Do you want a join account or separate ones? The latter option may be better for couples with different spending philosophies.

3. HOW YOU’LL WRITE/UPDATE YOUR WILLS AND BENEFICIARY INFORMATION. Make sure you and your spouse are passing on your assets in the way that you want.

4. WHAT KIND OF LIFE INSURANCE YOU NEED. You may want to update your life insurance policy not just to help your new spouse, but also to help any children you may already have.

5. HOW YOU’LL DETERMINE A BUDGET. Online tools like Mint.com can help you keep track of your finances and make sure that your spending matches your priorities.

6. HOW YOU’LL DEAL WITH DEBT. Paying off those pesky credit cards and staying debt-free (aside from a home) will help you save and build for your future.

7. HOW MUCH YOU MONEY YOU NEED TO PUT ASIDE. If you don’t already have an emergency fund, make it a priority; you never know when those rainy days might happen.

Don’t forget, open communication is essential to any relationship, including a financial one. You’re always welcome to visit me or my First Bank team members to talk about your future plans, whether it’s setting up a new checking or savings account, securing a loan, or starting your first business.

T O L E A R N M O R E V I S I T

LOCALFIRSTBANK.COM Equal Housing Lender | Member FDIC

coast to even overseas in an attempt to find the absolute perfect setting. Those that choose that route often find themselves shelling out tens of thousands of dollars to do so.

Lynn Wingate, executive director of the Washington Tourism and Development Authority, is pitching Washington and Beaufort County to outsiders as an affordable and beautiful area for destination weddings.

“It’s always fun for me because our office is in the Civic Center, so watching it being transformed into every bride's dream and no bride does it the same way,” she said. “They all do it different, so it’s always fun to get a sense of the personality. I’ve been to weddings in the churches here, on the waterfront, you name it.”

In the last eight to 10 months, the WTDA has developed a comprehensive wedding guide for Washington weddings, consisting of everything from landmark venues, local photographers and videographers, catering options, florists, wedding planners, hotel accommodations, music and even the process to obtain a marriage license. A “Little Washington Weddings” community Facebook page is regularly updated and downtown Washington will host its first bridal show in years on March 8.

“You can pick you backdrop,” Wingate said. “A bride can find just about any type of venue she’s looking for with the perfect setting. Aesthetically, I don’t think you can beat Washington, because we have some fabulous places here and this natural scenery, where you hardly have to add anything to have a beautiful backdrop for your wedding.”

People have been coming to Festival Park for over a century to tie the knot. It’s location to the water makes it a popular spot for a destination wedding.


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Flowers, venues, caterers, dresses, invitations, cakes, music, décor — months of planning go into the average wedding.

The intention is to create the perfect day, one that will be remembered by family and friends for a good, long time after the party is over — and one that will be especially

remembered by the bride and the groom.

With the natural beauty of the Pamlico River to serve as backdrop, historic churches and venues ideal for hosting special events, Beaufort County is certainly not lacking in places to hold the perfect wedding. And as each wedding is different, as each couple is unique, what

defines their special day is just as individual as the newlyweds themselves.

The possibilities for the couple-to-be are endless when it comes to planning a local wedding, but here are three couples that took advantage of what the area has to offer in terms of making a special event their event to remember.

All weddings are perfect — in their own wayWRiTTEN BY VAIL STEWART RUMLEY | PHoTogRAPHS BY WILL PRESLAR AND BOBBY DAVIS

A special day

The eVenT

26 • WaShingTOn The Magazine | JanUaRY/FeBRUaRY 201526 • WaShingTOn The Magazine | JanUaRY/FeBRUaRY 2015

The Cochran wedding party on the pier at the home of the bride’s parents, Fred and Deidra Hill.

Philip Cochran plants a swoon-worthy kiss on his new bride, Paige, at the Washington Yacht & Country Club docks.

Paige and Philip Cochran cut their nautically themed cake at their May 24, 2014 reception.


Paige and Philip Cochran are both Beaufort County natives — she’s from Bath; he’s from Washington — and when

they got married on May 24, 2014, the couple stuck with their roots and kept it simple.

“It was real simple, real laid back,” Paige said. “That’s just the way we are. We’re not real fancy. We don’t come from families that showboat.”

Paige’s parents made it clear to her that it was her special day — she and Philip could have the wedding they wanted — and the big decisions that so frequently confound a couple-to-be simply fell into place. The couple’s shared love of the water led them to a nautical theme and a simple ceremony at the waterfront home in Bath where Paige grew up. The Washington Yacht & Country Club fell in as the perfect venue for their reception: the two first met there when Philip was bartending and Paige was waiting tables.

Simplicity extended to décor, as well: the morning of May 24, Paige and her bridesmaids, after spending the night at her parents’ home, got up and decorated the country club themselves. Hair and makeup was done at the house, and despite a nerve-wracking set of stairs from the house to the lawn, the traditional, no frills ceremony in front of about 200

guests went off without a hitch — just the way they wanted it.

In keeping with the nautical theme, the couple chose a blue and white ribboned, three-tiered cake topped with an anchor, Philip and his groomsmen wore boutonnieres made from blue and white striped ribbon and knotted with silky rope, and Paige’s bridesmaids and matron of honor, her sister Cortney Ferguson, wore short, elegant navy lace dresses — dresses Paige picked out hoping the ladies would get more than one wear out of them.

“Several have worn them again. I know all brides say, ‘You can wear them again,’ but this one they really

could,” she laughed.The couple went the informal

route for the reception, incorporating country club catering in a scattered buffet, so guests could easily converse.

“We just thought it would be easier,” Paige said. “We’re both kind of laid back. We didn’t want anything formal.”

Mingling, dancing, a dance floor bout with confetti, a father-daughter dance to “Be Young, Be Foolish, Be Happy” in traditional eastern Carolina shag, rounded out the perfect wedding for this couple.

End result, keeping it simple, laid back and fun was the way to go for Paige and Philip Cochran.

Keeping it simple

According to his wife, here, Philip Cochran was busy counting the stripes in his soon-to-be father-in-law’s tie to avoid the overwhelming emotion of the moment.


The ladies wore black; the men wore kilts. The groom hails from Edinburgh, Scotland, and both American and Scottish groomsmen wore kilts. Carly’s bridesmaids were simply asked to wear a long, black dress of their choice.

A formal dinner followed by speeches under one tent on the Edgewater property was followed by dancing under another.

The couple left their reception in the family boat, piloted by Carly’s brother Chuck Phillips. On a quiet night, the three watched the festivities from afar.



The day Carly Phillips married Stuart Duguid, bagpipe notes soared through the air at St. Peter’s Episcopal

Church in Washington. The bride wore traditional white. The groom wore an even more traditional kilt. It was a coming together of two cultures, this union of a Scot and a Southern belle in holy matrimony.

And it started with laughter — a lot of it.

“Stuart and I just couldn’t stop laughing — not laughing hysterically, but giggling, in front of the entire church. There was no reason. It was like, just beyond happiness. It was the best feeling,” Carly said. “I had no sense of how I thought I might feel, but that was what happened. We were laughing almost in disbelief of everything: that we were getting married; that we met; that all those people were there watching it happen.”

All those people included over 200 family members and friends, approximately 50 of which made the trip across the pond to attend the nuptials. Ushered into the church by renowned bagpiper, and friend of Stuart and Carly, Gregor MacLennan, guests witnessed the obviously happy couple’s vows, and from there, a reception to remember commenced.

Held at the Edgewater home of Carly’s parents, Clarissa and Charles Phillips, the cocktail hour featured passed hors d’oeuvres, along with Southsides, the reception’s signature drink. A formal, sit-down dinner took place on the lawn beneath a large tent, while a neighboring tent held a dance floor and staged band.

Here, traditions melded, as speeches normally reserved for the rehearsal dinner made their appearance, with Stuart, his brother Jamie, and Carly’s father, Charles, each taking a turn.

“Stuart felt like that was the most meaningful part of the whole weekend — that it would be better to do it at the reception dinner,

rather than rehearsal,” Carly said.Duguid family friend Simon

Scott, acting as emcee, presented the Phillips with a inscribed Quaich, a shallow, silver, two-handled bowl that was then filled with whiskey and passed around — drinking from it, a symbolic gesture of welcome, friendship, good luck and prosperity.

The party showed no sign of winding down when Carly and Stuart walked down the pier, lined with guests waving sparklers, to the waiting boat piloted by Carly’s brother, Chuck Phillips. With the good wishes of many behind them, the newlyweds made their exit. But on this still night, they didn’t go far — only to the middle of the river, where they turned off the boat’s engine and simply watched from afar.

“Looking back it was just so amazing. The whole yard was lit up. You could hear everything,” Carly said. “It was like nothing I’d never seen before. ... We all agreed it felt like we were looking at ‘The Great Gatsby.’”

By the time the crew made it back from their post-party sojourn, the crowds had dispersed; the day, officially done. And for Carly, it was one for the records:

“Every second of the whole day was the best day that I’ve ever experienced.”

A marriage of cultures

Bouquets of thistle, the flower of Scotland, adorned the chairs of newlyweds Carly and Stuart at the reception.



Suzanne Taylor and Hunter Caudle had a 14-month engagement. In those 14 months, they did a lot of planning — not only

to create the perfect wedding for themselves, but for everyone taking part in the festivities.

The weekend of May 31, 2014, was jam-packed with fun, with celebration, with introducing old friends to a new place and taking advantage of everything Washington and the Pamlico has to offer.

“They loved it!” Suzanne said.Hunter’s from Charlotte, while

Suzanne's a Washington native, and the couple went back and forth for a little while as to where their wedding would land: east or west. But there were two things pulling the couple eastward: both family tradition, and the fact that many of their friends had never been to Washington.

“We thought it would be fun for them to experience a small town and spend the weekend on the water,” Suzanne said.

As for tradition: Suzanne’s parents, William and Susie Taylor, and grandparents, had been married at First United Methodist Church in Washington.

The festivities began on Friday with what was dubbed “Sun and Fun,” an outdoor lunch, followed by swimming, games and luxuriating

on the water at the Swan Point home of Taylor family friends David and Julie Howdy. It was followed by the rehearsal dinner at the North Carolina Estuarium on the Washington waterfront: a cocktail hour on the Estuarium porch before guests meandered down to a seaside-themed dinner beneath a tent in Festival Park. After that, the party continued with a dance featuring the local band CAPS.

Saturday morning, the girls and the guys went their separate ways: the bride and her bridesmaids to brunch; and the groom and groomsmen out on the water, for a floating brunch aboard the Gravely family yacht, The Liberty. But later, they united again for the union of Suzanne and Hunter in a very traditional ceremony at First United Methodist, officiated

by ministers Danny Allen and Jay Martin, complete with a trumpeter and a white-gloved William Taylor escorting his veiled daughter down the aisle.

After, all the guests gathered at the Washington Yacht & County Club for the reception, one that had quite a few special elements, including Suzanne and her father dancing to the Ben E. King classic “Stand by Me,” as sung and played on guitar by her brother, Will. By midnight, the newlyweds had made their getaway by golf cart, sent off in a shower of sparklers. However, their exit across the golf course was not without mishap.

“It was actually a little funny because the sprinklers also came on on us,” Suzanne laughed.

In the end, the couple achieved their aim: to observe tradition, yet create an event-packed weekend to enjoy. For Suzanne, however, her and Hunter’s wedding weekend brought much more: their friends, their families, separate until that point, came together to celebrate the start of their life together.

“This is probably the only time that all aspects of your life come together,” Suzanne said. “Looking back and thinking about how many people from Washington (were there) and how many people traveled to be there — it’s very humbling.”

Tradition, fun define the occasion


Cutting the cake

The CaKe

Alexis Davis made the impossible, possible, when she replicated this white chocolate fondant-covered cake a bride saw in an European wedding magazine. The hand-sculpted marzipan apples painted with edible colors reflected the bride’s natural, rustic wedding theme.


The vows are exchanged. The reception hall begins to fill. And there stands a delectable masterpiece of tradition — the perfect cake, or at least perfect in the minds of the newlyweds, which according to local cake

gurus, is important.Sure, not every couple spends a great deal of time,

energy and money in choosing their wedding cake, but a great deal of weddings feature one that has required a significant amount of attention and focus. Alexis Davis, a former award-winning pastry chef, custom cake designer and founder of Cakewalk, LLC, who now works as a local real estate agent, says the wedding cake selection for couples is personal — so personal, the bride and groom should bring along samples of materials from their wedding in order to match the theme. But when making a decision, a few things can get in the way — the presence of family members,

friends and bridesmaids should be nonexistent, Davis says.

“That will stand in the way of a bride and groom getting what they want,” Davis said. “Come prepared with some examples of things that are meaningful to you so your baker can get a sense of your personality and what you’re looking for in your design.”

Davis also says it’s important to taste the cake before making a decision. Make sure it’s moist, rich and a common flavor. Oftentimes, clients can ask the baker about sampling different styles and flavors of cake and taking a peek at the baker’s portfolio in order to get an idea of his or her capabilities and track record.

Allison Thomas, owner and cake chef at Scarborough Fare in Snow Hill agrees, but says the cake should be beautiful on the outside and just as beautiful tasting on the inside.

WRiTTEN BY JONATHAN ROWE | PHoTogRAPHS CONTRIBUTED

Peonies decorated the cake at the 2014 wedding of Suzanne Taylor and Hunter Caudle. The multi-tiered cake was made by local wedding cake baker Kaye Woolard.

illustrating style and design in slices


“It’s really kind of a crying shame when the cake is so beautiful that you don’t want to cut it, and when you go to eat it, it doesn’t taste beautiful.”

And Thomas says when deciding the cake’s flavor, as well as how to adorn it, it is important to know what options are available. For years, many brides asked for fondant, a commonly used icing, because it looks good. Although virtually any kind of decorative design can be done using fondant, which is edible but not great tasting, Thomas believes that everything on the cake should taste great.

“Cakes, for several years, have been using fondant to achieve that perfect smoothness, but why do you want to eat something that does not

taste good?”Thomas says there are techniques

designers are using to achieve the same look without having to use fondant — a natural paddle stroke is one brides seem to really like. The paddle design gives the cake a simple, rustic and beautiful look that’s evolved into what is known in the industry as the naked cake, meaning the layers of the cake have filling or icing in between them, and the decorator keeps layering the cake in this way without spreading icing around the edges. Butter cream can also be used rather than fondant, as well as spray paint, gels and other things to color the icing. When glamming up a cake, metallics and beads are the way to go, giving the cake a sophisticated,

“Gatsby-style” product. And Thomas says one way to add to the presentation is choosing how the cake will be displayed, which ranges from a pedestal of silver, a mirror or even a painted tree trunk so the presentation is maintained in the cake’s display.

“A wedding should not be generic no matter what the budget is,” Thomas said. “It’s about those two people and what they want. Usually, a bride has pretty strong feelings about what that look is. It’s not just about the cake. It’s about the whole table design, flavor, any filling, cake design and what it’s displayed on.”

Thomas says, like any industry, trends develop. Ruffles, which make the icing look pleated and scalloped, are a really big deal.

An Allison Thomas cake: Southern pound cake garnished with cream cheese and butter, chocolate ganache, a firm, fudgy filling, and a little cognac featured at the Phillips-Duguid wedding in Washington.


Another popular style is hombre, where the shading of the cake changes in hue from top to bottom, from a lighter to darker color, adding a color and design element to the finished product. Local ingredients are another theme that seems to get the ball rolling on the cake-making process, Thomas says.

“It’s really all about design and adding coloring,” Thomas said. “With the push of people really thinking local and getting back to one’s heritage, clients are using local ingredients and sources, and sometimes clients will bring in their own family recipes. That’s how a bride makes the wedding one to remember.”

Thomas has created cakes for several local weddings. One wedding, that of Washington native Carly Duguid (nee Phillips), showcased a southern pound cake garnished with cream cheese and butter, chocolate ganache, a firm, fudgy filling, and a little cognac to heighten the flavor of the cake. But Thomas says caramel can just as easily be used to add flavor.

Thomas says some clients use a multiple-tiered-cake approach when having trouble deciding what flavors to go with. Using different flavors, fillings and decorations, the cake is a bit more versatile and fun. Davis says a multi-tiered cake with dummy tiers — which look like cake, but really aren’t — can be used to add height, and effect, without breaking the bank. Regardless of what options a bride has, it’s most important that she has what she wants on that special day, Thomas says.

“I think it’s just as important to think about your cake as it is all the other details because when creating a unique wedding, every bride’s dream,

most brides tend to spend a good amount of time and thought on their cake. The wedding cake, traditionally, is one of the main focal points of the

wedding reception. People come in and they want to see the wedding cake. It’s the bride’s cake — have fun with it, make it your own.”

Brought in from Kathy Allen Fine Cakes of Charlotte, the seaside theme of Suzanne Taylor and Hunter Caudle’s rehearsal dinner was reflected in the cool blue icing and seashell motif.


The DReSS


The perfect dress

Carly Phillips Duguid

Every bride dreams of finding the one dress that seems to be made just for her, the one that will make that special day picture perfect. In an ever-growing wedding industry, wedding dress varieties are limitless: beaded, plain, strapless, sleeved, modern, old-fashioned, with flowing trains and without. And just as every bride has different style and tastes, every wedding is different — from the elaborately formal to the most casual of beach weddings. The perfect wedding dress has to reflect both: the woman and the occasion.

For some, finding the perfect dress can be a challenge, involving many stores, many options and many more fittings. For others, a single outing leads to love at first sight — That’s the one.

But those who’ve walked down the aisle also know that even the perfect dress may, in the end, have been a little more perfect. These are the voices of experience: women who loved their dresses, but might have made a few changes had they known then what they knew after the ceremony and photos and reception and send off. The perfect dress doesn’t just have to look good — it has to feel good, as well.


Simplicity, at its finestWhen Elizabeth Tankard and Eli Edmondson were planning their

wedding, the couple went with simplicity: an informal, outdoor affair in Bath. Elizabeth searched for her wedding dress for about a month, but in the end, her choice had nothing in common with what she thought she wanted. When it appeared, however, she knew it was the perfect dress for her.

“i just had a feeling the moment i saw it in the mirror for the first time. i'd decided to try it on a whim, and it was the complete opposite of what i'd thought i'd wanted,” Elizabeth said.

it was a soft, it was feminine, and it was simple, without a whole lot of fuss, which was actually quite in keeping with Elizabeth’s style.

“i don't wear a lot of flashy items in my everyday wardrobe, and i didn't want to look like a princess on my big day either,” Elizabeth said.

So she went with a dress that was comfortable, flattered her, and had a few extra bonuses: it went with her cowboy boots and it had pockets.

“What could be more handy on the big day than a secret place to stash tissues and lipstick?” she asked.

in all, Elizabeth’s perfect dress fit her and the occasion, and thinking back on it, she really couldn’t come up with anything that she’d do differ-ently in a dress do-over.

“Honestly, not a thing. i couldn't have picked a more perfect dress for me or my wedding.”

Will GrEENE PHoToGraPHy


No regretsWhen Meredith and Neil Loughlin planned an outdoor

wedding on a piece of family property at Blounts Creek, Meredith knew she wanted a simple, yet elegant, dress to fit the rustic surroundings.

After trying several bridal salons, she came up empty, but a visit to Traditions in North Hills, Raleigh, changed that in an unexpected way. An upscale bridal boutique, the wedding dresses were far beyond Meredith’s budget, but the sales staff worked with her to find her perfect dress.

“i walked in there and i was on a really tight budget, and i asked if there was anything under $1,000,” Meredith said.

They didn’t have a traditional wedding dress in her price range, but what they did have was a bridesmaid’s dress that could substitute.

“it was the only choice and i loved it,” Meredith said. “it was very simple, but the fabric was really beautiful — embroi-dered silk shantung fabric. … i think it was my style in gen-eral. i like clean design, something about the lines and design and the quality of the fabric. i didn’t want to get a dress that i felt like wasn’t my personality style.”

The dress was a perfect fit — for her personality, the wed-ding and her budget.

“And i knew i was going to be dancing all night, so i knew i wanted something that was really lightweight,” Meredith said. “i was so comfortable. i just wore regular undergarments, and i was so comfortable, temperature-wise.”

Meredith’s experience rather predates the era of finding great deals by internet shopping, and while she knows these days she could have found a budget-friendly, more traditional wedding dress online, she has no regrets about her choice — it was just perfect.


An all-out celebration

Kristin Smithwick didn’t have to look long: one visit to a single store, three dresses made the cut, and The one emerged as the winner. it was a girl-next-door-meets-princess look that she found, and based on husband Austin’s reaction when she walked down the aisle (which was captured on video), she made the perfect choice.

“i looked like Kristin, but i could tell by his face he thought i looked beautiful,” she said.

Married in her hometown of Kinston in May of 2002, Kristin’s dress had a dual pur-

pose: passing muster for a formal ceremony, but also holding up for the blowout party after.

“it was a church wedding and we had all the traditional pieces — music, the readings — then we had a huge party afterwards,” Kristin said. “We like to have a good time. We wanted to have fun. … We’d been out of school for a few years and had friends coming into town. We did the traditional cer-emony but then had a big party.”

Though the strapless trend in wedding dresses had hit the market full force at the time, Kristin deliberately shied away from the style.

“i wanted something that i wasn’t going to worry with the whole night. That aspect of my dress, i loved. i didn’t worry about it falling down while i danced, i didn’t worry about raising my hands and something falling out,” she laughed.

She also took a very practical approach to finding her perfect dress: “A lot of my peers were putting a lot of investment in their dresses — i did not. i spent $400 on it plus tax. … For me, the dress was not what was most important. i wanted to look beautiful, but i wanted something functional, fun and pretty to make for my really fun celebration.”

in hindsight, Kristin said she might have gone with more streamlined skirt. The dress had a full train that was pinned up during the reception, but the full skirt made for a little less freedom for dancing.

Kristin’s words of advice for prospective brides: don’t only take into account how the dress looks on.

“Think about what you’re really going to be doing the whole time you’re wearing that dress,” she advised.


A dress fit for the ballroom

Angie Shiflett didn’t have to look long for her per-fect dress — she knew she wanted one that evoked the image of the ballroom days of yore. Angie’s grandmother was a seamstress widely known for her beautiful ballroom gowns, so when it came time to pick her wedding dress, Angie had a plan.

With the help of a bridesmaid who drove down for the occasion, one visit to an Arlington Village shop in greenville, and a choice between two dress-es, Angie picked found the perfect dress.

“it wasn’t like i tried on five million dresses. i tried that one on and another,” Angie said. “it was ballroom-ish and long, had beads and a train and it was perfect. … it just kind of worked with what i was going for.”

As a special touch, Angie asked her grandmother to hand stitch the couple’s wedding date — oct. 17, 2009 — inside the dress.

Angie and her husband, Josh, were married at Maymont in Richmond, Va., which was the halfway point between friends and family in North Carolina and Maryland, where Angie’s from. it was a gor-geous setting, but quite a bit cooler than they were anticipating — and a strapless wedding gown wasn’t much protection from the cold.

“We got married in october in Richmond and i was thinking it would be fairly warm and it was freezing,” Angie said.

While the dress was perfect for her, in hindsight, Angie said she might have combated the chill with a little more material.

The perfect fitThe most important thing about my dress was that it fit me perfectly. i didn’t have try on anything else. i got it from David’s Bridal in greenville—my consultant was a lady named Mrs. Ann. i was very nervous about what to pick, so before i picked the dress, she prayed for me and it was so beautiful. it was like god knew this was the lady to help me. i tried on one dress and it fit me perfectly."

— PAM LAMPkINS


A thematic eventBrittany Lane is half British, a British literature teacher at

Southside High School and a lover of books, so when it came to planning her and husband John’s wedding on Feb. 23, 2013, the theme was a given. Married at First United Methodist Church, the couple’s Washington Civic Center reception was stacked with antiquities — the centerpieces on the tables included antique books and cigar cases — and gave the event a Victorian feel.

“i chose the theme of my wedding before i chose the dress,” Brittany said.

Brittany gave herself one day to find her perfect dress, visited two bridal shops and came up with two options, but ultimately chose the dress that fit the theme.

“Everyone told me to try on something you’d never want. The other dress was modern and fun and i loved it,” she said. “But the lacy style of my dress went with my theme. it looks sort of old-ish and i kept getting drawn to that style every time i looked. … it looked kind of antique and Victorian. it just had that feel to

it that i wanted.”Brittany completed the Victorian look with an angel pin that

had belonged to her grandfather and tied a bit of lace from her mother’s wedding dress around her bouquet of roses.

But the look of a bygone era also came with an undergar-ment of a bygone era, too — one that didn’t really lend itself to comfort over a 12-hour period.

“it was the corset. i thought i wanted one because i thought it would make me thinner. it was great for my figure, but it was awful to sit in. And my husband couldn’t get it off when we got home,” Brittany laughed.

in the wee hours of the morning of Feb. 24, 2013, Brittany said she was standing in her and John’s East Main Street kitchen contemplating her options: calling a friend to come to her aid, or taking a pair of scissors to her wedding dress. The newlyweds eventually figured it out, however, and the dress was saved — and the story, one they laugh about now.

Brittany also had another word of warning to those in the wedding dress market: beware the spray tan. She had her wed-ding dress professionally preserved, but it took cleaners a long time to remove that tanned glow from inside the dress.


A person’s wedding day is usually one of the most memorable 24 hours of his or her life, a day full

of celebration, family and lifelong commitment.

Wherever you decide to exchange wedding bands, there’s likely going to be some form of stress involved somewhere down the line from early planning to honeymoon. And that may not necessarily be a bad thing,

considering it’s a life-changing event often associated with a bit of nervousness. A little worry, well, that comes with the territory.

No wedding is the same, just like no two people are the same. From the elaborate destination wedding to the small, hometown church, different couples want their own unique atmosphere.

Taken from personal experiences, here are a few things to consider before saying “I do.”

I would have …

Invited More PeopleExcess was not something Sport

Sawyer and his wife Susan Long wanted when they tied the knot in 1994. So, the pair invited only close friends and family for a small wedding held at the Church of Christ in Plymouth.

Everything in the ceremony went according to plan and even the small reception, held in the church, was to the couple’s liking. But looking back years later, Sawyer said he wishes he had invited more people.

What would you have done differently on your wedding day?

WRiTTEN BY DAVID CUCCHIARA | PHoTogRAPHS CoNTRiBUTED

The Kozuch’s chose to have an outdoor wedding, but it rained up until the ceremony. The couple was forced to buy a tent from a local dealer. In the end, the skies opened up and provided a beautiful backdrop for a memorable day.

Lookingback

One MORe Thing


“If I did anything differently, I’d probably reach out to a few more friends — classmates from college and high school,” he said “I graduated from high school in ’88. When you look back, you treasure those people a little more now than you did back then.”

Danced To A SongFor most weddings, the

newlyweds dance to a special song, one that’s usually preselected and has special meaning to the couple.

Sawyer’s reception was small, humble and alcohol-free, considering it was in the church. It was also short.

“We did a small reception, got in the car and went out of town on the honeymoon,” to Virginia Beach, Sawyer said. “We didn’t do a dance or anything afterwards. I’d probably change that. We didn’t have a song.”

Found A Similar Venue Closer To Family, Friends

Jim Kozuch and his wife Katelyn chose the route of a destination wedding. Married on Aug. 10, 2013, friends and family from up and down the east coast traveled to a 26-acre mountain retreat in Andrews.

Jim is originally from New York, meaning the majority of his family and friends had to make the 12-plus hour drive to western North Carolina.

“Although we loved the place that we had the wedding,

it was about 10 hours from (Washington),” he said. “Destination weddings are tough. A lot of people said they were coming and bailed at the last minute. There really wasn’t anything around here that was available until this year.”

Thought Of Alternative Plans For Our Outdoor Wedding

For Jim and Katelyn Kozuch, it was never a question of whether or not the wedding would be outdoors. Rather, the question was where it would be held. The couple decided on an outdoor retreat in Andrews, but didn’t take weather into consideration.

Despite the picturesque location, the hours leading up to the wedding were spent hiding from a torrential downpour. As a result, last-minute changes resulted in some extra costs.

“The fact that we were having an outdoor wedding — I loved the venue, but we weren’t planning for a $1,000 tent last minute,” Jim said. “When you’re in the middle of the woods, you have one company to choose from. The outdoor location, ideally, it’s amazing, but at the same time with the weather, you have to have a tent that’s available. And we didn’t and those things are expensive.”

Had A More ElaborateWedding Reception

Like the Sawyer’s special day, Sean White and his wife Shannon tied the knot in 1994 in a small to medium-sized church in La Grange. The ceremony was simple in nature, nothing over the top, and the church was packed to capacity, with some people even having to stand in the aisles. The reception took place in the church lobby and hosted most of the attendees.

Today's wedding reception usually has a vast spread of great food, music and some dancing. The Whites, like the ceremony, aren’t elaborate, but while the couple wouldn’t take anything about the service back, they would have added a little more to the reception.

“No alcohol. It was your typical wedding stuff, nothing unusual, abnormal or different,” Sean said. “We should have had music and

Sport and Susan Long Sawyer were married at the Church of Christ in Plymouth 21 years ago.

dancing because we didn’t have any of that when we did it. We had no music. I would have had a DJ or a band or someone playing.”

Picked A Different Time Of Year To Have The Wedding

Summer is usually the best time to have dozens, maybe even hundreds of different people from all areas of life, converge in one central location. For the Whites, mid-June proved to be the most convenient time to have their wedding. Travel aside, Sean and Shannon didn’t take one very important aspect into consideration — heat.

“We would have had it in the fall or spring, not in the middle of the summer when it was so hot,” he said. “The church was air conditioned, but the reception hall was not. Ours was June 18, right there in the dead of summer. We would have done it in October or November when it’s not too cold or not too hot.”

Shannon and Sean White

pose for a picture after

tying the knot in 1994.

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A Winter Fishing Story

On a bitter cold evening prior to a large Arctic winter front late one night in January of 2014, I called my fishing party early that morning to explain to them about the river possibly being frozen over

and not being able to go in the morning. I explained to them that sometimes boating is just not very practical in sub-freezing conditions, but I told them if they were up for a little adventure and felt persistent, then we had a chance at pulling off a good striper fishing trip on the lower Roanoke River.

The next morning, the temperature guage on my truck's rear view mirror read 8 degrees as I pulled up to the boat ramp to fish the Roanoke River in Bertie County at Shipyard Landing, which is an old hub for the by-gone river herring fishery on the northern end of the Highway 45 bridge over the lower Roanoke, Cashie, and Eastmost Rivers. Shipyard Landing lies on Cashoke Creek, a tributary of the Cashie River, and is about 1/4 mile up the creek from the river. The creek was frozen all the way across with a 2-inch thick layer of ice and also frozen all the way from the ramp to the river.

I slowly backed the boat down the ramp, breaking ice, and hollowing out an open hole just large enough for the boat to slide off the trailer. After cranking the motor and letting it heat up enough to melt the frozen water in the engine's cooling system, the motor finally started to "pee" and we were heading down the creek, very slowly and cutting through that 2-inch layer while hoping that I wasn't scratching all the paint off the bow of my boat. We were only able to get about 100 yards down the creek before the ice began to get so thick that we had to turn around. I was getting discouraged and thinking that the trip up there was going to be a waste and my clients for the day — Dempsey, Bill and Betsy — would returning home to Raleigh disappointed without even getting a chance to fish.

As I loaded the boat back on the trailer, I told them that we still had one more chance to get out. We could try the public ramp at the south end of the bridge, which sat just off the Roanoke River and a shorter distance from open, ice-free water. They were just as determined as I was, so we re-launched there and were

just able to get the boat turned around and just barely able to break our way out to the river. It was a slow, painful process, and I thought we weren't going to make it. Those 200 horses and a well-built boat didn't let me down. Finally.....we were on the river and able to look for some fish.

The fish were there but just a little lethargic due to the quick drop in water temperature resulting from the winter cold front. Even stripers, who are better adapted to cold-water temps than other species such as speckled trout, are affected by rapid drops in water temps. We quickly found some schools of stripers, and with a few adjustments, we were well on our way to a successful fishing trip and a memorable experience for Dempsey, Bill and Betsy.

A waterfowl guide who specializes in hunting King Eiders during the winter in Alaska's Aleutian Islands once told me that "There's no such thing as bad weather...just bad clothes." I think that statement shows how attitude and preparation can lead you to success in your outdoor adventures in the winter. It surely did for us that day while striper fishing on the river.

Capt. Richard Andrews is a resident of Washington and the owner of a local year-round guide service offering fishing excursions on

the Pamlico and nearby rivers. He can be reached at 252-945-9715 or [email protected]

WRiTTEN BY CAPT. RICHARD ANDREWS

CaSTa

Line


Open Tuesday - SundayTue-Fri @ 5 p.m.

Sat & Sun @ 8 a.m. Breakfast/Lunch/DinnerDaily Specials, New & Expanded Menu!

Tues Nite “Dart Grab Bag Tourney!” @ 6:30 • Thurs Nite “Trivia Contest” @ 6:30

DINING GUIDE



Gift giving, wine-style

From its earliest appearance in written records to the present, wine has played an important role in religion and worship, as well as major celebrations such as weddings. Even though no one is certain as to when

alcohol was first used as a beverage, it is generally assumed to have been a lucky mistake that occurred at least several thousand years ago.

There is extensive evidence that throughout the ages people have always drank fermented beverages when holding memorial ceremonies, offering sacrifices to gods or ancestors, pledging resolutions before going into battle, celebrating victories, before feuding and executions, when taking oaths of allegiance, while attending ceremonies of birth, marriage, reunions, departures, deaths and festivals.

However, in the mid-1700’s champagne became the drink of choice for special occasions in the royal courts of Europe where the expensive drink was viewed as a status symbol. "Royalty loved the novelty of sparkling wine. It was said to have positive effects on women's beauty and man's wit," said Kolleen M. Guy, associate professor of history at the University of Texas at San Antonio and author of "When Champagne Became French." Since then, the bubbly, light-colored wine has become a customary part of celebratory rituals routinely opened at weddings, baptisms, graduations and other life-milestone festivities.

Today, sparkling wine is often used to commemorate all sorts of happy occasions. Popping the cork and toasting with some sort of sparkling, fizzy wine as the clock strikes midnight on New Year's Eve is a tradition in many households around the world. The christening of a ship routinely involves the breaking of a bottle against its hull. Winners at sporting events are regularly doused with bubbly.

"In a secular society, we want to mark both the joy and sanctity of the occasion," Guy said. "Champagne does this symbolically, but also visually, since it overflows in abundance and joy.

“Just the act of opening a champagne bottle is

enough to mark a celebration, and in some cases, the bubbling beverage isn't even consumed during the festivities,” Guy said. "Many athletes and race car drivers have champagne poured on them...but don't drink it.”

Pop a bottle of bubbly on a regular day and inevitably someone will ask, “What are we celebrating?”

So . . . whether you are a wine enthusiast or not, chances are you will serve at the very least sparkling wine for a toast at your wedding reception. To help alleviate one of the many decisions a bride has to make when planning her wedding, I've listed here a few suggestions that may facilitate the selection process.

Virginia Finnerty owns Pamlico House Bed & Breakfast and its in-house wine shop.

WRiTTEN BY VIRGINIA FINNERTY

WORD On

Wine

FuN FACTIn ancient Babylon, the bride's father would supply his son-in-law with all the mead (a fermented honey beverage) he could drink for a month after the wedding. Because their calendar was lunar or moon-based, this period of free mead was called the "honey month," or what we now call the "honeymoon."

AlCohol TrIvIA

www2.poTSDAM.EDu/AlCohol/FuNFACTS/AlCoholTrIvIA.hTMl

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015 | WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE • 51JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015 | WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE • 51

Wineson a

BudgetSparkling

Mistinguette Cava, Spain, $12.99

A delicious little sparkler from Spain, available in traditional Brut or rose if you like it pink.

Wycliff Brut Champagne, California, $9

A blend of premium California grapes with a touch of sweetness and a crisp clean finish.

White

Anterra Chardonnay, Italy, $12.99

Not-to-oaky Chardonnay to please all your white drinkers, and an incredible value

Canyon Road Chardonnay, California, $9

Medium bodied with notes of crisp apple and ripe citrus fruit with a hint of cinnamon spice

Red

Charamba Red, Portugal, $10.75

light and fruity red, with bright acidity. This would be especially delicious for a summer wedding.

Canyon Road Pinot Noir, California, $9

rich, fruit-forward cherry flavors with a smooth velvety finish.

Wineson a

Budget Moderate Priced selections

Sparkling

Barefoot Bubbly, Brut Cuvée, California, $11.99

It sparkles with crisp apple flavors, complemented by a clean finish. Gold Medal at the 2012 pacific rim International wine Competition.

La Marca Prosecco, Italy, $16

offers a fresh and vibrant bouquet of golden apple, white peach and honeysuckle

only prosecco listed on wine Spectator‘s top 100

Gloria Ferrer Brut, California, $30.25

Spanish family + American soil + French method = absolutely delicious!

White

Acrobat Pinot Gris, Oregon, $17.99

A crisp and elegant offering. wine and Spirits 90 pts, Best Buy

One Hope Chardonnay, Robert Mondavi – California, $16

Flavors of crisp pear and apple are vibrant on the palate; 50 percent of profits are donated to the fight against breast cancer.

RedLuigi Bosca Malbec, Argentina, $21.99

The signature grape of Argentina is taking over the uS, thanks to its approachablity. Smooth, rich and juicy.

One Hope Pinot Noir, Robert Mondavi – California, $20

This wine has strawberry and date flavors; its aging in American oak rounds out the mouthfeel by introducing tannin structure and a spiced yet lush finish; 50 percent of profits are donated to support pet adoption.

Moderate Priced selections

sPlurge — HigH end Fine Wines

Sparkling

Pol Roger Brut NV, Champagne, $74.59

True Champagne from one of France’s finest producers. wine Enthusiast 90 pts, wine Spectator 90 pts

WhiteChateau Montelena Chardonnay, Napa, $52.99

A wine so notable, hollywood told its story in the film "Bottle Shock." rich and bright, a sweet oak finish. California-style Chard at its finest. wine Advocate 90 pts., Steven Tanzer 91 pts

Gallo Private Label Signature Series Russian River, Chardonnay, California, $50.99

This wine has delightfully bright flavors of crisp apple, lemon meringue and ginger on the palate. wine Advocate 90 pts.

RedRobert Craig Affinity, Napa, $63.99

A blend of predominately Cabernet. what better for a wedding than a wine named Affinity?

robert parker 90 pts., vinous 92 pts

Gallo Signature Series Cabernet Sauvignon, California, $60

This cab displays flavors of currant, cassis, dark fruit, chocolate and cherry on the palate. velvety tannins meld with hints of warm oak to create a long, supple finish. wine Advocate 92 pts

sPlurge — HigH end Fine Wines


Blissfulbites

LeT’SeaT


Peanut Butter Balls


Love is in the air, and that sound you hear just may be wedding bells ringing along the Pamlico!

The gown has been chosen and the flowers selected, so now

it's time to decide just what to serve your guests. Wedding season brings with it plenty of excuses to throw a good party, and what better way to celebrate than by nibbling some of these delicious finger foods that are staples for any accomplished host or hostess?

Whether you're planning a wedding reception, shower or bridesmaids' luncheon, these recipes from the Pamlico Pantry collection of cookbooks from the Washington Daily News will be the hit of the party. Enjoy!

Celebrate wedding season with these tempting tidbitsWRiTTEN BY kEVIN SCOTT CUTLER

FooD PREPARATioN BY JANE OLSEN | PHoToS BY VAIL STEWART RUMLEY

Cocktail MeatballsBarbara Ann SmithBeaufort County Arts Council

1 1/2 pounds ground chuck or round; 4 tablespoons quick oats; 1 tablespoon ginger; 2 eggs; 1 teaspoon salt; 4 tablespoons milk; 1 teaspoon minced onion; 2 (3-ounce) cans mushrooms, drained and minced.

Mix beef with oats, ginger, eggs, milk, onion and mushrooms. Form mixture into one-inch balls. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes or until done.

sauce: 1 1/2 cups sour cream; 1 teaspoon salt; 1/4 teaspoon pepper; 3 teaspoons horseradish (or to taste).

heat sauce ingredients in a small saucepan (do not boil). Place all in a chafing dish.

Cocktailmeatballs


Tea Ham BiscuitsGray Fulford ShackelfordThe Wilkinson Center

2 packages Pepperidge Farm dinner rolls (20-count); 1 pound ham, thinly sliced (spicy ham is good); 1 pound swiss cheese; 2 sticks butter; 4 tablespoons brown sugar; 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce; 2 tablespoons spicy mustard; 2 tablespoons poppy seeds.

Slice package of rolls horizontally and place ham and cheese into each roll. Place on 9 x 13 baking sheet. in a saucepan, melt butter, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, spicy mustard and poppy seeds. Spoon butter mixture over rolls. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until cheese is bubbly. Yield: 40 rolls.

Award Winning Hawaiian Dip For FruitMarcia (Marcy) Rodman DunnSaint Peter's Episcopal Church

2 tablespoons apricot preserves; 1/2 cup shredded coconut; 1/2 cup chopped walnuts; 2 cups sour cream.

Mix ingredients together and chill well until serving time. Serve with green seedless grapes, seeded watermelon chunks, cantaloupe chunks, pineapple chunks and thickly cut banana slices. Prepare bananas at last minute to prevent browning. Serve with toothpicks. Yield: three cups.

Grecian Party SquaresPippin MadsonFirst Presbyterian Church

1 package Knorr vegetable soup mix (dry); 1/2 cup mayonnaise; 1/2 cup sour cream; 1 package (10-ounce) frozen spinach, thawed; 1 can artichoke hearts (drain and chop); 1 can water chestnuts (drain and chop); 4 ounces crumbled feta cheese; 1 clove garlic, minced; 1 small can of sliced black olives; 2 packages refrigerated crescent roll dough; fresh grated Parmesan cheese.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Unroll dough onto cookie sheet and press seams together to seal. Bake crust for 10 minutes. Combine above ingredients (except Parmesan cheese) and spread over crust. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese over top. Return to oven and bake 15 minutes. Cut into squares.

Lady FingersJudy HollandWashington Pediatrics

1 1/2 sticks butter; 4 tablespoons granulated sugar; 4 tablespoons powdered sugar; 2 cups flour; 2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla; pinch of salt; 1 cup chopped pecans; 2 tablespoons cold water.

Cream sugars and butter; add water, vanilla, flour, salt and nuts. Bake at 325 degrees for 20 minutes. Cover in powdered sugar.

Hot Sausage BallsPhyllis HardisonWare's Chapel United Methodist Church

1 pound hot sausage; 3 cups Bisquick; 2 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, grated.

Combine all ingredients; shape into balls. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

The Now Famous Cheese RingSusie HaddockChurch of God of Prophecy

1 pound sharp cheddar cheese, grated; 1 cup pecans, chopped; 3/4 cup mayonnaise; 1 medium onion, grated; 1 clove garlic, pressed; 1/2 teaspoon tabasco; 1 cup strawberry preserves.

Combine all ingredients except preserves and mix well. Chill. Mold into a ring. Unmold to serve on a beautiful dish. Fill center with strawberry preserves. Serve with crackers.

CheeseStraws

Cheese And Almond StripsKaye MayerBeaufort County Arts Council

1 loaf very thin sliced white bread, crusts removed; 1/2 pound cheddar cheese, shredded; 6 slices bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled; 2 to 3 tablespoons very finely chopped onion; 3/4 cup chopped almonds, lightly toasted; 1 cup real mayonnaise; 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce.

Mix all above ingredients (except bread). Spread on bread. Cut each slice into three strips. at this point, a cookie sheet full may be frozen and then stored in freezer bags to have "hot" hors d'oeuvres on hand for impromptu entertaining. When ready to serve, bake at 400 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes.

Cheese StrawsConnie Womble and Lula StoutFirst Free Will Baptist Church

2 sticks butter; 8 ounces extra sharp cheese, shredded; 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper; 1/8 teaspoon salt; 2 cups plain flour.

Mash cheese and butter with a fork. add salt and pepper. Work into flour. Form marble sized balls; press on cookie sheet with fork. Bake at 375 degrees for six to eight minutes.

Cinnamon Cream Cheese BarsLinda BowenThe Wilkinson Center

2 cans crescent rolls; 2 packages cream cheese (approaching room temperature assists blending); 1 cup sugar plus 1/3 cup sugar; 1 teaspoon vanilla; 1 tablespoon cinnamon; 1/4 cup butter.

Line bottom of greased 9 x 13 pan with one package crescents. Blend cream cheese, one cup sugar and vanilla with mixer until smooth. Spread over crescents. Roll other package of crescents on top. Spoon melted butter over crescents and sprinkle with mixture of one tablespoon cinnamon and 1/3 cup sugar. Bake at 325 degrees for 25 minutes. Chill and cut into bars.

Citrus PunchElaine HollomanSaint Peter's Episcopal Church

1 quart cold water; 1 (6-ounce) can frozen orange juice concentrate; 1 (6-ounce) can frozen lemonade concentrate; 1 (6-ounce) can frozen limeade concentrate; 1 (32-ounce) bottle ginger ale or champagne; ice block; mint leaves for garnish.

Combine cold water and concentrated juices and pour over ice block in punch bowl. Stir in ginger ale or champagne. garnish with mint leaves. Yield: 12 servings.


Every Thursday Night and Saturday Morning

Open Jam•Turnage Theater lobby•

Open jam Thursday night from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. and every Saturday morning from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Musicians and fans are encouraged to attend and play. There is no admission fee. http://uac.bctma.org/welcome.html

February 6-8East Carolina Wildlife

Arts Festival and NC Decoy Carving

Championship•Downtown Washington•

The ECWAF returns to Washington for its 20th year. This event combines our waterfowl heritage with the arts for a spectacular event. Artists from throughout the US bring the talents for wildlife and outdoor enthusiasts to enjoy. The NC Decoy Carving Championships showcase the amazing artistry related to decoy carving. www.eastcarolinawildfowlguild.com, 1-800-546-0162, ext. 2.

February 6-8Chuck May Decoy

Memorabilia Display•NC Estuarium•

A special exhibit of renowned waterfowl carver Chuck May’s decoy memorabilia that was donated to the Estuarium. This exhibit will be on display for the weekend of the East Carolina Wildlife Arts Festival and NC Decoy Carving Championships. Call 252-948-0000 for information.

February 7East Carolina Wildlife Arts Festival Dinner

and Auction•Washington Yacht & Country Club•

6 p.m. This auction features works of art and award winning decoy carvings featured at the Wildlife Arts Festival. The auction is free and open to the public. Reservations and tickets required for the dinner. Call 252-948-9415, ext. 2 or 3, for tickets or reservations.

February 7Children’s Decoy

Painting Workshop•NC Estuarium•

This activity is free but pre-registration is required. Children must be between 4 and 12 years of age. This annual event is a part of the East Carolina Wildlife Arts Festival. Call 252-948-0000.

February 8Alex DePue with Miguel De Hoyos

in concert•Washington High School Performing Arts Center•

3 p.m. High-flying fingerboard pyrotechnics-World renowned violinist/fiddler leads duo through an array of styles — classical, bluegrass, rock — with blazing virtuosity and emotion. Duo credits include an appearance with the Philadelphia Orchestra and as feature entertainers with the International Bluegrass Music Association. Supercharged, accessible, genre-crossing repertoire. Sponsored by the Beaufort County Concert Association. Call 252-946-7909 for tickets or more information.

February 12Senior Dance

•Washington Civic Center•7 p.m. Singles and couples over

50 are welcome to come and dance the night away. Admission is $7, 50/50 drawing. Door prizes. No Alcohol/No Smoking/No Children.

February 19Taste the Good Life in Little Washington

•Washington Civic Center•Help us celebrate all that is

Washington, North Carolina. Come for delicious samples of local restaurants’ best cuisine, beer and wine tastings, preview fashion trends and more. This event is held at the Washington Civic Center from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. For ticket information call 252-946-9168 or visit www.wbcchamber.com.

February 27ArtWalk

•Downtown Washington•5 p.m. to 8 p.m. This free-

to-the-public showcase of local visual art takes place on Main, Water and Gladden streets on the last Friday of every month. The quarterly happening features art in galleries open to browsers, collectors or the plain curious, with refreshments and live entertainment thrown in for good measure. Call 252-946-3969 for more information.

February 28African American

History Month Lecture by

Amanda Smith•Historic Bath•

10 a.m. “Local Civil Rights Movement: Williamston Freedom Movement, 1957-1970.” Come hear local teacher and historian Amanda Smith discuss the Williamston Freedom Movement. It is a piece of history not widely discussed in conjunction with the Civil Rights Movement here in North Carolina. Call 252-923-3971 for more information.

OUT anD

aBOUT CalENDarWildlife carvings like this owl are part of the appeal of the annual East Carolina Wildlife Arts Festival.


THE PERFECT setting for your

ONCE-IN-A-LIFETIME DAY

Conveniently located in downtown Washington and across the street from

two of Washington’s historic churches, the Washington Civic Center is large enough

to accommodate both your wedding and your reception. It offers limitless possibilities for the

wedding of your dreams.

c i v i c c e n t e r

WashingtonCivicCenter.com / 800-546-0165 110 N. Gladden Street / Washington, NC 27889

February 28Naming the Twins•Turnage Theater lobby•

8 p.m. The Twins never fail to entertain their audiences well, balancing thoughtful ballads with toe-tappin’ numbers, transporting the listener with lyrical imagery and sweet harmonies. Robbie comes from a “tradition bearer” family — shipbuilders and folksingers — and is the songwriter of the group with a lifetime of widely varied styles in his repertoire, some being recorded by Roger Whittaker. Kath shares his inspiration and brings an engaging voice as well as a knack for vocal harmonies. “…a fabulous feast of musical harmony,” Kath and Robbie have a repertoire of music that includes old favorites and a blend of original tunes that woo memories of the ’60s and ’70s. As one audience member noted, “Rob’s superb guitar skills stopped us dead in our tracks.” This duo understands entertainment and how to embrace their audience. www.bctma.org

February 28Oyster Roast

•Selby Farm Shop, Bath•Bath High School Preservation Annual Oyster Roast

with Extras, 4 p.m. Call 252-923-5061 for more information.

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Holiday season sets sail

Holiday season sets sail

WaterfrontWonderland

MORE HOSPITALS. MORE PHYSICIANS.

MORE SERVICES.

YOUR FAMILY OF CARE JUST GREW BY TWO.

We’re very proud to welcome Beaufort and Pungo Hospitals to our

University Health Systems family of care. We’re now a 10-hospital system

bringing advanced, integrated care to 1.4 million people in 29 counties

of eastern North Carolina. With these additions, our commitment to

more physicians, more access and more ways to improve the health of all

our communities is stronger than ever.

Pitt County Memorial | Chowan | Bertie Memorial | Roanoke-Chowan

Duplin General | Outer Banks | Heritage | Albemarle | Pungo | Beaufort

www.uhseast .com

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scrumptiousrecipes forthe season

scrumptiousrecipes forthe season

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Learning

social

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Can ten hospitals work

together as one?Yes.

University Health Systems of Eastern Carolina

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Are we there when you need us?

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To fi nd out more about our system of care,

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VIA2281_9.2x11.2Washington_boy.indd 1

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You knew and trusted us as University Health Systems of Eastern Carolina. Now,

you can put your trust in Vidant Health. We’re 11,000 dedicated employees, 10 hospitals,

and hundreds of primary care physicians and specialists. All united under one name

and one vision: to make eastern North Carolina a healthier place to live.

To put faces with our new name, visit VoicesOfVidant.com.

Say hello to

Vidant Medical Center • Vidant Beaufort Hospital • Vidant Bertie Hospital • Vidant Chowan Hospital • Vidant Duplin Hospital

Vidant Edgecombe Hospital • Vidant Pungo Hospital • Vidant Roanoke-Chowan Hospital • Vidant Medical Group

The Outer Banks Hospital • Albemarle Health

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Keeping the routine, routine

Extravagant spreads of hors d’oeuvres, heaps upon heaps of baked goods, coupled with an enormous cake and a $100-200 dinner, can draw anyone into a remorseful and debilitating state of hibernation. With

the wedding season, comes inescapable excess and the ultimate goal of fitting into that dress or tuxedo, before and after the wedding. Sticking to a routine means there are ways to keep your workout from hibernating as well.

Predominately mentally and, in some cases, physically, this time of year usually marks the tragic end (or suspension) of habit. Family, friends, food and cold weather can render the average runner useless and the regular runner, well, scrambling to find time to combat the calories.

Establishing or continuing a routine is vital to staying in shape during the winter months. For the sporadic exerciser, 28 days to a month is the most widely accepted timeframe for a workout routine to stick, become engrained in one’s daily schedule. Anne Pagnani, an exercise physiologist at Vidant Wellness Center in Washington, is tasked with guiding people through this tricky time of year.

“Find out what your interests are and try to tailor your routine towards your interests,” she said. “Find time in your calendar and have an appointment with yourself to exercise. If you put it in your day just like you would put a meeting in there, that will hold you accountable. I would also suggest finding a friend who wants to exercise as well. The hardest part of exercising is putting on the shoes, or getting in the car — whatever your first step is.”

Working out with a friend, one who shares similar interests, will automatically create an atmosphere of accountability, a symbiotic relationship where neither

can operate without the other. And the result is usually increased motivation to continue improving and challenging yourself.

From the costless and quick to the expensive and extreme, there is a methodology to staying in shape for each individual’s budget, schedule and capability.

“I describe exercise like taking a pill — if you don’t take it, it can’t work. If you don’t exercise, it won’t benefit you. So, the benefits of exercise are the same whether you’re outside in the summer or inside for the winter. It helps your resting heart rate stay lower; it helps your blood pressure stay lower.”

While it’s a common excuse, some really do not have the time or the money to join a gym when it becomes too chilly for outdoor exercise. Simple workouts in the comfort of your own home may seem unproductive on the surface, but they can provide a viable alternative to regularly battling the cold weather.

“Bringing in the cold air constricts your lungs, heart veins and arteries, so a lot of people don’t like that sensation because it creates a burning feeling, so they’ll come inside,” Pagnani said.

Dedicated runners will usually brave the elements. For the moderate runners, Pagnani recommends a 15 to 20-minute regiment, routines like squats, push-ups, sit-ups and even climbing up and down stairs. Inexpensive workout supplements like an exercise ball, weights or kettle bell can also up the ante. Exercise bands, which resemble elastic sheets, are cheaper than light weights and provide a similar result.

To maximize a session and get the best result, joining a gym might be the best way for some to stay motivated and fit. It’s all about finding the most fun, entertaining workout and gyms and facilities around Washington certainly have a variety of options.

SToRY BY DAVID CUCCHIARA | PHoTogRAPHS BY WILL PRESLAR

Fun ways to stay fit in the new year


Especially with the long country roads that make up Beaufort County, riding a bike can be one of the most enjoyable outdoor activities in the spring, summer and fall, as well as one of the harshest in the winter. Don’t let the last name fool you: Liane Harsh, owner of Inner Banks Outfitters and a regular cyclist, is reluctant to in temperatures that hover around freezing.

“Not all cyclists pedal all year round,” Harsh said. “We have a good handful that do, but once it hits the 40s, I don’t ride. I’ll go out, I’ll run, but on a bike, it’s just so cold. You can

definitely suit up and do it, but I’d rather just go inside.”

Spinning is the avid or moderate cyclist’s alternative to riding outdoors, while also being a fun and extremely productive way for anyone, regardless of fitness or age, to burn calories.

The workout consists of a stationary bike equipped with a 40-pound flywheel in front. The instructor generally choreographs contrasting styles of music with a variety of simulated road experiences. A sprint is replicated on the bike by turning down the tension on the flywheel, while increasing the tension is meant to

replicate an uphill climb. Harsh, who regularly teaches a 45-minute session at Fitness Unlimited in Washington and an hour-long class at Vidant Wellness Center, syncs methodical music with slow beats with uphill climbs and more driven, fast-paced songs with sprints.

“People love it because if you have good music and are upbeat about it, the hour goes like that,” Harsh said. “You walk out of there drenched. The sweat on your shirt is indicative of the workout you get. I can’t think of a better to get a good cardio workout than going to a spin class.”

SpinningA group of people take part in a spinning class at Vidant Wellness Center. The bike consists of a 40-pound fly wheel in front that simulates real road experiences. The tension on the flywheel can recreate uphill climbs and downhill sprints. Men and women alike, everyone can get an excellent cardio workout from taking a spinning class.


Commonly known as more of a spiritual or mental practice, yoga offers another entertaining way to bring your outdoor workout, indoors for the winter. Like spinning or most indoor exercises, yoga can be tailored to fit an individual’s specific needs quite easy. Most classes consist of experts as well as beginners, and each person is encouraged to go at their own pace.

“Yoga concentrates more on your breathing,” Pagnani said. “It’s not fast-moving movements. It’s more static movements. You can get in a yoga pose that’s taxing to your muscles, but you’re not moving. It can be very challenging.”

And while there are classes that mix experience levels, novice and beginner-focused sessions are also available. This allows fitter people to tackle the mats with their peers and the less limber to take it slow.

“I’ve done some that does get my heart rate up, but not all poses do,” Pagnai said. “There’s as many different yoga type classes as there are other aerobics type classes. It all depends on the instructor.”

Other Indoor Alternatives• Water aerobics is great for people who struggle with weight, arthritis or joint pain• Treadmills, elipticals and standard cardio-centered gym equipment• Personal training, a one-on-one session, is costly, but a great motivator• Portion control and simply watching what you eat

Yoga


While yoga concentrates more on mind than body, a yoga class can still raise a participant’s heart rate.

Zumba classes are certainly not for the faint of heart. A person who participates has nothing to hide, is confident in themselves and is willing to go with the flow. And if you're not there already, you will be.

Zumba is a South American dance routine that has everyone moving in unison to music with a strong beat. Participants are encouraged to dress vibrantly in neon colors and beads.

It’s not for everyone, but it’s become one of the best ways for a certain outgoing demographic to stay in shape. Vidant regularly offers Zumba classes for those looking for an unconventional, fun and more socialized method of working out.

“The people that do Zumba love it,” Pagnani said. “You’re getting your heart rate up and you’re sustaining it

up. The thing about exercise, the best thing for you to do is what you like. If you buy an elliptical trainer and you hate it, you’re not going to do it, so it’s not good for you. They all get your heart rate up and work your muscles. It’s just people will do what they like.

“It’s great exercise. It’s just

about getting that heart rate up and sustaining it 20-30 beats above your resting level. Then, once you're done your heart rate will be lower, your blood pressure will be lower.”

Classes can consist of anywhere from 10 to 30-plus people and are offered regularly by Vidant.

Zumba

A group of women participate in a Zumba class at Vidant Wellness Center. Zumba, a type of Columbian dance routine, elevates heart rates and can provide a great workout.

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When my family moved here from Wisconsin back in 1984, I was not sure how I felt about this transition. People sounded different and used strange words like “y'all” and “drink“

when referring to a soda. However, this community welcomed us in with open arms and it did not take long for me to feel like part of the “Pack.”

My brothers and I found the we had something in common with our new school and that was a passion for the sport of wrestling. My father started all three of us boys in the sport at a young age and we loved it. Washington High School was a very successful program back in the mid ‘80’s and we were eager to jump right into this program. The team won back to back conference championships my junior and senior years, the only two that I was lucky enough to be a part of. I was voted a team captain my senior year and we went a perfect 16-0 that year. I developed some special friendships with classmates and teammates those two years and many of those people are still in my life today.

I attended East Carolina University and settled down in Greenville with my beautiful wife, Susan, and our terrific daughter, Katie. I have taught and coached at North Pitt High School and at Farmville Central High School. I started a team at FC four years ago and, with the help of Mike Taylor, that team developed quickly and has had a lot of success. We actually won a conference championship last year by defeating Washington High School the last conference match of the season.

I had a couple of phone calls from my friend telling me that coach Riggs was leaving to head back to Pennsylvania and that I needed to come home and coach the Pack. I talked to my wife about this possibility and how much this wrestling community had to offer. I think every kid that competes for their school thinks about that at one point or another, the opportunity to come back and coach at their school.

I feel very lucky and blessed to have this opportunity to come back to my school and coach these great kids that

we have here. This wrestling community is a strong one at all levels and to be at a high level in this sport you have to have that. We are about halfway through our first season together and it has been amazing so far. Justin "Weasel" Moore is a Washington graduate, and a state champion who has a vast amount of knowledge that he is sharing with the team. I couldn't have asked for a better assistant to help with this transition into this program.

Our school is full of great kids being raised by great parents, who being molded and educated by an exemplary staff that I am fortunate enough to be a part of. When you have all of those ingredients to work with, your odds of success increase dramatically. There is a common saying that you will find in the hallways of our school, or on t-shirts worn by students and staff that really sums it all up: “One Team, One Goal, One Pack”

One Team, One Goal, One PACKWRiTTEN BY COACH CHRIS PENHOLLOW

Y’aLLCOMeBaCK Why I love Washington

Chris Penhollow

5337 US Hwy. 264 East, Washington, NC 27889 252-946-6194 • www.beaufortccc.eduFind us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter

Beaufort County Community College

To learn how you can become one of the many BCCC success stories,

visit our website at www.beaufortccc.edu

or call Admissions at 252-940-6237.

SucceSS BCCC

StoriesDonna Deans

Nursing Supervisor, Vidant Beaufort HospitalAssociate’s Degree in Nursing

Donna Deans of Blounts Creek earned an Associate’s Degree in nursing from BCCC in 1980 and right away began her nursing career at Beaufort County Hospital – now Vidant Beaufort Hospital. Since then she has used her nursing training as a surgical nurse at Craven Regional Surgical Center, clinical nurse manager for a

pain management center, an ophthalmic medical assistant, a home health nurse, a nursing manager for a plastic surgery practice and even as a OSHA/HIPAA consultant. In 2011 she returned to Vidant Beaufort, where she serves as nursing supervisor. She recently received the Juanita Jackson Award for Nursing Excellence at Vidant Beaufort Hospital, given at the hospital each year as part of National Nurses Week. A native of Beaufort County, Deans said she chose BCCC for her education because it was convenient - she could stay at home while completing her studies. At BCCC, Deans took college transfer courses for her freshman year and was accepted into BCCC’s Associate Degree Nursing program. Deans recalls thatwhen she first arrived at BeaufortCountyHospital as a newly-minted nurse,she discovered that BCCC had prepared her well. “I felt more than adequately prepared to go into the workforceaftergraduation,”shesaid.“I’vealwaysfeltconfidentinpursuingdifferentareasofnursingand Beaufort County Community College helped me to feel that way.”

One in a series of features about former Beaufort County Community College students who have gone on to

achieve success in their chosen fields.

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Documents

Washington: The Magazine-January/February 2015